2005 CADILLAC XLR brake

DIC Warnings and Messages
These messages will appear if there is a problem
sensed in one of your vehicle’s systems. You must then
press RESET to clear the display screen for further
use. However, be sure to take any message that
appears on the display screen seriously and remember
that pressing the RESET button will only make the
message disappear, not the problem.
DIC messages can also be displayed in English,
French, German, Italian and Spanish.
ABS ACTIVE:When your anti-lock system is adjusting
brake pressure to help avoid a braking skid, the ABS
ACTIVE message will be displayed.
Slippery road conditions may exist if this message is
displayed, so adjust your driving accordingly. The
message may stay on for a few seconds after the
system stops adjusting brake pressure.
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE:This message is displayed
when the vehicle has detected that the battery voltage
is dropping beyond a reasonable point. The battery
saver system will start reducing certain features of the
vehicle that you may not be able to notice. At the
point that features are disabled, this message is
displayed. It means that the vehicle is trying to save the
charge in the battery. Turn off unnecessary accessories
to allow the battery to recharge.CHANGE OIL NOW:This means that the life of the
engine oil has expired. SeeScheduled Maintenance on
page 7-4. After an oil change, the Oil Life Indicator
must be reset. SeeOil Life Indicator on page 3-77and
Engine Oil Life System on page 6-16.
CHARGE SYSTEM FAULT:This message will display
when a problem with the charging system has been
detected. Have your vehicle serviced by your GM dealer.
CHECK GAS CAP:This message will appear if the
gas cap has not been fully tightened. You should
recheck your gas cap to ensure that it is on properly.
CLEAN RADAR CRUISE:This message indicates the
ACC system is disabled because the radar is blocked and
cannot detect vehicles in your path. It may also activate
during heavy rain or due to road spray. To clean the
system, see “Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)” underTurn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7.
CLOSE CARGO DIVIDER:This message indicates that
the cargo divider is not in place. Open the trunk and
make sure the cargo divider is secure and no objects are
on the divider. SeeRear Storage Area on page 2-44
for more information.
3-64

HIGH VOLTAGE:This message shows that the
electrical charging system is overcharging. To avoid
being stranded, have the electrical system checked by
your GM dealer. You can reduce the charging
overload by using the accessories. Turn on the lamps
and radio, set the climate control on AUTO and the
fan speed on HI, and turn the rear window defogger on.
You can monitor battery voltage on the DIC by
pressing the information button. The normal range is
11.5 to 15.5 volts when the engine is running.
HOT ENGINE–A/C OFF:This message displays when
the engine coolant becomes hotter than the normal
operating temperature. To avoid added strain on a hot
engine, the air conditioning compressor is automatically
turned off. When the coolant temperature returns to
normal, the A/C operation will automatically resume. You
can continue to drive your vehicle. If this message
continues to appear, have the system repaired by
your GM dealer as soon as possible to avoid
compressor damage.
ICE POSSIBLE:This message appears when the
outside air temperature is cold enough to create icy road
conditions.
LEFT DOOR AJAR:This message will display anytime
the vehicle engine is running, the transmission is not
in PARK (P) and the driver’s door is open or ajar.
A chime will sound when the vehicle’s speed is greater
than 3 mph (4.8 km/h).LOW BRAKE FLUID:This message will display if the
vehicle is running to inform the driver that the brake
uid level is low. Have the brake system serviced
by your GM dealer as soon as possible. See “Brake
Fluid” underBrakes on page 6-33.
LOW COOLANT:This message will appear when there
is a low level of engine coolant. Have the cooling
system serviced by your GM dealer as soon as possible.
SeeEngine Coolant on page 6-20.
LOW FUEL:This message will appear when the fuel
supply is less than 5 gallons (18.9 L) and the display is
turned off. A single chime will also sound when this
message is displayed.
LOW OIL LEVEL:For correct operation of the low oil
sensing system, your vehicle should be on a level
surface. A false LOW OIL LEVEL message may appear if
the vehicle is parked on a grade. The oil level sensing
system does not check for actual oil level if the engine
has been off for a short period of time, and the oil level is
never checked while the engine is running. If the LOW
OIL LEVEL message appears, and your vehicle has been
parked on level ground with the engine off for at least
30 minutes, the oil level should be checked by observing
the oil dipstick. Prior to checking the oil level, be sure the
engine has been off for a few minutes and your vehicle is
on a level surface. Then check the dipstick and add oil if
necessary. SeeEngine Oil on page 6-13.
3-66

NO FOB, OFF OR RUN?:This message is displayed
when you turn off the engine, but the vehicle does
not detect a keyless access transmitter in the vehicle.
The vehicle will remain in accessory mode until the
engine has been turned off or started, or ve minutes
has expired. If you select OFF, the vehicle cannot
be started again without a remote access transmitter in
the vehicle.
OVER SPEED WARNING:This message is displayed
when the vehicle speed exceeds a certain limit as
required by some export countries. A chime will sound
when this message is displayed.
PRESS BRAKE TO START:The brake pedal must be
applied to start the vehicle. Make sure you are
pressing the brake pedal all the way down.
REDUCED ENGINE POWER:This message informs
you that the vehicle is reducing engine power because
the transmission is being placed in gear under
conditions that may cause damage to the vehicle’s
engine, transmission or ability to accelerate.
RIGHT DOOR AJAR:The passenger’s door is open or
ajar when this message appears. The vehicle must
be running and the transmission not in PARK (P) for this
message to display. A chime will sound if the vehicle’s
speed is greater than 3 mph (5 km/h).SERVICE A/C:This message appears when the
electronic sensors that control the air conditioning and
heating systems are no longer working. Have the climate
control system serviced by your GM dealer if you
notice a drop in heating and air conditioning efficiency.
SERVICE ABS:If the SERVICE ABS message is
displayed when you are driving, stop as soon as
possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine
again to reset the system. If the message stays on,
or comes back on again while you are driving,
your vehicle is in need of service. See your GM dealer.
If the SERVICE ABS message is being displayed, your
Traction Control System and StabiliTrak
®System will
also be disabled. The Driver Information Center will scroll
three messages: SERVICE ABS, SERVICE TRACTION
SYS and SERVICE STABILITRAK, and the anti-lock
brake system and traction control warning lights on the
instrument panel cluster will be illuminated. SeeAnti-Lock
Brake System Warning Light on page 3-53andTraction
Control System (TCS) Warning Light on page 3-53. The
driver can acknowledge these messages by pressing the
RESET button three times. When the service message is
displayed the computer controlled systems will not assist
the driver and you should have the system repaired by
your GM dealer as soon as possible. Adjust your driving
accordingly.
3-68

STABILITRAK ACTIVE:You may see the
STABILITRAK ACTIVE message on the Driver
Information Center. It means that an advanced,
computer-controlled system has come on to help your
vehicle continue to go in the direction in which you
are steering. This stability enhancement system
activates when the computer senses that your vehicle is
just starting to spin, as it might if you hit a patch of
ice or other slippery spot on the road. When the system
is on, you may hear a noise or feel a vibration in the
brake pedal. This is normal.
When the STABILITRAK ACTIVE message is on, you
should continue to steer in the direction you want to go.
The system is designed to help you in bad weather
or other difficult driving situations by making the
most of whatever road conditions will permit. If the
STABILITRAK ACTIVE message comes on, you will
know that something has caused your vehicle to start to
spin, so you should consider slowing down. A single
chime will also sound when this message is displayed.
STABILITRAK READY:If you receive this message
and hear a chime, the system has completed the
functional check of the StabiliTrak
®System.STABILITRAK WARMING:When you rst start your
vehicle and drive away, especially during cold winter
weather, the STABILITRAK WARMING message may
be displayed in the DIC along with a chime and the
traction control warning light. This is normal. You can
acknowledge this message by pressing the RESET
button. The StabiliTrak
®performance is affected until the
STABILITRAK READY message is displayed in the
DIC, which can take up to 15 minutes.
SVC TIRE MONITOR:If this message comes on, a
part on the Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) is not working
properly. If you drive your vehicle while any of the
four sensors are missing or inoperable, the warning will
come on in approximately 10 minutes. If all four
sensors are missing, the warning will come on in
approximately 15 to 20 minutes. (All the sensors would
be missing, for example, if you put different wheels
on your vehicle without transferring the sensors.) If the
warning comes on and stays on, there may be a
problem with the TPM. See your GM dealer.
TOO COLD TO MOVE TOP:This message will display
when the retractable hardtop button is pressed and the
hardtop pump motor temperature is below−4°F (−20°C).
Wait for the hardtop pump motor to warm up before using
the retractable hardtop.
3-70

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........5-2
Defensive Driving...........................................5-2
Drunken Driving.............................................5-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................5-5
Braking.........................................................5-5
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).........................5-6
Braking in Emergencies...................................5-8
Traction Control System (TCS).........................5-8
Magnetic Ride Control.....................................5-9
Limited-Slip Rear Axle.....................................5-9
StabiliTrak
®System......................................5-10
Steering......................................................5-11
Off-Road Recovery.......................................5-13
Passing.......................................................5-14
Loss of Control.............................................5-15
Driving at Night............................................5-16Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................5-18
City Driving..................................................5-20
Freeway Driving...........................................5-21
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................5-22
Highway Hypnosis........................................5-23
Hill and Mountain Roads................................5-23
Winter Driving..............................................5-25
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow........5-29
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................5-30
Loading Your Vehicle....................................5-30
Towing..........................................................5-35
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................5-35
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................5-35
Towing a Trailer...........................................5-35
Section 5 Driving Your Vehicle
5-1

Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle
Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive
defensively.
Please start with a very important safety device in your
vehicle: Buckle up. SeeSafety Belts: They Are for
Everyone on page 1-5.
Defensive driving really means “be ready for anything.”
On city streets, rural roads, or freeways, it means
“always expect the unexpected.”
Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to
be careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what
they might do. Be ready for their mistakes.
Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable of
accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough following
distance. It is the best defensive driving maneuver, in
both city and rural driving. You never know when the
vehicle in front of you is going to brake or turn suddenly.
Defensive driving requires that a driver concentrate on
the driving task. Anything that distracts from the driving
task — such as concentrating on a cellular telephone call,reading, or reaching for something on the oor — makes
proper defensive driving more difficult and can even
cause a collision, with resulting injury. Ask a passenger to
help do things like this, or pull off the road in a safe place
to do them yourself. These simple defensive driving
techniques could save your life.Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a national tragedy. It is the number one contributor
to the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims
every year.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a
vehicle:
Judgment
Muscular Coordination
Vision
Attentiveness
Police records show that almost half of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was
drinking and driving. In recent years, more than
16,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have been
associated with the use of alcohol, with more than
300,000 people injured.
5-2

{CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your reexes, perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even a small
amount of alcohol. You can have a serious — or
even fatal — collision if you drive after drinking.
Please do not drink and drive or ride with a
driver who has been drinking. Ride home in a
cab; or if you are with a group, designate a
driver who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering, and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at
the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or ice, it is
easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means you can lose control of
your vehicle. SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on
page 5-8andStabiliTrak
®System on page 5-10.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That is perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or
more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness,
coordination and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol,
drugs and frustration. But even in three-fourths of a
second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between
your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it is pavement
or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of
the vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.
5-5

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is
a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much
faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace
with the traffic and allow realistic following distances,
you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you are driving, brake
normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced
electronic braking system that will help prevent a
braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and you may even notice that your
brake pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with
the anti-lock brake system,
this warning light will
stay on. SeeAnti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light on page 3-53.
5-6