2007 CADILLAC CTS V Page

Starting and Operating
Your Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will perform better in
the long run if you follow these guidelines
for the rst 500 miles (805 km):
Do not drive at any one constant speed,
fast or slow.
Do not exceed 70 mph (113 km/h).
Do not make full-throttle starts; also refrain
from using the full throttle while driving.
Avoid downshifting to brake, or slow,
the vehicle.
If these procedures are not followed, your
engine, axle, or other parts could be damaged.Avoid making hard stops for the rst 200 miles
(322 km) or so. During this time your new
brake linings are not yet broken in. Hard stops
with new linings can mean premature wear
and earlier replacement. Follow this break-in
guideline every time you get new linings.
Do not tow a trailer during break-in. See
Towing a Trailer on page 328for the trailer
towing capabilities of your vehicle and more
information.
Following break-in, engine speed and load can
be gradually increased.
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Automatic Transmission Operation
The shift lever is located on the center console
between the front seats.
There are several
different positions for
the shift lever.
PARK (P):This position locks the rear wheels.
It is the best position to use when you start the
engine because your vehicle cannot move easily.{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake rmly set.
Your vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not
move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, always set your parking brake
and move the shift lever to PARK (P).
SeeShifting Into Park (P) (Automatic
Transmission) on page 130. If you are
pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 328.
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Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P)
before starting the engine. Your vehicle has an
automatic transmission shift lock control system.
You must fully apply your regular brakes rst
and then press the shift lever button before you
can shift from PARK (P) when the ignition key is
in ON. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P),
ease pressure on the shift lever and push the shift
lever all the way into PARK (P) as you maintain
brake application. Then press the shift lever button
and move the shift lever into another gear.
SeeShifting Out of Park (P) on page 132.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Shift to REVERSE (R) only
after your vehicle is stopped.
REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
At low vehicle speeds, you can also use
REVERSE (R) to rock your vehicle back and forth
to get out of snow, ice, or sand without damaging
your transmission. SeeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck
in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 320for
additional information.NEUTRAL (N):In this position, the engine does
not connect with the wheels. To restart when
you are already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
You can also use NEUTRAL (N) when your
vehicle is being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is rmly on
the brake pedal, your vehicle could move
very rapidly. You could lose control and
hit people or objects. Do not shift into a
drive gear while your engine is running at
high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) with the engine running at high
speed may damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Be sure the engine is not running at high
speed when shifting your vehicle.
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DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving.
It provides the best fuel economy for your vehicle.
If you need more power for passing, and you are:
Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more,
push the accelerator all the way down.
The transmission will shift down to a lower gear
and have more power.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding, see Skidding
underLoss of Control on page 303
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill using only
the accelerator pedal may damage the
transmission. If you are stuck, do not spin
the tires. When stopping on a hill, use
the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
Notice:If you drive your vehicle at high RPMs
without upshifting while using Driver Shift
Control (DSC), you could damage your
vehicle. Always upshift when necessary while
using DSC.
Your automatic transmission has a Driver Shift
Control (DSC) feature that allows you to change
gears similar to a manual transmission. To use the
DSC feature:
1. Slide the shift lever over from DRIVE (D) to
the right into the DSC area.
The sport mode light in
the instrument panel
cluster will come on.
If you do not move the shift lever forward or
rearward, the vehicle will be in sport mode.
When you are in the sport mode the
vehicle will still shift automatically.
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While driving in sport mode, the transmission
may remain in a gear longer than it would
in the normal driving mode based on braking,
throttle input, and vehicle lateral acceleration.
2. To enter the DSC mode, press the shift lever
forward to upshift or rearward to downshift.
The odometer on the instrument panel cluster will
change from the mileage to a number indicating
the requested gear range when moving the
shift lever forward or rearward. SeeSpeedometer
and Odometer on page 200for more information
on the odometer.
While using the DSC feature, the vehicle will have
rmer shifting and increased performance. You
can use this for sport driving or when climbing or
descending hills, to stay in gear longer, or to
down shift for more power or engine braking.The transmission will only allow you to shift into
gears appropriate for the vehicle speed and engine
Revolutions Per Minute (RPM). The transmission
will not automatically shift to the next higher
gear if the engine RPM is too high.
If shifting is prevented for any reason, the currently
selected gear will ash multiple times, indicating
that the transmission has not shifted gears.
While in the DSC mode, the transmission will
automatically downshift when the vehicle comes to
a stop and while quickly applying the accelerator
to increase speed. This will allow for more
power during take-off.
When accelerating your vehicle from a stop in
snowy and icy conditions, you may want to shift
into second gear. A higher gear ratio allows you to
gain more traction on slippery surfaces.
125

Skip Shift (CTS-V)
1r4:This message may appear in the message
center in the speedometer during light throttle, low
speed maneuvers (15 to 19 mph (24 to 31 km/h)).
When this message appears, you can only shift
from FIRST (1) to FOURTH (4) instead of
FIRST (1) to SECOND (2).
SeeOne-to-Four Shift Message (CTS-V Only) on
page 222for more information.
During the shift from FIRST (1) to FOURTH (4),
pull the shift lever straight back using light force on
the shift lever. You must complete the shift into
FOURTH (4) to turn off this feature. This helps get
the best possible fuel economy. The skip shift
feature is turned backed on when the vehicle is at
a complete stop and the digital speedometer
reads 0 mph (0 km/h).
Notice:Forcing the shift lever into any gear
except FOURTH (4), when the One – to – Four
Shift message comes on, may damage the
transmission. Shift only from FIRST (1) to
FOURTH (4) when the One – to – Four Shift
message comes on.The One – to – Four Shift message comes on when:The engine coolant temperature is higher than
169°F (76°C) and you are going 15 to 19 mph
(24 to 31 km/h).
You are pressing the accelerator pedal less
then a quarter of the way down.
Parking Brake
The parking brake pedal
is located on the lower
portion of the instrument
panel to the left of the
steering wheel.
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right foot and push the
parking brake pedal down with your left foot.
128

If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
on the instrument panel cluster should come
on. If it does not, you need to have your vehicle
serviced. SeeBrake System Warning Light
on page 205for more information.
To release the parking brake, pull the release
lever located to the left of the steering wheel on
the instrument panel.Notice:Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system and cause
premature wear or damage to brake system
parts. Verify that the parking brake is fully
released and the brake warning light is
off before driving.
A warning chime will sound if the parking brake
is set, the ignition is on, and the vehicle begins
to move. To stop the chime, fully release the
parking brake.
If you are towing a trailer and parking on a hill,
seeTowing a Trailer on page 328for more
information.
129

Shifting Into Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly set.
Your vehicle can roll. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, use
the steps that follow. If you are pulling a
trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on page 328.To shift into PARK (P), use the following steps:
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by
pressing the button on the front of the
shift lever while pushing the lever all the way
toward the front of the vehicle. Release
the button.
3. With your right foot still holding the brake
pedal down, set the parking brake with
your left foot. SeeParking Brake on page 128
for more information.
4. Turn the key to OFF.
5. Remove the key from the ignition switch and
take it with you. If you can leave your vehicle
with the key in your hand, the vehicle is in
PARK (P).
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