2008 CADILLAC CTS transmission

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.
P (Park):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 the vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the
parking brake rmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the 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 the vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, always
set the parking brake and move the shift lever
to P (Park). SeeShifting Into Park (Automatic
Transmission) on page 2-45. If you are pulling
a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-30.
2-38

Make sure the shift lever is fully in P (Park) 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 P (Park)
when the ignition key is in ON/RUN. If you cannot
shift out of P (Park), ease pressure on the shift lever
and push the shift lever all the way into P (Park) as you
maintain brake application. Then press the shift lever
button and move the shift lever into another gear.
SeeShifting Out of Park on page 2-47.
Notice:Shifting to R (Reverse) while the vehicle is
moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
R (Reverse):Use this gear to back up.
At low vehicle speeds, you can also use R (Reverse)
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 4-21for additional information.N (Neutral):In this position, the engine does not
connect with the wheels. To restart when you are
already moving, use N (Neutral) only. You can also
use N (Neutral) when your vehicle is being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless
your foot is rmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly. You could
lose control and hit people or objects. Do not
shift into a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of P (Park) or N (Neutral) with
the engine running at high speed may damage the
transmission. The repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the engine is not
running at high speed when shifting the vehicle.
2-39

D (Drive):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 4-12
M (Manual Mode):This position lets drivers select the
range of gears appropriate for current driving conditions.
If your vehicle has this feature, see Driver Shift Control
(DSC) later in this section.
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 D (Drive) to the right
to M (Manual Mode).
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. 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.
SPORT MODE will be displayed in the DIC
2. To enter the DSC mode, press the shift lever
forward to upshift or rearward to downshift.
2-40

The tachometer display on
the instrument panel cluster
will show which gear the
vehicle is in and a number
indicating the requested
gear range when moving
the shift lever forward
or rearward. See
Speedometer and
Odometer on page 3-32
for 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 lower 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.
2-41

Manual Transmission Operation
If your vehicle has a
manual transmission, the
shift lever is located on the
center console between the
front seats. The following
explains how to operate the
manual transmission.
FIRST (1):Press the clutch pedal and shift into
FIRST (1). Then slowly let up on the clutch pedal
as you press the accelerator pedal.
Shift into FIRST (1) when you are going less than
25 mph (40 km/h). If you come to a complete stop and
it is hard to shift into FIRST (1), put the shift lever in
NEUTRAL and let up on the clutch. Press the clutch
pedal back down. Then shift into FIRST (1).SECOND (2):Press the clutch pedal as you let up
on the accelerator pedal and shift into SECOND (2).
Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press
the accelerator pedal.
THIRD (3), FOURTH (4), FIFTH (5) and SIXTH (6):Shift
into THIRD (3), FOURTH (4), FIFTH (5) and SIXTH (6)
the same way you do for SECOND (2). Slowly let up on
the clutch pedal as you press the accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator pedal and press the
brake pedal. Just before the vehicle stops, press the
clutch pedal and the brake pedal, and shift to NEUTRAL.
NEUTRAL:Use this position when you start or idle
your engine. Your shift lever is in NEUTRAL when it
is centered in the shift pattern, not in any gear.
REVERSE (R):To back up, press down the clutch
pedal, completely stop the vehicle, and shift into
REVERSE (R). Let up on the clutch pedal slowly
while pressing the accelerator pedal.
2-42

Shift Speeds (Manual Transmission)
{CAUTION:
If you skip a gear when you downshift, you
could lose control of your vehicle. You could
injure yourself or others. Do not shift down
more than one gear at a time when you
downshift.
Notice:If you skip more than one gear when you
downshift, or if you race the engine when you
release the clutch pedal while downshifting, you
could damage the engine, clutch, driveshaft or
the transmission. Do not skip gears or race
the engine when downshifting.
If the vehicle speed drops below 20 mph (32 km/h),
or if the engine is not running smoothly, you should
downshift to the next lower gear. You may have
to downshift two or more gears to keep the engine
running smoothly or for good performance.
Up-Shift Light
Vehicles with a manual
transmission may have
an up-shift light on the
instrument panel. This light
will show you when to shift
to the next higher gear for
the best fuel economy.
When this light comes on, you can shift to the next
higher gear if weather, road, and traffic conditions allow.
For the best fuel economy, accelerate slowly and
shift when the light comes on.
While you accelerate, it is normal for the light to go
on and off if you quickly change the position of
the accelerator. Ignore the light when you downshift.
2-43

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 4-30for more information.
Shifting Into Park
(Automatic Transmission)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the
parking brake rmly set. The vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the 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 4-30.Use this procedure to shift into P (Park):
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking
brake.
SeeParking Brake on page 2-44for more
information.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by holding in the
button on the shift lever and pushing the lever all
the way toward the front of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
4. For vehicles with key access, remove the key and
take it with you. If you can leave your vehicle with
the ignition key in your hand, your vehicle is in
P (Park). Vehicles with the keyless access system,
take the keyless access transmitter with you.
2-45

Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running (Automatic Transmission)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave the vehicle with
the engine running. The vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) with the parking brake rmly set.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine
running, it could overheat and even catch re.
You or others could be injured. Do not leave
the vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your automatic transmission
vehicle with the engine running, be sure your vehicle
is in P (Park) and your parking brake is rmly set before
you leave it. After you have moved the shift lever into
P (Park), hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see if
you can move the shift lever away from P (Park) without
rst pushing the button.
If you can, it means that the shift lever was not fully
locked into P (Park).
Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift the
automatic transmission into P (Park) properly, the weight
of the vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl
in the transmission. You may nd it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of P (Park). This is called torque lock. To
prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift
into P (Park) properly before you leave the driver’s seat.
To nd out how, see “Shifting Into P (Park)” previously in
the section.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
P (Park) before releasing the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have
another vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of
the pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission,
so you can pull the shift lever out of P (Park).
2-46