2008 CADILLAC XLR Owners Manual

Twilight Sentinel®
Twilight Sentinel®can turn your lamps on and off
for you. A light sensor on top of the instrument panel
makes the Twilight Sentinel
®work, so be sure it is
not covered.
With Twilight Sentinel
®you will see the following
happen:
When it is dark enough outside, the front turn signal
lamps (DRL) will go off, and the headlamps and
parking lamps will come on. The other lamps
that come on with headlamps will also come on.
When it is bright enough outside, the headlamps
will go off, and the front turn signal lamps (DRL)
will come on, as long as the exterior lamp switch
is in the AUTO position.
If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once you
leave the garage, it will take about one minute for the
automatic headlamp system to change to DRL if it is
light outside. During that delay, your instrument panel
cluster may not be as bright as usual. Make sure your
instrument panel brightness control is in full bright
position. SeeInstrument Panel Brightness on page 3-32
for more information.You can idle the vehicle with the lamps off, even
when it is dark outside. After starting the vehicle, turn
the exterior lamp control band to off, then release it.
The lamps will remain off until you turn the control
band to off again.
Twilight Sentinel
®also provides exterior illumination as
you leave the vehicle. If Twilight Sentinel®has turned
on the lamps when you turn off the ignition, your lamps
will remain on until:
The exterior lamp switch is moved from OFF to
the parking lamp position, or
a delay time that you select has elapsed.
SeeDriver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-60to
select the delay time that you want. You can also select
no delay time.
If you turn off the ignition with the exterior lamp switch
in the parking lamp or headlamp position, the Twilight
Sentinel
®delay will not occur. The lamps will turn off
as soon as the switch is turned off.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
3-31

Exterior Lighting Battery Saver
If the manual parking lamps or headlamps have been
left on, the exterior lamps will turn off as soon as
the ignition is turned off or Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) is active. This protects against draining the
battery in case you have accidentally left the headlamps
or parking lamps on. The battery saver does not work
if the headlamps are turned on after the ignition switch
is turned to off.
If you need to leave the lamps on, use the exterior
lamp control to turn the lamps back on.
Instrument Panel Brightness
The button for this feature is located on the instrument
panel to the left of the steering column.
+
!- (Brightness):Press this button to change the
brightness of the instrument panel lights.
Press the DIMMER button until PANEL DIMMING
appears on the Driver Information Center (DIC). Then
use the brightness button to adjust the instrument panel
brightness. Press the top of the button to brighten the
lights or the bottom of the button to dim the lights.
SeeHead-Up Display (HUD) on page 3-33for more
information.Be sure not to have the brightness turned all the way
down with the lamps on during the day. Your DIC
may not be visible.
Courtesy Lamps
When any door or the trunk lid is opened, the interior
lamps will go on unless it is bright outside.
Press the interior lamp button on the right side of the
instrument panel, to turn the courtesy lamps on or off.
Entry/Exit Lighting
With entry lighting, the interior lamps will come on when
entering the vehicle. The interior lamps will come on
for about 20 seconds when the engine is turned off.
You can turn exit and entry lighting off by quickly turning
the courtesy lamps on and off.
Reading Lamps
Your inside rearview mirror includes two reading lamps.
The lamps will go on when a door is opened. When
the doors are closed, each lamp can be turned on
individually by pressing the button for that lamp.
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Battery Run-Down Protection
Your vehicle has a feature to help prevent the battery
from being drained, in case the underhood lamp, vanity
mirror lamps, cargo lamps, reading lamps, console, or
glove box lamps are accidentally left on, or something is
left plugged into the accessory power outlet or cigarette
lighter. If any of the accessory lamps are left on, they will
automatically time-out after about 10 minutes. To reset
the battery protection, all of the above lamps must be
turned off or the ignition must be in the Acc. position.
Head-Up Display (HUD)
{CAUTION:
If the HUD image is too bright, or too high in
your eld of view, it may take you more time to
see things you need to see when it is dark
outside. Be sure to keep the HUD image dim
and placed low in your eld of view.
The Head-Up Display (HUD) allows you to see some of
the driver information that appears on your instrument
panel cluster.The information may be displayed in English or metric
units and appears as an image focused out toward
the front of your vehicle. To change from English
to metric units, seeDriver Information Center (DIC)
on page 3-60.
The HUD consists of the following information:
Speedometer
Turn Signal Indicators
High-Beam Indicator Symbol
Tap-Up/Tap-Down Transmission Feature
Check Gages Icon
Adaptive Cruise Control Features and Indicators
Radio Features
3-33

Be sure to continue scanning your displays, controls
and driving environment just as you would in a vehicle
without HUD. If you never look at your instrument
panel cluster, you may not see something important,
such as a warning light. Under important warning
conditions, the CHECK GAGES message will display in
the HUD. View your Driver Information Center (DIC)
for more information.The HUD controls are
located to the left of the
steering wheel.
+
!- (Brightness):This button is used to adjust the
brightness of the HUD and the instrument panel cluster.
DIMMER:This button is used to select the HUD or
the instrument panel cluster to adjust the brightness.
HUD:This button is used to adjust the vertical position
of the HUD display.
3-34

To adjust the HUD so you can see it properly, do the
following:
1. Adjust the seat to a comfortable driving position.
If you change your seat position later, you may
have to re-adjust your HUD.
2. Start your engine and press the top or bottom of the
HUD button to center the HUD image in your view.
The HUD image can only be adjusted up and down,
not side-to-side.
3. Press the DIMMER button until the DIC reads HUD
DIMMING. Then use the brightness button to adjust
the desired intensity.
The brightness of the HUD image is determined by the
light conditions in the direction your vehicle is facing
and where you have the HUD set. If you are facing a
dark object or a heavily shaded area, your HUD
may anticipate that you are entering a dark area and
may begin to dim.
To turn off the HUD, press the brightness button down
until the image disappears.
Polarized sunglasses could make the HUD image
harder to see.As light shines out from the HUD, it is possible for light to
shine back in. In rare occurrences, when the sun is at a
specic angle and position, the sun’s rays can shine back
into the HUD. When this occurs, the display device within
the HUD will be temporarily illuminated. The event will
end when the vehicle’s angle to the sun changes.
Clean the inside of the windshield as needed to remove
any dirt or lm that reduces the sharpness or clarity
of the HUD image.
To clean the HUD, spray household glass cleaner on a
soft, clean cloth. Wipe the HUD lens gently, then dry
it. Do not spray cleaner directly on the lens because the
cleaner could leak into the unit.
If the ignition is on and you cannot see the HUD image,
check to see if:
Something is covering the HUD unit.
The brightness is adjusted properly.
The HUD image is adjusted to the proper height.
Ambient light in the direction your vehicle is facing
is low.
A fuse is blown. SeeFuses and Circuit Breakers on
page 6-90.
Keep in mind that your windshield is part of the HUD
system. SeeWindshield Replacement on page 6-50.
3-35

The following Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) messages
may appear in the HUD:
CRUISE SPEED LIMITED:This message indicates that
your vehicle speed has been reduced below your set
speed due to ACC limitations. Your set speed is too high
and ACC cannot detect other vehicles at far enough
distances for the system to operate properly.
TIGHT CURVE:This message indicates that ACC has
reduced your vehicle speed due to a tight curve in
the road. Once the road straightens, ACC will return to
your selected set speed or follow distance setting.
See “Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)” underTurn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-8for more
information.
You may also see an ACC active symbol, alert symbol
or vehicle ahead symbol. See “Adaptive Cruise
Control (ACC)” underTurn Signal/Multifunction Lever
on page 3-8for more information.Accessory Power Outlet(s)
The accessory power outlet can be used to connect
electrical equipment such as a cellular phone or
CB radio.
The accessory power outlet is located inside the
center console storage compartment, on the forward
left side.
To use the outlet, remove the tethered cap. When not
using it, always cover the outlet with the protective cap.
Notice:When using an accessory power outlet,
maximum electrical load must not exceed 20 amps.
Always turn off any electrical equipment when
not in use. Leaving electrical equipment on for
extended periods will drain your vehicle’s battery.
Certain electrical accessories may not be compatible
with the accessory power outlet and could result
in blown vehicle or adapter fuses. If you experience a
problem, see your dealer for additional information
on accessory power outlets.
3-36

Notice:Adding any electrical equipment to your
vehicle may damage it or keep other components
from working as they should. The repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Do not use equipment
exceeding maximum amperage rating of 20 amperes.
Check with your dealer/retailer before adding
electrical equipment.
When adding electrical equipment, be sure to follow the
installation instructions included with the equipment.
We recommend that you see a qualied technician or
your dealer for the proper installation of your equipment.
Notice:Improper use of the power outlet can
cause damage not covered by your warranty.
Do not hang any type of accessory or accessory
bracket from the plug because the power outlets
are designed for accessory power plugs only.Ashtray(s) and Cigarette Lighter
The ashtray and cigarette lighter are located under
a lid in the front console to the right of the shift lever.
Press the left side of the lid and it will open
automatically.
Notice:If you put papers, pins, or other ammable
items in the ashtray, hot cigarettes or other smoking
materials could ignite them and possibly damage
your vehicle. Never put ammable items in the
ashtray.
Loose objects, such as paper clips, can lodge behind
and beneath the ashtray lid and prevent movement
of the lid. You should avoid putting small, loose objects
near the ashtray.
To use the cigarette lighter, push it in all the way and
let go. When it is ready, it will pop back out by itself.
Notice:Holding a cigarette lighter in while it
is heating does not let the lighter back away from
the heating element when it is hot. Damage from
overheating can occur to the lighter or heating
element, or a fuse could be blown. Do not hold
a cigarette lighter in while it is heating.
3-37

Climate Controls
Dual Climate Control System
With this system you can control the heating, cooling,
and ventilation for the vehicle.
When your vehicle is rst started, the system will recall
the last temperature fan and mode settings for that driver.
Automatic Operation
AUTO (Automatic):When this button is pressed and
the temperature is set, the system will automatically
control the inside temperature, the air delivery mode,
the air conditioning compressor and the fan speed.
AUTO will appear on the display.
1. Press the AUTO button.
2. Adjust the temperature to a comfortable setting
between 70°F (21°C) and 80°F (27°C). An initial
setting of 73°F (23°C) is suggested.
Choosing the warmest or coldest temperature
setting will not cause the system to heat or cool any
faster. If you set the system at the warmest or
coldest temperature setting, the system will remain
in manual mode at that temperature and it will
not go into automatic mode.
In cold weather, the system will start at reduced fan
speeds to avoid blowing cold air into your vehicle
until warmer air is available. The system will
start out blowing air at the oor but may change
modes automatically as the vehicle warms up
to maintain the chosen temperature setting. The
length of time needed for warm up will depend on
the outside temperature and the length of time
that has elapsed since your vehicle was last driven.
3. Wait for the system to regulate. This may take from
10 to 30 minutes. Then adjust the temperature,
if necessary.
3-38