2009 CADILLAC CTS automatic transmission

Ignition Positions (Keyless Access)
You can turn the ignition control knob to four different
positions.
To shift out of P (Park), ignition must be in the ON/RUN
or ACC/ACCESSORY and the regular brake pedal
must be applied.
Using a tool to force the ignition control knob from its
cylinder could damage it.
Make sure the keyless access transmitter is inside the
vehicle when trying to turn the ignition control knob.A (LOCK/OFF):The ignition control knob cannot be
removed from the vehicle. The keyless access
transmitter must be inside the vehicle to start the
engine. This position locks the ignition and shifter on
automatic transmission vehicles, and the ignition
and steering wheel on manual transmission vehicles.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY):This position allows you to use
things like the radio and the windshield wipers when
the engine is off. This position will allow you to turn off
the engine.
C (ON/RUN):This position is for driving. It is the position
the ignition switch returns to after the engine starts, and
the control knob is released.
If you need to shift the transmission out of P (Park), the
ignition control knob has to be in ACC/ACCESSORY or
ON/RUN.
The battery could be drained if you leave the key in the
ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN position with the engine
off. You may not be able to start your vehicle if the battery
is allowed to drain for an extended period of time.
D (START):This position starts the engine.
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Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
These vehicle accessories can be used for up to
10 minutes after the engine is turned off:
Audio System
Power Windows
Sunroof (if equipped)
Power to the audio system will work up to 10 minutes or
until the driver door is opened. Power to the windows or
sunroof will work up to 10 minutes or until any door is
opened. For an additional 10 minutes of operation, close
all the doors and turn the key to ON/RUN and then back
to LOCK/OFF.
Starting the Engine
Place the transmission in the proper gear.
Automatic Transmission
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or N (Neutral). The
engine will not start in any other position. To restart
the engine when the vehicle is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only.If the vehicle has the keyless access system, put your
foot on the brake pedal and turn the ignition control knob
to the START position. When the engine begins cranking,
let go of the ignition control knob, it will return to the
ON/RUN position.
If the transmitter is not in the vehicle or something is
interfering with the transmitter, the Driver Information
Center (DIC) will display Electronic Key Not Detected.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-58for
more information.
If the battery in the keyless access transmitter needs
replacing, the DIC displays Replace Battery In Remote
Key. The vehicle can still be driven. See “Battery
Replacement” underKeyless Access System Operation
on page 2-8for more information.
Notice:Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could damage
the transmission. Shift to P (Park) only when
the vehicle is stopped.Manual Transmission
The shift lever should be in neutral position and the
parking brake engaged. Hold the clutch pedal down to
the oor and start the engine. The vehicle will not start if
the clutch pedal is not all the way down.
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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.
P (Park):This position locks the rear wheels. It is the
best position to use when you start the engine because
the 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 2-47. If you are pulling a
trailer, seeTowing a Trailer (CTS-V) on page 4-27
orTowing a Trailer (CTS) on page 4-28.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in P (Park) before starting
the engine. The vehicle has an automatic transmission
shift lock control system. You must fully apply the 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 2-48.
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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, R (Reverse) can be used to rock
the 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 4-19for additional information.
N (Neutral):In this position, the engine does not
connect with the wheels. To restart when the vehicle is
already moving, use N (Neutral) only. You can also
use N (Neutral) when the 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.
D (Drive):This position is for normal driving. It provides
the best fuel economy. 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 4-11
While in D (Drive), the CTS-V vehicle’s rst forward
gear automatic shift after starting the vehicle will be
from 1 (First). Afterwards, the CTS-V vehicles will always
start in 2 (Second) gear. While in M (Manual Mode),
for increased performance, the vehicle will start in
1 (First) gear.
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M (Manual Mode):This position allows the driver to
select the range of gears appropriate for current driving
conditions. If the 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 the vehicle at high RPMs without
upshifting while using Driver Shift Control (DSC), you
could damage the vehicle. Always upshift when
necessary while using DSC.
Driver Shift Control (DSC) allows you to shift an
automatic transmission similar to a manual transmission.
To use the DSC feature:
1. Move the shift lever to the right from D (Drive) to
M (Manual Mode).
Once in 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 sport mode the vehicle
will still shift automatically. 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
momentarily. The vehicle will remain in sport mode
if the shift lever is not moved. Sport mode will
shift automatically but remain in a gear longer then
it would in normal driving mode based on braking
and acceleration.
2. Press the shift lever forward to upshift or rearward
to downshift.
The tachometer display on the instrument panel cluster
will show which gear the vehicle is in. The number
indicates the requested gear range when moving the
shift lever forward or rearward. SeeSpeedometer and
Odometer on page 3-33for more information on the
odometer.
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CTS-V vehicles use tracer lights around the outside of the
tachometer as a performance up-shift light. These tracers
ash to indicate when to shift to the next higher gear to
avoid the engine speed limit. SeeTachometer on
page 3-34for more information.
While using the DSC feature, the vehicle will have rmer,
quicker shifting. 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 CTS automatic transmission
will automatically downshift when the vehicle comes
to a stop. This will allow for more power during take-off.
The CTS-V automatic transmission will not automatically
downshift on hard acceleration when in DSC mode.
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.Tap Shift
To use Tap Shift, the shift lever must be in Manual
Mode. Vehicles with this feature have switches on the
back of the steering wheel. Tap the left switch to
downshift, and the right switch to upshift.
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. SeeSpeedometer and
Odometer on page 3-33for more information on the
odometer.
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CTS-V vehicles use tracer lights around the outside of the
tachometer as a performance up-shift light. These tracers
ash to indicate when to shift to the next higher gear to
avoid the engine speed limit. SeeTachometer on
page 3-34for more information.
While using the Tap Shift feature, the vehicle will have
rmer, quicker shifting for 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 Tap Shift mode, the transmission will not
automatically downshift on hard acceleration.
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.Manual Transmission Operation
If the 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.
1 (First):Press the clutch pedal and shift into 1 (First).
Then slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press
the accelerator pedal.
Shift into 1 (First) when you are going less than
25 mph (40 km/h). For CTS-V, shift into 1 (First)
when you are going less than 40 mph (64 km/h).
If you come to a complete stop and it is hard to shift
into 1 (First), put the shift lever in Neutral and let up
on the clutch. Press the clutch pedal back down.
Then shift into 1 (First).CTS
CTS-V
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EPB Release
To release the EPB, turn the ignition switch to the
ON/RUN position, apply and hold the brake pedal, and
push down momentarily on the EPB switch. If you attempt
to release the EPB without the brake pedal applied, a
chime will sound, and the DIC message “Press Brake
Pedal to Release Park Brake” will be displayed. The EPB
is released when the BRAKE light is off and the DIC
message “Park Brake Released” is displayed.
If the
Ylight is on, the EPB has detected an error
in another system and is operating with reduced
functionality. To release the EPB when this light is on,
push down on the EPB switch and hold it in the down
position. EPB release may take a longer period of time
than normal when this light is on. Continue to hold the
switch until the BRAKE light is off. If the
Ylight is on,
see your dealer/retailer.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Make sure
that the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
Automatic EPB Release
The EPB will automatically release if the vehicle is
running, placed into gear and an attempt is made to
drive away. Avoid rapid acceleration when the EPB
is applied, to preserve park brake lining life.
The EPB can also be used to prevent roll back for
vehicles with a manual transmission taking off on a hill.
In a situation where no roll back is desired, an applied
EPB will allow both feet to be used for the clutch
and accelerator pedals in preparation for starting the
vehicle moving in the intended direction.
In this situation, perform the normal clutch and
accelerator actions required to begin moving the vehicle.
There is no need to push the switch to release the EPB.
If you are towing a trailer and parking on a hill, see
Towing a Trailer (CTS-V) on page 4-27orTowing
a Trailer (CTS) on page 4-28for more information.
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