2009 CADILLAC XLR towing

Seats and Restraint System............................. 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-6
Child Restraints
.......................................1-23
Airbag System
.........................................1-38
Restraint System Check
............................1-52
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
......................................2-10
Windows
.................................................2-17
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-20
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-24
Mirrors
....................................................2-38
Object Detection Systems
..........................2-40
OnStar
®System
......................................2-42
Universal Home Remote System
................2-45
Storage Areas
.........................................2-53
Retractable Hardtop
..................................2-54Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-36
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-41
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-57
Trip Computer
.........................................3-76
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-76
Navigation System.......................................... 4-1
Overview
.................................................. 4-2
Features and Controls
..............................4-10
Navigation Audio System
...........................4-52
Voice Recognition
....................................4-74
Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 5-1
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle
....... 5-2
Towing
...................................................5-26
2009 Cadillac XLR/XLR-V Owner ManualM

If this happens, use the following steps to allow the
system to detect that person and enable the right front
passenger frontal airbag and seat-mounted side
impact airbag:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove any additional material from the seat, such
as blankets, cushions, seat covers, seat heaters, or
seat massagers.
3. Place the seatback in the fully upright position.
4. Have the person sit upright in the seat, centered on
the seat cushion, with legs comfortably extended.
5. Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in
this position for two to three minutes after the on
indicator is lit.
Additional Factors Affecting System
Operation
Safety belts help keep the passenger in position on the
seat during vehicle maneuvers and braking, which helps
the passenger sensing system maintain the passenger
airbag status. See “Safety Belts” and “Child Restraints” in
the Index for additional information about the importance
of proper restraint use.If the shoulder portion of the belt is pulled out all the
way, the child restraint locking feature will be engaged.
This may unintentionally cause the passenger sensing
system to turn the airbag(s) off for some adult size
occupants. If this happens, let the belt go back all the
way and start again.
A thick layer of additional material, such as a blanket or
cushion, or aftermarket equipment such as seat covers,
seat heaters, and seat massagers can affect how well the
passenger sensing system operates. We recommend
that you not use seat covers or other aftermarket
equipment except when approved by GM for your specic
vehicle. SeeAdding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 1-50for more information about
modications that can affect how the system operates.
{CAUTION:
Stowing of articles under the passenger seat or
between the passenger seat cushion and seatback
may interfere with the proper operation of the
passenger sensing system.
1-49

R (Reverse):Use this gear to back up.
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.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to get out of snow, ice,
or sand without damaging the transmission, seeIf Your
Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on
page 5-20.
N (Neutral):In this position, the engine does not connect
with the wheels. To restart when you are already moving,
use N (Neutral) only. Also, use N (Neutral) when the
vehicle is being towed. Use N (Neutral) if the vehicle
must be moved with the engine off for short distances.
Please seeTowing Your Vehicle on page 5-26.
{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 for the vehicle.
If you need more power for passing and you are:
Going less than about 35 mph (56 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (56km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road conditions
could result in skidding, see “Skidding” underLoss of
Control on page 5-12.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission. The repair will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. If you are stuck, do
not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Maximum engine speed is limited to protect driveline
components from improper operation.
2-29

Shifting Out of Park
Shift lock release prevents shifting out of P (Park)
unless the vehicle is running or in Accessory mode and
the brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always functional except in
the case of an uncharged or low voltage (less than
9-volt) battery. SeeJump Starting on page 6-36for
more information.
To shift out of P (Park) use the following:
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Press the shift lever button.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.If you still are unable to shift out of P (Park):
1. Fully release the shift lever button.
2. While holding down the brake pedal, press the shift
lever button again.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still cannot move the shift lever from P (Park),
consult your dealer/retailer or a professional towing
service.
Parking Over Things That Burn
{CAUTION:
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under the vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass, or other things that
can burn.
2-35

Brake System Warning Light
The vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part is not working, the other part can
still work and stop the vehicle. For good braking,
though, both parts need to be working well.
This light should come on when the engine is started.
If it does not come on then, have it xed so it will
be ready to warn if there is a problem.
If this warning light stays on after the engine is started,
the parking brake may still be set or there could be
a brake problem. Refer toParking Brake on page 2-32
to see if it is set. If the parking brake is not set, have
the brake system inspected right away.If the light comes on while driving and a LOW BRAKE
FLUID message is showing on the DIC, pull off the road
and stop carefully. The pedal may be harder to push.
Or, the pedal may go closer to the oor and it may take
longer to stop. If the light is still on, have the vehicle
towed for service. SeeTowing Your Vehicle on
page 5-26.
{CAUTION:
The brake system might not be working properly if
the brake system warning light is on. Driving with
the brake system warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after the vehicle has
been pulled off the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for service. United States
Canada
3-47

Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle............5-2
Defensive Driving...........................................5-2
Drunk Driving.................................................5-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................5-3
Braking.........................................................5-4
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................5-5
Braking in Emergencies...................................5-6
StabiliTrak
®System........................................5-6
Traction Control System (TCS).........................5-8
Magnetic Ride Control™................................5-10
Limited-Slip Rear Axle...................................5-10
Steering......................................................5-10
Off-Road Recovery.......................................5-12
Passing.......................................................5-12
Loss of Control.............................................5-12
Racing or Other Competitive Driving (XLR-V)......5-14Driving at Night............................................5-14
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................5-15
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................5-16
Highway Hypnosis........................................5-16
Hill and Mountain Roads................................5-17
Winter Driving..............................................5-18
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.............................................5-20
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................5-20
Loading the Vehicle......................................5-21
Towing..........................................................5-26
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................5-26
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................5-26
Towing a Trailer...........................................5-26
Section 5 Driving Your Vehicle
5-1

If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels to free the
vehicle when stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
SeeRocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 5-20.
If the vehicle has a traction system, it can often help
to free a stuck vehicle. Refer to the vehicle’s traction
system in the Index. If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the traction system off
and use the rocking method.
{CAUTION:
If you let your vehicle’s tires spin at high speed,
they can explode, and you or others could be
injured. The vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment re or other damage. Spin the
wheels as little as possible and avoid going above
35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer.
For information about using tire chains on the vehicle,
seeTire Chains on page 6-68.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
Turn the steering wheel left and right to clear the area
around the front wheels. Turn off any traction or stability
system. Shift back and forth between R (Reverse) and a
forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible.
To prevent transmission wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transmission is in gear. Slowly spinning
the wheels in the forward and reverse directions causes a
rocking motion that could free the vehicle. If that does not
get the vehicle out after a few tries, it might need to be
towed out. If the vehicle does need to be towed out,
seeTowing Your Vehicle on page 5-26.
5-20

For more information on tires and ination see
Tires on page 6-46andInflation - Tire Pressure
on page 6-54.
There is also important loading information on the
vehicle Certication label. It tells you the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR) for the front and rear axle.
See “Certication Label” later in this section.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1.Locate the statement “The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or XXX lbs” on your vehicle’s placard.
2.Determine the combined weight of the driver
and passengers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4.The resulting gure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX” amount equals
1400 lbs and there will be ve 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400−750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
5.Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely exceed the
available cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, the load
from your trailer will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how
this reduces the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
Your vehicle is neither designed nor intended
to tow a trailer.
5-22