Black plate (1,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Racing or Other CompetitiveDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-8
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-10
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-16
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Shifting Into Park (Automatic Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-25
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . 9-28
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Parking Brake (Electric) . . . . . . 9-30 Parking Brake (Manual) . . . . . . 9-33
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-34
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control
System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . 9-38
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . 9-42
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Active Emergency Braking System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-58
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-62
Black plate (8,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
9-8 Driving and Operating
.Have good tires with proper
tread depth. SeeTires on
page 10‑42.
.Turn off cruise control.
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to
your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find a
safe place to park the vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep the interior
temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving —scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{WARNING
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
{WARNING
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down
and they could get so hot that
they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill.
Steering may also be affected
when ignition is off. You could
crash. Always have the engine
running and the vehicle in gear
when going downhill.
.Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your
own lane.
.Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(stalled car, accident).
Black plate (9,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
Driving and Operating 9-9
.Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow
or ice between the tires and the
road, creating less traction or grip.
Wet ice can occur at about 0°C
(32°F) when freezing rain begins to
fall, resulting in even less traction.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in
freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently so
traction is not lost. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick, so there is even less
traction.Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
improves vehicle stability during
hard stops on slippery roads, but
apply the brakes sooner than when
on dry pavement.
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road and watch for
slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in
shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain icy
when the surrounding roads are
clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
See
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 9‑29.
Turn off cruise control, on slippery
surfaces.
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside Service.
See Roadside Service (Mexico) on
page 13‑7 orRoadside Service
(U.S. and Canada) on page 13‑10.
To get help and keep everyone in
the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
Black plate (35,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
Driving and Operating 9-35
Ifdcomes on and stays on, reset
the system:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
If
dstill comes on and stays on at a
speed above 20 km/h (13 mph), see
your dealer for service.
A chime may also sound when the
light comes on steady.
Notice: Do not repeatedly brake
or accelerate heavily when TCS is
off. The vehicle's driveline could
be damaged.
Manual Transmission TCS/
StabiliTrak Button Shown,
Automatic Transmission TCS/
StabiliTrak Button Similar
TCS Off Light
TCS can be turned off by pressing
and releasing
g. When TCS is
turned off,
icomes on and the system will not limit wheel spin.
Driving should be adjusted
accordingly. Press and release
g
again to turn the system back on.
It may be necessary to turn the
system off if the vehicle gets stuck
in sand, mud, or snow and rocking
the vehicle is required. See
If the
Vehicle Is Stuck on page 9‑10. See
also Winter Driving on page 9‑9 for
information on using TCS when
driving in snowy or icy conditions.
If cruise control is being used when
TCS activates, cruise control will
automatically disengage. Press the
cruise control button to reengage
when road conditions allow. See
Cruise Control on page 9‑39.
Adding non-GM accessories can
affect the vehicle's performance.
See Accessories and Modifications
on page 10‑3.
Black plate (37,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
Driving and Operating 9-37
Manual Transmission TCS/StabiliTrak Button Shown,
Automatic Transmission TCS/
StabiliTrak Button Similar
StabiliTrak Off LightTCS Off Light
StabiliTrak and traction control can
be turned off if needed by pressing
and holding
guntilgandicome on in the instrument cluster. When
StabiliTrak is turned off, the system
will not assist with directional control
of the vehicle or limit wheel spin.
Driving should be adjusted
accordingly. Press and release
g
again to turn both systems back on.
If cruise control is being used when
StabiliTrak activates, cruise control
will automatically disengage. Press
the cruise control button to
reengage when road conditions
allow. See
Cruise Control on
page 9‑39.
Driver Mode Control
Driver Mode Control attempts to add
a sportier feel, provide a more
comfortable ride, or assist in
different weather conditions or
terrain. This system simultaneously
changes the software calibration of
various sub-systems. Depending on
the option package, available
features, and mode selected, the
suspension, steering, and
powertrain will change calibrations to achieve the desired mode
characteristics. If the vehicle is
equipped with MagneRide™,
selecting the various Driver Modes
adjusts the ride of the vehicle to
enhance the ride performance for
the road conditions and the
selected mode.
Manual Transmission Mode
Button Shown, Automatic
Transmission Mode Button Similar
The Driver Mode Control has three
modes: Tour, Sport, and Snow/Ice.
Snow/Ice mode is only available on
automatic transmission vehicles.
Black plate (39,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
Driving and Operating 9-39
Cruise Control
{WARNING
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. So, do not use
the cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
With cruise control, a speed of
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more can
be maintained without keeping your
foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below about 40 km/h (25 mph).
If the brakes are applied, the cruise
control disengages. For vehicles with a manual
transmission, the cruise control will
remain active when the gears are
shifted. The cruise is deactivated if
the clutch is depressed for several
seconds.
If the StabiliTrak
®system begins to
limit wheel spin while using cruise
control, the cruise control
automatically disengages. See
StabiliTrak
®System on page 9‑36 or
Traction Control System (TCS) on
page 9‑34. When road conditions
allow the cruise control to be safely
used, you can apply the cruise
control again.
J(On/Off): Press to turn the
system on and off. A white cruise
control indicator appears in the
instrument cluster when cruise is
turned on.
Black plate (40,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
9-40 Driving and Operating
+RES (Resume/Accelerate):
Press the control up briefly to
resume to a previously set speed or
to increase vehicle speed if the
cruise control is already activated.
To increase speed by 1 km/h
(1 mph), press +RES up to the first
detent. To increase speed to the
next 5 km/h (5 mph) mark on the
speedometer, press +RES up to the
second detent.
SET−(Set/Coast): Press the
control down briefly to set the speed
and activate cruise control or to
decrease vehicle speed if the cruise
control is already activated. To
decrease speed by 1 km/h (1 mph),
press SET− down to the first detent.
To decrease speed to the next
5 km/h (5 mph) mark on the
speedometer, press SET− down to
the second detent.
*(Cancel): Press to disengage
cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory. Setting Cruise Control
If the cruise button is on when not in
use, it could get bumped and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep the
cruise control button off when cruise
is not being used.
1. Press
J.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press and release the SET− control on the steering wheel.
4. Remove foot from the accelerator.
When the cruise control has been
set to the desired speed, the cruise
control indicator appears green on
the instrument cluster and a cruise
set speed message appears on the
Head-Up Display (HUD),
if equipped.
Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a
desired speed and then the brakes
are applied, the cruise control is
disengaged without erasing the set
speed from memory. Once the vehicle speed reaches
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more,
press +RES up to the first detent
briefly on the steering wheel. The
vehicle returns to the previous set
speed.
Increasing Speed While Cruise
Control is at a Set Speed
If the cruise control system is
already activated:
.Press and hold +RES up until
the desired speed is reached,
then release it.
.To increase vehicle speed in
small increments, press +RES
up to the first detent. For each
press, the vehicle goes about
1 km/h (1 mph) faster.
.To increase vehicle speed in
larger increments, press +RES
up to the second detent. For
each press, the vehicle speed
increases to the next 5 km/h
(5 mph) mark on the
speedometer.
Black plate (41,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
Driving and Operating 9-41
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. SeeInstrument Cluster on
page 5‑9. The increment value used
depends on the units displayed.
Reducing Speed While Cruise
Control is at a Set Speed
If the cruise control system is
already activated:
.Press and hold SET− down until
the desired lower speed is
reached, then release it.
.To decrease the vehicle speed in
small increments, press SET−
down to the first detent. For
each press, the vehicle goes
about 1 km/h (1 mph) slower.
.To decrease the vehicle speed in
larger increments, press SET−
down to the second detent. For
each press, the vehicle speed
decreases to the next 5 km/h
(5 mph) mark on the
speedometer. The cruise control system may
automatically brake to slow the
vehicle down.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See
Instrument Cluster on
page 5‑9. The increment value used
depends on the units displayed.
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the
previous set cruise speed.
While pressing the accelerator pedal
to override cruise, briefly applying
the set switch will result in cruise set
to the current vehicle speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control will work
on hills depends upon the vehicle
speed, load, and the steepness of
the hills. When going up steep hills,
you might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain the vehicle speed. When going
downhill, the cruise control system
may automatically brake to slow the
vehicle down. Also, you may have
to brake or shift to a lower gear to
keep the vehicle speed down. If the
brake is applied, the cruise control
disengages.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise
control:
.Step lightly on the brake pedal
(manual and automatic
transmissions).
.Depress the clutch pedal for
several seconds or shift to
Neutral (manual transmissions).
.Press*.
.PressJ.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
Jis
pressed or if the ignition is
turned off.