2013 CADILLAC ATS steering wheel

Black plate (11,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
Driving and Operating 9-11
{WARNING
If the 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 fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a low
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,
see
Towing the Vehicle on
page 10‑78.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle show
how much weight it may
properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Certification label.
{WARNING
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
This can cause systems to
break and change the way the
vehicle handles. This could
cause loss of control and a
crash. Overloading can also
shorten the life of the vehicle.

Black plate (17,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
Driving and Operating 9-17
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter must be in the vehicle
for the system to operate. If the
pushbutton start is not working, the
vehicle may be near a strong radio
antenna signal causing interference
to the keyless access system. See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2‑3.
To shift out of P (Park), the vehicle
must be in ON/RUN and the brake
pedal must be applied.
Stopping the Engine/OFF (No
Indicator Lights):When the
vehicle is stopped, press the
ENGINE START/STOP button once
to turn the engine off.
If the vehicle is in P (Park), the
ignition will turn off, and Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) on page 9‑21. Automatic Transmission
If the vehicle is not in P (Park),
the ignition will return to ACC/
ACCESSORY and display a
message in the Driver Information
Center (DIC). See
Transmission
Messages on page 5‑42. When the
vehicle is shifted into P (Park), the
ignition system will switch to OFF.
Manual Transmission
If the vehicle is stationary, the
ignition will turn OFF, and Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) on page 9‑21.
The vehicle may have an electric
steering column lock. The lock is
activated when the vehicle is
switched to OFF and either front
door is opened. A sound may be
heard as the lock actuates or
releases. The steering column lock
may not release with the wheels
turned off center. If this happens,
the vehicle may not start. Move the
steering wheel from left to right while attempting to start the vehicle.
If this does not work, the vehicle
needs service.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady
pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to a
safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop. Shift to P (Park) with an automatic
transmission, or Neutral with a
manual transmission. Turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF.

Black plate (26,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
9-26 Driving and Operating
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.
{WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly 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 55 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 55 km/h (35 mph) 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”under
Loss of Control on page 9‑5.
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.
Manual Mode
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
Notice: Driving with the engine at
a high rpm without upshifting
while using Driver Shift Control
(DSC), could damage the vehicle.
Always upshift when necessary
while using DSC.
Vehicles with DSC may either use
the shift lever or the tap shift
controls on the back of the steering
wheel (if equipped) to manually shift
the automatic transmission.

Black plate (27,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
Driving and Operating 9-27
To use DSC using the shift lever:
1. Move the shift lever to the leftfrom D (Drive) to M (Manual
Mode). The transmission will be
in Manual Mode and will hold the
current gear.
2. Move the shift lever forward to upshift or rearward to downshift.
3. To cancel DSC, move the shift lever back to D (Drive).Tap Shift
If equipped, the tap shift controls
are on the back of the steering
wheel.
To use DSC using the tap shift
controls:
1. Move the shift lever to the leftfrom D (Drive) to M (Manual
Mode). The transmission will be
in Manual Mode and will hold the
current gear. 2. Pull the control toward you to
shift. Pull the left control to
(−) downshift, and the right
control to (+) upshift.
3. To cancel DSC, move the shift lever back to D (Drive).
Tap Shift Mode can also be used
temporarily while driving in
D (Drive). Pull either the (+) upshift
or (−) downshift control.
To cancel Tap Shift Mode, hold
the (+) upshift control for
two seconds. If no action is taken,
the vehicle returns to automatic
shifting after a brief period of driving
at a steady speed, or when the
vehicle comes to a stop.
While using the DSC feature, the
vehicle will have firmer, quicker
shifting. This can be used for sport
driving, climbing or descending hills,
staying in gear longer, downshifting
for more power, or engine braking.

Black plate (30,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
9-30 Driving and Operating
If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Parking Brake (Electric)
Automatic Transmission
Manual Transmission

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 (38,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
9-38 Driving and Operating
Press the MODE button on the
center console to make a mode
selection. The first press of the
button will show the current mode.
Subsequent presses will scroll
though the available modes. The
Tour and Sport modes will feel
similar on a smooth road. Select a
new setting whenever driving
conditions change.
Tour Mode
Use for normal city and highway
driving to provide a smooth,
soft ride.
Sport Mode
Use where road conditions or
personal preference demand a more
controlled response.
When selected, the Sport mode
indicator will display in the Driver
Information Center (DIC).When in Sport mode, the vehicle
will still shift automatically. The
transmission may remain in gear
longer than it would in the normal
driving mode based on braking,
throttle input, and vehicle lateral
acceleration. The steering will
change to provide more precise
control. If the vehicle has
MagneRide, the suspension will
change to provide better cornering
performance.
Snow/Ice Mode
Use when more traction is needed
during slippery conditions. The
transmission will use 2 (Second)
gear instead of 1 (First) gear when
accelerating from a stop. The
vehicle will upshift normally when
the vehicle is moving.
When selected, the Snow/Ice mode
indicator will display in the DIC.
This feature is not intended for use
when the vehicle is stuck in sand,
mud, ice, snow or gravel. If the
vehicle becomes stuck, see
If the
Vehicle Is Stuck on page 9‑10.
Limited-Slip Rear Axle
Vehicles with a limited-slip rear axle
can give more traction on snow,
mud, ice, sand, or gravel. When
traction is low, this feature allows
the drive wheel with the most
traction to move the vehicle. The
limited-slip rear axle also gives the
driver enhanced control when
cornering hard or completing a
maneuver, such as a lane change.
Limited-slip rear axle fluid should
be changed at intervals listed in
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3.

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.