
Black plate (8,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
8-8 Climate Controls
+/−(Temperature Control): Press
or press and hold the rear
temperature control buttons or touch
screen to adjust the rear passenger
temperature. Press + for warmer air
and press −for cooler air.
Y/\/Y(Air Delivery Mode
Control): Press the desired mode
button on the touch screen or the
mode button on the rear faceplate to
change the direction of the airflow in
the rear seating area.
MorL(Heated Rear Seats, If
Equipped): Press
MorLto heat
the left or right outboard seat
cushion and seatback. See Heated
Rear Seats on page 3‑12.
Air Vents
Move the sliding knob on the air
outlets up and down or left and
right to direct the airflow. Use the
thumbwheels near the air outlets to
open or close off the airflow.
Operation Tips
.Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from air inlets at the
base of the windshield that could
block the flow of air into the
vehicle.
.Keep the path under the front
seats clear of objects to help
circulate the air inside the
vehicle more effectively.
.Use of non‐GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
Check with your dealer before
adding equipment to the outside
of the vehicle.
.Do not insert any objects in
the outlets, as failure of the
mechanism may occur.
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The filter removes dust, pollen, and
other airborne irritants from outside
air that is pulled into the vehicle.
The filter should be replaced as part
of routine scheduled maintenance,
see Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑4. To find out what type of
filter to use, see Maintenance
Replacement Parts on page 11‑15.
1. Open the glove box completely
and remove the four screws
along the upper portion of the
glove box.
2. When released, lower the upper portion of the glove box.
3. Locate the service door for the passenger compartment air filter.

Black plate (5,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
Driving and Operating 9-5
2. Turn the steering wheel aboutone-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge.
3. Turn the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
.Steering or Cornering
Skid —too much speed or
steering in a curve causes tires
to slip and lose cornering force.
.Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin. Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
.Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go.
The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
.Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues
—such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt.
.Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.

Black plate (10,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
9-10 Driving and Operating
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,
seeTowing the Vehicle on
page 10‑85.
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
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
vehicle handles. This could
cause loss of control and a
crash. Overloading can also
shorten the life of the vehicle.
Tire and Loading Information
Label
Label Example
A vehicle-specific Tire and
Loading Information label is
attached to the vehicle's center

Black plate (27,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
Driving and Operating 9-27
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
Vehicles with this feature always
send engine power to all four
wheels. It is fully automatic, and
adjusts itself as needed for road
conditions.
When using a compact spare tire
on an AWD vehicle, the system
automatically detects the compact
spare and disables AWD. To restore
AWD operation and prevent
excessive wear on the system,
replace the compact spare with a
full-size tire as soon as possible.
SeeCompact Spare Tire on
page 10‑81.
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the vehicle begins to
drive away, ABS checks itself.
A momentary motor or clicking noise
might be heard while this test is
going on, and it might even be
noticed that the brake pedal moves
a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑21. 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
you 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.

Black plate (34,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
9-34 Driving and Operating
Both StabiliTrak and Traction
Control can be turned off if needed
by pressing and holding
guntilg
andiilluminate in the instrument
cluster. This will also disable the
TSC feature. 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. The
Traction Control Off message is
displayed in the DIC. See Ride
Control System Messages on
page 5‑37.
Press and release
gagain to turn
the systems back on.
gandigo
out in the instrument cluster. The
Traction Control On message is
displayed in the DIC. See Ride
Control System Messages on
page 5‑37. If cruise control is being used when
StabiliTrak activates, the cruise
control will automatically disengage.
Press the cruise control button to
re-engage when road conditions
allow. See
Cruise Control on
page 9‑35.
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.
Selective Ride Control
The vehicle may have a ride control
system called Selective Ride
Control. The setting can be changed
at any time. Based on road
conditions, steering wheel angle,
and the vehicle speed, the system
automatically adjusts to provide the
best handling while providing a
smooth ride. The Tour and Sport
modes will feel similar on a
smooth road.
Tour: Use for normal city and
highway driving. This setting
provides a smooth, soft ride.
Sport: Use where road conditions
or personal preference demand
more control. This setting provides
more “feel,” or response to road
conditions through increased
steering effort and suspension
control. Transmission shift points
and shift firmness are also
enhanced.

Black plate (35,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
Driving and Operating 9-35
The vehicle is normally in the Tour
Mode. To switch from Tour Mode to
Sport Mode, move the shift lever
to the left while the transmission
is in D (Drive). Sport Mode is
automatically engaged when the
shift lever is moved to the left.
Moving the shift lever forward or
rearward will put the transmission in
the Manual (M) Mode.
The Driver Information Center (DIC)
will display SPORT MODE ON
when the Sport Mode has been
activated. When the shift lever is
moved to the right in D (Drive), the
system will revert back to Tour
Mode. SeeManual Mode on
page 9‑24 under Automatic
Transmission.
If there is a problem detected with
Selective Ride Control, SERVICE
SUSPENSION SYSTEM displays
on the DIC. See Ride Control
System Messages on page 5‑37.
Driving should be adjusted
accordingly.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.
If the StabiliTrak
®system begins
to limit wheel spin while using
cruise control, the cruise control
automatically disengages. See
StabiliTrak
®System on page 9‑33 or
Traction Control System (TCS) on
page 9‑31. If a collision alert occurs
when cruise control is activated,
cruise control is disengaged. See
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System on page 9‑50. When road
conditions allow the cruise control to
be safely used, you can apply the
cruise control again.

Black plate (38,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
9-38 Driving and Operating
If a vehicle is detected in your path,
ACC can apply acceleration or
limited, moderate braking to
maintain the selected following gap.
To disengage ACC, apply the brake.
If ACC is controlling your vehicle
speed when the traction control
system (TCS) activates, the ACC
will automatically disengage. See
Traction Control System (TCS) on
page 9‑31. When road conditions
allow ACC to be safely used, the
ACC can be turned back on.{WARNING
ACC has limited braking ability
and may not have time to slow
the vehicle down enough to avoid
a collision with another vehicle
you are following. This can occur
when vehicles suddenly slow or
stop ahead, or enter your lane.
Also see“Alerting the Driver” in
this section. Complete attention is
always required while driving and
you should be ready to take
action and apply the brakes. See
Defensive Driving on page 9‑3.
{WARNING
Adaptive Cruise Control will not
detect or brake for children,
pedestrians, animals, or other
objects.
Do not use Adaptive Cruise
Control when:
.On winding and hilly roads or
when the sensors are
blocked by snow, ice, or dirt.
The system may not detect a
vehicle ahead. Keep the
entire front of the vehicle
clean.
.Visibility is low, such as in
fog, rain, or snow conditions.
Adaptive Cruise Control
performance is limited under
these conditions.
.On slippery roads where fast
changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip.

Black plate (40,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 11/9/12
9-40 Driving and Operating
To begin using ACC again, move
the control up toward +RES briefly.
The vehicle returns to the previous
set speed.
Increasing Speed While ACC is at
a Set Speed
If ACC is already activated, do one
of the following:
.Use the accelerator to get to the
higher speed. Move the control
toward SET–, then release it and
the accelerator pedal. The
vehicle will now cruise at the
higher speed.
When the accelerator pedal is
pressed, ACC will not brake
because it is overridden.
A warning message will appear
on the Driver Information Center
(DIC). SeeCruise Control
Messages on page 5‑31.
.Move the control toward +RES
and hold until the desired set
speed appears on the display,
then release it.
.To increase vehicle speed in
small amounts, move the control
toward +RES and then release
it. Each time this is done, the
vehicle goes 1.6 km/h (1 mph)
faster.
When it is determined that there is
no vehicle in front of your vehicle
slower than the set speed, then the
vehicle speed will increase to the
set speed.
Reducing Speed While ACC is at a
Set Speed
If ACC is already activated, do one
of the following:
.Use the brake to get to the
desired lower speed. Move the
control toward SET– and release
the accelerator pedal. The
vehicle will now cruise at the
lower speed.
.Move the control toward
SET− and hold until the desired
lower speed is reached, then
release it.
.To decrease the vehicle speed in
small amounts, move the control
toward SET− briefly. Each time
this is done, the vehicle goes
about 1.6 km/h (1 mph) slower.
Selecting the Follow Distance
When a slower moving vehicle is
detected ahead, ACC will adjust the
vehicle's speed and attempt to
maintain the follow distance gap
selected.
Press
3on the steering wheel to
adjust the following gap. Each press
cycles the gap button through three
settings: Far, Medium, or Near.
When pressed, the current gap
setting displays briefly on the
instrument cluster. The gap setting
will be maintained until it is
changed.