2013 CADILLAC XTS transmission

Black plate (9,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
Driving and Operating 9-9
WARNING (CONTINUED)
to the highest setting. See
“Climate Control Systems”in
the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑21.
Run the engine for short periods
only as needed to keep warm, but
be careful.
To save fuel, run the engine for only
short periods as needed to warm
the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of
the way to save heat. Repeat this
until help arrives but only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the
cold. Moving about to keep warm
also helps.
If it takes some time for help to
arrive, now and then when you run
the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs
faster than the idle speed. This keeps the battery charged to restart
the vehicle and to signal for help
with the headlamps. Do this as little
as possible to save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. See
Traction
Control System (TCS) on
page 9‑28.
{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 10‑74.

Black plate (15,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
Driving and Operating 9-15
above 110 km/h (68 mph)
should be limited to
five minutes per use.
.Avoid making hard stops for
the first 322 km (200 mi) or
so. During this time the new
brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with
new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake
linings.
.Do not tow a trailer during
break-in. SeeDriving
Characteristics and Towing
Tips on page 9‑60 for the
trailer towing capabilities of
your vehicle and more
information.
Following break‐in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
Ignition Positions
The vehicle has an electronic
keyless ignition with pushbutton
start.
Pressing the button cycles it through
three modes: ACC/ACCESSORY,
ON/RUN/START, and Stopping the
Engine/OFF.
The 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 remote 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 9‑19.
If the vehicle is not in P (Park), the
ignition will return to ACC/
ACCESSORY and display the
message SHIFT TO PARK in the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
See Transmission Messages on
page 5‑43. When the vehicle is
shifted into P (Park), the ignition
system will switch to OFF.

Black plate (16,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
9-16 Driving and Operating
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 steadypressure. 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), and turn the ignition
OFF. On vehicles with an
automatic transmission, the shift
lever must be in P (Park) to turn
the ignition to the OFF position. 4. Set the parking brake. See
Electric Parking Brake on
page 9‑26.
{WARNING
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
press and hold the engine START/
STOP button for longer than
two seconds, or press twice in
five seconds.
ACC/ACCESSORY (Amber
Indicator Light): This mode allows
the use of some electrical
accessories when the engine is off.
With the ignition off, pressing the
button one time without the brake
pedal applied will place the ignition
system in ACC/ACCESSORY. The ignition will switch from ACC/
ACCESSORY to OFF after
five minutes to prevent battery
rundown.
ON/RUN/START (Green Indicator
Light):
This mode is for driving and
starting. With the ignition off, and
the brake pedal applied, pressing
the button once will place the
ignition system in ON/RUN/START.
Once engine cranking begins,
release the button. Engine cranking
will continue until the engine starts.
See Starting the Engine on
page 9‑17. The ignition will then
remain in ON/RUN.
Service Only Mode
This power mode is available for
service and diagnostics, and to
verify the proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp as may
be required for emission inspection
purposes. With the vehicle off, and
the brake pedal not applied,
pressing and holding the button for
more than five seconds will place
the vehicle in Service Only Mode.

Black plate (17,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
Driving and Operating 9-17
The instruments and audio systems
will operate as they do in ON/RUN,
but the vehicle will not be able to be
driven. The engine will not start in
Service Only Mode. Push the button
again to turn the vehicle off.
Starting the Engine
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.
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.
Notice: If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
See Add-On Electrical Equipment
on page 9‑65. Starting Procedure
1. With the keyless access system,
the transmitter must be in the
vehicle. Put your foot on the
brake pedal and push the
START button. When the engine
begins cranking, let go of the
button.
The idle speed will go down as
the engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it. Operate the
engine and transmission gently
to allow the oil to warm up and
lubricate all moving parts.
If the transmitter is not in the
vehicle or something is
interfering with the transmitter,
the Driver Information Center
(DIC) will display a message.
See Key and Lock Messages on
page 5‑38.
If the battery in the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter
needs replacing, the DIC will
display a message. The vehicle
can still be driven. See “Startingthe Vehicle with a Low
Transmitter Battery”
inRemote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation on page 2‑3.
The vehicle has a
Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in
starting the engine and protects
components. If the START
button is pressed, and then
released when the engine
begins cranking, the engine will
continue cranking for a few
seconds or until the vehicle
starts. If the engine does not
start and the button is pressed
for many seconds, cranking will
be stopped after 15 seconds to
prevent cranking motor damage.
To prevent gear damage, this
system also prevents cranking if
the engine is already running.
Engine cranking can be stopped
by pressing the START button a
second time.
Notice: Cranking the engine for
long periods of time, by pressing
the START button immediately

Black plate (18,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
9-18 Driving and Operating
after cranking has ended, can
overheat and damage the
cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start afterfive to 10 seconds, especially in
very cold weather (below −18°C
or 0°F), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing
the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and holding it there
as you press the START button,
for up to a maximum of
15 seconds. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try, to
allow the cranking motor to cool
down. When the engine starts,
let go of the button and the
accelerator. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do
the same thing. This clears the
extra gasoline from the engine.
Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Engine Heater
The engine coolant heater,
if available, can help in cold weather
conditions at or below
−18°C (0°F)
for easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up.
Plug in the coolant heater at least
four hours before starting the
vehicle. An internal thermostat in
the plug end of the cord will prevent
engine coolant heater operation at
temperatures above −18°C (0°F).
To Use the Engine Coolant
Heater
1. Turn off the engine. 2. Open the hood and unwrap the
electrical cord.
The electrical cord is located on
the driver side of the engine
compartment, between the
fender and the engine
compartment fuse block.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.

Black plate (20,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
9-20 Driving and Operating
WARNING (CONTINUED)
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. 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 on
page 9‑19. If you are towing a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑60.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you have moved
the shift lever into P (Park), hold
down the regular brake pedal. See if
you can move the shift lever away
from P (Park) without first pulling it toward you. If you can, it means that
the shift lever was not fully locked
into P (Park).
Torque Lock
Torque lock is when the weight of
the vehicle puts too much force on
the parking pawl in the
transmission. This happens when
parking on a hill and shifting the
transmission into P (Park) is not
done properly and then it is difficult
to shift out of P (Park). To prevent
torque lock, set the parking brake
and then shift into P (Park). To find
out how, see "Shifting Into P (Park)"
listed previously.
If torque lock does occur, your
vehicle may need to be pushed
uphill by another vehicle to relieve
the parking pawl pressure, so you
can shift out of P (Park).
If you are towing a trailer and
parking on a hill, see
Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips on
page 9‑60.
Shifting out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with an
automatic transmission shift lock
control system. The shift lock
control is designed to prevent
movement of the shift lever out of
P (Park), unless the ignition is in
ON/RUN and the brake pedal is
applied.
The shift lock control is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9-volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See Jump Starting on
page 10‑71.
To shift out of P (Park):
1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN.
2. Apply the brake pedal.
3. Press the shift lever button.
4. Move the shift lever to the desired position.

Black plate (22,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
9-22 Driving and Operating
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running.
If the vehicle is left with the engine
running, follow the proper steps to
be sure the vehicle will not move.
SeeShifting Into Park on page 9‑19
and Engine Exhaust on page 9‑21.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑60.
Automatic
Transmission
The automatic transmission has a
shift lever located on the console
between the seats.
P (Park): This position locks the
wheels. It is the best position to use
when starting the engine because
the vehicle cannot move easily.
{WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. 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).
See Shifting Into Park on
page 9‑19 andDriving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
on page 9‑60.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. The regular brake must be
fully applied first and then the shift

Black plate (23,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
Driving and Operating 9-23
lever button pressed before shifting
from P (Park) when the ignition is in
ON/RUN. If you cannot shift out of
P (Park), ease pressure on the shift
lever, then 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 9‑20.
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, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck on page 9‑9.
N (Neutral): In this position, the
engine does not connect with the
wheels. To restart the engine when the vehicle is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only. 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 more power is
needed for passing, and the
vehicle is:
.Going less than 56 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 56 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
Notice: If the vehicle seems to
accelerate slowly or not shift
gears when you go faster, and
you continue to drive the vehicle
that way, you could damage the
transmission. Have the vehicle
serviced right away.
M (Manual Mode): This position
allows the driver to select the range
of gears appropriate for current
driving conditions.