2013 CADILLAC XTS steering

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 (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 (24,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
9-24 Driving and Operating
In M (Manual Mode) the
transmission will shift as an
automatic until the Tap Shift controls
are used. Tap Shift activates driver
manual gear selection.
SeeManual Mode on page 9‑24 for
more information.
Manual Mode
Tap Shift
Tap Shift allows the driver to
manually control the automatic
transmission. To use Tap Shift, the
shift lever must be in M (Manual Mode). Vehicles with this feature
have indicators on the steering
wheel. The controls are on the back
of the steering wheel. Tap the left
control to downshift, and the right
control to upshift. A Driver
Information Center (DIC) message
indicates the gear the vehicle is in.
When accelerating the vehicle from
a stop in snowy and icy conditions,
you may want to shift into
2 (Second) gear. A higher gear ratio
allows you to gain more traction on
slippery surfaces.
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.
See
Compact Spare Tire on
page 10‑70.

Black plate (25,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
Driving and Operating 9-25
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 engine is started and 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. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑22. 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.

Black plate (29,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
Driving and Operating 9-29
required. SeeIf the Vehicle Is Stuck
on page 9‑9. See Winter Driving on
page 9‑7 for information on using
TCS when driving in snowy or icy
conditions.
The TCS/StabiliTrak button is
located on the center stack.
Press and release the TCS/
StabiliTrak button; the traction
control system will turn off and the
appropriate message will be
displayed in the DIC. Press the
button again to turn the system back on. For information on turning
StabiliTrak off and on, see
StabiliTrak
®System on page 9‑29.
Adding non-dealer accessories can
affect your vehicle's performance.
See Accessories and Modifications
on page 10‑3.
StabiliTrak®System
The vehicle has an electronic
stability control system called
StabiliTrak. It is an advanced
computer controlled system that
assists with directional control of the
vehicle in difficult driving conditions.
StabiliTrak activates when the
system senses a discrepancy
between the intended path and the
direction the vehicle is actually
traveling. StabiliTrak selectively
applies braking pressure at any one
of the vehicle's brakes to help steer
the vehicle in the direction which
you are steering.
When the system activates, this
warning light flashes on the
instrument panel. A noise may be
heard or a vibration may be felt in
the brake pedal. This is normal.
Continue to steer the vehicle in the
intended direction.
If there is a problem detected with
StabiliTrak, the appropriate
message displays on the Driver
Information Center (DIC) and the
TCS/StabiliTrak warning light comes
on in the instrument panel cluster.
When this message and light
display, the system is not
operational. Driving should be
adjusted accordingly. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑27 andTraction Control
System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light on
page 5‑24.

Black plate (30,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
9-30 Driving and Operating
The TCS/StabiliTrak button is
located on the center stack.
StabiliTrak comes on automatically
whenever the vehicle is started. The
system should be left on to help
assist with directional control of the
vehicle.
If StabiliTrak needs to be turned off,
press and hold the TCS/StabiliTrak
button until the StabiliTrak OFF light
comes on. The StabiliTrak OFF light
comes on and a DIC message
displays. Press the TCS/StabiliTrak
button again to turn both systems
back on.
If cruise control is being used when
StabiliTrak activates, the cruise
control will automatically disengage.
When road conditions allow,
reengage the cruise control. See
Cruise Control on page 9‑31.
Magnetic Ride Control
The Magnetic Ride Control monitors
the suspension system.
Based on road conditions, steering
wheel angle, and 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.
The vehicle is normally in Tour
Mode. Sport Mode is engaged when
the shift lever is placed in M
(Manual). When the shift lever is
placed in D (Drive) the system will
revert back to Tour Mode.
The Driver Information Center (DIC)
briefly displays the appropriate
message on vehicle startup or when
a new mode is selected. See Ride
Control System Messages on
page 5‑41.

Black plate (32,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
9-32 Driving and Operating
If the StabiliTrak® system begins to
limit wheel spin while using cruise
control, the cruise control
automatically disengages. See
StabiliTrak
®System on page 9‑29or
Traction Control System (TCS) on
page 9‑28. 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. An indicator
appears in the instrument cluster
when cruise is turned on. +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 by 5 km/h
(5 mph) increments, 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 by 5 km/h
(5 mph) increments, 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 pressed 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, a cruise
control indicator appears 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.

Black plate (33,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
Driving and Operating 9-33
Once the vehicle speed reaches
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more,
press the +RES control 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 goes
about 5 km/h (5 mph) faster.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.
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 goes
about 5 km/h (5 mph) slower.
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.
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, you might have to brake or
shift to a lower gear to keep the
vehicle speed down. If the brake is
applied, the cruise control
disengages.