Black plate (49,1)Cadillac ELR Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081525) -
2014 - Second Edition - 1/22/14
Instruments and Controls 5-49
there is a problem. See your dealer
for service. The vehicle is safe to
drive, however, you do not have the
benefit of StabiliTrak, so reduce
your speed and drive accordingly.
SERVICE TRACTION
CONTROL
This message displays when there
is a problem with the Traction
Control System (TCS). When this
message is displayed, the system
will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly. See your dealer
for service. SeeTraction Control/
Electronic Stability Control on
page 9-33 for more information.
TRACTION CONTROL OFF
This message displays when the
Traction Control System (TCS) is
turned off. Adjust your driving
accordingly. See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control on
page 9-33.
TRACTION CONTROL ON
This message displays when the
Traction Control System (TCS) is
turned on. See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control on
page 9-33. This message clears
itself after 10 seconds.
Airbag System Messages
SERVICE AIRBAG
This message displays if there is a
problem with the airbag system.
Take the vehicle to your dealer for
service.
Security Messages
THEFT ATTEMPTED
This message displays if the vehicle
detects a tamper condition.
Service Vehicle Messages
ENGINE MAINTENANCE XXX%
COMPLETE
This message displays when the
Engine Maintenance Mode is
running. See “Engine Maintenance
Mode” underMaintenance Modes
on page 9-25.
ENGINE NOT AVAILABLE
SERVICE SOON
This message displays when the
engine is not available due to a
malfunction that will not allow the
engine to start. The vehicle can
continue to be driven in Electric
Mode until the battery is depleted,
but will have reduced acceleration.
When this message is displayed,
the vehicle should be taken to your
dealer for service as soon as
possible. See Out of Fuel/Engine
Unavailable on page 9-24.
Black plate (6,1)Cadillac ELR Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081525) -
2014 - Second Edition - 1/22/14
6-6 Lighting
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel
Illumination Control
The brightness of the instrument
panel lighting and steering wheel
controls can be adjusted.
D(Instrument Panel
Illumination): Move the
thumbwheel up or down to brighten
or dim the lights.
The brightness of the displays
automatically adjusts based on
outdoor lighting. The instrument panel illumination control will set the
lowest level that the displays will
automatically be adjusted.
Courtesy Lamps
The courtesy lamps come on when
any door is opened and the dome
lamp is in the DOOR position.
Dome Lamps
There are front and rear dome
lamps in the overhead console and
headliner.
To change the dome lamp settings,
press:
OFF:
Turns the lamps off, even
when a door is open.
DOOR: The lamps come on when
a door is opened.
ON: Turns the lamps on.
Black plate (7,1)Cadillac ELR Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081525) -
2014 - Second Edition - 1/22/14
Climate Controls 8-7
Air Vents
Adjustable air vents are in the
center and on the side of the
instrument panel.
Use the thumbwheels (1) near the
air vents to open or close off the
airflow.
Move the slats (2) to change the
direction of the airflow.
Additional air vents are beneath the
windshield and the driver side and
passenger side door windows.
These are fixed and cannot be
adjusted.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 attach any devices to the
air vent slats. This restricts
airflow and may cause damage
to the air vents.
Black plate (5,1)Cadillac ELR Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081525) -
2014 - Second Edition - 1/22/14
Driving and Operating 9-5
To avoid distracted driving, always
keep your eyes on the road, hands
on the wheel, and mind on the drive.
.Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
.Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices.
.Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
.Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
.Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
.Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
.Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
.Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.
Refer to the infotainment section for
more information on using that
system and the navigation system,
if equipped, including pairing and
using a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the safety belt. See Safety Belts on
page 3-11.
.Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes.
Anticipate what they might do
and be ready.
.Allow enough following distance
between you and the driver in
front of you.
.Focus on the task of driving.
Drunk Driving
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
Black plate (6,1)Cadillac ELR Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081525) -
2014 - Second Edition - 1/22/14
9-6 Driving and Operating
{Warning
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious—or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is
about three-quarters of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
.Avoid needless heavy braking.
.Keep pace with traffic.
If propulsion is disabled while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. If the brakes are pumped,
the pedal could get harder to push
down. If propulsion stops, there will still be some power brake assist but
it will be used when the brake is
applied. Once the power assist is
used up, it can take longer to stop
and the brake pedal will be harder
to push.
Steering
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort.
See your dealer if there is a
problem.
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is
held against that position for an
extended period of time, power
steering assist may be reduced.
Black plate (7,1)Cadillac ELR Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081525) -
2014 - Second Edition - 1/22/14
Driving and Operating 9-7
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time, power
assist may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the
system cools down.
See specific vehicle steering
messages underService Vehicle
Messages on page 5-49. See your
dealer if there is a problem.
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
.Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
.Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve.
.Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
.Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
.The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) allows steering while
braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-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.
Black plate (8,1)Cadillac ELR Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081525) -
2014 - Second Edition - 1/22/14
9-8 Driving and Operating
.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.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep‐standing or flowing water.
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Black plate (10,1)Cadillac ELR Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081525) -
2014 - Second Edition - 1/22/14
9-10 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
to slow the vehicle enough to
maintain speed and control. You
could crash. Always have the
vehicle running and in gear
(preferably LOW range) when
going downhill. This will allow the
electric drive unit to assist in
slowing and maintaining speed.
.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.
.Top of hills: Be alert—
something could be in your lane
(stalled car, accident).
.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.
If equipped, Traction Control should
be turned on. See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control on
page 9-33. 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.
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 the Roadside
Service Program. To get help and
keep everyone in the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.