Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
212 Driving and Operating CautionSpinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill
using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission.
The repair will not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. If you are
stuck, do not spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes
to hold the vehicle in place.
While in Sport Mode, the vehicle
monitors driving behavior and
automatically enables performance
shift features when spirited driving is
detected. These features maintain
lower transmission gears to
increase available engine braking
and improve acceleration response.
The vehicle will exit these features
and return to normal operation after
a short period when no spirited
driving is detected. See Driver Mode
Control 0 219 . Manual Mode Tap Shift
CautionDriving with the engine at a high
rpm without upshifting while using
Tap Shift, could damage the
vehicle. Always upshift when
necessary while using Tap Shift.
Vehicles with Tap Shift have
controls on the back of the steering
wheel to manually shift the
automatic transmission. To enter Permanent Tap Shift Mode:
1. Move the shift lever from
D (Drive) to M (Manual Mode).
While in Tap Shift Mode, the M
of the PRNDM section of the
instrument cluster will become
highlighted, and the current
gear is indicated.
2. Tap the left control toward the
driver to downshift, and the
right control toward the driver
to upshift. To shift to the lowest
available gear, press and hold
the left control.
3. To exit, move the shift lever
back to D (Drive).
With the shift lever in D (Drive) and
not in Permanent Tap Shift Mode,
the Tap Shift controls will activate a
temporary tap manual shift mode,
allowing the transmission to be
manually shifted. The vehicle exits
Temporary Tap Shift Mode after the
accelerator pedal is steady for
six seconds. Temporary Tap Shift
Mode holds a gear longer without
exiting when coasting, to provide
powertrain braking. The Temporary
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
Driving and Operating 213Tap Shift Mode can also be
deactivated by holding the right
upshift control briefly.
While using Tap Shift, the vehicle
will have firmer, quicker shifting. You
can use this for sport driving or
when climbing or descending hills,
to stay in gear longer, or to
downshift for more power or engine
braking.
The transmission will only allow you
to shift into gears appropriate for the
vehicle speed and engine
revolutions per minute (rpm). The
transmission will not downshift if the
engine rpm is too high in the next
lower gear, or upshift to the next
higher gear when the maximum
engine rpm is reached. If shifting is prevented for any
reason, a SHIFT DENIED message
will be displayed in the instrument
cluster. See Transmission
Messages 0 156 .
When accelerating the vehicle from
a stop in snowy and icy conditions,
it is suggested to shift into second
gear. A higher gear allows the
vehicle 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.
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
220 Driving and Operating If the vehicle is equipped with AWD,
the Tour mode is in between the
Sport and the Snow/Ice modes for a
more balanced feel.
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
shift automatically but may hold a
lower gear longer than it would in
the normal driving mode based on
braking, throttle input, and vehicle
lateral acceleration. See Automatic
Transmission 0 210 . The steering,
including Active Rear Steer (if
equipped), will change to provide
more precise control.
If the vehicle is equipped with AWD,
the Sport mode sends more torque
to the rear wheels. Snow/Ice Mode Use when more traction is needed
during slippery conditions. Snow/Ice
mode will use a different accelerator
pedal map in order to optimize
traction on slippery surfaces.
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 0 198 .
If the vehicle is equipped with AWD,
the Snow/Ice mode will provide
more torque to the front wheels. Cruise Control
{ WarningCruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. Do not use
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 Traction Control/electronic
stability control system begins to
limit wheel spin while using cruise
control, the cruise control
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
Driving and Operating 223accelerator pedal to maintain your
speed. When going downhill, the
cruise control system may
automatically brake to slow the
vehicle down. Also, you may have
to brake or shift to a lower gear to
keep your speed down. If the brake
pedal is applied, cruise control
disengages.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise
control:
.
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
.
Press
* .
.
Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
.
Press
J .
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
J is
pressed or if the ignition is
turned off. Adaptive Cruise Control If equipped with Adaptive Cruise
Control (ACC), it allows the driver to
select the cruise control set speed
and following gap. Read this entire
section before using this system.
The following gap is the following
time between your vehicle and a
vehicle detected directly ahead in
your path, moving in the same
direction. If no vehicle is detected in
your path, ACC works like regular
cruise control. ACC uses camera
and radar sensors. See Radio
Frequency Statement 0 371 .
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) or StabiliTrak ®
electronic stability control system
activates, the ACC may automatically disengage. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0 217 . When road
conditions allow ACC to be safely
used, ACC can be turned back on.
ACC will not engage if the TCS or
StabiliTrak electronic stability control
system is disabled.
{ WarningACC 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 0 193 .
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
256 Driving and Operating .
Do not tow a trailer during the
first 2 414 km (1,500 mi) to
prevent damage to the engine,
axle, or other parts.
.
Then during the first 800 km
(500 mi) of trailer towing, do not
drive over 80 km/h (50 mph) and
do not make starts at full throttle.
.
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive).
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear if the transmission shifts
too often under heavy loads and/
or hilly conditions.
.
Do not use Adaptive Cruise
Control when towing.
.
The Front Automatic Braking
System should be set to Off
when towing. See Front
Automatic Braking (FAB)
System 0 240 .
.
Turn off Parking Assist when
towing. { WarningWhen towing a trailer, exhaust
gases may collect at the rear of
the vehicle and enter if the
liftgate, trunk/hatch, or rear-most
window is open.
When towing a trailer:
.
Do not drive with the
liftgate, trunk/hatch,
or rear-most window open.
.
Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
.
Also adjust the climate
control system to a setting
that brings in only outside
air. See “ Climate Control
Systems ” in the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust 0 209 .
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. The
combination you are driving is
longer and not as responsive as the vehicle itself. Get acquainted with
the handling and braking of the rig
before setting out for the open road.
Before starting, check all trailer hitch
parts and attachments, safety
chains, electrical connectors, lamps,
tires, and mirrors. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start the
combination moving and then apply
the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure the brakes work.
During the trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure
and the lamps and any trailer
brakes still work.
Following Distance Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid heavy
braking and sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. The
combination will not accelerate as
quickly and is longer so it is
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
Driving and Operating 257necessary to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before
returning to the lane.
Backing Up Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. To move the
trailer to the left, move that hand to
the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
CautionMaking very sharp turns while
trailering could cause the trailer to
come in contact with the vehicle.
The vehicle could be damaged.
Avoid making very sharp turns
while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
If the trailer turn signal bulbs burn
out, the arrows on the instrument
cluster will still flash for turns. It is
important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving on Grades Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear before starting down a long or
steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, the
brakes might get hot and no longer
work well.
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift
the transmission to a lower gear if
the transmission shifts too often
under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: Engine coolant will boil at
a lower temperature than at normal
altitudes. If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run while parked,
preferably on level ground, with the
automatic transmission in P (Park)
for a few minutes before turning the
engine off. If the overheat warning
comes on, see Engine
Overheating 0 280 .
Parking on Hills
{ WarningParking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do
not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if
facing downhill or into traffic if
facing uphill.
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
258 Driving and Operating 2. Have someone place chocks
under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in
place, release the regular
brakes until the chocks absorb
the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then
apply the parking brake and
shift into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill 1. Apply and hold the brake
pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is
clear of the chocks.
7. Stop and have someone pick
up and store the chocks. Maintenance when Trailer
Towing The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See
Maintenance Schedule 0 344 .
Things that are especially important
in trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system, and
brake system. It is a good idea to
inspect these before and during
the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Trailer Towing Before pulling a trailer, three
important considerations have to do
with weight:
.
Weight of the trailer.
.
Weight of the trailer tongue.
.
Total weight on your vehicle's
tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be? It should never weigh more than
454 kg (1,000 lb). But even that can
be too heavy.
It depends on how the rig is used.
For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature, and
how much the vehicle is used to pull
a trailer are all important. It can
depend on any special equipment
on the vehicle, and the amount of
tongue weight the vehicle can carry.
See “ Weight of the Trailer Tongue ”
following.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated
assuming only the driver is in the
tow vehicle and it has all the
required trailering equipment. The
weight of additional optional
equipment, passengers, and cargo
in the tow vehicle must be
subtracted from the maximum trailer
weight.
Ask your dealer for trailering
information or advice, or write us at
our Customer Assistance Offices.
See Customer Assistance
Offices 0 363 .
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
Vehicle Care 261
Vehicle Care General Information General Information . . . . . . . . . . 262
California Proposition
65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements . . . . . 262
Accessories and
Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Vehicle Checks Doing Your Own
Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Engine Compartment
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 272
Automatic Transmission
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 273
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 280
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Battery - North America . . . . . . 284
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 285
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 286
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 286
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 287
Headlamp Aiming Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Bulb Replacement Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 288
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Electrical System Electrical System Overload . . . 289
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 290
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300 Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 301
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Tire Pressure Monitor
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
When It Is Time for New
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Different Size Tires and
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 318
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 326