
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
Driving and Operating 259Weight of the Trailer Tongue The tongue load (1) of any trailer is
an important weight to measure
because it affects the total gross
weight of the vehicle. The Gross
Vehicle Weight (GVW) includes the
curb weight of the vehicle, any
cargo carried in it, and the people
who will be riding in the vehicle.
If there are a lot of options,
equipment, passengers, or cargo in
the vehicle, it will reduce the tongue
weight the vehicle can carry, which
will also reduce the trailer weight the
vehicle can tow. If towing a trailer,
the tongue load must be added to
the GVW because the vehicle will
be carrying that weight, too. See
Vehicle Load Limits 0 198 . The trailer tongue (1) should weigh
10% of the total loaded trailer
weight (2).
After loading the trailer, weigh the
trailer and then the tongue,
separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they are not, adjustments
might be made by moving some
items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle's
Tires
Be sure the vehicle's tires are
inflated to the upper limit for cold
tires. These numbers can be found
on the Tire and Loading Information label. See Vehicle Load Limits
0 198 . Make sure not to go over the
GVW limit for the vehicle, including
the weight of the trailer tongue.
Towing Equipment Hitches Use the correct hitch equipment.
See your dealer or a hitch dealer for
assistance.
.
The rear bumper on the vehicle
is not intended for hitches. Do
not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to it. Use
only a frame-mounted hitch that
does not attach to the bumper.
.
The frame mounted hitch must
be compatible with aluminum.
.
Will any holes be made in the
body of the vehicle when the
trailer hitch is installed? If so,
seal the holes when the hitch is
removed. If the holes are not
sealed, dirt, water, and deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) from the
exhaust can get into the vehicle.
See Engine Exhaust 0 209 .

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
262 Vehicle Care Jump Starting Jump Starting - North
America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Towing the Vehicle Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Recreational Vehicle
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Appearance Care Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
General Information For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning WARNING: Most motor vehicles,
including this one, contain and/or
emit chemicals known to the State
of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm. Engine exhaust, many parts
and systems, many fluids, and
some component wear by-products
contain and/or emit these
chemicals.
See Battery - North America 0 284
and Jump Starting - North
America 0 327 .
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, safety belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications Adding non-dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
330 Vehicle Care 9. Start the engine in the vehicle
with the good battery and run
the engine at idle speed for at
least four minutes.
10. Try to start the vehicle that had
the dead battery. If it will not
start after a few tries, it
probably needs service.
CautionIf the jumper cables are
connected or removed in the
wrong order, electrical shorting
may occur and damage the
vehicle. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always connect and remove the
jumper cables in the correct order,
making sure that the cables do
not touch each other or other
metal. Jumper Cable Removal
Reverse the sequence exactly when
removing the jumper cables.
After starting the disabled vehicle
and removing the jumper cables,
allow it to idle for several minutes.
Towing the Vehicle CautionIncorrectly towing a disabled
vehicle may cause damage. The
damage would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty.
Do not lash or hook to
suspension components. Use the
proper straps around the tires to
secure the vehicle.
Have the vehicle towed on a flatbed
car carrier. A wheel lift tow truck
could damage the vehicle.
Consult your dealer or a
professional towing service if the
disabled vehicle must be towed.
Use the tow eye for towing a
disabled vehicle or loading it onto a
flatbed car carrier. The tow eye
should not be used to recover a
vehicle from an off road situation.

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
Vehicle Care 331CautionImproper use of the tow eye can
cause vehicle damage. Use
caution and low speeds to
prevent damage to the vehicle.
Carefully open the cover in the
fascia by using the small notch that
conceals the tow eye socket.
Install the tow eye into the socket by
turning it clockwise until it stops.
Remove the tow eye by turning it
counterclockwise. When the tow eye
is removed, reinstall the cover with
the notch in the original position.
Recreational Vehicle
Towing Recreational vehicle towing means
towing the vehicle behind another
vehicle such as a motor home. The
two most common types of
recreational vehicle towing are
known as dinghy towing and dolly
towing. Dinghy towing is towing the
vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground. Dolly towing is towing the vehicle with two wheels on the
ground and two wheels up on a
device known as a dolly.
Here are some important things to
consider before recreational vehicle
towing:
.
What is the towing capacity of
the towing vehicle? Be sure to
read the tow vehicle
manufacturer's
recommendations.
.
What is the distance that will be
traveled? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how
long they can tow.
.
Is the proper towing equipment
going to be used? See your
dealer or trailering professional
for additional advice and
equipment recommendations.
.
Is the vehicle ready to be
towed? Just as preparing the
vehicle for a long trip, make sure
the vehicle is prepared to be
towed. Dinghy Towing
CautionIf the vehicle is towed with all four
wheels on the ground, the
drivetrain components could be
damaged. The repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Do not tow the vehicle
with all four wheels on the
ground.
The vehicle was not designed to be
towed with all four wheels on the
ground. If the vehicle must be

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
332 Vehicle Care towed, a dolly should be used. See
the following information on dolly
towing.
CautionUse of a shield mounted in front
of the vehicle grille could restrict
airflow and cause damage to the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. If using a shield, only
use one that attaches to the
towing vehicle. Dolly Towing
(Rear-Wheel-Drive Vehicles)
To dolly tow a rear-wheel-drive
vehicle from the rear:
1. Attach the dolly to the tow
vehicle following the dolly
manufacturer instructions.
2. Put the rear wheels on the
dolly.
3. Shift the transmission to
P (Park).
4. Firmly set the parking brake. 5. Use an adequate clamping
device designed for towing to
ensure that the front wheels
are locked into the
straight-ahead position.
6. Secure the vehicle to the dolly
following the manufacturer
instructions.
7. Release the parking brake only
after the vehicle being towed is
firmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
8. Turn the ignition off.
Dolly Towing (All-Wheel Drive
Vehicles)