
Cadillac SRX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369636) - 2016 -
crc - 6/1/15
Lighting 149
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel
Illumination Control
The brightness of the instrument
panel lights and steering wheel
controls can be adjusted.
D(Instrument Panel
Brightness) : Move and hold 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 to which the displays
will automatically be adjusted.
Cargo Lamp
The cargo lamp is located in the
rear compartment and is controlled
by the dome lamp. See Dome
Lamps 0149.
Courtesy Lamps
The courtesy lamps come on
automatically when any door is
opened and the dome lamp is in the
door position.
Dome Lamps
To change the dome lamp settings,
press the following:
*(Dome Lamp Override) : Turns
the lamp off, even when a door
is open.
1(Door) : The lamp comes on
when a door is opened.
+(On) : Turns the dome lamp on.
Reading Lamps
There are reading lamps in the
overhead console and over the rear
passenger doors. These lamps
come on automatically when any
door is opened.
To manually turn the reading lamps
on or off:
.
Press
mornnext to each
overhead console reading lamp.
. Press the lamp lens on the rear
passenger reading lamps.

Cadillac SRX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369636) - 2016 -
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Climate Controls 159
Rear Control Lockout :Press to
lock or unlock control of the rear
climate control system from the rear
seat passengers. When locked the
rear climate control can only be
adjusted from the front seat.
Automatic Operation
Rear AUTO : Press to turn on or off.
The air delivery and fan speed are
controlled automatically. The AUTO
indicator appears on the display.
If any of the climate control settings
are manually adjusted, this cancels
full automatic operation.
Manual Operation
SA T(Fan Control) : Press
briefly or press and hold the rear
climate control buttons or touch
screen to increase or decrease the
airflow. Pressing
A Twhen the
system is off will turn the system on.
The air delivery mode remains in its
previous setting.
+/− (Temperature Control) : Press
briefly or press and hold the rear
temperature control buttons or touch screen to adjust the rear passenger
temperature. Press + for warmer air
and press
−for cooler air.
Y/\/Y(Air Delivery Mode
Control) : Press the desired mode
button on the touch screen or the
MODE button on the rear faceplate
to change the direction of the airflow
in the rear seating area.
MorL(Heated Rear Seats, If
Equipped) : Press
MorLto heat
the left or right outboard seat
cushion and seatback. See Heated
Rear Seats 056.
Air Vents
Move the sliding knob on the air
outlets up and down or left and right
to direct the airflow. Use the
thumbwheels near the air outlets to
open or close off the airflow.
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 insert any objects in the
outlets, as failure of the
mechanism may occur.

Cadillac SRX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369636) - 2016 -
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Driving and Operating 161
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 165
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 166
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 167
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 172
Adjustable Throttle and BrakePedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Starting the Gasoline Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 178
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Fuel Economy Mode . . . . . . . . . 181
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 185
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . . 187
Selective Ride Control . . . . . . . . 188
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . 190
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 198
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 198
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Front Automatic Braking (FAB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . 219

Cadillac SRX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369636) - 2016 -
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162 Driving and Operating
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
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.

Cadillac SRX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369636) - 2016 -
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Driving and Operating 163
See the infotainment manual for
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
0 57.
. 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.
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 the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will 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
Hydraulic Power Steering
This vehicle has hydraulic power
steering. It may require
maintenance. See
Power Steering
Fluid 0236.
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or
because of a system malfunction,
the vehicle can be steered but may
require increased effort. See your
dealer if there is a problem.
Caution
If the steering wheel is turned
until it reaches the end of its
travel, and is held in that position
for more than 15 seconds,
damage may occur to the power
steering system and there may be
loss of power steering assist.

Cadillac SRX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369636) - 2016 -
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164 Driving and Operating
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.
. 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.
. 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.

Cadillac SRX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369636) - 2016 -
crc - 6/1/15
166 Driving and Operating
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
. Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
. Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle
in gear.
. Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line.
. Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(e.g., stalled car, accident).
. Pay attention to special road
signs (e.g., falling rocks area,
winding roads, long grades,
passing or no-passing zones)
and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.
. Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0186.
. Antilock Brake System (ABS)
improves vehicle stability during
hard stops, but the brakes
should be applied sooner than
when on dry pavement. See
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
0182.
. Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise

Cadillac SRX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369636) - 2016 -
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Driving and Operating 167
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.
Blizzard Conditions
Stay with the vehicle unless there is
help nearby. To get help and keep
everyone in the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
. Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO), which
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
. Clear snow from the base of
the vehicle, especially any
blocking the exhaust pipe.
. Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the vehicle side
that is away from the wind,
to bring in fresh air.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set
the fan speed to the highest
setting. See “Climate
Control Systems.”
For more information about CO,
see Engine Exhaust 0177 in the
index. To save fuel, run the engine for
short periods to warm the vehicle
and then shut the engine off and
partially close the window. Moving
about to keep warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running 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/Electronic Stability Control
0 186.