
Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369806) - 2016 -
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176 Driving and Operating
.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)
0189.
. Allow greater following distance
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.
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
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
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the fan speed to the highest
setting. See“Climate
Control Systems.”
For more information about CO,
see Engine Exhaust 0186 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.

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182 Driving and Operating
shift lever must be in P (Park)
to turn the ignition to the OFF
position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Electric Parking Brake 0190.
{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 0182. 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.
The instruments and audio systems
will operate as they do in ON/RUN,
but the vehicle will not be able to be
driven. The engine will not start in
Service Only Mode. Press the
button again to turn the vehicle off.Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). To restart the engine
when the vehicle is already moving,
use N (Neutral) only.
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission.
Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.

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Driving and Operating 183
Caution
If the steering wheel is turned
until it reaches the end of its
travel, and is held in that position
while starting the vehicle, damage
may occur to the hydraulic power
steering system and there may be
loss of power steering assist.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
SeeAdd-On Electrical Equipment
0 226.
Starting Procedure 1. With the Keyless Access system, the RKE transmitter
must be in the vehicle. Press
the ENGINE START/STOP
button with the brake pedal applied. When the engine
begins cranking, let go of the
button.
The idle speed will go down as
the engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it.
If the RKE transmitter is not in
the vehicle, if there is
interference, or if the RKE
transmitter battery is low, the
Driver Information Center (DIC)
will display a message. See
Key and Lock Messages
0138.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by pressing the
ENGINE START/STOP button
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down. 2. If the engine does not start
after five to 10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather
(below −18 °C or 0 °F), it could
be flooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing the
accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and holding it there as
you press the ENGINE START/
STOP button, for up to a
maximum of 15 seconds. Wait
at least 15 seconds between
each try, to allow the cranking
motor to cool down. When the
engine starts, let go of the
button and the accelerator.
If the vehicle starts briefly but
then stops again, do the same
thing. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine. Do
not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.

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Driving and Operating 185
torque lock, set the parking brake
and then shift into P (Park). To find
out how, see "Shifting Into P (Park)"
listed previously.
If torque lock does occur, your
vehicle may need to be pushed
uphill by another vehicle to relieve
the parking pawl pressure, so you
can shift out of P (Park).
If you are towing a trailer and
parking on a hill, seeDriving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
0 221.
Shifting out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with an
automatic transmission shift lock
control system. The shift lock
control is designed to prevent
movement of the shift lever out of
P (Park), unless the ignition is in
ON/RUN and the brake pedal is
applied.
The shift lock control is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9-volt) battery. If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See
Jump Starting 0281.
To shift out of P (Park): 1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN.
2. Apply the brake pedal.
3. Press the shift lever button.
4. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still are unable to shift out of
P (Park): 1. Fully release the shift lever button.
2. Hold the brake pedal down and press the shift lever button
again.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still cannot move the shift
lever from P (Park), consult your
dealer or a professional towing
service.
Parking over Things
That Burn
{Warning
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.

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190 Driving and Operating
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses 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
you 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 may hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate. This is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows you to steer and brake
at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Electric Parking Brake
The EPB switch is on the left side of
the instrument panel. The EPB can
always be activated, even if the
ignition is off. To prevent draining
the battery, avoid repeated cycles of
the EPB when the engine is not
running.
The system has a red parking brake
status light and an amber parking
brake warning light. SeeElectric
Parking Brake Light 0122 and
Service Electric Parking Brake Light
0 122. There are also parking
brake-related Driver Information
Center (DIC) messages. See Brake
System Messages 0135. In case of
insufficient electrical power, the EPB
cannot be applied or released.
Before leaving the vehicle, check
the red parking brake status light to
ensure that the parking brake is
applied.
EPB Apply
To apply the EPB:
1. Be sure the vehicle is at a complete stop.
2. Lift up the EPB switch momentarily.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369806) - 2016 -
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226 Driving and Operating
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is
used for vehicle service and
Emission Inspection/Maintenance
testing. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp (Check Engine Light) 0119.
A device connected to the DLC —
such as an aftermarket fleet or
driver-behavior tracking device —
may interfere with vehicle
systems. This could affect vehicle
operation and cause a crash.
Such devices may also access
information stored in the vehicle’s
systems.
Caution
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle or cause
components to not work and
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always check
with your dealer before adding
electrical equipment.
Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12-volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle 078 and Adding Equipment
to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
0 78.

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Vehicle Care 227
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 228
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Engine Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 236
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 237
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 243
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Power Steering Fluid (LFX with FWD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Power Steering Fluid (LF3 and LFX with AWD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 249
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 249
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 250
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 251
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 252
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 253
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 254
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257 Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Tire Pressure for High-SpeedOperation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 273
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 280

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Vehicle Care 231
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0237.
2. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (Under Engine Cover). See
Power Steering Fluid (LFX with
FWD) 0244 orPower Steering
Fluid (LF3 and LFX with AWD)
0 244.
3. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0234.
4. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See Engine Oil0234.
5. Engine Cover 0233.
6. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 239.
7. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brakes 0246.
8. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant 0240.
9. Battery 0248 (Battery Cover
not Shown).
10. Remote Positive (+) Terminal (Battery Cover not Shown).
SeeJump Starting 0281. 11.
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0254.
12. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (Out of View). See Jump
Starting 0281.
13. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 245.