
Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369806) - 2016 -
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Instruments and Controls 121
The DLC is under the instrument
panel to the left of the steering
wheel. Connecting devices that are
not used to perform an Emissions
Inspection/Maintenance test or to
service the vehicle may affect
vehicle operation SeeAdd-On
Electrical Equipment 0226. See
your dealer if assistance is needed.
The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
. The light is on when the engine
is running.
. The light does not come on
when the ignition is in Service
Only Mode.
. Critical emission control systems
have not been completely
diagnosed. If this happens, the
vehicle would not be ready for
inspection and might require
several days of routine driving before the system is ready for
inspection. This can happen if
the 12-volt battery has recently
been replaced or run down, or if
the vehicle has been recently
serviced.
See your dealer if the vehicle will
not pass or cannot be made ready
for the test.
Brake System Warning
Light
The vehicle brake system consists
of two hydraulic circuits. If one
circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the
vehicle. For normal braking
performance, both circuits need to
be working.
If the warning light comes on, there
is a problem with the braking
system. Have the brake system
inspected right away.
This light comes on briefly when the
vehicle is turned on. If it does not
come on then, have it fixed so it will
be ready to warn if there is a
problem.
If the light comes on and stays on,
there is a base brake problem.
{Warning
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.

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Instruments and Controls 131
other than when the oil has just
been changed. It cannot be reset
accurately until the next oil change.
To reset the engine oil life system,
press and hold SEL for several
seconds while the Oil Life display is
active. SeeEngine Oil Life System
0 236.
Tire Pressure : Shows the
approximate pressures of all four
tires. Tire pressure is displayed in
either kilopascal (kPa) or in pounds
per square inch (psi). If the pressure
is low, the value for that tire is
shown in amber. See Tire Pressure
Monitor System 0265 andTire
Pressure Monitor Operation 0266.
Vehicle Odometer (Base
Cluster) : Shows the odometer.
Blank Page : Allows for no
information to be displayed in the
cluster info display areas.Head-Up Display (HUD)
{Warning
If the HUD image is too bright or
too high in your field of view, it
may take you more time to see
things you need to see when it is
dark outside. Be sure to keep the
HUD image dim and placed low in
your field of view.
If equipped with HUD, some
information concerning the
operation of the vehicle is projected
onto the windshield. The image is
projected through the HUD lens on
top of the instrument panel. The
information appears as an image
focused out toward the front of the
vehicle.
Caution
If you try to use the HUD image
as a parking aid, you may
misjudge the distance and
damage your vehicle. Do not use
the HUD image as a parking aid.
The HUD information can be
displayed in various languages. The
speedometer reading and other
numerical values can be displayed
in either English or metric units.
The language selection is changed
through the radio and the units of
measurement is changed through
the instrument cluster. See Vehicle
Personalization 0145 and“Cluster
Settings Menu” underInstrument
Cluster 0111.

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154 Lighting
.The other vehicle's lamps cannot
be detected due to dense
exhaust, smoke, fog, snow, road
spray, mist, or other airborne
obstructions.
. The vehicle's windshield is dirty,
cracked, or obstructed by
something that blocks the view
of the light sensor.
. The vehicle is loaded such that
the front end points upward,
causing the light sensor to aim
high and not detect headlamps
and taillamps.
. Driving on winding or hilly roads.
The automatic high-beam
headlamps may need to be disabled
if any of the above conditions exist.
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder
A warning chime sounds if the driver
door is opened while the ignition is
off and the exterior lamps are on.
Headlamp High/
Low-Beam Changer
2 3
(Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer) : Push the turn signal
lever away from you and release, to
turn the high beams on. To return to
low beams, push the lever again or
pull it toward you and release.
This indicator light turns on in the
instrument cluster when the
high-beam headlamps are on.
Flash-to-Pass
To flash the high beams, pull the
turn signal lever toward you, and
release.
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can
make it easier for others to see the
front of your vehicle during the day.
For vehicles with High Intensity
Discharge (HID) headlamps, the
dedicated DRL will come on when
all of the following conditions
are met:
. The ignition is on.
. The exterior lamp control is
in AUTO.
. The light sensor determines it is
daytime.
. The parking brake is released or
the vehicle is not in P (Park).
When the DRL are on, the taillamps,
sidemarker lamps, and other lamps
will not be on.
The DRL turn off when the
headlamps are turned to
Oor the
ignition is off.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369806) - 2016 -
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170 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 174
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 175
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 176
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 180
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 187
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 190
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 192
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Magnetic Ride Control . . . . . . . . 194
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . . 194
Automatic Level Control . . . . . . 195
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . 198
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 205 Assistance Systems for
Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 206
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Front Automatic Braking (FAB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369806) - 2016 -
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Driving and Operating 177
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. SeeTraction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
0 192.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a low
forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
Slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not get
the vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out,
see
Towing the Vehicle 0284.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle may
show how much weight it may
properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Certification label.
{Warning
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
This can cause systems to
break and change the way the
vehicle handles. This could
cause loss of control and a
crash. Overloading can also
reduce stopping distance,
damage the tires, and shorten
the life of the vehicle.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369806) - 2016 -
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178 Driving and Operating
Tire and Loading Information
Label
Label Example
A vehicle-specific Tire and
Loading Information label is
attached to the vehicle's center
pillar (B-pillar). The Tire and
Loading Information label shows
the number of occupant seating
positions (1), and the maximum
vehicle capacity weight (2) in
kilograms and pounds.
The Tire and Loading
Information label also shows the
tire size of the originalequipment tires (3) and the
recommended cold tire inflation
pressures (4). For more
information on tires and inflation
see
Tires 0261 andTire
Pressure 0263.
There is also important loading
information on the Certification
label. It may show the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) for the front and
rear axle. See “Certification
Label” later in this section.
“Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit–
1.Locate the statement "The
combined weight of
occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs." on your vehicle’s
placard.
2.Determine the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers from XXX kg or
XXX lbs.
4.The resulting figure equals
the available amount of
cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the
"XXX" amount equals
1400 lbs. and there will be
five 150 lb passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5 x 150) =
650 lbs.)
5.Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, load from your
trailer will be transferred to

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369806) - 2016 -
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Driving and Operating 179
your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how
this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.”
See Trailer Towing 0224 for
important information on towing
a trailer, towing safety rules, and
trailering tips.
Example 1
1.Vehicle Capacity Weight
for Example 1 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
2.Subtract Occupant
Weight @ 68 kg (150 lbs)
× 2 = 136 kg (300 lbs).
3.Available Occupant and
Cargo Weight = 317 kg
(700 lbs).
Example 2
1.Vehicle Capacity Weight
for Example 2 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
2.Subtract Occupant
Weight @ 68 kg (150 lbs)
× 5 = 340 kg (750 lbs).
3.Available Cargo Weight
= 113 kg (250 lbs).
Example 3
1.Vehicle Capacity Weight
for Example 3 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
2.Subtract Occupant
Weight @ 91 kg
(200 lbs) × 5 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
3.Available Cargo Weight
= 0 kg (0 lbs).
Refer to the vehicle's Tire and
Loading Information label for
specific information about the
vehicle's capacity weight and
seating positions. The combined

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369806) - 2016 -
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184 Driving and Operating
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
These vehicle accessories can be
used for up to 10 minutes after the
engine is turned off:
.Infotainment System
. Power Windows
. Sunroof (If Equipped)
. Accessory Power Outlets
Power to the infotainment system
will continue to operate for up to
10 minutes or until the driver door is
opened.
Power to the power windows and
sunroof will continue to operate for
up to 10 minutes or until any door is
opened.
All of these features will work when
the ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY.
Shifting Into Park
1. Hold the brake pedal down and apply the parking brake. See
Electric Parking Brake 0190. 2. Move the shift lever into
P (Park) by pushing the lever
all the way toward the front of
the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition off.
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
It could overheat and catch fire.
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park). (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
SeeShifting Into Park 0184.
If you are towing a trailer, see
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips 0221.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you have moved
the shift lever into P (Park), hold
down the regular brake pedal. See if
you can move the shift lever away
from P (Park) without first pulling it
toward you. If you can, it means that
the shift lever was not fully locked
into P (Park).
Torque Lock
Torque lock is when the weight of
the vehicle puts too much force on
the parking pawl in the
transmission. This happens when
parking on a hill and shifting the
transmission into P (Park) is not
done properly and then it is difficult
to shift out of P (Park). To prevent