Page 169 of 335

Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
168 CLIMATE CONTROLS
Sensor
The solar sensor monitors the
solar heat.
The climate control system uses the
sensor information to adjust the
temperature, fan speed, recirculation,
and air delivery mode for best
comfort.
If the sensor is covered, the automatic
climate control system may not work
properly.
Air Vents
Adjustable air vents are in the center
and on the side of the instrument
panel.
Use the thumbwheels (1) near the air
vents to open or close off the airflow.
Move the slats (2) to change the
direction of the airflow.
Additional air vents are beneath the
windshield and the driver side and
passenger side door windows. These
are fixed and cannot be adjusted.
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.
Page 170 of 335

Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
CLIMATE CONTROLS 169
.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 attach any devices to the
air vent slats. This restricts airflow
and may cause damage to the air
vents.Maintenance
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The filter reduces dust, pollen, and
other airborne irritants from outside
air that is pulled into the vehicle. The
filter should be replaced as part of
routine scheduled maintenance. See
Maintenance Schedule 0307.
See your dealer regarding replacement
of the filter.
Service
All vehicles have a label underhood
that identifies the refrigerant used in
the vehicle. The refrigerant system
should only be serviced by trained and
certified technicians. The air
conditioning evaporator should never
be repaired or replaced by one from a
salvage vehicle. It should only be
replaced by a new evaporator to
ensure proper and safe operation.
During service, all refrigerants should
be reclaimed with proper equipment.
Venting refrigerants directly to the
atmosphere is harmful to the
environment and may also create
unsafe conditions based on inhalation,
combustion, frostbite, or other
health-based concerns.
Page 171 of 335

Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
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
Track Events and CompetitiveDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 178
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Composite Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . 191
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Brakes
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . 195
Parking Brake (Manual) . . . . . . . . . . 195
Parking Brake (Electric) . . . . . . . . . . 196
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/ElectronicStability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Competitive Driving Mode (FE4 Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Limited-Slip Rear Axle (Except V-Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Limited-Slip Rear Axle (V-Series Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . 207
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . 214
Assistance Systems for Parkingor Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Forward Automatic Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . 222
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . 222
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . 224
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . . 230
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . 230
Page 172 of 335

Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
DRIVING AND OPERATING 171
Driving 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, keep your
eyes on the road, keep your hands on
the steering wheel, and focus your
attention on driving.
.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. Refer to the infotainment manual for
more information on using that
system, 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 Belts061.
. 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.
Page 173 of 335

Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
172 DRIVING AND OPERATING
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
Variable Effort Steering
Some vehicles have a steering system
that varies the amount of effort
required to steer the vehicle in
relation to the speed of the vehicle.
The amount of steering effort required
is less at slower speeds to make the
vehicle more maneuverable and easier
to park. At faster speeds, the steering
effort increases to provide a sport-like
feel to the steering. This provides
maximum control and stability.
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance is
not required.
If power steering assist is lost due to a
system malfunction, the vehicle can
be steered, but may require increased
effort. See your dealer if there is a
problem.If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is
held against that position for an
extended period of time, power
steering assist may be reduced.
If steering assist is used for an
extended period of time, power assist
may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the system
cools down.
See specific vehicle steering messages
under
Vehicle Messages 0127.
See your dealer if there is a problem.
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.
Page 174 of 335

Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
DRIVING AND OPERATING 173
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. The vehicle may
straighten out. Be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
. Slow down and adjust your driving
according to weather conditions.
Stopping distance can be longer
and vehicle control can be affected
when traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other material
on the road. Learn to recognize
warning clues —such as enough
water, ice, or packed snow on the
road to make a mirrored surface
— and slow down when you have
any doubt.
. Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking, including
reducing vehicle speed by shifting
Page 175 of 335

Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
174 DRIVING AND OPERATING
to a lower gear. Any sudden
changes could cause the tires to
slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help avoid
only the braking skid.
Track Events and
Competitive Driving
Competitive driving may affect the
vehicle warranty. See the warranty
manual before using the vehicle for
competitive driving.
Caution
Low oil levels can damage the
engine. If using the vehicle for
competitive driving, the engine may
use more oil than it would with
normal use. Check the oil level
often during competitive driving.
Engine Oil
2.0L Turbo (LTG) Engine Only: .
Keep the level at or near 1 L (1 qt)
above the upper mark that shows
the proper operating range on the
engine oil dipstick.
. Use a 600 W fan in addition to the
production option V03.
. Gasolines with a Pump Octane ((R
+M)/2) of 99 or greater and
ethanol content below 15%
volume must be used for
competitive driving to protect
against engine damage. Colder
spark plug ratings should also be
used. Consult your dealer.
3.6L Non-Turbo (LGX) Engine Only:
. 3.6L Non-Turbo (LGX) Engine with
Oil Cooler: Confirm the oil level is
at the upper mark that shows the
proper operating range on the
engine oil dipstick.
3.6L Twin Turbo (LF4) Engine Only:
. The twin turbo 3.6L engine (LF4)
requires premium fuel, and comes
standard with a 7 qt sump,
integrated oil cooler, and other
powertrain and powertrain cooling
components in preparation for
track use. Brake Fluid
.
Before racing, replace existing
brake fluid with a qualified racing
brake fluid from a sealed
container. Brake fluid with a dry
boiling point >279 °C (534 °F) is
qualified. If racing brake fluid is
used, replace it with GM approved
brake fluid before driving on
public roads. See Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants 0314.
. Do not use silicone-based fluids.
If racing brake fluid is in the vehicle
and the age of the brake fluid is over a
month old or unknown, replace the
brake fluid between racing/closed
track driving.
Caution
Failure to change the brake fluid
and transfer case fluid after any
performance or race track driving
could result in damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty. Have the
brake fluid and transfer case fluid
changed by your dealer after any (Continued)
Page 176 of 335

Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
DRIVING AND OPERATING 175
Caution (Continued)
performance or race track driving.
SeeRecommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0314.
Brake Burnishing
For vehicles equipped with front
Brembo®brake systems:
Base Vehicles Only: Performance/
racing brake pads are required prior to
racing or closed track driving. Vehicles
with option code Y4Q have
performance brake pads.
New brake pads must be burnished
before racing or other competitive
driving.
Caution
Performing the brake burnish
procedure on a base brake system
can result in brake damage.
Caution
The new vehicle break-in period
should be completed before
performing the brake burnish
procedure, otherwise damage may
occur to the powertrain/engine. See
New Vehicle Break-In 0184.
Caution
Brake pedal fade will occur during
any track burnish procedure and
can cause brake pedal travel and
force to increase. This could extend
stopping distance until the brakes
are fully burnished.
When this procedure is performed as
instructed, it will not damage the
brakes. The brake pads will smoke and
produce an odor. The braking force
and pedal travel may increase. After
the procedure, the brake pads may
appear white at the rotor contact. Perform this procedure only on dry
pavement, in a safe manner, and in
compliance with all local and state
ordinances/laws regarding motor
vehicle operation.
Brake Burnish Procedure (V-Series
and Y4Q only)
1. Apply the brakes 25 times starting at 100 km/h (60 mph) to
50 km/h (30 mph) while
decelerating at 0.4 g. This is a
medium brake application. Drive
for at least 1 km (0.6 mi)
between applying the brakes.
This first step may be skipped if
there are more than 320 km
(200 mi) on the brake pads.
2. Repeatedly apply the brakes from 100 km/h (60 mph) to 25 km/h
(15 mph) while decelerating at
0.8 g. This is a hard brake
application, without activating
the Antilock Brake System (ABS).
Drive for at least 1 km (0.6 mi)
between stops. Repeat until the
brake pedal travel starts to
increase. Depending on