Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
DRIVING AND OPERATING 179
.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 0198.
. 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) 0195.
. 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
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. 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.
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
DRIVING AND OPERATING 185
{Warning
Rocker extensions may break under
pressure, resulting in property
damage or injury. Do not stand on
the rocker extension or use it as
a step.
Ignition Positions
The vehicle has an electronic keyless
ignition with pushbutton start.
Pressing the button cycles it through
three modes: ACC/ACCESSORY, ON/
RUN/START, and Stopping the
Engine/OFF.The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter must be in the vehicle for
the system to operate. If the
pushbutton start is not working, the
vehicle may be near a strong radio
antenna signal causing interference to
the keyless access system. See
Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation 028.
To shift out of P (Park), the vehicle
must be in ON/RUN and the brake
pedal must be applied.
Stopping the Engine/OFF (No
Indicator Lights) : When the vehicle
is stopped, press ENGINE START/
STOP once to turn the engine off.
If the vehicle is in P (Park), the
ignition will turn off, and Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) 0188.
If the vehicle is not in P (Park), the
ignition will return to ACC/
ACCESSORY and display a message in
the Driver Information Center (DIC).
See Transmission Messages 0136.
When the vehicle is shifted into
P (Park), the ignition system will
switch to OFF. Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake and
steering systems and disable the
airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to a
safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the ignition to
OFF. On vehicles with an
automatic transmission, the shift
lever must be in P (Park) to turn
the ignition switch to the OFF
position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake (Manual) 0195 or
Parking Brake (Electric) 0196.
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
188 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Auto Engine Stop/Start
When the brakes are applied and the
vehicle is at a complete stop, the
engine may turn off. When stopped,
the tachometer may point to AUTO
STOP, seeTachometer 0110. When
the brake pedal is released or the
accelerator pedal pressed, the engine
may restart.
Auto Stop may be deactivated if:
. A minimum vehicle speed is not
reached.
. The engine or transmission is not
at the required operating
temperature.
. The outside temperature is not in
the required operating range,
typically below −10 °C (14 °F) or
above 50 °C (122 °F).
. The shift lever is in any gear other
than D (Drive).
. The battery has been recently
disconnected.
. The battery charge is low. .
The interior comfort level has not
reached the required level for the
climate control system or defog
settings. See Dual Automatic
Climate Control System 0160 or
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System 0163.
. The Auto Stop time is greater than
two minutes.
The automatic engine stop/start
function can be disabled using the
switch. The indicator on the switch
will illuminate when the system is
operational.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
These accessories can be used after
the engine is turned off:
.Audio system (up to 10 minutes or
until driver door is opened).
. Power windows, sunroof (if
equipped), and power outlets (up
to 10 minutes or until any door is
opened).
Shifting Into Park
To shift into P (Park):
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking brake.
See Parking Brake (Manual) 0195
or Parking Brake (Electric) 0196.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by holding in the button on the
shift lever and pushing the lever
all the way toward the front of
the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
4. Take the Remote Keyless Access (RKE) transmitter with you.
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
192 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Warning (Continued)
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). SeeShifting
Into Park 0188.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an electronic shift
lock release system. Fully apply the
regular brakes first and then press the
shift lever button before shifting from
P (Park) with the ignition in ON/RUN/
START. If you cannot shift out of
P (Park), ease pressure on the shift
lever and push the shift lever all the
way into P (Park) as you maintain
brake application. Then press the shift
lever button and move the shift lever
into another gear. See Shifting out of
Park 0189.
Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while the
vehicle is moving forward could
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Shift to
R (Reverse) only after the vehicle is
stopped.
R : Use this gear to back up.
At low vehicle speeds, R (Reverse) can
be used to rock the vehicle back and
forth to get out of snow, ice, or sand
without damaging the transmission.
See If the Vehicle Is Stuck 0180.
N : In this position, the engine does
not connect with the wheels. To
restart when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only. You can
also use N (Neutral) when the vehicle
is being towed.
{Warning
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift into
a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed.
Caution
Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine running
at high speed may damage the
transmission. The repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle warranty.
Be sure the engine is not running at
high speed when shifting the
vehicle.
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
DRIVING AND OPERATING 193
D :This position is for normal driving.
It provides the best fuel economy.
If you need more power for passing,
and you are:
. Going less than 55 km/h (35 mph),
push the accelerator pedal about
halfway down.
. Going about 55 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all the
way down.
The transmission will shift down
to a lower gear and have more
power.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding; see “Skidding”underLoss
of Control 0173.
Caution
Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill using
only the accelerator pedal may
damage the transmission. The
repair will not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. If you are stuck,
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
do not spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes to
hold the vehicle in place.
While in Sport Mode, the vehicle
monitors driving behavior, and
automatically enables Performance
Shift Features when spirited driving is
detected. These features maintain
lower transmission gears to increase
available engine braking and improve
acceleration response. The vehicle will
exit these features and return to
normal operation after a short period
when no spirited driving is detected.
See Driver Mode Control 0199.
Manual Mode
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
Caution
Driving with the engine at a high
rpm without upshifting while using
Driver Shift Control (DSC), could
damage the vehicle. Always upshift
when necessary while using DSC.
Vehicles with DSC may either use the
shift lever or the tap shift controls on
the back of the steering wheel (if
equipped) to manually shift the
automatic transmission.
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
DRIVING AND OPERATING 195
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has an Antilock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced electronic
braking system that helps prevent a
braking skid.
When the vehicle begins to drive
away, ABS checks itself. A momentary
motor or clicking noise may be heard
while this test is going on, and it may
even be noticed that the brake pedal
moves a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning
Light 0117.
If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to 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.
Parking Brake (Manual)
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
198 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
This vehicle has a Hill Start Assist
(HSA) feature, which may be useful
when the vehicle is stopped on a
grade sufficient enough to activate
HSA. This feature is designed to
prevent the vehicle from rolling, either
forward or rearward, during vehicle
drive off. After the driver completely
stops and holds the vehicle in a
complete standstill on a grade, HSA
will be automatically activated. During
the transition period between when
the driver releases the brake pedal and
starts to accelerate to drive off on a
grade, HSA holds the braking pressure
for a maximum of two seconds to
ensure that there is no rolling. The
brakes will automatically release when
the accelerator pedal is applied within
the two-second window. It will not
activate if the vehicle is in a drive gear
and facing downhill, or if the vehicle
is facing uphill and in R (Reverse).
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) and StabiliTrak®, an
electronic stability control system.
These systems help limit wheel slip
and assist the driver in maintaining
control, especially on slippery road
conditions.
TCS activates if it senses that any of
the drive wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, TCS applies the brakes to the
spinning wheels and reduces engine
power to limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak activates when the vehicle
senses a difference between the
intended path and the direction the
vehicle is actually traveling.
StabiliTrak selectively applies braking
pressure to any one of the vehicle
wheel brakes to assist the driver in
keeping the vehicle on the
intended path. If cruise control is being used and
traction control or StabiliTrak begins
to limit wheel spin, cruise control will
disengage. Cruise control may be
turned back on when road conditions
allow.
Both systems come on automatically
when the vehicle is started and begins
to move. The systems may be heard or
felt while they are operating or while
performing diagnostic checks. This is
normal and does not mean there is a
problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both
systems on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary to
turn TCS off if the vehicle gets stuck
in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See
If the
Vehicle Is Stuck 0180 and “Turning
the Systems Off and On ”later in this
section.
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
DRIVING AND OPERATING 205
cruise control is activated, cruise
control is disengaged. SeeForward
Collision Alert (FCA) System 0218.
When road conditions allow you to
safely use it again, cruise control can
be turned back on.
If the brakes are applied, cruise
control disengages.
J: Press to turn the system on and
off. A white cruise control indicator
appears in the instrument cluster
when cruise is turned on.
+RES : If there is a set speed in
memory, press the control up briefly
to resume to that speed or hold to accelerate. If cruise control is already
active, use to increase vehicle speed.
To increase speed by 1 km/h or
(1 mph), press +RES up to the first
detent. To increase speed to the next
5 km/h or (5 mph) mark on the
speedometer, press +RES up to the
second detent.
SET−
:Press the control down briefly
to set the speed and activate cruise
control. If cruise control is already
active, use to decrease vehicle speed.
To decrease speed by 1 km/h (1 mph),
press SET− down to the first detent.
To decrease speed to the next 5 km/h
(5 mph) mark on the speedometer,
press SET− down to the second detent.
*:Press to disengage cruise control
without erasing the set speed from
memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If
Jis on when not in use, SET− or
+RES could get bumped and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep
Joff
when cruise is not being used.
1. Press
J.
2. Get up to the desired speed. 3. Press and release SET−
.
4. Remove your foot from the accelerator.
When the cruise control has been set
to the desired speed, the cruise
control indicator appears green on the
instrument cluster and a cruise set
speed message appears on the
Head-Up Display (HUD), if equipped.
Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a desired
speed and then the brakes or
*is
applied, the cruise control is
disengaged without erasing the set
speed from memory.
Once the vehicle speed reaches about
40 km/h (25 mph) or more, briefly
press +RES up to the first detent. The
vehicle returns to the previous set
speed.
Increasing Speed While Cruise
Control is at a Set Speed
If the cruise control system is already
activated:
. Press and hold +RES up until the
desired speed is reached, then
release it.