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DRIVING AND OPERATING 187
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
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188 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.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle
traction and affect your ability to stop
and accelerate. Always drive slower in
these types of driving conditions and
avoid driving through large puddles
and deep-standing or flowing water.
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes. They
might not work as well in a quick
stop and could cause pulling to one
side. You could lose control of the
vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle
of water or a car/vehicle wash,
lightly apply the brake pedal until
the brakes work normally. (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be very
cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water can
build up under the vehicle's tires so
they actually ride on the water. This
can happen if the road is wet enough
and you are going fast enough. When
the vehicle is hydroplaning, it has
little or no contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance. .
Pass with caution.
. Keep windshield wiping equipment
in good shape.
. Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper tread
depth. See Tires0276.
. Turn off cruise control.
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.
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278 VEHICLE CARE
on the vehicle if frequent driving on
ice or snow covered roads is expected.
See your dealer for details regarding
winter tire availability and proper tire
selection. Also, seeBuying New
Tires 0286.
With winter tires, there may be
decreased dry road traction, increased
road noise, and shorter tread life.
After changing to winter tires, be alert
for changes in vehicle handling and
braking.
If using winter tires:
. Use tires of the same brand and
tread type on all four wheel
positions.
. Use only radial ply tires of the
same size, load range, and speed
rating as the original equipment
tires.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment tires
may not be available for H, V, W, Y,
and ZR speed rated tires. If winter
tires with a lower speed rating are
chosen, never exceed the tire's
maximum speed capability.Low-Profile Tires
If the vehicle has 245/45R19 or
245/40R20 size tires, they are
classified as low-profile tires.
Caution
Low-profile tires are more
susceptible to damage from road
hazards or curb impact than
standard profile tires. Tire and/or
wheel assembly damage can occur
when coming into contact with
road hazards like potholes, or sharp
edged objects, or when sliding into
a curb. The warranty does not cover
this type of damage. Keep tires set
to the correct inflation pressure and
when possible, avoid contact with
curbs, potholes, and other road
hazards.
Summer Tires
This vehicle may come with high
performance summer tires. These tires
have a special tread and compound
that are optimized for maximum dry
and wet road performance. This special tread and compound will have
decreased performance in cold
climates, and on ice and snow. It is
recommended that winter tires be
installed on the vehicle if frequent
driving at temperatures below
approximately 5 °C (40 °F) or on ice or
snow covered roads is expected. See
Winter Tires
0277.
Caution
High performance summer tires
have rubber compounds that lose
flexibility and may develop surface
cracks in the tread area at
temperatures below −7 °C (20 °F).
Always store high performance
summer tires indoors and at
temperatures above −7 °C (20 °F)
when not in use. If the tires have
been subjected to −7 °C (20 °F) or
less, let them warm up in a heated
space to at least 5 °C (40 °F) for
24 hours or more before being
installed or driving a vehicle on
which they are installed. Do not
apply heat or blow heated air
(Continued)
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293390) - 2017 -
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VEHICLE CARE 279
Caution (Continued)
directly on the tires. Always inspect
tires before use. SeeTire
Inspection 0284.
Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of
air pressure to operate effectively.
Caution
Neither tire underinflation nor
overinflation is good.
Underinflated tires, or tires that
do not have enough air, can
result in:
.Tire overloading and
overheating which could
lead to a blowout.
.Premature or
irregular wear.
.Poor handling.
.Reduced fuel economy.
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
Overinflated tires, or tires that
have too much air, can result in:
.Unusual wear.
.Poor handling.
.Rough ride.
.Needless damage from
road hazards.
The Tire and Loading Information
label on the vehicle indicates the
original equipment tires and the
correct cold tire inflation
pressures. The recommended
pressure is the minimum air
pressure needed to support the
vehicle's maximum load carrying
capacity. See Vehicle Load
Limits 0191.
How the vehicle is loaded affects
vehicle handling and ride comfort.
Never load the vehicle with more
weight than it was designed to
carry. When to Check
Check the tires once a month or
more. Do not forget the compact
spare, if the vehicle has one. The
cold compact spare tire pressure
should be at 420 kPa (60 psi). See
Compact Spare Tire
0295.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type
gauge to check tire pressure.
Proper tire inflation cannot be
determined by looking at the tire.
Check the tire inflation pressure
when the tires are cold, meaning
the vehicle has not been driven for
at least three hours or no more
than 1.6 km (1 mi).
Remove the valve cap from the
tire valve stem. Press the tire
gauge firmly onto the valve to get
a pressure measurement. If the
cold tire inflation pressure
matches the recommended
pressure on the Tire and Loading
Information label, no further
adjustment is necessary. If the
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VEHICLE CARE 287
performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire pressure
monitoring performance. GM's
TPC Spec number is molded onto
the tire's sidewall near the tire
size. If the tires have an all-season
tread design, the TPC Spec
number will be followed by MS for
mud and snow.
GM recommends replacing worn
tires in complete sets of four.
Uniform tread depth on all tires
will help to maintain the
performance of the vehicle.
Braking and handling performance
may be adversely affected if all the
tires are not replaced at the same
time. If proper rotation and
maintenance have been done, all
four tires should wear out at
about the same time. SeeTire
Rotation 0284 for information on
proper tire rotation. However, if it
is necessary to replace only one
axle set of worn tires, place the
new tires on the rear axle.{Warning
Tires could explode during
improper service. Attempting to
mount or dismount a tire could
cause injury or death. Only your
dealer or authorized tire service
center should mount or
dismount the tires.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment
tires may not be available for H, V,
W, Y, and ZR speed rated tires.
Never exceed the winter tires
maximum speed capability when
using winter tires with a lower
speed rating.
{Warning
Never drive faster than the speed
the tires are rated, regardless of the
legal speed limit. When frequently
driving the vehicle at high speeds
and/or for prolonged periods of (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
time, check with your vehicle/tire
dealer for the proper type of tires to
use for the specific driving and
weather conditions.
{Warning
Mixing tires of different sizes (other
than those originally installed on
the vehicle), brands, or types may
cause loss of control of the vehicle,
resulting in a crash or other vehicle
damage. Use the correct size, brand,
and type of tire on all four wheels.
{Warning
Using bias-ply tires on the
vehicle may cause the wheel rim
flanges to develop cracks after
many miles of driving. A tire
and/or wheel could fail suddenly
(Continued)
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288 VEHICLE CARE
Warning (Continued)
and cause a crash. Use only
radial-ply tires with the wheels
on the vehicle.
If the vehicle tires must be
replaced with a tire that does not
have a TPC Spec number, make
sure they are the same size, load
range, speed rating, and
construction type (radial) as the
original tires.
Vehicles that have a tire pressure
monitoring system could give an
inaccurate low-pressure warning if
non-TPC Spec rated tires are
installed. See Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation 0281.
The Tire and Loading Information
label indicates the original
equipment tires on the vehicle.
See Vehicle Load Limits 0191, for
the label location and more
information about the Tire and
Loading Information label.Different Size Tires and
Wheels
If wheels or tires are installed that are
a different size than the original
equipment wheels and tires, vehicle
performance, including its braking,
ride and handling characteristics,
stability, and resistance to rollover
may be affected. If the vehicle has
electronic systems such as antilock
brakes, rollover airbags, traction
control, electronic stability control,
or All-Wheel Drive, the performance
of these systems can also be affected.
{Warning
If different sized wheels are used,
there may not be an acceptable
level of performance and safety if
tires not recommended for those
wheels are selected. This increases
the chance of a crash and serious
injury. Only use GM specific wheel
and tire systems developed for the
vehicle, and have them properly
installed by a GM certified
technician. See
Buying New Tires 0286 and
Accessories and Modifications 0245.
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance
The tires and wheels were aligned and
balanced at the factory to provide the
longest tire life and best overall
performance. Adjustments to wheel
alignment and tire balancing are not
necessary on a regular basis. Consider
an alignment check if there is unusual
tire wear or the vehicle is significantly
pulling to one side or the other. Some
slight pull to the left or right,
depending on the crown of the road
and/or other road surface variations
such as troughs or ruts, is normal.
If the vehicle is vibrating when driving
on a smooth road, the tires and
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
See your dealer for proper diagnosis.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent,
cracked, or badly rusted or corroded.
If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the
wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel nuts
should be replaced. If the wheel leaks
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VEHICLE CARE 299
Towing the Vehicle
Caution
Incorrectly towing a disabled
vehicle may cause damage. The
damage would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty.
Do not lash or hook to suspension
components. Use the proper straps
around the tires to secure the
vehicle.
Have the vehicle towed on a flatbed
car carrier. A wheel lift tow truck
could damage the vehicle.
Consult your dealer or a professional
towing service if the disabled vehicle
must be towed.
Use the tow eye for towing a disabled
vehicle or loading it onto a flatbed car
carrier. The tow eye should not be
used to recover a vehicle from an off
road situation.
Caution
Improper use of the tow eye can
cause vehicle damage. Use caution
and low speeds to prevent damage
to the vehicle.
Carefully open the cover in the fascia
by using the small notch that conceals
the tow eye socket.
Install the tow eye into the socket by
turning it clockwise until it stops.
Remove the tow eye by turning it
counterclockwise. When the tow eye is
removed, reinstall the cover with the
notch in the original position.
Recreational Vehicle
Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means
towing the vehicle behind another
vehicle such as a motor home. The
two most common types of
recreational vehicle towing are known
as dinghy towing and dolly towing.
Dinghy towing is towing the vehicle
with all four wheels on the ground.
Dolly towing is towing the vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
two wheels up on a device known as a
dolly.
Here are some important things to
consider before recreational vehicle
towing:
.
What is the towing capacity of the
towing vehicle? Be sure to read the
tow vehicle manufacturer's
recommendations.
. What is the distance that will be
traveled? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how
long they can tow.
. Is the proper towing equipment
going to be used? See your dealer
or trailering professional for
additional advice and equipment
recommendations.
. Is the vehicle ready to be towed?
Just as preparing the vehicle for a
long trip, make sure the vehicle is
prepared to be towed.