
Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
crc - 7/1/16
LIGHTING 157
Exit Lighting
The headlamps, taillamps, parking
lamps, outside mirror lamps, license
plate lamps, and exterior door handle
lamps come on at night, or in areas
with limited lighting, when a door is
opened after the ignition is turned off.
The dome lamp comes on after the
ignition is changed to the OFF
position. The exterior lamps and dome
lamp remain on after the door is
closed for a set amount of time, then
automatically turn off.
The exterior lamps turn off
immediately by turning the exterior
lamp control off.
This feature can be changed. See
Vehicle Personalization0144.
Battery Power Protection
The battery saver feature is designed
to protect the vehicle's battery.
If some interior lamps are left on and
the ignition is turned off, the battery
rundown protection system
automatically turns the lamp off after
some time.
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver
The exterior lamps turn off about
10 minutes after the ignition is turned
off, if the parking lamps or headlamps
have been manually left on. This
protects against draining the battery.
To restart the 10-minute timer, turn
the exterior lamp control to the off
position and then back to the parking
lamp or headlamp position.
To keep the lamps on for more than
10 minutes, the ignition must be in
the ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN
position.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
crc - 7/1/16
162 CLIMATE CONTROLS
turned off or the outside temperature
falls below freezing, the air
conditioner will not run.
Press AUTO to return to automatic
operation and the air conditioner runs
as needed.
Automatic Air Recirculation :When
the AUTO indicator light is on, the air
is automatically recirculated as
needed to help quickly cool the inside
of the vehicle.
The climate control system may have
a sensor to detect air pollution. When
using automatic air recirculation, the
air quality control system may
operate. To adjust the sensitivity of
the air quality sensor, see “Climate
and Air Quality” underVehicle
Personalization 0144.
@:Press to alternate between
recirculating air inside the vehicle or
pulling in outside air. The indicator
light on the button is lit when
recirculation mode is active. This
helps to quickly cool the air inside the
vehicle or reduce the outside air and
odors that might enter. Pressing this button cancels automatic
recirculation. Press AUTO to return to
automatic operation; recirculation
runs automatically as needed.
Manual recirculation mode is not
available when in Defrost or Defog
modes.
Auto Defog :
The climate control
system may have a sensor to
automatically detect high humidity
inside the vehicle. When high
humidity is detected, the climate
control system may adjust to outside
air supply and turn on the air
conditioner. If the climate control
system does not detect possible
window fogging, it returns to normal
operation. To turn Auto Defog off or
on, see “Climate and Air Quality”
under Vehicle Personalization 0144.Rear Window Defogger
K:Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. An indicator light
on the button comes on to show that
the rear window defogger is on.
The rear window defogger can be set
to automatic operation. See “Climate
and Air Quality” underVehicle Personalization
0144. When Auto Rear
Defog is selected, the rear window
defogger turns on automatically when
the interior temperature is cold and
the outside temperature is about 4° C
(40° F) and below.
The upper gridlines on the rear
window are antenna lines and are not
intended to heat when the defogger is
activated.
The heated outside rearview mirrors
turn on when the rear window
defogger button is on and help to
clear fog or frost from the surface of
the mirrors.
Caution
Do not try to clear frost or other
material from the inside of the
front windshield and rear window
with a razor blade or anything else
that is sharp. This may damage the
rear window defogger grid and
affect the radio's ability to pick up
stations clearly. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
crc - 7/1/16
170 DRIVING AND OPERATING
.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
to a lower gear. Any sudden
changes could cause the tires to
slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help avoid
only the braking skid.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
crc - 7/1/16
172 DRIVING AND OPERATING
{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 0188.
. 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) 0185.
. 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.
. 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.
(Continued)

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
crc - 7/1/16
DRIVING AND OPERATING 201
Cleaning the Sensing System
The camera sensor on the back of the
rearview mirror and the radar sensors
on the front of the vehicle can become
blocked by snow, ice, dirt, or mud.
These areas need to be cleaned for
ACC to operate properly.
For cleaning instructions, see
“Washing the Vehicle”under Exterior
Care 0278.
System operation may also be limited
under snow, heavy rain or road spray
conditions.Driver Assistance
Systems
This vehicle may have features that
work together to help avoid crashes or
reduce crash damage while driving,
backing, and parking. Read this entire
section before using these systems.
{Warning
Do not rely on the Driver
Assistance Systems. These systems
do not replace the need for paying
attention and driving safely. You
may not hear or feel alerts or
warnings provided by these
systems. Failure to use proper care
when driving may result in injury,
death, or vehicle damage. See
Defensive Driving 0168.
Under many conditions, these
systems will not: . Detect children, pedestrians,
bicyclists, or animals.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Detect vehicles or objects
outside the area monitored by
the system.
. Work at all driving speeds.
. Warn you or provide you with
enough time to avoid a crash.
. Work under poor visibility or
bad weather conditions.
. Work if the detection sensor
is not cleaned or is covered
by ice, snow, mud, or dirt.
. Work if the detection sensor
is covered up, such as with a
sticker, magnet, or metal
plate.
. Work if the area surrounding
the detection sensor is
damaged or not properly
repaired.
Complete attention is always
required while driving, and you
should be ready to take action and
apply the brakes and/or steer the
vehicle to avoid crashes.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
crc - 7/1/16
DRIVING AND OPERATING 203
display. The front camera is in the
grille or near the front emblem, the
side cameras are on the bottom of the
outside rearview mirrors, and the rear
camera is above the license plate.
{Warning
The Surround Vision cameras have
blind spots and will not display all
objects near the corners of the
vehicle. Folding side mirrors that
are out of position will not display
surround view correctly. Always
check around the vehicle when
parking or backing.
1. Views Displayed by theSurround Vision Cameras
2. Area Not Shown
1. Views Displayed by the Surround Vision Cameras
2. Area Not Shown
Front Vision Camera
If equipped, a view of the area in front
of the vehicle displays in the
infotainment display. The view displays after shifting from R (Reverse)
to a forward gear, or by pressing
CAMERA in the center stack, and
when the vehicle is moving forward
slower than 8 km/h (5 mph).
If equipped, the front view camera
also displays when the Front Parking
Assist system detects an object within
30 cm (12 in).
{Warning
The camera(s) do not display
children, pedestrians, bicyclists,
crossing traffic, animals, or any
other object outside of the cameras’
field of view, below the bumper,
or under the vehicle. Shown
distances may be different from
actual distances. Do not drive or
park the vehicle using only these
camera(s). Always check behind and
around the vehicle before driving.
Failure to use proper care may
result in injury, death, or vehicle
damage.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
crc - 7/1/16
204 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Parking Assist
With RPA, and if equipped with FPA,
as the vehicle moves at speeds of less
than 8 km/h (5 mph) the sensors on
the bumpers may detect objects up to
2.5 m (8 ft) behind and 1.2 m (4 ft) in
front of the vehicle within a zone
25 cm (10 in) high off the ground and
below bumper level. These detection
distances may be shorter during
warmer or humid weather. Blocked
sensors will not detect objects and
can also cause false detections. Keep
the sensors clean of mud, dirt, snow,
ice, and slush; and clean sensors after
a car wash in freezing temperatures.
{Warning
The Parking Assist system does not
detect children, pedestrians,
bicyclists, animals, or objects
located below the bumper or that
are too close or too far from the
vehicle. It is not available at speeds
greater than 8 km/h (5 mph). To
prevent injury, death, or vehicle
damage, even with Parking Assist,(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
always check the area around the
vehicle and check all mirrors before
moving forward or backing.
The instrument cluster may have a
parking assist display with bars that
show“distance to object ”and object
location information for the Parking
Assist system. As the object gets
closer, more bars light up and the bars
change color from yellow to amber
to red.
When an object is first detected in the
rear, one beep will be heard from the
rear, or both sides of the Safety Alert
Seat will pulse two times. When an
object is very close (<0.6 m (2 ft) in the vehicle rear, or <0.3 m (1 ft) in the
vehicle front), five beeps will sound
from the front or rear depending on
object location, or both sides of the
Safety Alert Seat will pulse five times.
Beeps for FPA are higher pitched than
for RPA.
Backing Warning and Reverse
Automatic Braking (RAB)
Vehicles with Adaptive Cruise Control
(ACC) have the Backing Warning
System and RAB. The Backing
Warning part of this system can warn
of rear objects when backing up at
speeds greater than 8 km/h (5 mph).
The Backing Warning System will
beep once from the rear when an
object is first detected, or pulse twice
on both sides of the Safety Alert Seat.
When the system detects a potential
crash, beeps will be heard from the
rear, or five pulses will be felt on both
sides of the Safety Alert Seat. There
may also be a brief, sharp application
of the brakes.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
crc - 7/1/16
DRIVING AND OPERATING 205
{Warning
The Backing Warning System only
operates at speeds greater than
8 km/h (5 mph). It does not detect
children, pedestrians, bicyclists,
animals, or objects below the
bumper or that are too close or too
far from the vehicle. In some
situations, such as at higher
backing speeds, there may not be
enough time for the short, sharp
application of the vehicle brake
system to occur. To prevent injury,
death, or vehicle damage, even with
the Backing Warning System,
always check the area around the
vehicle and check all mirrors before
backing.
When the vehicle is in R (Reverse),
if the system detects the vehicle is
backing too fast to avoid a crash with
a detected object behind your vehicle
in your path, it may automatically
brake hard to a stop to help avoid or
reduce the harm caused by a backing
crash.
{Warning
RAB may not avoid many types of
backing crashes. Do not wait for the
automatic braking to apply. This
system is not designed to replace
driver braking and only works in
R (Reverse) when an object is
detected directly behind the vehicle.
It may not brake or stop in time to
avoid a crash. It will not brake for
objects when the vehicle is moving
at very low speeds. It does not
detect children, pedestrians,
bicyclists, animals, or objects below
the bumper or that are too close or
too far from the vehicle. To prevent
injury, death, or vehicle damage,
even with RAB, always check the
area around the vehicle before and
while backing.
Pressing the brake pedal after the
vehicle comes to a stop will release
RAB. If the brake pedal is not pressed
soon after the stop, the Electric
Parking Brake (EPB) may be set. When
it is safe, press the accelerator pedal
firmly at any time to override RAB.
{Warning
There may be instances where
unexpected or undesired automatic
braking occurs. If this happens,
either press the brake pedal or
firmly press the accelerator pedal to
release the brakes from the RAB
system. Before releasing the brakes,
check the RVC screen and check the
area around the vehicle to make
sure it is safe to proceed.
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)
If equipped, RCTA displays a red
warning triangle with a left or right
pointing arrow on the RVC screen to
warn of traffic coming from the left or
right. This system detects objects
coming from up to 20 m (65 ft) from
the left or right side of the vehicle.
When an object is detected, either
three beeps sound from the left or
right or three Safety Alert Seat pulses
occur on the left or right side,
depending on the direction of the
detected vehicle.