Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS 143
appropriate for the vehicle speed and
engine revolutions per minute (rpm).
SeeManual Mode 0184.
SHIFT TO PARK
This message displays when the
transmission needs to be shifted to
P (Park). This may appear when
turning the ignition off if the vehicle
is not in P (Park).
TRANSMISSION HOT —IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays and a chime
sounds if the transmission fluid in the
vehicle gets hot. Driving with the
transmission fluid temperature high
can cause damage to the vehicle. Stop
the vehicle and let it idle to allow the
transmission to cool. This message
clears when the fluid temperature
reaches a safe level.
Vehicle Reminder
Messages
ICE POSSIBLE DRIVE WITH CARE
This message displays when ice
conditions are possible.
Vehicle Speed Messages
SPEED LIMIT EXCEEDED
This message is displayed when the
vehicle speed is greater than the set
speed. See “Speed Warning” under
Driver Information Center (DIC) 0128.
VEHICLE OVERSPEED
This message displays when the
vehicle speed exceeds 120 km/h
(75 mph).
Washer Fluid Messages
WASHER FLUID LOW ADD FLUID
This message may display when the
washer fluid level is low. Fill the
windshield washer reservoir as soon
as possible. See Engine Compartment
Overview 0224 for the location of the
windshield washer reservoir. Also, see
Washer Fluid 0239.
Window Messages
OPEN, THEN CLOSE DRIVER/
PASSENGER WINDOW
This message is displayed when the
window needs to be reprogrammed.
If the vehicle's battery has been
discharged or disconnected, you may
need to program each front window
for the express-up feature to work. See
Power Windows 043.
Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS 147
.Rain Sense Wipers
Auto Memory Recall
This feature automatically recalls the
current driver’s previously stored 1 or
2 button positions when entering the
vehicle. See Memory Seats 057.
Select Off, On - Driver Door Open,
or On - At ignition On.
Easy Exit Options
This feature automatically recalls the
current driver’s previously stored Exit
button position when exiting the
vehicle. See Memory Seats 057.
Select Off or On.
Chime Volume
This allows the selection of the chime
volume level.
Press + or −to adjust the volume.
Reverse Tilt Mirror
When on, both the driver and
passenger outside mirrors will tilt
downward when the vehicle is shifted
to R (Reverse) to improve visibility of
the ground near the rear wheels. They
will return to their previous driving position when the vehicle is shifted
out of R (Reverse) or the engine is
turned off.
Select Off, On, On - Driver and
Passenger, On - Driver, or On -
Passenger.
Auto Mirror Folding
When on, the outside rearview mirrors
will automatically fold or unfold when
the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter
QorKbutton is pressed
and held.
Select Off or On.
Rain Sense Wipers
This allows the Rain Sense Wipers
feature to be disabled or enabled.
Select Disabled or Enabled.
Lighting
Select and the following may display:
. Vehicle Locator Lights
. Exit Lighting Vehicle Locator Lights
This feature will flash the exterior
lamps and allows some of the exterior
lamps and most of the interior lamps
to turn on briefly at night when
Kon
the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter is pressed to locate the
vehicle.
Select Off or On.
Exit Lighting
This allows the selection of how long
the exterior lamps stay on when
leaving the vehicle when it is dark
outside.
Select Off, 30 Seconds, 60 Seconds,
or 120 Seconds.
Power Door Locks
Select and the following may display:
. Unlocked Door Anti-Lockout
. Auto Door Lock
. Auto Door Unlock
. Delayed Door Lock
Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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154 LIGHTING
Lights On with Wipers
If the windshield wipers are activated
in daylight with the engine on, and
the exterior lamp control is in AUTO,
the headlamps, parking lamps, and
other exterior lamps come on. The
transition time for the lamps coming
on varies based on wiper speed. When
the wipers are not operating, these
lamps turn off. Move the exterior
lamp control to
Oor;to disable
this feature.
Adaptive Forward
Lighting (AFL)
For vehicles with uplevel headlamps,
the AFL system adjusts the headlamps
to provide greater road illumination in
various driving conditions.
To enable AFL, set the exterior lamp
control to the AUTO position. Moving
the control out of the AUTO position
will deactivate the system. AFL will
operate when the vehicle speed is
greater than 3 km/h (2 mph). AFL will
not operate when the transmission is
in R (Reverse). AFL is not immediately
operable after starting the vehicle; driving a short distance is required to
calibrate the AFL. See
Exterior Lamp
Controls 0151.
Curve Lighting
The light beam pivots based on the
steering wheel position and vehicle
speed of at least 10 km/h (6 mph).
The headlamps shine at an angle of
up to 15 degrees to the right or left of
the direction of travel.
Hazard Warning Flashers
|: Press this button on the center
stack to make the front and rear turn
signal lamps flash on and off. Press
again to turn the flashers off.
The hazard warning flashers turn on
automatically if the airbags deploy.
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals
Move the lever all the way up or down
to signal a turn.
An arrow on the instrument cluster
flashes in the direction of the turn or
lane change.
Raise or lower the lever until the
arrow starts to flash to signal a lane
change. Hold it there until the lane
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 167
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 171
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . 183
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Brakes
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . 185
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/ElectronicStability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Magnetic Ride Control . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Automatic Level Control . . . . . . . . . 191
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . 194
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . 201
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 Assistance Systems for
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Forward Automatic
Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . 210
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . . 215
Driving Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . 220
Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 169
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.
Hydraulic Power Steering
If the vehicle has hydraulic power
steering, it may require maintenance.
See Power Steering Fluid 0238.
If power steering assist is lost because
the engine stops or there is a system
malfunction, the vehicle can be
steered but may require increased
effort. See your dealer if there is a
problem.
Caution
If the steering wheel is turned until
it reaches the end of its travel, and
is held in that position for more
than 15 seconds, damage may occur
to the power steering system and
there may be loss of power steering
assist.
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.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may be
more effective than braking.
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 171
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.
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(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 Tires0254.
. 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.
{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.
Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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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 -
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 173
Warning (Continued)
.Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the vehicle side that
is away from the wind, to
bring in fresh air.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set the
fan speed to the highest
setting. See “Climate Control
Systems.”
For more information about CO, see
Engine Exhaust 0182.
To save fuel, run the engine for short
periods to warm the vehicle and then
shut the engine off and partially close
the window. Moving about to keep
warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle speed.
This keeps the battery charged to restart the vehicle and to signal for
help with the headlamps. Do this as
little as possible, to save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels
to free the vehicle when stuck in sand,
mud, ice, or snow.
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. See
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0188.
{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 0276.
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.