
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)

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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.

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 179
Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). To restart the engine
when the vehicle is already moving,
use N (Neutral) only.
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission.
Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.
Caution
If the steering wheel is turned until
it reaches the end of its travel, and
is held in that position while
starting the vehicle, damage may
occur to the hydraulic power
steering system and there may be
loss of power steering assist.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change the
way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. See
Add-On Electrical Equipment0220.
Starting Procedure 1. With the Keyless Access system, the RKE transmitter must be in
the vehicle. Press the ENGINE
START/STOP button with the
brake pedal applied. When the
engine begins cranking, let go of
the button.
The idle speed will go down as
the engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it.
If the RKE transmitter is not in
the vehicle, if there is
interference, or if the RKE
transmitter battery is low, the
Driver Information Center (DIC)
will display a message. See Key
and Lock Messages 0137.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by pressing
ENGINE START/STOP immediately
after cranking has ended, can
overheat and damage the cranking
motor, and drain the battery. Wait
at least 15 seconds between each
try, to let the cranking motor
cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after five to 10 seconds, especially in
very cold weather (below −18 °C
or 0 °F), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing
the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and holding it there
as you press the ENGINE
START/STOP button, for up to a
maximum of 15 seconds. Wait at
least 15 seconds between each
try, to allow the cranking motor
to cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the button and
the accelerator. If the vehicle
starts briefly but then stops
again, do the same thing. This

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 183
Automatic Transmission
P :This position locks the wheels. It is
the best position to use when starting
the engine because the vehicle cannot
move easily.
{Warning
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
(Continued)
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). See Shifting
Into Park 0180 and Driving
Characteristics and Towing
Tips 0215.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control system.
The regular brake must be fully
applied first and then the shift lever
button pressed before shifting from
P (Park) when the ignition is in ON/
RUN. If you cannot shift out of
P (Park), ease pressure on the shift
lever, then 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 0181.
R : Use this gear to back up.
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.
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 0173.
N : In this position, the engine does
not connect with the wheels. To
restart the engine when the vehicle is
already moving, use N (Neutral) only.
Also, use N (Neutral) when the vehicle
is being towed.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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184 DRIVING AND OPERATING
{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.D :
This position is for normal driving.
It provides the best fuel economy.
If more power is needed for passing,
and the vehicle is:
. Going less than 56 km/h (35 mph),
push the accelerator pedal about
halfway down.
. Going about 56 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all the
way down.
Caution
If the vehicle does not shift gears,
the transmission could be damaged.
Have the vehicle serviced
right away.
M : This position allows the driver to
select the range of gears appropriate
for current driving conditions.
In M (Manual Mode) the transmission
will shift as an automatic until the
Tap Shift controls are used. Tap Shift
activates driver manual gear selection.
See Manual Mode 0184.
Manual Mode
Tap Shift
Tap Shift allows the driver to
manually control the automatic
transmission. To use Tap Shift, the
shift lever must be in M (Manual
Mode). Vehicles with this feature have
indicators on the steering wheel. The
controls are on the back of the
steering wheel. Tap the left control to
downshift, and the right control to
upshift. A Driver Information Center
(DIC) message indicates the gear the
vehicle is in.

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 185
When accelerating the vehicle from a
stop in snowy and icy conditions, you
may want to shift into 2 (Second) gear.
A higher gear ratio allows you to gain
more traction on slippery surfaces.Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
If equipped, this feature transfers
torque to the rear wheels as required.
It is fully automatic, and adjusts itself
as needed for road conditions.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) performance is
automatically reduced when you use
the compact spare. To restore full
AWD performance, and prevent
excessive wear to the clutch in the
AWD system, replace the compact
spare tire with a full-size tire as soon
as possible. SeeCompact Spare
Tire 0272.
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. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning
Light 0123.
If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to avoid

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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186 DRIVING AND OPERATING
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.
Electric Parking Brake
The EPB switch is on the left side of
the instrument panel. The EPB can
always be activated, even if the
ignition is off. To prevent draining the
battery, avoid repeated cycles of the
EPB when the engine is not running.
The system has a red parking brake
status light and an amber parking
brake warning light. SeeElectric
Parking Brake Light 0122 and Service
Electric Parking Brake Light 0123.
There are also parking brake-related
Driver Information Center (DIC)
messages. See Brake System Messages
0 135. In case of insufficient electrical
power, the EPB cannot be applied or
released.
Before leaving the vehicle, check the
red parking brake status light to
ensure that the parking brake is
applied.
EPB Apply
To apply the EPB:
1. Be sure the vehicle is at a complete stop.
2. Lift up the EPB switch momentarily.

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 187
The red parking brake status light will
flash and then stay on once the EPB is
fully applied. If the red parking brake
status light flashes continuously, then
the EPB is only partially applied or
there is a problem with the EPB.
A DIC message will display. Release
the EPB and try to apply it again.
If the light does not come on, or keeps
flashing, have the vehicle serviced. Do
not drive the vehicle if the red parking
brake status light is flashing. See your
dealer. SeeElectric Parking Brake
Light 0122.
If the amber parking brake warning
light is on, lift up on the EPB switch
and hold it up. Continue to hold the
switch until the red parking brake
status light remains on. If the amber
parking brake warning light remains
on, see your dealer.
If the EPB is applied while the vehicle
is moving, the vehicle will decelerate
as long as the switch is held up. If the
switch is held up until the vehicle
comes to a stop, the EPB will remain
applied. The vehicle may automatically apply
the EPB in some situations when the
vehicle is not moving. This is normal,
and is done to periodically check the
correct operation of the EPB system.
If the EPB fails to apply, the rear
wheels should be blocked to prevent
vehicle movement.
EPB Release
To release the EPB:
1. Place the ignition in the ACC/ ACCESSORY or ON/RUN
position.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
3. Push down momentarily on the EPB switch.
The EPB is released when the red
parking brake status light is off.
If the amber parking brake warning
light is on, release the EPB by pushing
down on the EPB switch and holding
it down. Continue to hold the switch
until the red parking brake status light
is off. If either light stays on after
release is attempted, see your dealer.
Caution
Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system and
cause premature wear or damage to
brake system parts. Make sure that
the parking brake is fully released
and the brake warning light is off
before driving.
Automatic EPB Release
The EPB will automatically release if
the vehicle is running, placed into
gear, and an attempt is made to drive
away. Avoid rapid acceleration when
the EPB is applied, to preserve parking
brake lining life.
If parking on a hill, or if the vehicle is
pulling a trailer, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips 0215.
Brake Assist
This vehicle has a brake assist feature
designed to assist the driver in
stopping or decreasing vehicle speed
in emergency driving conditions. This
feature uses the stability system
hydraulic brake control module to