
Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032610) -
2019 - crc - 8/22/18
DRIVING AND OPERATING 231
and not as responsive as the vehicle
itself. Get acquainted with the
handling and braking of the rig before
setting out for the open road.
Before starting, check all trailer hitch
parts and attachments, safety chains,
electrical connectors, lamps, tires, and
mirrors. If the trailer has electric
brakes, start the combination moving
and then apply the trailer brake
controller by hand to be sure the
brakes work.
During the trip, check occasionally to
be sure that the load is secure and the
lamps and any trailer brakes
still work.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed when
towing a trailer. The combination will
not accelerate as quickly and is longer,so it is necessary to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before
returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. To move the trailer to
the left, move that hand to the left. To
move the trailer to the right, move
your hand to the right. Always back
up slowly and, if possible, have
someone guide you.
Making Turns
Caution
Making very sharp turns while
trailering could cause the trailer to
come in contact with the vehicle.
The vehicle could be damaged.
Avoid making very sharp turns
while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer will not strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden
maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
If the trailer turn signal bulbs burn
out, the arrows on the instrument
cluster will still flash for turns. It is
important to check occasionally to be
sure the trailer bulbs are still working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before
starting down a long or steep
downgrade. If the transmission is not
shifted down, the brakes might get hot
and no longer work well.
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift
the transmission to a lower gear if the
transmission shifts too often under
heavy loads and/or hilly conditions.
When towing at high altitude on steep
uphill grades, consider the following:
Engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than at normal altitudes.
If the engine is turned off immediately
after towing at high altitude on steep
uphill grades, the vehicle may show
signs similar to engine overheating. To
avoid this, let the engine run while
parked, preferably on level ground,

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032610) -
2019 - crc - 8/22/18
234 DRIVING AND OPERATING
In general, whether a weight-carrying
hitch or a weight distributing hitch is
being used, the trailer tongue
weight (1) should be 10-15 % of the
loaded trailer weight (2). Some specific
trailer types (especially boat trailers)
fall outside of this range. In this case,
the recommended tongue weight in
the trailer owner’s manual should be
observed. In all cases, the maximum
loads for the vehicle series and hitch
type should not be exceeded.
After loading the trailer, weigh the
trailer and then the tongue,
separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they are not, adjustments
might be made by moving some items
around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle's
Tires
Be sure the vehicle's tires are inflated
to the upper limit for cold tires. These
numbers can be found on the Tire and
Loading Information label. SeeVehicle
Load Limits 0179. Make sure not to go
over the GVW limit for the vehicle,
including the weight of the trailer
tongue.
Towing Equipment
Hitches
Use the correct hitch equipment. See
your dealer or a hitch dealer for
assistance.
. The rear bumper on the vehicle is
not intended for hitches. Do not
attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to it. Use
only a frame-mounted hitch that
does not attach to the bumper.
. Will any holes be made in the
body of the vehicle when the
trailer hitch is installed? If so, seal
the holes when the hitch is
removed. If the holes are not
sealed, dirt, water, and deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) from the
exhaust can get into the vehicle.
See Engine Exhaust 0190.
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer. Cross the safety
chains under the tongue of the trailer
to help prevent the tongue from
contacting the road if it becomes
separated from the hitch. Leave enough slack so the rig can turn.
Never allow safety chains to drag on
the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Does the trailer have its own brakes?
State and local regulations may
require the trailer to have its own
braking system if loaded above a
certain threshold. Trailer brake
requirements vary from state to state.
Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes so
they are installed, adjusted, and
maintained properly.
Because the vehicle has antilock
brakes, do not tap into the vehicle's
brake system. If this is done, both
brake systems will not work well or
at all

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032610) -
2019 - crc - 8/22/18
VEHICLE CARE 237
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Tire Sealant andCompressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Storing the Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . 310
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit your
dealer. You will receive genuine GM
parts and GM-trained and supported
service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of these
marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
{Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, as well as many of its service
parts and fluids, contain and/or
emit chemicals known to the State
of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive
harm. Engine exhaust, many parts
and systems, many fluids, and
some component wear by-products
contain and/or emit these
chemicals. For more information go
to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See Battery - North America 0258 and
Jump Starting - North America 0306
and the back cover.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032610) -
2019 - crc - 8/22/18
VEHICLE CARE 291
{Warning
Using the wrong replacement
wheels, wheel bolts, or wheel nuts
can be dangerous. It could affect
the braking and handling of the
vehicle. Tires can lose air, and
cause loss of control, causing a
crash. Always use the correct wheel,
wheel bolts, and wheel nuts for
replacement.
Caution
The wrong wheel can also cause
problems with bearing life, brake
cooling, speedometer or odometer
calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance,
and tire or tire chain clearance to
the body and chassis.
Professional vehicle wheels have a
unique offset and bolt hole diameter.
Professional vehicle wheels have six wheel nuts. Non-professional vehicle
wheels have five wheel nuts. See
Tire
Changing 0300.
Used Replacement Wheels
{Warning
Replacing a wheel with a used one
is dangerous. How it has been used
or how far it has been driven may
be unknown. It could fail suddenly
and cause a crash. When replacing
wheels, use a new GM original
equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
{Warning
Do not use tire chains. There is not
enough clearance. Tire chains used
on a vehicle without the proper
amount of clearance can cause
damage to the brakes, suspension,
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
or other vehicle parts. The area
damaged by the tire chains could
cause loss of control and a crash.
Use another type of traction device
only if its manufacturer
recommends it for the vehicle's tire
size combination and road
conditions. Follow that
manufacturer's instructions. To
avoid vehicle damage, drive slow
and readjust or remove the traction
device if it contacts the vehicle. Do
not spin the wheels. If traction
devices are used, install them on
the front tires.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blow out
while driving, especially if the tires are
maintained properly. See Tires0272.
If air goes out of a tire, it is much
more likely to leak out slowly. But if
there is ever a blowout, here are a few
tips about what to expect and what
to do:

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032610) -
2019 - crc - 8/22/18
VEHICLE CARE 305
The compact spare is for temporary
use only. Replace the compact spare
tire with a full-size tire as soon as
you can.
Compact Spare Tire
{Warning
Driving with more than one
compact spare tire at a time could
result in loss of braking and
handling. This could lead to a crash
and you or others could be injured.
Use only one compact spare tire at
a time.
If this vehicle has a compact spare
tire, it was fully inflated when new;
however, it can lose air over time.
Check the inflation pressure regularly.
It should be 420 kPa (60 psi).
Stop as soon as possible and check
that the spare tire is correctly inflated
after being installed on the vehicle.
The compact spare tire is designed for
temporary use only. The vehicle will
perform differently with the spare tire installed and it is recommended that
the vehicle speed be limited to
80 km/h (50 mph). To conserve the
tread of the spare tire, have the
standard tire repaired or replaced as
soon as convenient and return the
spare tire to the storage area.
When using a compact spare tire, the
AWD (if equipped), ABS, and Traction
Control systems may engage until the
spare tire is recognized by the vehicle,
especially on slippery roads. Adjust
driving to reduce possible wheel slip.
Caution
When the compact spare is
installed, do not take the vehicle
through an automatic car wash
with guide rails. The compact spare
can get caught on the rails which
can damage the tire, wheel, and
other parts of the vehicle.
Do not use the compact spare on
other vehicles. Do not mix the compact spare tire or
wheel with other wheels or tires. They
will not fit. Keep the spare tire and its
wheel together.
Caution
Tire chains will not fit the compact
spare. Using them can damage the
vehicle and the chains. Do not use
tire chains on the compact spare.
Full-Size Spare Tire
If this vehicle came with a full-size
spare tire, it was fully inflated when
new, however, it can lose air over
time. Check the inflation pressure
regularly.
See
Tire Pressure 0279 and Vehicle
Load Limits 0179 for information
regarding proper tire inflation and
loading the vehicle. For instructions
on how to remove, install, or store a
spare tire, see Tire Changing0300.
After installing the spare tire on the
vehicle, stop as soon as possible and
check that the spare is correctly
inflated. The spare tire is made to

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032610) -
2019 - crc - 8/22/18
344 CUSTOMER INFORMATION
.Battery Jump Start: Service to
jump start a dead battery.
. Trip Interruption Benefits and
Service: If your trip is interrupted
due to a warranty failure,
incidental expenses may be
reimbursed during the Powertrain
warranty period. Items considered
are hotel, meals, and rental car or
a vehicle being delivered back to
the customer, up to 500 miles.
Cadillac Technician Roadside
Service (U.S. Only)
Cadillac's exceptional Roadside Service
is more than an auto club or towing
service. It provides every Cadillac
owner in the United States with the
advantage of contacting a Cadillac
advisor and, where available, a
Cadillac trained dealer technician who
can provide on-site service.
A dealer technician will travel to your
location within a 30-mile radius of a
participating Cadillac dealership.
If beyond this radius, we will arrange
to have your car towed to the nearest
Cadillac dealership. Each technician
travels with a specially equipped service vehicle complete with the
necessary Cadillac parts and tools
required to handle most roadside
repairs.
Services Not Included in
Roadside Service
.
Impound towing caused by
violation of any laws
. Legal fines
. Mounting, dismounting,
or changing of snow tires, chains,
or other traction devices
Service is not provided if a vehicle is
in an area that is not accessible to the
service vehicle or is not a regularly
traveled or maintained public road,
which includes ice and winter roads.
Off-road use is not covered.
Services Specific to
Canadian-Purchased Vehicles
. Fuel delivery: Reimbursement is
up to 7 liters. Diesel fuel delivery
may be restricted. Propane and
other fuels are not provided
through this service. .
Lock-Out Service: Vehicle
registration is required.
. Trip Interruption Benefits and
Service: Pre-authorization, original
detailed receipts, and a copy of the
repair orders are required. Once
authorization has been received,
the Roadside Service advisor will
help you make arrangements and
explain how to receive payment.
Items considered are hotel, meals,
and rental car or a vehicle being
delivered back to the customer, up
to 800 km.
. Alternative Service: If assistance
cannot be provided right away, the
Roadside Service advisor may give
you permission to get local
emergency road service. You will
receive payment, up to $100, after
sending the original receipt to
Roadside Service. Mechanical
failures may be covered, however
any cost for parts and labor for
repairs not covered by the
warranty are the owner
responsibility.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032610) -
2019 - crc - 8/22/18
INDEX 365
Automatic (cont'd)Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Forward Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Level Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Automatic Transmission Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
B
BatteryExterior Lighting BatterySaver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Battery - North America . . . . . .258, 306
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . . . . . . . 260
Boost Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Brake Parking, Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Braking (cont'd)
Automatic Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Bulb Replacement Back-up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
California Perchlorate Materials
Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
California Proposition 65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . .237, 258, 306, Back Cover
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . 337
Carbon Monoxide
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Cargo Management System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Tie-Downs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Caution, Danger, and Warning . . . . . . . . 2 Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Charging
Wireless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Check Engine Light (Malfunction
Indicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Child Restraints Infants and Young Children . . . . . . . . 90
Lower Anchors and Tethers forChildren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102, 104
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Cleaning
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Climate Control Systems
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12032610) -
2019 - crc - 8/22/18
INDEX 373
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
SunshadeRear Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
System Forward Collision Alert (FCA) . . . . 217
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162, 351
Systems Driver Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
T
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . . . . . 341
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Thigh Support Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . 59
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 All-Season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Compact Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Full-Size Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285 Tires (cont'd)
Low Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279, 281
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . 282
Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . 281
Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . 293
Sealant and Compressor Kit,
Storing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Terminology and Definitions . . . . 277
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . 289
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Towing Driving Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Recreational Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309 Traction
Control System
(TCS)/StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . 136
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Transmission Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Fluid, Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Transportation Program, Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . 158
U
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . 289
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . . . 151 Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Using This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
V
Vehicle Alarm System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Canadian Owners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2