
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11292458) -
2018 - crc - 2/14/17
220 DRIVING AND OPERATING
the vehicle is ready to be driven. This
could take up to 15 seconds at
extremely cold temperatures. See
Vehicle Ready Light (PLUG-IN Only)
0151.
PLUG-IN Operation
This vehicle combines gasoline and
electric propulsion. The gasoline
engine will automatically start to
provide power and then shut off to
save fuel.
The engine may remain
running when:
.
Accelerating aggressively or
climbing hills.
. Vehicle speed is greater than
125 km/h (75 mph).
. Charging the high voltage battery.
. The heater is being used.
The engine and transmission work
together to provide propulsion power
at the highest efficiency. This may
result in higher engine speeds.
Stop/Start System
{Warning
Exiting the vehicle without first
shifting into P (Park) may cause the
vehicle to move. You or others may
be injured. Because the vehicle may
have an auto engine stop/start
feature, the vehicle's engine might
seem to be shut off; however, once
the brake pedal is released, the
engine will start up again.
Shift to P (Park) and turn the
ignition off before exiting the
vehicle.
The vehicle has a fuel saving stop/
start system to shut off the engine
and help conserve fuel.
Auto Engine Stop/Start
When the brakes are applied and the
vehicle is at a complete stop, the
engine may turn off. When stopped,
the tachometer may display Auto
Stop, or the Auto Stop light may come
on in the instrument cluster.
See Tachometer 0134 and Auto Stop Mode (Uplevel Cluster)
0150. When the
brake pedal is released or the
accelerator pedal is pressed, the
engine may restart.
Auto Stop may be deactivated if:
. A minimum vehicle speed is not
reached.
. The engine or transmission is not
at the required operating
temperature.
. The outside temperature is not in
the required operating range,
typically between -10 °C (14 °F)
and 50 °C (122 °F).
. The shift lever is in any gear other
than D (Drive).
. The battery has been recently
disconnected.
. The battery charge is low.
. The interior comfort level has not
reached the required level for the
climate control system or defog
settings.

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 221
SeeAutomatic Climate Control
System (Quad Zone - Gasoline Only)
0 197 orAutomatic Climate Control
System (Dual Zone - Gasoline and
PLUG-IN) 0191.
. The Auto Stop time is greater than
two minutes.
. With the hood open, the engine
will be in an Auto Stop. The driver
may force the engine on when the
hood is open, by completely
pressing the accelerator pedal for
at least two seconds.
When
hcomes on green in the
instrument cluster, the system is
active. The system is not active when
it comes on white with a slash
through it.
Starting the Engine
(Gasoline Only)
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 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 Equipment 0295.
Starting Procedure 1. With the Keyless Access system, the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter must be in the
vehicle. Press ENGINE START/
STOP 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
battery is low, a Driver
Information Center (DIC) will
display a message. See
Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation 035.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by returning the
ignition to the START position
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

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11292458) -
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222 DRIVING AND OPERATING
too much gasoline. Try pushing
the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and holding it there
as you press ENGINE START/
STOP. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to allow the
cranking motor to cool down.
When the engine starts, release
the accelerator. If the vehicle
starts briefly but then stops
again, do the same thing. This
clears the extra gasoline from the
engine. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Stop/Start System
{Warning
Exiting the vehicle without first
shifting into P (Park) may cause the
vehicle to move. You or others may
be injured. Because the vehicle may
have an auto engine stop/start
feature, the vehicle's engine might(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
seem to be shut off; however, once
the brake pedal is released, the
engine will start up again.
Shift to P (Park) and turn the
ignition off before exiting the
vehicle.
The vehicle has a fuel saving stop/
start system to shut off the engine
and help conserve fuel.
Auto Engine Stop/Start
When the brakes are applied and the
vehicle is at a complete stop, the
engine may turn off. When stopped,
the tachometer may display Auto
Stop, or the Auto Stop light may come
on in the instrument cluster.
See Tachometer 0134 and Auto Stop
Mode (Uplevel Cluster) 0150. When the
brake pedal is released or the
accelerator pedal is pressed, the
engine may restart.
Auto Stop may be deactivated if:
. A minimum vehicle speed is not
reached. .
The engine or transmission is not
at the required operating
temperature.
. The outside temperature is not in
the required operating range,
typically between -10 °C (14 °F)
and 50 °C (122 °F).
. The shift lever is in any gear other
than D (Drive).
. The battery has been recently
disconnected.
. The battery charge is low.
. The interior comfort level has not
reached the required level for the
climate control system or defog
settings.
See Automatic Climate Control
System (Quad Zone - Gasoline Only)
0 197 orAutomatic Climate Control
System (Dual Zone - Gasoline and
PLUG-IN) 0191.
. The Auto Stop time is greater than
two minutes.

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 231
Automatic Transmission
There are several different positions
for the shift lever.
P :This position locks the drive
wheels. Use P (Park) 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 unless you have
to. 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). SeeShifting Into
Park 0224. If you are pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips 0290.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an electronic shift
lock release system. Fully apply the
regular brakes first and then press the
shift lever button before shifting from
P (Park) when the ignition is on. If you
cannot shift out of P (Park), ease
pressure on the shift lever and 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 0225.
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.
R : Use this gear to back up.
At low vehicle speeds, R (Reverse) can
be used 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 0212.
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.
You can also use N (Neutral) when the
vehicle is being towed.

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11292458) -
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232 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.
Caution
A transmission hot message may
display if the automatic
transmission fluid is too hot.
Driving under this condition can
damage the vehicle. Stop and idle
the engine to cool the automatic
transmission fluid. This message
clears when the transmission fluid
has cooled sufficiently.
D : This position is for normal driving.
If more power is needed for passing,
press the accelerator pedal down.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding. See “Skidding”underLoss
of Control 0209.
M : This mode can be entered by
moving the shift lever from D (Drive)
to M (Manual Mode). M (Manual
Mode) allows the driver to select gears
appropriate for current driving
conditions. M (Manual Mode) can be
exited by returning the shift lever to
D (Drive). See Manual Mode (Gasoline
Only) 0233. For PLUG-IN vehicles, see
Regenerative
Braking (PLUG-IN Only) 0237.Caution
Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill using
only the accelerator pedal may
damage the transmission. The
repair will not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. If the vehicle is
stuck, do not spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes to
hold the vehicle in place.
While in Sport Mode, the vehicle
monitors driving behavior and
automatically enables performance
shift features when spirited driving is
detected. These features maintain
lower transmission gears to increase
available engine braking and improve
acceleration response. The vehicle will
exit these features and return to
normal operation after a short period
when no spirited driving is detected.
See Driver Mode Control (Gasoline Only)
0 241.

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 233
Manual Mode
(Gasoline Only)
For PLUG-IN vehicles, seeRegenerative
Braking (PLUG-IN Only) 0237.
Tap Shift
Caution
Driving with the engine at a high
rpm without upshifting while using
Tap Shift, could damage the vehicle.
Always upshift when necessary
while using Tap Shift.
If equipped, vehicles with Tap Shift
have controls on the back of the
steering wheel to manually shift the
automatic transmission.
To enter Permanent Tap Shift Mode: 1. Move the shift lever from D (Drive) to M (Manual Mode).
While in Tap Shift Mode, the M
on the PRNDM section of the
instrument cluster will become
highlighted, and the current gear
is indicated.
2. Tap the left control toward the driver to downshift, and the right
control toward the driver to
upshift. To shift to the lowest
available gear, press and hold the
left control.
3. To exit, move the shift lever back to D (Drive).
With the shift lever in D (Drive) and
not in Permanent Tap Shift Mode, the
Tap Shift controls will activate a
temporary tap manual shift mode,
allowing the transmission to be
manually shifted. The vehicle exits
Temporary Tap Shift Mode after the
accelerator pedal is steady for six seconds. Temporary Tap Shift
Mode holds a gear longer without
exiting when coasting, to provide
powertrain braking. The Temporary
Tap Shift Mode can also be
deactivated by holding the right
upshift control briefly.
While using Tap Shift, the vehicle will
have firmer, quicker shifting. You can
use this for sport driving or when
climbing or descending hills, to stay in
gear longer, or to downshift for more
power or engine braking.
The transmission will only allow you
to shift into gears appropriate for the
vehicle speed and engine revolutions
per minute (rpm). The transmission
will not downshift if the engine rpm is
too high in the next lower gear,
or upshift to the next higher gear
when the maximum engine rpm is
reached.

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11292458) -
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242 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Sport Mode
Use where road conditions or personal
preference demand a more controlled
response.
When selected, the Sport Mode
indicator light will display in the
instrument cluster.
When in Sport Mode, the vehicle will
shift automatically but may hold a
lower gear longer than it would in the
normal driving mode based on
braking, throttle input, and vehicle
lateral acceleration. SeeAutomatic
Transmission 0231. The steering,
including Active Rear Steer (if
equipped), will change to provide
more precise control.
If the vehicle is equipped with AWD,
Sport Mode sends more torque to the
rear wheels.
Snow/Ice Mode
Use when more traction is needed
during slippery conditions. Snow/Ice
Mode will use a different accelerator
pedal map in order to optimize
traction on slippery surfaces.
When selected, the Snow/Ice Mode
indicator light will display in the
instrument cluster.
This feature is not intended for use
when the vehicle is stuck in sand,
mud, ice, snow, or gravel. If the
vehicle becomes stuck, see If the
Vehicle Is Stuck 0212.
If the vehicle is equipped with AWD,
Snow/Ice Mode will provide more
torque to the front wheels.
Cruise Control
{Warning
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at a
steady speed. Do not use cruise
control on winding roads or in
heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast
changes in tire traction can cause
excessive wheel slip, and you could
lose control. Do not use cruise
control on slippery roads.
With cruise control, a speed of about
40 km/h (25 mph) or more can be
maintained without keeping your foot
on the accelerator. Cruise control does
not work at speeds below about
40 km/h (25 mph).
If the Traction Control/electronic
stability control system begins to limit
wheel spin while using cruise control,
the cruise control automatically
disengages. See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0239. If a

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 245
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise
control:
.Step lightly on the brake pedal.
. Press
*.
. Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
. Press
J.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is erased
from memory if
Jis pressed or if
the ignition is turned off.
Adaptive Cruise Control
If equipped with Adaptive Cruise
Control (ACC), it allows for selecting
the cruise control set speed and
following gap. Read this entire section
before using this system. ACC uses a
camera and radar sensors to detect
other vehicles. See Radio Frequency
Statement 0417. The following gap is
the following time (or distance)
between your vehicle and a vehicle
detected directly ahead in your path, moving in the same direction. If no
vehicle is detected in your path, ACC
works like regular cruise control.
If a vehicle is detected in your path,
ACC can speed up the vehicle or apply
limited, moderate braking to maintain
the selected following gap. To
disengage ACC, apply the brake. If the
Traction Control System (TCS) or
StabiliTrak electronic stability control
system activates while ACC is
engaged, ACC may automatically
disengage. See
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0239. When
road conditions allow ACC to be safely
used, ACC can be turned back on. ACC
will not engage if the TCS or
StabiliTrak electronic stability control
system is disabled.
{Warning
ACC has limited braking ability and
may not have time to slow the
vehicle down enough to avoid a
collision with another vehicle you
are following. This can occur when
vehicles suddenly slow or stop
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
ahead, or enter your lane. Also see
“Alerting the Driver”in this section.
Complete attention is always
required while driving and you
should be ready to take action and
apply the brakes. See Defensive
Driving 0207.
{Warning
ACC will not detect or brake for
children, pedestrians, animals,
or other objects.
Do not use ACC when:
. On winding and hilly roads or
when the sensors are blocked
by snow, ice, or dirt. The
system may not detect a
vehicle ahead. Keep the entire
front of the vehicle clean.
(Continued)