
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11292458) -
2018 - crc - 2/14/17
DRIVING AND OPERATING 205
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Braking (Gasoline Only) . . . . . . . . . . 207
Braking (PLUG-IN Only) . . . . . . . . . 208
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 211
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In (GasolineEngine Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Starting the Engine (PLUG-IN Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Starting the Engine (Gasoline Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Electric Vehicle Operating
Modes
Driver Selected Operating Modes (PLUG-IN Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Out of Fuel/Engine Unavailable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Maintenance Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . 231
Manual Mode (Gasoline Only) . . . 233
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Brakes
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . 234
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Automatic Vehicle
Hold (AVH) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Regenerative Braking (PLUG-IN Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Driver Mode Control (Gasoline Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . 245
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . 253
Assistance Systems for Parkingor Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Forward Automatic Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Night Vision System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . 268
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . 269

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11292458) -
2018 - crc - 2/14/17
206 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Lane DepartureWarning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . 271
Surround Vision Recorder . . . . . . . 272
Charging
Plug-In Charging (PLUG-IN Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Delayed Charging Override (PLUG-IN Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Charging Status Feedback (PLUG-IN Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Charge Cord (PLUG-IN Only) . . . . 279
Utility Interruption of Charging (PLUG-IN Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Electrical Requirements for Battery Charging
(PLUG-IN Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
California Fuel Requirements . . . . 287
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . 287
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . . 290
Driving Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290 Trailer Towing
(PLUG-IN Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Trailer Towing (Gasoline Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . 295
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms and
can take your focus from the task of
driving. Exercise good judgment and
do not let other activities divert your
attention away from the road. Many
local governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep your
eyes on the road, keep your hands on
the steering wheel, and focus your
attention on driving.
. Do not use a phone in demanding
driving situations. Use a
hands-free method to place or
receive necessary phone calls.
. Watch the road. Do not read, take
notes, or look up information on
phones or other electronic devices.
. Designate a front seat passenger
to handle potential distractions.

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11292458) -
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 211
.Have good tires with proper tread
depth. See Tires0340.
. 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.
{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 0239.
. 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) 0234.
See Driver Mode Control (Gasoline
Only) 0241

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11292458) -
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260 DRIVING AND OPERATING
When the System Does Not Seem to
Work Properly
The APA system may require a short
period of driving along curves to
calibrate.
Assistance Systems for
Driving
If equipped, when driving the vehicle
in a forward gear, Forward Collision
Alert (FCA), Lane Departure Warning
(LDW), Lane Keep Assist (LKA), Side
Blind Zone Alert (SBZA), Lane Change
Alert (LCA), the Forward Automatic
Braking (FAB) system, the Front
Pedestrian Braking (FPB) system and/
or the Night Vision system can help to
avoid a crash or reduce crash damage.
Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System
If equipped, the FCA system may help
to avoid or reduce the harm caused by
front-end crashes. When approaching
a vehicle ahead too quickly, FCA
provides a red flashing alert on the
windshield and rapidly beeps or pulsesthe driver seat. FCA also lights an
amber visual alert if following another
vehicle much too closely.
FCA detects vehicles within a distance
of approximately 60 m (197 ft) and
operates at speeds above 8 km/h
(5 mph). If the vehicle has Adaptive
Cruise Control (ACC), it can detect
vehicles to distances of approximately
110 m (360 ft) and operates at all
speeds. See
Adaptive Cruise Control
0 245.
{Warning
FCA is a warning system and does
not apply the brakes. When
approaching a slower-moving or
stopped vehicle ahead too rapidly,
or when following a vehicle too
closely, FCA may not provide a
warning with enough time to help
avoid a crash. It also may not
provide any warning at all. FCA
does not warn of pedestrians,
animals, signs, guardrails, bridges,
construction barrels, or other
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
objects. Be ready to take action and
apply the brakes. SeeDefensive
Driving 0207.
FCA can be disabled with either the
FCA steering wheel control or,
if equipped, through vehicle
personalization. See “Collision/
Detection Systems” underVehicle
Personalization 0170.
Detecting the Vehicle Ahead

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11292458) -
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262 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Selecting the Alert Timing
The Collision Alert control is on the
steering wheel. Press
[to set the
FCA timing to Far, Medium, or Near,
or on some vehicles, Off. The first
button press shows the current setting
on the DIC. Additional button presses
will change this setting. The chosen
setting will remain until it is changed
and will affect the timing of both the
Collision Alert and the Tailgating
Alert features. The timing of both
alerts will vary based on vehicle speed.
The faster the vehicle speed, the
farther away the alert will occur.
Consider traffic and weather
conditions when selecting the alert timing. The range of selectable alert
timings may not be appropriate for all
drivers and driving conditions.
If your vehicle is equipped with
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC),
changing the FCA timing setting
automatically changes the following
gap setting (Far, Medium, or Near).
Following Distance Indicator
The following distance to a moving
vehicle ahead in your path is indicated
in following time in seconds on the
Driver Information Center (DIC). See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
0162.
The minimum following time is
0.5 seconds away. If there is no vehicle
detected ahead, or the vehicle ahead is
out of sensor range, dashes will be
displayed.
Unnecessary Alerts
FCA may provide unnecessary alerts
for turning vehicles, vehicles in other
lanes, objects that are not vehicles,
or shadows. These alerts are normal
operation and the vehicle does not
need service.
Cleaning the System
If the FCA system does not seem to
operate properly, cleaning the outside
of the windshield in front of the
rearview mirror, and cleaning the
front of the vehicle where radar
sensors are located, may correct the
issue.
Forward Automatic
Braking (FAB)
If the vehicle has Forward Collision
Alert (FCA), it also has FAB, which
includes Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA).
When the system detects a vehicle
ahead in your path that is traveling in
the same direction that you may be
about to crash into, it can provide a
boost to braking or automatically
brake the vehicle. This can help avoid
or lessen the severity of crashes when
driving in a forward gear. Depending
on the situation, the vehicle may
automatically brake moderately or
hard. This forward automatic braking
can only occur if a vehicle is detected.
This is shown by the FCA vehicle
ahead indicator being lit. See Forward
Collision Alert (FCA) System 0260.

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11292458) -
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268 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Warning (Continued)
detects a pedestrian or large
animal. The system may not detect
pedestrians, including children,
or animals:. If they are less than 25 m
(82 ft) away.
. If they are not directly ahead
in the sensor coverage area,
fully visible, standing upright,
or part of a group.
. If the pedestrian or animal is
moving too quickly through
the field of view, such as a
bicyclist.
. If the pedestrian is wearing
certain types of clothing.
. If headlamps are off, except
when parked.
. If the outside temperature is
higher than 30 °C (86 °F).
. Due to poor visibility,
including in heavy fog, rain,
or snow.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.If the sensor is blocked by
dirt, snow, rain, or ice.
Be ready to take action and apply
the brakes. For more information,
see Defensive Driving 0207. Keep
the Night Vision sensor clean and
in good repair.
Pedestrian detection may not be
available in high outside temperatures.
An amber icon,
*, displays. The
system does not need service.
In rain, snow, or fog the image may
not be clear and the direction of the
road ahead may not be seen. In more
severe weather conditions, the image
may be unclear and unusable. The
system does not need service.
Keep the system sensor clean by
activating the windshield washer up to
five times when it is dark enough for
the system to operate. If the Night
Vision image still looks blurry, use a
soft wet cloth to gently clean the
sensor camera lens and dry thoroughly. The sensor is behind the
front grille to the inside of the driver
side headlamp.
The camera must also be aligned to
work correctly. If the camera needs
adjustment, see your dealer. Do not
attempt to adjust the camera yourself.
Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA)
If equipped, the SBZA system is a
lane-changing aid that assists drivers
with avoiding crashes that occur with
moving vehicles in the side blind zone
(or spot) areas. When the vehicle is in
a forward gear, the left or right side
mirror display will light up if a moving
vehicle is detected in that blind zone.
If the turn signal is activated and a
vehicle is also detected on the same
side, the display will flash as an extra
warning not to change lanes. Since
this system is part of the Lane Change
Alert (LCA) system, read the entire
LCA section before using this feature.

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11292458) -
2018 - crc - 2/14/17
DRIVING AND OPERATING 269
Lane Change Alert (LCA)
If equipped, the LCA system is a
lane-changing aid that assists drivers
with avoiding lane change crashes
that occur with moving vehicles in the
side blind zone (or spot) areas or with
vehicles rapidly approaching these
areas from behind. The LCA warning
display will light up in the
corresponding outside side mirror and
will flash if the turn signal is on.
{Warning
LCA does not alert the driver to
vehicles outside of the system
detection zones, pedestrians,
bicyclists, or animals. It may not
provide alerts when changing lanes
under all driving conditions. Failure
to use proper care when changing
lanes may result in injury, death,
or vehicle damage. Before making a
lane change, always check mirrors,
glance over your shoulder, and use
the turn signals.LCA Detection Zones
1. SBZA Detection Zone
2. LCA Detection Zone
The LCA sensor covers a zone of
approximately one lane over from
both sides of the vehicle, or 3.5 m
(11 ft). The height of the zone is
approximately between 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
and 2 m (6 ft) off the ground. The Side
Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) warning area
starts at approximately the middle of
the vehicle and goes back 5 m (16 ft).
Drivers are also warned of vehicles
rapidly approaching from up to 70 m
(230 ft) behind the vehicle.
How the System Works
The LCA symbol lights up in the side
mirrors when the system detects a
moving vehicle in the next lane over that is in the side blind zone or
rapidly approaching that zone from
behind. A lit LCA symbol indicates it
may be unsafe to change lanes. Before
making a lane change, check the LCA
display, check mirrors, glance over
your shoulder, and use the turn
signals.
Left Side Mirror
DisplayRight Side Mirror Display
When the vehicle is started, both
outside mirror LCA displays will
briefly come on to indicate the system
is operating. When the vehicle is in a
forward gear, the left or right side
mirror display will light up if a moving
vehicle is detected in the next lane
over in that blind zone or rapidly
approaching that zone. If the turn
signal is activated in the same
direction as a detected vehicle, this
display will flash as an extra warning
not to change lanes.

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11292458) -
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270 DRIVING AND OPERATING
LCA can be disabled through vehicle
personalization using the Side Blind
Zone Alert option. See“Collision/
Detection Systems” underVehicle
Personalization 0170. If LCA is
disabled by the driver, the LCA mirror
displays will not light up.
When the System Does Not
Seem to Work Properly
The LCA system requires some driving
for the system to calibrate to
maximum performance. This
calibration may occur more quickly if
the vehicle is driving on a straight
highway road with traffic and roadside
objects (e.g., guardrails, barriers).
LCA displays may not come on when
passing a vehicle quickly, for a
stopped vehicle, or when towing a
trailer. The LCA detection zones that
extend back from the side of the
vehicle do not move further back
when a trailer is towed. Use caution
while changing lanes when towing a
trailer. LCA may alert to objects
attached to the vehicle, such as a
trailer, bicycle, or object extending out
to either side of the vehicle. Attached
objects may also interfere with the detection of vehicles. This is normal
system operation; the vehicle does not
need service.
LCA may not always alert the driver to
vehicles in the next lane over,
especially in wet conditions or when
driving on sharp curves. The system
does not need to be serviced. The
system may light up due to guardrails,
signs, trees, shrubs, and other
non-moving objects. This is normal
system operation; the vehicle does not
need service.
LCA may not operate when the LCA
sensors in the left or right corners of
the rear bumper are covered with
mud, dirt, snow, ice, or slush, or in
heavy rainstorms. For cleaning
instructions, see "Washing the
Vehicle" under
Exterior Care0380.
If the DIC still displays the system
unavailable message after cleaning
both sides of the vehicle toward the
rear corners of the vehicle, see your
dealer.
If the LCA displays do not light up
when moving vehicles are in the side
blind zone or are rapidly approaching this zone and the system is clean, the
system may need service. Take the
vehicle to your dealer.
When LCA is disabled for any reason
other than the driver turning it off,
the Side Blind Zone Alert On option
will not be available on the
personalization menu.
Radio Frequency Information
See
Radio Frequency Statement 0417.
Lane Departure
Warning (LDW)
If equipped, LDW may help avoid
crashes due to unintentional lane
departures. It may provide a warning
if the vehicle is crossing a detected
lane marking without using a turn
signal in the lane departure direction.
Since this system is part of the Lane
Keep Assist (LKA) system, read the
entire LKA section before using this
feature.