2018 CADILLAC CTS ESP

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
DRIVING AND OPERATING 209
Tour Mode
Use for normal city and highway
driving to provide a smooth, soft ride.
Sport Mode
Use where road conditions or personal
preference demand a more controlled
response.
When selected, the Sport Mode
indicator will display.
When in Sport or Track 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. See
Automatic Transmission0200. The
steering will change to provide more
precise control. If the vehicle has
Magnetic Ride Control, the suspension
will change to provide better
cornering performance.
Competitive Driving Mode (V-Sport
only) can be accessed through this
mode. See Competitive Driving Mode
(V-Sport Only) 0211.
Snow/Ice Mode
Use when more traction is needed
during slippery conditions.
Snow/Ice Mode will use a different
accelerator pedal map to optimize
traction on a slippery surface. The
accelerator pedal will reduce engine
torque at small pedal inputs.
When selected, the Snow/Ice Mode
indicator will display.
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 0187.
Track Mode (V-Sport and
V-Series Only)
Use when maximum vehicle handling
is desired. For use when driving on a
closed race course or drag strip.
When selected, the Track Mode
indicator will display. When in Track Mode, the automatic
transmission and steering will
function similar to Sport Mode. The
accelerator pedal is adjusted to give
maximum control during the highest
level of spirited driving. The Magnetic
Ride Control will be set to the
optimum level for vehicle
responsiveness. Competitive Driving
Mode (V-Sport only) or Performance
Traction Management (PTM) (V-Series
only) can be accessed through this
mode. See
Competitive Driving Mode
(V-Sport Only) 0211.
There are six attributes that vary by
mode shown below. Not all vehicles
have all features, depending on the
vehicle options.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
DRIVING AND OPERATING 211
hold lower gears when not using
paddles. The shifts are also firmer to
increase the quickness of shifting.
Steering (Assist Effort)
Adjusts from a lighter steering feel in
Tour Mode to reduced assist in Sport
and Track Mode for more
steering feel.
Magnetic Ride Control (if equipped)
Adjusts the shock dampening
firmness from a comfort tune in Tour
Mode to an optimized responsiveness
tune in Sport and Track.
Launch Control (V-Series Only)
Available only in Track Mode for
maximum“off–the–line ”acceleration
when in Competitive or PTM Modes.
Stability Control
. Competitive Mode allows less
computer control to permit some
slide and drift and is selected with
the button –only available in
Track Mode.
. StabiliTrak can be turned off by
pressing and holding the button
for five seconds.Driver Mode Customization
The Engine Sound Management,
steering, and suspension drive modes
can be set to the driver’s preference.
See “Driving Mode ”under Vehicle
Personalization 0144.
When in the Track main vehicle mode,
you cannot overwrite the Steering or
Suspension settings. These settings
are designed to interact with the
advanced functions in the Track Mode
and cannot be overwritten.
The selections made in the Driving
Mode menu overwrite the main
vehicle mode selection via the buttons
or switch on the center console. In
order to customize and overwrite,
select one of the three settings by
touching the infotainment display.
When in the customization screen for
each system, select one of the
available options:
. Auto (Follows the MODE switch)
. Tour
. Sport
. Track The default will be to follow the
vehicle MODE switch settings, but the
main vehicle mode selection for the
currently selected system can be
overwritten using this menu. The
settings selected in this menu will set
the vehicle behavior in all selected
vehicle modes, and will be retained
over each ignition cycle. They do not
have to be reset each time the vehicle
is started.
Competitive Driving Mode
(V-Sport Only)
To select this optional handling mode,
press
Yquickly two times and the
DIC will display COMPETITIVE MODE
ON. While in the Competitive Driving
Mode, the traction off light
iand
StabiliTrak OFF light
gwill come on
in the instrument cluster. TCS does
not limit wheel spin, the Electronic
Limited-Slip Differential (eLSD) allows
increased vehicle agility, and more
effort is required to turn the steering
wheel. See “Limited-Slip Differential

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
DRIVING AND OPERATING 221
When pressed, the current gap setting
displays briefly on the instrument
cluster and HUD, if equipped.
Subsequent presses cycle the gap
button through three settings: Far,
Medium, or Near. The gap setting will
be maintained until it is changed.
Since each gap setting corresponds to
a following time (Far, Medium,
or Near), the following distance will
vary based on vehicle speed. The
faster the vehicle speed, the further
back your vehicle will follow a vehicle
detected ahead. Consider traffic and
weather conditions when selecting the
following gap. The range of selectable
gaps may not be appropriate for all
drivers and driving conditions.
Changing the gap setting
automatically changes the alert timing
sensitivity (Far, Medium, or Near) for
the Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
feature. SeeForward Collision Alert
(FCA) System 0232. Alerting the Driver
Without Head-Up Display
With Head-Up Display
If ACC is engaged, driver action may
be required when ACC cannot apply
sufficient braking because of
approaching a vehicle too rapidly.
When this condition occurs, a series
of red lights or the collision alert
symbol on the HUD, if equipped, will
flash on the windshield. Either eight
beeps will sound from the front,
or both sides of the Safety Alert Seat
will pulse five times. See “Collision/
Detection Systems” underVehicle
Personalization 0144. See
Defensive Driving 0178.
Approaching and Following a
Vehicle
The vehicle ahead indicator is in the
instrument cluster and HUD display,
if equipped.
The vehicle ahead indicator only
displays when a vehicle is detected in
your vehicle’s path moving in the
same direction.
If this indicator is not displaying, ACC
will not respond to or brake to
vehicles ahead.
ACC automatically slows the vehicle
down and adjusts vehicle speed to
follow the vehicle in front at the
selected follow gap. The vehicle speed
increases or decreases to follow the
vehicle in front of you, but will not
exceed the set speed. It may apply
limited braking, if necessary. When

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
DRIVING AND OPERATING 223
A DIC warning message may display
indicating to shift to P (Park) before
exiting the vehicle.
{Warning
If ACC has stopped the vehicle, and
if ACC is disengaged, turned off,
or canceled, the vehicle will no
longer be held at a stop. The vehicle
can move. When ACC is holding the
vehicle at a stop, always be
prepared to manually apply the
brakes.
{Warning
Leaving the vehicle without placing
it in P (Park) can be dangerous. Do
not leave the vehicle while it is
being held at a stop by ACC. Always
place the vehicle in P (Park) and
turn off the ignition before leaving
the vehicle.ACC Override
If using the accelerator pedal while
ACC is active, the ACC indicator turns
blue on the instrument cluster and in
the HUD (if equipped) to indicate that
automatic braking will not occur. ACC
will resume operation when the
accelerator pedal is not being pressed.
{Warning
The ACC will not automatically
apply the brakes if your foot is
resting on the accelerator pedal.
You could crash into a vehicle
ahead of you.
Curves in the Road
{Warning
On curves, ACC may not detect a
vehicle ahead in your lane. You
could be startled if the vehicle
accelerates up to the set speed,
especially when following a vehicle
exiting or entering exit ramps. You (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
could lose control of the vehicle or
crash. Do not use ACC while driving
on an entrance or exit ramp. Always
be ready to use the brakes if
necessary.
{Warning
On curves, ACC may respond to a
vehicle in another lane, or may not
have time to react to a vehicle in
your lane. You could crash into a
vehicle ahead of you, or lose control
of your vehicle. Give extra attention
in curves and be ready to use the
brakes if necessary. Select an
appropriate speed while driving in
curves.
ACC may operate differently in a
sharp curve. It may reduce the vehicle
speed if the curve is too sharp.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
224 DRIVING AND OPERATING
When following a vehicle and entering
a curve, ACC may not detect the
vehicle ahead and accelerate to the set
speed. When this happens the vehicle
ahead indicator will not appear.
ACC may detect a vehicle that is not
in your lane and apply the brakes.ACC may occasionally provide an alert
and/or braking that is considered
unnecessary. It could respond to
vehicles in different lanes, signs,
guardrails, and other stationary
objects when entering or exiting a
curve. This is normal operation. The
vehicle does not need service.
Other Vehicle Lane Changes
ACC will not detect a vehicle ahead
until it is completely in the lane. The
brake may need to be manually
applied.
Do Not Use ACC on Hills and When
Towing a Trailer
Do not use ACC when driving on steep
hills or when towing a trailer. ACC will
not detect a vehicle in the lane while
driving on steep hills. The driver will
often need to take over acceleration
and braking on steep hills, especially
when towing a trailer. If the brakes are
applied, the ACC disengages.
Ending ACC
There are three ways to
disengage ACC:
.
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
. Press
*.
. Press
J.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
DRIVING AND OPERATING 231
RCTA can also be turned on or off
through vehicle personalization. See
“Collision/Detection Systems”under
Vehicle Personalization 0144.
Automatic Parking Assist (APA)
If equipped, APA searches for and
steers the vehicle into parallel and
perpendicular parking spots. When
using APA, you must still shift gears,
and control the brakes and
accelerator. A display and audible
beeps help to guide parking
maneuvers.
{Warning
APA does not apply the brakes. APA
may not detect objects in the
parking space, objects that are soft
or narrow, objects high off the
ground such as flatbed trucks,
or objects below ground level such
as large potholes. Always verify that
the parking space is appropriate for
parking a vehicle. APA does not
respond to changes in the parking
space, such as movement of an
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
adjacent vehicle, or a person or
object entering the parking space.
APA does not detect or avoid traffic
that is behind or alongside of the
vehicle. Always be prepared to stop
the vehicle during the parking
maneuver.
Press
Oon the center stack to
enable the system to search for a
parking space that is large enough and
within 1.5 m (5 ft) of the vehicle. The
vehicle speed must be below
30 km/h (18 mph). The system cannot:
. Detect whether it is a legal parking
space.
. Park exactly lined up with the
vehicle next to it if the spot is
approached at an angle or if the
parking space is angled.
. Park exactly centered in a spot
that is marked too large.
. Always detect short curbs. When enabled, APA searches for
parallel parking spaces to the right of
the vehicle. To search for a parking
space to the left, turn on the left turn
signal or, if available, change the side
selection in the infotainment display.
To switch the parking mode between
parallel and perpendicular, press and
hold
Oduring the search process or,
if available, change the parking mode
in the infotainment display.
After completely passing a large
enough space, an audible beep occurs
and a red stop symbol is displayed.
If the vehicle is in R (Reverse), but
does not steer into the expected
space, this may be because the system

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
DRIVING AND OPERATING 235
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)0137.
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, this may correct the
issue:
. Clean the outside of the
windshield in front of the rearview
mirror. .
Clean the entire front of the
vehicle.
. Clean the headlamps.
Forward Automatic
Braking (FAB)
If the vehicle has Adaptive Cruise
Control (ACC), 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 0232.
The system works when driving in a
forward gear above 4 km/h (2 mph).
It can detect vehicles up to
approximately 60 m (197 ft).
{Warning
FAB is an emergency crash
preparation feature and is not
designed to avoid crashes. Do not
rely on FAB to brake the vehicle.
FAB will not brake outside of its
operating speed range and only
responds to detected vehicles.
FAB may not: . Detect a vehicle ahead on
winding or hilly roads.
. Detect all vehicles, especially
vehicles with a trailer,
tractors, muddy vehicles, etc.
. Detect a vehicle when
weather limits visibility, such
as in fog, rain, or snow.
. Detect a vehicle ahead if it is
partially blocked by
pedestrians or other objects.
Complete attention is always
required while driving, and you
should be ready to take action and
apply the brakes and/or steer the
vehicle to avoid crashes.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
236 DRIVING AND OPERATING
FAB may slow the vehicle to a
complete stop to try to avoid a
potential crash. If this happens, FAB
may engage the Electric Parking Brake
(EPB) to hold the vehicle at a stop. To
release automatic braking, release the
EPB or firmly press the accelerator
pedal.
{Warning
FAB may automatically brake the
vehicle suddenly in situations
where it is unexpected and
undesired. It could respond to a
turning vehicle ahead, guardrails,
signs, and other non-moving
objects. To override FAB, firmly
press the accelerator pedal, if it is
safe to do so.
Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA)
IBA may activate when the brake
pedal is applied quickly by providing a
boost to braking based on the speed
of approach and distance to a vehicle
ahead.Minor brake pedal pulsations or pedal
movement during this time is normal
and the brake pedal should continue
to be applied as needed. IBA will
automatically disengage only when
the brake pedal is released.
{Warning
IBA may increase vehicle braking in
situations when it may not be
necessary. You could block the flow
of traffic. If this occurs, take your
foot off the brake pedal and then
apply the brakes as needed.
FAB and IBA can be disabled through
vehicle personalization. See “Collision/
Detection Systems” underVehicle
Personalization 0144.
{Warning
Using FAB or IBA while towing a
trailer could cause you to lose
control of the vehicle and crash.
Turn the system to Off when
towing a trailer.
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.
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