Cadillac XT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349110) - 2018 - CRC - 9/28/17
242 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Making TurnsCaution
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 so the trailer
will not strike soft shoulders, curbs,
road signs, trees, or other objects. Use
the turn signal well in advance and
avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
The turn signal indicators on the
instrument cluster flash whenever
signaling a turn or lane change.
Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps
also flash, telling other drivers the
vehicle is turning, changing lanes,
or stopping. When towing a trailer, the arrows on
the instrument cluster flash for turns
even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. 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 have
to be used so much that they would
get hot and no longer work well.
The vehicle can tow in D (Drive). Use
a lower gear if the transmission shifts
too often.
When towing at high altitude on steep
uphill grades, engine coolant boils 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 could show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this, let
the engine run while parked,
preferably on level ground, with the
transmission in P (Park) for a few
minutes before turning the engine off.
If the overheat warning comes on, see
Engine Overheating
0261.
Parking on Hills
{Warning
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both the
vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill: 1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn the
wheels into the curb if facing
downhill or into traffic if facing
uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the brake pedal
until the chocks absorb the load.
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 243
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Thenapply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal while you:
.Start the engine.
. Shift into a gear.
. Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more often
when pulling a trailer. See the
Maintenance Schedule 0330. Things
that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission
fluid, engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling system, and brake system.
Inspect these before and during
the trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch
nuts and bolts are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. See
Engine Overheating
0 261.
Trailer Towing
Before pulling a trailer, there are three
important considerations that have to
do with weight:
.
The weight of the trailer.
. The weight of the trailer tongue.
. The total weight on the vehicle's
tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how the rig is used. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades,
outside temperature and how much
the vehicle is used to pull a trailer are
all important. It can depend on any
special equipment on the vehicle, and
the amount of tongue weight the
vehicle can carry. See “Weight of the
Trailer Tongue ”later in this section.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated
assuming the tow vehicle has the
driver, a front seat passenger, and all
the required towing equipment. Cargo
in the tow vehicle must be subtracted
from the maximum trailer weight.
Use the following chart to determine
how much the vehicle can weigh,
based upon the vehicle model and
options.
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 247
Electric Trailer Brake Control Wiring
Provisions
These wiring provisions for an electric
trailer brake controller are included
with the vehicle as part of the trailer
wiring package. The instrument panel
contains blunt cut wires above the
parking brake assembly for the electric
trailer brake controller. The harness
contains the following wires:
.Blue: To Trailer
. Red/Black or Red/Blue:
Battery Feed
. White/Blue: Brake Apply Signal
. Black: Ground
The electric trailer brake controller
should be installed by your dealer or a
qualified service center.Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
Vehicles with StabiliTrak have a
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) feature.
Trailer sway is unintended side-to-side
motion of a trailer while being towed.
If the vehicle is towing a trailer and
the TSC detects that sway is
increasing, the vehicle brakes are
selectively applied at each wheel, to
help reduce excessive trailer sway.
If the vehicle is equipped with the
Integrated Trailer Brake Control
(ITBC) system, and the trailer has the
electric actuated brake system,
StabiliTrak may also apply the trailer
brakes.
If TSC is enabled, the Traction Control
System (TCS)/StabiliTrak warning
light will flash on the instrument
cluster. Vehicle speed must be
reduced. If trailer sway continues,
StabiliTrak can reduce engine torque
to help slow the vehicle. See Traction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
0 205.{Warning
Even if the vehicle is equipped with
TSC, trailer sway could result in
loss of control and the vehicle could
crash. If excessive trailer sway is
detected, slow down to a safe speed.
Check the trailer and vehicle to help
correct possible causes. These could
include an improperly or overloaded
trailer, unrestrained cargo, improper
trailer hitch configuration, excessive
vehicle-trailer speed, or improperly
inflated or incorrect vehicle or
trailer tires. See Towing Equipment
0 245 for trailer ratings and hitch
setup recommendations.
Adding non-dealer accessories can
affect the vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications 0251.
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VEHICLE CARE 249
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 257
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . 265
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266 Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 267
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 268
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Headlamps and Front Turn Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 271
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 272
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . 275
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 288
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 297
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
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260 VEHICLE CARE
Never dispose of engine coolant by
putting it in the trash, pouring it on
the ground, or pouring into sewers,
streams, or bodies of water. Have the
coolant changed by an authorized
service center, familiar with legal
requirements regarding used coolant
disposal. This will help protect the
environment and your health.
Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level surface
when checking the coolant level.
Check to see if coolant is visible in the
coolant surge tank. If the coolant
inside the coolant surge tank isboiling, do not do anything else until
it cools down. If coolant is visible but
the coolant level mark is not at or
above the indicated mark, add a 50/
50 mixture of clean, drinkable water
and DEX-COOL coolant. Be sure the
cooling system is cool before this is
done. See
Engine Overheating 0261.
The coolant surge tank is located in
the engine compartment on the driver
side of the vehicle. See Engine
Compartment Overview 0253.
How to Add Coolant to the
Surge Tank
{Warning
Spilling coolant on hot engine parts
can burn you. Coolant contains
ethylene glycol and it will burn if
the engine parts are hot enough.
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system are under
pressure. Turning the pressure cap,
even a little, can cause them to
come out at high speed and you
could be burned. Never turn the cap
when the cooling system, including
the pressure cap, is hot. Wait for
the cooling system and pressure
cap to cool.
Caution
Failure to follow the specific
coolant fill procedure could cause
the engine to overheat and could
cause system damage. If coolant is
not visible in the surge tank,
contact your dealer.
The coolant surge tank pressure cap
can be removed when the cooling
system, including the surge tank
pressure cap and upper radiator hose,
is no longer hot.
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262 VEHICLE CARE
If the engine is overheating, the fan
should be running. If it is not, do not
continue to run the engine. Have the
vehicle serviced.
Caution
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak in the engine cooling system.
This can cause a loss of all coolant
and can damage the system and
vehicle. Have any leaks fixed
right away.
If Steam Is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system are under
pressure. Turning the pressure cap,
even a little, can cause them to
come out at high speed and you
could be burned. Never turn the cap
when the cooling system, including(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the pressure cap, is hot. Wait for
the cooling system and pressure
cap to cool.
If No Steam Is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
If an engine overheat warning is
displayed but no steam can be seen or
heard, the problem may not be too
serious. Sometimes the engine can get
a little too hot when the vehicle:
.Climbs a long hill on a hot day.
. Stops after high-speed driving.
. Idles for long periods in traffic.
If the overheat warning is displayed
with no sign of steam: 1. Turn the air conditioning off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest temperature and to the highest
fan speed. Open the windows as
necessary. 3. When it is safe to do so, pull off
the road, shift to P (Park) or
N (Neutral), and let the
engine idle.
If the engine coolant temperature
gauge is no longer in the overheated
area or the engine coolant
temperature warning light no longer
displays, the vehicle can be driven.
Continue to drive the vehicle slowly
for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
distance from the vehicle in front.
If the warning does not come back on,
continue to drive normally and have
the cooling system checked for proper
fill and function.
If the warning continues, pull over,
stop, and park the vehicle right away.
If there is no sign of steam, idle the
engine for three minutes while parked.
If the warning is still displayed, turn
off the engine until it cools down.
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280 VEHICLE CARE
Warning (Continued)
.Underinflated tires pose
the same danger as
overloaded tires. The
resulting crash could cause
serious injury. Check all
tires frequently to
maintain the
recommended pressure.
Tire pressure should be
checked when the tires
are cold.
.Overinflated tires are more
likely to be cut, punctured,
or broken by a sudden
impact—such as when
hitting a pothole. Keep
tires at the recommended
pressure.
.Worn or old tires can
cause a crash. If the tread
is badly worn,
replace them.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Replace any tires that have
been damaged by impacts
with potholes, curbs, etc.
.Improperly repaired tires
can cause a crash. Only
the dealer or an authorized
tire service center should
repair, replace, dismount,
and mount the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in
excess of 56 km/h
(35 mph) on slippery
surfaces such as snow,
mud, ice, etc. Excessive
spinning may cause the
tires to explode.
See Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation 0288 for inflation
pressure adjustment for
high-speed driving.
All-Season Tires
This vehicle may come with all-season
tires. These tires are designed to
provide good overall performance on
most road surfaces and weather
conditions. Original equipment tires
designed to GM's specific tire
performance criteria have a TPC
specification code molded onto the
sidewall. Original equipment
all-season tires can be identified by
the last two characters of this TPC
code, which will be “MS.”
Consider installing winter tires on the
vehicle if frequent driving on snow or
ice-covered roads is expected.
All-season tires provide adequate
performance for most winter driving
conditions, but they may not offer the
same level of traction or performance
as winter tires on snow or ice-covered
roads. See Winter Tires 0280.
Winter Tires
This vehicle was not originally
equipped with winter tires. Winter
tires are designed for increased
traction on snow and ice-covered
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VEHICLE CARE 281
roads. Consider installing winter tires
on the vehicle if frequent driving on
ice or snow covered roads is expected.
See your dealer for details regarding
winter tire availability and proper tire
selection. Also, seeBuying New Tires
0 295.
With winter tires, there may be
decreased dry road traction, increased
road noise, and shorter tread life.
After changing to winter tires, be alert
for changes in vehicle handling and
braking.
If using winter tires:
. Use tires of the same brand and
tread type on all four wheel
positions.
. Use only radial ply tires of the
same size, load range, and speed
rating as the original equipment
tires.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment tires
may not be available for H, V, W, Y,
and ZR speed rated tires. If winter
tires with a lower speed rating are
chosen, never exceed the tire's
maximum speed capability.Summer Tires
This vehicle may come with high
performance summer tires. These tires
have a special tread and compound
that are optimized for maximum dry
and wet road performance. This
special tread and compound will have
decreased performance in cold
climates, and on ice and snow. It is
recommended that winter tires be
installed on the vehicle if frequent
driving at temperatures below
approximately 5 °C (40 °F) or on ice or
snow covered roads is expected. See
Winter Tires 0280.
Caution
High performance summer tires
have rubber compounds that lose
flexibility and may develop surface
cracks in the tread area at
temperatures below −7 °C (20 °F).
Always store high performance
summer tires indoors and at
temperatures above −7 °C (20 °F)
when not in use. If the tires have
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
been subjected to−7 °C (20 °F) or
less, let them warm up in a heated
space to at least 5 °C (40 °F) for
24 hours or more before being
installed or driving a vehicle on
which they are installed. Do not
apply heat or blow heated air
directly on the tires. Always inspect
tires before use. See Tire Inspection
0 293.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is
molded into its sidewall. The
examples show a typical passenger
vehicle tire and a compact spare
tire sidewall.