2018 CADILLAC XTS traction control

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11354412) -
2018 - crc - 11/16/17
DRIVING AND OPERATING 169
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 174
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . 188
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Brakes
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . 191
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/ElectronicStability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Magnetic Ride Control . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Automatic Level Control . . . . . . . . . 195
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . 198
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . 206
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Forward Automatic Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . 217
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . 217
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . 220
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
California Fuel Requirements . . . . 223
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . 223
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . . 226
Driving Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11354412) -
2018 - crc - 11/16/17
170 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . 230Driving 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. .
Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings. Program
all trip information into any
navigation device prior to driving.
. Wait until the vehicle is parked to
retrieve items that have fallen to
the floor.
. Stop or park the vehicle to tend to
children.
. Keep pets in an appropriate carrier
or restraint.
. Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.
Refer to the CUE manual for more
information on using the CUE system,
if equipped.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11354412) -
2018 - crc - 11/16/17
DRIVING AND OPERATING 173
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop off
the edge of a road onto the shoulder
while driving. Follow these tips:1. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way,
steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge.
3. Turn the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
. Steering or Cornering Skid —too
much speed or steering in a curve
causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force.
. Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving wheels
to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by
taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
. Ease your foot off the accelerator
pedal and steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. The vehicle may
straighten out. Be ready for a
second skid if it occurs. .
Slow down and adjust your driving
according to weather conditions.
Stopping distance can be longer
and vehicle control can be affected
when traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other material
on the road. Learn to recognize
warning clues —such as enough
water, ice, or packed snow on the
road to make a mirrored surface
— and slow down when you have
any doubt.
. Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking, including
reducing vehicle speed by shifting
to a lower gear. Any sudden
changes could cause the tires to
slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help avoid
only the braking skid.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle
traction and affect your ability to stop
and accelerate. Always drive slower in
these types of driving conditions and
avoid driving through large puddles
and deep-standing or flowing water.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11354412) -
2018 - crc - 11/16/17
DRIVING AND OPERATING 175
.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 0193.
. 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) 0191.
. Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise
clear roads in shaded areas. The
surface of a curve or an overpass
can remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. Avoid
sudden steering maneuvers and
braking while on ice.
. Turn off cruise control.
Blizzard Conditions
Stay with the vehicle unless there is
help nearby. If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside Service 0338.
To get help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
. Turn on the hazard warning
flashers. .
Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may cause
exhaust gases to get inside. Engine
exhaust contains carbon monoxide
(CO), which cannot be seen or
smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
. Clear snow from the base of
the vehicle, especially any
blocking the exhaust pipe.
. Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the vehicle side that
is away from the wind, to
bring in fresh air.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set the
(Continued)

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11354412) -
2018 - crc - 11/16/17
176 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Warning (Continued)
fan speed to the highest
setting. See“Climate Control
Systems.”
For more information about CO, see
Engine Exhaust 0187.
To save fuel, run the engine for short
periods to warm the vehicle and then
shut the engine off and partially close
the window. Moving about to keep
warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle speed.
This keeps the battery charged to
restart the vehicle and to signal for
help with the headlamps. Do this as
little as possible, to save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels
to free the vehicle when stuck in sand,
mud, ice, or snow. If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. See
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0193.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you or
others could be injured. The vehicle
can overheat, causing an engine
compartment fire or other damage.
Spin the wheels as little as possible
and avoid going above 56 km/h
(35 mph).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and right
to clear the area around the front
wheels. Turn off any traction system.
Shift back and forth between
R (Reverse) and a low forward gear,
spinning the wheels as little as
possible. To prevent transmission
wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears. Release
the accelerator pedal while shifting,
and press lightly on the accelerator pedal when the transmission is in
gear. Slowly spinning the wheels in
the forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not get
the vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out, see
Towing the Vehicle
0304.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can carry.
This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the
weight of all occupants, cargo, and
all nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle may
show how much weight it may
properly carry: the Tire and
Loading Information label and the
Certification label.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11354412) -
2018 - crc - 11/16/17
190 DRIVING AND OPERATING
In M (Manual Mode) the transmission
will shift as an automatic until the
Tap Shift controls are used. Tap Shift
activates driver manual gear selection.
SeeManual Mode 0190.
Manual Mode
Tap Shift
Tap Shift allows the driver to
manually control the automatic
transmission. To use Tap Shift, the
shift lever must be in M (Manual
Mode). Vehicles with this feature have
indicators on the steering wheel. The
controls are on the back of the steering wheel. Tap the left control to
downshift, and the right control to
upshift. A Driver Information
Center (DIC) message indicates the
gear the vehicle is in.
When accelerating the vehicle from a
stop in snowy and icy conditions, you
may want to shift into 2 (Second) gear.
A higher gear ratio allows you to gain
more traction on slippery surfaces.
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
If equipped, this feature transfers
torque to the rear wheels as required.
It is fully automatic, and adjusts itself
as needed for road conditions.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) performance is
automatically reduced when you use
the compact spare. To restore full
AWD performance, and prevent
excessive wear to the clutch in the
AWD system, replace the compact
spare tire with a full-size tire as soon
as possible. See
Compact Spare Tire
0 299.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11354412) -
2018 - crc - 11/16/17
DRIVING AND OPERATING 193
Automatic EPB Release
The EPB will automatically release if
the vehicle is running, placed into
gear, and an attempt is made to drive
away. Avoid rapid acceleration when
the EPB is applied, to preserve parking
brake lining life.
Brake Assist
This vehicle has a brake assist feature
designed to assist the driver in
stopping or decreasing vehicle speed
in emergency driving conditions. This
feature uses the stability system
hydraulic brake control module to
supplement the power brake system
under conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle. The
stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the vehicle
until the ABS activates. Minor brake
pedal pulsation or pedal movement
during this time is normal and the
driver should continue to apply the
brake pedal as the driving situation
dictates. The brake assist feature willautomatically disengage when the
brake pedal is released or brake pedal
pressure is quickly decreased.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
This vehicle has a Hill Start Assist
(HSA) feature, which may be useful
when the vehicle is stopped on a
grade sufficient enough to activate
HSA. This feature is designed to
prevent the vehicle from rolling, either
forward or rearward, during vehicle
drive off. After the driver completely
stops and holds the vehicle in a
complete standstill on a grade, HSA
will be automatically activated. During
the transition period between when
the driver releases the brake pedal and
starts to accelerate to drive off on a
grade, HSA holds the braking pressure
for a maximum of two seconds to
ensure that there is no rolling. The
brakes will automatically release when
the accelerator pedal is applied within
the two-second window. It will not
activate if the vehicle is in a drive gear
and facing downhill, or if the vehicle
is facing uphill and in R (Reverse).
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) and StabiliTrak, an
electronic stability control system.
These systems help limit wheel slip
and assist the driver in maintaining
control, especially on slippery road
conditions.
TCS activates if it senses that any of
the drive wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. On an
All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) vehicle, the
system will operate if it senses that
any of the wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, TCS applies the brakes to the
spinning wheels and reduces engine
power to limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak activates when the system
senses a discrepancy between the
intended path and the direction the
vehicle is actually traveling.
StabiliTrak selectively applies braking

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11354412) -
2018 - crc - 11/16/17
194 DRIVING AND OPERATING
pressure at any one of the vehicle's
brakes to help steer the vehicle in the
direction which you are steering.
If cruise control is being used and
traction control or StabiliTrak begins
to limit wheel spin, cruise control will
disengage. Cruise control may be
turned back on when road conditions
allow.
Both systems come on automatically
when the vehicle is started and begins
to move. The systems may be heard or
felt while they are operating or while
performing diagnostic checks. This is
normal and does not mean there is a
problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both
systems on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary to
turn TCS off if the vehicle gets stuck
in sand, mud, ice, or snow. SeeIf the
Vehicle Is Stuck 0176 and “Turning
the Systems Off and On ”later in this
section.
The indicator light for both systems is
in the instrument cluster. This
light will:
. Flash when TCS is limiting
wheel spin.
. Flash when StabiliTrak is
activated.
. Turn on and stay on when either
system is not working.
If either system fails to turn on or to
activate, a message may display in the
Driver Information Center (DIC), and
dcomes on and stays on to indicate
that the system is inactive and is not
assisting the driver in maintaining
control. The vehicle is safe to drive,
but driving should be adjusted
accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle. 2. Turn the engine off and wait
15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
Drive the vehicle. If
dcomes on and
stays on, the vehicle may need more
time to diagnose the problem. If the
condition persists, see your dealer.
Turning the Systems Off and On
The button for TCS and StabiliTrak is
on the center stack.