
Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11354412) -
2018 - crc - 11/16/17
152 LIGHTING
Lighting
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . . 152
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 153
Headlamp High/Low-BeamChanger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Automatic Headlamp System . . . 154
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . . 155
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Cornering Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Battery Power Protection . . . . . . . . 158
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls
The exterior lamp control is on the
turn signal lever.
Turn the control to the following
positions:
O:Turns off the exterior lamps. The
knob returns to the AUTO position
after it is released. Turn to
Oagain to
reactivate the AUTO mode.
In Canada, the headlamps will
automatically reactivate when the
vehicle is shifted out of P (Park).
AUTO : Automatically turns the
exterior lamps on and off, depending
on outside lighting.
;: Turns on the parking lamps
including all lamps, except the
headlamps.
2: Turns on the headlamps together
with the parking lamps and
instrument panel lights.
IntelliBeam®System
If equipped, this system turns the
vehicle's high-beam headlamps on and
off according to surrounding traffic
conditions.
The system turns the high-beam
headlamps on when it is dark enough
and there is no other traffic present.
This light comes on in the instrument
cluster when the IntelliBeam system
is enabled.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11354412) -
2018 - crc - 11/16/17
154 LIGHTING
This indicator light turns on in the
instrument cluster when the
high-beam headlamps are on.
Flash-to-Pass
To flash the high beams, pull the turn
signal lever toward you, and release.
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
DRL can make it easier for others to
see the front of your vehicle during
the day. Fully functional DRL are
required on all vehicles first sold in
Canada.
The dedicated DRL will come on when
all of the following conditions are met:
.The ignition is on.
. The exterior lamp control is
in AUTO. .
The light sensor determines it is
daytime.
. The parking brake is released or
the vehicle is not in P (Park).
When the DRL are on, the taillamps,
sidemarker lamps, and other lamps
will not be on.
The DRL turn off when the headlamps
are turned to
Oor the ignition is off.
For vehicles first sold in Canada, the
DRL can only be turned off when the
vehicle is parked.
Automatic Headlamp
System
When the exterior lamp control is set
to AUTO and it is dark enough
outside, the headlamps come on
automatically.
There is a light sensor on top of the
instrument panel. Do not cover the
sensor.
The system may also turn on the
headlamps when driving through a
parking garage or tunnel.
If the vehicle is started in a dark
garage, the automatic headlamp
system comes on immediately. If it is
light outside when the vehicle leaves
the garage, there is a slight delay
before the automatic headlamp
system changes to the DRL. During
that delay, the instrument cluster may
not be as bright as usual. Make sure
the instrument panel brightness
control is in the full bright position.
See Instrument Panel Illumination
Control 0156.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11354412) -
2018 - crc - 11/16/17
LIGHTING 155
When it is bright enough outside, the
headlamps will turn off or may change
to Daytime Running Lamps (DRL).
The automatic headlamp system turns
off when the exterior lamp control is
turned to
Oor the ignition is off.
For vehicles sold in Canada, this
control only works when the
transmission is in P (Park).
Lights On with Wipers
If the windshield wipers are activated
in daylight with the engine on, and
the exterior lamp control is in AUTO,
the headlamps, parking lamps, and
other exterior lamps come on. The
transition time for the lamps coming
on varies based on wiper speed. When
the wipers are not operating, these
lamps turn off. Move the exterior
lamp control to
Oor;to disable
this feature.
Hazard Warning Flashers
|: Press this button on the center
stack to make the front and rear turn
signal lamps flash on and off. Press
again to turn the flashers off.
The hazard warning flashers turn on
automatically if the airbags deploy.
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals
Move the lever all the way up or down
to signal a turn.
An arrow on the instrument cluster
flashes in the direction of the turn or
lane change.
Raise or lower the lever until the
arrow starts to flash to signal a lane
change. Hold it there until the lane
change is completed. If the lever is
briefly pressed and released, the turn
signal flashes three times.
The turn and lane-change signal can
be turned off manually by moving the
lever back to its original position.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11354412) -
2018 - crc - 11/16/17
158 LIGHTING
Exit Lighting
Some exterior lamps and interior
lights come on at night, or in areas
with limited lighting, when the driver
door is opened after the ignition is
turned off. The dome lamp comes on
after the ignition is turned off. The
exterior lamps and dome lamp remain
on for a set amount of time, then
automatically turn off.
The exterior lamps turn off
immediately by turning the exterior
lamp control off.
This feature can be changed. See
Vehicle Personalization0143.
Battery Power Protection
The battery saver feature is designed
to protect the vehicle's battery.
If some interior lamps are left on and
the ignition is turned off, the battery
rundown protection system
automatically turns the lamp off after
some time.
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver
The exterior lamps turn off about
10 minutes after the ignition is turned
off, if the parking lamps or headlamps
have been manually left on. This
protects against draining the battery.
To restart the 10-minute timer, turn
the exterior lamp control to the off
position and then back to the parking
lamp or headlamp position.
To keep the lamps on for more than
10 minutes, the ignition must be on or
in ACC/ACCESSORY.

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
172 DRIVING AND OPERATING
If power steering assist is lost due to a
system malfunction, the vehicle can
be steered, but may require increased
effort.
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is
held against that position for an
extended period of time, power
steering assist may be reduced.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time while the
vehicle is not moving, power assist
may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the system
cools down.
See your dealer if there is a problem.
Variable Effort Steering
Some vehicles have a steering system
that varies the amount of effort
required to steer the vehicle in
relation to the speed of the vehicle.
The amount of steering effort required
is less at slower speeds to make the
vehicle more maneuverable and easier
to park. At faster speeds, the steeringeffort increases to provide a sport-like
feel to the steering. This provides
maximum control and stability.
Hydraulic Power Steering
If the vehicle has hydraulic power
steering, it may require maintenance.
See
Power Steering Fluid (LFX with
FWD) 0250 orPower Steering Fluid
(LF3 and LFX with AWD) 0250.
If power steering assist is lost because
the engine stops or there is a system
malfunction, the vehicle can be
steered but may require increased
effort. See your dealer if there is a
problem.
Caution
If the steering wheel is turned until
it reaches the end of its travel, and
is held in that position for more
than 15 seconds, damage may occur
to the power steering system and
there may be loss of power steering
assist.
Curve Tips
. Take curves at a reasonable speed.
. Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
. Maintain a reasonable, steady
speed through the curve.
. Wait until the vehicle is out of the
curve before accelerating gently
into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may be
more effective than braking.
. Holding both sides of the steering
wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
. Antilock Brake System (ABS)
allows steering while braking.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11354412) -
2018 - crc - 11/16/17
DRIVING AND OPERATING 181
Caution (Continued)
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake
linings.
Following break-in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
Ignition Positions
The vehicle has an electronic keyless
ignition with pushbutton start. The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter must be in the vehicle for
the system to operate. If the
pushbutton start is not working, the
vehicle may be near a strong radio
antenna signal causing interference to
the Keyless Access system. See
Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation
0 28.
To shift out of P (Park), the vehicle
must be on and the brake pedal must
be applied.
Stopping the Engine/OFF (No
Indicator Lights) : When the vehicle
is stopped, press ENGINE START/
STOP once to turn the engine off.
If the vehicle is in P (Park), the
ignition will turn off, and Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) 0185.
If the vehicle is not in P (Park), the
ignition will return to ACC/
ACCESSORY and display the message
SHIFT TO PARK in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). When the
vehicle is shifted into P (Park), the
ignition will turn off. Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake and
steering systems and disable the
airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to a
safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the
ignition off.
4. Set the parking brake. See Electric Parking Brake 0191.