Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12533370) -
2019 - crc - 1/23/19
286 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Towing Equipment
Hitches
Always use the correct hitch
equipment for your vehicle.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by, and
rough roads can affect the trailer and
the hitch.
Never attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches. Only use
frame-mounted hitches that do not
attach to the bumper.
Always seal any holes in your vehicle
if the trailer hitch removed. If not
sealed, dirt, water, and carbon
monoxide (CO) from the exhaust may
enter your vehicle. SeeEngine Exhaust
0 209.
Tires
.
Do not tow a trailer while using a
compact spare tire on the vehicle.
. Tires must be properly inflated to
support loads while towing a
trailer. See Tires0339 for
instructions on proper tire
inflation.
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer, and attach the
chains to the holes on the trailer hitch
platform. Instructions about safety
chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer
manufacturer.
Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer to help prevent
the tongue from contacting the road if
it becomes separated from the hitch.
Always leave just enough slack so the
combination can turn. Never allow
safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
State or local regulations may require
trailers to have their own braking
system if the loaded weight of the
trailer exceeds certain minimums that
can vary from state to state. Read and
follow the instructions for the trailer
brakes so they are installed, adjusted,
and maintained properly. Never
attempt to tap into your vehicle's
hydraulic brake system. If you do, both the vehicle anti-lock brakes and
the trailer brakes may not function,
which could result in a crash.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
When properly connected, the trailer
turn signals will illuminate to indicate
the vehicle is turning, changing lanes,
or stopping. When towing a trailer,
the arrows on the instrument cluster
will illuminate even if the trailer is not
properly connected or the bulbs are
burned out.
Trailer Tires
Special Trailer (ST) tires differ from
vehicle tires. Trailer tires are designed
with stiff sidewalls to help prevent
sway and to support heavy loads.
These features can make it difficult to
determine if the trailer tire pressures
are low only based on a visual
inspection.
Always check all trailer tire pressures
before each trip when the tires are
cool. Low trailer tire pressure is a
leading cause of trailer tire blow-outs.
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12533370) -
2019 - crc - 1/23/19
DRIVING AND OPERATING 287
Trailer tires deteriorate over time. The
trailer tire sidewall will show the week
and year the tire was manufactured.
Many trailer tire manufacturers
recommend replacing tires more than
six years old.
Overloading is another leading cause
of trailer tire blow-outs. Never load
your trailer with more weight than the
tires are designed to support. The load
rating is located on the trailer tire
sidewall.
Always know the maximum speed
rating for the trailer tires before
driving. This may be significantly
lower than the vehicle tire speed
rating. The speed rating may be on
the trailer tire sidewall. If the speed
rating is not shown, the default trailer
tire speed rating is 105 km/h
(65 mph).Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is
used for vehicle service and
Emission Inspection/Maintenance
testing. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp (Check Engine Light) 0139.
A device connected to the DLC —
such as an aftermarket fleet or
driver-behavior tracking device —
may interfere with vehicle systems.
This could affect vehicle operation
and cause a crash. Such devices
may also access information stored
in the vehicle’s systems.
Caution
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle or cause
components to not work and would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Always check with your
dealer before adding electrical
equipment.
Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12-volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see Servicing
the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 094 and
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 094.
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12533370) -
2019 - crc - 1/23/19
288 VEHICLE CARE
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . 304
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 304
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315 Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . 316
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 319
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 319
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 322
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 322
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . 330
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 341 Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 348
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 357
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12533370) -
2019 - crc - 1/23/19
314 VEHICLE CARE
Caution (Continued)
.Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the solution
to freeze and damage the
washer fluid tank and other
parts of the washer system.
. When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer instructions for
adding water.
. Fill the washer fluid tank only
three-quarters full when it is
very cold. This allows for
fluid expansion if freezing
occurs, which could damage
the tank if it is
completely full.
Brakes
Disc brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or can be heard all the time when the vehicle is
moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.
{Warning
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will not
work well. That could lead to a
crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Caution
Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly
brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications. See
Capacities and
Specifications 0397.
Brake pads should always be replaced
as complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does
not return to normal height, or if
there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign that brake
service may be required.
Replacing Brake System Parts
Always replace brake system parts
with new, approved replacement parts.
If this is not done, the brakes may not
work properly. The braking
performance expected can change in
many other ways if the wrong
replacement brake parts are installed
or if parts are improperly installed.
Electric Brake Boost
If equipped, this vehicle may have an
electrically boosted power braking
system. The system works with the
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12533370) -
2019 - crc - 1/23/19
VEHICLE CARE 339
Wheels and Tires
Tires
Every new GM vehicle has
high-quality tires made by a
leading tire manufacturer. See the
warranty manual for information
regarding the tire warranty and
where to get service. For
additional information refer to the
tire manufacturer.
{Warning
.Poorly maintained and
improperly used tires are
dangerous.
.Overloading the tires can
cause overheating as a
result of too much flexing.
There could be a blowout
and a serious crash. See
Vehicle Load Limits0197.
(Continued)
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 0347 for inflation
pressure adjustment for
high-speed driving.
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12533370) -
2019 - crc - 1/23/19
340 VEHICLE CARE
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 0340.
Winter Tires
This vehicle was not originally
equipped with winter tires. Winter
tires are designed for increased
traction on snow and ice-covered 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, see
Buying New Tires
0 355.
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.
Low-Profile Tires
If the vehicle has 245/45R19, 245/
40R20, or 245/40ZR20 size tires,
they are classified as low-profile
tires.
Caution
Low-profile tires are more
susceptible to damage from road
hazards or curb impact than
standard profile tires. Tire and/or
wheel assembly damage can occur
when coming into contact with
road hazards like potholes, or sharp
edged objects, or when sliding into
a curb. The warranty does not cover
this type of damage. Keep tires set
to the correct inflation pressure and
when possible, avoid contact with
curbs, potholes, and other road
hazards.
Summer Tires
This vehicle may come with 245/
40ZR20 high performance summer
tires. These tires have a special tread
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12533370) -
2019 - crc - 1/23/19
VEHICLE CARE 341
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.
SeeWinter Tires 0340.
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
been subjected to −7 °C (20 °F) or
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
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
0 353.
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.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example
(1) Tire Size:The tire size is a
combination of letters and
numbers used to define a
particular tire's width, height,
aspect ratio, construction type,
and service description. See the
“Tire Size ”illustration later in this
section.
(2) TPC Spec (Tire Performance
Criteria Specification)
:Original
equipment tires designed to GM's
specific tire performance criteria
have a TPC specification code
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12533370) -
2019 - crc - 1/23/19
342 VEHICLE CARE
molded onto the sidewall. GM's
TPC specifications meet or exceed
all federal safety guidelines.
(3) DOT (Department of
Transportation)
:The
Department of Transportation
(DOT) code indicates that the tire
is in compliance with the U.S.
Department of Transportation
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
DOT Tire Date of Manufacture
:
The last four digits of the TIN
indicate the tire manufactured
date. The first two digits represent
the week (01–52) and the last two
digits, the year. For example, the
third week of the year 2010 would
have a four-digit DOT date
of 0310.
(4) Tire Identification Number
(TIN)
:The letters and numbers
following the DOT (Department of
Transportation) code are the Tire
Identification Number (TIN). The
TIN shows the manufacturer and
plant code, tire size, and date the tire was manufactured. The TIN is
molded onto both sides of the tire,
although only one side may have
the date of manufacture.
(5) Tire Ply Material
:The type
of cord and number of plies in the
sidewall and under the tread.
(6) Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG)
:Tire
manufacturers are required to
grade tires based on three
performance factors: treadwear,
traction, and temperature
resistance. For more information
see Uniform Tire Quality Grading
0 357.
(7) Maximum Cold Inf lation
Load Limit
:Maximum load that
can be carried and the maximum
pressure needed to support
that load.
Compact Spare Tire Example
(1) Tire Ply Material:The type
of cord and number of plies in the
sidewall and under the tread.
(2) Temporary Use Only
:The
compact spare tire or temporary
use tire should not be driven at
speeds over 80 km/h (50 mph).
The compact spare tire is for
emergency use when a regular
road tire has lost air and gone flat.
If the vehicle has a compact spare
tire, see Compact Spare Tire 0366
and If a Tire Goes Flat 0359.