
Cadillac XT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 241
important for your safety and that of
your passengers. Read this section
carefully before pulling a trailer.
When towing a trailer:
.Become familiar with and follow
all state and local laws that apply
to trailer towing. These
requirements vary from state to
state.
. State laws may require the use of
extended side view mirrors. Even if
not required, you should install
extended side view mirrors if your
visibility is limited or restricted
while towing.
. Do not tow a trailer during the
first 800 km (500 mi) of vehicle
use to prevent damage to the
engine, axle, or other parts.
. It is recommended to perform the
first oil change before heavy
towing.
. During the first 800 km (500 mi)
of trailer towing, do not drive over
80 km/h (50 mph) and do not
make starts at full throttle. .
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive).
If the transmission downshifts too
often, a lower gear may be
selected using Manual Mode See
Manual Mode 0199.
If equipped, the following driver
assistance features should be turned
off when towing a trailer:
. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
. Super Cruise Control
. Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
. Park Assist
. Automatic Parking Assist (APA)
. Reverse Automatic Braking (RAB)
If equipped, the following driver
assistance features should be turned
to alert or off when towing a trailer:
. Forward Automatic Braking
System (FAB)
. Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA)
. Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB)
If equipped with Lane Change Alert
(LCA), the LCA detection zones that
extend back from the side of the
vehicle do not move further back when a trailer is towed. Use caution
while changing lanes when towing a
trailer.
If equipped with Rear Cross Traffic
Alert (RCTA), use caution while
backing up when towing a trailer, as
the RCTA detection zones that extend
out from the back of the vehicle do
not move further back when a trailer
is towed.
{Warning
To prevent serious injury or death
from carbon monoxide (CO), when
towing a trailer:
. Do not drive with the liftgate,
trunk/hatch, or rear-most
window open.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
(Continued)

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242 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Warning (Continued)
.Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
brings in only outside air. See
“Climate Control Systems” in
the Index.
For more information about carbon
monoxide, see Engine Exhaust
0 194.
Towing a trailer requires experience.
The combination of the vehicle and
trailer is longer and not as responsive
as the vehicle itself. Get used to the
handling and braking of the
combination by driving on a level road
surface before driving on public roads.
The trailer structure, the tires, and the
brakes must be all be rated to carry
the intended cargo. Inadequate trailer
equipment can cause the combination
to operate in an unexpected or unsafe
manner. Before driving, inspect all
trailer hitch parts and attachments,
safety chains, electrical connectors,
lamps, tires, and mirrors. See Towing
Equipment 0247. If the trailer has electric brakes, start the combination
moving and then manually apply the
trailer brake controller to check the
trailer brakes work. During the trip,
occasionally check that the cargo and
trailer are secure and that the lamps
and any trailer brakes are working.
Towing with a Stability Control
System
When towing, the stability control
system might be heard. The system
reacts to vehicle movement caused by
the trailer, which mainly occurs
during cornering. This is normal when
towing heavier trailers.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving without a trailer. This can help
to avoid heavy braking and sudden
turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed when
towing a trailer. The combination will
not accelerate as quickly and is much
longer so it is necessary to go much
farther beyond the passed vehicle before returning to the lane. Pass on
level roadways. Avoid passing on hills
if possible.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. To move the trailer to
the left, move that hand to the left. To
move the trailer to the right, move
that hand to the right. Always back up
slowly and, if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Caution
Turn more slowly and make wider
arcs when towing a trailer to
prevent damage to your vehicle.
Making very sharp turns could
cause the trailer to contact the
vehicle.
Make wider turns than normal when
towing, so trailer will not go over soft
shoulders, over curbs, or strike road

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 243
signs, trees, or other objects. Always
signal turns well in advance. Do not
steer or brake suddenly.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before starting down a long or steep
downhill grade. If the transmission is
not shifted down, the brakes may
overheat and result in reduced braking
efficiency.
The vehicle can tow in D (Drive). Shift
the transmission to a lower gear if the
transmission shifts too often under
heavy loads and/or hilly conditions.
When towing at higher altitudes,
engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than at lower 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,
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 Overheating0265.
Parking on Hills
{Warning
To prevent serious injury or death,
always park your vehicle and trailer
on a level surface when possible.
When parking your vehicle and your
trailer 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, gradually release the brake
pedal to allow the chocks to
absorb the load of the trailer.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply 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. .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 used to tow trailers. See
Maintenance Schedule 0334. It is
especially important to check the
automatic transmission fluid, engine
oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling
system, and brake system before and
during each trip.
Check periodically that all nuts and
bolts on the trailer hitch are tight.

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 245
To check that the weight of the
vehicle and trailer are within the
GCWR for the vehicle, follow these
steps:
.Start with the “curb weight”fro the
Trailering Information Label
. Add the weight of the trailer
loaded with cargo and ready for
the trip
. Add the weight of all passengers
. Add the weight of all cargo in the
vehicle
. Add the weight of hitch hardware
such as a draw bar, ball, load
equalizer bars, or sway bars
. Add the weight of any accessories
or aftermarket equipment added
to the vehicle
The resulting weight cannot exceed
the GCWR value shown on the
Trailering Information Label.
The gross combined weight can also
be confirmed by weighing the truck
and trailer on a public scale. The truck
and trailer should be loaded for the
trip with passengers and cargo.
Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR)
For information about the vehicle's
maximum load capacity, see Vehicle
Load Limits 0183. When calculating
the GVWR with a trailer attached, the
trailer tongue weight must be
included as part of the weight the
vehicle is carrying.
Maximum Trailer Weight Rating
The maximum trailer weight rating is
calculated assuming the tow vehicle
has a driver, a front seat passenger,
and all required trailering equipment.
This value represents the heaviest
trailer the vehicle can tow, but it may
be necessary to reduce the trailer
weight to stay within the GCW,
GVWR, maximum trailer tongue load,
or GAWR-RR for the vehicle.
Use the tow rating chart to determine
how much the trailer can weigh, based
on the vehicle model, powertrain and
trailering options.

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VEHICLE CARE 253
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 262
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . 269
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270 Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 271
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 272
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Headlamps and Front Turn Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 275
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 275
Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . 279
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 286 Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 293
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 301
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318

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254 VEHICLE CARE
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - NorthAmerica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . 322
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit your
dealer. You will receive genuine GM
parts and GM-trained and supported
service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of these
marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
{Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, as well as many of its service
parts and fluids, contain and/or
emit chemicals known to the State
of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive
harm. Engine exhaust, many parts
and systems, many fluids, and
some component wear by-products
contain and/or emit these
chemicals. For more information go
to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See Battery - North America 0269 and
Jump Starting - North America 0319
and the back cover.

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256 VEHICLE CARE
If equipped with remote vehicle start,
open the hood before performing any
service work to prevent remote
starting the vehicle accidentally. See
Remote Vehicle Start033.
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of
any service work performed. See
Maintenance Records 0345.
Caution
Even small amounts of
contamination can cause damage to
vehicle systems. Do not allow
contaminants to contact the fluids,
reservoir caps, or dipsticks.
Hood
To open the hood:
1. Pull the hood release lever with
this symbol on it. It is inside the
vehicle on the lower side of the
instrument panel.
2. Go to the front of the vehicle tofind the secondary hood release
handle. The handle is under the
front edge of the hood near the
center. Push the handle to the
right, then raise the hood.
To close the hood: 1. Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are on properly.
2. Lower the hood from full open to within 15 cm (6 in) from the
closed position, pause, then push
the front center of the hood with
a swift, firm motion to fully close
the hood. Check to make sure
the hood is closed and repeat the
process if necessary.

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258 VEHICLE CARE
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0262.
2. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil
0 258.
3. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil 0258.
4. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System 0262.
5. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0268.
6. Battery - North America 0269.
7. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System
0 262.
8. Positive (+) Battery Terminal (Under Cover). See Jump Starting
- North America 0319.
9. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 267.
10. Engine Compartment Fuse Block
0276.
11. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0319.Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine performance
and long life, careful attention must
be paid to engine oil. Following these
simple, but important steps will help
protect your investment:
.
Use engine oil approved to the
proper specification and of the
proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil” in
this section.
. Check the engine oil level regularly
and maintain the proper oil level.
See “Checking Engine Oil” and
“When to Add Engine Oil” in this
section.
. Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System 0260.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly,
every 650 km (400 mi), especially prior
to a long trip. The engine oil dipstick handle is a loop. See
Engine
Compartment Overview 0257 for the
location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle may
be hot; it could burn you. Use a
towel or glove to touch the dipstick
handle.
If a low oil Driver Information Center
(DIC) message displays, check the oil
level.
Follow these guidelines:
. To get an accurate reading, park
the vehicle on level ground. Check
the engine oil level after the
engine has been off for at least
two hours. Checking the engine oil
level on steep grades or too soon
after engine shutoff can result in
incorrect readings. Accuracy
improves when checking a cold
engine prior to starting. Remove
the dipstick and check the level.