Cadillac XT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 249
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 Tires0284 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
Loaded trailers over 450 kg (1,000 lb)
must be equipped with brake systems
and with brakes for each axle. Trailer
braking equipment conforming to
Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
requirement CAN3-D313, or its
equivalent, is recommended.
State or local regulations may require
trailers to have their own braking
system if the loaded weight of the
trailer exceeds certain requirements
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 and could result in a crash.
Trailer Wiring
The trailer wiring harness (if
equipped), with a 7-pin connector is
located at the rear of the vehicle, and
it is tied to the vehicle's frame.
If the vehicle is not equipped with a
7-pin trailer connector, the body
harness has provisions to connect a
trailer harness and a 7-pin trailer
connector which is available through
your dealer.
Use only a round, seven-wire
connector with flat blade terminals
meeting SAE J2863 specifications for
proper electrical connectivity.
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(ITBC) system, and the trailer has an
electric brake system, StabiliTrak/ESC
may also apply the trailer brakes.
If TSC is enabled, the Traction Control
System (TCS)/StabiliTrak/ESC warning
light will flash on the instrument
cluster. Reduce vehicle speed by
gradually removing your foot from the
accelerator. If trailer sway continues,
StabiliTrak/ESC can reduce engine
torque to help slow the vehicle. TSC
will not function if StabiliTrak/ESC is
turned off. SeeTraction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0205.
{Warning
Trailer sway can result in a crash
and in serious injury or death, even
if the vehicle is equipped with TSC.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
If the trailer begins to sway, reduce
vehicle speed by gradually removing
your foot from the accelerator. Then
pull over to check the trailer and
vehicle to help correct possible
causes, including an improperly or
overloaded trailer, unrestrained
cargo, improper trailer hitch
configuration, or improperly
inflated or incorrect vehicle or
trailer tires. SeeTowing Equipment
0 247 for trailer ratings and hitch
setup recommendations.
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.
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).
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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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California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag initiators,
seat belt pretensioners, and lithium
batteries contained in Remote Keyless
Entry transmitters, may contain
perchlorate materials. Special
handling may be necessary. For
additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non-dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride and
handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered by
the vehicle warranty.Damage to suspension components
caused by modifying vehicle height
outside of factory settings will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non-GM certified
parts, including control module or
software modifications, is not covered
under the terms of the vehicle
warranty and may affect remaining
warranty coverage for affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle using
genuine GM Accessories installed by a
dealer technician.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 086.
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
{Warning
It can be dangerous to work on
your vehicle if you do not have the
proper knowledge, service manual,
tools, or parts. Always follow
owner’s manual procedures and
consult the service manual for your
vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service manual.
It tells you much more about how to
service the vehicle than this manual
can. To order the proper service
manual, see Publication Ordering
Information 0359.
This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 086.
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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.
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VEHICLE CARE 267
Washer Fluid
What to Use
When windshield washer fluid is
needed, be sure to read the
manufacturer's instructions before
use. If operating the vehicle in an area
where the temperature may fall below
freezing, use a fluid that has sufficient
protection against freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
The appropriate message will appear
in the Driver Information Center (DIC)
when the fluid level is low.
Open the cap with the washer symbol
on it. Add washer fluid until the tank
is full. SeeEngine Compartment
Overview 0257 for reservoir location.
Caution
.
Do not use washer fluid that
contains any type of water
repellent coating. This can
cause the wiper blades to
chatter or skip.
. Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the windshield
washer. It can damage the
windshield washer system
and paint.
. 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
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
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.
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268 VEHICLE CARE
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 0347.
Brake pads should be replaced as
complete 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.
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder reservoir is
filled with GM approved DOT 3 brake
fluid as indicated on the reservoir cap.
See Engine Compartment Overview
0 257 for the location of the reservoir.
Checking Brake Fluid
With the vehicle in P (Park) on a level
surface, the brake fluid level should be
between the minimum and maximum
marks on the brake fluid reservoir. There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in the reservoir may
go down:
.
Normal brake lining wear. When
new linings are installed, the fluid
level goes back up.
. A fluid leak in the brake hydraulic
system. Have the brake hydraulic
system fixed. With a leak, the
brakes will not work well.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir
cap and the area around the cap
before removing it.
Do not top off the brake fluid. Adding
fluid does not correct a leak. If fluid is
added when the linings are worn,
there will be too much fluid when
new brake linings are installed. Add or
remove fluid, as necessary, only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic
system.
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VEHICLE CARE 269
{Warning
If too much brake fluid is added, it
can spill on the engine and burn,
if the engine is hot enough. You or
others could be burned, and the
vehicle could be damaged. Add
brake fluid only when work is done
on the brake hydraulic system.
When the brake fluid falls to a low
level, the brake warning light comes
on. See Brake System Warning Light
0 134.
Brake fluid absorbs water over time
which degrades the effectiveness of
the brake fluid. Replace brake fluid at
the specified intervals to prevent
increased stopping distance. See
Maintenance Schedule 0334.
What to Add
Use only GM approved DOT 3 brake
fluid from a clean, sealed container.
See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0343.
{Warning
The wrong or contaminated brake
fluid could result in damage to the
brake system. This could result in
the loss of braking leading to a
possible injury. Always use the
proper GM approved brake fluid.
Caution
If brake fluid is spilled on the
vehicle's painted surfaces, the paint
finish can be damaged. Immediately
wash off any painted surface.
Battery - North America
The original equipment battery is
maintenance free. Do not remove the
cap and do not add fluid.
Refer to the replacement number on
the original battery label when a new
battery is needed. For replacement of
the battery, see your dealer. The vehicle has an Absorbed Glass
Mat (AGM) 12-volt battery.
Installation of a standard 12-volt
battery will result in reduced 12-volt
battery life.
When using a 12-volt battery charger
on the 12-volt AGM battery, some
chargers have an AGM battery setting
on the charger. If available, use the
AGM setting on the charger, to limit
charge voltage to 14.8 volts.
Stop/Start System
This vehicle has a Stop/Start system
to shut off the engine to help
conserve fuel. See
Stop/Start System
0 190.
{Warning
WARNING: Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth
defects or other reproductive harm.
Batteries also contain other
(Continued)