Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/14/19
DRIVING AND OPERATING 183
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Follow these recommended guidelines
during the first 2 400 km (1,500 mi) of
driving this vehicle. Parts have a
break-in period and performance will
be better in the long run.
For the first 2 400 km (1,500 mi):
.Avoid full throttle starts and
abrupt stops.
. Do not exceed 4000 engine rpm.
. Avoid driving at any one constant
speed, fast or slow.
. Avoid downshifting to brake or
slow the vehicle when the engine
speed will exceed 4000 rpm.
. Do not let the engine labor. Never
lug the engine in high gear at low
speeds.
. Do not participate in track events,
sport driving schools, or similar
activities during this break-in
period. .
Check engine oil with every
refueling and add if necessary. Oil
and fuel consumption may be
higher than normal during the
first 2 400 km (1,500 mi).
. To break in new tires, drive at
moderate speeds and avoid hard
cornering for the first
300 km (200 mi). New tires do not
have maximum traction and may
tend to slip.
. New brake linings also need a
break–in period. Avoid making
hard stops during the first
300 km (200 mi). This is
recommended every time brake
linings are replaced.
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 10.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be on and the brake pedal must
be applied.
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/14/19
186 DRIVING AND OPERATING
too much gasoline. Try pushing
the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and holding it there
as you press ENGINE START/
STOP. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to allow the
cranking motor to cool down.
When the engine starts, release
the accelerator. If the vehicle
starts briefly but then stops
again, do the same thing. This
clears the extra gasoline from the
engine. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Stop/Start System
If equipped, the Stop/Start system will
shut off the engine to help conserve
fuel. It has components designed for
the increased number of starts.
{Warning
The automatic engine Stop/Start
feature causes the engine to shut
off while the vehicle is still on. Do
not exit the vehicle before shifting
to P (Park). The vehicle may restart
and move unexpectedly. Always
shift to P (Park), and then turn the
ignition off before exiting the
vehicle.
Auto Engine Stop/Start
When the brakes are applied and the
vehicle is at a complete stop, the
engine may turn off. When stopped,
the tachometer displays AUTO STOP.
See Tachometer 0116. When the brake
pedal is released or the accelerator
pedal is pressed, the engine will
restart.
To maintain vehicle performance,
other conditions may cause the engine
to automatically restart before the
brake pedal is released. Auto Stops may not occur and/or Auto
Starts may occur because:
.
The climate control settings
require the engine to be running
to cool or heat the vehicle interior.
. The vehicle battery charge is low.
. The vehicle battery has recently
been disconnected.
. Minimum vehicle speed has not
been reached since the last
Auto Stop.
. The accelerator pedal is pressed.
. The engine or transmission is not
at the required operating
temperature.
. The outside temperature is not in
the required operating range.
. The vehicle transmission is shifted
out of D (Drive) to any gear other
than P (Park).
. Driver modes have been selected.
. The vehicle is on a steep hill or
grade.
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/14/19
DRIVING AND OPERATING 259
Recommended Fuel (4.2L
Twin Turbo V8 Engine)
Use premium unleaded gasoline
meeting ASTM specification D4814
with a posted octane rating of 93—
(R+M)/2. If unavailable, unleaded
gasoline with a posted octane rating
of 91 may be used, but with reduced
performance and fuel economy. If the
octane is less than 91, the engine
could be damaged and the repairs
would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. If heavy knocking is heard
when using gasoline rated at
93 octane, the engine needs service.
Do not use any fuel labeled E85 or
FlexFuel. Do not use gasoline with
ethanol levels greater than 15% by
volume.
Prohibited Fuels
Caution
Do not use fuels with any of the
following conditions; doing so may
damage the vehicle and void its
warranty:
. For vehicles that are not
FlexFuel, fuel labeled greater
than 15% ethanol by volume,
such as mid-level ethanol
blends (16–50% ethanol), E85,
or FlexFuel.
. Fuel with any amount of
methanol, methylal, ferrocene,
and aniline. These fuels can
corrode metal fuel system
parts or damage plastic and
rubber parts.
. Fuel containing metals such
as methylcyclopentadienyl
manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT), which can damage
the emissions control system
and spark plugs.
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
.Fuel with a posted octane
rating of less than the
recommended fuel. Using this
fuel will lower fuel economy
and performance, and may
decrease the life of the
emissions catalyst.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
The U.S., Canada, and Mexico post
fuel octane ratings in anti-knock index
(AKI). For fuel not to use in a foreign
country, see Prohibited Fuels 0259.
Fuel Additives
TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline is highly
recommended for use with your
vehicle. If your country does not have
TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline, add
ACDelco Fuel System Treatment Plus
−Gasoline to the vehicle’s gasoline fuel
tank at every oil change or 15 000 km
(9,000 mi), whichever occurs first. TOP
TIER Detergent Gasoline and ACDelco
Fuel System Treatment Plus−Gasoline
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/14/19
DRIVING AND OPERATING 263
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 M (Manual Mode).
See Manual Mode 0197.
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:
. Automatic Emergency
Braking (AEB)
. 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)
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/14/19
DRIVING AND OPERATING 265
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.
Vehicles 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 Overheating0288.
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, release the regular brakes
until the chocks absorb the load.
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 0359. 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.
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/11/19
270 VEHICLE CARE
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . 281
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 282
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . 292
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 295
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 295
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . 297
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 298
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 298
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . 306
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 317 Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 324
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 333
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/11/19
VEHICLE CARE 275
1. Engine Coolant Surge Tank andPressure Cap. See Cooling System
0 284.
2. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0282.
3. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System 0284.
4. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil
0 277.
5. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil 0277.
6. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0343.
7. Engine Compartment Fuse Block
0299.
8. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0291.
9. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 289.
10. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0343.
Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/11/19
VEHICLE CARE 277
1. Passenger Side EngineCompartment Fuse Block. See
Engine Compartment Fuse Block
0299.
2. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System
0 284.
3. Passenger Side Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. See Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter 0282.
4. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil
0 277.
5. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil 0277.
6. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System 0284.
7. Driver Side Engine Air Cleaner/ Filter. See Engine Air Cleaner/
Filter 0282.
8. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0343.
9. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0291. 10. Windshield Washer Fluid
Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 289.
11. Driver Side Engine Compartment Fuse Block. See Engine
Compartment Fuse Block 0299.
12. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0343.
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” later in
this section. .
Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System 0280.
. 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 0274 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.