Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12984300) -
2020 - CRC - 3/19/19
200 DRIVING AND OPERATING
HSA is available when the vehicle is
facing uphill in a forward gear,
or when facing downhill in
R (Reverse). The vehicle must come to
a complete stop on a grade for HSA to
activate.Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) and StabiliTrak/
Electronic Stability Control (ESC).
These systems help limit wheel spin
and assist the driver in maintaining
control, especially on slippery road
conditions.
TCS activates if it senses that any of
the drive wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. On an
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicle in
AWD or Sport Mode, the system will
operate if it senses that any of the
wheels are spinning or beginning to
lose traction. When this happens, TCS
applies the brakes to the spinning
wheels and reduces engine power to
limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak/ESC activates when the
system senses a discrepancy between
the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling.StabiliTrak/ESC selectively applies
braking pressure at any one of the
vehicle's brakes to help steer the
vehicle in the direction which you are
steering.
If cruise control is being used and TCS
or StabiliTrak/ESC begins to limit
wheel spin, cruise control will
disengage. Cruise control may be
turned back on when road conditions
allow. TCS and StabiliTrak/ESC will
automatically turn on when cruise
control is set.
Both systems come on automatically
when the vehicle is started and begins
to move. The systems may be heard or
felt while they are operating or while
performing diagnostic checks. This is
normal and does not mean there is a
problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both
systems on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary to
turn TCS off if the vehicle gets stuck
in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See
If the
Vehicle Is Stuck 0176 and “Turning
the Systems Off and On ”later in this
section.
Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12984300) -
2020 - CRC - 3/19/19
246 DRIVING AND OPERATING
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)
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
0 189.
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 0252. 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 of
the vehicle and trailer will not
accelerate as quickly and is much
longer than the vehicle alone. It is
Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12984300) -
2020 - CRC - 3/19/19
248 DRIVING AND OPERATING
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 0333. 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.
Engine Cooling When Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. See Engine Overheating
0 272.
Trailer Towing
Caution
Towing a trailer improperly can
damage the vehicle and result in
costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. To tow a trailer
correctly, follow the directions in
this section and see your dealer for
important information about
towing a trailer with the vehicle.
Trailer Weight
{Warning
Never exceed the towing capacity
for your vehicle. Safe trailering requires monitoring the
weight, speed, altitude, road grades,
outside temperature, dimensions of
the front of the trailer, and how
frequently the vehicle is used to tow a
trailer.
Trailer Weight Ratings
When towing a trailer, the combined
weight of the vehicle, vehicle contents,
trailer, and trailer contents must be
below all of the maximum weight
ratings for the vehicle including:
.
GCWR: Gross Combined Weight
Rating
. GVWR: Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating
. Maximum Trailer Weight Rating
. Maximum Trailer Tongue Weight
See “Weight-Distributing Hitch
Adjustment ”under Towing Equipment
0 252 to determine if equalizer bars
are required to obtain the maximum
trailer weight rating.
Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12984300) -
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 255
Ground Black
Electric Trailer
BrakeBlue
Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions
If equipped, (four) blunt-cut wires are
near the driver's feet for an
aftermarket electric trailer brake
controller as part of the trailer wiring
package. The harness contains the
following circuits: Electric Trailer
Brakes Blue
Battery Feed Red/Black or
Red/Blue
Brake Apply
Signal White/Blue
Ground Black
Refer to the aftermarket electric trailer
brake controller owner's manual to
determine wire color coding of the
electric trailer brake controller. The
wire colors on the brake controller
may be different from the vehicle.
It may be necessary to have a technician connect the 12-volt power
to the engine compartment fuse block.
The electric trailer brake controller
should be installed by your dealer or a
qualified service center.
Trailer Lamps
Always check that all trailer lamps are
working at the beginning of each trip,
and periodically on longer trips.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
When properly connected, the trailer
turn signals should 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 Sway Control (TSC)
Vehicles with StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) have a Trailer
Sway Control (TSC) feature. Trailer
sway is unintended side-to-side
motion of a trailer while towing. If the
vehicle is towing a trailer and the TSC
detects that sway is increasing, the
vehicle brakes are selectively applied
to help reduce excessive trailer sway.
If equipped with the Integrated Trailer
Brake Control (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 pedal. 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. See
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0200.
Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12984300) -
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256 DRIVING AND OPERATING
{Warning
Trailer sway can result in a crash
and in serious injury or death, even
if the vehicle is equipped with TSC.
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
0 252 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 blowouts.
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 blowouts. Never load the
trailer with more weight than the tires
are designed to support. The load
rating is 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. See
Malfunction Indicator
Lamp (Check Engine Light) 0120.
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.
Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12984300) -
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258 VEHICLE CARE
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . 267
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 268
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274 Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . 276
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 277
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 278
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Bulb Replacement
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 281
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 281
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . 285
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 298
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 307
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12984300) -
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264 VEHICLE CARE
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0268.
2. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil
0 264.
3. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil 0264.
4. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System 0269.
5. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0275.
6. Battery - North America 0276.
7. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System
0 269.
8. Positive (+) Battery Terminal (Under Cover). See Jump Starting
- North America 0318.
9. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 273.
10. Engine Compartment Fuse Block
0282.
11. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0318.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 0266.
. 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 0263 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 265
.If unable to wait two hours, the
engine must be off for at least
15 minutes if the engine is warm,
or at least 30 minutes if the
engine is not warm. Pull out the
dipstick, wipe it with a clean paper
towel or cloth, then push it back
in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check
the level.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick and the
engine has been off for at least
15 minutes, add 1 L (1 qt) of the
recommended oil and then recheck
the level. See “Selecting the Right
Engine Oil” later in this section for an
explanation of what kind of oil to use.
For engine oil crankcase capacity, see
Capacities and Specifications 0347.
Caution
Do not add too much oil. Oil levels
above or below the acceptable
operating range shown on the
dipstick are harmful to the engine.
If the oil level is above the
operating range (i.e., the engine has
so much oil that the oil level gets
above the cross-hatched area that
shows the proper operating range),
the engine could be damaged. Drain
the excess oil or limit driving of the
vehicle, and seek a service
professional to remove the
excess oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview
0 263 for the location of the engine oil
fill cap.
Add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when finished.
Selecting the Right Engine Oil
Selecting the right engine oil depends
on both the proper oil specification
and viscosity grade. See Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants 0343.
Specification
Use full synthetic engine oils that
meet the dexos1 specification. Engine
oils that have been approved by GM
as meeting the dexos1 specification
are marked with the dexos1 approved
logo. See www.gmdexos.com.
Caution
Failure to use the recommended
engine oil or equivalent can result
in engine damage not covered by
the vehicle warranty.