2020 CADILLAC XT6 overheating

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12984300) -
2020 - CRC - 3/19/19
174 DRIVING AND OPERATING
and you are going fast enough. When
the vehicle is hydroplaning, it has
little or no contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
. Pass with caution.
. Keep windshield wiping equipment
in good shape.
. Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper tread
depth. See Tires0289.
. Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving on
flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape. .
Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
. Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the vehicle
on a long downhill slope can cause
brake overheating, can reduce brake
performance, and could result in a
loss of braking. Shift the
transmission to a lower gear to let
the engine assist the brakes on a
steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or
with the ignition off is dangerous.
This can cause overheating of the
brakes and loss of steering assist.
Always have the engine running
and the vehicle in gear. .
Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line.
. Be alert on top of hills; something
could be in your lane (e.g., stalled
car, crash).
. Pay attention to special road signs
(e.g., falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and the
road creates less traction or grip, so
drive carefully. Wet ice can occur at
about 0 °C (32 °F) when freezing rain
begins to fall. Avoid driving on wet ice
or in freezing rain until roads can be
treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick.

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12984300) -
2020 - CRC - 3/19/19
DRIVING AND OPERATING 185
4. Plug the heater cord into theconnector in the front fascia.
5. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{Warning
Improper use of the heater cord or
an extension cord can damage the
cord and may result in overheating
and fire.
. Plug the cord into a
three-prong electrical utility
receptacle that is protected by
a ground fault detection
function. An ungrounded
outlet could cause an electric
shock.
. Use a weatherproof,
heavy-duty, 15 amp-rated
extension cord if needed.
Failure to use the
recommended extension cord
in good operating condition,
or using a damaged heater or
extension cord, could make it
overheat and cause a fire,
property damage, electric
shock, and injury.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Do not operate the vehicle
with the heater cord
permanently attached to the
vehicle. Possible heater cord
and thermostat damage could
occur.
. While in use, do not let the
heater cord touch vehicle
parts or sharp edges.
. Before starting the vehicle,
unplug the cord. Keep the
cord away from any moving
parts.
6. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store
the cord.
7. Install the engine heater connector cover.
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on several
factors. Ask a dealer in the area where
you will be parking the vehicle for the
best advice on this.

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12984300) -
2020 - CRC - 3/19/19
DRIVING AND OPERATING 247
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 TurnsCaution
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 the trailer will not go over
soft shoulders, over curbs, or strike road 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 Overheating
0272.
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.

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) -
2020 - CRC - 3/19/19
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) -
2020 - CRC - 3/19/19
270 VEHICLE CARE
appropriate levels. SeeRecommended
Fluids and Lubricants 0343 and
Maintenance Schedule 0333.
The following explains the cooling
systems and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating, see
Engine Overheating 0272.
What to Use
{Warning
Do not touch heater or radiator
hoses, or other engine parts. They
can be very hot and can burn you.
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak; all coolant could leak out.
That could cause an engine fire and
can burn you. Fix any leak before
driving the vehicle.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant. This mixture:
. Gives freezing protection down to
−37 °C (−34 °F), outside
temperature. .
Gives boiling protection up to
129 °C (265 °F), engine
temperature.
. Protects against rust and
corrosion.
. Will not damage aluminum parts.
. Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.
Caution
Do not use anything other than a
mix of DEX-COOL coolant that
meets GM Standard GMW3420 and
clean, drinkable water. Anything
else can cause damage to the
engine cooling system and the
vehicle, which would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty.
Never dispose of engine coolant by
putting it in the trash, pouring it on
the ground, or pouring into sewers,
streams, or bodies of water. Have the
coolant changed by an authorized
service center, familiar with legal requirements regarding used coolant
disposal. This will help protect the
environment and your health.
Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level surface
when checking the coolant level.
Check to see if coolant is visible in the
coolant surge tank. If the coolant
inside the coolant surge tank is
boiling, do not do anything else until
it cools down. If coolant is visible but
the coolant level mark is not at or
above the indicated mark, add a
50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12984300) -
2020 - CRC - 3/19/19
VEHICLE CARE 271
water and DEX-COOL coolant. Be sure
the cooling system is cool before this
is done. SeeEngine Overheating 0272.
The coolant surge tank is located in
the engine compartment on the driver
side of the vehicle. See Engine
Compartment Overview 0263.
How to Add Coolant to the
Surge Tank
{Warning
Spilling coolant on hot engine parts
can burn you. Coolant contains
ethylene glycol and it will burn if
the engine parts are hot enough.
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system are under
pressure. Turning the pressure cap,
even a little, can cause them to
come out at high speed and you
could be burned. Never turn the cap
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
when the cooling system, including
the pressure cap, is hot. Wait for
the cooling system and pressure
cap to cool.
Caution
Failure to follow the specific
coolant fill procedure could cause
the engine to overheat and could
cause system damage. If coolant is
not visible in the surge tank,
contact your dealer.
The coolant surge tank pressure cap
can be removed when the cooling
system, including the surge tank
pressure cap and upper radiator hose,
is no longer hot.
1. Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise. If a hiss is
heard, wait for that to stop.
A hiss means there is still some
pressure left.
2. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly and remove it.

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12984300) -
2020 - CRC - 3/19/19
272 VEHICLE CARE
3. Fill the coolant surge tank withthe proper mixture to the mark
pointed to on the front of the
coolant surge tank.
4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start the engine
and let it run until you can feel
the upper radiator hose getting
hot. Watch out for the engine
cooling fans. By this time, the
coolant level inside the coolant
surge tank may be lower. If the
level is lower, add more of the
proper mixture to the coolant
surge tank until the level reaches
the mark pointed to on the front
of the coolant surge tank.
5. Replace the pressure cap tightly.
6. Verify coolant level after the engine is shut off and the
coolant is cold. If necessary,
repeat coolant fill procedure
Steps 1–6.Caution
If the pressure cap is not tightly
installed, coolant loss and engine
damage may occur. Be sure the cap
is properly and tightly secured.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has several indicators to
warn of the engine overheating.
There is an engine coolant
temperature gauge on the instrument
cluster. See Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge 0117. The vehicle may also
display a message on the Driver
Information Center (DIC).
If the decision is made not to lift the
hood when this warning appears, get
service help right away. See Roadside
Service 0353.
If the decision is made to lift the
hood, make sure the vehicle is parked
on a level surface. Then check to see if
the engine cooling fan is running.
If the engine is overheating, the fan should be running. If it is not, do not
continue to run the engine. Have the
vehicle serviced.
Caution
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak in the engine cooling system.
This can cause a loss of all coolant
and can damage the system and
vehicle. Have any leaks fixed
right away.
If Steam Is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system are under
pressure. Turning the pressure cap,
even a little, can cause them to
come out at high speed and you
could be burned. Never turn the cap
when the cooling system, including
the pressure cap, is hot. Wait for
the cooling system and pressure
cap to cool.