Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14584335) -
2021 - CRC - 12/4/20
224 DRIVING AND OPERATING
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park)by holding in the button on the
shift lever and pushing the shift
lever all the way toward the front
of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition off.
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
It could overheat and catch fire.
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could
be injured. To be sure the vehicle
will not move, even when you are
on fairly level ground, always set
the parking brake and move the (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
shift lever to P (Park). See Shifting
Into Park (Mechanical Shifter) 0223
or
Shifting Into Park (Electronic Shifter)
0 224. If you are towing a trailer,
see Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips 0297.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the parking
brake is set before you leave it. After
you have moved the shift lever into
P (Park), hold the regular brake pedal
down. Then, see if you can move the
shift lever away from P (Park) without
first pressing the button.
If you can, it means that the shift
lever was not fully locked in P (Park).
Torque Lock
Torque lock is when the weight of the
vehicle puts too much force on the
parking pawl in the transmission. This
happens when parking on a hill and
shifting the transmission into P (Park)
is not done properly and then it is difficult to shift out of P (Park). To
prevent torque lock, set the parking
brake and then shift into P (Park). To
find out how, see
“Shifting Into Park”
listed previously.
If torque lock does occur, your vehicle
may need to be pushed uphill by
another vehicle to relieve the parking
pawl pressure, so you can shift out of
P (Park).
Shifting Into Park
(Electronic Shifter)
To shift into P (Park):
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking brake. See Electric
Parking Brake 0237.
2. Press the button on top of the shift lever to shift into P (Park). See
Automatic Transmission (Mechanical
Shifter) 0227 or
Automatic Transmission (Electronic
Shifter) 0229.
3. The P indicator on the shift lever will turn red when the vehicle is in
P (Park).
Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14584335) -
2021 - CRC - 12/4/20
DRIVING AND OPERATING 225
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
It could overheat and catch fire.
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the vehicle is not in
P (Park) with the parking brake set.
The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could
be injured. To be sure the vehicle
will not move, even when you are
on fairly level ground, always set
the parking brake and shift to
P (Park). SeeShifting Into Park
(Mechanical Shifter) 0223 or
Shifting Into Park (Electronic Shifter)
0 224. If you are towing a trailer,
see Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips 0297. If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the parking
brake is set before you leave it.
If you are towing a trailer and parking
on a hill, see
Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips 0297.
Shifting out of Park
(Mechanical Shifter)
This vehicle is equipped with an
electronic shift lock release system.
The shift lock release is designed to
prevent movement of the shift lever
out of P (Park), unless the ignition is
on and the brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9 volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See Jump Starting - North
America 0366 for more information. To shift out of P (Park):
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Release the parking brake. See Electric Parking Brake 0237.
3. Press the shift lever button.
4. Move the shift lever.
If unable to shift out of P (Park): 1. Fully release the shift lever button.
2. While holding down the brake pedal, press the shift lever button
again.
3. Move the shift lever.
If the shift lever will not move from
P (Park), consult your dealer or a
professional towing service.
Shifting out of Park
(Electronic Shifter)
This vehicle is equipped with an
electronic transmission. The shift lock
release button is designed to prevent
inadvertent shifting out of P (Park).
Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14584335) -
2021 - CRC - 12/4/20
300 DRIVING AND OPERATING
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 Overheating0322.
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 0380. 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
0 322.
Trailer Towing (LSY 2.0L L4
Engine)
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.
Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14584335) -
2021 - CRC - 11/23/20
304 VEHICLE CARE
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . 315
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 316
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323 Brake Pad Life System (If
Equipped) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . 326
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 327
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 328
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . 329
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Front Turn Signal Lamps . . . . . . . . 330
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 330
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 331
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . 334
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Run-Flat Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Self-Sealing Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 348
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 356
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14584335) -
2021 - CRC - 11/23/20
318 VEHICLE CARE
2.7L L4 Engine
1. Engine Coolant Surge Tank andPressure Cap
2. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
3. Cooling System Air Bleeder Cap
{Warning
An underhood electric fan can start
up even when the engine is not
running and can cause injury. Keep
hands, clothing, and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
{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.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is
filled with DEX-COOL engine coolant.
See Maintenance Schedule 0380 and
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
0 391.
The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating, see
Engine Overheating 0322.
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.
Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14584335) -
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VEHICLE CARE 319
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 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.
It is normal to see coolant moving in
the upper coolant hose return line
when the engine is running. It is also
normal to see bubbles entering the
surge tank through the small hose. 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 is not at or above the indicated
mark, add a 50/50 mixture of clean
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant.
Be sure the cooling system is cool
before this is done.
If no coolant is visible in the coolant
surge tank, add coolant as follows:
How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant 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
Plain water, or other liquids such as
alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. With plain
water or the wrong mixture, the
engine could get too hot but there
would not be an overheat warning.
The engine could catch fire and you
or others could be burned.
Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14584335) -
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320 VEHICLE CARE
{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.
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.If no problem is found, check to see if
coolant is visible in the coolant surge
tank. If coolant is visible but the
coolant level is not at or above the
indicated mark, add a 50/50 mixture
of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL coolant at the coolant
surge tank, but be sure the cooling
system, including the coolant surge
tank pressure cap, is cool before you
do it.
2.0L L4 Engine
Automatic Coolant Service Fill
Instructions
The vehicle is equipped with a service
feature that assists with filling and
removing air from the cooling system
after service of components or when
coolant is added after being to low. To use this feature:
1. With a cold system, add coolant to
the indicated line on the
surge tank.
2. Replace the pressure cap on the surge tank.
3. Activate the service feature: 3.1. Connect the vehicle to a battery charger.
3.2. Turn the ignition to Service Mode. See Ignition Positions
0 219.
3.3. Turn off the air conditioning.
3.4. Set the parking brake.
Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14584335) -
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322 VEHICLE CARE
the pressure cap, refill to the indicated
line, replace the pressure cap, and
repeat steps 6.2–6.6.
The fill and air removal process will
run for approximately 15 minutes.
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 an indicator to warn
of the engine overheating.
If the decision is made not to lift the
hood when this warning appears, get
service help right away. See Roadside
Service 0403.
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.
If No Steam Is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
If an engine overheat warning is
displayed but no steam can be seen or
heard, the problem may not be too
serious. Sometimes the engine can get
a little too hot when the vehicle:
.Climbs a long hill on a hot day.
.Stops after high-speed driving.
.Idles for long periods in traffic.
If the overheat warning is displayed
with no sign of steam: 1. Turn the air conditioning off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest temperature and to the highest fan
speed. Open the windows as
necessary.
3. When it is safe to do so, pull off the road, shift to P (Park) or
N (Neutral) and let the engine idle.
If the overheat warning no longer
displays, the vehicle can be driven.
Continue to drive the vehicle slowly
for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle distance from the vehicle in
front. If the warning does not come