Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14584367) - 2021 - CRC - 10/14/20
DRIVING AND OPERATING 203
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Driving Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Vehicle Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 213
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Active Fuel Management . . . . . . . . 225
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . 226
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . 232
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/ElectronicStability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Adaptive Cruise Control
(Advanced) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . 248
Assistance Systems for Parkingor Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Rear Pedestrian Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . 263
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . 263
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . 265
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . 268
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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208 DRIVING AND OPERATING
2. Turn the steering wheel aboutone-eighth of a turn, until the right
front tire contacts the
pavement edge.
3. Turn the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
.Steering or Cornering Skid —too
much speed or steering in a curve
causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force.
.Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving wheels
to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by
taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible. If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
.Ease your foot off the accelerator
pedal and steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. The vehicle may
straighten out. Be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
.Slow down and adjust your driving
according to weather conditions.
Stopping distance can be longer and
vehicle control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water, snow,
ice, gravel, or other material on the
road. Learn to recognize warning
clues
—such as enough water, ice,
or packed snow on the road to
make a mirrored surface —and
slow down when you have any
doubt.
.Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking, including
reducing vehicle speed by shifting
to a lower gear. Any sudden changes
could cause the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help avoid
only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
All-wheel-drive vehicles can be used
for off-road driving. Vehicles without
all-wheel drive and vehicles not
equipped with All Terrain (AT) or
On-Off Road (OOR) tires must not be
driven off-road except on a level, solid
surface. To contact the tire
manufacturer for more information
about the original equipment tires, see
the warranty manual.
Controlling the vehicle is the key to
successful off-road driving. One of the
best ways to control the vehicle is to
control the speed.
{Warning
When driving off-road, bouncing
and quick changes in direction can
easily throw you out of position.
This could cause you to lose control
and crash. You and your passengers
should always wear seat belts.
Before Driving Off-Road
.Have all necessary maintenance and
service work completed.
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 211
3.1. Leave the vehicle andseek help.
3.2. Stay clear of the path the vehicle would take if it rolled
downhill.
.Avoid turns that take the vehicle
across the incline of the hill. A hill
that can be driven straight up or
down might be too steep to drive
across. Driving across an incline
puts more weight on the downhill
wheels which could cause a
downhill slide or a rollover.
.Surface conditions can be a
problem. Loose gravel, muddy spots,
or even wet grass can cause the
tires to slip sideways, downhill.
If the vehicle slips sideways, it can
hit something that will trip it –a
rock, a rut, etc. –and roll over.
.Hidden obstacles can make the
steepness of the incline more
severe. If a rock is driven across
with the uphill wheels, or if the
downhill wheels drop into a rut or
depression, the vehicle can tilt
even more.
.If an incline must be driven across,
and the vehicle starts to slide, turn
downhill. This should help
straighten out the vehicle and
prevent the side slipping.
{Warning
Getting out of the vehicle on the
downhill side when stopped across
an incline is dangerous. If the
vehicle rolls over, you could be
crushed or killed. Always get out on
the uphill side of the vehicle and
stay well clear of the rollover path.
Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow,
or Ice
Use a low gear when driving in mud –
the deeper the mud, the lower the
gear. Keep the vehicle moving to avoid
getting stuck.
Traction changes when driving on
sand. On loose sand, such as on
beaches or sand dunes, the tires tend
to sink into the sand. This affects
steering, accelerating, and braking.
Drive at a reduced speed and avoid
sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers. Traction is reduced on hard packed
snow and ice and it is easy to lose
control. Reduce vehicle speed when
driving on hard packed snow and ice.
{Warning
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds,
or rivers can be dangerous. Ice
conditions vary greatly and the
vehicle could fall through the ice;
you and your passengers could
drown. Drive your vehicle on safe
surfaces only.
Driving in Water
{Warning
Driving through rushing water can
be dangerous. Deep water can
sweep your vehicle downstream and
you and your passengers could
drown. If it is only shallow water, it
can still wash away the ground
from under your tires. Traction
could be lost, and the vehicle could
roll over. Do not drive through
rushing water.
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 215
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. SeeTraction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0235.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you or
others could be injured. The vehicle
can overheat, causing an engine
compartment fire or other damage.
Spin the wheels as little as possible
and avoid going above 56 km/h
(35 mph).
Select All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Mode.
See Driver Mode Control 0236 and
All-Wheel Drive 0232.
Rocking the Vehicle to Get it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and right
to clear the area around the front
wheels. Turn off any traction system.
Shift back and forth between
R (Reverse) and a low forward gear,
spinning the wheels as little as
possible. To prevent transmission
wear, wait until the wheels stop spinning before shifting gears. Release
the accelerator pedal while shifting,
and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transmission is in
gear. Slowly spinning the wheels in
the forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not get
the vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out, see
Towing the Vehicle
0345.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can carry.
This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the
weight of all occupants, cargo, and
all nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle may
show how much weight it may
properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and the
Certification/Tire label.
{Warning
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or
rear Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR). This can cause
systems to break and change
the way the vehicle handles.
This could cause loss of control
and a crash. Overloading can
also reduce stopping
performance, damage the tires,
and shorten the life of the
vehicle.
Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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232 DRIVING AND OPERATING
The transmission will not
automatically shift to the next higher
gear if the engine rpm is too high.
It will only automatically shift to the
next lower gear if the engine rpm is
much too low.
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
Vehicles with this feature can operate
in All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Mode.
When the AWD feature is active, the
system transfers engine power,
if required, to all four wheels. The
system is fully automatic and adjusts
to road conditions for improved
traction and control. In FWD Mode
engine power is transferred to the
front wheels only, and the AWD
feature is off.
The AWD feature is automatically
activated when certain modes are
selected using the Driver Mode
Control switch. When an AWD mode
change is requested the light will flash
briefly while the system is engaging
and the AWD light will be displayed
when the system is active. When anon-AWD Mode is selected, the light
will flash briefly while the system
disengages and a 2WD light will be
displayed when the AWD system is
off. See
Driver Mode Control 0236.
When a compact spare tire is installed
on an AWD vehicle, the system will
automatically detect the compact
spare and reduce AWD performance
to protect the system. To restore AWD
operation and prevent excessive wear
on the system, replace the compact
spare with a full-size tire as soon as
possible. See Compact Spare Tire 0341.
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost
Vehicles equipped with electric brake
boost have hydraulic brake circuits
that are electronically controlled when
the brake pedal is applied during
normal operation. The system
performs routine tests and turns off
within a few minutes after the vehicle
is turned off. Noise may be heard
during this time. If the brake pedal is
pressed during the tests or when the electric brake boost system is off, a
noticeable change in pedal force and
travel may be felt. This is normal.
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
helps prevent a braking skid and
maintain steering while braking hard.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See
Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
0 108.
ABS does not change the time needed
to get a foot on the brake pedal and
does not always decrease stopping
distance. If you get too close to the
vehicle ahead, there will not be
enough time to apply the brakes if
that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
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238 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Warning (Continued)
Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast
changes in tire traction can cause
excessive wheel slip, and you could
lose control. Do not use cruise
control on slippery roads.
With cruise control, a speed of about
40 km/h (25 mph) or more can be
maintained without keeping your foot
on the accelerator. Cruise control does
not work at speeds below about
40 km/h (25 mph).
If the Traction Control System (TCS)
or StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) begins to limit wheel
spin while using cruise control, the
cruise control automatically
disengages. See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0235. If a
collision alert occurs when cruise
control is activated, cruise control is
disengaged. See Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System 0258. When road
conditions allow cruise control to be
safely used, it can be turned back on. Cruise control will disengage if either
TCS or StabiliTrak/ESC is turned off.
If the brakes are applied, cruise
control disengages.
J:
Press to turn the system on and
off. A white indicator appears in the
instrument cluster when cruise is
turned on.
RES+ : If there is a set speed in
memory, move the thumbwheel up
briefly to resume that speed or press
and hold to accelerate. If the cruise
control is already active, use to
increase vehicle speed. To increase
speed by 1 km/h (1 mph), press the
thumbwheel up to the first detent toward RES+. To increase speed to the
next 5 km/h (5 mph) mark on the
speedometer, press the thumbwheel
up to the second detent.
SET−
:Move the thumbwheel down
briefly to set the speed and activate
cruise control. If the cruise control is
already active, use to decrease vehicle
speed. To decrease speed by 1 km/h
(1 mph), move the thumbwheel down
toward SET−. To decrease speed to the
next 5 km/h (5 mph) mark on the
speedometer, move the thumbwheel
down toward SET− to the second
detent.
*: Press to disengage cruise control
without erasing the set speed from
memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If
Jis on when not in use, SET− or
RES+ could get pressed and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep
Joff
when cruise is not being used.
1. Press
J.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 241
Warning (Continued)
Complete attention is always
required while driving and you
should be ready to take action and
apply the brakes. SeeDefensive
Driving 0206.
{Warning
ACC will not detect or brake for
children, pedestrians, animals,
or other objects.
Do not use ACC when:
.On winding and hilly roads or
when the sensors are blocked by
snow, ice, or dirt. The system
may not detect a vehicle ahead.
Keep the entire front of the
vehicle clean.
.Visibility is low, such as in fog,
rain, or snow conditions. ACC
performance is limited under
these conditions.
.On slippery roads where fast
changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip.
J:Press to turn the system on or
off. The indicator turns white on the
instrument cluster when ACC is
turned on.
RES+ : Press briefly to resume the
previous set speed or to increase
vehicle speed if ACC is already
activated. To increase speed by 1 km/h
(1 mph), press RES+ to the first detent.
To increase speed to the next 5 km/h
(5 mph) mark on the speedometer,
press RES+ to the second detent.
SET– :Press briefly to set the speed
and activate ACC or to decrease
vehicle speed if ACC is already
activated. To decrease speed by
1 km/h (1 mph), press SET− to the firstdetent. To decrease speed to the next
5 km/h (5 mph) mark on the
speedometer, press SET−
to the
second detent.
*: Press to disengage ACC without
erasing the selected set speed.
[: Press to select a following gap
time (or distance) setting for ACC of
Far, Medium, or Near.
Switching Between ACC and
Regular Cruise Control
To switch between ACC and regular
cruise control, press and hold
*.
A Driver Information Display (DIC)
message displays. See Vehicle Messages
0 119.
ACC IndicatorRegular Cruise
Control Indicator
When ACC is engaged, a green
o
indicator will be lit on the instrument
cluster and the following gap will be
Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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244 DRIVING AND OPERATING
.If stopped with the brake applied,
press or hold SET−until the desired
set speed is displayed.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Instrument Cluster 099. The
increment value used depends on the
units displayed.
Selecting the Follow Distance Gap
When a slower moving vehicle is
detected ahead within the selected
following gap, ACC will adjust the
vehicle's speed and attempt to
maintain the follow distance gap
selected.
Press
[on the steering wheel to
adjust the following gap. Each press
cycles the gap button through three
settings: Far, Medium, or Near.
When pressed, the current gap setting
displays briefly on the instrument
cluster and HUD, if equipped. The gap
setting will be maintained until it is
changed.
Since each gap setting corresponds to
a following time (Far, Medium,
or Near), the following distance will
vary based on vehicle speed. The faster the vehicle speed, the further
back your vehicle will follow a vehicle
detected ahead. Consider traffic and
weather conditions when selecting the
following gap. The range of selectable
gaps may not be appropriate for all
drivers and driving conditions.
Changing the gap setting
automatically changes the alert timing
sensitivity (Far, Medium, or Near) for
the Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
feature. See
Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System 0258.
Alerting the Driver
With Head-Up Display
Without Head-Up Display If ACC is engaged, driver action may
be required when ACC cannot apply
sufficient braking because of
approaching a vehicle too rapidly.
When this condition occurs, six red
lights or the collision alert symbol on
the HUD, if equipped, will flash on the
windshield. Either eight beeps will
sound from the front, or both sides of
the Safety Alert Seat will pulse five
times. See
“Collision/Detection
Systems” underVehicle Personalization
0 120.
See Defensive Driving 0206.
Approaching and Following a
Vehicle
The vehicle ahead indicator is in the
instrument cluster and HUD display,
if equipped.