
Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14574701) -
2021 - CRC - 2/8/21
2 INTRODUCTION
Using this Manual
To quickly locate information about
the vehicle, use the Index in the back
of the manual. It is an alphabetical
list of what is in the manual and the
page number where it can be found.
Danger, Warning, and
Caution
Warning messages found on vehicle
labels and in this manual describe
hazards and what to do to avoid or
reduce them.
{Danger
Danger indicates a hazard with a
high level of risk which will result
in serious injury or death.
{Warning
Warning indicates a hazard that
could result in injury or death.
Caution
Caution indicates a hazard that
could result in property or vehicle
damage.
A circle with a slash through it is a
safety symbol which means“Do not,”
“Do not do this,” or“Do not let this
happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and
labels that use symbols instead of
text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or
information relating to a specific
component, control, message, gauge,
or indicator.
M: Shown when the owner’s manual
has additional instructions or
information.
*: Shown when the service manual
has additional instructions or
information.
0: Shown when there is more
information on another page —
“see page.”
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that
may be found on the vehicle and what
they mean. See the features in this
manual for information.
u: Air Conditioning System
G:Air Conditioning Refrigerant Oil
9:Airbag Readiness Light
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
$:Brake System Warning Light
9:Dispose of Used Components
Properly
P: Do Not Apply High Pressure
Water
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
_:Flame/Fire Prohibited

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14574701) -
2021 - CRC - 2/8/21
KEYS, DOORS, AND WINDOWS 17
Driver Door Key Lock Cylinder
Access (In Case of Dead Battery)
To access the driver door key lock
cylinder:1. Pull the door handle (1) to the open position and hold it open
until the cap removal is complete.
2. Insert the key into the slot (3) on the bottom of the cap (2) and lift
the key upward.
3. Move the cap (2) rearward and remove.
4. Use the key in the cylinder. To replace the cap:
1. Pull the door handle (1) to the open position and hold it open
until the cap installation is
complete.
2. Insert the two tabs (6) at the backof the cap between the seal (5) and
the metal base (4).
3. Slide the cap forward and press theforward edge to install the cap in
place.
4. Release the door handle.

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14574701) -
2021 - CRC - 2/8/21
100 INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . 101
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . 101
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . 101
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . 102
Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . . 104
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . 114 Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Brake System Warning Light . . . . 117
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . 117
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Performance Shifting Light . . . . . . 119
All-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light . . . 119
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . 119
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . . 120
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light
(Uplevel Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Driver Mode Control Light . . . . . . . 121
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . 122
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . 122
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Information Displays
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . . . . . 126
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Engine Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . 130
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . 130
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . . . . 130
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . 135
Universal Remote System Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Universal Remote System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14574701) -
2021 - CRC - 2/8/21
118 INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS
English Uplevel
This light comes on when the parking
brake is applied. If the light continues
flashing after the parking brake is
released, or while driving, there is a
problem with the Electric Parking
Brake system. A message may also
display in the Driver Information
Center (DIC).
If the light does not come on,
or remains flashing, see your dealer.
Service Electric Parking
Brake Light
This light should come on briefly
when the vehicle is turned on. If it
does not come on, have it fixed so it
will be ready to warn if there is a
problem. For vehicles with the
reconfigurable cluster, this light may
not come on when the vehicle is
started.
If this light stays on or comes on
while driving, there is a problem with
the Electric Parking Brake (EPB). Take
the vehicle to a dealer as soon as
possible. In addition to the parking
brake, other safety functions that
utilize the EPB may also be degraded.
A message may also display in the
Driver Information Center (DIC). See
Electric Parking Brake 0246.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
This warning light should come on
briefly when the vehicle is turned on.
If the light does not come on, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn if
there is a problem.
If the light comes on while driving,
safely stop as soon as it is possible
and turn off the vehicle. Then turn on
the vehicle again to reset the system.
If the ABS warning light stays on,
or comes on again while driving, the
vehicle needs service. A chime may
also sound when the light stays on.
If the ABS warning light is the only
light on, the vehicle has regular
brakes, but ABS is not functioning.
If both the ABS warning light and the
brake system warning light are on,
ABS is not functioning and there is a
problem with the regular brakes. See
your dealer for service.
See Brake System Warning Light 0117.

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14574701) -
2021 - CRC - 2/8/21
DRIVING AND OPERATING 217
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 226
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Active Fuel Management . . . . . . . . 238
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Running the Vehicle While
Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . 240
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . 246
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/ElectronicStability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Adaptive Cruise Control (Advanced) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . 263
Assistance Systems for Parkingor Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Rear Pedestrian Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Night Vision System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . 280
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . 281
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . 282
Surround Vision Recorder . . . . . . . 284
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Recommended Fuel (2.0L L4 Turbo Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Recommended Fuel (3.6L V6 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14574701) -
2021 - CRC - 2/8/21
DRIVING AND OPERATING 221
.Holding both sides of the steering
wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
.The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
allows steering while braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop off
the edge of a road onto the shoulder
while driving. Follow these tips:1. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer
the vehicle so that it straddles the
edge of the pavement. 2. Turn the steering wheel about
one-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.

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14574701) -
2021 - CRC - 2/8/21
DRIVING AND OPERATING 227
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.
.Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control0248.
.Antilock Brake System (ABS)
improves vehicle stability during
hard stops, but the brakes should be
applied sooner than when on dry
pavement. See Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0246.
.Allow greater following distance and
watch for slippery spots. Icy patches
can occur on otherwise clear roads
in shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain icy
when the surrounding roads are
clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
.Turn off cruise control.
.Select All-Wheel Drive (AWD) mode.
See Driver Mode Control 0250 and
All-Wheel Drive 0245.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. Stay with the vehicle
unless there is help nearby. If possible,
use Roadside Assistance. See Roadside
Service 0401. To get help and keep
everyone in the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside mirror.
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may cause
exhaust gases to get inside. Engine
exhaust contains carbon monoxide
(CO), which cannot be seen or
smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
.Clear snow from the base of the
vehicle, especially any blocking
the exhaust pipe.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Open a window about 5 cm (2 in)
on the vehicle side that is away
from the wind, to bring in
fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets on or
under the instrument panel.
.Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air inside
the vehicle and set the fan speed
to the highest setting. See
“Climate Control Systems.”
For more information about CO, see
Engine Exhaust 0239.
To save fuel, run the engine for short
periods to warm the vehicle and then
shut the engine off and partially close
the window. Moving about to keep
warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle speed.
This keeps the battery charged to
restart the vehicle and to signal for
help with the headlamps. Do this as
little as possible, to save fuel.

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14574701) -
2021 - CRC - 2/8/21
246 DRIVING AND OPERATING
If Tour Mode is selected seeDriver
Mode Control 0250.
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.
ABS performs a system check when
the vehicle is first driven.
A momentary motor or clicking noise may be heard while this test is going
on, and the brake pedal may move
slightly. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See
Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
0 118.
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.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the
brake pedal down firmly. Hearing or
feeling ABS operate is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows steering and braking at the
same time. In many emergencies,
steering can help even more than
braking.
Electric Parking Brake
The Electric Parking Brake (EPB) can
always be applied, even if the vehicle
is off. In case of insufficient electrical
power, the EPB cannot be applied or
released. To prevent draining the
battery, avoid unnecessary repeated
cycles of the EPB.