Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500442) -
2023 - CRC - 5/10/22
262 Driving and Operating
The vehicle may have an
electric steering column lock.
The lock is activated when the
vehicle is switched to OFF and
the driver door is opened.
A sound may be heard as the
lock actuates or releases. The
steering column lock may not
release with the wheels
turned off center. If this
happens, the vehicle may not
start. Move the steering wheel
from left to right while
attempting to start the
vehicle. If this does not work,
the vehicle needs service.
Do not turn the engine off
when the vehicle is moving.
This will cause a loss of power
assist in the brake and
steering systems and disable
the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off
in an emergency:1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not
pump the brakes
repeatedly. This may deplete power assist,
requiring increased brake
pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be
done while the vehicle is
moving. After shifting to
N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the
vehicle to a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop. Shift to P (Park) with an
automatic transmission,
or Neutral with a manual
transmission. Turn the
ignition off.
4. Set the parking brake. See Electric Parking Brake
0287.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of
power assist in the brake
and steering systems and
disable the airbags. While
driving, only shut the vehicle
off in an emergency. If the vehicle cannot be pulled
over, and must be shut off
while driving, press and hold
ENGINE START/STOP for
longer than two seconds,
or press twice within
five seconds.
Accessory Mode (Amber
Indicator Light) :
This mode
allows the use of some
electrical accessories when
the engine is off.
With the ignition off, pressing
the button once without the
brake pedal applied will place
the ignition system in
accessory mode.
The ignition will switch from
accessory mode to OFF after
five minutes to prevent
battery rundown.
ON/RUN/START (Green
Indicator Light) : This mode is
for driving and starting. With
the ignition off, and the brake
pedal applied, pressing the
button once will place the
ignition system in ON/RUN/
START. Once engine cranking
Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500442) -
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Driving and Operating 265
{Warning
The automatic engine Stop/
Start feature causes the
engine to shut off while the
vehicle is still on. Do not exit
the vehicle before shifting to
P (Park). The vehicle may
restart and move
unexpectedly. Always shift
to P (Park), and then turn
the ignition off before
exiting the vehicle.
Auto Engine Stop/Start
When the brakes are applied
and the vehicle is at a
complete stop, the engine may
turn off. When stopped, the
tachometer displays AUTO
STOP. See Tachometer 0113.
When the brake pedal is
released or the accelerator
pedal is pressed, the engine
will restart. To maintain vehicle
performance, other conditions
may cause the engine to
automatically restart before
the brake pedal is released.
Auto Stops may not occur
and/or Auto Starts may occur
because:
.The climate control settings
require the engine to be
running to cool or heat the
vehicle interior.
.The vehicle battery needs to
charge.
.The vehicle battery has
recently been disconnected.
.Minimum vehicle speed has
not been reached since the
last Auto Stop.
.The accelerator pedal is
pressed.
.The engine or transmission
is not at the required
operating temperature.
.The outside temperature is
not in the required operating
range.
.The vehicle transmission is
shifted out of D (Drive) to
any gear other than P (Park).
.Certain driver modes have
been selected. See Driver
Mode Control
0292.
.The vehicle is on a steep hill
or grade.
.The driver door has been
opened or the driver seat
belt has been unbuckled.
.The hood has been opened.
.The Auto Stop has reached
the maximum allowed time.
Auto Stop Disable Switch
Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500442) -
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Driving and Operating 273
Warning (Continued)
shift lever to P (Park). See
Shifting Into Park
(Mechanical Shifter)0267 or
Shifting Into Park (Electronic
Shifter) 0268. If you are
pulling a trailer, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing
Tips 0358.
Make sure the shift lever is
fully in P (Park) before starting
the engine. The vehicle has an
electronic shift lock release
system. Fully apply the regular
brakes first and then press
the shift lever button before
shifting from P (Park) when the
ignition is on. If you cannot
shift out of P (Park), ease
pressure on the shift lever and
push the shift lever all the way
into P (Park) as you maintain
brake application. Then press
the shift lever button and
move the shift lever into another gear. See Shifting out
of Park (Mechanical Shifter)
0
269 or
Shifting out of Park (Electronic
Shifter) 0270.
Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while
the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Shift to
R (Reverse) only after the
vehicle is stopped.
R : Use this gear to back up.
At low vehicle speeds,
R (Reverse) can be used to
rock the vehicle back and forth
to get out of snow, ice, or sand
without damaging the
transmission. See If the
Vehicle Is Stuck 0255.
N : In this position, the engine
does not connect with the
wheels. To restart the engine
when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
{Warning
Shifting into a drive gear
while the engine is running
at high speed is dangerous.
Unless your foot is firmly on
the brake pedal, the vehicle
could move very rapidly. You
could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not
shift into a drive gear while
the engine is running at high
speed.
Caution
Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle
warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the
vehicle.
Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500442) -
2023 - CRC - 5/10/22
274 Driving and Operating
Caution
A transmission hot message
may display if the automatic
transmission fluid is too hot.
Driving under this condition
can damage the vehicle.
Stop and idle the engine to
cool the automatic
transmission fluid. This
message clears when the
transmission fluid has cooled
sufficiently.
D : This position is for normal
driving. If more power is
needed for passing, press the
accelerator pedal down.
Downshifting the transmission
in slippery road conditions
could result in skidding. See
“Skidding” under Loss of
Control 0237. M :
This mode can be entered
by moving the shift lever from
D (Drive) to M (Manual Mode).
M (Manual Mode) allows the
driver to select gears
appropriate for current driving
conditions. M (Manual Mode)
can be exited by returning the
shift lever to D (Drive). See
Manual Mode (Electronic
Shifter) 0281 or
Manual Mode (Mechanical
Shifter) 0280.
Caution
Spinning the tires or holding
the vehicle in one place on a
hill using only the
accelerator pedal may
damage the transmission.
The repair will not be
covered by the vehicle
warranty. If the vehicle is
stuck, do not spin the tires.
When stopping on a hill, use
the brakes to hold the
vehicle in place. While in Sport or Track Mode,
the vehicle monitors driving
behavior, and automatically
enables Performance Shift
Features when spirited driving
is detected. These features
maintain lower transmission
gears to increase available
engine braking and improve
acceleration response. The
vehicle will exit these features
and return to Sport or Track
Mode normal operation after a
short period when no spirited
driving is detected. See Driver
Mode Control
0292.
Engine speeds may be
increased while driving at
highway speeds while the
engine is still warming up.
Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500442) -
2023 - CRC - 5/10/22
280 Driving and Operating
Downshifting the transmission
in slippery road conditions
could result in skidding. See
“Skidding”under Loss of
Control 0237.
Caution
Spinning the tires or holding
the vehicle in one place on a
hill using only the
accelerator pedal may
damage the transmission.
The repair will not be
covered by the vehicle
warranty. If the vehicle is
stuck, do not spin the tires.
When stopping on a hill, use
the brakes to hold the
vehicle in place.
Manual Mode
(Mechanical Shifter)
Tap Shift
Caution
Driving with the engine at a
high rpm without upshifting
while using Tap Shift, could
damage the vehicle. Always
upshift when necessary
while using Tap Shift.
Vehicles with Tap Shift have
controls on the back of the
steering wheel to manually
shift the automatic
transmission.
To enter Permanent Tap
Shift Mode: 1. Move the shift lever from D (Drive) to M (Manual
Mode). While in Tap Shift
Mode, the M on the
instrument cluster will
become highlighted, and
the current gear is
indicated.
2. Tap the left control to downshift, and the right
control to upshift. To shift
to the lowest available
gear, press and hold the
left control.
3. To exit, move the shift lever back to D (Drive).
With the shift lever in D (Drive)
and not in Permanent Tap
Shift Mode, the tap shift
controls will activate a
temporary tap manual shift
mode, allowing the
Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500442) -
2023 - CRC - 5/10/22
286 Driving and Operating
.When ARM is deactivated,
the gear number is white.
.If no gear number is
displayed while the shift
lever is in gear, service is
required. All rev matching
will be disabled and the
malfunction indicator lamp
will be on. See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light)0118. The
clutch and manual
transmission will continue to
operate normally.
ARM will also:
.Be active above 28 km/h
(18 mph).
.Match engine speed up to
6100 rpm.
.Not operate when the
accelerator pedal is applied.
.Be disabled when the
coolant temperature is
below 0 °C (32 °F).
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
Vehicles with this feature
always send engine power
to all four wheels. It is fully
automatic, and adjusts itself as
needed for road conditions.
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
0121.
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Driving and Operating 287
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 and 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.The system has a red parking
brake status light and an
amber service parking brake
warning light. See Electric
Parking Brake Light
0121 and
Service Electric Parking Brake
Light 0121. There are also
parking brake-related Driver
Information Center (DIC)
messages.
Before leaving the vehicle,
check the red parking brake
status light to ensure that the
parking brake is applied.EPB Apply
To apply the EPB:
1. Be sure the vehicle is at a complete stop.
2. Press the EPB switch momentarily.
The red parking brake status
light will flash and then stay on
once the EPB is fully applied.
If the red parking brake status
light flashes continuously, then
the EPB is only partially
applied or there is a problem
with the EPB. A DIC message
Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500442) -
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Driving and Operating 289
taking off on a hill. When no
roll back is desired, an applied
EPB will allow both feet to be
used for the clutch and
accelerator pedals in
preparation for starting the
vehicle moving in the intended
direction. In this case, there is
no need to press the switch to
release the EPB.
Brake Assist
Brake Assist detects rapid
brake pedal applications due
to emergency braking
situations and provides
additional braking to activate
the Antilock Brake System
(ABS) if the brake pedal is not
pushed hard enough to
activate ABS normally. Minor
noise, brake pedal pulsation,
and/or pedal movement during
this time may occur. Continue
to apply the brake pedal as
the driving situation dictates.
Brake Assist disengages when
the brake pedal is released.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
{Warning
Do not rely on the HSA
feature. HSA does not
replace the need to pay
attention and drive safely.
You may not hear or feel
alerts or warnings provided
by this system. Failure to
use proper care when
driving may result in injury,
death, or vehicle damage.
See Defensive Driving0235.
When the vehicle is stopped
on a grade, Hill Start Assist
(HSA) temporarily prevents
the vehicle from rolling in an
unintended direction during
the transition from brake
pedal release to accelerator
pedal apply. The brakes
release when the accelerator
pedal is applied or
automatically release after a
few seconds. The brakes may also release under other
conditions. Do not rely on HSA
to hold the vehicle.
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.
Automatic Vehicle
Hold (AVH)