
Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
238 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . 240
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . 240
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . 241
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . 243
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . 248
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . 251
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . 252
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . 256
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . 257
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . 258
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . 259
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . 263
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . 264
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Active Fuel Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . 265
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Automatic Transmission
AutomaticTransmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . 273
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Electric Parking Brake . . . 274
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . 276
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/ Electronic Stability
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . 278
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Adaptive Cruise Control (Advanced) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Super Cruise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Driver Assistance
Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . 314
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Surround Vision System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Automatic Parking Assist (APA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Reverse Automatic Braking (RAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Rear Pedestrian Alert . . . . 324
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) System . . . . . . . . . . . 325

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
Driving and Operating 239
Assistance Systems forDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Automatic Emergency
Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Night Vision System . . . . . . 333
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Surround Vision Recorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Recommended Fuel (2.0LL4 Turbo Engine) . . . . . . . . 343
Recommended Fuel (3.6L V6 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . 347
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . 356
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
Driving
Information
Driving for Better
Fuel Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving
tips to get the best fuel
economy possible.
.Set the climate controls to
the desired temperature
after the engine is started,
or turn them off when not
required.
.On AWD vehicles, use Tour
Mode when conditions
permit.
.Avoid fast starts and
accelerate smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for
long periods of time.
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate,
use cruise control.

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
Driving and Operating 249
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous.
Water can build up under the
vehicle's tires so they actually
ride on the water. This can
happen if the road is wet
enough 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 Tires
0400.
.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, and cooling
system.
.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
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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).

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
250 Driving and Operating
.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 IceCaution
To avoid damage to the
wheels and brake
components, always clear
snow and ice from inside the
wheels and underneath the
vehicle before driving.
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.
.Turn on Traction Control.
See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control
0
276.
.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) 0273.
.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 0278 and
All-Wheel Drive 0273.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe
place and signal for help. Stay
with the vehicle unless there is
help nearby. 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.
(Continued)

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
Driving and Operating 277
spinning wheels and reduces
engine power to limit
wheel spin.
StabiliTrak/ESC activates
when the system senses a
discrepancy between the
intended path and the
direction the vehicle is actually
traveling. StabiliTrak/ESC
selectively applies braking
pressure at any one of the
vehicle's brakes to help steer
the vehicle in the direction
which you are steering.
If cruise control is being used
and TCS or StabiliTrak/ESC
begins to limit wheel spin,
cruise control will disengage.
Cruise control may be turned
back on when road conditions
allow. TCS and StabiliTrak/
ESC will automatically turn on
when cruise control is set.
Both systems come on
automatically when the vehicle
is started and begins to move.
The systems may be heard or
felt while they are operating
or while performing diagnosticchecks. This is normal and
does not mean there is a
problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave
both systems on for normal
driving conditions, but it may
be necessary to turn TCS off
if the vehicle gets stuck in
sand, mud, ice, or snow. See If
the Vehicle Is Stuck
0251 or
If the Vehicle Is Stuck 0251
and “Turning the Systems Off
and On” later in this section.
The indicator light for both
systems is in the instrument
cluster. This light will:
.Flash when TCS is limiting
wheel spin.
.Flash when StabiliTrak/ESC
is activated.
.Turn on and stay on when
either system is not working. If either system fails to turn on
or to activate, a message may
display in the Driver
Information Center (DIC), and
dcomes on and stays on to
indicate that the system is
inactive and is not assisting
the driver in maintaining
control. The vehicle is safe to
drive, but driving should be
adjusted accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
Drive the vehicle. If
dcomes
on and stays on, the vehicle
may need more time to
diagnose the problem. If the
condition persists, see your
dealer.

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
280 Driving and Operating
Cruise Control{
Warning
Cruise control can be
dangerous where you
cannot drive safely at a
steady speed. Do not use
cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
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) system
begins to limit wheel spin while
using cruise control, cruise
control automatically
disengages. See Traction
Control/Electronic Stability
Control
0276. If a collision
alert occurs when cruise
control is activated, cruise
control is disengaged. See
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System 0326. 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 move
the thumbwheel up and hold
to accelerate. If cruise control
is already active, use to
increase vehicle speed. To
increase speed by 1 km/h
(1 mph), press RES+ to the first
detent. To increase speed to

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
Driving and Operating 281
the next 5 km/h (5 mph) mark
on the speedometer, press
RES+ to the second detent.
SET−:Move the thumbwheel
down briefly to set the speed
and activate cruise control.
If cruise control is already
active, use to decrease vehicle
speed. To decrease speed by
1 km/h (1 mph), press SET− to
the first detent. To decrease
speed to the next 5 km/h
(5 mph) mark on the
speedometer, press 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. 3. Move the thumbwheel
down toward SET− and
release. The desired set
speed briefly appears in
the instrument cluster.
4. Remove your foot from the accelerator.
When cruise control has been
set to the desired speed, a
green cruise control indicator
appears on the instrument
cluster and a cruise set speed
message appears on the
Head-Up Display (HUD),
if equipped.
Resuming a Set Speed
If cruise control is set at a
desired speed and then the
brakes are applied or
*is
pressed, cruise control is
disengaged without erasing
the set speed from memory.
Once the vehicle speed
reaches about 40 km/h
(25 mph) or more, move the
thumbwheel up toward RES+
briefly. The vehicle returns to
the previous set speed. Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated:
.Move the thumbwheel up
toward RES+ until the
desired speed is reached.
.To increase vehicle speed in
small increments, briefly
press RES+ to the first
detent. For each press, the
vehicle goes about 1 km/h
(1 mph) faster.
.To increase vehicle speed in
larger increments, briefly
press RES+ to the second
detent. For each press, the
vehicle speed increases to
the next 5 km/h (5 mph) mark
on the speedometer.
The speedometer reading can
be displayed in either English
or metric units. See
Instrument Cluster 0127. The
increment value used depends
on the units displayed.

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
282 Driving and Operating
Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated:
.Move the thumbwheel down
toward SET−until the
desired lower speed is
reached, then release it.
.To decrease the vehicle
speed in small increments,
briefly press SET− to the
first detent. For each press,
the vehicle goes about
1 km/h (1 mph) slower.
.To decrease the vehicle
speed in larger increments,
briefly press SET− to the
second detent. For each
press, the vehicle speed
decreases to the next
5 km/h (5 mph) mark on the
speedometer.
The cruise control system may
automatically brake to slow
the vehicle. The speedometer reading can
be displayed in either English
or metric units. See
Instrument Cluster
0127. The
increment value used depends
on the units displayed.
Passing Another Vehicle
While Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed.
When you take your foot off
the pedal, the vehicle will slow
down to the previous set
cruise speed.
While pressing the accelerator
pedal or shortly following the
release to override cruise,
briefly moving the thumbwheel
down toward SET− will result
in cruise set to the current
vehicle speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well cruise control will
work on hills depends upon
the vehicle speed, load, and
the steepness of the hills.
When going up steep hills, you
might have to step on the accelerator pedal to maintain
speed. When going downhill,
the cruise control system may
automatically brake to slow
the vehicle. Also, you may have
to brake or shift to a lower
gear to keep your speed down.
If the brake pedal is applied,
cruise control disengages.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end
cruise control:
.Step lightly on the brake
pedal.
.Press*.
.Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
.PressJ.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
Jis
pressed or if the ignition is
turned off.