2023 CADILLAC XT6 Owners Manual

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
248 Driving and Operating
Caution
Do not drive through
standing water if it is deep
enough to cover the wheel
hubs, axles, or exhaust pipe.
Deep water can damage the
axle and other vehicle parts.
If the standing water is not
too deep, drive slowly through
it. At faster speeds, water
splashes on the ignition
system and the vehicle can
stall. Stalling can also occur if
you get the exhaust pipe
under water. While the
exhaust pipe is under water,
you will not be able to start
the engine. When going
through water, the brakes get
wet, and it might take longer
to stop. See Driving on Wet
Roads 0248.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris
that has collected on the
underbody or chassis, or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire
hazard.
After operation in mud or
sand, have the brake linings
cleaned and checked. These
substances can cause glazing
and uneven braking. Check the
body structure, steering,
suspension, wheels, tires, and
exhaust system for damage
and check the fuel lines and
cooling system for any
leakage.
More frequent maintenance
service is required. See
Maintenance Schedule
0454.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can
reduce vehicle traction and
affect your ability to stop and
accelerate. Always drive
slower in these types of
driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles
and deep-standing or flowing
water.
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause
crashes. They might not
work as well in a quick stop
and could cause pulling to
one side. You could lose
control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/
vehicle wash, lightly apply
the brake pedal until the
brakes work normally.
Flowing or rushing water
creates strong forces.
Driving through flowing
water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away.
If this happens, you and
other vehicle occupants
could drown. Do not ignore
police warnings and be very
cautious about trying to
drive through flowing water.

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 251
Warning (Continued)
If the vehicle is stuck
in snow:
.Clear snow from the base
of the vehicle, especially
any blocking the
exhaust pipe.
.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
0 265.
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.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle
when stuck in sand, mud, ice,
or snow.
The Traction Control System
(TCS) can often help to free a
stuck vehicle. See Traction
Control/Electronic Stability
Control
0276.
If TCS cannot free the vehicle,
turn TCS off and use the
rocking method. See “Rocking
the Vehicle to Get it Out”
following.
{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).
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

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
252 Driving and Operating
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
Transporting a Disabled
Vehicle0437.
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.
Tire and Loading Information
Label
Example Label
A vehicle-specific Tire and
Loading Information label is
attached to the center
pillar (B-pillar). The tire and
loading information label
shows the number of
occupant seating
positions (1), and the
maximum vehicle capacity
weight (2) in kilograms and
pounds.

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
Driving and Operating 253
The Tire and Loading
Information label also
shows the size of the
original equipment tires (3)
and the recommended cold
tire inflation pressures (4).
For more information
on tires and inflation see
Tires0400 and
Tire Pressure 0408.
There is also important
loading information on the
vehicle Certification/Tire
label. It may show the
Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) and the
Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) for the front and
rear axle. See
“Certification/Tire Label”
later in this section.
“Steps for Determining
Correct Load Limit– 1.
Locate the statement
"The combined weight
of occupants and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or XXX lbs." on
your vehicle’s placard.
2.Determine the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers from
XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4.The resulting figure
equals the available
amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity.
For example, if the
"XXX" amount equals
1400 lbs. and there will
be five 150 lb
passengers in your
vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and
luggage load capacity is
650 lbs. (1400-750 (5 x
150) = 650 lbs.)
5.Determine the combined
weight of luggage and
cargo being loaded on
the vehicle. That weight
may not safely exceed
the available cargo and
luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be
towing a trailer, load
from your trailer will be
transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine
how this reduces the
available cargo and
luggage load capacity of
your vehicle.”
See Trailer Towing 0351
for important information
on towing a trailer, towing
safety rules and
trailering tips.

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
254 Driving and Operating
Example 1
1.Vehicle Capacity
Weight for Example 1 =
453 kg (1,000 lbs).
2.Subtract Occupant
Weight @ 68 kg
(150 lbs) × 2 = 136 kg
(300 lbs).
3.Available Occupant and
Cargo Weight = 317 kg
(700 lbs).
Example 2
1.Vehicle Capacity
Weight for Example 2 =
453 kg (1,000 lbs).
2.Subtract Occupant
Weight @ 68 kg
(150 lbs) × 5 = 340 kg
(750 lbs).
3.Available Cargo Weight
= 113 kg (250 lbs).
Example 3
1.Vehicle Capacity
Weight for Example 3 =
453 kg (1,000 lbs).
2.Subtract Occupant
Weight @ 91 kg
(200 lbs) × 5 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
3.Available Cargo Weight
= 0 kg (0 lbs).
Refer to the vehicle's tire
and loading information
label for specific
information about the
vehicle's capacity weight

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
Driving and Operating 255
and seating positions. The
combined weight of the
driver, passengers, and
cargo should never exceed
the vehicle's capacity
weight.
Certification/Tire Label
Label Example
A vehicle-specific
Certification/Tire label is
attached to the center
pillar (B-pillar).
The label may show the
size of the vehicle's original
tires and the inflationpressures needed to obtain
the gross weight capacity
of the vehicle. The label
shows the gross weight
capacity of the vehicle. This
is called the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR). The
GVWR includes the weight
of the vehicle, all
occupants, fuel, and cargo.
The Certification/Tire label
may also show the
maximum weights for the
front and rear axles, called
the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR). To find out
the actual loads on the
front and rear axles, weigh
the vehicle at a weigh
station. Your dealer can
help with this. Be sure to
spread the load equally on
both sides of the
centerline.
Caution
Overloading the vehicle may
cause damage. Repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Do not
overload the vehicle.
{Warning
Things inside the vehicle
can strike and injure
people in a sudden stop
or turn, or in a crash.
.Put things in the cargo
area of the vehicle. In
the cargo area, put
them as far forward as
possible. Try to spread
the weight evenly.
.Never stack heavier
things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so
that some of them are
above the tops of the
seats.
(Continued)