Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
Driving and Operating 273
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
Vehicles with this feature can
operate in All-Wheel
Drive (AWD) Mode. See Driver
Mode Control0278.
Press MODE to cycle through
the modes.
.TOUR
.SPORT
.AWD (AWD vehicles only)
.OFF-ROAD (AWD
vehicles only)
.SNOW/ICE (FWD
vehicles only)
AWD is active in AWD,
Off-road, and Sport modes.
The AWD system delivers
power to all four wheels and
the system adjusts as needed
to improve traction.
The AWD Mode will stay
selected until the mode is
changed.
For more information on the
available modes, see Driver
Mode Control 0278.
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.
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274 Driving and Operating
If there is a problem with ABS,
this warning light stays on.
See Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light0138.
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.
The system has a red parking
brake status light and an
amber service parking brake
warning light. See Electric
Parking Brake Light 0137 and Service Electric Parking Brake
Light
0137. 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
will display. Release the EPB
and try to apply it again. If the
light does not come on,
or keeps flashing, have the
vehicle serviced. Do not drive
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Driving and Operating 275
the vehicle if the red parking
brake status light is flashing.
See your dealer.
If the amber service parking
brake warning light is on,
press the EPB switch.
Continue to hold the switch
until the red parking brake
status light remains on. If the
amber service parking brake
warning light is on, see your
dealer.
If the EPB is applied while the
vehicle is moving, the vehicle
will decelerate as long as the
switch is pressed. If the switch
is pressed until the vehicle
comes to a stop, the EPB will
remain applied.
The vehicle may automatically
apply the EPB in some
situations when the vehicle is
not moving. This is normal, and
is done to periodically check
the correct operation of the
EPB system, or at the request
of other safety functions that
utilize the EPB.If the EPB fails to apply, block
the rear wheels to prevent
vehicle movement.
EPB Release
To release the EPB:
1. Turn the ignition on or to accessory mode.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
3. Press the EPB switch momentarily.
The EPB is released when the
red parking brake status light
is off.
If the amber service parking
brake warning light is on,
release the EPB by pressing
and holding the EPB switch.
Continue to hold the switch
until the red parking brake
status light is off. If either light
stays on after release is
attempted, see your dealer.
Caution
Driving with the parking
brake on can overheat the
brake system and cause
premature wear or damage
to brake system parts. Make
sure that the parking brake
is fully released and the
brake warning light is off
before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and
parking on a hill, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing
Tips 0347.
Automatic EPB Release
The EPB will automatically
release if the vehicle is
running, placed into gear, and
an attempt is made to drive
away. Avoid rapid acceleration
when the EPB is applied, to
preserve parking brake
lining life.
Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
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276 Driving and Operating
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(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
use proper care when
driving may result in injury,
death, or vehicle damage.
See Defensive Driving 0240.
When the vehicle is stopped
on a grade, Hill Start Assist
(HSA) 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.
If the accelerator pedal is not
applied within a few minutes,
the Electric Parking Brake will
apply. 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.
Ride Control
Systems
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability
Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction
Control System (TCS) and
StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability
Control (ESC). These systems
help limit wheel spin and assist
the driver in maintaining
control, especially on slippery
road conditions.
TCS activates if it senses that
any of the drive wheels are
spinning or beginning to lose
traction. On an All-Wheel Drive
(AWD) vehicle in AWD or Sport
Mode, the system will operate
if it senses that any of the
wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction.
When this happens, TCS
applies the brakes to the
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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) -
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278 Driving and Operating
Turning the Systems Off
and On
Caution
Do not repeatedly brake or
accelerate heavily when TCS
is off. The vehicle driveline
could be damaged.
To turn off only TCS, press
and release
g. The Traction
Off light
idisplays in the
instrument cluster and a DIC
message may display. To turn
TCS on again, press and
release
g. The Traction Off light
idisplayed in the
instrument cluster will turn off
and a DIC message may
display.
If TCS is limiting wheel spin
when
gis pressed, the system
will not turn off until the
wheels stop spinning.
To turn off both TCS and
StabiliTrak/ESC, press and
hold
guntil the Traction Off
light
iand StabiliTrak/ESC
Off light
gcome on and stay
on in the instrument cluster.
A DIC message may display.
To turn TCS and StabiliTrak/
ESC on again, press and
release
g. The Traction Off
light
iand StabiliTrak/ESC
Off light
gin the instrument
cluster turn off and a DIC
message may display.
StabiliTrak will automatically
turn on if the vehicle exceeds
56 km/h (35 mph). Traction
control will remain off. Adding accessories can affect
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications
0
363.
Driver Mode Control
Driver Mode Control allows
the driver to adjust the overall
driving experience by selecting
different modes. If equipped,
the Driver Mode Control has
the following modes: Tour,
Sport, All-Wheel Drive (AWD),
Snow/Ice (in Front-Wheel
Drive vehicles only), and
Off-Road (in AWD vehicles
only). Driver mode availability
and affected vehicle
subsystems are dependent
upon vehicle trim level, region,
and optional features.
Press MODE button on the
center console to make a
mode selection. When
pressed, the mode menu will
display in the instrument
cluster and activate the next
available mode.
Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
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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
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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.