traction control CADILLAC CTS 2006 1.G User Guide

Starting Disabled – Remove Key
This message will appear when the vehicle
theft-deterrent system detects that an improper ignition
key is being used to try to start the vehicle. Check
the ignition key for damage. If it is damaged, it may need
to be replaced. If it is not damaged, remove the key
and try to start the vehicle again. If it still does not start,
try another ignition key or have your vehicle serviced
by your GM dealer.
Starting Disabled – Throttle Problem
This message appears when your vehicle’s throttle
system is not functioning properly. Have your vehicle
serviced by your GM dealer.
Theft Attempted
This message is displayed if the content theft-deterrent
system has detected a break-in attempt while you
were away from your vehicle.
Top Speed – Fuel Cut Off
This message will appear when the Engine Control
Module (ECM) detects that the maximum speed for your
vehicle has been reached. Your vehicle’s top speed is
based on the top speed rating of the tires. This ensures
that your vehicle stays in a safe operating range for
the tires.
Traction Engaged
This message will appear when the traction control
system is actively limiting wheel spin. Slippery road
conditions may exist if this message is displayed, so
adjust your driving accordingly. The message will stay on
for a few seconds after the traction control system stops
limiting wheel spin. SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
(CTS) on page 4-9orTraction Control System (TCS)
(CTS-V) on page 4-10for more information.
Trans (Transmission) Hot – Idle Engine
This message indicates that the transmission uid in
your vehicle is too hot. Stop the vehicle and allow it to
idle until the transmission cools down or until this
message is removed. See alsoTransmission Fluid Hot
Message on page 3-50for more information.
Trunk Open
When this message appears on the display, it means
that the trunk lid of your vehicle was not closed
completely. You should make sure that the trunk lid is
closed completely.
Turn Signal On
If you drive your vehicle for more than about 1 mile
(1.6 km) with a turn signal on, this message will appear
as a reminder to turn off the turn signal. A multiple
chime will sound when this message is displayed.
3-69

To program the vehicle to a different mode, use the
following procedure:
1. Enter the personalization portion of the SETUP
menu following the instructions listed previously.
2. Turn the TUNE/SEL knob until ENHANCED CHIME
VOLUME is highlighted.
3. Press the TUNE/SEL knob to switch back and forth
between the normal and loud settings.
The mode you selected is now set. You can either exit
the programming mode by following the instructions
later in this section or program the next feature available
on your vehicle.
Exiting the Personalization Menu
To exit the personalization portion of the SETUP menu,
press the CLR button once you have nished making
your selections. You will return to the main audio screen.
If a 15 second time period has elapsed with no
selection made, the SETUP menu will be exited
automatically.
Audio System(s)
Determine which radio your vehicle has and then read the
pages following to familiarize yourself with its features.
Driving without distraction is a necessity for a safer
driving experience. SeeDefensive Driving on page 4-2.
By taking a few moments to read this manual and
get familiar with your vehicle’s audio system, you can
use it with less effort, as well as take advantage of
its features. While your vehicle is parked, set up your
audio system by presetting your favorite radio stations,
setting the tone, and adjusting the speakers. Then,
when driving conditions permit, you can tune to
your favorite stations using the presets and steering
wheel controls if the vehicle has them.
{CAUTION:
This system provides you with a far greater
access to audio stations and song listings.
Giving extended attention to entertainment
tasks while driving can cause a crash and you
or others can be injured or killed. Always keep
your eyes on the road and your mind on the
drive — avoid engaging in extended searching
while driving.
3-83

Keeping your mind on the drive is important for safe
driving. Here are some ways in which you can help
avoid distraction while driving.
While your vehicle is parked:
Familiarize yourself with all of its controls.
Familiarize yourself with its operation.
Set up your audio system by presetting your
favorite radio stations, setting the tone, and
adjusting the speakers. Then, when driving
conditions permit, you can tune to your favorite
radio stations using the presets and steering wheel
controls if the vehicle has them.
Notice:Before adding any sound equipment to
your vehicle, such as an audio system, CD player,
CB radio, mobile telephone, or two-way radio, make
sure that it can be added by checking with your
dealer. Also, check federal rules covering mobile
radio and telephone units. If sound equipment can
be added, it is very important to do it properly.Added sound equipment may interfere with the
operation of your vehicle’s engine, radio, or other
systems, and even damage them. Your vehicle’s
systems may interfere with the operation of sound
equipment that has been added.
Notice:The chime signals related to safety belts,
parking brake, and other functions of your vehicle
operate through the radio/entertainment system.
If that equipment is replaced or additional equipment
is added to your vehicle, the chimes may not
work. Make sure that replacement or additional
equipment is compatible with your vehicle before
installing it. SeeAccessories and Modifications
on page 5-3.
Your vehicle has a feature called Retained Accessory
Power (RAP). With RAP, the audio system can be
played even after the ignition is turned off. SeeRetained
Accessory Power (RAP) on page 2-24for more
information.
3-84

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-6
Braking.........................................................4-6
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).........................4-7
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-9
Traction Control System (TCS) (CTS)................4-9
Traction Control System (TCS) (CTS-V)...........4-10
Competitive Driving Mode (CTS-V)..................4-12
Limited-Slip Rear Axle...................................4-12
StabiliTrak
®System......................................4-12
Panic Brake Assist........................................4-13
Steering......................................................4-13
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-16
Passing.......................................................4-16
Loss of Control.............................................4-17
Competitive Driving.......................................4-18Driving at Night............................................4-19
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-20
City Driving..................................................4-22
Freeway Driving...........................................4-23
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-24
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-25
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-25
Winter Driving..............................................4-27
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.............................................4-31
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-32
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-32
Towing..........................................................4-37
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-37
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-37
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-39
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering, and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at
the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or ice,
it is easy to ask more of those control systems than the
tires and road can provide. That means you can lose
control of your vehicle. SeeTraction Control System
(TCS) (CTS) on page 4-9orTraction Control System
(TCS) (CTS-V) on page 4-10.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 5-3.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-38.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That is perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or
more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness,
coordination, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol,
drugs, and frustration. But even in three-fourths of a
second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between
your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement
or gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is
wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition of the brakes;
the weight of the vehicle; and the amount of brake
force applied.
4-6

Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down rmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may
hear the anti-lock pump or motor operate, and feel the
brake pedal pulsate, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With ABS, you can steer and brake at the same time.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
Traction Control
System (TCS) (CTS)
Your vehicle has a traction control system that limits
wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only if it senses
that one or both of the rear wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens,
the system brakes the spinning wheel(s) and/or
reduces engine power to limit wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.This warning light will
come on to let you know
if there is a problem
with your traction
control system.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) Warning Light on
page 3-39. When this warning light is on, the system will
not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes
on whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the
traction control system off if you ever need to. You
should turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets
stuck in sand, mud or snow and rocking the vehicle is
required. Additionally, turning the traction control system
off on some surfaces, such as deep snow and loose
gravel, will assist vehicle motion at lower speeds.
SeeRocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 4-32
for more information. See alsoWinter Driving on
page 4-27for information on using TCS when driving in
snowy or icy conditions.
4-9

You can turn the system
off by pressing the TC
(traction control) button
located in the glove box.
If you press the TC button once, the traction control
system will turn off and the traction control system
warning light will come on. Press the TC button again
to turn the system back on. If you press and hold
the TC button for ve seconds, the StabiliTrak
®system
will turn off. Press the TC button again to turn
StabiliTrak
®back on. For more information, see
StabiliTrak®System on page 4-12.
You can program your steering wheel controls and/or
the buttons on the Base audio system to turn the
TCSonoroff.SeeRecongurable Steering Wheel
Controls (SWC) (CTS) on page 3-7and/or “Congurable
Radio Display Keys” underRadio with CD on page 3-85
for programming instructions.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 5-3for more information.
Traction Control System (TCS)
(CTS-V)
Your vehicle has a Traction Control System (TCS) that
limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only if it senses
that one or both of the rear wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens,
the system brakes the spinning wheel(s) and/or
reduces engine power to limit wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.
This warning light will
come on to let you know
if there’s a problem
with your traction
control system.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) Warning Light on
page 3-39. When this warning light is on, the system will
not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
4-10

The traction control system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel
spin, especially in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the
traction control system off if you ever need to. You
should turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets
stuck in sand, mud or snow and rocking the vehicle is
required. Additionally, turning the traction control system
off on some surfaces, such as deep snow and loose
gravel, will assist vehicle motion at lower speeds.
SeeRocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 4-32
andIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow
on page 4-31for more information. See alsoWinter
Driving on page 4-27for information on using TCS
when driving in snowy or icy conditions.
You can turn the
system off by pressing
the TC (traction control)
button located on the
steering wheel.If you press the TC button once, the traction control
system will turn off and the TCS warning light will
come on. If you press the TC button again within
ve seconds, the traction control system will remain off,
the warning light will stay on, and the stability system
will enter Competitive Driving Mode. Competitive Driving
will be displayed on the Driver Information Center
(DIC). SeeCompetitive Driving Mode (CTS-V) on
page 4-12and “Driver Information Center (DIC)” in the
Navigation Supplement for more information. Press
the TC button again to turn the system back on. If you
press and hold the TC button for ve seconds, the
StabiliTrak
®and Traction Control systems will turn off.
Press the TC button again to turn StabiliTrak®and
Traction Control back on. For more information,
seeStabiliTrak
®System on page 4-12.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 5-3for more information.
4-11

Competitive Driving Mode (CTS-V)
The driver can select this optional handling mode by
pressing the Traction Control (TC) button on the steering
wheel twice within ve seconds. COMPETITIVE
DRIVING will be displayed in the DIC. Competitive driving
mode allows the driver to have control of the power
applied to the rear wheels, while the StabiliTrak
®system
helps steer the vehicle by selective brake application.
In competitive mode, the levels at which StabiliTrak
®is
engaged have been modied to better suit a performance
driving environment. When the traction control warning
light is on, the Traction Control System will not be
operating. Adjust your driving accordingly.
When you press the TC button again, or turn the
ignition to ACCESSORY, the TCS will be on. The
traction engaged symbol will be displayed temporarily
in the DIC and a chime will be heard.
Limited-Slip Rear Axle
If your vehicle has this feature, your limited-slip rear
axle can give you additional traction on snow, mud, ice,
sand or gravel. It works like a standard axle most of
the time, but when one of the rear wheels has no
traction and the other does, this feature will allow the
wheel with traction to move the vehicle.
StabiliTrak®System
Your vehicle may have an electronic stability control
system called StabiliTrak®. It is an advanced computer
controlled system that assists you with directional
control of the vehicle in difficult driving conditions.
StabiliTrak
®activates when the computer senses a
discrepancy between your intended path and the
direction the vehicle is actually traveling. StabiliTrak
®
selectively applies braking pressure at any one of
the vehicle’s brakes to help steer the vehicle in the
direction which you are steering.
4-12

When the system activates, a Stability System Engaged
message will be displayed on the Driver Information
Center. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-61.
You may also hear a noise or feel vibration in the
brake pedal. This is normal. Continue to steer the
vehicle in the direction you want it to go.
If there is a problem detected with StabiliTrak
®,a
Service Stability System message will be displayed
on the Driver Information Center. SeeDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 3-61. When this message
is displayed, the system is not operational. Driving
should be adjusted accordingly.
StabiliTrak
®comes on automatically whenever you
start your vehicle. To help assist you with directional
control of the vehicle, you should always leave the
system on. You can turn StabiliTrak
®off if you ever
need to through the TC (traction control) on/off button.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) (CTS) on page 4-9or
Traction Control System (TCS) (CTS-V) on page 4-10.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the StabiliTrak
®
activates, the cruise control will automatically
disengage. When road conditions allow you to safely
use it again, you may reengage the cruise control.
SeeCruise Control on page 3-13for more information.
Panic Brake Assist
Your vehicle has a panic brake assist system that
monitors the intention of the driver while braking. If the
system senses that the driver has applied hard/fast
pressure to the brake pedal, the system will generate
additional pressure, making it easier for the driver
to maintain brake application. When this happens the
brake pedal will feel easier to push. Just hold the brake
pedal down rmly and let the system work for you.
You may feel the brakes vibrate, or you may notice
some noise but this is normal. The brakes will return
to normal operation after the brake pedal has been
released.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer
but it will take much more effort.
Speed Variable Assist Steering
If your vehicle has this system, it varies the amount of
effort required to steer the vehicle in relation to the
speed of the vehicle.
4-13