CADILLAC SRX 2007 1.G Owners Manual

Engine Coolant Heater
Your vehicle may have an engine coolant heater.
In very cold weather, 0°F (−18°C) or colder,
the engine coolant heater can help. You will get
easier starting and better fuel economy during
engine warm-up.
Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged in a
minimum of four hours prior to starting your
vehicle. At temperatures above 32°F (0°C), use of
the coolant heater is not required. Your vehicle
may also have an internal thermostat in the
plug end of the cord. This will prevent operation of
the engine coolant heater when the temperature
is at or above 0°F (−18°C) as noted on the cord.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical
cord. For the 3.6L V6 engines, the cord is
located in the engine compartment on
the passenger’s side of the vehicle in front of
the fuse block.For the 4.6L V8 engine, the cord is on the
front center of the vehicle above the radiator.
You must remove the plastic cap to access
the plug.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC
outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded
outlet could cause an electrical shock.
Also, the wrong kind of extension cord
could overheat and cause a re. You
could be seriously injured. Plug the cord
into a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will not
reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug
and store the cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine parts. If you do
not, it could be damaged.
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How long should you keep the coolant heater
plugged in? The answer depends on the outside
temperature, the kind of oil you have, and
some other things. Instead of trying to list
everything here, we ask that you contact your
dealer in the area where you will be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best
advice for that particular area.
Automatic Transmission Operation
The shift lever is located on the center console
between the front seats.
There are several
different positions for
the shift lever.
PARK (P):This position locks the rear wheels. It
is the best position to use when you start the
engine because your vehicle cannot move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake rmly set. Your
vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not
move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, always set your parking brake
and move the shift lever to PARK (P). See
Shifting Into Park (P) on page 129.Ifyou
are pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer
on page 331.
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Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P)
before starting the engine. Your vehicle has an
automatic transmission shift lock control system.
You must fully apply your regular brakes rst
and then press the shift lever button before you
can shift from PARK (P) when the ignition key is in
ON. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease
pressure on the shift lever and push the shift lever
all the way into PARK (P) as you maintain
brake application. Then press the shift lever button
and move the shift lever into another gear. See
Shifting Out of Park (P) on page 131.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving forward could damage
the transmission. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
At low vehicle speeds, you can also use
REVERSE (R) to rock your vehicle back and forth
to get out of snow, ice, or sand without damaging
your transmission. SeeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck
in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 321for
additional information.NEUTRAL (N):In this position, the engine does
not connect with the wheels. To restart when
you are already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
You can also use NEUTRAL (N) when your
vehicle is being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is rmly on
the brake pedal, your vehicle could move
very rapidly. You could lose control and
hit people or objects. Do not shift into a
drive gear while your engine is running at
high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) with the engine running at high
speed may damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Be sure the engine is not running at high
speed when shifting your vehicle.
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DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving. It
provides the best fuel economy for your vehicle. If
you need more power for passing, and you are:
Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push
the accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push
the accelerator all the way down. The
transmission will shift down to a lower gear
and have more power.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding, see
“Skidding” underLoss of Control on page 289.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage the
transmission. If you are stuck, do not spin the
tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
Notice:If you drive your vehicle at high RPMs
without upshifting while using Driver Shift
Control (DSC), you could damage your
vehicle. Always upshift when necessary while
using DSC.Your automatic transmission has a Driver Shift
Control (DSC) feature that allows you to change
gears similar to a manual transmission. To use the
DSC feature:
1. Slide the shift lever over from DRIVE (D) to
the right into the DSC area.
When the transmission
is in DSC mode the
sport symbol in
the Driver Information
Center (DIC) will
come on.
If you do not move the shift lever forward or
rearward, the vehicle will be in sport mode.
When you are in the sport mode the vehicle
will still shift automatically. While driving
in sport mode, the transmission may remain in
a gear longer than it would in the normal
driving mode based on braking, throttle input,
and vehicle lateral acceleration.
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2. To enter the DSC mode, press the shift lever
forward to upshift or rearward to downshift.
The DIC will show the
requested gear range
when moving the
shift lever forward or
rearward. See
Driver Information
Center (DIC) on
page 214
While using the DSC feature, the vehicle will have
rmer shifting and increased performance. You
can use this for sport driving or when climbing or
descending hills, to stay in gear longer, or to
down shift for more power or engine braking.The transmission will only allow you to shift into
gears appropriate for the vehicle speed and engine
Revolutions Per Minute (RPM). The transmission
will not automatically shift to the next higher
gear if the engine RPM is too high.
If shifting is prevented for any reason, the currently
selected gear will ash multiple times, indicating
that the transmission has not shifted gears.
While in the DSC mode, the transmission will
automatically downshift when the vehicle comes to
a stop and while quickly applying the accelerator
to increase speed. This will allow for more
power during take-off.
When accelerating your vehicle from a stop in
snowy and icy conditions, you may want to shift
into second gear. A higher gear ratio allows you to
gain more traction on slippery surfaces.
125

Tow/Haul Mode
Your vehicle may be equipped with a Tow/Haul
mode. The button is located on instrument
panel under the climate controls. You should use
this feature to assist when towing or hauling a
heavy load.When Tow/Haul is activated the Tow/Haul symbol
will illuminate on the instrument panel cluster.
SeeTow/Haul ModeunderTowing a Trailer
on page 331for more information.
126

Grade Braking
Grade Braking assists when driving on a downhill
grade. It maintains the vehicle’s speed by
automatically implementing a shift schedule that
uses the engine and the transmission to slow
the vehicle. This reduces wear on the brakes
system and increases control of the vehicle. The
system constantly monitors the vehicle’s speed,
acceleration, throttle position, and whether
the brake pedal is being pressed, and determines
when to keep the current vehicle speed or to
slow down. The system will then automatically
command downshifts that reduces the vehicles
speed, until the brake pedal is no longer
being pressed. This indicates the desired vehicle
speed has been reached.
The tow/haul mode and grade braking shift modes
can be activated by pressing the button on the
instrument panel console. While in the DSC mode,
grade braking is deactivated, allowing the driver
to select a gear.
SeeAutomatic Transmission Operation on
page 122.
Parking Brake
The parking brake pedal
is located on the lower
portion of the instrument
panel to the left of the
steering wheel.
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right foot and push the
parking brake pedal down with your left foot.
If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
on the instrument panel cluster should come
on. If it does not, you need to have your vehicle
serviced. SeeBrake System Warning Light
on page 204for more information.
127

To release the parking brake, pull the release
lever located to the left of the steering wheel on
the instrument panel.Notice:Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system and cause
premature wear or damage to brake system
parts. Verify that the parking brake is fully
released and the brake warning light is
off before driving.
A warning chime will sound if the parking brake is
set, the ignition is on, and the vehicle begins to
move. To stop the chime, fully release the
parking brake.
If you are towing a trailer and parking on a hill,
seeTowing a Trailer on page 331for more
information.
128

Shifting Into Park (P)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly
set. Your vehicle can roll. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on fairly level ground,
use the steps that follow. If you are
pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 331.To shift into PARK (P), use the following steps:
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by
pressing the button on the front of the
shift lever while pushing the lever all the way
toward the front of the vehicle. Release
the button.
3. With your right foot still holding the brake
pedal down, set the parking brake with
your left foot. SeeParking Brake on page 127
for more information.
4. Turn the key to OFF.
5. Remove the key from the ignition switch and
take it with you. If you can leave your vehicle
with the key in your hand, the vehicle is in
PARK (P).
129

Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle
with the engine running. Your vehicle
could move suddenly if the shift lever is
not fully in PARK (P) with the parking
brake rmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch re. You or
others could be injured. Do not leave your
vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P)
and your parking brake is rmly set before you
leave it. After you have moved the shift lever into
PARK (P), hold the regular brake pedal down.
Then, see if you can move the shift lever
away from PARK (P) without rst pushing the
button on the shift lever. If you can, it means that
the shift lever was not fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift
your transmission into PARK (P) properly,
the weight of the vehicle may put too much force
on the parking pawl in the transmission. You
may nd it difficult to pull the shift lever out
of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.” To
prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave
the driver’s seat. To nd out how, see “Shifting Into
PARK (P)” listed previously.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have
another vehicle push yours a little uphill to
take some of the pressure from the parking pawl
in the transmission, so you can pull the shift
lever out of PARK (P).
130