CADILLAC CT4 2023 Owners Manual

Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500442) -
2023 - CRC - 5/10/22
280 Driving and Operating
Downshifting the transmission
in slippery road conditions
could result in skidding. See
“Skidding”under Loss of
Control 0237.
Caution
Spinning the tires or holding
the vehicle in one place on a
hill using only the
accelerator pedal may
damage the transmission.
The repair will not be
covered by the vehicle
warranty. If the vehicle is
stuck, do not spin the tires.
When stopping on a hill, use
the brakes to hold the
vehicle in place.
Manual Mode
(Mechanical Shifter)
Tap Shift
Caution
Driving with the engine at a
high rpm without upshifting
while using Tap Shift, could
damage the vehicle. Always
upshift when necessary
while using Tap Shift.
Vehicles with Tap Shift have
controls on the back of the
steering wheel to manually
shift the automatic
transmission.
To enter Permanent Tap
Shift Mode: 1. Move the shift lever from D (Drive) to M (Manual
Mode). While in Tap Shift
Mode, the M on the
instrument cluster will
become highlighted, and
the current gear is
indicated.
2. Tap the left control to downshift, and the right
control to upshift. To shift
to the lowest available
gear, press and hold the
left control.
3. To exit, move the shift lever back to D (Drive).
With the shift lever in D (Drive)
and not in Permanent Tap
Shift Mode, the tap shift
controls will activate a
temporary tap manual shift
mode, allowing the

Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500442) -
2023 - CRC - 5/10/22
Driving and Operating 281
transmission to be manually
shifted. While in Temporary
Tap Shift Mode, the D on the
instrument cluster will be
highlighted and the current
gear shown. Automatic shifts
return after no manual shifts
have been done for seven to
10 seconds. The Temporary
Tap Shift Mode can also be
deactivated by holding the
right upshift control briefly.
While using Tap Shift, the
vehicle will have firmer, quicker
shifting. You can use this for
sport driving or when climbing
or descending hills, to stay in
gear longer, or to downshift
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
lower gear if the engine rpm is
too high, nor to the nexthigher gear when the
maximum engine rpm is
reached.
If shifting is prevented for any
reason, a SHIFT DENIED
message will be displayed in
the instrument cluster.
Manual Mode
(Electronic Shifter)
Tap Shift
Caution
Driving with the engine at a
high rpm without upshifting
while using Tap Shift, could
damage the vehicle. Always
upshift when necessary
while using Tap Shift.
If equipped, vehicles with Tap
Shift have controls on the
back of the steering wheel to
manually shift the automatic
transmission.
Permanent Tap Shift Mode
To enter Permanent Tap
Shift Mode: 1. With the vehicle in D (Drive), pull back on the
shift lever to activate
M (Manual Mode). The M in
the shift pattern will
illuminate in red, and the D
will switch to white. While
in Permanent Tap Shift

Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500442) -
2023 - CRC - 5/10/22
282 Driving and Operating
Mode, the M on the
instrument cluster will be
highlighted and the current
gear shown.
2. After releasing the shift lever, it will return to the
center position.
3. Pull the control toward you to shift. Pull the left
control to downshift, and
the right control to upshift.
To shift to the lowest
available gear, pull and hold
the left control.
To exit Permanent Tap
Shift Mode: 1. To exit M (Manual Mode) and return to D (Drive), pull
back on the shift lever. The
D in the shift pattern will
illuminate in red, and the M
will switch to white.
2. After releasing the shift lever, it will return to the
center position.
M (Manual Mode) can be exited
to return to D (Drive) at any
speed by pulling the lever rearward from the center
position. It is not necessary to
stop the vehicle or shift to
N (Neutral) or P (Park) prior to
shifting back to D (Drive).
Temporary Tap Shift Mode
To enter Temporary Tap
Shift Mode:
1. With the transmission in D (Drive) and not in
Permanent Tap Shift
Mode, the Tap Shift
controls will activate a
Temporary Tap Shift
Mode, allowing the
transmission to be
manually shifted. While in
Temporary Tap Shift
Mode, the D on the
instrument cluster will be
highlighted and the current
gear shown.
2. To shift to the lowest available gear, press and
hold the left control.
3. To deactivate, hold the right control briefly.
Automatic shifts return after no manual shifts have
been done for seven to
10 seconds.
While using Tap Shift, the
vehicle will have firmer, quicker
shifting. This can be used for
sport driving or when climbing
or descending hills, to stay in
gear longer, or to downshift
for more power or engine
braking.
The transmission will only
allow shifting into gears
appropriate for the vehicle
speed and engine revolutions
per minute (rpm). If shifting is
prevented for any reason, the
M or D will flash in the
instrument cluster. The
transmission will not
automatically shift to the next
higher gear if the engine rpm
is too high. It will only
automatically shift to the next
lower gear if the engine rpm is
much too low.

Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500442) -
2023 - CRC - 5/10/22
Driving and Operating 283
Manual
Transmission
If equipped, this is the shift
pattern for the manual
transmission.
Caution
Shifting the vehicle initially
into any gear other than
1 (First) or R (Reverse) can
damage the clutch. Shift the
manual transmission in the
proper sequence, and time
the gear shifting with the(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
accelerator to avoid revving
the engine and damaging
the clutch.
Caution
The message MANUAL
TRANSMISSION—
RELEASE CLUTCH PEDAL
displays and a chime sounds
if the manual transmission
clutch pedal is partially
applied for an extended
period of time while the
vehicle is being driven.
Driving with the clutch pedal
applied can reduce the life
of the clutch and/or damage
it. Fully release the clutch
pedal after each gear
change.
Caution
The message REDUCED
PERFORMANCE —REDUCE
CLUTCH USE displays and
engine torque is
momentarily limited if
excessive manual
transmission clutch slip is
detected while the clutch
pedal is fully released. This
could be caused by a hot
clutch. Apply less pressure
on the accelerator pedal
when accelerating from a
stop. Also, fully release the
accelerator pedal during
gear changes. This will allow
the clutch to cool and should
prevent further clutch slip
while the clutch pedal is fully
released. If this message
displays repeatedly, see
your dealer. Repeated clutch
slip could cause permanent
damage.

Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500442) -
2023 - CRC - 5/10/22
284 Driving and Operating
Caution
The message
TRANSMISSION IS HOT—
SLOW DOWN displays and a
chime sounds if the manual
transmission fluid is hot and
vehicle speed is high. Driving
with the manual
transmission fluid
temperature high can
damage the vehicle. Drive at
a slower speed to cool the
manual transmission fluid.
This message clears when
the vehicle has slowed
sufficiently or if the manual
transmission fluid has cooled
sufficiently.
1 (First) : Press the clutch
pedal and shift into 1 (First).
Slowly let up on the clutch
pedal while pressing on the
accelerator pedal. After a complete stop, if it is
hard to shift into 1 (First), let
up on the clutch pedal, then
press it back down and shift
into 1 (First).
2 (Second) :
Press the clutch
pedal and let up on the
accelerator pedal, then shift
into 2 (Second). Then, slowly
let up on the clutch pedal
while accelerating.
3 (Third), 4 (Fourth), 5 (Fifth),
and 6 (Sixth) : Shift into
3 (Third), 4 (Fourth), 5 (Fifth),
and 6 (Sixth) the same as
2 (Second).
To stop, let up on the
accelerator pedal and press
the brake pedal. Just before
the vehicle stops, press the
clutch pedal and the brake
pedal, and shift to Neutral.
Neutral : Use this position
when you start or idle the
engine. The shift lever is in
Neutral when it is centered in
the shift pattern, not in
any gear. R (Reverse) :
To back up,
press down the clutch pedal,
completely stop the vehicle,
and shift into R (Reverse). Let
up on the clutch pedal slowly
while pressing the accelerator
pedal.
{Warning
If you skip a gear when
downshifting, you could lose
control of the vehicle. You
could injure yourself or
others. Do not shift down
more than one gear at a
time when downshifting.
Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while
the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Shift to
R (Reverse) only after the
vehicle is stopped.

Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500442) -
2023 - CRC - 5/10/22
Driving and Operating 285
Caution
Do not rest your hand on
the shift lever while driving.
The pressure could cause
premature wear in the
transmission. The repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Caution
When downshifting, if more
than one gear is skipped,
or the engine is racing when
the clutch pedal is released,
the engine, clutch, driveshaft
or transmission could be
damaged.
No Lift-Shift
The vehicle can be shifted up
a gear when the accelerator
pedal is pressed to the floor
without being released. This
allows for less power
interruption and will improve
acceleration times. This
feature is available in all drivermodes and is only active when
the engine speed is
greater than:
Gears 1, 2 and 3 - above
3000 rpm
Gears 4 and 5 - above
2000 rpm
Active Rev Match
Vehicles equipped with a
manual transmission have
Active Rev Match (ARM). ARM
aids in smoother shifting by
matching the engine speed to
the next selected gear. By
monitoring shift lever and
clutch operation, ARM adjusts
engine speed to match a
calibrated value based on gear
selection. On upshifts and
downshifts, engine speed will
be increased and decreased to
match vehicle road speed and
transmission gear position.
ARM is maintained while the
clutch pedal is pressed, but
will deactivate if the shift lever
is left in the Neutral position.
The system is activated and
deactivated by pressing the
ARM switch on the center
console. The system must be
activated with each new
ignition cycle. If ARM is
deactivated, the system will
still perform rev matching for
upshifts.
A gear indicator in the
instrument cluster displays the
current gear selected. ARM is
also shown in the
Performance View of the HUD:
.When ARM is activated, the
gear number is amber.

Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500442) -
2023 - CRC - 5/10/22
286 Driving and Operating
.When ARM is deactivated,
the gear number is white.
.If no gear number is
displayed while the shift
lever is in gear, service is
required. All rev matching
will be disabled and the
malfunction indicator lamp
will be on. See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light)0118. The
clutch and manual
transmission will continue to
operate normally.
ARM will also:
.Be active above 28 km/h
(18 mph).
.Match engine speed up to
6100 rpm.
.Not operate when the
accelerator pedal is applied.
.Be disabled when the
coolant temperature is
below 0 °C (32 °F).
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
Vehicles with this feature
always send engine power
to all four wheels. It is fully
automatic, and adjusts itself as
needed for road conditions.
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.
If there is a problem with ABS,
this warning light stays on.
See Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
0121.

Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500442) -
2023 - CRC - 5/10/22
Driving and Operating 287
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 and 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
0121 and
Service Electric Parking Brake
Light 0121. 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

Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500442) -
2023 - CRC - 5/10/22
288 Driving and Operating
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
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 checkthe 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 0358.
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.
The EPB can also be used to
prevent roll back for vehicles
with a manual transmission

Cadillac CT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500442) -
2023 - CRC - 5/10/22
Driving and Operating 289
taking off on a hill. When no
roll back is desired, an applied
EPB will allow both feet to be
used for the clutch and
accelerator pedals in
preparation for starting the
vehicle moving in the intended
direction. In this case, there is
no need to press the switch to
release the EPB.
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
use proper care when
driving may result in injury,
death, or vehicle damage.
See Defensive Driving0235.
When the vehicle is stopped
on a grade, Hill Start Assist
(HSA) temporarily 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 or
automatically release after a
few seconds. 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.
Automatic Vehicle
Hold (AVH)