brake fluid CADILLAC CT6 2016 Owners Manual

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
Instruments and Controls 147
Battery Voltage and
Charging Messages BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE This message displays when the
vehicle has detected that the battery
voltage is dropping beyond a
reasonable point. The battery saver
system starts reducing features of
the vehicle that may be noticed. At
the point that features are disabled,
this message displays. Turn off
unnecessary accessories to allow
the battery to recharge.
LOW BATTERY This message is displayed when the
battery voltage is low. See Battery -
North America 0 284 .
SERVICE BATTERY
CHARGING SYSTEM
This message is displayed when
there is a fault in the battery
charging system. Take the vehicle to
your dealer for service. TRANSPORT MODE ON This message is displayed when the
vehicle is in transport mode. Some
features can be disabled while in
this mode, including Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE), remote start,
and the vehicle alarm system. Take
the vehicle to your dealer for service
to turn transport mode off.
Brake System Messages BRAKE FLUID LOW This message is displayed when the
brake fluid level is low. See Brake
Fluid 0 283 .
BRAKES OVERHEATED This message is displayed when the
brakes are becoming overheated.
This may be seen when driving on
hills. Shift to a lower gear. STEP ON BRAKE TO
RELEASE PARK BRAKE This message is displayed if you
attempt to release the Electric
Parking Brake without the brake
pedal applied. See Electric Parking
Brake 0 214 .
RELEASE PARKING BRAKE This message is displayed if the
Electric Parking Brake is on while
the vehicle is in motion. See Electric
Parking Brake 0 214 .
SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST This message may be displayed
when there is a problem with the
brake boost assist system. The
brake boost assist motor may be
heard and brake pedal pulsation
may be felt. This is normal under
these conditions. Take the vehicle to
your dealer for service.
SERVICE PARKING BRAKE
This message is displayed when
there is a problem with the parking
brake. Take the vehicle to your
dealer for service.

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
194 Driving and Operating
Steering Variable Effort Steering The vehicle has a steering system
that varies the amount of effort
required to steer the vehicle in
relation to the speed of the vehicle.
The amount of steering effort
required is less at slower speeds to
make the vehicle more
maneuverable and easier to park. At
faster speeds, the steering effort
increases to provide a sport-like feel
to the steering. This provides
maximum control and stability.
Electric Power Steering The vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort. See your dealer if
there is a problem. If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is
held against that position for an
extended period of time, power
steering assist may be reduced.
If steering assist is used for an
extended period of time, power
assist may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the
system cools down.
See specific vehicle steering
messages under Vehicle
Messages 0 146 .
See your dealer if there is a
problem.
Curve Tips .
Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
.
Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
.
Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve.
.
Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway. Steering in Emergencies .
There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
.
Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
.
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
allows steering while braking.
Off-Road Recovery

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
196 Driving and Operating Warning (Continued)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.
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 0 299 .
.
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, cooling system, and
transmission. .
Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{ WarningUsing 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 braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{ WarningCoasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering. 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.

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
258 Driving and Operating 2. Have someone place chocks
under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in
place, release the regular
brakes until the chocks absorb
the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then
apply the parking brake and
shift into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill 1. Apply and hold the brake
pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is
clear of the chocks.
7. Stop and have someone pick
up and store the chocks. Maintenance when Trailer
Towing The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See
Maintenance Schedule 0 344 .
Things that are especially important
in trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system, and
brake system. It is a good idea to
inspect these before and during
the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Trailer Towing Before pulling a trailer, three
important considerations have to do
with weight:
.
Weight of the trailer.
.
Weight of the trailer tongue.
.
Total weight on your vehicle's
tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be? It should never weigh more than
454 kg (1,000 lb). But even that can
be too heavy.
It depends on how the rig is used.
For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature, and
how much the vehicle is used to pull
a trailer are all important. It can
depend on any special equipment
on the vehicle, and the amount of
tongue weight the vehicle can carry.
See “ Weight of the Trailer Tongue ”
following.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated
assuming only the driver is in the
tow vehicle and it has all the
required trailering equipment. The
weight of additional optional
equipment, passengers, and cargo
in the tow vehicle must be
subtracted from the maximum trailer
weight.
Ask your dealer for trailering
information or advice, or write us at
our Customer Assistance Offices.
See Customer Assistance
Offices 0 363 .

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
Vehicle Care 261
Vehicle Care General Information General Information . . . . . . . . . . 262
California Proposition
65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements . . . . . 262
Accessories and
Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Vehicle Checks Doing Your Own
Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Engine Compartment
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 272
Automatic Transmission
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 273
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 280
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Battery - North America . . . . . . 284
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 285
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 286
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 286
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 287
Headlamp Aiming Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Bulb Replacement Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 288
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Electrical System Electrical System Overload . . . 289
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 290
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300 Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 301
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Tire Pressure Monitor
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
When It Is Time for New
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Different Size Tires and
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 318
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 326

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
266 Vehicle Care 1. Engine Coolant Surge Tank
and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0 275 .
2. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0 273 .
3. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See
Engine Oil 0 270 .
4. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of
View). See Cooling
System 0 275 .
5. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
Engine Oil 0 270 .
6. Remote Positive (+) Battery
Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0 327 .
7. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0 290 .
8. Brake Fluid Reservoir (Under
Cover). See Brake Fluid 0 283 .
9. Windshield Washer Fluid
Reservoir. See Washer
Fluid 0 281 .
10. Remote Negative (-) Battery
Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0 327 .

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
268 Vehicle Care 1. Engine Coolant Surge Tank
and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0 275 .
2. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0 273 .
3. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of
View). See Cooling
System 0 275 .
4. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See
Engine Oil 0 270 .
5. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
Engine Oil 0 270 .
6. Remote Positive (+) Battery
Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0 327 .
7. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0 290 .
8. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See
Brake Fluid 0 283 .
9. Windshield Washer Fluid
Reservoir. See Washer
Fluid 0 281 .
10. Remote Negative (-) Battery
Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0 327 .

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
270 Vehicle Care 1. Engine Coolant Surge Tank
and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0 275 .
2. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0 273 .
3. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of
View). See Cooling
System 0 275 .
4. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See
Engine Oil 0 270 .
5. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
Engine Oil 0 270 .
6. Remote Positive (+) Battery
Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0 327 .
7. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0 290 .
8. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See
Brake Fluid 0 283 .
9. Windshield Washer Fluid
Reservoir. See Washer
Fluid 0 281 .
10. Remote Negative (-) Battery
Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0 327 . Engine Oil To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.
Use engine oil approved to the
proper specification and of the
proper viscosity grade. See
“ Selecting the Right Engine Oil ”
in this section.
.
Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “ Checking
Engine Oil ” and “ When to Add
Engine Oil ” later in this section.
.
Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System 0 272 .
.
Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “ What to Do with
Used Oil ” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine
oil level at each fuel fill. In order to
get an accurate reading, the vehicle must be on level ground. The
engine oil dipstick handle is a loop.
See Engine Compartment Overview
0 265 for the location of the engine
oil dipstick.
1. If the engine has been running
recently, turn off the engine and
allow several minutes for the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Checking the oil level too soon
after engine shutoff will not
provide an accurate oil level
reading.
{ WarningThe engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle.
2. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it
with a clean paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all
the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and
check the level.

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
282 Vehicle Care Caution (Continued).
Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the
solution to freeze and
damage the washer fluid
tank and other parts of the
washer system.
.
When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer instructions for
adding water.
.
Fill the washer fluid tank
only three-quarters full when
it is very cold. This allows
for fluid expansion if
freezing occurs, which could
damage the tank if it is
completely full.
Brakes Disc brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or can be heard all the time when the
vehicle is moving, except when
applying the brake pedal firmly.
{ WarningThe brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
CautionContinuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly
brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications. See Capacities and
Specifications 0 358 .
Brake pads should be replaced as
complete sets.
Brake Pedal Travel See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service may be required.
Replacing Brake System Parts Always replace brake system parts
with new, approved replacement
parts. If this is not done, the brakes
may not work properly. The braking
performance expected can change
in many other ways if the wrong
replacement brake parts are
installed or if parts are improperly
installed.

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9235592) -
2016 - crc - 11/6/15
Vehicle Care 283
Brake Fluid The brake master cylinder reservoir
is filled with GM approved DOT 3
brake fluid as indicated on the
reservoir cap. See Engine
Compartment Overview 0 265 for
the location of the reservoir.
Checking Brake Fluid
With the vehicle in P (Park) on a
level surface, the brake fluid level
should be between the minimum
and maximum marks on the brake
fluid reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in the reservoir may
go down:
.
Normal brake lining wear. When
new linings are installed, the
fluid level goes back up. .
A fluid leak in the brake
hydraulic system. Have the
brake hydraulic system fixed.
With a leak, the brakes will not
work well.
Always clean the brake fluid
reservoir cap and the area around
the cap before removing it.
Do not top off the brake fluid.
Adding fluid does not correct a leak.
If fluid is added when the linings are
worn, there will be too much fluid
when new brake linings are
installed. Add or remove fluid, as
necessary, only when work is done
on the brake hydraulic system.
{ Warning
If too much brake fluid is added, it
can spill on the engine and burn,
if the engine is hot enough. You
or others could be burned, and
the vehicle could be damaged.
Add brake fluid only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic
system. When the brake fluid falls to a low
level, the brake warning light comes
on. See Brake System Warning
Light 0 133 .
Brake fluid absorbs water over time
which degrades the effectiveness of
the brake fluid. Replace brake fluid
at the specified intervals to prevent
increased stopping distance. See
Maintenance Schedule 0 344 .
What to Add
Use only GM approved DOT 3
brake fluid from a clean, sealed
container. See Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants 0 353 .
{ Warning
The wrong or contaminated brake
fluid could result in damage to the
brake system. This could result in
the loss of braking leading to a
possible injury. Always use the
proper GM approved brake fluid.