automatic transmission CADILLAC CT6 2020 User Guide

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/14/19
196 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Car Wash Mode (Engine Off–Driver
out of Vehicle)
Car Wash Mode (Engine Off –Driver
out of Vehicle) is not available for
vehicles with the 4.2L engine.
To place the vehicle in N (Neutral)
with the engine off and the vehicle
unoccupied:
1. Drive to the entrance of the car wash.
2. Apply the brake pedal.
3. Open the door.
4. Shift to N (Neutral).
5. Turn off the engine and release the brake pedal.
6. The indicator should continue to show N. If it does not, repeat
Steps 2–5.
7. Exit the vehicle and close the door. The vehicle is now ready
for the car wash.
8. The vehicle may automatically shift to P (Park) upon re-entry. Car Wash Mode (Engine On
–Driver
in Vehicle)
To place the vehicle in N (Neutral)
with the engine on and the vehicle
occupied:
1. Drive to the entrance of the car wash.
2. Apply the brake pedal.
3. Shift to N (Neutral).
4. Release the brake pedal. The vehicle is now ready for the
car wash.
Car Wash Mode (Engine On –Driver
out of Vehicle)
To place the vehicle in N (Neutral)
with the engine on and the vehicle
unoccupied:
1. Drive to the entrance of the car wash.
2. Apply the brake pedal.
3. Open the door.
4. Shift to N (Neutral), then release the brake pedal. 5. The indicator should continue to
show N. If it does not, repeat
Steps 2–4.
6. Exit the vehicle and close the door. The vehicle is now ready
for the car wash.
7. The vehicle may automatically shift to P (Park) upon re-entry.
Caution
A transmission hot message may
display if the automatic
transmission fluid is too hot.
Driving under this condition can
damage the vehicle. Stop and idle
the engine to cool the automatic
transmission fluid. This message
clears when the transmission fluid
has cooled sufficiently.
D : This position is for normal driving.
If more power is needed for passing,
press the accelerator pedal down.
A clicking noise or a detent may be
felt when pressing the accelerator
pedal all the way to the end of travel.
This is normal.

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/14/19
DRIVING AND OPERATING 197
To shift into D (Drive):1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. From the center position, move the shift lever back.
.If the vehicle is in P (Park)
press the shift lock release
button while pulling the shift
lever back.
. D will illuminate in red.
. After releasing the shift lever,
it will return to the center
position.
To shift out of D (Drive): 1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Shift to the desired gear.
3. After releasing the shift lever, it will return to the center position.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding. See “Skidding”underLoss
of Control 0175. M :
This mode can be entered from
D (Drive) by pulling back on the shift
lever. The M in the shift pattern will
illuminate red, and the D will switch
to white. After releasing the shift
lever, it will return to the center
position. M (Manual Mode) allows
gears appropriate for current driving
conditions to be selected.
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. See Manual Mode
0 197.
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
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.

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/14/19
198 DRIVING AND OPERATING
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.
2. After releasing the shift lever, it will return to the center position.
3. Press the controls on the back of the steering wheel to shift. Use
the left steering wheel control to
downshift, and the right control
to upshift. To shift to the lowest
available gear, press 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) before shifting back to
D (Drive).
Temporary Tap Manual 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 manual shift
mode, allowing the transmission
to be manually shifted.
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, a SHIFT
DENIED message will be displayed 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 CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/14/19
DRIVING AND OPERATING 205
The Driver Mode Control has multiple
modes: Tour, Sport, Snow/Ice, and
Track. The Track Mode is available for
V-Series models only. All modes have
preset vehicle settings for use in
different driving conditions. For
further detail see“Mode Description ”.
To activate a mode, press
yorzon
the MODE switch to make a mode
selection in the instrument cluster.
Every press will scroll to the next
available mode.
Mode Description
The following describes the modes
that can be selected in further detail.
Tour Mode
Use for normal city and highway
driving to provide a smooth, soft ride.
This setting provides a balanced
setting between comfort and handling.
This is the standard mode. For further
details on Tour Mode, see “Driver
Mode Selector Attributes Affected ”.
Sport Mode
Use where road conditions or personal
preference demand a more controlled
response.
When selected, the Sport Mode
indicator light will display in the
instrument cluster.
In this mode, the vehicle monitors
driving behaviors and automatically
enables Performance Shift Features
when spirited driving is detected.
These features maintain lower
transmission gears to increase
available engine braking and improve
acceleration response. The vehicle will exit these features and return to
normal operation after a short period
when no spirited driving is detected.
The steering including Active Rear
Steer (if equipped), will change to
provide more precise control. If the
vehicle has Magnetic Ride Control, the
suspension will change to provide
better cornering performance. If the
vehicle is equipped with AWD, Sport
Mode sends more torque to the rear
wheels.
For further details on Sport Mode, see
“Driver Mode Selector Attributes
Affected”.
Snow/Ice Mode
Snow/Ice Mode is used for slippery
surfaces to help control wheel speed.
This can compromise the acceleration
on dry asphalt. Snow/Ice Mode will
use a different accelerator pedal map
to optimize traction on a slippery
surface. The accelerator pedal will
reduce engine torque at small pedal
inputs.

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/14/19
206 DRIVING AND OPERATING
When selected, the Snow/Ice Mode
indicator light will display in the
instrument cluster.
This feature is not intended for use
when the vehicle is stuck in sand,
mud, or gravel. If the vehicle becomes
stuck, seeIf the Vehicle Is Stuck 0179.
If the vehicle is equipped with AWD,
Snow/Ice Mode will provide more
torque to the front wheels.
For further details on Snow/Ice Mode,
see “Driver Mode Selector Attributes
Affected”.Track Mode (V-Series Only)
Use when maximum vehicle handling
is desired.
When selected, the Track Mode
indicator will display in the
instrument cluster.
When in Track Mode, the automatic
transmission and the accelerator pedal
is adjusted to give maximum control
during the highest level of spirited
driving. The Magnetic Ride Control
and steering will be set to the
optimum level for vehicle
responsiveness.

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/14/19
DRIVING AND OPERATING 211
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or
metric units. SeeInstrument Cluster
(Base Level) 0110 or
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) 0113. The
increment value used depends on the
units displayed.
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase
the vehicle speed. When you take your
foot off the pedal, the vehicle will slow
down to the previous set cruise speed.
While pressing the accelerator pedal
or shortly following the release to
override cruise, briefly applying SET−
will result in cruise set to the current
vehicle speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control will work
on hills depends upon the vehicle
speed, load, and the steepness of the
hills. When going up steep hills, you
might have to step on the accelerator
pedal to maintain your speed. When
going downhill, the cruise control
system may automatically brake to
slow the vehicle down. Also, you may have to brake or shift to a lower gear
to keep your speed down. If the brake
pedal is applied, cruise control
disengages.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise
control:
.
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
. Press
*.
. Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
. Press
J.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is erased
from memory if
Jis pressed or if
the ignition is turned off.
Adaptive Cruise Control
If equipped with Adaptive Cruise
Control (ACC), it allows for selecting
the cruise control set speed and
following gap. Read this entire section
before using this system. ACC uses a
camera and radar sensors to detect other vehicles. See
Radio Frequency
Statement 0386. The following gap is
the following time (or distance)
between your vehicle and a vehicle
detected directly ahead in your path,
moving in the same direction. If no
vehicle is detected in your path, ACC
works like regular cruise control.
If a vehicle is detected in your path,
ACC can speed up the vehicle or apply
limited, moderate braking to maintain
the selected following gap. To
disengage ACC, apply the brake. If the
Traction Control System (TCS) or
StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) system activates while ACC is
engaged, ACC may automatically
disengage. See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0203. When
road conditions allow ACC to be safely
used, ACC can be turned back on. ACC
will not engage if the TCS or
StabiliTrak/ESC is disabled.

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/14/19
DRIVING AND OPERATING 263
important for your safety and that of
your passengers. Read this section
carefully before pulling a trailer.
When towing a trailer:
.Become familiar with and follow
all state and local laws that apply
to trailer towing. These
requirements vary from state to
state.
. State laws may require the use of
extended side view mirrors. Even if
not required, you should install
extended side view mirrors if your
visibility is limited or restricted
while towing.
. Do not tow a trailer during the
first 800 km (500 mi) of vehicle
use to prevent damage to the
engine, axle, or other parts.
. It is recommended to perform the
first oil change before heavy
towing.
. During the first 800 km (500 mi) of
trailer towing, do not drive over
80 km/h (50 mph) and do not
make starts at full throttle. .
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive).
If the transmission downshifts too
often, a lower gear may be
selected using M (Manual Mode).
See Manual Mode 0197.
If equipped, the following driver
assistance features should be turned
off when towing a trailer:
. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
. Super Cruise Control
. Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
. Park Assist
. Automatic Parking Assist (APA)
. Reverse Automatic Braking (RAB)
If equipped, the following driver
assistance features should be turned
to alert or off when towing a trailer:
. Automatic Emergency
Braking (AEB)
. Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA)
. Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB)
If equipped with Lane Change Alert
(LCA), the LCA detection zones that
extend back from the side of the
vehicle do not move further back when a trailer is towed. Use caution
while changing lanes when towing a
trailer.
If equipped with Rear Cross Traffic
Alert (RCTA), use caution while
backing up when towing a trailer, as
the RCTA detection zones that extend
out from the back of the vehicle do
not move further back when a trailer
is towed.
{Warning
To prevent serious injury or death
from carbon monoxide (CO), when
towing a trailer:
. Do not drive with the liftgate,
trunk/hatch, or rear-most
window open.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
(Continued)

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/14/19
DRIVING AND OPERATING 265
signs, trees, or other objects. Always
signal turns well in advance. Do not
steer or brake suddenly.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before starting down a long or steep
downhill grade. If the transmission is
not shifted down, the brakes may
overheat and result in reduced braking
efficiency.
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift
the transmission to a lower gear if the
transmission shifts too often under
heavy loads and/or hilly conditions.
When towing at higher altitudes,
engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than at lower altitudes.
If the engine is turned off immediately
after towing at high altitude on steep
uphill grades, the vehicle could show
signs similar to engine overheating. To
avoid this, let the engine run,
preferably on level ground, with the
transmission in P (Park) for a few
minutes before turning the engine off.
If the overheat warning comes on, see
Engine Overheating0288.
Parking on Hills
{Warning
To prevent serious injury or death,
always park your vehicle and trailer
on a level surface when possible.
When parking your vehicle and your
trailer on a hill: 1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn the
wheels into the curb if facing
downhill or into traffic if facing
uphill.
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. .Start the engine.
. Shift into a gear.
. Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance when Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more often
when used to tow trailers. See
Maintenance Schedule 0359. It is
especially important to check the
automatic transmission fluid, engine
oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling
system, and brake system before and
during each trip.
Check periodically that all nuts and
bolts on the trailer hitch are tight.

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/11/19
270 VEHICLE CARE
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . 281
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 282
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . 292
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 295
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 295
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . 297
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 298
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 298
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . 306
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 317 Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 324
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 333
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343

Cadillac CT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13566829) -
2020 - CRC - 6/11/19
VEHICLE CARE 281
2. Press and hold SEL to clear theCHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message and reset the oil life
at 100%.
Be careful not to reset the oil life
display accidentally at any time
other than after the oil is
changed. It cannot be reset
accurately until the next oil
change.
The oil life system can also be reset as
follows: 1. Using the DIC buttons, display REMAINING OIL LIFE on the
DIC. See Driver Information Center
(DIC) 0132.
2. Fully press and release the accelerator pedal three times
within five seconds.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message is not on, the
system is reset.
The system is reset when the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message
is off. If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message comes back on when the
vehicle is started, the engine oil life
system has not been reset. Repeat the
procedure.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid
It is not necessary to check the
transmission fluid level.
A transmission fluid leak is the only
reason for fluid loss. If a leak occurs,
take the vehicle to your dealer and
have it repaired as soon as possible.
The vehicle is not equipped with a
transmission fluid level dipstick.
There is a special procedure for
checking and changing the
transmission fluid. Because this
procedure is difficult, this should be
done at the dealer. Contact your dealer
for additional information.
Caution
Use of the incorrect automatic
transmission fluid may damage the
vehicle, and the damage may not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always use the correct automatic
transmission fluid. See
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
0
368.
Change the fluid and filter at the
intervals listed in Maintenance
Schedule 0359, and be sure to use the
fluid listed in Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0368.
Engine Air Filter Life
System
If equipped, this feature provides the
engine air filter's remaining life and
best timing for a change. The timing
to change an engine air filter depends
on driving and environmental
conditions.