ESP CADILLAC SRX 2008 1.G Owners Manual

Questions and Answers About Safety
Belts
Q:Will I be trapped in the vehicle after a crash if I
am wearing a safety belt?
A:Youcouldbe — whether you are wearing a safety
belt or not. But your chance of being conscious
during and after an accident, so youcanunbuckle
and get out, ismuchgreater if you are belted.
And you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you
are upside down.
Q:If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A:Airbags are supplemental systems only; so they
workwithsafety belts — not instead of them.
Whether or not an airbag is provided, all occupants
still have to buckle up to get the most protection.
That is true not only in frontal collisions, but
especially in side and other collisions.
Q:If I am a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A:You may be an excellent driver, but if you are in a
crash — even one that is not your fault — you and
your passenger(s) can be hurt. Being a good
driver does not protect you from things beyond
your control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km)
of home. And the greatest number of serious
injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than
40 mph (65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
1-17

Doors and Locks
Door Locks
{CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers, especially children, can easily
open the doors and fall out of a moving
vehicle. When a door is locked, the handle
will not open it. You increase the chance
of being thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash if the doors are not locked. So, wear
safety belts properly and lock the doors
whenever you drive.
Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out. A child
can be overcome by extreme heat and can
suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Always lock your vehicle
whenever you leave it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or
stop your vehicle. Locking your doors
can help prevent this from happening.There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
Because your vehicle has the theft-deterrent system,
you must unlock the doors from the outside with the key
or Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter to avoid
setting off the alarm. If the windows are down and the
doors are locked, do not reach in to manually unlock the
vehicle because you will set off the alarm.
From the inside, use the manual lock levers located on
the door panels near the windows.
Push down on the manual lock lever to lock the door.
To unlock the door, pull up on the lever.
Central Door Unlocking System
Your vehicle has a central door unlocking feature.
When unlocking the driver’s door, you can unlock the
other doors by holding the key in the turned position for
a few seconds or by quickly turning the key twice in
the lock cylinder.
Power Door Locks
The power door lock switches are located on the
front doors.
K(Unlock):Press to unlock the doors.
Q(Lock):Press to lock the doors.
2-10

Windows
{CAUTION:
Leaving children, helpless adults, or pets in a
vehicle with the windows closed is dangerous.
They can be overcome by the extreme heat
and suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Never leave a child, a
helpless adult, or a pet alone in a vehicle,
especially with the windows closed in warm
or hot weather.
2-16

Sun Visors
Swing down the primary visor to block out glare. It can
also be detached from the center mount and moved
to the side to block glare from that direction.
The driver’s sunshade may also have buttons for a
built-in garage door opener. SeeUniversal Home
Remote System on page 2-50for more information.
Lighted Visor Vanity Mirror
Pull the visor down and lift the cover. The light will
automatically come on. The light will go out when you
close the cover.
Theft-Deterrent Systems
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your vehicle has a number of theft-deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on it can make
it impossible to steal.
Theft-Deterrent System
The security light
is located on
the instrument
panel cluster.
If the ignition is off and a door is open, the security
light will ash, reminding you to arm the theft-deterrent
system.
To arm the system:
1. Lock the door using the Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) transmitter or the power door lock switch.
2. Close all the doors. The security light will illuminate.
It should go off within approximately 30 seconds.
2-20

Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed will go down as
your engine gets warm. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it. Operate the engine
and transmission gently to allow the oil to warm up
and lubricate all moving parts.
Your vehicle has a Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in starting the
engine and protects components. If the ignition
key is turned to the START position, and then
released when the engine begins cranking, the
engine will continue cranking for a few seconds
or until the vehicle starts. If the engine does not start
and the key is held in START for many seconds,
cranking will be stopped after 15 seconds to prevent
cranking motor damage. To prevent gear damage,
this system also prevents cranking if the engine
is already running. Engine cranking can be
stopped by turning the ignition switch to the
ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF position.
Notice:Cranking the engine for long periods of
time, by returning the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has ended, can overheat
and damage the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds between each try,
to let the cranking motor cool down.2. If the engine does not start after 5-10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather (below 0°F or−18°C),
it could be ooded with too much gasoline. Try
pushing the accelerator pedal all the way to the
oor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for up to a maximum of 15 seconds.
Wait at least 15 seconds between each try, to allow
the cranking motor to cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and accelerator. If the vehicle
starts briey but then stops again, do the same
thing. This clears the extra gasoline from the engine.
Do not race the engine immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and transmission gently until the
oil warms up and lubricates all moving parts.
Notice:The engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer/retailer. If you do not, your
engine might not perform properly. Any resulting
damage would not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranty.
2-27

On some vehicles, you may have to hold the button for
a few seconds and give the command “ONSTAR” in
order to activate the OnStar Hands-Free Calling feature.
On some vehicles, the mute button can be used to
dial numbers into voicemail systems, or to dial phone
extensions. See the OnStar Owner’s Guide for
more information.
How OnStar Service Works
In order to provide you with OnStar services, your
vehicle’s OnStar system has the capability of recording
and transmitting vehicle information. This information
is automatically sent to an OnStar Call Center at
the time of an OnStar button press, Emergency button
press or if your airbags or AACN system deploys.
The vehicle information usually includes your GPS
location and, in the event of a crash, additional
information regarding the accident that your vehicle
has been involved in (e.g. the direction from which your
vehicle was hit). When you use the Virtual Advisor
feature of OnStar Hands-Free Calling, your vehicle
also sends OnStar your GPS location so that we can
provide you with location-based services.
OnStar service cannot work unless your vehicle is
in a place where OnStar has an agreement with
a wireless service provider for service in that area.OnStar service also cannot work unless you are in a
place where the wireless service provider OnStar
has hired for that area has coverage, network capacity
and reception when the service is needed, and
technology that is compatible with the OnStar service.
Not all services are available everywhere, particularly
in remote or enclosed areas, or at all times.
OnStar service that involves location information about
your vehicle cannot work unless GPS satellite signals
are unobstructed and available in that place as well.
Your vehicle must have a working electrical system
(including adequate battery power) for the OnStar
equipment to operate. There are other problems OnStar
cannot control that may prevent OnStar from providing
OnStar service to you at any particular time or place.
Some examples are damage to important parts of your
vehicle in an accident, hills, tall buildings, tunnels,
weather or wireless phone network congestion.
Your Responsibility
You may need to increase the volume of your radio
to hear the OnStar advisor. If the light next to the
OnStar buttons is red, this means that your system is
not functioning properly and should be checked by
your dealer/retailer. If the light appears clear (no light
is appearing), your OnStar subscription has expired.
You can always press the OnStar button to conrm
that your OnStar equipment is active.
2-49

Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier
for others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different driving conditions,
but they can be especially helpful in the short periods
after dawn and before sunset. Fully functional daytime
running lamps are required on all vehicles rst sold
in Canada.
The DRL system will make the turn signal lamps come
on when the following conditions are met:
It is daylight and the ignition is in the ON/RUN
position.
The exterior lamp control is in the off or AUTO
position and the headlamps are off.
The automatic transmission is not in PARK (P).
When DRL are on, only the front turn signal lamps
will be on. No other exterior lamps will be on. The
instrument panel cluster will not be lit up either.When the exterior lamp control is in AUTO and it is dark
enough outside, the DRL will turn off and the low-beam
headlamps will turn on. When it is bright enough outside,
the low-beam headlamps will go off, and the DRL will turn
back on. If the vehicle is started in a dark garage, the
automatic headlamp system comes on immediately.
Once you leave the garage, it takes about one minute for
the automatic headlamp system to change to DRL if it is
light outside. During that delay, the instrument panel
cluster may not be as bright as usual. Make sure the
instrument panel brightness lever is in the full bright
position. SeeInstrument Panel Brightness on page 3-19.
To drive the vehicle with the DRL off, turn the exterior
lamp control off. Then turn on the fog lamps or parking
lamps, and the DRL will turn off. This will work regardless
of gear position and whether or not the parking brake
is set.
As with any vehicle, the regular headlamp system
should be turned on when needed.
3-17

DISPLAY LANGUAGE
This feature allows you to select the language in which
the DIC messages will appear.
Press the customization button until the DISPLAY
LANGUAGE screen appears on the DIC display.
Press the set/reset button to access the settings for
this feature. Then press the menu up/down button
to scroll through the following settings:
ENGLISH (default):All messages will appear in
English.
DEUTSCH:All messages will appear in German.
FRANCAIS:All messages will appear in French.
ESPANOL:All messages will appear in Spanish.
JAPANESE:All messages will appear in Japanese.
ARABIC:All messages will appear in Arabic.
NO CHANGE:No change will be made to this feature.
The current setting will remain.
To select a setting, press the set/reset button while the
desired setting is displayed on the DIC.
AUTO DOOR LOCK
This feature allows you to select when the vehicle’s
doors will automatically lock. SeeProgrammable
Automatic Door Locks on page 2-11for more
information.
Press the customization button until AUTO DOOR
LOCK appears on the DIC display. Press the set/reset
button to access the settings for this feature. Then
press the menu up/down button to scroll through the
following settings:
SHIFT OUT OF PARK (default):The vehicle’s doors
automatically lock when the doors are closed and
the vehicle is shifted out of PARK (P).
AT VEHICLE SPEED:The vehicle’s doors automatically
lock when the vehicle speed is above 5 mph (8 km/h)
for three seconds.
NO CHANGE:No change will be made to this feature.
The current setting will remain.
To select a setting, press the set/reset button while the
desired setting is displayed on the DIC.
3-63

+e−e(Volume):Press the plus or minus volume
button to increase or to decrease the radio volume.
g(Mute/Voice Recognition):Press and release
this button to silence the vehicle speakers only.
The audio of the wireless and wired headphones,
if your vehicle has these features, does not mute. Press
and release this button again, to turn the sound on.
If your vehicle has the navigation system, press and hold
this button for longer than one second to initiate voice
recognition. See “Voice Recognition” in the Navigation
System manual for more information.
If your vehicle has OnStar
®, press and hold this button
for longer than one second to interact with the OnStar®
system. If your vehicle also has the navigation system,
press and hold this button for longer than one second
to initiate voice recognition and say “OnStar” to enter
OnStar
®mode. See theOnStar®System on page 2-47
OnStar®System.
Radio Reception
Frequency interference and static can occur during
normal radio reception if items such as cell phone
chargers, vehicle convenience accessories, and external
electronic devices are plugged into the accessory power
outlet. If there is interference or static, unplug the item
from the accessory power outlet.
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range can cause station
frequencies to interfere with each other. For better radio
reception, most AM radio stations boost the power levels
during the day, and then reduce these levels during the
night. Static can also occur when things like storms and
power lines interfere with radio reception. When this
happens, try reducing the treble on your radio.
FM Stereo
FM stereo gives the best sound, but FM signals only
reach about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall buildings
or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing the
sound to fade in and out.
3-93

For persons under 21, it is against the law in every
U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical,
psychological, and developmental reasons for
these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol
and then drive.
Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s
system can make crash injuries worse, especially
injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or heart. This means
that when anyone who has been drinking — driver
or passenger — is in a crash, that person’s chance
of being killed or permanently disabled is higher
than if the person had not been drinking.
Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to control your vehicle
while driving — brakes, steering, and accelerator. At
times, as when driving on snow or ice, it is easy to ask
more of those control systems than the tires and road can
provide. Meaning, you can lose control of your vehicle.
SeeStabiliTrak
®System on page 4-7.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications 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.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic.
This is a mistake. The brakes might not have time
to cool between hard stops. The brakes will wear
out much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking.
4-3