ESP CADILLAC XLR 2004 1.G User Guide

Lamps on Reminder
A warning chime will sound if the exterior lamp control
is left on in either the headlamp or parking lamp position
and the driver's door is opened with the ignition off.
Daytime Running Lamps
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 front turn signal lamps
come on when the following conditions are met:
·It is still daylight and the ignition is on,
·the exterior lamp control is in the off position and
·the transmission is not in PARK (P).
When DRL are on, only the front turn signal lamps will
be on. No other exterior lamps such as the parking
lamps, taillamps, etc. will be on when the DRL are being
used. Your instrument panel will not be lit up either.
When it is dark enough outside, the front turn signal
lamps will turn off and normal low-beam headlamps will
turn on.When it is bright enough outside, the regular lamps will
go off, and the front turn signal lamps will take over.
If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once
you leave the garage, it will take approximately
one minute for the automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL if it is light outside. During that delay,
your instrument panel cluster may not be as bright
as usual. Make sure your instrument panel brightness
knob is in the full bright position. See ªInstrument Panel
Brightnessº under
Interior Lamps on page 3-25.
If it is dark enough outside and the exterior lamp control
is off, a HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED message will
display on the Driver's Information Center (DIC). This
message informs the driver that turning on the exterior
lamps is recommended.
Turning the exterior lamp control to off a second time,
or turning on the headlamps will remove the
HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED message. If the parking
lamps or the fog lamps were turned on instead,
the HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED message will continue
to be displayed.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
3-23

SERVICE TRANSMISSION:This message indicates
that there is a problem with the transmission. Have your
vehicle serviced by your dealership.
SERVICE VEHICLE SOON:This message is displayed
when a non-emissions related powertrain malfunction
occurs. Have your vehicle serviced by a technician
as soon as possible.
SHIFT TO PARK:This message indicates that the
vehicle is not in PARK (P) when the engine is being
turned off. The vehicle will be in ACCESSORY.
Once the shifter is moved to PARK (P), the vehicle will
turn off.
STABILITRAK ACTIVE:You may see the
STABILITRAK ACTIVE message on the Driver
Information Center. It means that an advanced,
computer-controlled system has come on to help your
vehicle continue to go in the direction in which you
are steering. This stability enhancement system
activates when the computer senses that your vehicle is
just starting to spin, as it might if you hit a patch of
ice or other slippery spot on the road. When the system
is on, you may hear a noise or feel a vibration in the
brake pedal. This is normal.
When the STABILITRAK ACTIVE message is on, you
should continue to steer in the direction you want to go.
The system is designed to help you in bad weather
or other difficult driving situations by making the most ofwhatever road conditions will permit. If the
STABILITRAK ACTIVE message comes on, you will
know that something has caused your vehicle to start to
spin, so you should consider slowing down. A single
chime will also sound when this message is displayed.
STABILITRAK READY:If you receive this message
and hear a chime, the system has completed the
functional check of the Stabilitrak
žSystem.
STABILITRAK WARMING:When you ®rst start your
vehicle and drive away, especially during cold winter
weather, the STABILITRAK WARMING message may
be displayed in the DIC along with a chime and the
traction control warning light. This is normal. You can
acknowledge this message by pressing the RESET
button. The Stabilitrak
žperformance is affected until
the STABILITRAK READY message is displayed in
the DIC.
SVC TIRE MONITOR:If this message comes on, a
part on the Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) is not working
properly. If you drive your vehicle while any of the
four sensors are missing or inoperable, the warning will
come on in approximately 10 minutes. If all four
sensors are missing, the warning will come on in
approximately 15 to 20 minutes. (All the sensors would
be missing, for example, if you put different wheels
on your vehicle without transferring the sensors.) If the
warning comes on and stays on, there may be a
problem with the TPM. See your dealer.
3-63

Auto Unlock
This feature automatically unlocks either the driver's
door or both doors, depending on the setting, when the
shift lever is moved to PARK (P).
The DIC will display AUTO UNLOCK OFF, AUTO
UNLOCK DRIVER or AUTO UNLOCK BOTH. Press the
OPTIONS button to change the setting.
Park Assist
This feature tilts the passenger's side mirror downward
when the shifter is moved to REVERSE (R). This
can help you to see the curb while backing up. If you
adjust the mirror while in REVERSE (R), the new
position will be saved as the park assist position.
The DIC will display PARK ASSIST OFF or PARK
ASSIST ON.
Language
This feature allows you to select the language the DIC
and Head-Up Display (HUD), uses to display
messages.
The DIC will display ENGLISH, FRENCH, GERMAN,
ITALIAN, JAPANESE or SPANISH. Press the OPTIONS
button to change the setting.
If you become stuck in a language that you do not
understand, hold the OPTIONS and RESET button for
®ve seconds. The DIC will scroll through all available
languages for as long as the buttons are held.
Each language option will display in its own language.
For example, English will be displayed as ENGLISH,
Spanish as ESPANOL, etc. When the desired language
is available, release the buttons and the DIC will set
to this language.
3-69

Radio Reception
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. Static
can occur on AM stations caused by things like
storms and power lines. Try reducing the treble to
reduce this noise.
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give the best sound, but FM signals will
reach only 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.
XMŸ Satellite Radio Service
XMŸ Satellite Radio Service gives digital radio
reception from coast to coast. Just as with FM, tall
buildings or hills can interfere with satellite radio signals,
causing the sound to fade in and out. The radio may
display NO XM SIGNAL to indicate interference.
Cellular Phone Usage
Cellular phone usage may cause interference with your
vehicle's radio. This interference may occur when
making or receiving phone calls, charging the phone's
battery, or simply having the phone on. This interference
is an increased level of static while listening to the
radio. If static is received while listening to the radio,
unplug the cellular phone and turn it off.
Care of Your CDs
Handle CDs carefully. Store them in their original cases
or other protective cases and away from direct
sunlight and dust. If the surface of a CD is soiled,
dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent
solution and clean it, wiping from the center to the edge.
Be sure never to touch the side without writing when
handling CDs. Pick up CDs by grasping the outer edges
or the edge of the hole and the outer edge.
Care of Your CD Player
The use of CD lens cleaners for CD players is not
advised, due to the risk of contaminating the lens of the
CD optics with lubricants internal to the CD mechanism.
3-72

There is something else about drinking and driving that
many people do not know. 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 Ð driver or passenger Ð is in a crash,
that person's chance of being killed or permanently
disabled is higher than if the person had not been
drinking.
{CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your re¯exes, perceptions, attentiveness and
judgment can be affected by even a small
amount of alcohol. You can have a serious Ð or
even fatal Ð collision if you drive after drinking.
Please do not drink and drive or ride with a
driver who has been drinking. Ride home in a
cab; or if you are with a group, designate a
driver who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go
where you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering
and the accelerator. All three systems have to do their
work at the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or ice, it
is easy to ask more of those control systems than
the tires and road can provide. That means you can lose
control of your vehicle. Also see
Traction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-9andStabilitrakžSystem on
page 4-11.
4-5

Braking
Braking action involvesperception timeandreaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That isperception time.Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That isreaction time.
Averagereaction timeis about 3/4 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 3/4 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 (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of
the vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts Ð heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking Ð rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you
do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the traffic
and allow realistic following distances, you will eliminate a
lot of unnecessary braking. That means better braking
and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you are driving, brake
normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
4-6

Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle has a traction control system that limits
wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only if it senses
that one or both of the rear wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens,
the system works the rear brakes and reduces engine
power to limit wheel spin.
The TRAC SYSTEM ACTIVE message will display on
the Driver Information Center (DIC) when the traction
control system is limiting wheel spin. See
DIC Warnings
and Messages on page 3-57. You may feel or hear
the system working, but this is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may
reengage the cruise control. See ªCruise Controlº under
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-5.This warning light will
come on to let you know if
there is a problem with
your traction control
system.
See
Traction Control System (TCS) Warning Light on
page 3-46. When this warning light is on, the system will
not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes
on whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the
traction control system off if you ever need to. You
should turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets stuck
in sand, mud or snow and rocking the vehicle is
required. See ªRocking Your Vehicle To Get It Outº
under
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on
page 4-31.
4-9

To turn the system off,
press the traction control
button located on the
center console.
The TRACTION SYSTEM-OFF message will display on
the DIC and the traction control system warning light
will come on. If the system is limiting wheel spin when
you press the button, the TRACTION SYSTEM-OFF
message will display ± but the system will not turn
off right away. It will wait until there is no longer
a current need to limit wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by
pressing the button again. The TRACTION SYSTEM-ON
message should display brie¯y on the Driver Information
Center.Magnetic Ride Control
Magnetic Ride Control automatically adjusts the ride of
your vehicle. Automatic ride control is achieved
through a computer used to control and monitor the
suspension system. The controller receives input from
various sensors to determine the proper system
response. If the controller detects a problem within the
system, the DIC will display a SERVICE RIDE
CONTROL message. See
DIC Warnings and Messages
on page 3-57for more information. See your dealer
for service.
Limited-Slip Rear Axle
Your limited-slip rear axle can give you additional
traction on snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It works like
a standard axle most of the time, but when one of
the rear wheels has no traction and the other does, this
feature will allow the wheel with traction to move the
vehicle.
4-10

StabilitrakžSystem
The StabilitrakžSystem is a computer controlled system
that helps the driver maintain directional control of the
vehicle in difficult driving conditions. This is
accomplished by selectively applying any one of the
vehicle's brakes.
When you ®rst start your vehicle and begin to drive
away (6 mph (10 km/h)), especially during cold weather,
the message STABILITRAK WARMING may be
displayed in the Driver Information Center (DIC), the
instrument cluster light will be on, and a chime will
sound. This is normal. You can acknowledge this
message by pressing the RESET button. The
Stabilitrak
žSystem performance is affected until the
message, STABILITRAK READY, is displayed in
the DIC.
The WAIT FOR STABILITRAK message may be
displayed in the DIC after exceeding 19 mph (30 km/h)
for 10 seconds if the steering is not centered. The
system is off until the STABILITRAK ACTIVE message
is displayed.
The STABILITRAK ACTIVE message will come on
when the system is operating. See
DIC Warnings and
Messages on page 3-57for more information. You
may also feel or hear the system working. This
is normal.The instrument cluster light
will come on and a chime
will sound to let you
know if there is a problem
with the system.
The SERVICE STABILITRAK message will also be
displayed. See
DIC Warnings and Messages on
page 3-57for more information.
When this light and the SERVICE STABILITRAK
message are on, the system is not operational. Adjust
your driving accordingly.
The system comes on automatically whenever you start
your vehicle. To help maintain directional control of
the vehicle, you should always leave the system on. You
can turn the system off if you ever need to. If you turn
the STABILITRAK
žSystem off, the Traction Control
System will also be turned off. Adjust your driving
accordingly.
4-11

·Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass while you are awaiting an opportunity. For one
thing, following too closely reduces your area of
vision, especially if you are following a larger
vehicle. Also, you will not have adequate space if
the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops.
Keep back a reasonable distance.
·When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and
do not get too close. Time your move so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into
the other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you
will have a ªrunning startº that more than makes up
for the distance you would lose by dropping
back. And if something happens to cause you to
cancel your pass, you need only slow down
and drop back again and wait for another
opportunity.
·If other vehicles are lined up to pass a slow vehicle,
wait your turn. But take care that someone is not
trying to pass you as you pull out to pass the slow
vehicle. Remember to glance over your shoulder
and check the blind spot.
·Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are farenough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front
in your inside mirror, activate your right lane
change signal and move back into the right lane.
(Remember that your right outside mirror is convex.
The vehicle you just passed may seem to be
farther away from you than it really is.)
·Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
·Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not ¯ashing, it
may be slowing down or starting to turn.
·If you are being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps
you can ease a little to the right.
Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes,
steering and acceleration) do not have enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what the driver
has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to steer
and constantly seek an escape route or area of less
danger.
4-16