engine CADILLAC XLR 2009 1.G User Guide

Notice:Cranking the engine for long periods of
time, by pressing the START button 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 allow the
cranking motor to cool down.
When the engine starts, let go of the accelerator. If the
vehicle starts briey but then stops again, do the same
thing. This clears the extra gasoline from the engine.
The vehicle has a Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in starting the engine
and protects components. Once cranking has been
initiated, the engine continues cranking for a few
seconds or until the vehicle starts. If the engine does
not start, cranking automatically stops after 15 seconds
to prevent cranking motor damage. To prevent gear
damage, this system also prevents cranking if the
engine is already running.Notice:The engine is designed to work with the
electronics in the 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, the engine
might not perform properly. Any resulting damage
would not be covered by the vehicle warranty.
Stopping the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) and press the Acc. button
located on the instrument panel. If the shifter is not in
P (Park), the engine shuts off and the vehicle goes into
the Accessory Mode. The DIC displays SHIFT TO PARK.
Once the shifter is moved to P (Park), the vehicle
turns off.
The DIC displays NO FOB, OFF OR RUN?, if the
keyless access transmitter is not detected inside the
vehicle when it is turned off.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-60for
more information.
2-27

Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for the shift lever.
P (Park):This position locks the rear wheels. It is
the best position to use when starting the engine
because the vehicle cannot move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the shift
lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking brake
rmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the engine is running
unless you have to. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move suddenly. You or
others could be injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and move the shift
lever to P (Park). SeeShifting Into Park on
page 2-33.
Be sure the shift lever is fully in P (Park) before starting
the engine.
The vehicle has an automatic transmission shift lock
control system. You have to fully apply the regular brakes
rst and then press the shift lever button before you can
shift from P (Park) when the vehicle is running. If you
cannot shift out of P (Park), ease pressure on the shift
lever and push the shift lever all the way into P (Park)
as you maintain brake application. Then press the shift
lever button and move the shift lever into another gear.
SeeShifting Out of Park on page 2-35.
2-28

R (Reverse):Use this gear to back up.
Notice: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.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to get out of snow, ice,
or sand without damaging the transmission, seeIf Your
Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on
page 5-20.
N (Neutral):In this position, the engine does not connect
with the wheels. To restart when you are already moving,
use N (Neutral) only. Also, use N (Neutral) when the
vehicle is being towed. Use N (Neutral) if the vehicle
must be moved with the engine off for short distances.
Please seeTowing Your Vehicle on page 5-26.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless your
foot is rmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could
move very rapidly. You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift into a drive gear
while the engine is running at high speed.Notice:Shifting out of P (Park) or N (Neutral) with
the engine running at high speed may damage
the transmission. The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Be sure the engine is
not running at high speed when shifting the vehicle.
D (Drive):This position is for normal driving.
It provides the best fuel economy for the vehicle.
If you need more power for passing and you are:
Going less than about 35 mph (56 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (56km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road conditions
could result in skidding, see “Skidding” underLoss of
Control on page 5-12.
Notice: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 you are stuck, do
not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Maximum engine speed is limited to protect driveline
components from improper operation.
2-29

Driver Shift Control (DSC)
The Driver Shift Control (DSC) feature lets you manually
control the operation of the transmission.
To use this feature, move
the shift lever from the
D (Drive) position to the left
and into the driver shift
control gate.
The Sport Automatic Mode is selected by moving the
shift lever into the DSC area without shifting towards
the + (plus) or−(minus) symbols. While in the Sport
Automatic Mode, the transmission computer determines
when the vehicle is being driven in a competitive manner.It then selects and holds the transmission in lower gears
giving more noticeable upshifts for sportier vehicle
performance. Once you shift to the + (plus) or−(minus)
controls, the driver manual gear selection is activated.
A + (plus) symbol appears on the shift console above the
D (Drive) indicator and minus symbol appears below the
indicator. The Head-Up Display (HUD) also displays the
requested gear, though the actual upshift or downshift
could be delayed until the engine speed is correct for
that gear.
The requested gear displays on the HUD until the next
time you upshift or downshift. The gear selected
and shown in the HUD is one of a number of gears
available. The vehicle does not upshift beyond the
chosen gear. The actual gear that the vehicle shifts
to depends on a combination of the driver-requested
gear range, vehicle speed and throttle position.
Notice:If you drive the vehicle at high RPMs
without upshifting while using Driver Shift Control
(DSC), you could damage the vehicle. Always upshift
when necessary while using DSC.
If you do not upshift as the engine approaches the red
line on the engine RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) gage,
the engine speed is controlled to limit the engine RPM.
2-30

Not all manual downshift requests will be allowed by
the transmission. To prevent excessive engine RPMs,
each gear has a maximum vehicle speed associated
with it. Any downshift request above this speed is
not allowed by the transmission.
If shifting is prevented for any reason, the current
gear ashes multiple times in the Driver Information
Center (DIC), indicating that the transmission has
not shifted gears.
Some automatic downshifts can occur to maintain
minimum engine speed. This only happens if the vehicle
is left in too high of a gear for the vehicle’s speed.
For example, if you have been driving in sixth gear range
and come to a stop without manually downshifting, the
transmission automatically downshifts to rst gear and
displays rst gear on the HUD. As you begin to drive and
accelerate, the transmission remains in rst gear until the
driver selects an upshift.DSC can be used while using cruise control, but
transmission shifting is different while the cruise control
is on. This is not a malfunction and is necessary to
let proper operation of the cruise control.
To return to fully automatic operation, move the shift
lever to the right and back into D (Drive).
When accelerating the vehicle from a stop in snowy and
icy conditions, you may want to shift into second gear.
A higher gear allows you to gain more traction on slippery
surfaces.
In higher gears, on the XLR only, an automatic downshift
occurs if you press the accelerator pedal to the oor.
This feature provides adequate acceleration capabilities
if you forget to downshift manually. Tap the shifter
forward and the vehicle upshifts.
2-31

Parking Brake
The parking brake pedal is
located to the left of the
regular brake pedal,
near the driver door.
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down, then push the parking brake pedal down.
If the ignition is on, the parking brake indicator light on
the instrument panel cluster should come on. If it
does not, you need to have the vehicle serviced.When you move out of P (Park) or N (Neutral) and the
engine is running, the parking brake should release.
If the parking brake has not been fully released and you
try to drive off with the parking brake on, the parking
brake indicator light will come on and stay on.
If the parking brake does not fully release, you can
manually release the pedal.
{CAUTION:
Always shift to P (Park) before pulling the manual
release lever. If your hand or arm is in the way of
the pedal you could be hurt. The pedal springs
back quickly. Keep your hand and arm away when
you use the manual release lever.
Before releasing the manual parking brake, be sure to
put the vehicle in P (Park) and turn the ignition off.
2-32

Reach under the driver side of the instrument panel and
pull down on the manual release lever, which is located
behind the parking brake pedal. Pull down on the yellow
tab. If the parking brake does not release, you should
have the vehicle towed to your dealer/retailer for service.
Notice: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.
Shifting Into Park
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake rmly set. The vehicle can roll. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be
sure the vehicle will not move, even when you are
on fairly level ground, use the steps that follow.
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking
brake.
SeeParking Brake on page 2-32for more
information.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by pushing the
lever all the way toward the front of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition off.
2-33

Leaving the Vehicle With the Engine
Running
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave the vehicle with the
engine running. The vehicle could move suddenly if
the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake rmly set. And, if you leave the vehicle with
the engine running, it could overheat and even
catch re. You or others could be injured. Do not
leave the vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave the vehicle with the engine running,
be sure the vehicle is in P (Park) and the parking brake is
rmly set before you leave it. After you have moved the
shift lever into P (Park), hold down the regular brake
pedal. See if you can move the shift lever away from
P (Park) without rst pulling it toward you. If you can, it
means that the shift lever was not fully locked into
P (Park).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift the
transmission into P (Park) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transmission. You may nd it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of P (Park). This is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and
then shift into P (Park) properly before you leave the
driver seat. To nd out how, see “Shifting Into Park”
listed previously in this section.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
P (Park) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission, so
you can pull the shift lever out of P (Park).
2-34

Engine Exhaust
{CAUTION:
Engine exhaust contains Carbon Monoxide (CO)
which cannot be seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:
The vehicle idles in areas with poor ventilation
(parking garages, tunnels, deep snow that may
block underbody airow or tail pipes).
The exhaust smells or sounds strange or
different.
The exhaust system leaks due to corrosion or
damage.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)

The vehicle’s exhaust system has been
modied, damaged or improperly repaired.
There are holes or openings in the
vehicle body from damage or after-market
modications that are not completely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or if it is suspected
that exhaust is coming into the vehicle:
Drive it only with the windows
completely down.
Have the vehicle repaired immediately.
Never park the vehicle with the engine running in
an enclosed area such as a garage or a building
that has no fresh air ventilation.
2-36

Running the Vehicle While Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running. But if you
ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling a vehicle in an enclosed area with poor
ventilation is dangerous. Engine exhaust may
enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust contains Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
Never run the engine in an enclosed area that has
no fresh air ventilation. For more information, see
Engine ExhaustEngine Exhaust on page 2-36.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if
the automatic transmission shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake rmly set.
The vehicle can roll. Do not leave the vehicle when
the engine is running unless you have to. If you
have left the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be
sure the vehicle will not move, even when you are
on fairly level ground, always set the parking brake
and move the shift lever to P (Park).
Follow the proper steps to be sure the vehicle will not
move. SeeShifting Into Park on page 2-33.
2-37