steering CADILLAC XT4 2020 Owner's Guide

Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527548) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
162 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Warning (Continued)
.Heavy loads on the roof raise
the vehicle's center of gravity,
making it more likely to roll
over. You can be seriously or
fatally injured if the vehicle
rolls over. Put heavy loads
inside the cargo area, not on
the roof.
For more information about loading
the vehicle, see Vehicle Load Limits
0 168.
Environmental Concerns
.
Always use established trails,
roads, and areas that have been
set aside for public off-road
recreational driving and obey all
posted regulations.
. Do not damage shrubs, flowers,
trees, or grasses or disturb wildlife.
. Do not park over things that burn.
See Parking over Things That Burn
0 180.
Driving on Hills
Driving safely on hills requires good
judgment and an understanding of
what the vehicle can and cannot do.
{Warning
Many hills are simply too steep for
any vehicle. Driving up hills can
cause the vehicle to stall. Driving
down hills can cause loss of control.
Driving across hills can cause a
rollover. You could be injured or
killed. Do not drive on steep hills.
Before driving on a hill, assess the
steepness, traction, and obstructions.
If the terrain ahead cannot be seen,
get out of the vehicle and walk the hill
before driving further.
When driving on hills:
. Use a low gear and keep a firm
grip on the steering wheel.
. Maintain a slow speed.
. When possible, drive straight up
or down the hill. .
Slow down when approaching the
top of the hill.
. Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible.{Warning
Driving to the top of a hill at high
speed can cause a crash. There
could be a drop-off, embankment,
cliff, or even another vehicle. You
could be seriously injured or killed.
As you near the top of a hill, slow
down and stay alert.
. Never go downhill forward or
backward with the transmission in
N (Neutral). The brakes could
overheat and you could lose
control.
. When driving down a hill, keep
the vehicle headed straight down.
Use a low gear because the engine
will work with the brakes to slow
the vehicle and help keep the
vehicle under control.

Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527548) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
164 DRIVING AND OPERATING
{Warning
Getting out of the vehicle on the
downhill side when stopped across
an incline is dangerous. If the
vehicle rolls over, you could be
crushed or killed. Always get out on
the uphill side of the vehicle and
stay well clear of the rollover path.
Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow,
or Ice
Use a low gear when driving in mud–
the deeper the mud, the lower the
gear. Keep the vehicle moving to avoid
getting stuck.
Traction changes when driving on
sand. On loose sand, such as on
beaches or sand dunes, the tires tend
to sink into the sand. This affects
steering, accelerating, and braking.
Drive at a reduced speed and avoid
sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.
Traction is reduced on hard packed
snow and ice and it is easy to lose
control. Reduce vehicle speed when
driving on hard packed snow and ice.
{Warning
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds,
or rivers can be dangerous. Ice
conditions vary greatly and the
vehicle could fall through the ice;
you and your passengers could
drown. Drive your vehicle on safe
surfaces only.
Driving in Water
{Warning
Driving through rushing water can
be dangerous. Deep water can
sweep your vehicle downstream and
you and your passengers could
drown. If it is only shallow water, it
can still wash away the ground
from under your tires. Traction
could be lost, and the vehicle could
roll over. Do not drive through
rushing water.
Caution
Do not drive through standing
water if it is deep enough to cover
the wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust
pipe. Deep water can damage the
axle and other vehicle parts.
If the standing water is not too deep,
drive through it slowly. At faster
speeds, water can get into the engine
and cause it to stall. Stalling can
occur if the exhaust pipe is under
water. Do not turn off the ignition
when driving through water. If the
exhaust pipe is under water, the
engine will not start. When going
through water, the brakes get wet and
it may take longer to stop. See Driving
on Wet Roads 0165.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has
collected on the underbody or chassis,
or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.

Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527548) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
DRIVING AND OPERATING 165
After operation in mud or sand, have
the brake linings cleaned and checked.
These substances can cause glazing
and uneven braking. Check the body
structure, steering, suspension,
wheels, tires, and exhaust system for
damage and check the fuel lines and
cooling system for any leakage.
More frequent maintenance service is
required. SeeMaintenance Schedule
0 319.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle
traction and affect your ability to stop
and accelerate. Always drive slower in
these types of driving conditions and
avoid driving through large puddles
and deep-standing or flowing water.
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes. They
might not work as well in a quick
stop and could cause pulling to one
side. You could lose control of the
vehicle.
(Continued)
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 Tires0272.
. Turn off cruise control.
. Activate All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
mode. See Driver Mode Control
0 193.
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.

Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527548) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
166 DRIVING AND OPERATING
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using 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.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or
with the ignition off is dangerous.
This can cause overheating of the
brakes and loss of steering assist.
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. .
Be alert on top of hills; something
could be in your lane (e.g., stalled
car, crash).
. Pay attention to special road signs
(e.g., falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
. Select All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Mode. See Driver Mode Control
0 193 and
All-Wheel Drive 0188.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and the
road creates less traction or grip, so
drive carefully. Wet ice can occur at
about 0 °C (32 °F) when freezing rain
begins to fall. Avoid driving on wet ice
or in freezing rain until roads can be
treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.
Accelerate gently. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick. .
Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0191.
. Antilock Brake System (ABS)
improves vehicle stability during
hard stops, but the brakes should
be applied sooner than when on
dry pavement. See Antilock Brake
System (ABS) 0188.
. Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise
clear roads in shaded areas. The
surface of a curve or an overpass
can remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. Avoid
sudden steering maneuvers and
braking while on ice.
. Turn off cruise control.
. Select All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Mode for vehicles equipped with
AWD. Select Snow/Ice Mode for
FWD only vehicles. See Driver
Mode Control 0193 and
All-Wheel Drive 0188.

Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527548) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
168 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Select All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Mode.
SeeDriver Mode Control 0193 and
All-Wheel Drive 0188.
Rocking the Vehicle to Get it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and right
to clear the area around the front
wheels. Turn off any traction system.
Shift back and forth between
R (Reverse) and a low forward gear,
spinning the wheels as little as
possible. To prevent transmission
wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears. Release
the accelerator pedal while shifting,
and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transmission is in
gear. Slowly spinning the wheels in
the forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not get
the vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out, see
Towing the Vehicle 0309.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can carry.
This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the
weight of all occupants, cargo, and
all nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle may
show how much weight it may
properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and the
Certification/Tire label.
{Warning
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or
rear Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR). This can cause
systems to break and change
the way the vehicle handles.
This could cause loss of control
and a crash. Overloading can
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
also reduce stopping distance,
damage the tires, and shorten
the life of the vehicle.
Tire and Loading Information Label
Example Label
A vehicle-specific Tire and
Loading Information label is
attached to the center pillar
(B-pillar). The tire and loading
information label shows the
number of occupant seating

Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 173
When the vehicle is shifted into
P (Park), the ignition will turn off.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the vehicle
off in an emergency.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency: 1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to a
safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop and shift to P (Park). 4. Set the parking brake. See
Electric Parking Brake 0189.
Press ENGINE START/STOP to
turn the vehicle off.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over
and must be shut off while driving,
press and hold ENGINE START/STOP
for longer than two seconds, or press
twice in five seconds.
ACC/ACCESSORY (Amber Indicator
Light) : This mode allows you to use
some electrical accessories when the
engine is off.
With the ignition off, pressing
ENGINE START/STOP once without
the brake pedal applied will place the
ignition system in ACC/ACCESSORY.
The ignition will switch from ACC/
ACCESSORY to OFF after 10 minutes
to prevent battery rundown.
ON/RUN/START (Green Indicator
Light) : This mode is for driving and
starting. With the ignition off and the
brake pedal applied, pressing ENGINE
START/STOP once will place the
ignition system in ON/RUN/START.
Once engine cranking begins, release
the button. Engine cranking will continue until the engine starts. The
ignition will then remain on. See
Starting the Engine
0173.
Service Mode
This mode is available to verify the
proper operation of the malfunction
indicator lamp as may be required for
emissions inspection purposes and for
service and diagnostics. See Automatic
Transmission 0182.
With the vehicle off, and the brake
pedal not applied, pressing and
holding ENGINE START/STOP for
more than five seconds will place the
vehicle in Service Mode. The
instruments and audio systems will
operate as they do in ON/RUN, but
the vehicle will not be able to be
driven. The engine will not start in
Service Mode. Press ENGINE START/
STOP again to turn the vehicle off.
Starting the Engine
Place the transmission in the proper
gear, P (Park) or N (Neutral). To restart
the engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral).

Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527548) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
186 DRIVING AND OPERATING
1. Bring the vehicle to acomplete 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 0160.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.
If equipped with the 2.0L L4 engine,
engine speeds may be increased while
driving at highway speeds while the
engine is still warming up.
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.
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.

Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527548) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
DRIVING AND OPERATING 187
3. Press the controls on the back ofthe 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) prior to 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 XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527548) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
188 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
Vehicles with this feature can operate
in All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Mode.
When the AWD feature is active, the
system transfers engine power,
if required, to all four wheels. The
system is fully automatic and adjusts
to road conditions for improved
traction and control. In FWD Mode
engine power is transferred to the
front wheels only, and the AWD
feature is off.
The AWD feature is automatically
activated when certain modes are
selected using the Driver Mode
Control switch. When an AWD mode
change is requested the light will flash
briefly while the system is engaging
and the AWD light will be displayed
when the system is active. When a
non-AWD Mode is selected, the light
will flash briefly while the system
disengages and a 2WD light will be
displayed when the AWD system is
off. SeeDriver Mode Control 0193. When a compact spare tire is installed
on an AWD vehicle, the system will
automatically detect the compact
spare and reduce AWD performance
to protect the system. To restore AWD
operation and prevent excessive wear
on the system, replace the compact
spare with a full-size tire as soon as
possible. See
Compact Spare Tire 0305.
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost
Vehicles equipped with electric brake
boost have hydraulic brake circuits
that are electronically controlled when
the brake pedal is applied during
normal operation. The system
performs routine tests and turns off
within a few minutes after vehicle
shutdown. Noise may be heard during
this time. If the brake pedal is pressed
during the tests or when the electric
brake boost system is off, a noticeable
change in pedal force and travel may
be felt. This is normal.
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
helps prevent a braking skid and
maintain steering while braking hard.

Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 189
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
0 118.
ABS does not change the time needed
to get a foot on the brake pedal and
does not always decrease stopping
distance. If you get too close to the
vehicle ahead, there will not be
enough time to apply the brakes if
that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the
brake pedal down firmly. Hearing and
feeling ABS operate is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows steering and braking at the
same time. In many emergencies,
steering can help even more than
braking.
Electric Parking Brake
The vehicle has an Electric Parking
Brake (EPB). The EPB can always be
activated, even if the ignition is off. To
prevent draining the battery, avoid
repeated cycles of the EPB system
when the engine is not running. The system has a
Yor PARK
Electric Parking Brake light, and a
8
Service Parking Brake light. See
Electric Parking Brake Light 0117 and
Service Electric Parking Brake Light
0 118.
Before leaving the vehicle, check for
the
Yor PARK light to ensure that
the parking brake is applied.
EPB Apply
To apply the EPB:
1. Be sure the vehicle is at a complete stop.
2. Press the EPB switch momentarily.
The
Yor PARK light will flash and
then stay on once the EPB is fully
applied. If the
Yor PARK light
flashes continuously, then the EPB is
only partially applied or there is a
problem with the EPB. A DIC message
will display. Release the EPB and try
to apply it again. If the light does not
come on, or keeps flashing, have the
vehicle serviced. Do not drive the