traction control CADILLAC XT4 2023 Owner's Manual

Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16412876) - 2023 - CRC - 3/25/22
Driving and Operating 263
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 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, the
M or D will flash 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.
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 FWDMode 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. See Driver
Mode Control
0269.
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,

Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 267
release under other
conditions. Do not rely on HSA
to hold the vehicle.
HSA is available when the
vehicle is facing uphill in a
forward gear, or when facing
downhill in R (Reverse). The
vehicle must come to a
complete stop on a grade for
HSA to activate.
Ride Control
Systems
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability
Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction
Control System (TCS) and
StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability
Control (ESC). These systems
help limit wheel spin and assist
the driver in maintaining
control, especially on slippery
road conditions.TCS activates if it senses that
any of the drive wheels are
spinning or beginning to lose
traction. On an All-Wheel Drive
(AWD) vehicle in AWD or Sport
Mode, the system will operate
if it senses that any of the
wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction.
When this happens, TCS
applies the brakes to the
spinning wheels and reduces
engine power to limit
wheel spin.
StabiliTrak/ESC activates
when the system senses a
discrepancy between the
intended path and the
direction the vehicle is actually
traveling. StabiliTrak/ESC
selectively applies braking
pressure at any one of the
vehicle's brakes to help steer
the vehicle in the direction
which you are steering.
If cruise control is being used
and traction control or
StabiliTrak/ESC begins to limit
wheel spin, cruise control willdisengage. Cruise control may
be turned back on when road
conditions allow. TCS and
StabiliTrak/ESC will
automatically turn on when
cruise control is set.
Both systems come on
automatically when the vehicle
is started and begins to move.
The systems may be heard or
felt while they are operating
or while performing diagnostic
checks. This is normal and
does not mean there is a
problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave
both systems on for normal
driving conditions, but it may
be necessary to turn TCS off
if the vehicle gets stuck in
sand, mud, ice, or snow. See If
the Vehicle Is Stuck
0241 and
“Turning the Systems Off and
On” later in this section.

Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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268 Driving and Operating
The indicator light for both
systems is in the instrument
cluster. This light will:
.Flash when TCS is limiting
wheel spin.
.Flash when StabiliTrak/ESC
is activated.
.Turn on and stay on when
either system is not working.
If either system fails to turn on
or to activate, a message may
display in the Driver
Information Center (DIC), and
dcomes on and stays on to
indicate that the system is
inactive and is not assisting
the driver in maintaining
control. The vehicle is safe to
drive, but driving should be
adjusted accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle. 2. Turn the engine off and
wait 15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
Drive the vehicle. If
dcomes
on and stays on, the vehicle
may need more time to
diagnose the problem. If the
condition persists, see your
dealer.
Turning the Systems Off
and On
Caution
Do not repeatedly brake or
accelerate heavily when TCS
is off. The vehicle driveline
could be damaged.
To turn off only TCS, press
and release
g. The Traction
Off light
idisplays in the
instrument cluster and a DIC
message may display.
To turn TCS on again, press
and release
g. The Traction
Off light
idisplayed in the
instrument cluster will turn off
and a DIC message may
display.
If TCS is limiting wheel spin
when
gis pressed, the system
will not turn off until the
wheels stop spinning.
To turn off both TCS and
StabiliTrak/ESC, press and
hold
guntil the Traction Off
light
iand StabiliTrak/ESC

Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 269
Off lightgcome on and stay
on in the instrument cluster.
A DIC message may display.
To turn TCS and StabiliTrak/
ESC on again, press and
release
g. The Traction Off
light
iand StabiliTrak/ESC
Off light
gin the instrument
cluster turn off and a DIC
message may display.
Adding accessories can affect
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications
0 327.
Driver Mode Control
Driver Mode Control (DMC)
allows the driver to adjust the
overall driving experience to
better suit driver preference
by adjusting vehicle systems.
Drive mode availability and
affected vehicle systems are
dependent on vehicle trim
level, region, and optional
features. If the vehicle is in Tour or AWD
Mode, it will stay in that mode
through future ignition cycles.
If the vehicle is in any other
mode, it will return to Tour
Mode when the vehicle is
restarted. When a mode is
selected, an indicator will
come on in the instrument
cluster and stay on.
Driver Mode Control Switch
To activate each mode, press
the MODE button on the
center console. Tour Mode :
Use for normal
city and highway driving to
provide a smooth ride. This
setting provides balance
between comfort and
handling. This is the standard/
default mode. There is no
persistent indicator in the
instrument cluster for
this mode.
AWD Mode : AWD Mode
provides torque to all four
wheels. Select AWD to
improve traction and control
on slippery road surfaces,
such as gravel, sand, wet
pavement, snow, and ice. For
more information on AWD
Mode, see All-Wheel Drive
0 263.
Sport Mode : Use where road
conditions or personal
preference demand a more
controlled response. Sport
Mode improves vehicle
handling and acceleration on
dry pavement. When active,

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270 Driving and Operating
Sport Mode modifies steering
efforts, transmission shifting,
and AWD torque, if equipped.
The Performance Algorithm
Liftfoot (PAL) feature is
enabled in Sport Mode. PAL
allows the transmission to
hold the current gear after a
quick release of a heavily
applied accelerator pedal. This
provides greater engine
braking and enhanced vehicle
control.
When PAL is activated, there
may be an additional gear
symbol that appears in the
instrument cluster display. See
Performance Shifting Light
0130.
Off-Road Mode : Use this
mode for off-road recreational
driving. When active, Off–Road
Mode should be used to
improve driving at moderate
speeds, on grass, gravel, dirt,
unpaved roads,
or snow-covered roads. The
accelerator pedal is tuned for off-road use. This mode
modifies pedal mapping, AWD,
ESC, and TCS Performance.
Snow/Ice Mode :
Snow/Ice
Mode improves vehicle
acceleration on snow and ice
covered roads. When active,
Snow/Ice Mode will adjust
acceleration to optimize
traction on slippery surfaces.
This can compromise the
acceleration on dry asphalt.
This feature is not intended
for use when the vehicle is
stuck in sand, mud, ice, snow,
or gravel. If the vehicle
becomes stuck, see If the
Vehicle Is Stuck 0241.
Cruise Control
{
Warning
Cruise control can be
dangerous where you
cannot drive safely at a (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
steady speed. Do not use
cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be
dangerous on slippery roads.
On such roads, fast changes
in tire traction can cause
excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do
not use cruise control on
slippery roads.
With cruise control, a speed of
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or
more can be maintained
without keeping your foot on
the accelerator. Cruise control
does not work at speeds
below about 40 km/h (25 mph).

Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 271
If the Traction Control System
(TCS) or StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) begins
to limit wheel spin while using
cruise control, the cruise
control automatically
disengages. See Traction
Control/Electronic Stability
Control0267. If a collision
alert occurs when cruise
control is activated, cruise
control is disengaged. See
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System 0297. When road
conditions allow cruise control
to be safely used, it can be
turned back on.
Cruise control will disengage if
either TCS or StabiliTrak/ESC
is turned off.
If the brakes are applied,
cruise control disengages.
J: Press to turn the system
on and off. A white indicator
appears in the instrument
cluster when cruise is
turned on.
RES+ : If there is a set speed
in memory, move the
thumbwheel up briefly to
resume that speed or press
and hold to accelerate. If the
cruise control is already active,
use to increase vehicle speed.
To increase speed by 1 km/h
(1 mph), press the thumbwheel
up to the first detent toward
RES+. To increase speed to
the next 5 km/h (5 mph) mark on the speedometer, press the
thumbwheel up to the second
detent.
SET−
:Move the thumbwheel
down briefly to set the speed
and activate cruise control.
If the cruise control is already
active, use to decrease vehicle
speed. To decrease speed by
1 km/h (1 mph), move the
thumbwheel down toward
SET−. To decrease speed to
the next 5 km/h (5 mph) mark
on the speedometer, move the
thumbwheel down toward
SET− to the second detent.
*:Press to disengage cruise
control without erasing the
set speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If
Jis on when not in use,
SET− or RES+ could get
pressed and go into cruise
when not desired. Keep
Joff
when cruise is not being used.
1. Press
J.

Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 273
The cruise control system may
automatically brake to slow
the vehicle down.
The speedometer reading can
be displayed in either English
or metric units. See
Instrument Cluster0119. 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 moving the thumbwheel
down toward 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).
.PressJ.
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 (Advanced)
If equipped with Adaptive
Cruise Control (ACC), it allows
the driver to select the cruise
control set speed and
following gap. Read this entire
section before using this
system. The following gap is
the following time 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. ACC uses camera and
radar sensors. See Radio
Frequency Statement 0446.
If a vehicle is detected in your
path, ACC can apply
acceleration or limited,
moderate braking to maintain
the selected following gap. To
disengage ACC, apply the
brake. If ACC is controlling
your vehicle speed when the
Traction Control System (TCS)
or StabiliTrak/Electronic

Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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274 Driving and Operating
Stability Control (ESC) system
activates, the ACC may
automatically disengage. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control0267. When
road conditions allow ACC to
be safely used, the ACC can
be turned back on.
Disabling the TCS or
StabiliTrak/ESC system will
disengage and prevent
engagement of ACC.
ACC can reduce the need for
you to frequently brake and
accelerate, especially when
used on expressways,
freeways, and interstate
highways. When used on other
roads, you may need to take
over the control of braking or
acceleration more often.
ACC automatically slows the
vehicle down while navigating
the curve and may increase
speed out of the curve, but will
not exceed the set speed.{Warning
ACC has limited braking
ability and may not have
time to slow the vehicle
down enough to avoid a
collision with another vehicle
you are following. This can
occur when vehicles
suddenly slow or stop
ahead, or enter your lane.
Also see “Alerting the
Driver” in this section.
Complete attention is
always required while driving
and you should be ready to
take action and apply the
brakes. See Defensive
Driving 0230.
{Warning
ACC will not detect or brake
for children, pedestrians,
animals, or other objects.
Do not use ACC when:
.On winding and hilly roads
or when the sensors are
blocked by snow, ice,
or dirt. The system may
not detect a vehicle
ahead. Keep the entire
front of the vehicle clean.
.Visibility is low, such as in
fog, rain, or snow
conditions. ACC
performance is limited
under these conditions.
.On slippery roads where
fast changes in tire
traction can cause
excessive wheel slip.
.When towing a trailer.

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280 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
change. Always be ready to
manually accelerate or brake
to complete the pass or lane
change.
Stationary or Very
Slow-Moving Objects
{Warning
ACC may not detect and
react to stopped or
slow-moving vehicles ahead
of you. For example, the
system may not brake for a
vehicle it has never detected
moving. This can occur in
stop-and-go traffic or when
a vehicle suddenly appears
due to a vehicle ahead
changing lanes. Your vehicle
may not stop and could
cause a crash. Use caution
when using ACC. Your
complete attention is always (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
required while driving and
you should be ready to take
action and apply the brakes.
Irregular Objects
Affecting ACC
ACC may have difficulty
detecting the following
objects:
.Vehicles with cargo
extending from the back end.
.Non-standard shaped
vehicles, such as vehicle
transport, vehicles with a
side car fitted, or horse
carriages.
.Objects that are close to the
front of your vehicle.
ACC Automatically
Disengages
ACC may automatically
disengage and the driver will
need to manually apply the
brakes to slow the
vehicle when:
.The sensors are blocked.
.The Traction Control System
(TCS) or StabiliTrak/ESC
system has activated or
been disabled.
.There is a fault in the
system.
.The radar falsely reports
blockage when driving in a
desert or remote area with
no other vehicles or
roadside objects. A DIC
message may display to
indicate that ACC is
temporarily unavailable.
The ACC indicator will turn
white when ACC is no longer
active.
In some cases, when ACC is
temporarily unavailable,
regular cruise control may be
used. See “Switching Between
ACC and Regular Cruise
Control” in this section. Always
consider driving conditions
before using either cruise
control system.

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324 Driving and Operating
Control (TSC) feature. Trailer
sway is unintended
side-to-side motion of a trailer
while towing. If the vehicle is
towing a trailer and the TSC
detects that sway is
increasing, the vehicle brakes
are selectively applied at each
wheel, to help reduce
excessive trailer sway.
If equipped with the
Integrated Trailer Brake
Control (ITBC) system, and the
trailer has an electric brake
system, StabiliTrak/ESC may
also apply the trailer brakes.
If TSC is enabled, the Traction
Control System (TCS)/
StabiliTrak/ESC warning light
will flash on the instrument
cluster. Reduce vehicle speed
by gradually removing your
foot from the accelerator.If trailer sway continues,
StabiliTrak/ESC can reduce
engine torque to help slow the
vehicle. TSC will not function if
StabiliTrak/ESC is turned off.
See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control
0
267.
{Warning
Trailer sway can result in a
crash and in serious injury or
death, even if the vehicle is
equipped with TSC.
If the trailer begins to sway,
reduce vehicle speed by
gradually removing your foot
from the accelerator. Then
pull over to check the trailer
and vehicle to help correct
possible causes, including an
improperly or overloaded
trailer, unrestrained cargo,
improper trailer hitch
configuration, or improperly
inflated or incorrect vehicle
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
or trailer tires. See Towing
Equipment0322 for trailer
ratings and hitch setup
recommendations.
Trailer Tires
Special Trailer (ST) tires differ
from vehicle tires. Trailer tires
are designed with stiff
sidewalls to help prevent sway
and to support heavy loads.
These features can make it
difficult to determine if the
trailer tire pressures are low
only based on a visual
inspection.
Always check all trailer tire
pressures before each trip
when the tires are cool. Low
trailer tire pressure is a
leading cause of trailer tire
blow-outs.
Trailer tires deteriorate over
time. The trailer tire sidewall
will show the week and year
the tire was manufactured.
Many trailer tire