2006 Cadillac DTS Owner's Manual - Page 106

THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal driving, however, it offers more power and lower fuel economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D). You should use THIRD (3) when towing a trailer, carrying a heavy load, driving on steep hills or winding roads. Here are examples for using THIRD (3) instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D): FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power than SECOND (2). You can use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in FIRST (1), the transaxle will not shift into first gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough. Notice: Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal may damage the transaxle. If you are stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the brakes, or parking brake to hold the vehicle in place. • When driving on hilly, winding roads. • When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting between gears. • When going down a steep hill. SECOND (2): This position gives you more power than THIRD (3). You can use SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control your speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to use your brakes off and on. Notice: Do not shift into SECOND (2) unless you are going slower than 65 mph (105 km/h), or you can damage your engine and/or transaxle. Performance Shifting If your vehicle has this feature, it can detect a change in driving patterns. If you make an aggressive driving maneuver, the vehicle's transaxle automatically shifts to the lowest possible gear to maximize vehicle performance. The vehicle will automatically return to normal operation when you return to normal driving patterns. 2-28