2010 Cadillac CTS Owner's Manual - Page 270

8-30 Driving and Operating If shifting is prevented for any reason, the currently selected gear will flash multiple times, indicating that the transmission has not shifted gears. While in the DSC mode, the CTS automatic transmission will automatically downshift when the vehicle comes to a stop. This will allow for more power during acceleration. The CTS-V automatic transmission will not automatically downshift on hard acceleration when in DSC mode. When accelerating the vehicle from a stop in snowy and icy conditions, you may want to shift into second gear. A higher gear allows the vehicle to gain more traction on slippery surfaces. Manual Transmission If the vehicle has a manual transmission, the shift lever is located on the center console between the front seats. The following explains how to operate the manual transmission. CTS CTS-V 1 (First): Press the clutch pedal and shift into 1 (First). Then slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the accelerator pedal. Shift into 1 (First) when you are going less than 40 km/h (25 mph). For CTS-V, shift into 1 (First) when you are going less than 64 km/h (40 mph ). If you come to a complete stop and it is hard to shift into 1 (First), put the shift lever in Neutral and let up on the clutch. Press the clutch pedal back down. Then shift into 1 (First).