Cadillac CTS-V 2009 Owner's Manual page 122

CTS-V vehicles use tracer lights around the outside of the
tachometer as a performance up-shift light. These tracers
flash to indicate when to shift to the next higher gear to
avoid the engine speed limit. See Tachometer on
page 3-34 for more information.
While using the Tap Shift feature, the vehicle will have
firmer, quicker shifting for increased performance.
You can use this for sport driving or when climbing or
descending hills, to stay in gear longer, or to down shift
for more power or engine braking.
The transmission will only allow you to shift into
gears appropriate for the vehicle speed and engine
Revolutions Per Minute (RPM). The transmission will not
automatically shift to the next lower gear if the engine
RPM is too high.
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 Tap Shift mode, the transmission will not
automatically downshift on hard acceleration.
When accelerating your vehicle from a stop in snowy
and icy conditions, you may want to shift into second
gear. A higher gear ratio allows you to gain more traction
on slippery surfaces.
2-40
Manual Transmission Operation
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
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
25 mph (40 km/h). For CTS-V, shift into 1 (First)
when you are going less than 40 mph (64 km/h).
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).
CTS-V