On a Cadillac CT4-V or CT5-V Blackwing, the normal sequence is Track mode first, PTM second, Launch Control third. Press the center-console MODE switch, select Track, then activate Performance Traction Management (PTM) through the V-Mode menu, the ESC switch, or—if fitted—the dedicated steering-wheel PTM switch. Choose the PTM level that matches the surface and your experience. Launch Control is then available only with the car stopped, the steering straight, and the system conditions satisfied.
Cadillac describes Competitive Driving Mode, PTM, and Launch Control as systems for a closed-course race track, not public roads. The exact menu hardware varies by model year, transmission, and equipment, so use the owner’s manual for your specific Blackwing before driving the car at the limit.
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Track Mode and PTM are different settings
Track Mode is the vehicle drive mode. PTM is a selectable traction-management strategy that becomes accessible after Track Mode is selected (or when the applicable performance-driving system is active). You can therefore be in Track Mode without having chosen a particular PTM level yet.
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Cadillac says Track Mode makes the automatic transmission and steering function similarly to Sport, changes accelerator response for maximum control during the highest level of spirited driving, sets Magnetic Ride Control to its optimum responsiveness level, and makes PTM accessible. Those changes establish the car’s track-oriented baseline; PTM then determines how much stability assistance and power-management intervention remains.
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What to verify before using the systems
Do the setup on a closed course with adequate runoff, not on a public street. The owner’s manual warning is explicit: "Competitive Driving Mode, PTM, and Launch Control are systems designed for a closed course race track and not intended for public roads."
Confirm the following before attempting a launch or selecting a high PTM level:
- You know whether the car has an automatic or manual transmission, because the Custom Launch Control rpm ranges are different.
- You know whether your car has the dedicated PTM steering-wheel switch. Cadillac makes that switch equipment-dependent.
- The steering wheel can be held straight. Both PTM operation and Custom Launch Control use a straight-ahead steering condition.
- You have checked the owner’s manual for your model year. The ranges cited here come from Cadillac’s 2023 owner’s manual, while the PTM numbering and model-specific control notes come from the 2025 V-Series quick-reference material.
How to select Track Mode
- Press the center-console MODE switch.
- Use the switch arrows to move through the available drive modes.
- Highlight Track and confirm the selection.
Once Track is active, the car applies its track-oriented accelerator, steering, transmission (where applicable), and Magnetic Ride Control calibrations. PTM can now be enabled using one of the methods supported by your car.
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Cadillac provides more than one PTM entry method because equipment differs between cars. Use the method that your Blackwing displays or provides.
Method 1: V-Mode customization in the center stack
- Open Settings > Vehicle > Drive Mode Customization > V-Mode.
- Press the V-Mode control once.
- Press it again when the Driver Information Center (DIC) shows: V-Mode Active – Press Again for PTM On – ESC May be Disabled.
The second press confirms that PTM is being turned on. The DIC warning matters: some PTM selections can reduce or disable electronic stability assistance, so do not treat this as a cosmetic drive-mode change.
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Method 2: ESC switch
With Track Mode selected, press the ESC switch twice if your car supports PTM activation this way. The first press and the second press are part of Cadillac’s specified sequence; do not assume a single press has selected PTM.
Method 3: dedicated PTM steering-wheel switch
If equipped, use the dedicated PTM switch on the steering wheel. Its presence is not universal, so the absence of the switch is not a fault. Use the V-Mode menu or ESC-switch method instead when those are the controls supplied for your car.
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Which PTM level should you select?
The five PTM states are commonly identified as PTM 1 through PTM 5 in Cadillac’s 2025 V-Series quick-reference material. The useful distinction is not simply the number; it is the combination of surface, driver experience, stability-control intervention, and available power.
| PTM state | Cadillac’s intended use | StabiliTrak/ESC | Power and driver guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wet (PTM 1) | Wet or damp conditions | Stability assistance retained | Wet-surface setting; use when standing water or a wet track reduces available grip. |
| Dry (PTM 2) | Dry conditions, less-experienced drivers, or learning a new track | Stability assistance retained | Starting point for a dry circuit when you are still learning the layout or the car. |
| Sport (PTM 3) | Dry track for a driver familiar with the circuit | Stability assistance retained | Provides more power than Dry while keeping StabiliTrak/ESC on. |
| Race 1 (PTM 4) | Advanced closed-course use | StabiliTrak/ESC off | Sport-level power with the electronic stability system disabled. |
| Race 2 (PTM 5) | Experienced drivers seeking maximum cornering speed | StabiliTrak/ESC off | The most cornering-oriented PTM choice; Cadillac reserves it for experienced drivers. |
Wet and Dry are not interchangeable: Wet is for a wet or damp surface, while Dry is the learning-oriented dry setting. Sport keeps the stability system active but allows more power than Dry. Race 1 and Race 2 disable StabiliTrak/ESC, so they require a driver who can manage the car without that electronic safeguard. If conditions or experience do not clearly justify moving up the table, remain in the less aggressive setting.
What Launch Control does
Cadillac defines Launch Control as "a form of traction control that manages tire spin while launching the vehicle." It is not a general-purpose traffic-light feature. The owner’s manual makes the closed-course limitation part of the system’s intended use.
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Launch Control is available when Competitive Driving Mode or any PTM mode is selected, the vehicle is stopped, and the steering wheel is straight. If one of those basic conditions is missing, the function may not arm.
How to use the standard automatic-transmission launch procedure
The following is Cadillac’s operating sequence for an automatic Blackwing once the appropriate performance mode is active:
- Bring the car to a complete stop with the steering wheel straight.
- Firmly hold the brake pedal.
- Apply wide-open throttle while continuing to hold the brake.
- Allow engine speed to stabilize.
- Release the brake smoothly and quickly while maintaining full throttle.
The brake release is the transition from holding the car to launching it. Keep the wheel straight and be prepared for immediate acceleration. Do not try this sequence with a vehicle, person, wall, or other hazard in the path.
Custom Launch Control: prerequisites and menu settings
Custom Launch Control gives you three adjustable items—Launch RPM, Slip Target, and Surface Type—but it is available only after a more specific set of conditions is met. Cadillac’s listed prerequisites are:
- Track Mode is enabled.
- A PTM mode is enabled.
- The steering wheel is straight.
- The driver door is closed.
- The transmission is in Drive or another forward gear.
- The parking brake is released.
When those conditions are satisfied, open the Launch Control menu and set the three parameters. The exact control used to reach that menu differs between the CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwing.
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Launch RPM ranges
| Transmission | Cadillac’s Custom Launch Control range | What the range means |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic | 1,200–2,400 rpm | Choose a value within this range; the 2023 owner’s manual does not prescribe one universal rpm for every tire, surface, or driver. |
| Manual | 2,400–4,000 rpm | Choose a value within this range for the manual-transmission procedure specified for your car. |
There is no single correct launch rpm that Cadillac assigns to every Blackwing. Start with a setting inside the permitted range, use the surface type that matches the track, and make only small changes between attempts while observing the car’s behavior. A setting that is appropriate on a dry, clean surface may not be appropriate when grip or weather changes. These rpm figures are allowable adjustment ranges, not guaranteed acceleration results.
Slip Target range
Cadillac’s 2023 owner’s manual allows a 5%–15% Slip Target. This is the permitted adjustment window for the amount of tire slip the launch strategy is intended to manage. Select a value in that window rather than entering a percentage outside it.
The manual does not identify one Slip Target as universally best. Treat it as a tuning variable for the closed course, and change it methodically with the same tire pressures, surface, and launch procedure so that each attempt is comparable. Stop if the car does not behave predictably.
Surface Type
Set Surface Type to match the actual launch surface. It is one of the three Custom Launch Control settings, alongside Launch RPM and Slip Target; it is not a substitute for selecting the correct PTM mode for wet or dry track conditions.
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Cadillac’s 2025 quick-reference material gives separate menu-navigation instructions:
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| Model | Control used to reach Launch Control |
|---|---|
| CT4-V Blackwing | Use the steering-wheel five-way controller to navigate to the Launch Control menu. |
| CT5-V Blackwing | Use the V-Series icon on the instrument-cluster control panel. |
Once the menu is open, set Launch RPM, Slip Target, and Surface Type, then return to the operating sequence for your transmission. If the displayed labels or controls differ, stop and consult that car’s owner’s manual rather than guessing at a control.
Manual-transmission considerations
The Custom Launch Control rpm range for a manual transmission is 2,400–4,000 rpm, compared with 1,200–2,400 rpm for an automatic. The supplied Cadillac material establishes the ranges but does not provide one universal clutch-release technique or one best rpm for every manual Blackwing configuration. Use the exact manual-transmission procedure in your owner’s manual and remain within the displayed Custom Launch Control range.
Do not apply the automatic sequence—holding the brake, applying wide-open throttle, waiting for stabilized rpm, and releasing the brake—to a manual car unless Cadillac’s manual for that specific vehicle instructs you to do so. Transmission type is a fundamental part of the launch procedure.
When PTM or Launch Control will not activate
PTM option is missing
- Verify that Track Mode is selected; PTM is made accessible by Track Mode.
- Try the supported activation method for your equipment: V-Mode customization, two presses of the ESC switch, or the dedicated PTM switch.
- Check that you completed the V-Mode confirmation press after the DIC displayed the PTM message.
- Confirm the car’s model year and equipment, because the dedicated switch is not fitted to every vehicle.
Launch Control will not arm
- Make sure Competitive Driving Mode or a PTM mode is active.
- Bring the vehicle to a complete stop and straighten the steering wheel.
- For Custom Launch Control, confirm Track Mode and PTM are both enabled.
- Close the driver door, select Drive or a forward gear, and release the parking brake.
- Use the correct CT4-V or CT5-V menu control to reach Launch Control.
The car behaves differently after changing PTM
Check which PTM state is displayed. Moving from Dry to Sport allows more power while retaining stability assistance; moving to Race 1 or Race 2 turns StabiliTrak/ESC off. If you did not intend to disable stability control, return to a retained-assistance setting before continuing.
A practical setup decision
For a wet or damp circuit, select Wet. For a dry track you are learning, select Dry. Once you are familiar with the circuit and want more power while keeping electronic stability assistance, select Sport. Race 1 is for a driver prepared to drive with StabiliTrak/ESC off at Sport-level power. Race 2 is the maximum-cornering-speed choice for an experienced driver. In every case, select Track first, verify the PTM state on the car’s display, and use Launch Control only after the closed-course and vehicle-position requirements are met.
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