2005 CADILLAC CTS V Owners Manual

Traction Control System (TCS)
Warning Light
If the TC (traction control)
warning light comes on
and stays on, there may be
a problem with the
traction control system.
The TC (traction control) warning light will come on
briey when you turn the ignition to ON. If it doesn’t
come on then, have it xed so it will be ready to warn
you if there is a problem.
The light will also come on if you turn the traction
control system off using the TC (traction control) on/off
button located in the glove box for the CTS and on
the steering wheel for the CTS-V.
If the TC (traction control) warning light stays on or
comes on while you are driving, pull off the road as soon
as possible and stop carefully. Try resetting the system
by turning the ignition off then back on. If the light still
stays on or comes back on again while you are driving,
your vehicle needs service. Have the traction control
system inspected as soon as possible. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) (CTS) on page 4-8orTraction
Control System (TCS) (CTS-V) on page 4-9for more
information.
Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Light (CTS)
This light tells you that
your engine is very hot.
This light will come on when you rst start the vehicle
as a check to let you know that the light is working. It will
go out after a few seconds. If the light does not come
on, the bulb may be burned out. See your dealer
for assistance in changing the bulb.
If the light does not go out or if the light comes on and
stays on while you are driving, your vehicle may
have a problem with the cooling system. You should
stop the vehicle and turn off the engine as soon
as possible to avoid damage to the engine. A warning
chime will sound when this light is on, also.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-28andMessage
Center (CTS-V) on page 3-51for more information.
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Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the
engine coolant
temperature. If the gage
pointer moves into
the shaded area, the
engine is too hot.
That reading means the same thing as the warning
light – the engine coolant is very hot. SeeEngine
Overheating on page 5-28.
Tire Pressure Light (CTS-V)
This light will come on if
the system detects low
tire pressure.
This light will also come on for a bulb check when the
vehicle is started.
SeeTire Pressure Monitor System (CTS-V) on
page 5-65for more information.
For more information on the proper tire pressure, see
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-33. For more
information on your tires, seeTires on page 5-54.
3-44

Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition, and emission
control systems.
This system is called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the
life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The check engine light comes on to
indicate that there is a problem and service is required.
Malfunctions often will be indicated by the system
before any problem is apparent. This may prevent more
serious damage to your vehicle. This system is also
designed to assist your service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with this
light on, after awhile, your emission controls
may not work as well, your fuel economy may not
be as good, and your engine may not run as
smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs that may
not be covered by your warranty.
Notice:Modications made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake, or fuel system of
your vehicle or the replacement of the original tires
with other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect your vehicle’s emission
controls and may cause this light to come on.
Modications to these systems could lead to costly
repairs not covered by your warranty. This may
also result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test.
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This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is
not running. If the light does not come on, have it
repaired. This light will also come on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing— A misre condition has been
detected. A misre increases vehicle emissions
and may damage the emission control system on
your vehicle. Diagnosis and service may be
required.
Light On Steady— An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Diagnosis and service may be required.
If the Light is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed
Avoiding hard accelerations
Avoiding steep uphill grades
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible
If the light stops ashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following.If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart
the engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following. If the light is still
ashing, follow the previous steps, and see your dealer
for service as soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. SeeFilling the Tank on page 5-8. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing
fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed
should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
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Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel. See
Gasoline Octane on page 5-5. Poor fuel quality will
cause your engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
You may notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling
when you put the vehicle into gear, misring, hesitation
on acceleration, or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the
light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
your dealer can check the vehicle. Your dealer has
the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to x any
mechanical or electrical problems that may have
developed.Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
may begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent you from getting a vehicle
registration.
Here are some things you need to know to help your
vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the check
engine light is on or not working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD
(on-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen if
you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical emission control systems
during normal driving. This may take several days
of routine driving. If you have done this and your vehicle
still does not pass the inspection for lack of OBD
system readiness, your GM dealer can prepare the
vehicle for inspection.
3-47

Oil Pressure Light
{CAUTION:
Do not keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches re. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.
Notice:Lack of proper engine oil maintenance may
damage the engine. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Always follow the
maintenance schedule in this manual for changing
engine oil.
This light tells you if there
could be a problem with
your engine oil pressure.The light goes on when you turn your key to ON or
START. It goes off once you start your engine. That’s a
check to be sure the light works. If it doesn’t come
on, be sure to have it xed so it will be there to warn
you if something goes wrong.
When the light comes on and stays on, it means that oil
isn’t owing through your engine properly. You could
be low on oil and you might have some other system
problem. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-16for more
information.
Winter Driving Mode Light
(Automatic Transmission)
This light will come on
when the winter driving
mode feature is in use.
When you turn off the winter driving mode feature, the
light will go out. If it stays on, your vehicle may need
service. See your dealer. See “Winter Driving Mode”
underAutomatic Transmission Operation on page 2-26
for more information.
3-48

Sport Mode Light
(Automatic Transmission)
This light will come on
while the sport mode
is in use.
When you turn off the sport mode, the light will go out.
If it stays on, your vehicle may need service. See
your dealer. See “Sport Mode” underAutomatic
Transmission Operation on page 2-26for more
information.
Security Light
For information
regarding this light,
seeTheft-Deterrent
System on page 2-18.
Fog Lamp Light
This light will come on
when the fog lamps
are in use.
The light will go out when the fog lamps are turned off.
SeeFog Lamps on page 3-23for more information.
Lights On Reminder
This light comes on
whenever the parking
lamps are on.
SeeHeadlamps on Reminder on page 3-21for more
information.
3-49

Cruise Control Light
This light comes on
whenever you set your
cruise control.
The light will go out when the cruise control is turned
off. SeeCruise Control (CTS) on page 3-12or
Cruise Control (CTS-V) on page 3-16for more
information.
Highbeam On Light
This light comes on
whenever the high-beam
headlamps are on.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-Beam Changer on page 3-9
for more information.
Fuel Gage
The fuel gage shows
approximately how much
fuel is in the tank. It
works only when the
ignition is in ON.
If the fuel supply gets low, the Fuel Level Low message
will appear on the DIC and a single chime will sound.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-65
for more information.
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