2005 CADILLAC STS service

Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance.
Expect to move slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the
proper lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do
not, under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive
on to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted. Reduce your speed
according to your speedometer, not to your sense
of motion. After driving for any distance at higher
speeds, you may tend to think you are going slower
than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you are ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you are not fresh — such as after
a day’s work — do not plan to make too many miles that
rst part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing
and shoes you can easily drive in.Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it is ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course, you
will nd experienced and able service experts in GM
dealerships all across North America. They will be ready
and willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir full?
Are all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps:Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts:What is the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
4-22

Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as highway hypnosis?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on
the road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of
the wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy.
Do not let it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle
can leave the road in less than a second, and you
could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and
to the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest,
service, or parking area and take a nap, get some
exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway as an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in at or rolling terrain.
4-23

{CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or
in a crash.
Put things in the trunk of your vehicle.
In a trunk, put them as far forward as you
can. Try to spread the weight evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that some of them
are above the tops of the seats.
Do not leave an unsecured child restraint
in your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Automatic Level Control
This feature keeps the rear of your vehicle level as
the load changes. It is automatic, you do not need to
adjust anything.
Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See
Roadside Service on page 7-5.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see Recreational Vehicle Towing following.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle
behind another vehicle – such as behind a motorhome.
The two most common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as “dinghy towing” (towing your
vehicle with all four wheels on the ground) and “dolly
towing” (towing your vehicle with two wheels on
the ground and two wheels up on a device known as
a “dolly”).
With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See “Dinghy
Towing” and “Dolly Towing,” following.
4-35

When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
start your engine
shift into a gear, and
release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you are
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for
more on this. Things that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic transmission uid (do not
overll), engine oil, drive belt, cooling system and
brake system. Each of these is covered in this manual,
and the Index will help you nd them quickly. If you
are trailering, it is a good idea to review this information
before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. SeeEngine Overheating
on page 5-24.
4-43

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...........................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling the Tank..............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-15
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-18
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-20
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-21
Engine Coolant.............................................5-22
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-24
Engine Overheating.......................................5-24
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode........................................5-26
Cooling System............................................5-27Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-31
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-32
Brakes........................................................5-34
Battery........................................................5-37
Jump Starting...............................................5-38
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-42
Rear Axle.......................................................5-44
Front Axle......................................................5-45
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-46
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-48
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting............5-48
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-49
Front Turn Signal Lamps...............................5-49
Sidemarker Lamps........................................5-50
Back-Up Lamps............................................5-50
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-51
Windshield Replacement.................................5-51
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-51
Tires..............................................................5-53
Tire Sidewall Labelling...................................5-54
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-58
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-60
Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................5-62
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-65
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-67
Buying New Tires.........................................5-68
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-70
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-71
Wheel Replacement......................................5-71
Tire Chains..................................................5-73
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-74
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-74
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................5-76
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire..........................................5-77
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools............5-83
Compact Spare Tire......................................5-84
Appearance Care............................................5-85
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.................5-85
Fabric/Carpet...............................................5-87
Leather.......................................................5-87
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces........................................5-88
Wood Panels...............................................5-88
Speaker Covers............................................5-88
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-88
Weatherstrips...............................................5-88Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-89
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.....................5-89
Finish Care..................................................5-89
Windshield and Wiper Blades.........................5-90
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels................5-91
Tires...........................................................5-91
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-92
Finish Damage.............................................5-92
Underbody Maintenance................................5-92
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-92
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials..................5-93
Vehicle Identication......................................5-94
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN).................5-94
Service Parts Identication Label.....................5-94
Electrical System............................................5-95
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-95
Headlamp Wiring..........................................5-95
Windshield Wiper Fuses................................5-95
Power Windows and Other Power Options.......5-95
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-95
Underhood Fuse Block..................................5-96
Rear Underseat Fuse Block...........................5-99
Capacities and Specications........................5-106
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

Service
Your dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you to
be happy with it. We hope you will go to your dealer
for all your service needs. You will get genuine GM parts
and GM-trained and supported service people.
We hope you will want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
California Proposition 65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this one, contain and/or
emit chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive
harm. Engine exhaust, many parts and systems
(including some inside the vehicle), many uids, and
some component wear by-products contain and/or emit
these chemicals.
5-3

Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you
will want to use the proper service manual. It tells
you much more about how to service your vehicle than
this manual can. To order the proper service manual,
seeService Publications Ordering Information on
page 7-11.
Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, seeServicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-56.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work you
perform. SeeMaintenance Record on page 6-15.{CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts,
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts, and
other fasteners. English and metric
fasteners can be easily confused. If you
use the wrong fasteners, parts can later
break or fall off. You could be hurt.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airow around it. This may cause wind
noise and affect windshield washer performance. Check
with your dealer before adding equipment to the
outside of your vehicle.
5-4