2006 CADILLAC STS steering

LANG (Language):To change the language displayed
on the radio, select LANGUAGE by pressing the
tune/select knob. Turn the tune/select knob to scroll
through the following available languages:
ENGLISH
GERMAN
FRENCH
SPANISH
JAPANESE
To make your selection, press the tune/select knob. If
you accidentally select a language that you did not want,
ENGLISH is always at the top of the language list.
SETUP:When you select this menu item, the following
submenu is available:
PERSONAL SETTINGS MENU
DRIVER SELECTION
DRIVER EXIT SETTINGS
CONFIGURE DISPLAY KEYS
SETUP Submenu Items
The following choices are available for programming
using the Base audio system.
PERSONAL SETTINGS MENU
This item turns the entire list of personalization features
on or off. This item allows you to program certain features
to a preferred setting for up to two people. The number of
available features varies depending upon which options
are purchased. When this item is on, a check mark will
appear after it. For more information on the PERSONAL
SETTINGS MENU item, seeVehicle Personalization on
page 2-53.
DRIVER SELECTION
When you select this item, the following submenu
appears:
DRIVER 1
DRIVER 2
RECALL DRIVER SETTINGS
STORE DRIVER SETTINGS
For more information on the DRIVER SELECTION
submenu item, see “Recalling Driver Settings”
and “Storing Driver Settings” underMemory Seat,
Mirrors and Steering Wheel on page 2-70.
3-118

DRIVER EXIT SETTINGS
When you select this item, the following submenu
appears:
RECALL EXIT SETTINGS
STORE EXIT SETTINGS
For more information on the DRIVER EXIT SETTINGS
submenu item, see “Recalling Exit Settings” and
“Storing Exit Settings” underMemory Seat, Mirrors and
Steering Wheel on page 2-70.
CONFIGURE DISPLAY KEYS
(Base Audio System)
This item allows you to customize the functions of the
four congurable keys located to the left and right of the
audio display. See “Congurable Radio Display Keys”
underRadio with CD on page 3-96for programming
information.
Theft-Deterrent Feature
THEFTLOCK®is designed to discourage theft of your
vehicle’s radio. The feature works automatically by
learning a portion of the Vehicle Identication Number
(VIN). If the radio is moved to a different vehicle, it
will not operate. If the radio is removed from your
vehicle, the original VIN in the radio can be used to
trace the radio back to your vehicle.
With THEFTLOCK
®activated, the radio will not operate
if stolen.
Audio Steering Wheel Controls
The audio steering wheel controls may be different
depending on your vehicle’s options. Some audio
controls can be adjusted at the steering wheel. They
include the following:
0(Mute):Press this button to silence the system.
Press this button again, or any other radio button, to turn
the sound on.
SRCE (Source):Press this button to switch between
FM1, FM2, AM, or XM1 or XM2 (if equipped), radio,
or CD.
3-119

g(OnStar®/Voice Recognition):If your vehicle has
the Radio with CD or Radio with Six-Disc CD audio
system, press this button to interact with the OnStar
system. See theOnStar
®System on page 2-45in this
manual for more information.
If your vehicle has the navigation system, press this
button to initiate voice recognition. See “Voice
Recognition” in the Navigation System manual for more
information. You may be able to interact with the
OnStar system using this button. See theOnStar
®
System on page 2-45in this manual for more
information.
1-6 (Preset Stations):Press this button to play stations
that are programmed on the radio preset pushbuttons.
The radio will only seek preset stations with a strong
signal that are in the selected band.
When a CD is playing, press this button to go to the
next track.
When a CD is playing in the six-disc CD changer, press
this button to go to the next available CD, if multiple
CDs are loaded.
+
u— (Volume):Press this button to increase or to
decrease the volume.+
tu— (Seek):Press either arrow to go to the
next or the previous radio station and stay there.
The radio will only seek stations with a strong signal
that are in the selected band.
When a CD is playing, press the minus sign to go to the
start of the current track, if more than 10 seconds have
played. Press the plus sign to go to the next track. If
either the minus or the plus button are pressed more than
once, the player will continue moving backward or
forward through the CD.
Press and hold the SEEK plus or minus button, until
you hear a beep. The CD will fast forward or fast reverse
through the CD. Press either button again to play the
passage.
If you have the navigation system, some of the audio
steering wheel controls work when a DVD is playing in
the navigation radio. See the Navigation System
manual for more information.
Radio Reception
You may experience frequency interference and static
during normal radio reception if items such as cellphone
chargers, vehicle convenience accessories, and external
electronic devices are plugged into the accessory power
outlet. If there is interference or static, unplug the item
from the accessory power outlet.
3-120

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-6
Braking.........................................................4-6
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).........................4-7
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-9
Traction Control System (TCS).........................4-9
Competitive Driving Mode (STS-V)..................4-10
Magnetic Ride Control...................................4-11
Limited-Slip Rear Axle...................................4-11
StabiliTrak
®System......................................4-11
Panic Brake Assist........................................4-12
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System.......................4-12
Steering......................................................4-12
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-15
Passing.......................................................4-15
Loss of Control.............................................4-17Competitive Driving.......................................4-18
Driving at Night............................................4-18
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-20
City Driving..................................................4-22
Freeway Driving...........................................4-23
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-24
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-25
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-25
Winter Driving..............................................4-27
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.............................................4-31
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-32
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-32
Towing..........................................................4-37
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-37
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-38
Towing a Trailer (STS Only)...........................4-40
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering, and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at
the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or ice,
it is easy to ask more of those control systems than the
tires and road can provide. That means you can lose
control of your vehicle. SeeTraction Control System
(TCS) on page 4-9andStabiliTrak
®System on
page 4-11.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 5-3.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-64.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That is perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or
more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness,
coordination, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol,
drugs, and frustration. But even in three-fourths of a
second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between
your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement
or gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is
wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition of your brakes;
the weight of the vehicle; and the amount of brake
force applied.
4-6

Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down rmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may hear
the anti-lock pump or motor operate, and feel the
brake pedal pulsate, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With ABS, you can steer and brake at the same time.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle has a traction control system that limits
wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery road
conditions. On a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, the system
operates if it senses that one or both of the rear wheels
are spinning or beginning to lose traction. On an
All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) vehicle, the system will operate if
it senses that any of the wheels are spinning or beginning
to lose traction. When this happens, the system brakes
the spinning wheel(s) and/or reduces engine power to
limit wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.This warning light will
come on to let you know
if there’s a problem
with your traction control
system.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) Warning Light on
page 3-66. When this warning light is on, the system will
not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes
on whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel
spin, especially in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the
traction control system off if you ever need to.
Notice:Do not repeatedly brake or accelerate
heavily when the TCS is off. You could damage
your vehicle’s driveline.
When the TCS is switched off on AWD and STS-V
vehicles, you may still feel the system working. This is
normal and necessary with the AWD hardware on
your vehicle.
4-9

Magnetic Ride Control
Your vehicle may have Magnetic Ride Control that
automatically adjusts the ride of your vehicle. Automatic
ride control is achieved through a computer used to
control and monitor the suspension system. The
controller receives input from various sensors to
determine the proper system response. If the controller
detects a problem within the system, the DIC will
display a SERVICE SUSPENSION SYS message.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-79for
more information. See your dealer for service.
Limited-Slip Rear Axle
Your limited-slip rear axle can give you additional traction
on snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It works like a
standard axle most of the time, but when one of the rear
wheels has no traction and the other does, this feature
will allow the wheel with traction to move the vehicle.
StabiliTrak®System
Your vehicle is equipped with a vehicle stability
enhancement system called StabiliTrak®.Itisan
advanced computer controlled system that assists
you with directional control of the vehicle in difficult
driving conditions.
StabiliTrak
®activates when the computer senses a
discrepancy between your intended path and the
direction the vehicle is actually traveling. StabiliTrak
®
selectively applies braking pressure at any one of
the vehicle’s brakes to help steer the vehicle in the
direction which you are steering.
When the system activates, a STABILITY SYS ACTIVE
message will be displayed on the Driver Information
Center. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-79.
You may also hear a noise or feel vibration in the
brake pedal. This is normal. Continue to steer the
vehicle in the direction you want it to go.
If there is a problem detected with StabiliTrak
®,a
SERVICE STABILITY SYS message will be displayed
on the Driver Information Center. SeeDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 3-79. When this message
is displayed, the system is not operational. Driving
should be adjusted accordingly.
4-11

StabiliTrak®comes on automatically whenever you start
your vehicle. To help assist you with directional control of
the vehicle, you should always leave the system on. You
can turn StabiliTrak
®off if you ever need to through the
TC (traction control) on/off button. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-9.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the StabiliTrak
®
activates, the cruise control will automatically
disengage. When road conditions allow you to safely
use it again, you may reengage the cruise control.
SeeCruise Control on page 3-16orAdaptive Cruise
Control on page 3-19for more information.
Panic Brake Assist
Your vehicle has a panic brake assist system that
monitors the intention of the driver while braking. If the
system senses that the driver has applied hard/fast
pressure to the brake pedal, the system will generate
additional pressure, making it easier for the driver
to maintain brake application. When this happens the
brake pedal will feel easier to push. Just hold the brake
pedal down rmly and let the system work for you.
You may feel the brakes vibrate, or you may notice
some noise but this is normal. The brakes will return
to normal operation after the brake pedal has been
released.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System
If your vehicle is equipped with this feature, engine
power is sent to all four wheels all the time.
This is like four-wheel drive, but it is fully automatic.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer
but it will take much more effort.
Speed Variable Assist Steering
Your vehicle has a steering system that continuously
adjusts the effort you feel when steering at all vehicle
speeds. It provides ease when parking, yet a rm,
solid feel at highway speeds.
4-12