2007 CADILLAC STS Owners Manual

Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
To restart when you are already moving, use
NEUTRAL (N).
Notice:Do not try to shift to PARK (P) if your
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could
damage the transmission. Shift to PARK (P)
only when your vehicle is stopped.
The keyless access transmitter must be inside the
vehicle for the ignition to work.
Cell phone chargers can interfere with the
operation of the Keyless Access System. Battery
chargers should not be plugged in when starting
or turning off the engine.
To start you vehicle, do the following:
1. With your foot on the brake pedal, press the
START button located on the instrument panel.
If there is not a keyless access transmitter in
the vehicle or if there is something causing
interference with it, the DIC will display
NO FOBS DETECTED. SeeDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 264for more
information.2. When the engine begins cranking, let go of
the button and the engine cranks automatically
until it starts. If the battery in the keyless
access transmitter is weak, the DIC displays
KEY FOB BATTERY LOW. You can still
drive the vehicle.
See “Battery Replacement” underKeyless
Access System Operation on page 88
for more information. If the fob battery is
dead, you need to insert the fob into the fob
slot to enable engine starting. See “No
Fobs Detected” underDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 264.
3. Do not race the engine immediately after
starting it. Operate the engine and transmission
gently until the oil warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
4. If the engine does not start and no DIC
message is displayed, wait 15 seconds
before trying again to let the cranking motor
cool down.
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If the engine does not start after 5-10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather (below 0°F
or−18°C), it could be ooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing the accelerator pedal all
the way to the oor while cranking for up to
15 seconds maximum. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try, to allow the
cranking motor to cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the accelerator. If the vehicle
starts briey but then stops again, do the same
thing. This clears the extra gasoline from
the engine.
Notice:Cranking the engine for long periods
of time, by pressing the START button
immediately after cranking has ended, can
overheat and damage the cranking motor, and
drain the battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to allow the cranking motor
to cool down.
Your vehicle has a Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in starting the
engine and protects components. Once cranking
has been initiated, the engine continues cranking
for a few seconds or until the vehicle starts.If the engine does not start, cranking automatically
stops after 15 seconds to prevent cranking
motor damage. To prevent gear damage, this
system also prevents cranking if the engine
is already running.
Notice:Your engine is designed to work with
the electronics in your vehicle. If you add
electrical parts or accessories, you could
change the way the engine operates. Before
adding electrical equipment, check with your
dealer. If you do not, your engine might not
perform properly. Any resulting damage would
not be covered by your vehicle’s warranty.
Stopping Your Engine
Move the shift lever to PARK (P) and press the Acc.
button located on the instrument panel. If the shifter
is not in PARK (P), the engine shuts off and the
vehicle goes into the Accessory Mode. The DIC
displays “SHIFT TO PARK”. Once the shifter is
moved to PARK (P), the vehicle turns off.
If the keyless access transmitter is not detected
inside the vehicle when it is turned to off, the DIC
displays NO FOB OFF OR RUN?.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 264for
more information.
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Engine Coolant Heater
Your vehicle may be equipped with an engine
coolant heater.
In very cold weather, 0°F (−18°C) or colder, the
engine coolant heater can help. You will get easier
starting and better fuel economy during engine
warm-up.
Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged in a
minimum of four hours prior to starting your
vehicle. At temperatures above 32°F (0°C), use of
the coolant heater is not required. Your vehicle
may also have an internal thermostat in the
plug end of the cord. This will prevent operation of
the engine coolant heater when the temperature
is at or above 0°F (−18°C) as noted on the cord.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
For the 3.6L V6 engine, the cord is located in
the engine compartment on the passenger’s
side of the vehicle in front of the fuse block.
For the 4.6L V8 engine, the cord is located in
the engine compartment on the driver’s
side of the vehicle near the inner fender and
above the strut.
For the 4.4L V8 engine, the cord is located in
the front of the engine compartment, on
the passenger’s side of the vehicle. The plug
will be inside the upper grille cutout.
3. You must remove the plastic cap to access
the plug.
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4. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt
AC outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded
outlet could cause an electrical shock.
Also, the wrong kind of extension cord
could overheat and cause a re. You
could be seriously injured. Plug the cord
into a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will not
reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
5. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug
and store the cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine parts. If you do
not, it could be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater
plugged in? The answer depends on the outside
temperature, the kind of oil you have, and
some other things. Instead of trying to listeverything here, we ask that you contact your
dealer in the area where you will be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best
advice for that particular area.Automatic Transmission Operation
The shift lever is located on the center console
between the front seats.
There are several
different positions for
the shift lever.
PARK (P):This position locks the rear wheels.
It is the best position to use when you start
the engine because your vehicle cannot move
easily.
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{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake rmly set. Your
vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not
move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, always set your parking brake
and move the shift lever to PARK (P). See
Shifting Into Park (P) on page 122.Ifyou
are pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer
on page 357.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P)
before starting the engine. Your vehicle has an
automatic transmission shift lock control system.You must fully apply your regular brakes rst and
then press the shift lever button before you
can shift from PARK (P) when the vehicle is
running. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease
pressure on the shift lever and push the shift
lever all the way into PARK (P) as you maintain
brake application. Then press the shift lever button
and move the shift lever into another gear. See
Shifting Out of Park (P) on page 124.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving forward could damage
the transmission. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
At low vehicle speeds, you can also use
REVERSE (R) to rock your vehicle back and forth
to get out of snow, ice, or sand without damaging
your transmission. SeeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck
in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 348for
additional information.
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NEUTRAL (N):In this position, the engine does
not connect with the wheels. To restart when
you are already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
You can also use NEUTRAL (N) when your
vehicle is being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is rmly on
the brake pedal, your vehicle could move
very rapidly. You could lose control and
hit people or objects. Do not shift into a
drive gear while your engine is running at
high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) with the engine running at high
speed may damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Be sure the engine is not running at high
speed when shifting your vehicle.DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving. It
provides the best fuel economy for your vehicle. If
you need more power for passing, and you are:
Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push
the accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push
the accelerator all the way down.
The transmission will shift down to a lower
gear and have more power.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding, see “Skidding”
underLoss of Control on page 332.
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Driver Shift Control (DSC)
Notice:If you drive your vehicle at high
RPMs without upshifting while using Driver
Shift Control (DSC), you could damage your
vehicle. Always upshift when necessary while
using DSC.
Your automatic transmission has a Driver Shift
Control (DSC) feature that allows you to change
gears similar to a manual transmission. To use
the DSC feature:
1. Slide the shift lever over from DRIVE (D)
to the right into the DSC area.
When the transmission is in DSC mode the
sport symbol in the Driver Information
Center (DIC) will come on.If you do not move the shift lever forward or
rearward, the vehicle will be in sport mode.
When you are in the sport mode the vehicle
will still shift automatically. While driving
in sport mode, the transmission may remain in
a gear longer than it would in normal driving
mode based on braking, throttle input,
and vehicle lateral acceleration.
2. Press the shift lever forward to upshift or
rearward to downshift.
The DIC will show the
driver’s selection when
moving the shift
lever forward or
rearward. SeeDriver
Information Center (DIC)
on page 258for more
information on the DIC.
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If your vehicle has the V6 engine and 5-speed
transmission, when shifting manually, the number
displayed on the Driver Information Center (DIC)
indicates the highest gear allowed (1,2,3,4,5).
If First (1) or Second (2) gear is selected, the
transmission will stay in that gear. If a higher
gear position is selected, the transmission will
automatically shift between the Second (2) gear
position up to the selected gear.
If your vehicle has the V8 engine and 6-speed
transmission, when shifting manually, the number
displayed on the Driver Information Center (DIC)
indicates the gear that the transmission is in.
When starting the vehicle from a stopped condition,
only First (1) and Second (2) gear may be used.
While using the DSC feature the vehicle will
have rmer shifting and increased performance.
You can use this for sport driving or when
climbing/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 higher
gear if the engine RPM is too high.
If shifting is prevented for any reason, the selected
gear will ash multiple times, indicating that the
transmission has not shifted gears.
The transmission will allow you to shift to the gear
selected and will automatically downshift when
the vehicle comes to a stop. This will allow
for more power during take-off and passing.
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