2008 CADILLAC CTS service

Current and Past Model Order Forms
Technical Service Bulletins and Manuals are available
for current and past model GM vehicles. To request
an order form, specify year and model name of
the vehicle.
ORDER TOLL FREE: 1-800-551-4123
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Eastern Time
For Credit Card Orders Only
(VISA-MasterCard-Discover), visit Helm, Inc. on
the World Wide Web at: helminc.com
Or you can write to:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
Prices are subject to change without notice and without
incurring obligation. Allow ample time for delivery.
Note to Canadian Customers: All listed prices are
quoted in U.S. funds. Canadian residents are to make
checks payable in U.S. funds.
Vehicle Data Recording and
Privacy
Your GM vehicle has a number of sophisticated
computers that record information about the vehicle’s
performance and how it is driven. For example,
your vehicle uses computer modules to monitor and
control engine and transmission performance, to monitor
the conditions for airbag deployment and deploy
airbags in a crash and, if so equipped, to provide
antilock braking to help the driver control the vehicle.
These modules may store data to help your
dealer/retailer technician service your vehicle.
Some modules may also store data about how you
operate the vehicle, such as rate of fuel consumption
or average speed. These modules may also retain
the owner’s personal preferences, such as radio
pre-sets, seat positions, and temperature settings.
7-18

OnStar®
If your vehicle has OnStar and you subscribe to the
OnStar services, please refer to the OnStar Terms and
Conditions for information on data collection and
use. See alsoOnStar
®System on page 2-55in this
manual for more information.
Navigation System
If your vehicle has a navigation system, use of the
system may result in the storage of destinations,
addresses, telephone numbers, and other trip
information. Refer to the navigation system operating
manual for information on stored data and for deletion
instructions.
Radio Frequency
Identication (RFID)
RFID technology is used in some vehicles for functions
such as tire pressure monitoring and ignition system
security, as well as in connection with conveniences
such as key fobs for remote door locking/unlocking and
starting, and in-vehicle transmitters for garage door
openers. RFID technology in GM vehicles does not use
or record personal information or link with any other
GM system containing personal information.
7-20

A
Accessories and Modications............................ 5-4
Accessory Power Outlets.................................3-22
Adaptive Forward Lighting System.....................3-19
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle.......................................................1-70
Additives, Fuel................................................. 5-8
Add-On Electrical Equipment...........................5-122
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine.................................5-21
Air Conditioning..............................................3-24
Airbag
Passenger Status Indicator...........................3-35
Readiness Light..........................................3-34
Airbag System................................................1-56
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle...................................................1-70
How Does an Airbag Restrain?......................1-63
Passenger Sensing System...........................1-65
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle..........1-70
What Makes an Airbag Inate?......................1-63
What Will You See After an Airbag Inates?....1-64
When Should an Airbag Inate?....................1-61
Where Are the Airbags?...............................1-58
All-Wheel Drive...............................................5-50
All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) System........................... 4-9
Analog Clock..................................................3-23
Antenna, Backglass.......................................3-126Antenna, XM™ Satellite Radio
Antenna System........................................3-126
Antilock Brake System (ABS)............................. 4-5
Anti-lock Brake, System Warning Light...............3-39
Appearance Care
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels.............5-118
Care of Safety Belts...................................5-115
Chemical Paint Spotting..............................5-119
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses..................5-116
Fabric/Carpet............................................5-113
Finish Care...............................................5-116
Finish Damage..........................................5-119
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces...............................................5-115
Interior Cleaning........................................5-112
Leather....................................................5-114
Sheet Metal Damage..................................5-119
Speaker Covers.........................................5-115
Tires........................................................5-118
Underbody Maintenance.............................5-119
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials...............5-120
Washing Your Vehicle.................................5-116
Weatherstrips............................................5-115
Windshield and Wiper Blades......................5-117
Wood Panels............................................5-115
Appointments, Scheduling Service.....................7-10
Ashtray.........................................................3-23
1

Customer Assistance Information (cont.)
Customer Satisfaction Procedure..................... 7-2
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program............... 7-7
Reporting Safety Defects to General Motors.....7-17
Reporting Safety Defects to the
Canadian Government..............................7-17
Reporting Safety Defects to the
United States Government.........................7-16
Roadside Service.......................................... 7-7
Service Publications Ordering Information........7-17
D
Daytime Running Lamps..................................3-18
Defensive Driving............................................. 4-2
Delayed Locking.............................................2-19
DIC Compass.................................................3-53
Diesel
Running Out of Fuel....................................2-49
Disc, MP3....................................................3-106
Doing Your Own Service Work........................... 5-5
Door
Central Door Unlocking System.....................2-19
Delayed Locking..........................................2-19
Locks........................................................2-18
Power Door Locks.......................................2-19
Programmable Automatic Door Locks.............2-20
Rear Door Security Locks.............................2-20Driver Information Center (DIC).........................3-48
DIC Operation and Displays..........................3-48
DIC Vehicle Customization............................3-69
DIC Warnings and Messages........................3-56
Driving
At Night.....................................................4-14
Before a Long Trip......................................4-16
Defensive..................................................... 4-2
Drunken....................................................... 4-2
Highway Hypnosis.......................................4-16
Hill and Mountain Roads..............................4-16
In Rain and on Wet Roads...........................4-15
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get it Out.................4-22
Winter........................................................4-17
Dual Climate Control System............................3-24
E
EDR .............................................................7-18
Electrical System
Add-On Equipment.....................................5-122
Fuses and Circuit Breakers.........................5-123
Power Windows and Other Power Options....5-122
Rear Compartment Fuse Block....................5-126
Underhood Fuse Block...............................5-123
Windshield Wiper Fuses.............................5-122
4

Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter.........................................5-21
Check and Service Engine Soon Light............3-41
Coolant......................................................5-28
Coolant Heater............................................2-37
Coolant Temperature Gage...........................3-40
Coolant Temperature Warning Light................3-40
Cover........................................................5-21
Drive Belt Routing.......................................6-17
Engine Compartment Overview......................5-14
Exhaust.....................................................2-48
Oil .............................................................5-16
Oil Life System...........................................5-19
Oil Pressure Gage.......................................3-45
Overheated Protection Operating Mode...........5-33
Overheating................................................5-31
Speed Limiter.............................................3-32
Starting......................................................2-35
Entry Lighting.................................................3-20
Event Data Recorders.....................................7-19
Extender, Safety Belt.......................................1-32
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver..........................3-20
F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner......................................5-21
Finish Damage.............................................5-119
Flashers, Hazard Warning.................................. 3-6Flash-to-Pass................................................... 3-9
Flat Tire........................................................5-82
Flat Tire, Changing........................................5-102
Flat Tire, Storing...........................................5-110
Fluid.............................................................5-26
Automatic Transmission................................5-25
Power Steering...........................................5-39
Windshield Washer......................................5-40
Fog Lamp
Fog ...........................................................3-19
Fog Lamp Light..............................................3-46
Folding Rear Seat...........................................1-11
Fuel............................................................... 5-6
Additives...................................................... 5-8
California Fuel.............................................. 5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container....................5-11
Filling the Tank............................................. 5-9
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................. 5-8
Gage .........................................................3-47
Gasoline Octane........................................... 5-7
Gasoline Specications.................................. 5-7
Running Out of...........................................2-49
Fuses
Fuses and Circuit Breakers.........................5-123
Rear Compartment Fuse Block....................5-126
Underhood Fuse Block...............................5-123
Windshield Wiper.......................................5-122
5

Lighting
Entry.........................................................3-20
Parade Dimming..........................................3-20
Lights............................................................3-17
Flash-to-Pass............................................... 3-9
High/Low Beam Changer................................ 3-8
On Reminder..............................................3-17
Limited-Slip Rear Axle....................................... 4-7
Loading Your Vehicle.......................................4-22
Lockout Protection..........................................2-21
Locks
Central Door Unlocking System.....................2-19
Delayed Locking..........................................2-19
Door ..........................................................2-18
Lockout Protection.......................................2-21
Power Door ................................................2-19
Programmable Automatic Door Locks.............2-20
Rear Door Security Locks.............................2-20
Loss of Control...............................................4-12
Lumbar
Power Controls............................................. 1-6
M
Maintenance Schedule
Additional Required Services........................... 6-6
At Each Fuel Fill.........................................6-10
At Least Once a Month................................6-10
At Least Once a Year..................................6-11Maintenance Schedule (cont.)
Introduction.................................................. 6-2
Maintenance Footnotes.................................. 6-8
Maintenance Record....................................6-18
Maintenance Replacement Parts....................6-16
Maintenance Requirements............................. 6-2
Owner Checks and Services.........................6-10
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants.............6-14
Scheduled Maintenance................................. 6-4
Using.......................................................... 6-3
Your Vehicle and the Environment................... 6-2
Malfunction Indicator Light................................3-41
Manual Seats................................................... 1-4
Manual Transmission
Fluid..........................................................5-26
Operation...................................................2-42
Manual, Using.................................................... iii
Memory Seat, Mirrors, Steering Wheel Controls.... 1-7
Message
DIC Warnings and Messages........................3-56
Mirrors
Automatic Dimming Rearview with OnStar
®.....2-50
Outside Convex Mirror.................................2-51
Outside Heated Mirrors................................2-51
Outside Power Mirrors..................................2-50
Park Tilt.....................................................2-51
MP3 ............................................................3-106
MyGMLink.com................................................ 7-5
8

N
Navigation System, Privacy..............................7-20
Navigation/Radio System,
see Navigation Manual...............................3-111
New Vehicle Break-In......................................2-32
O
Odometer......................................................3-32
Odometers, Trip..............................................3-32
Off-Road Recovery..........................................4-12
Oil
Engine.......................................................5-16
Engine Oil Pressure Gage............................3-45
Pressure Light.............................................3-44
Oil, Engine Oil Life System..............................5-19
Older Children, Restraints................................1-32
Online Owner Center........................................ 7-5
OnStar, Privacy..............................................7-20
OnStar
®System, see OnStar®Manual...............2-55
Operation, Universal Home Remote System........2-58
Outlet Adjustment............................................3-28
Outlets
Accessory Power.........................................3-22
Outside
Convex Mirror.............................................2-51
Heated Mirrors............................................2-51
Power Mirrors.............................................2-50Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . 5-33
Owner Checks and Services.............................6-10
Owners, Canadian.............................................. iii
P
Paint, Damage..............................................5-119
Panic Brake Assist............................................ 4-9
Parade Dimming.............................................3-20
Park
Shifting Into................................................2-45
Shifting Out of............................................2-47
Park Aid........................................................2-52
Park Brake....................................................2-44
Park Tilt Mirrors..............................................2-51
Parking
Assist........................................................2-52
Over Things That Burn.................................2-48
Parking Your Vehicle.......................................2-47
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator.....................3-35
Passenger Compartment Air Filter.....................3-29
Passenger Sensing System..............................1-65
Passing.........................................................4-12
Perchlorate Materials Requirements, California...... 5-5
Phone
Bluetooth
®................................................3-111
Power
Door Locks.................................................2-19
Electrical System.......................................5-122
9

Power (cont.)
Lumbar Controls........................................... 1-6
Retained Accessory (RAP)............................2-35
Seat ............................................................ 1-5
Steering Fluid.............................................5-39
Tilt Wheel and Telescopic Steering Column....... 3-7
Windows....................................................2-25
Privacy..........................................................7-18
Event Data Recorders..................................7-19
Navigation System.......................................7-20
OnStar .......................................................7-20
Radio Frequency Identication.......................7-20
Programmable Automatic Door Locks.................2-20
R
Radio Frequency Identication (RFID), Privacy....7-20
Radio(s)........................................................3-83
Radios
Navigation/Radio System,
see Navigation Manual............................3-111
Reception.................................................3-125
Theft-Deterrent..........................................3-124
Rainsense™ Wipers........................................3-10
Reading Lamps..............................................3-21
Rear Axle......................................................5-51
Limited-Slip.................................................. 4-7
Rear Door Security Locks................................2-20Rearview Mirror, Automatic Dimming with
OnStar
®.....................................................2-50
Reclining Seatbacks.......................................... 1-8
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants.................6-14
Recreational Vehicle Towing.............................4-28
Remote, Keyless Access System........................ 2-9
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System.................. 2-6
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System, Operation . . . 2-7
Remote Vehicle Start.......................................2-16
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire................................................5-105
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.................5-104
Replacement Bulbs.........................................5-57
Replacement Parts, Maintenance......................6-16
Reporting Safety Defects
Canadian Government..................................7-17
General Motors...........................................7-17
United States Government............................7-16
Restraint System Check
Checking the Restraint Systems....................1-72
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash..........................................1-73
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)......................2-35
Roadside
Service........................................................ 7-7
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get it Out....................4-22
Routing, Engine Drive Belt...............................6-17
Running Out of Fuel........................................2-49
10