2008 CADILLAC CTS ignition

How to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
To inspect the air cleaner/lter, remove the lter from
the vehicle and lightly shake the lter to release loose
dust and dirt. If the lter remains caked with dirt, a new
lter is required.
To inspect or replace the engine air cleaner/lter, do the
following:
1. Turn the ignition off.
2. Remove side cover by pulling up on front of cover.3. Disconnect electrical connector from air box.
4. Loosen the screw on the clamp holding the air outlet
duct in place. Do not pry the clamp off. Position the
duct aside.
5. Remove the rubber hose from the air cleaner
housing mounting arm. Position the rubber hose
aside.
5-22

Brakes
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder
reservoir is lled with
DOT-3 brake uid. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 5-14for
the location of the reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake uid level in
the reservoir might go down. The rst is that the brake
uid goes down to an acceptable level during normal
brake lining wear. When new linings are put in, the uid
level goes back up. The other reason is that uid is
leaking out of the brake hydraulic system. If it is, have
the brake hydraulic system xed, since a leak means
that sooner or later the brakes will not work well.Do not top off the brake uid. Adding brake uid will not
correct a leak. If uid is added when the linings are
worn, there will be too much uid when new brake
linings are installed. Add or remove brake uid, as
necessary, only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
{CAUTION:
If your vehicle has too much brake uid, it can
spill on the engine. The uid will burn if the
engine is hot enough. You or others could be
burned, and your vehicle could be damaged.
Add brake uid only when work is done on
the brake hydraulic system.
If the ignition is in ON/RUN and the brake uid is low,
the Service Brake System message will be displayed in
the DIC. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-56.
When the brake uid falls to a low level, the brake
warning light will come on. SeeBrake System Warning
Light on page 3-38.
5-41

Battery
Your vehicle has a maintenance free battery. It is
located in the trunk, behind the trim panel, on the
passenger side of the vehicle. When it is time for a
new battery, see your dealer/retailer for one that has
the replacement number shown on the original battery’s
label.
Warning:Battery posts, terminals, and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling.
After a power loss, such as disconnecting the battery or
removing the maxi fuses in the power distribution fuse
block, the following steps must be performed to calibrate
the electronic throttle control. If this is not done, the
engine will not run properly.
1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN. Do not start the
engine.
2. Leave the ignition in ON/RUN for at least
three minutes so that the electronic throttle
control will cycle and re-learn its home position.
3. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
4. Start and run the engine for at least 30 seconds.
Vehicle Storage
{CAUTION:
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
are not careful. SeeJump Starting on page 5-45
for tips on working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: If you drive your vehicle infrequently,
remove the black, negative (−) cable from the battery.
This will help keep the battery from running down.
Extended Storage: For extended storage of your vehicle,
remove the black, negative (−) cable from the battery
or use a battery trickle charger. This will help maintain
the charge of the battery over an extended period
of time.
5-44

Notice:If you leave your radio or other accessories
on during the jump starting procedure, they could
be damaged. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Always turn off your radio and
other accessories when jump starting your vehicle.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or the accessory power outlets. Turn off
the radio and all lamps that are not needed. This
will avoid sparks and help save both batteries. And
it could save the radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the positive (+) and
negative (−) terminal locations or the remote
positive (+) and remote negative (−) terminals of the
other vehicle. Then locate the remote positive (+)
location on your vehicle. SeeEngine Compartment
Overview on page 5-14for more information on
locations the terminals.Your vehicle has a remote negative (−) ground
location, as shown in the illustration. It is located on
the rear passenger side of the vehicle. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on page 5-14. You should
always use this remote ground location, instead of
the terminal on the battery.
Notice:If you connect a negative cable to the
Engine Control Module (ECM), ECM mounting
bracket, or any cables that attach to the ECM
bracket, you may damage the ECM. Always attach
the negative cable to your vehicle’s remote negative
ground location, instead of the ECM, ECM bracket,
or any cables attached to the ECM bracket.
5-46

Replacement Bulbs
Exterior Lamp Bulb Number
Fog Lamp (Uplevel Only) H11LL
License Plate Lamp W5WLL
For replacement bulbs not listed here, contact your
dealer/retailer.
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be inspected for wear
or cracking. SeeOwner Checks and Services on
page 6-10.
It is a good idea to clean or replace the wiper blade
assembly on a regular basis or when worn. For proper
windshield wiper blade length and type, seeMaintenance
Replacement Parts on page 6-16.
To replace the wiper blade assembly:
1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off.
2. Turn on the windshield wipers and turn them
off again when the wipers are in the out-wipe
position. The driver side blade will be straight up
and down on the windshield.3. Pull the windshield wiper assembly away from the
windshield.
4. Lift up the wiper blade assembly cap.
5. Pull the wiper blade assembly down far enough to
release it from the J-hooked end of the wiper arm.
Slide the assembly away from the arm.
Allowing the wiper blade arm to touch the windshield
when no wiper blade is installed could damage
the windshield. Any damage that occurs would not
be covered by your warranty. Do not allow the
wiper blade arm to touch the windshield.
6. Replace the blade with a new one.
5-57

A DIC warning message to check the pressure in a
specic tire is also shown on the DIC display screen.
The low tire pressure warning light and the DIC warning
message come at each ignition cycle until the tires
are inated to the correct ination pressure.
The low tire pressure warning light may come on in
cool weather when the vehicle is rst started, and then
turn off as you start to drive. This could be an early
indicator that the air pressure in the tire(s) are getting
low and need to be inated to the proper pressure.
The Tire and Loading Information label, attached to
your vehicle, shows the size of your vehicle’s original
equipment tires and the correct ination pressure for the
tires when they are cold. SeeLoading the Vehicle on
page 4-22, for an example of the Tire and Loading
Information label and its location on your vehicle.
Also seeInflation - Tire Pressure on page 5-66.Your vehicle’s TPMS can warn you about a low tire
pressure condition but it does not replace normal
tire maintenance. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation
on page 5-74andTires on page 5-58.
Notice:Using non-approved tire sealants could
damage the Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS)
sensors. TPMS sensor damage caused by using
an incorrect tire sealant is not covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always use the GM approved
tire sealant available through your dealer/retailer.
Your vehicle, when new, may have included a
factory-installed Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit.
This kit uses a GM approved liquid tire sealant. See
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit (With Sealant Selector
Switch) on page 5-84orTire Sealant and Compressor
Kit (Without Sealant Selector Switch) on page 5-93.
5-71

TPMS Malfunction Light and Message
The TPMS will not function properly if one or more of
the TPMS sensors are missing or inoperable. When the
system detects a malfunction, the low tire warning light
ashes for about one minute and then stays on for the
remainder of the ignition cycle. A DIC warning message
is also displayed. The low tire warning light and DIC
warning message come on at each ignition cycle until the
problem is corrected. Some of the conditions that can
cause the malfunction light and DIC message to come
on are:
One of the road tires has been replaced with the
spare tire. The spare tire does not have a TPMS
sensor. The DIC message should go off once you
re-install the road tire containing the TPMS sensor.
The TPMS sensor matching process was not
done or not completed successfully after rotating
the vehicle’s tires. The DIC message should go off
after successfully completing the sensor matching
process. See “TPMS Sensor Matching Process”
later in this section.
One or more TPMS sensors are missing or
damaged. The DIC message and the TPMS
malfunction light should go off when the TPMS
sensors are installed and the sensor matching
process is performed successfully. See your
dealer/retailer for service.
Replacement tires or wheels do not match your
vehicle’s original equipment tires or wheels. Tires
and wheels other than those recommended for your
vehicle could prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly. SeeBuying New Tires on page 5-76.
Operating electronic devices or being near facilities
using radio wave frequencies similar to the TPMS
could cause the TPMS sensors to malfunction.
If the TPMS is not functioning it cannot detect or
signal a low tire condition. See your dealer/retailer for
service if the TPMS malfunction light and DIC message
comes on and stays on.
5-72

TPMS Sensor Matching Process
Each TPMS sensor has a unique identication code.
Any time you replace one or more of the TPMS sensors
or rotate your vehicle’s tires, the identication codes
need to be matched to the new tire/wheel position.
The sensors are matched to the tire/wheel positions
in the following order: driver side front tire, passenger
side front tire, passenger side rear tire, and driver
side rear tire using a TPMS diagnostic tool. See your
dealer/retailer for service.
The TPMS sensors can also be matched to each
tire/wheel position by increasing or decreasing the tire’s
air pressure. If increasing the tire’s air pressure, do not
exceed the maximum ination pressure indicated on the
tire’s sidewall. To decrease the tire’s air-pressure use the
pointed end of the valve cap, a pencil-style air pressure
gage, or a key.
You have two minutes to match the rst tire/wheel
position, and ve minutes overall, to match all four
tire/wheel positions. If it takes longer than two minutes,
to match the rst tire and wheel, or more than
ve minutes to match all four tire and wheel positions,
the matching process stops and you need to start over.The TPMS matching process is outlined below:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition switch to ON/RUN with the
engine off.
3. Press the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter’s
lock and unlock buttons at the same time for
approximately ve seconds. The horn sounds twice
to signal the receiver is in relearn mode and Tire
Learning Active message displays on the DIC
screen.
4. Start with the driver side front tire.
5. Remove the valve cap from the valve stem.
Activate the TPMS sensor by increasing or
decreasing the tire’s air pressure for 10 seconds,
or until a horn chirp sounds. The horn chirp, which
can take up to 30 seconds to sound, conrms
that the TPMS sensor identication code has
been matched to this tire position.
6. Proceed to the passenger side front tire, and repeat
the procedure in Step 5.
7. Proceed to the passenger side rear tire, and repeat
the procedure in Step 5.
8. Proceed to the driver side rear tire, and repeat the
procedure in Step 5.
5-73