2008 CADILLAC CTS brake fluid

Before Leaving on a Long Trip
To prepare your vehicle for a long trip, consider having
it serviced by your dealer/retailer before departing.
Things to check on your own include:
Windshield Washer Fluid:Reservoir full? Windows
clean — inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:In good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:All levels checked?
Lamps:Do they all work and are lenses clean?
Tires:Are treads good? Are tires inated to
recommended pressure?
Weather and Maps:Safe to travel? Have
up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to your surroundings
while driving. If you become tired or sleepy, nd a
safe place to park your vehicle and rest.
Other driving tips include:
Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
Keep interior temperature cool.
Keep your eyes moving — scan the road ahead
and to the sides.
Check the rearview mirror and vehicle instruments
often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through mountains is different
than driving on at or rolling terrain. Tips for driving
in these conditions include:
Keep the vehicle serviced and in good shape.
Check all uid levels and brakes, tires, cooling
system, and transmission.
Going down steep or long hills, shift to a
lower gear.
4-16

Service............................................................5-4
Accessories and Modications..........................5-4
California Proposition 65 Warning.....................5-5
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements.....5-5
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-5
Adding Equipment to the Outside of the
Vehicle......................................................5-6
Fuel................................................................5-6
Gasoline Octane............................................5-7
Gasoline Specications....................................5-7
California Fuel...............................................5-7
Additives.......................................................5-8
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-8
Filling the Tank..............................................5-9
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-11
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-12
Hood Release..............................................5-12
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-14
Engine Oil...................................................5-16
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-19
Engine Cover...............................................5-21
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-21
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-25
Manual Transmission Fluid.............................5-26Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-27
Engine Coolant.............................................5-28
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-31
Engine Overheating.......................................5-31
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode........................................5-33
Cooling System............................................5-34
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-39
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-40
Brakes........................................................5-41
Battery........................................................5-44
Jump Starting...............................................5-45
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-50
Rear Axle.......................................................5-51
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-52
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-55
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting............5-55
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-55
Front Turn Signal and Fog Lamps...................5-56
License Plate Lamp......................................5-56
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-57
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-57
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

A. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-40.
B. Underhood Fuse Block. SeeUnderhood Fuse Block
on page 5-123.
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting on
page 5-45.
D. Remote Negative (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting
on page 5-45.
E. Passenger Compartment Air Filter. SeePassenger
Compartment Air Filter on page 3-29.
F. Engine Cooling Fan. SeeCooling System on
page 5-34.
G. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (Under Engine
Cover). SeePower Steering Fluid on page 5-39.H. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-16.
I. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See “Checking
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil on page 5-16.
J. Hydraulic Clutch Reservoir (If Equipped)
(Not Shown). See “When to Check and What
to Use” underHydraulic Clutch on page 5-27.
K. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir (Out of View).
See “Brake Fluid” underBrakes on page 5-41.
L. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap.
SeeCoolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap on page 5-31
andCooling System on page 5-34.
M. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-21.
5-15

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

What to Add
DOT-3 brake uid is recommended. DOT-4 brake
uid is also compatible with your vehicle’s brake system
parts. However, if you choose to use DOT-4 uid, it is
recommended that you ush the brake hydraulic system
and rell it with new DOT-4 uid at a regular maintenance
service every two years. SeeAdditional Required
Services on page 6-6. Use new brake uid from a sealed
container only. SeeRecommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-14.
Always clean the brake uid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This helps keep
dirt from entering the reservoir.
{CAUTION:
With the wrong kind of uid in the brake
hydraulic system, the brakes might not work
well. This could cause a crash. Always use the
proper brake uid.Notice:
Using the wrong uid can badly damage brake
hydraulic system parts. For example, just a
few drops of mineral-based oil, such as engine
oil, in the brake hydraulic system can damage
brake hydraulic system parts so badly that they
will have to be replaced. Do not let someone
put in the wrong kind of uid.
If you spill brake uid on your vehicle’s painted
surfaces, the paint nish can be damaged.
Be careful not to spill brake uid on your
vehicle. If you do, wash it off immediately.
SeeWashing Your Vehicle on page 5-116.
Brake Wear
Your vehicle has disc brakes. Disc brake pads have
built-in wear indicators that make a high-pitched warning
sound when the brake pads are worn and new pads
are needed. The sound can come and go or be heard
all the time your vehicle is moving, except when you
are pushing on the brake pedal rmly.
5-42

Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants
Fluids and lubricants identied below by name, part
number, or specication can be obtained from your
dealer/retailer.
Usage Fluid/Lubricant
Engine OilThe engine requires a special
engine oil meeting GM Standard
GM4718M. Oils meeting this
standard can be identied as
synthetic, and should also be
identied with the American
Petroleum Institute (API) Certied
for Gasoline Engines starburst
symbol. However, not all synthetic
API oils with the starburst symbol
will meet this GM standard. Look
for and use only an oil that meets
GM Standard GM4718M. For the
proper viscosity, seeEngine Oil
on page 5-16.
Engine Coolant50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and use only DEX-COOL
®
Coolant. SeeEngine Coolant on
page 5-28.
Usage Fluid/Lubricant
Hydraulic Brake
SystemDelco
®Supreme 11 Brake Fluid or
equivalent DOT-3 brake uid.
Windshield
WasherOptikleen
®Washer Solvent.
Hydraulic
Clutch SystemHydraulic Clutch Fluid. Use only
GM Part No. U.S. 88958860, in
Canada 88901244, Super DOT-4
brake uid.
Parking Brake
Cable GuidesChassis Lubricant
(GM Part No. U.S. 12377985,
in Canada 88901242) or lubricant
meeting requirements of NLGI #2,
Category LB or GC-LB.
Power Steering
SystemGM Power Steering Fluid
(GM Part No. U.S. 89021184,
in Canada 89021186).
Manual
TransmissionSAE 75W-90 GL5 Gear Oil
(GM Part No. U.S. 88862475,
in Canada 88862476).
Automatic
TransmissionDEXRON
®-VI Automatic
Transmission Fluid.
Transfer Case
(All-Wheel
Drive)Transfer Case Fluid
(GM Part No. U.S. 88861950,
in Canada 88861951).
6-14

Audio System.................................................3-82
Audio Steering Wheel Controls....................3-124
Backglass Antenna.....................................3-126
Navigation/Radio System, see Navigation
Manual.................................................3-111
Radio Reception........................................3-125
Theft-Deterrent Feature...............................3-124
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System...........3-126
Audio System(s).............................................3-83
Automatic Transmission
Fluid..........................................................5-25
Operation...................................................2-38
B
Backglass Antenna........................................3-126
Battery..........................................................5-44
Electric Power Management..........................3-21
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver......................3-20
Run-Down Protection...................................3-22
Bluetooth
®....................................................3-111
Brake
Emergencies................................................ 4-5
Brakes..........................................................5-41
Panic Assist................................................. 4-9
System Warning Light..................................3-38
Braking........................................................... 4-4
Braking in Emergencies..................................... 4-5
Break-In, New Vehicle.....................................2-32Bulb Replacement...........................................5-55
Front Turn Signal and Fog Lamps..................5-56
Halogen Bulbs............................................5-55
Headlamp Aiming........................................5-52
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting...........5-55
License Plate Lamps....................................5-56
Replacement Bulbs......................................5-57
Buying New Tires...........................................5-76
C
Calibration.....................................................3-53
California Fuel.................................................. 5-7
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements....... 5-5
California Proposition 65 Warning....................... 5-5
Canadian Owners............................................... iii
Capacities and Specications..........................5-129
Carbon Monoxide...........................2-21, 2-48, 4-17
Care of
Safety Belts..............................................5-115
CD, MP3 .....................................................3-106
Center Console Storage Area...........................2-63
Chains, Tire...................................................5-82
Charging System Light....................................3-37
Check
Engine Light...............................................3-41
Checking Things Under the Hood......................5-12
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-119
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