2008 CADILLAC STS brake

Deactivation When Head-Up Display
is Turned Off
If the HUD is turned off when Adaptive Cruise Control
is engaged, it will begin to disengage. A warning
beep sounds and the message RADAR CRUISE NOT
READY appears on the Driver Information Center (DIC).
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-80for
additional information. If Adaptive Cruise Control
was braking when the HUD is turned off, the braking
will continue briey.
Passing a Vehicle/Adaptive Cruise Control
Override
To increase speed to pass a vehicle, use the accelerator
pedal. While you are doing this, the system will not
automatically apply the brakes. A PEDAL APPLIED
ACC OVERRIDE message will appear on the HUD.
SeeHead-Up Display (HUD) on page 3-43for additional
information. Once you pass the vehicle and remove
your foot from the accelerator pedal, Adaptive Cruise
Control returns to normal operation and the brakes
can be applied, if needed.
{CAUTION:
If you rest your foot on the accelerator pedal,
the system will not automatically apply the
brakes. You could crash into a vehicle ahead
of you. Do not rest your foot on the accelerator
pedal when using Adaptive Cruise Control.
3-29

Curves in the Road
{CAUTION:
Due to Adaptive Cruise Control limitations in
curves, it may respond to a vehicle in another
lane, or may not have time to react to a vehicle
in your lane. You could crash into a vehicle
ahead of you, or lose control of your vehicle.
Give extra attention in curves and be ready
to use the brakes if necessary. Select an
appropriate speed while driving in curves.
Adaptive Cruise Control might operate differently in a
sharp curve. It might reduce your speed if the curve
is too sharp.When following a vehicle and entering a curve, Adaptive
Cruise Control could lose track of the vehicle in your
lane and your vehicle could accelerate. When this
happens, the vehicle ahead symbol will not appear
on the HUD.
3-30

Adaptive Cruise Control might detect a vehicle that is
not in your lane and apply the brakes.
Adaptive Cruise Control might occasionally provide a
driver alert and/or braking that you consider unnecessary.
It could respond to signs, guardrails, and other stationary
objects when entering or exiting a curve. This is normal
operation. Your vehicle does not need service.
Highway Exit Ramps
{CAUTION:
Adaptive Cruise Control may lose track of the
vehicle ahead and accelerate up to your set
speed while entering or on highway exit ramps.
You could be startled by this acceleration and
even lose control of the vehicle. Disengage
Adaptive Cruise Control before entering a
highway exit ramp. Do not use Adaptive Cruise
Control while entering or on exit ramps.
Other Vehicle Lane Changes
If another vehicle enters the same lane as you,
Adaptive Cruise Control will not detect the vehicle
until it is completely in the lane. Be ready to take
action and apply the brakes yourself.
3-31

Using Adaptive Cruise Controls on Hills
and When Towing a Trailer
How well Adaptive Cruise Control works on hills
and while a trailer is being towed depends on your
vehicle speed, vehicle load, traffic conditions, and the
steepness of the hills. It might not detect a vehicle
in your lane while driving on hills. While going up steep
hills, you might want to use the accelerator pedal to
maintain your vehicle speed. While going downhill
and towing a trailer, you might want to brake to
keep your vehicle speed down. Applying the brake
disengages the system. You may choose not to
use Adaptive Cruise Control on steep hills when
towing a trailer.
Disengaging Adaptive Cruise Control
Apply the brake pedal or move the Adaptive Cruise
Control switch to off, to disengage the system.
Adaptive Cruise Control information does not appear
on the HUD while the system is not engaged.
Erasing Set Speed Memory
When the Adaptive Cruise Control switch or the ignition
is turned off, the set speed memory is erased.
Other Messages
There are three messages that may appear on the
DIC. They are SERVICE RADAR CRUISE, RADAR
CRUISE NOT READY and CLEAN RADAR. These
messages will appear to indicate a problem with
the Adaptive Cruise Control. SeeDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 3-80for more information.
Cleaning the System
The radar can become blocked by snow, ice, or dirt.
If so, you may need to turn off the engine and clean the
emblem/lens, located in the center of the front outside
grille. Remember, do not use Adaptive Cruise Control in
icy conditions, or when visibility is low, such as in fog,
rain or snow.
To clean the emblem/lens, wipe the surface with a soft
cloth. After cleaning the emblem/lens, engage the
Adaptive Cruise Control. If you are unable to do so,
see your dealer/retailer.
3-32

If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once you
leave the garage, it will take about one minute for the
automatic headlamp system to change to DRL if it is
light outside. During that delay, the instrument panel
cluster might not be as bright as usual. Make sure the
instrument panel brightness control is in full bright
position. SeeInstrument Panel Brightness on page 3-41
for more information.
You can idle the vehicle with the lamps off, even when
it is dark outside. First set the parking brake while
the ignition is in OFF/ACCESSORY. Then start the
vehicle. The lamps will stay off until the parking brake
is released.
Twilight Sentinel
®also provides exterior illumination
as you leave the vehicle. If Twilight Sentinel®has
turned on the lamps when you turn off the ignition,
the lamps will remain on until:
The exterior lamp switch is moved from off to
the parking lamp position.
A delay time that you select has elapsed.SeeVehicle Personalization on page 2-60to select
the delay time that you want. You can also select
no delay time.
If the ignition is turned off with the exterior lamp switch
in the parking lamp or headlamp position, the Twilight
Sentinel
®delay will not occur. The lamps will turn off
as soon as the switch is turned off.
As with any vehicle, the regular headlamp system
should be turned on when needed.
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver
If the parking lamps or headlamps have been left on,
the exterior lamps will turn off about 10 minutes after
the ignition is turned off. This protects against draining
the battery in case you have accidentally left the
headlamps or parking lamps on. The battery saver
does not work if the headlamps are turned on after
the ignition is turned off.
If you need to leave the lamps on for more than
10 minutes, use the exterior lamp control to turn
the lamps back on.
3-40

As light shines out from the HUD, it is possible for light
to shine back in. In rare occurrences, when the sun
is at a specic angle and position, the sun’s rays can
shine back into the HUD. When this occurs, the display
device within the HUD will be temporarily illuminated.
The event will end when the vehicle’s angle to the
sun changes.
Clean the inside of the windshield as needed to remove
any dirt or lm that reduces the sharpness or clarity
of the HUD image.
To clean the HUD, spray household glass cleaner on a
soft, clean cloth. Wipe the HUD lens gently, then dry it.
Notice:When cleaning, be careful not to scratch the
HUD or camera lenses. Do not spray glass cleaner
directly on the HUD lens because the cleaner could
leak inside the unit and cause damage.
If the ignition is on and you cannot see the HUD image,
check to see if:
Something is covering the HUD unit.
The brightness is adjusted properly.
The HUD image is adjusted to the proper height.
Ambient light in the direction your vehicle is
facing is low.
A fuse is blown. SeeFuses and Circuit Breakers
on page 5-117.The windshield is part of the HUD system.
SeeWindshield Replacement on page 5-55.
The following Adaptive Cruise Control message
may appear in the HUD:
The PEDAL APPLIED ACC OVERRIDE message
indicates that you are pressing your foot on the
accelerator pedal and overriding Adaptive Cruise
Control. While this is being done, the system will not
automatically apply the brakes. Once you remove
your foot from the accelerator pedal, Adaptive Cruise
Control will return to normal operation and be able
to apply the brakes, if needed.
An Adaptive Cruise Control active symbol, alert symbol
or vehicle ahead symbol may also appear. SeeAdaptive
Cruise Control on page 3-20for more information.
Accessory Power Outlet(s)
Your vehicle is equipped with accessory power outlets.
The outlets can be used to plug in electrical equipment
such as a cellular telephone, CB radio, etc.
Your vehicle has one outlet in front of the center
console, one in the center console lid and there may be
an additional outlet in the rear of the center console.
Your vehicle may have a small cap that must be
removed to access the accessory power outlet.
If it does, when not using the outlet be sure to cover
it with the protective cap.
3-46

Brake System Warning Light
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though,
you need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there is a brake problem.
Have your brake system inspected right away.
This light should come on briey when you turn the
engine on. If it does not come on then, have it xed so
it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when you set your parking brake.
The light will stay on if your parking brake does
not release fully. If it stays on after your parking brake
is fully released, it means you have a brake problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off
the road and stop carefully. You may notice that the
pedal is harder to push, or the pedal may go closer to
the oor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on,
have the vehicle towed for service. SeeTowing Your
Vehicle on page 4-31.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light is
on. Driving with the brake system warning
light on can lead to an accident. If the light
is still on after you have pulled off the road
and stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed
for service. United StatesCanada
3-64

Antilock Brake System
Warning Light
For vehicles with the
Antilock Brake System
(ABS), this light will come
on briey when you
start the engine.
That is normal. If the light does not come on then, have it
xed so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the ignition off, if the light
comes on when you are driving, stop as soon as it
is safely possible and turn the ignition off. Then start
the engine again to reset the system. If the ABS light still
stays on, or comes on again while you are driving,
your vehicle needs service. If the regular brake system
warning light is not on, you still have brakes, but
you do not have antilock brakes. If the regular brake
system warning light is also on, you do not have antilock
brakes and there is a problem with your regular
brakes. SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-64
For vehicles with a Driver Information Center (DIC),
seeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-80for
all brake related DIC messages.
Traction Control System (TCS)
Warning Light
If the Traction Control
System (TCS) warning
light comes on and stays
on, there may be a
problem with the TCS.
The TCS warning light will come on briey when the
engine is started. If it does not come on then, have it
xed so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
The light will also come on if you turn the TCS off using
the traction control on/off button located on the console.
If this light stays on or comes on while you are driving,
pull off the road as soon as possible and stop carefully.
Turn your engine off and then restart it. If the light still
stays on or comes back on again while you are driving,
your vehicle needs service. Have the TCS inspected as
soon as possible. SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
on page 4-6andStabiliTrak
®System on page 4-8for
more information.
Also seeCompetitive Driving Mode (STS-V) on
page 4-7for more information.
3-65