Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-7
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-8
Child Restraints
.......................................1-28
Airbag System
.........................................1-51
Restraint System Check
............................1-66
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
......................................2-14
Windows
.................................................2-19
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-22
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-27
Mirrors
....................................................2-40
Object Detection Systems
..........................2-45
OnStar
®System
......................................2-48
Universal Home Remote System
................2-51
Storage Areas
.........................................2-58
Sunroof
..................................................2-58
Vehicle Personalization
.............................2-60
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-48
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-57
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-74
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-98Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-31
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-50
Rear Axle
...............................................5-51
Front Axle
...............................................5-52
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-53
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-54
Windshield Replacement
...........................5-55
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-55
Tires
......................................................5-57
Appearance Care
...................................5-107
Vehicle Identi cation
...............................5-116
Electrical System
....................................5-116
Capacities and Speci cations
...................5-128
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-14
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy
...........7-16
Index................................................................ 1
2008 Cadillac STS/STS-V Owner ManualM
Passenger Sensing System
Your vehicle has a passenger sensing system for the
right front passenger’s position. The passenger
airbag status indicator will be visible on the overhead
console when you start your vehicle.
The words ON and OFF, or the symbol for on and off,
will be visible during the system check. If you are
using remote start to start your vehicle from a distance,
if equipped, you may not see the system check.
When the system check is complete, either the word
ON or the word OFF, or the symbol for on or the symbol
for off, will be visible. SeePassenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 3-61.The passenger sensing system will turn off the right
front passenger’s frontal airbag under certain conditions.
The driver’s airbags are not part of the passenger
sensing system.
The passenger sensing system works with sensors that
are part of the right front passenger’s seat. The sensors
are designed to detect the presence of a properly-seated
occupant and determine if the right front passenger’s
frontal airbag should be enabled (may in ate) or not.
Accident statistics show that children are safer if
they are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat.
We recommend that children be secured in a rear
seat, including: an infant or a child riding in a rear-facing
child restraint; a child riding in a forward-facing child
seat; an older child riding in a booster seat; and children,
who are large enough, using safety belts.
A label on your sun visor says, “Never put a rear-facing
child seat in the front.” This is because the risk to the
rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys. United States
Canada
1-60
Keys...............................................................2-3
Keyless Access System...................................2-5
Keyless Access System Operation....................2-6
Remote Vehicle Start....................................2-12
Doors and Locks............................................2-14
Door Locks..................................................2-14
Power Door Locks........................................2-14
Programmable Automatic Door Locks..............2-15
Rear Door Security Locks..............................2-15
Lockout Protection........................................2-16
Trunk..........................................................2-16
Windows........................................................2-19
Power Windows............................................2-20
Sun Visors...................................................2-22
Theft-Deterrent Systems..................................2-22
Theft-Deterrent System..................................2-22
Valet Lockout Switch.....................................2-25
Immobilizer..................................................2-26
Immobilizer Operation....................................2-26Starting and Operating Your Vehicle................2-27
New Vehicle Break-In....................................2-27
Ignition Positions..........................................2-28
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)...................2-29
Starting the Engine.......................................2-29
Engine Coolant Heater..................................2-31
Automatic Transmission Operation...................2-32
Parking Brake..............................................2-35
Shifting Into PARK (P)...................................2-36
Shifting Out of PARK (P)...............................2-37
Parking Over Things That Burn.......................2-38
Engine Exhaust............................................2-38
Running the Engine While Parked...................2-39
Mirrors...........................................................2-40
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror
with Intellibeam™ and OnStar
®...................2-40
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror................2-40
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror
with OnStar
®............................................2-40
Section 2 Features and Controls
2-1
Keyless Access System Operation
Your vehicle has a Keyless Access System that lets you
lock and unlock your vehicle’s doors, open the trunk
lid, remotely start the engine, and locate your vehicle, or
sound your vehicle’s alarm from a distance as much
as 30 feet (10 m) away.
The Keyless Access System also lets you lock and
unlock the vehicle’s doors and access the trunk without
removing the remote transmitter from your pocket,
purse, briefcase, etc. The system operates when the
transmitter is located within 3 feet (1 m) of the door or
trunk of your vehicle. See “Keyless Doors Unlock”
and “Keyless Ft (Front) Door Unlock” underVehicle
Personalization on page 2-60.Your vehicle comes with
two transmitters.Q(Lock):PressQonce
to lock the doors. The lock
status light on the front
doors will turn on for
ve seconds and the turn
signal indicators will ash.
If
Qis pressed twice, the doors will lock, the status light
on the door will turn on for ve seconds, the turn signal
indicators will ash twice, and the horn will sound once.
If the engine is off, the windows may be closed from
outside the vehicle using the lock button on the keyless
access transmitter. Press and hold the lock button for
more than two seconds to close any window. If any
window is unable to close completely, it will reverse and
the horn will chirp. See “Anti-Pinch Feature” underPower
Windows on page 2-20for more information.
2-6
See “Lights Flash at Lock” and “Horn Chirps at Lock”
underVehicle Personalization on page 2-60to change
the feedback feature.
"(Unlock):Press"once to unlock the driver’s door.
The turn signal indicators will ash twice. Press
"twice
within ve seconds to unlock all the doors. If it is dark
enough outside, your interior lamps will come on.
See “Lights Flash at Unlock” and “Ext. (Exterior) Lights at
Unlock” underVehicle Personalization on page 2-60to
change the feedback feature.
If your vehicle has the memory feature you can program
and recall memory settings when you press the unlock
button on the keyless access transmitter. SeeMemory
Seat, Mirrors and Steering Wheel on page 2-77for more
information.
/(Remote Start):Press/to operate the remote
start feature. SeeRemote Vehicle Start on page 2-12.
G(Trunk):Press and holdGfor about
one second to open the trunk while the engine is
turned off or the shift lever is in PARK (P).
L(Vehicle Locator/Panic Alarm):Press and release
Lto locate your vehicle. The horn will chirp three times
and the turn signal lamps will ash three times. Press and
hold
Lfor three seconds to sound the panic alarm.
The horn will chirp and the turn signal lamps will ash
for 30 seconds. Press and release
Lagain to cancel the
panic alarm.
2-7
Remote Vehicle Start
This feature allows you to start the engine from outside
the vehicle.
Before the remote vehicle start system can be operated,
it must be turned on through the vehicle personalization
system.
You can also program the remote vehicle start system to
start up the vehicle’s automatic climate control system. If
this feature is turned on, the system monitors the outside
temperature and turns on the rear window defogger, front
window defogger, and heated or ventilated seats, if your
vehicle has them. See “Personal Settings Menu” under
Vehicle Personalization on page 2-60.
/(Remote Start):This button will be on the RKE
transmitter if you have remote start.
To start the vehicle using the remote start feature:
1. Aim the remote keyless access transmitter at the
vehicle.
2. Press the transmitter’s lock button, release it, and
then immediately press and hold the transmitter’s
remote start button for at least three seconds or until
the vehicle’s turn signal lamps ash. The vehicle’s
doors will be locked.
When the vehicle starts, the parking lamps will turn
on and remain on while the vehicle is running.3. If it is the rst remote start since the vehicle has been
driven, repeat these steps, while the engine is still
running, to extend the engine running time by
10 minutes. Remote start can be extended one time.
If the vehicle is left running it will automatically shut off
after 10 minutes unless a time extension has been
done. To manually shut off a remote start, do one of the
following:
Aim the keyless access transmitter at the vehicle
and press the remote start button until the parking
lamps turn off.
Turn on the hazard warning ashers.
Press the Acc. button (ignition switch). SeeIgnition
Positions on page 2-28.
Turn on the valet lockout switch. SeeValet Lockout
Switch on page 2-25.
When you enter the vehicle during a remote start, press
the brake pedal and press the start button on the
keyless ignition switch to transition from remote start
operation to normal vehicle operation.
2-12
Laws in some local communities may restrict the use of
remote starters. For example, laws may require a
person using remote start to have the vehicle in view
when doing so. Check local regulations for any
requirements on remote starting of vehicles.
Do not use the remote start feature if your vehicle is low
on fuel. Your vehicle may run out of fuel.
The remote start feature provides two separate starts,
each with 10 minutes of engine running. If you press the
lock button and then hold the remote start button on
the keyless access transmitter again for at least
three seconds before the rst 10 minutes of engine
running time has expired, 10 minutes is added to the
remaining minutes. For example, if the remote start
is initiated again after ve minutes of the engine
run time, 10 minutes is added and you now have
15 minutes with the engine running. Once two remote
starts or 20 minutes of the engine running have
been provided, the vehicle must be started using the
keyless access with pushbutton start feature, if the
engine needs to be restarted. SeeStarting the Engine
on page 2-29for more information regarding the
keyless ignition.The remote start feature will not operate if any of the
following occur:
The check engine light is displayed. See “Check
Engine Light” underMalfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 3-68.
The valet lockout switch is on.
The keyless access transmitter is in the vehicle.
The vehicle’s hood is open.
The vehicle personalization feature is not enabled.
An unauthorized vehicle entry or a vehicle theft
was attempted.
Your keyless access transmitter, with the remote start
button, provides an increased range of operation.
However, the range may be less while the vehicle is
running. As a result, you may need to be closer to your
vehicle to turn it off than you were to turn it on.
There are other conditions which can affect the
performance of the transmitter, seeKeyless Access
System on page 2-5.
2-13
Valet Lockout Switch
The valet lockout switch
is located inside the
glove box.
9(Off):Press9to turn the lockout feature off.
When the lockout feature is off, you can open the trunk
using either the keyless access transmitter or the
trunk release button located on the driver’s door.
R(On):PressRto turn the lockout feature on.
When the lockout feature is turned on, the trunk cannot
be unlocked with the keyless access transmitter or
the trunk release button located on the driver’s door.
If the valet lockout feature is on it will also disable
the remote start feature and the Universal Home
Remote transmitter, if equipped.
Locking the glove box with your key will also help to
secure your vehicle.
SeeKeyless Access System Operation on page 2-6
andTrunk on page 2-16for additional information.
2-25