2008 CADILLAC STS transmission

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

Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
These vehicle accessories can be used for up to
20 minutes after the engine is turned off:
Audio System
Audio Steering Wheel Controls
Power Windows
Power to these accessories will work up to 20 minutes
or until one of the front doors is opened. For an
additional 20 minutes of operation, close all the doors
and press Acc. to place the vehicle in accessory mode.
Press the button again to return to RAP.
Starting the Engine
To place the transmission in the proper gear:
Move the shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
To restart when you are already moving, use
NEUTRAL (N).
Notice:Do not try to shift to PARK (P) if your
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
The keyless access transmitter must be inside the
vehicle for the ignition to work.Cell phone chargers can interfere with the operation of
the Keyless Access System. Battery chargers should
not be plugged in when starting or turning off the engine.
To start your vehicle, do the following:
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot on the brake pedal, press the
START button located on the instrument panel.
If there is not a keyless access transmitter in
the vehicle or if there is something causing
interference with it, the DIC will display NO FOBS
DETECTED. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 3-80for more information.
2. When the engine begins cranking, let go of the
button and the engine cranks automatically until
it starts. If the battery in the keyless access
transmitter is weak, the DIC displays KEY FOB
BATTERY LOW. You can still drive the vehicle.
See “Battery Replacement” underKeyless Access
System Operation on page 2-6for more information.
If the fob battery is dead, you need to insert the
fob into the fob slot to enable engine starting.
See “No Fobs Detected” underDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 3-80.
3. Do not race the engine immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and transmission gently until
the oil warms up and lubricates all moving parts.
2-29

Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different
positions for the shift lever.
PARK (P):This position locks the rear wheels. It is
the best position to use when you start the engine
because your vehicle cannot move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle will not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, always set your parking
brake and move the shift lever to PARK (P).
SeeShifting Into PARK (P) on page 2-36.
If you are pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer
(Vehicles With Heavy Duty Cooling) on
page 4-34orTowing a Trailer (Vehicles Without
Heavy Duty Cooling) on page 4-40.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control system. You must fully
apply your regular brakes rst and then press the
shift lever button before you can shift from PARK (P)
when the vehicle is running. If you cannot shift out
of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever and push
the shift lever all the way into PARK (P) as you
maintain brake application. Then press the shift lever
button and move the shift lever into another gear.
SeeShifting Out of PARK (P) on page 2-37.
2-32

Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
At low vehicle speeds, you can also use REVERSE (R)
to rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice, or sand without damaging your transmission.
SeeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow
on page 4-25for additional information.
NEUTRAL (N):In this position, the engine does not
connect with the wheels. To restart when you are
already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. You can also
use NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless
your foot is rmly on the brake pedal, your
vehicle could move very rapidly. You could
lose control and hit people or objects. Do not
shift into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed.Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
with the engine running at high speed may damage
the transmission. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Be sure the engine is not
running at high speed when shifting your vehicle.
DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving. It provides
the best fuel economy for your vehicle. If you need more
power for passing, and you are:
Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
The transmission will shift down to a lower gear and
have more power.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road conditions
could result in skidding, see “Skidding” underLoss of
Control on page 4-16.
2-33

Driver Shift Control (DSC)
Notice:If you drive your vehicle at high RPMs
without upshifting while using Driver Shift
Control (DSC), you could damage your vehicle.
Always upshift when necessary while using DSC.
Your automatic transmission has a Driver Shift
Control (DSC) feature that allows you to change
gears similar to a manual transmission.
To use the DSC feature:
1. Slide the shift lever over from DRIVE (D) to the
right into the DSC area.
When the transmission is
in DSC mode the sport
symbol in the Driver
Information Center (DIC)
will come on.
If you do not move the shift lever forward or
rearward, the vehicle will be in sport mode.
When you are in the sport mode the
vehicle will still shift automatically.While driving in sport mode, the transmission
may remain in a gear longer than it would in
normal driving mode based on braking, throttle
input, and vehicle lateral acceleration.
2. Press the shift lever forward to upshift or rearward
to downshift.
The DIC will show the
driver’s selection when
moving the shift lever
forward or rearward.
SeeDriver Information
Center (DIC) on page 3-74
for more information on
the DIC.
When using the DSC mode, the number displayed on
the Driver Information Center (DIC) indicates the
gear that the transmission is in. When starting the
vehicle from a stopped condition, only First (1) and
Second (2) gear may be used.
While using the DSC feature the vehicle will have rmer
shifting and increased performance. You can use this
for sport driving or when climbing/descending hills
to stay in gear longer or to down shift for more power or
engine braking.
2-34

The transmission will only allow you to shift into gears
appropriate for the vehicle speed and engine
Revolutions Per Minute (RPM). The transmission will
not automatically shift to the next higher gear if the
engine RPM is too high.
If shifting is prevented for any reason, the selected gear
will ash multiple times, indicating that the transmission
has not shifted gears.
The transmission will allow you to shift to the gear
selected and will automatically downshift when
the vehicle comes to a stop. This will allow for more
power during take-off and passing.
Parking Brake
The parking brake pedal
is located on the lower
portion of the instrument
panel to the left of the
steering wheel.This vehicle has a push-to-release parking brake pedal.
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right foot and push the parking
brake pedal down with your left foot.
If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light on
the instrument panel cluster should come on. If it
does not, you need to have your vehicle serviced.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-64for
more information.
To release the parking brake, hold the brake pedal
down with your right foot and push the parking brake
pedal with your left foot. When you lift your left foot,
the parking brake releases.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Make sure
that the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
A warning chime will sound if the parking brake is set,
the ignition is on and the vehicle begins to move.
To stop the chime, fully release the parking brake.
If you are towing a trailer and parking on a hill,
seeTowing a Trailer (Vehicles With Heavy Duty
Cooling) on page 4-34orTowing a Trailer (Vehicles
Without Heavy Duty Cooling) on page 4-40for
more information.
2-35

After you have moved the shift lever into PARK (P),
hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see if you can
move the shift lever away from PARK (P) without rst
pushing the button on the shift lever. If you can, it means
that the shift lever was not fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl
in the transmission. You may nd it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called “torque
lock.” To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and
then shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave
the driver’s seat. To nd out how, see “Shifting
Into PARK (P)” listed previously.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have
another vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of
the pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission,
so you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
This vehicle is equipped with an electronic shift lock
release system. The shift lock release is designed to:
Prevent shifting out of PARK (P) unless the vehicle
is running or in Accessory mode and the regular brake
pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always functional except in the
case of an uncharged or low voltage (less than 9 volt)
battery.
If your vehicle has an uncharged battery or a battery
with low voltage, try charging or jump starting the
battery. SeeJump Starting on page 5-45
To shift out of PARK (P) use the following:
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Then press the shift lever button.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still are unable to shift out of PARK (P):
1. Fully release the shift lever button.
2. While holding down the brake pedal, press the
shift lever button again.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still cannot move the shift lever from PARK (P),
consult your dealer/retailer or a professional towing
service.
2-37

To change feature preferences, use the following
procedure.
Entering the Personal Settings Menu
To enter the feature programming mode:
1. Be sure the ignition is either on, in ACCESSORY,
or in RAP and place the transmission in PARK (P)
or make sure that the vehicle speed is less than
6 mph (9 km/h).
To avoid excessive drain on the battery, it is
recommended that the headlamps are turned off.
2. Press any button on the appropriate keyless
access transmitter to identify yourself as
Driver 1 or Driver 2.
Turn on the radio by pressing the
power/volume knob.
3. Press the CNFG radio button or the tune/select
knob located on the right side of the radio to
enter the radio’s main menu.
4. Turn the tune/select knob and scroll to SETUP.5. Press the tune/select knob to enter the SETUP menu.
6. Turn the tune/select knob and scroll to PERSONAL
SETTINGS MENU, then press the tune/select knob
to turn the feature on. A check mark appears
after this selection when it is turned on and the
entire list of personalization features will appear.
7. Turn the tune/select knob and scroll to the feature
you want to change, then press the tune/select
knob to turn the feature on or off. If the feature is
turned on, a check mark will appear next to the
feature name.
Some features have submenus that show
additional features that can be turned on or off.
After entering a submenu, turn the tune/select knob
and scroll to the feature you want to change,
then press the tune/select knob to turn the feature
on or off.
2-61