2009 CADILLAC DTS Coolant

Service............................................................5-3
Accessories and Modications..........................5-3
California Proposition 65 Warning.....................5-4
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements.....5-4
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
the Vehicle.................................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-5
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling the Tank..............................................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.......................5-9
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-13
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-16
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-17
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-19
Cooling System............................................5-22
Engine Coolant.............................................5-23
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-27
Engine Overheating.......................................5-28Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode........................................5-30
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-31
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-32
Brakes........................................................5-33
Battery........................................................5-36
Jump Starting...............................................5-38
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-43
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-46
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting............5-46
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-46
Tires..............................................................5-48
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................5-49
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-54
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-57
High-Speed Operation...................................5-59
Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................5-60
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation.....................5-61
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-65
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-67
Buying New Tires.........................................5-68
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................5-69
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-70
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-71
Wheel Replacement......................................5-71
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing, and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a re. These include liquids like fuel, oil,
coolant, brake uid, windshield washer and other
uids, and plastic or rubber. You or others could
be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill things
that will burn onto a hot engine.
5-10

A.Underhood Fuse Block on page 5-95.
B. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting on
page 5-38.
C. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-32.
D. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap.
SeeEngine Coolant on page 5-23.
E. Remote Negative (−) Terminal. SeeJump Starting
on page 5-38.
F.Power Steering Fluid on page 5-31.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
H. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
I. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
underBrakes on page 5-33.
J. Automatic Transmission Fluid Cap and Dipstick
(Out of View). SeeAutomatic Transmission Fluid on
page 5-19.
K.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 5-17.Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine oil level at each
fuel ll. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for
the location of the engine oil dipstick.
1. Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes
to drain back into the oil pan. If this is not done, the
oil dipstick might not show the actual level.
2. Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel
or cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it
again, keeping the tip down, and check the level.
5-13

Cooling System
The cooling system allows the engine to maintain the correct working temperature.
A. Coolant Surge Tank with Pressure Cap
B. Electric Engine Cooling Fans4.6L L37 Engine shown, 4.6L LD8 Engine similar
5-22

{CAUTION:
An electric engine cooling fan under the hood can
start up even when the engine is not running and
can cause injury. Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine parts,
can be very hot. Do not touch them. If you do, you
can be burned.
Do not run the engine if there is a leak. If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine re, and you could be burned.
Get any leak xed before you drive the vehicle.Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®can
cause premature engine, heater core, or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine coolant could
require changing sooner, at 30,000 miles (50 000 km)
or 24 months, whichever occurs rst. Any repairs
would not be covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always use DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant in the
vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is lled with
DEX-COOL®engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in the vehicle for ve years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs rst.
The following explains the cooling system and how to
check and add coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating, seeEngine
Overheating on page 5-28.
5-23

What to Use
{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to the cooling system can
be dangerous. Plain water, or some other liquid
such as alcohol, can boil before the proper coolant
mixture will. The vehicle’s coolant warning system
is set for the proper coolant mixture. With plain
water or the wrong mixture, the engine could get
too hot but you would not get the overheat
warning. The engine could catch re and you or
others could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of
clean, drinkable water and DEX-COOL
®coolant.Use a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
®coolant. If using this mixture, nothing else
needs to be added. This mixture:
Gives freezing protection down to−34°F (−37°C),
outside temperature.
Gives boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C),
engine temperature.
Protects against rust and corrosion.
Will not damage aluminum parts.
Helps keep the proper engine temperature.
Notice:If an improper coolant mixture is used, the
engine could overheat and be badly damaged. The
repair cost would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Too much water in the mixture can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core, and other
parts.
Notice:If extra inhibitors and/or additives are used
in the vehicle’s cooling system, the vehicle could
be damaged. Use only the proper mixture of
the engine coolant listed in this manual for the
cooling system. SeeRecommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 6-11for more information.
5-24

Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level surface when checking
the coolant level.
Check to see if coolant is visible in the coolant recovery
tank. If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is
boiling, do not do anything else until it cools down. If
coolant is visible but the coolant level is not at or above
the FULL COLD mark, add a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
®coolant at the coolant
recovery tank, but be sure the cooling system is cool
before this is done. SeeEngine Coolant on page 5-23for
more information.
How to Add Coolant to the Surge Tank
{CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot enough.
Do not spill coolant on a hot engine.Notice:This vehicle has a specic coolant ll
procedure. Failure to follow this procedure could
cause the engine to overheat and be severely
damaged.
{CAUTION:
An electric engine cooling fan under the hood can
start up even when the engine is not running and
can cause injury. Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood electric fan.
5-25

{CAUTION:
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling
system can blow out and burn you badly. They are
under pressure, and if you turn the surge tank
pressure cap — even a little — they can come out
at high speed. Never turn the cap when the
cooling system, including the surge tank pressure
cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling system and surge
tank pressure cap to cool if you ever have to turn
the pressure cap.
If no coolant is visible in the surge tank, add coolant as
follows:
1. Remove the coolant
surge tank pressure
cap when the cooling
system, including the
coolant surge tank
pressure cap and upper
radiator hose, is no
longer hot.Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise.
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss
means there is still some pressure left.
2. Keep turning the cap and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant
surge tank with the
proper mixture to
the FULL COLD mark
on the side of the
coolant surge tank.
5-26