2009 CADILLAC STS tow

If a Crash Occurs
Here is what to do if you are involved in a crash.
Try to relax and then check to make sure you are all
right. If you are uninjured, make sure that no one else
in your vehicle, or the other vehicle, is injured.
If there has been an injury, call emergency services
for help. Do not leave the scene of a crash until all
matters have been taken care of. Move your vehicle
only if its position puts you in danger or you are
instructed to move it by a police officer.
Give only the necessary and requested information
to police and other parties involved in the crash. Do
not discuss your personal condition, mental frame of
mind, or anything unrelated to the crash. This will
help guard against post-crash legal action.
If you need roadside assistance, call GM Roadside
Assistance. SeeRoadside Service on page 7-7for
more information.
If your vehicle cannot be driven, know where the
towing service will be taking it. Get a card from the
tow truck operator or write down the driver’s name,
the service’s name, and the phone number.
Remove any valuables from your vehicle before it is
towed away. Make sure this includes your insurance
information and registration if you keep these items
in your vehicle.
Gather the important information you will need from
the other driver. Things like name, address, phone
number, driver’s license number, vehicle license
plate, vehicle make, model and model year, Vehicle
Identication Number (VIN), insurance company and
policy number, and a general description of the
damage to the other vehicle.
If possible, call your insurance company from the
scene of the crash. They will walk you through the
information they will need. If they ask for a police
report, phone or go to the police department
headquarters the next day and you can get a copy of
the report for a nominal fee. In some states/provinces
with “no fault” insurance laws, a report may not be
necessary. This is especially true if there are no
injuries and both vehicles are driveable.
Choose a reputable collision repair facility for your
vehicle. Whether you select a GM dealer/retailer or a
private collision repair facility to x the damage,
make sure you are comfortable with them.
Remember, you will have to feel comfortable with
their work for a long time.
Once you have an estimate, read it carefully and
make sure you understand what work will be
performed on your vehicle. If you have a question,
ask for an explanation. Reputable shops welcome
this opportunity.
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Managing the Vehicle Damage Repair
Process
In the event that your vehicle requires damage repairs,
GM recommends that you take an active role in its
repair. If you have a pre-determined repair facility of
choice, take your vehicle there, or have it towed there.
Specify to the facility that any required replacement
collision parts be original equipment parts, either new
Genuine GM parts or recycled original GM parts.
Remember, recycled parts will not be covered by your
GM vehicle warranty.
Insurance pays the bill for the repair, but you must live
with the repair. Depending on your policy limits, your
insurance company may initially value the repair using
aftermarket parts. Discuss this with your repair
professional, and insist on Genuine GM parts. Remember
if your vehicle is leased you may be obligated to have the
vehicle repaired with Genuine GM parts, even if your
insurance coverage does not pay the full cost.
If another party’s insurance company is paying for the
repairs, you are not obligated to accept a repair valuation
based on that insurance company’s collision policy repair
limits, as you have no contractual limits with that
company. In such cases, you can have control of the
repair and parts choices as long as cost stays within
reasonable limits.
Reporting Safety Defects
Reporting Safety Defects to the
United States Government
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which
could cause a crash or could cause injury or death,
you should immediately inform the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in
addition to notifying General Motors.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open
an investigation, and if it nds that a safety defect
exists in a group of vehicles, it may order a recall
and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA cannot
become involved in individual problems between
you, your dealer/retailer, or General Motors.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY:
1-800-424-9153); go to http://www.safercar.gov; or
write to:
Administrator, NHTSA
1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington D.C., 20590
You can also obtain other information about motor
vehicle safety from http://www.safercar.gov.
7-14

Power (cont.)
Reclining Seatbacks...................................... 1-4
Retained Accessory.....................................2-27
Seat ............................................................ 1-2
Steering Fluid.............................................5-37
Tilt Wheel and Telescopic Steering Column....... 3-6
Windows....................................................2-19
Privacy..........................................................7-16
Event Data Recorders..................................7-17
Navigation System.......................................7-18
OnStar .......................................................7-18
Radio Frequency Identication.......................7-18
Programmable Automatic Door Locks.................2-14
R
Radio Frequency Identication (RFID), Privacy......7-18
Radio(s)........................................................3-98
Radios
Navigation/Radio System, see Navigation
Manual.................................................3-116
Radio Personalization.................................3-126
Reception.................................................3-133
Setting the Clock.........................................3-98
Theft-Deterrent..........................................3-130
Rainsense™ II Wipers.....................................3-14
Reading Lamps..............................................3-41Rear Axle......................................................5-48
Limited-Slip.................................................4-12
Rear Climate Control System............................3-53
Rear Door Security Locks................................2-14
Rear Heated Seats........................................... 1-6
Rearview Mirror, Automatic Dimming..................2-38
Rearview Mirror with Compass and
Temperature................................................. 1-6
Reclining Seatbacks, Power............................... 1-4
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants.................6-13
Recreational Vehicle Towing.............................4-29
Remote, Keyless Access System........................ 2-4
Remote Vehicle Start.......................................2-11
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire.............................................5-97
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools...................5-96
Replacement Bulbs.........................................5-52
Replacement Parts, Maintenance......................6-15
Replacement, Windshield.................................5-52
Reporting Safety Defects
Canadian Government..................................7-15
General Motors...........................................7-15
United States Government............................7-14
Restraint System Check
Checking the Restraint Systems....................1-66
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash..........................................1-67
Retained Accessory Power...............................2-27
10

Tires (cont.)
Run-Flat.....................................................5-62
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools..........5-102
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit...................5-87
Tire Sidewall Labeling..................................5-56
Tire Terminology and Denitions....................5-59
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.........................5-77
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance.................5-79
Wheel Replacement.....................................5-79
When It Is Time for New Tires......................5-73
Winter Tires................................................5-55
Towing
Recreational Vehicle.....................................4-29
Towing a Trailer..................................4-31, 4-32
Your Vehicle...............................................4-29
Traction
Control System (TCS)..................................4-10
Control System Warning Light.......................3-63
Enhanced Stabilitrak
®.................................... 4-6
Limited-Slip Rear Axle..................................4-12
Magnetic Ride Control..................................4-12
Stabilitrak
®System........................................ 4-6
Transmission
Fluid, Automatic...........................................5-25
Transmission Operation, Automatic....................2-30
Trunk............................................................2-15
Turn and Lane-Change Signals.......................... 3-8
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever........................... 3-7
Twilight Sentinel
®............................................3-38
U
Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist (URPA)...............2-42
Uniform Tire Quality Grading............................5-77
Universal Home Remote System.......................2-53
Operation...................................................2-54
V
Valet Lockout Switch.......................................2-23
Vehicle
Control........................................................ 4-3
Loading......................................................4-24
Running While Parked..................................2-37
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy..................7-16
Vehicle Identication
Number (VIN)............................................5-112
Service Parts Identication Label..................5-112
Vehicle Personalization....................................2-61
Memory Seat, Mirrors and Steering Wheel.........2-77
Vehicle, Remote Start......................................2-11
Ventilated Seats............................................... 1-3
Ventilation Adjustment......................................3-52
Visors...........................................................2-21
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