2009 CADILLAC STS tow

Seats and Restraint System............................. 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-6
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-7
Child Restraints
.......................................1-28
Airbag System
.........................................1-51
Restraint System Check
............................1-66
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
......................................2-13
Windows
.................................................2-18
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-21
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-25
Mirrors
....................................................2-38
Object Detection Systems
..........................2-42
OnStar
®System
......................................2-50
Universal Home Remote System
................2-53
Storage Areas
.........................................2-60
Sunroof
..................................................2-60
Vehicle Personalization
.............................2-61Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-48
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-55
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-72
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-97
Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle
....... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-29
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under
the Hood
.............................................5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-47
Rear Axle
...............................................5-48
Front Axle
...............................................5-49
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-50
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-51
Windshield Replacement
...........................5-52
2009 Cadillac STS/STS-V Owner ManualM

Power Reclining Seatbacks
The front seats have
power reclining seatbacks.
Use the vertical power
seat control located on
the outboard side of
the seat to operate them.
To recline the seatback, press the control toward
the rear of the vehicle.
To raise the seatback, press the control toward the
front of the vehicle.
1-4

{CAUTION:
Do not attach more than one child restraint to a
single anchor. Attaching more than one child
restraint to a single anchor could cause the anchor
or attachment to come loose or even break during a
crash. A child or others could be injured. To reduce
the risk of serious or fatal injuries during a crash,
attach only one child restraint per anchor.
{CAUTION:
Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a
shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and
the safety belt continues to tighten. Buckle any
unused safety belts behind the child restraint so
children cannot reach them. Pull the shoulder belt
all the way out of the retractor to set the lock, if
your vehicle has one, after the child restraint has
been installed.Notice:Do not let the LATCH attachments rub
against the vehicle’s safety belts. This may damage
these parts. If necessary, move buckled safety
belts to avoid rubbing the LATCH attachments.
Do not fold the empty rear seat with a safety belt
buckled. This could damage the safety belt or
the seat. Unbuckle and return the safety belt to its
stowed position.
1. Attach and tighten the lower attachments to the
lower anchors. If the child restraint does not have
lower attachments or the desired seating position
does not have lower anchors, secure the child
restraint with the top tether and the safety belts.
Refer to your child restraint manufacturer
instructions and the instructions in this manual.
1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired
seating position.
1.2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
1.3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on
the child restraint to the lower anchors.
1-43

5. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint,
pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the
lap portion of the belt and feed the shoulder
belt back into the retractor. When installing a
forward-facing child restraint, it may be helpful to
use your knee to push down on the child restraint
as you tighten the belt.6. If the child restraint has a top tether, follow the child
restraint manufacturer’s instructions regarding the
use of the top tether. SeeLower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-39for
more information.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle
safety belt and let it return to the stowed position.
If the top tether is attached to a top tether anchor,
disconnect it.
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position
This vehicle has airbags. A rear seat is a safer place to
secure a forward-facing child restraint. SeeWhere to
Put the Restraint on page 1-37.
In addition, the vehicle has a passenger sensing system
which is designed to turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag under certain conditions. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 1-59andPassenger Airbag
Status Indicator on page 3-59for more information,
including important safety information.
1-47

If the airbag is off, the off indicator in the passenger
airbag status indicator will come on and stay on when
the vehicle is started.
If a child restraint has been installed and the on
indicator is lit, see “If the On Indicator is Lit for a Child
Restraint ” underPassenger Sensing System on
page 1-59for more information.
To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle
safety belt and let it return to the stowed position.
Airbag System
The vehicle has the following airbags:
A frontal airbag for the driver.
A frontal airbag for the right front passenger.
A seat-mounted side impact airbag for the driver.
A seat-mounted side impact airbag for the right front
passenger.
A roof-rail airbag for the driver and the passenger
seated directly behind the driver.
A roof-rail airbag for the right front passenger and
the passenger seated directly behind the right
front passenger.All of the airbags in your vehicle will have the word
AIRBAG embossed in the trim or on an attached label
near the deployment opening.
For frontal airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear on the
middle part of the steering wheel for the driver and
on the instrument panel for the right front passenger.
With seat-mounted side impact airbags, the word
AIRBAG will appear on the side of the seatback closest
to the door.
With roof-rail airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear
along the headliner or trim.
Airbags are designed to supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Even though today’s airbags
are also designed to help reduce the risk of injury
from the force of an inating bag, all airbags must inate
very quickly to do their job.
1-51

Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags are
not intended to inate in frontal impacts, near-frontal
impacts, rollovers, or rear impacts. A seat-mounted side
impact airbag is intended to deploy on the side of the
vehicle that is struck. A roof-rail airbag is intended
to deploy on the side of the vehicle that is struck.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an airbag
should have inated simply because of the damage to a
vehicle or because of what the repair costs were. For
frontal airbags, ination is determined by what the vehicle
hits, the angle of the impact, and how quickly the vehicle
slows down. For seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail
airbags, deployment is determined by the location and
severity of the side impact.
What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In a deployment event, the sensing system sends an
electrical signal triggering a release of gas from the
inator. Gas from the inator lls the airbag causing the
bag to break out of the cover and deploy. The inator, the
airbag, and related hardware are all part of the airbag
module.
Frontal airbag modules are located inside the
steering wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with
seat-mounted side impact airbags, there are airbagmodules in the side of the front seatbacks closest to
the door. For vehicles with roof-rail airbags, there
are airbag modules in the ceiling of the vehicle, near
the side windows that have occupant seating positions.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection provided by safety
belts. Frontal airbags distribute the force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant’s upper body, stopping
the occupant more gradually. Seat-mounted side impact
and roof-rail airbags distribute the force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant’s upper body.
But airbags would not help in many types of collisions,
primarily because the occupant’s motion is not toward
those airbags. SeeWhen Should an Airbag Inflate? on
page 1-56for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything more
than a supplement to safety belts.
1-57

{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light in the instrument panel
cluster ever comes on and stays on, it means that
something may be wrong with the airbag system.
If this ever happens, have the vehicle serviced
promptly, because an adult-size person sitting in
the right front passenger’s seat may not have the
protection of the airbag(s). SeeAirbag Readiness
Light on page 3-58for more on this, including
important safety information.A thick layer of additional material, such as a blanket or
cushion, or aftermarket equipment such as seat covers,
seat heaters, and seat massagers can affect how well the
passenger sensing system operates. We recommend
that you not use seat covers or other aftermarket
equipment other than any that GM has approved for
your specic vehicle. SeeAdding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-64for more
information about modications that can affect how
the system operates.
{CAUTION:
Stowing of articles under the passenger seat or
between the passenger seat cushion and seatback
may interfere with the proper operation of the
passenger sensing system.
1-63

If the engine does not start and the security light comes
on, there may be a problem with the immobilizer
system. Press the START button again.
If the vehicle does not start and the keyless access
transmitter appears to be undamaged, try another
keyless access transmitter. Or, place the transmitter in
the transmitter pocket. See “NO FOBS DETECTED”
underDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-79for
additional information. Check the fuse. SeeFuses and
Circuit Breakers on page 5-123. If the engine still does
not start with the other transmitter, the vehicle needs
service. If the engine does start, the rst transmitter may
be faulty. See your dealer/retailer or have a new keyless
access transmitter programmed to the vehicle.
The immobilizer system can learn new or replacement
keyless access transmitters. Up to four keyless access
transmitters can be programmed for the vehicle.
To program additional transmitters, see “Matching
transmitter(s) to Your Vehicle” underKeyless Access
System Operation on page 2-5.
Do not leave the key or device that disarms or
deactivates the theft deterrent system in the vehicle.Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:The vehicle does not need an elaborate
break-in. But it will perform better in the long run if
you follow these guidelines:
Do not drive at any one constant speed, fast or
slow, for the rst 500 miles (805 km). Do not
make full-throttle starts. Avoid downshifting
to brake or slow the vehicle.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst 200 miles
(322 km) or so. During this time the new brake
linings are not yet broken in. Hard stops with
new linings can mean premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this breaking-in guideline
every time you get new brake linings.
Do not tow a trailer during break-in. SeeTowing a
Trailer (Vehicles Without Heavy Duty Cooling) on
page 4-31orTowing a Trailer (Vehicles With
Heavy Duty Cooling) on page 4-32for the trailer
towing capabilities of your vehicle and more
information.
Following break-in, engine speed and load can be
gradually increased.
2-25