2009 CADILLAC STS windshield wipers

Ignition Positions
The vehicle has an
electronic keyless ignition
with pushbutton start.
To shift out of P (Park), the vehicle must be running or
in ACCESSORY mode and the regular brake pedal
must be applied.
/(START):Press to start the engine with your foot
on the brake pedal. The shifter must be in P (Park)
or N (Neutral) and the keyless access transmitter
must be in the vehicle.If the start button does not work, the vehicle may be
near a strong radio antenna signal causing interference
to the keyless access system. SeeDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 3-79for more information.
9/Acc. (OFF/ACCESSORY):Press to turn the engine
off in any gear. If the shifter is in P (Park), RAP will
engage if all doors are closed. RAP will turn off when
a front door is opened. SeeRetained Accessory
Power (RAP) on page 2-27for more information.
If the engine is off, press this button to turn on the
accessory mode. ACCESSORY ACTIVE will display on
the Driver Information Center (DIC). Accessory mode
allows use of the audio system and windshield wipers.
Accessory mode must be used if the vehicle must
be towed or in motion when the engine is not running.
After the vehicle has been in accessory mode for
more than 20 minutes, the vehicle will enter RAP or turn
off, depending on if the doors are opened or closed.
2-26

Instrument Panel Overview...............................3-4
Hazard Warning Flashers................................3-6
Horn .............................................................3-6
Power Tilt Wheel and Telescopic
Steering Column.........................................3-6
Heated Steering Wheel...................................3-7
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever.........................3-7
Turn and Lane-Change Signals........................3-8
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer..................3-9
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System................3-9
Flash-to-Pass...............................................3-13
Windshield Wipers........................................3-13
Rainsense™ II Wipers...................................3-14
Windshield Washer.......................................3-15
Headlamp Washer........................................3-16
Cruise Control..............................................3-16
Adaptive Cruise Control.................................3-20
Headlamps..................................................3-32
Wiper Activated Headlamps............................3-36
Headlamps on Reminder................................3-36
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL).......................3-36
Fog Lamps ..................................................3-38
Twilight Sentinel
®..........................................3-38
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver........................3-40Instrument Panel Brightness...........................3-40
Entry Lighting...............................................3-41
Parade Dimming...........................................3-41
Reading Lamps............................................3-41
Battery Load Management.............................3-41
Electric Power Management...........................3-42
Inadvertent Power Battery Saver.....................3-42
Head-Up Display (HUD).................................3-43
Accessory Power Outlet(s).............................3-46
Ashtray(s) and Cigarette Lighter......................3-47
Climate Controls............................................3-48
Dual Climate Control System..........................3-48
Outlet Adjustment.........................................3-52
Rear Climate Control System.........................3-53
Passenger Compartment Air Filter...................3-54
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators............3-55
Instrument Panel Cluster................................3-56
Speedometer and Odometer...........................3-57
Tachometer.................................................3-57
Safety Belt Reminders...................................3-57
Airbag Readiness Light..................................3-58
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator...................3-59
Charging System Light..................................3-61
Brake System Warning Light..........................3-62
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-1

The main components of the instrument panel are the following:
A.Outlet Adjustment on page 3-52.
B.Instrument Panel Brightness on page 3-40.
DIC Operation and Displays on page 3-72.
Head-Up Display (HUD) on page 3-43(If Equipped).
C.Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7.
Headlamps on page 3-32.Cruise Control on
page 3-16.Adaptive Cruise Control on page 3-20
(If Equipped).Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System
on page 3-9(If Equipped).
D.Instrument Panel Cluster on page 3-56.
E.Windshield Wipers on page 3-13.
F.Audio System(s) on page 3-97.Navigation/Radio
System on page 3-116(If Equipped).
G.Audio Steering Wheel Controls on page 3-131
(If Equipped).Adaptive Cruise Control on page 3-20
(If Equipped).Heated Steering Wheel on page 3-7
(If Equipped).H.Power Tilt Wheel and Telescopic Steering Column
on page 3-6.
I.Horn on page 3-6.
J.Ignition Positions on page 2-26.
K.Dual Climate Control System on page 3-48.
L.Hazard Warning Flashers on page 3-6.
M.Cupholders on page 2-60.
N.Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-10.
O. Shift Lever. SeeAutomatic Transmission Operation
on page 2-30.
P.Glove Box on page 2-60.
3-5

Cleaning the System
The radar can become blocked by snow, ice, or dirt.
If so, you may need to turn off the engine and clean
the lens. See “Cleaning the System” underAdaptive
Cruise Control on page 3-20.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature allows you to use the high-beam
headlamps to signal the driver in front of you that
you want to pass.
Pull and hold the turn signal/multifunction lever toward
you to use this feature. When this is done the following
will occur:
If the headlamps are off, in low-beam or in
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) mode, the
high-beam headlamps will turn on. They will
stay on as long as the lever is held there.
Release the lever to turn them off.
If the headlamps are in high-beam mode, they will
switch to low beam. To return to high-beam, push the
lever forward.
Windshield Wipers
The windshield wiper lever is located on the right side of
the steering column.
Move the lever to one of the following positions:
7(Mist):Move to mist for a single wiping cycle
and then release it. The lever will return to its original
position. Hold the lever in this position for continuous
wiping cycles.
9(Off):Turns off the wipers.
&(Delay):For a delayed wiping cycle. Turn the delay
adjustment band to set the length of the delay.
3-13

x(Delay Adjustment):Use this band to set the
length of the delay between wipes when using the delay
feature. The closer the band is moved toward mist,
the longer the delay. The windshield wiper lever must
be in delay for this feature to work.
6(Low Speed):For slow, steady wiping cycles.
1(High Speed):For rapid wiping cycles.
If the windshield wipers are in use for about six seconds
while you are driving, the exterior lamps will come on
automatically if the exterior lamp control is in AUTO.
SeeWiper Activated Headlamps on page 3-36for
more information.
Clear snow and ice from the wiper blades before using
them. If the blades are frozen to the windshield, loosen or
thaw them. If they become damaged, install new blades.
For more information, seeWindshield Wiper Blade
Replacement on page 5-52.
Heavy snow or ice can overload the wiper motor.
A circuit breaker will stop the motor until it cools down.
For STS-V, the vehicle is equipped with a feature
that disables the wiper system when the hood is open
and the vehicle is stopped. Opening the hood will
automatically park the wipers if they are not parked.
Rainsense™ II Wipers
For vehicles with this feature, the moisture sensor is
mounted on the interior side of the windshield behind the
rearview mirror. It is used to automatically operate the
wipers by monitoring the amount of moisture build-up
on the windshield. Wipes occur as needed to clear the
windshield depending on driving conditions and the
sensitivity setting. In light rain or snow, fewer wipes will
occur. In heavy rain or snow, wipes will occur more
frequently. The Rainsense wipers operate in a delay
mode as well as a continuous low or high speed as
needed. If the system is left on for long periods of time,
occasional wipes may occur without any moisture on
the windshield. This is normal and indicates that the
Rainsense system is activated.
To activate the Rainsense system, turn the wiper band
to delay mode and select one of the four sensitivity levels
indicated on the wiper stalk. The position closest to off is
the lowest sensitivity setting, level one. This allows more
rain or snow to collect on the windshield between wipes.
Turning the wiper band away from you to higher
sensitivity levels increases the sensitivity of the system
and frequency of wipes. The highest sensitivity setting,
level four, is closest to low. A single wipe occurs each
time the wiper stalk is turned to a higher sensitivity level
to indicate that the sensitivity level has been increased.
3-14

Notice:Going through an automatic car wash with
the wipers on can damage them. Turn the wipers
off when going through an automatic car wash.
The mist and wash cycles operate as normal and are
not affected by the Rainsense function. The Rainsense
system can be overridden at any time by manually
turning the wiper band to low or high speed.
When Rainsense is active, the headlamps turn on
automatically. The headlamps will turn off again once
the wipers turn off if it is light enough outside. If it
is dark, they will remain on. SeeWiper Activated
Headlamps on page 3-36.
Notice:Do not place stickers or other items on
the exterior glass surface directly in front of
the moisture sensor. Doing this could cause
the moisture sensor to malfunction.
Windshield Washer
The windshield washer button is located at the end
of the windshield wiper lever on the right side of
the steering column.
K(Washer Fluid):Press and hold to spray
windshield washer uid on the windshield. The washer
will spray until the button is released. The wipers will
continue to clear the window for about six seconds after
the button is released and then stop or return to the
preset speed.
{CAUTION:
In freezing weather, do not use your washer until
the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the washer
uid can form ice on the windshield, blocking your
vision.
If the uid in the windshield washer uid reservoir is
low, the message CHECK WASHER FLUID will appear
on the Driver Information Center (DIC) display. It will
take 60 seconds after the bottle is relled for this
message to turn off. For information on the correct
washer uid mixture to use, seeWindshield Washer
Fluid on page 5-38andRecommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 6-13.
3-15

Wiper Activated Headlamps
This feature activates the headlamps and parking lamps
after the windshield wipers have been in use for about
six seconds. For this feature to work, automatic lighting
must be enabled. SeeHeadlamps on page 3-32for
additional information.
When the ignition is turned off, the wiper-activated
headlamps will immediately turn off. They will also
turn off if the windshield wiper control is turned off.
Headlamps on Reminder
A warning chime will sound if the exterior lamp control
is left on in either the headlamp or parking lamp position
and the driver’s door is opened with the ignition off.
SeeLights On Reminder on page 3-70for additional
information.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
Fully functional daytime running lamps are required
on all vehicles rst sold in Canada.The DRL system comes on when the following
conditions are met:
It is still daylight and the ignition is on.
The automatic lights are enabled.
The transmission is not in P (Park).
When DRL are on, only the front turn signal lamps will
be on. No other exterior lamps will be on when the DRL
are being used. The instrument panel will not be lit.
When the automatic lights are enabled and it is dark
enough outside, the DRL will turn off and the low-beam
headlamps will turn on. When it is bright enough outside,
the low-beam headlamps will go off, and the DRL will turn
back on. If the vehicle is started in a dark garage, the
automatic headlamp system comes on immediately.
Once the vehicle leaves the garage, it will take about
one minute for the automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL if it is light outside. During that delay,
the instrument panel cluster may not be as bright as
usual. Make sure the instrument panel brightness lever
is in the full bright position. SeeInstrument Panel
Brightness on page 3-40.
3-36

STS-V models will automatically move the windshield
wipers to the park position if the hood is open.
Make sure the hood is closed before replacing your
windshield wiper blades.
To replace the wiper blade assembly, do the following:
1. Pull the windshield wiper assembly away from
the windshield.
2. Squeeze the tabs on each side of the wiper blade
assembly and slide the assembly off the end of the
wiper arm.3. Replace the blade assembly with a new one.
Allowing the wiper blade arm to touch the windshield
when no wiper blade is installed could damage
the windshield. Any damage that occurs would not
be covered by your warranty. Do not allow the
wiper blade arm to touch the windshield.
4. Repeat the steps for the other wiper.
5-53