Black plate (20,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
9-20 Driving and Operating
pedal and turn the ignition control
knob to the START position. If the
ignition control knob does not turn,
try pushing the knob in and turning
again. When the engine begins
cranking, let go of the ignition
control knob, it will return to the ON/
RUN position.
If the transmitter is not in the vehicle
or something is interfering with the
transmitter, the Driver Information
Center (DIC) will display
ELECTRONIC KEY NOT
DETECTED. SeeDriver Information
Center (DIC)
on page 5‑27for
more information.
If the battery in the keyless access
transmitter needs replacing, the DIC
displays REPLACE BATTERY IN
REMOTE KEY. The vehicle can
still be driven. See “Battery
Replacement” underRemote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation (Key Access)
on
page 2‑5or Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation (Keyless
Access)
on page 2‑7for more
information. Notice:
Do not try to shift to
P (Park) if the vehicle is moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to P (Park)
only when the vehicle is stopped.
Manual Transmission
The shift lever should be in neutral
position and the parking brake
engaged. Hold the clutch pedal
down to the floor and start the
engine. The vehicle will not start if
the clutch pedal is not all the
way down.
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to
START. If the vehicle has the
keyless access system, push the
ignition control knob in and
rotate the knob to the START
position. When the engine starts,
let go of the ignition. The idle
speed will go down as your
engine gets warm. Do not race
the engine immediately after
starting it. Operate the engine and transmission gently to allow
the oil to warm up and lubricate
all moving parts.
The vehicle has a
Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in
starting the engine and protects
components. If the ignition key is
turned to the START position,
and then released when the
engine begins cranking, the
engine will continue cranking for
a few seconds or until the
vehicle starts. If the engine does
not start and the key is held in
START for many seconds,
cranking will be stopped after
15 seconds to prevent cranking
motor damage. To prevent gear
damage, this system also
prevents cranking if the engine
is already running. Engine
cranking can be stopped by
turning the ignition switch to
ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF.
Black plate (22,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
9-22 Driving and Operating
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded110-volt AC outlet.
{WARNING
Plugging the cord into an
ungrounded outlet could cause an
electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could
overheat and cause a fire. You
could be seriously injured. Plug
the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet.
If the cord will not reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension
cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine parts.
If you do not, it could be
damaged.
Contact your dealer for information
on how long to use the heater in
your particular area.
Shifting Into Park
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow. If you are pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑52.
Use this procedure to shift into
P (Park):
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking brake.
See Parking Brake (Manual)
on
page 9‑33or Parking Brake
(Electric)on page 9‑34for more
information. 2. Move the shift lever into P (Park)
by holding in the button on the
shift lever and pushing the lever
all the way toward the front of
the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
4. For vehicles with key access, remove the key and take it with
you. If you can leave the vehicle
with the ignition key in your
hand, the vehicle is in P (Park).
For vehicles with the keyless
access system, take the keyless
access transmitter with you.
Leaving the Vehicle With the
Engine Running (Automatic
Transmission)
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
The vehicle could move suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) with the parking brake
(Continued)
Black plate (23,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-23
WARNING (Continued)
firmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it
could overheat and even catch
fire. You or others could be
injured. Do not leave the vehicle
with the engine running.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, the vehicle must
be in P (Park) and the parking brake
set. After shifting into P (Park), try to
move the shift lever out without first
pushing the button on the shift lever.
If you can, the shift lever was not
fully locked into P (Park).
Torque Lock (Automatic
Transmission)
Torque lock is when the weight of
the vehicle puts too much force on
the parking pawl in the
transmission. This happens when
parking on a hill and shifting the
transmission into P (Park) is not
done properly and then it is difficult to shift out of P (Park). To prevent
torque lock, set the parking brake
and then shift into P (Park). To find
out how, see "Shifting Into Park"
listed previously.
If torque lock does occur, the
vehicle may need to be pushed
uphill by another vehicle to relieve
the parking pawl pressure, so you
can shift out of P (Park).
Shifting Out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with an
electronic shift lock release system.
The shift lock release is
designed to:
.Prevent ignition key removal
unless the shift lever is in
P (Park) with the shift lever
button fully released, for vehicles
with key access.
.Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park), unless the
ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the 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 the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See
Jump Starting
on
page 10‑112for more information.
To shift out of P (Park):
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Press the shift lever button.
3. Move the shift lever.
If unable to shift out of P (Park):
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.
If the shift lever will not move from
P (Park), consult your dealer or a
professional towing service.
Black plate (24,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
9-24 Driving and Operating
Parking (Manual
Transmission)
Before getting out of the vehicle,
place the shift lever in R (Reverse)
and firmly apply the parking brake.
For vehicles with the key access
ignition, turn the ignition key to OFF/
LOCK, and remove the key. See
Ignition Positions (Key Access)
on
page 9‑16or Ignition Positions
(Keyless Access)on page 9‑18for
more information.
For vehicles with the keyless access
ignition, turn the ignition to LOCK/
OFF and remove the keyless
access transmitter.
If towing a trailer, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
on
page 9‑52.
Parking Over Things
That Burn
{WARNING
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.
Engine Exhaust
{WARNING
Engine exhaust contains Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and
even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:
.The vehicle idles in areas
with poor ventilation (parking
garages, tunnels, deep snow
that may block underbody
airflow or tail pipes).
.The exhaust smells or
sounds strange or different.
.The exhaust system leaks
due to corrosion or damage.
.The vehicle’s exhaust system
has been modified, damaged
or improperly repaired.
(Continued)
Black plate (26,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
9-26 Driving and Operating
Automatic
Transmission
The shift lever is located on the
center console between the front
seats.
There are several different positions
for the shift lever.
P (Park):This position locks the
rear wheels. Use this position when
starting the engine because the
vehicle cannot move easily.
{WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the 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 the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
See Shifting Into Park
on
page 9‑22
. If you are pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑52.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an electronic shift
lock release system. Fully apply the
regular brakes first and then press
the shift lever button before shifting from P (Park) when the ignition key
is in ON/RUN. If you cannot shift out
of P (Park), ease pressure on the
shift lever and push the shift lever
all the way into P (Park) as you
maintain brake application. Then
press the shift lever button and
move the shift lever into another
gear. See
Shifting Out of Park
on
page 9‑23.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only
after the vehicle is stopped.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to
back up.
At low vehicle speeds, R (Reverse)
can be used to rock the vehicle
back and forth to get out of snow,
ice, or sand without damaging your
transmission. See If the Vehicle is
Stuck
on page 9‑11for additional
information.
Black plate (31,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-31
The CTS-V transmission prevents
easily shifting into R (Reverse) using
normal shifting force while the
vehicle is moving at more than
5 km/h (3 mph), or when the ignition
is in LOCK/OFF.
Shift Speeds (Manual
Transmission)
{WARNING
If you skip a gear when you
downshift, you could lose control
of the vehicle. You could injure
yourself or others. Do not shift
down more than one gear at a
time when you downshift.
Notice: If you skip more than one
gear when you downshift, or if
you race the engine when you
release the clutch pedal while
downshifting, you could damage
the engine, clutch, driveshaft or
the transmission. Do not skip
gears or race the engine when
downshifting. If the vehicle speed drops below
32 km/h (20 mph), or if the engine is
not running smoothly, downshift to
the next lower gear. You may have
to downshift two or more gears to
keep the engine running smoothly
or for good performance.
Up-Shift Light
Vehicles with a manual transmission
have an up‐shift light on the
instrument panel. This light shows
when to shift to the next higher gear
for the best fuel economy.
When this light comes on, you can
shift to the next higher gear if
weather, road, and traffic conditions
allow. For the best fuel economy,
accelerate slowly and shift when the
light comes on.
While you accelerate, it is normal for
the light to go on and off if you
quickly change the position of the
accelerator. Ignore the light when
you downshift.
CTS-V vehicles use tracer lights
around the outside of the
tachometer as a performance
up‐shift light. These tracers flash to
indicate when to shift to the next
higher gear to avoid the engine
speed limit. See
Tachometer
on
page 5‑13for more information.
Skip Shift (CTS‐V)
Under light acceleration, the
transmission will only allow you to
shift from 1 (First) to 4 (Fourth).
Shifts from 1 (First) to 2 (Second) or
3 (Third) are not allowed. This helps
improve fuel mileage.
Under harder acceleration, Skip
Shift is disabled, and the driver has
all gears available.
Black plate (32,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
9-32 Driving and Operating
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
Vehicles with this feature always
send engine power to all four
wheels. It is fully automatic, and
adjusts itself as needed for road
conditions.
When using a compact spare tire on
an AWD vehicle, the system
automatically detects the compact
spare and disables AWD. To restore
AWD operation and prevent
excessive wear on the system,
replace the compact spare with a
full-size tire as soon as possible.
SeeCompact Spare Tire
on
page 10‑111for more information.
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the engine is started and the
vehicle begins to drive away, ABS
checks itself. A momentary motor or
clicking noise might be heard while
this test is going on, and it might
even be noticed that the brake
pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑23. If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Black plate (35,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-35
EPB Apply
The EPB can be applied any time
the vehicle is stopped. The EPB is
applied by momentarily lifting up on
the EPB switch. Once fully applied,
the BRAKE light will be on, and the
DIC message PARK BRAKE SET
will be displayed. While the brake is
being applied, the status light will
flash until full apply is reached.
If the light does not come on,
or remains flashing, you need to
have the vehicle serviced. Do not
drive the vehicle if the BRAKE light
is flashing. See your dealer. See
Brake System Warning Light
on
page 5‑22for more information.
If the EPB is applied while the
vehicle is in motion, a chime will
sound, and the DIC message
RELEASE PARK BRAKE SWITCH
will be displayed. The vehicle will
decelerate as long as the switch is
held in the up position. Releasing
the EPB switch during the
deceleration will release the parking brake. If the switch is held in the up
position until the vehicle comes to a
stop, the EPB will remain applied.
If the BRAKE light is on, either the
EPB is applied, or there is a failure
in the hydraulic brake system.
If this light is flashing continuously,
the EPB is only partially applied or
released, or there is a problem with
the EPB. The DIC message
SERVICE PARK BRAKE will be
displayed. If this light is flashing
continuously, release the EPB, and
attempt to apply it again. If this light
continues to flash, do not drive the
vehicle. See your dealer.
If the yellow light is on, the EPB has
detected an error in another system
and is operating with reduced
functionality. To apply the EPB when
this light is on, lift up on the EPB
switch and hold it in the up position.
Full application of the parking brake
by the EPB system may take a
longer period of time than normal
when this light is on. Continue tohold the switch until the BRAKE
light remains on. If the yellow light is
on, see your dealer.
If the EPB fails to apply, the rear
wheels should be blocked to
prevent vehicle movement.
EPB Release
To release the EPB, turn the ignition
switch to the ON/RUN position,
apply and hold the brake pedal, and
push down momentarily on the EPB
switch. If you attempt to release the
EPB without the brake pedal
applied, a chime will sound, and the
DIC message STEP ON BRAKE TO
RELEASE PARK BRAKE will be
displayed. The EPB is released
when the BRAKE light is off and the
DIC message PARK BRAKE
RELEASED is displayed.