2011 CADILLAC CTS warning

Black plate (33,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-33
Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control
Function Check
{WARNING
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room
around the vehicle. It should be
parked on a level surface.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake. See Parking Brake (Manual)
on
page 9‑33or Parking Brake
(Electric) on page 9‑34.
Be ready to apply the regular
brake immediately if the vehicle
begins to move.
3. With the engine off, turn the ignition to ON/RUN, but do not
start the engine. Without applying the regular brake, try to
move the shift lever out of
P (Park) with normal effort. If the
shift lever moves out of P (Park),
contact your dealer for service.
Ignition Transmission
Lock Check
While parked, and with the parking
brake set, try to turn the ignition to
LOCK/OFF in each shift lever
position.
.The ignition should turn to
LOCK/OFF only when the shift
lever is in P (Park).
.With the key access ignition
system, the ignition key should
come out only in LOCK/OFF.
See
Ignition Positions (Key
Access)
on page 9‑16or
Ignition Positions (Keyless
Access) on page 9‑18.
Contact your dealer if service is
required.
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check
{WARNING
When you are doing this check,
the vehicle could begin to move.
You or others could be injured
and property could be damaged.
Make sure there is room in front
of the vehicle in case it begins to
roll. Be ready to apply the regular
brake at once should the vehicle
begin to move.
Park on a fairly steep hill, with the
vehicle facing downhill. Keeping
your foot on the regular brake, set
the parking brake.
.To check the parking brake's
holding ability: With the engine
running and the transmission in
N (Neutral), slowly remove foot
pressure from the regular brake
pedal. Do this until the vehicle is
held by the parking brake only.

Black plate (38,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
10-38 Vehicle Care
Bulb Replacement
For the proper type of replacement
bulbs, seeReplacement Bulbson
page 10‑40.
For any bulb changing procedure
not listed in this section, contact
your dealer.
Halogen Bulbs
{WARNING
Halogen bulbs have pressurized
gas inside and can burst if you
drop or scratch the bulb. You or
others could be injured. Be sure
to read and follow the instructions
on the bulb package.
High Intensity Discharge
(HID) Lighting
{WARNING
The low beam high intensity
discharge lighting system
operates at a very high voltage.
If you try to service any of the
system components, you could be
seriously injured. Have your
dealer or a qualified technician
service them.
The up‐level vehicle has HID
headlamps. After an HID headlamp
bulb has been replaced, the beam
might be a slightly different shade
than it was originally. This is normal.
Fog Lamps
To replace a front fog lamp bulb:
1. Pull out the push-pins located on the underside of the protection
shield to remove the shield.
2. Reach up behind the front bumper area from under the
vehicle to access the lamp
housing.

Black plate (66,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
10-66 Vehicle Care
Wheels and Tires
Tires
Your new vehicle comes with
high-quality tires made by a
leading tire manufacturer. If you
ever have questions about your
tire warranty and where to
obtain service, see your vehicle
Warranty booklet for details. For
additional information refer to
the tire manufacturer.
{WARNING
.Poorly maintained and
improperly used tires are
dangerous.
.Overloading your tires can
cause overheating as a result
of too much flexing. You
could have a blowout and a
serious accident. SeeVehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑11.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Under inflated tires pose the
same danger as overloaded
tires. The resulting crash
could cause serious injury.
Check all tires frequently to
maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure
should be checked when your
tires are cold.
.Over inflated tires are more
likely to be cut, punctured,
or broken by a sudden
impact—such as when you
hit a pothole. Keep tires at
the recommended pressure.
.Worn or old tires can cause a
crash. If your tread is badly
worn, replace them.
.Replace any tires that have
been damaged by impacts
with potholes, curbs, etc.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Improperly repaired tires can
cause a crash. Only your
dealer or an authorized tire
service center should repair,
replace, dismount, and mount
the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in
excess of 55 km/h (35 mph)
on slippery surfaces such as
snow, mud, ice, etc.
Excessive spinning may
cause the tires to explode.
See Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation
on page 10‑75for inflation
pressure adjustment for high-speed
driving.

Black plate (75,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-75
your vehicle has been sitting for
at least three hours or driven no
more than 1.6 km (1 mile).
Remove the valve cap from the
tire valve stem. Press the tire
gauge firmly onto the valve to
get a pressure measurement.
If the cold tire inflation pressure
matches the recommended
pressure on the Tire and
Loading Information label, no
further adjustment is necessary.
If the inflation pressure is low,
add air until you reach the
recommended amount.
If you overfill the tire, release air
by pushing on the metal stem in
the center of the tire valve.
Re‐check the tire pressure with
the tire gauge.
Be sure to put the valve caps
back on the valve stems. They
help prevent leaks by keeping
out dirt and moisture.Tire Pressure for
High-Speed Operation
{WARNING
Driving at high speeds, 160 km/h
(100 mph) or higher, puts an
additional strain on tires.
Sustained high-speed driving
causes excessive heat build up
and can cause sudden tire failure.
You could have a crash and you
or others could be killed. Some
high-speed rated tires require
inflation pressure adjustment for
high speed operation. When
speed limits and road conditions
are such that a vehicle can be
driven at high speeds, make sure
the tires are rated for high speed
operation, in excellent condition,
and set to the correct cold tire
inflation pressure for the
vehicle load.If your vehicle has 255/40ZR19 or
285/35ZR19 size tires, they will
require inflation pressure adjustment
when driving your vehicle at speeds
of 160 km/h (100 mph) or higher.
Set the cold inflation pressure
to the maximum inflation pressure
shown on the tire sidewall,
or 300 kPa (44 psi), whichever is
lower. See the example following.
When you end this high-speed
driving, return the tires to the cold
tire inflation pressure shown on the
Tire and Loading Information label.
See
Vehicle Load Limits
on
page 9‑11and Tire Pressureon
page 10‑74.
Example:
You will find the maximum load and
inflation pressure molded on the
tire's sidewall, in small letters,
near the rim flange. It will read
something like this: Maximum load
690 kg (1521 lbs) 300 kPa (44 psi)
Max. Press.

Black plate (77,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-77
Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or
alternate tires and wheels allow the
TPMS to continue to function
properly.
SeeTire Pressure Monitor
Operation
on page 10‑77for
additional information.
Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) and
Industry Canada
See Radio Frequency Statementon
page 13‑18for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-210/220/310.
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation
This vehicle may have a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).
The TPMS is designed to warn the
driver when a low tire pressure
condition exists. TPMS sensors are
mounted onto each tire and wheel
assembly, excluding the spare tire
and wheel assembly, if the vehicle
has one. The TPMS sensors
monitor the air pressure in the
vehicle's tires and transmits the tire
pressure readings to a receiver
located in the vehicle.
When a low tire pressure condition
is detected, the TPMS illuminates
the low tire pressure warning light
located on the instrument panel
cluster. If the warning light comes on, stop as soon as possible and
inflate the tires to the recommended
pressure shown on the tire loading
information label. See
Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑11.
Using the Driver Information Center
(DIC), the driver can also check tire
pressure levels using the DIC. For
additional information and details
about the DIC operation and
displays see Driver Information
Center (DIC)
on page 5‑27and
Tire Messageson page 5‑43.
A DIC warning message to check
the pressure in a specific tire is also
shown on the DIC display screen.
The low tire pressure warning light
and the DIC warning message come
at each ignition cycle until the tires
are inflated to the correct inflation
pressure.

Black plate (78,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
10-78 Vehicle Care
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather when
the vehicle is first started, and then
turn off as you start to drive. This
could be an early indicator that the
air pressure in the tire(s) are getting
low and need to be inflated to the
proper pressure.
The Tire and Loading Information
label, attached to your vehicle,
shows the size of your vehicle's
original equipment tires and the
correct inflation pressure for the
tires when they are cold. See
Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑11,
for an example of the Tire and
Loading Information label and its
location on your vehicle. Also see
Tire Pressure on page 10‑74.
Your vehicle's TPMS can warn you
about a low tire pressure condition
but it does not replace normal tire
maintenance. See Tire Inspection
on page 10‑80,Tire Rotationon
page 10‑81and Tires on
page 10‑66. Notice:
Tire sealant materials are
not all the same. A non-approved
tire sealant could damage the Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS)
sensors. TPMS sensor damage
caused by using an incorrect tire
sealant is not covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always use only
the GM approved tire sealant
available through your dealer or
included in the vehicle.
Factory-installed Tire Inflator Kits
use a GM approved liquid tire
sealant. Using non-approved tire
sealants could damage the TPMS
sensors. See Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit
on page 10‑92for
information regarding the inflator kit
materials and instructions.
TPMS Malfunction Light and
Message
The TPMS will not function properly
if one or more of the TPMS sensors
are missing or inoperable. When the
system detects a malfunction, the
low tire warning light flashes for
about one minute and then stays on
for the remainder of the ignition
cycle. A DIC warning message is
also displayed. The low tire warning
light and DIC warning message
come on at each ignition cycle until
the problem is corrected. Some of
the conditions that can cause the
malfunction light and DIC message
to come on are:
.One of the road tires has been
replaced with the spare tire,
if the vehicle has one. The spare
tire does not have a TPMS
sensor. The DIC message
should go off once you re‐install
the road tire containing the
TPMS sensor.

Black plate (82,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
10-82 Vehicle Care
After the tires have been
rotated, adjust the front and rear
inflation pressures as shown on
the Tire and Loading Information
label. SeeTire Pressure
on
page 10‑74
and Vehicle Load
Limits
on page 9‑11.
Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor
System. See Tire Pressure
Monitor Operation
on page 10‑77.
Make certain that all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See
“Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and Specifications
on
page 12‑2
.
{WARNING
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the
parts to which it is fastened, can
make wheel nuts become loose
after time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When
changing a wheel, remove any
rust or dirt from places where the
wheel attaches to the vehicle. In
an emergency, use a cloth or a
paper towel to do this; but be sure
to use a scraper or wire brush
later, if needed, to get all the rust
or dirt off. See If a Tire Goes Flat
on page 10‑90.
Lightly coat the center of the wheel
hub with bearing grease after a
wheel change or tire rotation to
prevent corrosion or rust build-up.
Do not get grease on the flat wheel
surface or on the wheel nuts or
bolts.
When It Is Time for New
Tires
Various factors, such as
maintenance, temperatures, driving
speeds, vehicle loading, and road
conditions influence when you need
new tires.
One way to tell when it is time for
new tires is to check the treadwear
indicators, which appear when the
tires have only 1.6 mm (1/16 in) or
less of tread remaining. See Tire

Black plate (84,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
10-84 Vehicle Care
GM recommends replacing tires in
sets of four. This is because uniform
tread depth on all tires will help
keep your vehicle performing most
like it did when the tires were new.
Replacing less than a full set of tires
can affect the braking and handling
performance of your vehicle. See
Tire Inspection
on page 10‑80and
Tire Rotation on page 10‑81.
{WARNING
Tires could explode during
improper service. You or others
could be injured or killed if you
attempt to mount or dismount a
tire. Only your dealer or an
authorized tire service center
should mount and dismount the
tires.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as your original equipment
tires may not be available for H, V,
W and ZR speed rated tires. If you choose snow tires with a lower
speed rating, never exceed the tire's
maximum speed capability.
{WARNING
Mixing tires could cause you to
lose control while driving. If you
mix tires of different sizes (other
than those originally installed on
your vehicle), brands, or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the
vehicle may not handle properly,
and you could have a crash.
Using tires of different sizes
(other than those originally
installed on your vehicle), brands
or types, may also cause damage
to your vehicle. Be sure to use
the correct size, brand, and type
tires on all four wheels.
{WARNING
If you use bias-ply tires on the
vehicle, the wheel rim flanges
could develop cracks after
many miles of driving. A tire
and/or wheel could fail
suddenly, causing a crash.
Use only radial-ply tires with
the wheels on the vehicle.
If you must replace your vehicle's
tires with those that do not have a
TPC Spec number, make sure they
are the same size, load range,
speed rating, and construction type
(radial and bias‐belted tires) as your
vehicle's original tires.