2011 CADILLAC CTS instrument panel

Black plate (33,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-33
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Parking Brake (Manual)
The parking brake pedal is located
on the lower portion of the
instrument panel to the left of the
steering wheel.
To set the parking brake, hold the
brake pedal down, then push the
parking brake pedal down.
If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light on the
instrument panel cluster should
come on. If it does not, you need tohave the vehicle serviced. See
Brake System Warning Light
on
page 5‑22for more information.
To release the parking brake, pull
the release lever located to the left
of the steering wheel on the
instrument panel.
Notice: Driving with the parking
brake on can overheat the brake
system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system
parts. Make sure that the parking
brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before
driving.

Black plate (37,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-37
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control
System (TCS)
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) that limits wheel
spin. This is especially useful in
slippery road conditions. On a
rear-wheel-drive vehicle, the system
operates if it senses that one or
both of the rear wheels are spinning
or beginning to lose traction. On an
All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) vehicle, the
system will operate if it senses that
any of the wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, the system brakes the
spinning wheel(s) and/or reduces
engine power to limit wheel spin.
The system may be heard or felt
while it is working, but this is
normal.The TCS/StabiliTrak warning light
flashes when the traction control
system is limiting wheel spin.
The TCS/StabiliTrak warning light
comes on if there is a problem with
the traction control system. When
the TCS/StabiliTrak warning light is
on, the system will not limit wheel
spin. Adjust your driving
accordingly. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Lighton
page 5‑24for more information.
TCS automatically comes on
whenever the vehicle is started. To
limit wheel spin, especially in
slippery road conditions, the system
should always be left on, but it may
be necessary to turn the system off
if the vehicle is stuck in sand, mud
or snow and rocking the vehicle is
required. See If the Vehicle is Stuck
on page 9‑11for more information. See
Winter Driving
on page 9‑9for information on using TCS when
driving in snowy or icy conditions.
This button is located on the
instrument panel (CTS) or the
steering wheel (CTS-V).
Press and release the TCS/
StabiliTrak button and the traction
control system will turn off and the
TCS/StabiliTrak warning light will
come on. Press the button again to
turn the system back on. For
information on turning StabiliTrak off
and on, see StabiliTrak System
following.
Adding non‐dealer accessories can
affect your vehicle's performance.
SeeAccessories and Modifications
on page 10‑4for more information.

Black plate (38,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
9-38 Driving and Operating
StabiliTrak System
The vehicle has an electronic
stability control system called
StabiliTrak. It is an advanced
computer controlled system that
assists with directional control of the
vehicle in difficult driving conditions.
StabiliTrak activates when the
system senses a discrepancy
between the intended path and the
direction the vehicle is actually
traveling. StabiliTrak selectively
applies braking pressure at any one
of the vehicle's brakes to help steer
the vehicle in the direction which
you are steering.
When the system activates, this
warning light flashes on the
instrument panel. A noise may be
heard or a vibration may be felt inthe brake pedal. This is normal.
Continue to steer the vehicle in the
intended direction.
If there is a problem detected
with StabiliTrak, SERVICE
STABILITRAK displays on the
Driver Information Center (DIC) and
the TCS/StabiliTrak warning light
comes on the instrument panel
cluster. When this message and
warning light displays, the system is
not operational. Driving should be
adjusted accordingly. See
Driver
Information Center (DIC)
on
page 5‑27and Messages and
Traction Control System (TCS)/
StabiliTrak
®Lighton page 5‑24for
more information.
This button is located on the
instrument panel (CTS) or the
steering wheel (CTS-V).
StabiliTrak comes on automatically
whenever the vehicle is started. The
system should be left on to help
assist with directional control of the
vehicle. If StabiliTrak needs to be
turned off, press and hold the TCS/
StabiliTrak button until the TCS/
StabiliTrak warning light comes on
and STABILITRAK OFF comes on
the DIC. More steering effort is
required when the system is
turned off.

Black plate (40,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
9-40 Driving and Operating
The Driver Information Center (DIC)
briefly displays SUSPENSION
MODE TOUR or SUSPENSION
MODE SPORT on vehicle startup or
when a new mode is selected.
Press and release this button,
located in the center of the
instrument panel, to change modes.
Limited-Slip Rear Axle
Vehicles with a limited-slip rear axle
can give more traction on snow,
mud, ice, sand, or gravel. When
traction is low, this feature allows
the drive wheel with the most
traction to move the vehicle. The
limited-slip rear axle also gives the
driver enhanced control when
cornering hard or completing a
maneuver, such as a lane change.
Cruise Control
{WARNING
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. So, do not use
the cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
With cruise control, a speed of
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more can
be maintained without keeping your
foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below about 40 km/h (25 mph).
When the brakes are applied, the
cruise control turns off. If the vehicle has the Stabilitrak
®
system and begins to limit wheel
spin while you are using cruise
control, the cruise control will
automatically disengage. See
StabiliTrak System
on page 9‑38.
When road conditions allow you to
safely use it again, the cruise
control can be turned back on.
CTS Shown, CTS‐V Similar
The cruise control buttons are
located on the left side of the
steering wheel.

Black plate (41,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-41
I(On/Off):Turns the system on
or off. The indicator light on the
button turns on when cruise control
is on.
+RES (Resume/Accelerate):
Press briefly to make the vehicle
resume to a previously set speed,
or press and hold to accelerate.
−SET (Set/Coast): Press to set the
speed and activate cruise control or
make the vehicle decelerate.
[(Cancel): Press to disengage
cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If the cruise button is on when not in
use, it could get bumped and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep the
cruise control switch off when cruise
is not being used. The cruise control light on the
instrument panel cluster comes on
after the cruise control has been set
to the desired speed.
1. Press the
Ibutton.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press the −SET button and
release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator.
Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a
desired speed and then the brakes
are applied, the cruise control is
disengaged without erasing the set
speed from memory.
Once the vehicle is driving at about
40 km/h (25 mph) or more, press the
+RES button on the steering wheel.
The vehicle returns to the previous
set speed and stays there. Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated,.Press and hold the +RES button
on the steering wheel until the
desired speed is reached, then
release it.
.To increase vehicle speed in
small amounts, press the +RES
button. Each time this is done,
the vehicle goes about 1.6 km/h
(1 mph) faster.
Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated,
.Press and hold the −SET button
on the steering wheel until the
desired speed is reached, then
release it.

Black plate (47,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-47
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel
is an important part of the proper
maintenance of this vehicle. To help
keep the engine clean and maintain
optimum vehicle performance, we
recommend the use of gasoline
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline.
Look for the TOP TIER label on the
fuel pump to ensure gasoline meets
enhanced detergency standards
developed by auto companies. A list
of marketers providing TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline can be found at
www.toptiergas.com.
The 8th digit of the Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN) shows
the code letter or number that
identifies the vehicle's engine. TheVIN is at the top left of the
instrument panel. See
Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN)
on
page 12‑1.
Recommended Fuel
If the vehicle has a V6 engine, use
regular unleaded gasoline with a
posted octane rating of 87 or higher.
If the octane rating is less than 87,
an audible knocking noise,
commonly referred to as spark
knock, might be heard when driving.
If this occurs, use a gasoline rated
at 87 octane or higher as soon as
possible. If heavy knocking is heard
when using gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher, the engine
needs service.
If the vehicle has the 6.2L V8 engine
(VIN Code P), use premium
unleaded gasoline with a posted
octane rating of 91 or higher. For
best performance, use premium
unleaded gasoline with a posted
octane rating of 93. In an
emergency, you can use regular

Black plate (54,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
9-54 Driving and Operating
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. Because the
rig is longer, it is necessary to go
much farther beyond the passed
vehicle before returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. Then, to move
the trailer to the left, move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer won't strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
The arrows on the instrument panel
flash whenever signaling a turn or
lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps also flash, telling
other drivers the vehicle is turning,
changing lanes, or stopping.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on
the instrument panel flash for turns
even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. For this reason you may
think other drivers are seeing the
signal when they are not. It is
important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a
lower gear before starting down a
long or steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, thebrakes might have to be used so
much that they would get hot and no
longer work well.
Vehicles with an automatic
transmission can tow in D (Drive)
but M (Manual Mode) is
recommended. Shift the
transmission to a lower gear if the
transmission shifts too often under
heavy loads and/or hilly conditions.
For vehicles with a manual
transmission, it is better not to use
the highest gear.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: Engine coolant will boil at
a lower temperature than at normal
altitudes. If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the
vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run while parked,
preferably on level ground, with the
automatic transmission in P (Park)
for a few minutes before turning the
engine off. For vehicles with manual
transmissions, let the engine run

Black plate (5,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-5
If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service
manual. It tells you much more
about how to service the vehicle
than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, seeService
Publications Ordering Information
on
page 13‑14.
This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
on
page 3‑42.
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of
any service work performed. See
Maintenance Records
on
page 11‑11.
Hood
To open the hood:
1. Pull the hood release lever with this symbol on it. It is located
inside the vehicle on the lower
left side of the instrument panel.
2. Then go to the front of thevehicle and find the secondary
hood release lever. The lever is
located under the front edge of
the grille near the center. Push
the release lever up and raise
the hood.
Before closing the hood, be sure all
the filler caps are on properly. Then
pull the hood down and close it
firmly.