2011 CADILLAC CTS brake

Black plate (4,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
10-4 Vehicle Care
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non‐dealer accessories to
the vehicle can affect vehicle
performance and safety, including
such things as airbags, braking,
stability, ride and handling,
emissions systems, aerodynamics,
durability, and electronic systems
like antilock brakes, traction control,
and stability control. Some of these
accessories could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from the installation or use
of non‐GM certified parts, including
control module modifications, is not
covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. Your GM
dealer can accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories.
When you go to your GM dealer and
ask for GM Accessories, you will
know that GM-trained and
supported service technicians will
perform the work using genuine GM
Accessories.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
on
page 3‑42.
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
{WARNING
You can be injured and the
vehicle could be damaged if you
try to do service work on a vehicle
without knowing enough about it.
.Be sure you have sufficient
knowledge, experience,
the proper replacement
parts, and tools before
attempting any vehicle
maintenance task.
.Be sure to use the proper
nuts, bolts, and other
fasteners. English and metric
fasteners can be easily
confused. If the wrong
fasteners are used, parts can
later break or fall off. You
could be hurt.

Black plate (7,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-7
A. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See Washer Fluidon
page 10‑26.
B. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block (CTS Coupe and Sedan)
on page 10‑42orEngine
Compartment Fuse Block (CTS
V Coupe and Sedan)
on
page 10‑46or Engine
Compartment Fuse Block (CTS
Wagon)
on page 10‑50or
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block (CTS V Wagon)
on
page 10‑54.
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting
on
page 10‑112. D. Remote Negative (−) Terminal.
See Jump Starting
on
page 10‑112.
E. Passenger Compartment Air Filter. See Passenger
Compartment Air Filter
on
page 8‑6.
F. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
on
page 10‑19.
G. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (Under Engine Cover). See
Power Steering Fluid
on
page 10‑26.
H. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑11. I. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of
View). See Engine Oil
on
page 10‑11.
J. Hydraulic Clutch Reservoir (If Equipped) (Not Shown). See
Hydraulic Clutch on page 10‑15.
K. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir (Out of View). See
Brakes on page 10‑27.
L. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10‑19.
M. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
on
page 10‑16.

Black plate (9,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-9
A. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See Washer Fluidon
page 10‑26.
B. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block (CTS Coupe and Sedan)
on page 10‑42orEngine
Compartment Fuse Block (CTS
V Coupe and Sedan)
on
page 10‑46or Engine
Compartment Fuse Block (CTS
Wagon)
on page 10‑50or
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block (CTS V Wagon)
on
page 10‑54.
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting
on
page 10‑112. D. Remote Negative (−) Terminal.
See Jump Starting
on
page 10‑112.
E. Engine Oil Fill Cap (Out of View). See Engine Oil
on
page 10‑11.
F. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑11.
G. Passenger Compartment Air Filter. See Passenger
Compartment Air Filter
on
page 8‑6.
H. Intercooler System Pressure Cap. See Cooling System
on
page 10‑19.
I. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System
on
page 10‑19. J. Hydraulic Clutch Reservoir
(If Equipped) (Not Shown). See
Hydraulic Clutch on page 10‑15.
K. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See Brakes
on
page 10‑27.
L. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10‑19.
M. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (Under Engine Cover). See
Power Steering Fluid
on
page 10‑26.
N. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
on
page 10‑16.

Black plate (27,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-27
Open the cap with the washer
symbol on it. Add washer fluid until
the tank is full. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview
on
page 10‑6for reservoir location.
Notice:
.When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer's instructions
for adding water.
.Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the solution
to freeze and damage the
washer fluid tank and other
parts of the washer system.
Also, water does not clean as
well as washer fluid.
.Fill the washer fluid tank only
three-quarters full when it is
very cold. This allows for
fluid expansion if freezing
occurs, which could damage
the tank if it is
completely full.
.Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the windshield
washer. It can damage the
vehicle's windshield washer
system and paint.
Brakes
This vehicle has disc brakes. Disc
brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time the vehicle is
moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.
{WARNING
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Notice: Continuing to drive with
worn-out brake pads could result
in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications in Capacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2.

Black plate (28,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
10-28 Vehicle Care
Brake linings should always be
replaced as complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service might be
required.
Brake Adjustment
Every time the brakes are applied,
with or without the vehicle moving,
the brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is
complex. Its many parts have to be
of top quality and work well together
if the vehicle is to have really good
braking. The vehicle was designed
and tested with top-quality brake
parts. When parts of the braking
system are replaced, be sure to get
new, approved replacement parts.
If this is not done, the brakes might
not work properly. For example,installing disc brake pads that are
wrong for the vehicle, can change
the balance between the front and
rear brakes
—for the worse. The
braking performance expected can
change in many other ways if the
wrong replacement brake parts are
installed.
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder reservoir
is filled with DOT 3 brake fluid as
indicated on the reservoir cap. See
Engine Compartment Overview
on
page 10‑6for the location of the
reservoir. There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in the reservoir
might go down:
.The brake fluid level goes down
because of normal brake lining
wear. When new linings are
installed, the fluid level goes
back up.
.A fluid leak in the brake
hydraulic system can also cause
a low fluid level. Have the brake
hydraulic system fixed, since a
leak means that sooner or later
the brakes will not work well.

Black plate (29,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-29
Do not top off the brake fluid.
Adding fluid does not correct a leak.
If fluid is added when the linings are
worn, there will be too much fluid
when new brake linings are
installed. Add or remove brake fluid,
as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
{WARNING
If too much brake fluid is added, it
can spill on the engine and burn,
if the engine is hot enough. You
or others could be burned, and
the vehicle could be damaged.
Add brake fluid only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic
system.
When the brake fluid falls to a low
level, the brake warning light comes
on. See Brake System Warning
Light on page 5‑22. What to Add
Use only new DOT 3 brake fluid
from a sealed container. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑7.
Always clean the brake fluid
reservoir cap and the area around
the cap before removing it. This
helps keep dirt from entering the
reservoir.
{WARNING
With the wrong kind of fluid in the
brake hydraulic system, the
brakes might not work well. This
could cause a crash. Always use
the proper brake fluid.
Notice:
.Using the wrong fluid can
badly damage brake
hydraulic system parts. For
example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as
engine oil, in the brake
hydraulic system can
damage brake hydraulic
system parts so badly that
they will have to be replaced.
Do not let someone put in
the wrong kind of fluid.
.If brake fluid is spilled on the
vehicle's painted surfaces,
the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to
spill brake fluid on the
vehicle. If you do, wash it off
immediately.

Black plate (32,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
10-32 Vehicle Care
How to Check Lubricant
To get an accurate reading, the
vehicle should be on a level
surface.
If the level is below the bottom of
the filler plug hole, located on the
rear axle, you'll need to add some
lubricant. Add enough lubricant to
raise the level to the bottom of the
filler plug hole.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule
to determine what kind of lubricant
to use. SeeRecommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 11‑7.
Starter Switch 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.
2. Firmly apply both the parking brake and the regular brake.
See Parking Brake (Manual)
on
page 9‑33or Parking Brake
(Electric) on page 9‑34. Do not use the accelerator
pedal, and be ready to turn off
the engine immediately if it
starts.
3. For automatic transmission vehicles, try to start the engine
in each gear. The vehicle should
start only in P (Park) or
N (Neutral). If the vehicle starts
in any other position, contact
your dealer for service.
For manual transmission
vehicles, put the shift lever in
Neutral, push the clutch pedal
down halfway, and try to start
the engine. The vehicle should
start only when the clutch pedal
is pushed down all the way to
the floor. If the vehicle starts
when the clutch pedal is not
pushed all the way down,
contact your dealer for service.

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.