2011 CADILLAC CTS overheating

Black plate (9,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-9
Power Outlets
Accessory power outlets can be
used to plug in electrical equipment,
such as a cell phone, MP3
player, etc.
There are three accessory power
outlets. The power outlets located
below the climate control system,
inside the center console storage
bin, and on the rear of the center
console are powered while the
vehicle is in ON/RUN/START or
ACC/ACCESSORY mode, or until
the driver door is opened with
10 minutes of turning off the vehicle.
On the CTS Wagon there is an
additional accessory power outlet
located near the rear cargo net that
is powered at all times.
Remove the cover to access and
replace when not in use.
Notice:Leaving electrical
equipment plugged in for an
extended period of time while the
vehicle is off will drain the
battery. Always unplug electrical equipment when not in use and
do not plug in equipment that
exceeds the maximum 20 ampere
rating.
Certain electrical accessories may
not be compatible with the
accessory power outlet and could
overload vehicle or adapter fuses.
If a problem is experienced, see
your dealer.
When adding electrical equipment,
be sure to follow the proper
installation instructions included with
the equipment. See
Add-On
Electrical Equipment on page 9‑58.
Notice: Hanging heavy
equipment from the power outlet
can cause damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty. The
power outlets are designed for
accessory power plugs only, such
as cell phone charge cords.
Cigarette Lighter
The vehicle may have a cigarette
lighter. To use the lighter, push it in
all the way and let go. When it is
ready, it will pop back out by itself.
Notice: Holding a cigarette lighter
in while it is heating does not let
the lighter back away from the
heating element when it is hot.
Damage from overheating can
occur to the lighter or heating
element, or a fuse could be
blown. Do not hold a cigarette
lighter in while it is heating.

Black plate (16,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
5-16 Instruments and Controls
A reading outside the normal
operating range may be caused by
a dangerously low oil level or some
other problem causing low oil
pressure. Oil should be checked as
soon as possible. See Oil Pressure
Low Stop Engine underDriver
Information Center (DIC)
on
page 5‑27and Engine Oilon
page 10‑11.
{WARNING
Do not keep driving if the oil
pressure is low. The engine can
become so hot that it catches fire.
Someone could be burned. Check
the oil as soon as possible and
have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always follow the maintenance
schedule in this manual for
changing engine oil.
Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge
English
Metric
This gauge shows the engine
coolant temperature. If the engine
coolant overheats, the engine
coolant temperature warning light
comes on. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning Light
on
page 5‑25and Engine Overheatingon page 10‑24for more information.

Black plate (25,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-25
Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning
Light
The engine coolant temperature
warning light comes on briefly when
the engine is started.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally, the
indicator light then goes off.
If the light comes on and stays on
while driving, the vehicle may have
a problem with the cooling system.
Stop the vehicle and turn off the
engine to avoid damage to the
engine. A warning chime sounds
when this light is on.
SeeEngine Overheating
on
page 10‑24for more information.
Tire Pressure Light
For vehicles with a Tire Pressure
Monitor System, this light comes on
briefly when the engine is started.
It provides information about tire
pressures and the Tire Pressure
Monitor System.
When the Light is On Steady
This indicates that one or more of
the tires are significantly
underinflated.
A tire pressure message can
accompany the light. See Tire
Messages
on page 5‑43for more
information. Stop as soon as
possible, and inflate the tires to the
pressure value shown on the Tire
and Loading Information Label. See
Tire Pressure
on page 10‑74for
more information. When the Light Flashes First and
Then is On Steady
This indicates that there may be a
problem with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System. The light flashes
for about a minute and stays on
steady for the remainder of the
ignition cycle. This sequence
repeats with every ignition cycle.
See
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation
on page 10‑77for more
information.

Black plate (35,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-35
Engine Cooling System
Messages
Engine Hot A/C (Air
Conditioning) Off
This message displays when the
engine coolant becomes hotter than
the normal operating temperature.
SeeEngine Coolant Temperature
Gauge
on page 5‑16. To avoid
added strain on a hot engine, the air
conditioning compressor
automatically turns off. When the
coolant temperature returns to
normal, the air conditioning
compressor turns back on. You can
continue to drive the vehicle.
If this message continues to appear,
have the system repaired by your
dealer as soon as possible to avoid
damage to the engine.
Engine Overheated Idle Engine
Notice: If you drive your vehicle
while the engine is overheating,
severe engine damage may
occur. If an overheat warning
appears on the instrument panel
cluster and/or DIC, stop the
vehicle as soon as possible. Do
not increase the engine speed
above normal idling speed. See
Engine Overheating
on page 10‑24for more information.
This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is too
hot. Stop and allow the vehicle to
idle until it cools down. If the
message does not clear in a
few minutes or if the overheat light
stays on, shut the vehicle off and
have it serviced before driving
again. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning Light
on
page 5‑25.
See Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
on page 10‑25for
information on driving to a safe
place in an emergency.
Engine Oil Messages
Change Engine Oil Soon
When this message displays, it
means that service is required for
the vehicle. See your dealer. See
Scheduled Maintenance
on
page 11‑3and Engine Oilon
page 10‑11for more information.
When you reset the Change Engine
Oil Soon message by clearing it
from the display, you still must reset
the engine oil life system separately.
For more information on resetting
the engine oil life system, see
Engine Oil Life System
on
page 10‑14.
Engine Oil Low Add Oil
If the vehicle has an oil level sensor,
this message displays if the oil level
in the vehicle is low. Check the oil
level and correct it as necessary.
You may need to let the vehicle cool
or warm up and cycle the ignition to
be sure this message clears.

Black plate (41,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-41
If this message comes on while you
are driving, pull off the road as soon
as possible and stop carefully. Try
resetting the system by turning the
ignition off then back on. If this
message still stays on or comes
back on again while you are driving,
the vehicle needs service. Have the
StabiliTrak system inspected by
your dealer as soon as possible.
SeeStabiliTrak System
on
page 9‑38for more information.
Service Suspension System
This message displays when there
is a problem with the Magnetic Ride
Control system. See Magnetic Ride
Control
on page 9‑39for more
information. Have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer.
Service Traction Control
This message displays when there
is a problem with the Traction
Control System (TCS). The TCS/
StabiliTrak warning light on the
instrument panel cluster also comes
on. When this message displays, the system will not limit wheel spin.
Adjust your driving accordingly. See
your dealer for service. See
Traction
Control System (TCS)
on
page 9‑37for more information.
Stabilitrak Competitive Mode
This message displays when the
Competitive Driving mode is
selected. When in this mode, the
Traction Control System (TCS) will
not be operating and the TCS/
StabiliTrak warning light will turn on.
Adjust your driving accordingly. See
“Competitive Driving Mode” under
Traction Control System (TCS)
on
page 9‑37for more information.
Stabilitrak Not Ready
This message may display after first
driving the vehicle and exceeding
30 km/h (19 mph) for 30 seconds.
The TCS/StabiliTrak warning light
on the instrument panel cluster also
comes on. The StabiliTrak system is
not functional until the message has
turned off. See StabiliTrak System
on page 9‑38for more information.
Stabilitrak Off
This message displays when you
turn off StabiliTrak, or when the
stability control has been
automatically disabled. The TCS/
StabiliTrak warning light on the
instrument panel cluster also
comes on.
To realize the full benefits of the
stability enhancement system, you
should normally leave StabiliTrak
on. To turn the StabiliTrak system
on or off, seeStabiliTrak System
on
page 9‑38.
There are several conditions that
can cause this message to appear.
.One condition is overheating,
which could occur if StabiliTrak
activates continuously for an
extended period of time.
.The message also displays if the
brake system warning light is on.
See Brake System Warning
Light on page 5‑22.

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 (55,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-55
while parked, preferably on level
ground, with the transmission out of
gear and the parking brake applied,
for a few minutes before turning the
engine off. If the overheat warning
comes on, seeEngine Overheating
on page 10‑24.
Parking on Hills
{WARNING
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet for
vehicles with an automatic
transmission, or into gear for
vehicles with a manual transmission. Turn the wheels
into the curb if facing downhill or
into traffic if facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the brake pedal
until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park) for vehicles with an
automatic transmission or into
gear for vehicles with a manual
transmission.
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal while you:
.Start the engine,
.Shift into a gear, and
.Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal. 3. Drive slowly until the trailer is
clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See this
manual's Maintenance Schedule or
Index for more information. Things
that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system, and
brake system. It is a good idea to
inspect these before and during
the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.

Black plate (56,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2011
9-56 Driving and Operating
Engine Cooling When Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. SeeEngine Overheating
on page 10‑24.
Trailer Towing
(Except CTS-V)
Before pulling a trailer, there are
three important considerations that
have to do with weight:
.The weight of the trailer.
.The weight of the trailer tongue.
.The total weight on the vehicle's
tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than
450 kg (1,000 lbs). But even that
can be too heavy. Speed, altitude, road grades,
outside temperature, special
equipment, and the amount of
tongue weight the vehicle can carry
must be considered. See
“Weight of
the Trailer Tongue” later in this
section for more information.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated
assuming only the driver is in the
tow vehicle and it has all the
required trailering equipment. The
weight of additional optional
equipment, passengers, and cargo
in the tow vehicle must be
subtracted from the maximum
trailer weight.
Ask your dealer for our trailering
information or advice, or write us at
our Customer Assistance Offices.
See Roadside Service
on
page 13‑7for more information.
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is
an important weight to measure
because it affects the total gross
weight of the vehicle. The Gross
Vehicle Weight (GVW) includes the
curb weight of the vehicle, any
cargo carried in it, and the people
who will be riding in the vehicle.
If there are a lot of options,
equipment, passengers or cargo in
the vehicle, it will reduce the tongue
weight the vehicle can carry, which
will also reduce the trailer weight the
vehicle can tow. If towing a trailer,
the tongue load must be added to
the GVW because the vehicle will
be carrying that weight, too. See
Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑11for more information about the
vehicle's maximum load capacity.