Black plate (48,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Airbag Readiness Light
The system checks the airbag's electrical system for
possible malfunctions. If the light stays on it indicates
there is an electrical problem. The system check
includes the airbag sensor, the pretensioners, the
airbag modules, the wiring and the crash sensing and
diagnostic module. For more information on the airbag
system, seeAirbag System on page 2‑54.
The airbag readiness light
flashes for a few seconds
when the engine is
started. If the light does
not come on then, have it
fixed immediately.
{WARNING:
If the airbag readiness light stays on after the
vehicle is started or comes on while driving, it
means the airbag system might not be working
properly. The airbags in the vehicle might not
inflate in a crash, or they could even inflate
without a crash. To help avoid injury, have the
vehicle serviced right away. If there is a problem with the airbag system, an airbag
Driver Information Center (DIC) message can also
come on. See
DIC Warnings and Messages
on
page 4‑65for more information.
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
The vehicle has the passenger sensing system. See
Passenger Sensing Systemon page 2‑64for important
safety information. The overhead console has a
passenger airbag status indicator.
United StatesCanada
When the vehicle is started, the passenger airbag
status indicator will light ON and OFF, or the symbol for
on and off, for several seconds as a system check.
If you are using remote start to start the vehicle from a
distance, if equipped, you may not see the system
check.
4-48
Black plate (49,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Then, after several more seconds, the status indicator
will light either ON or OFF, or either the on or off
symbol, to let you know the status of the right front
passenger frontal and seat-mounted side impact
airbags.
If the word ON or the on symbol is lit on the passenger
airbag status indicator, it means that the right front
passenger frontal airbag and seat-mounted side impact
airbag are enabled (may inflate).
If the word OFF or the off symbol is lit on the passenger
airbag status indicator, it means that the passenger
sensing system has turned off the right front passenger
frontal and seat‐mounted side impact airbag.
If, after several seconds, both status indicator lights
remain on, or if there are no lights at all, there may be
a problem with the lights or the passenger sensing
system. See your dealer for service.
{WARNING:
If the airbag readiness light ever comes on and
stays on, it means that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help avoid injury to
yourself or others, have the vehicle serviced right
away. SeeAirbag Readiness Light
on page 4‑48
for more information, including important safety
information.
Charging System Light
This light comes on briefly
when the ignition key is
turned to START, but the
engine is not running, as
a check to show it is
working.
If it does not, have the vehicle serviced by your dealer.
The light should go out once the engine starts. If it stays
on, or comes on while driving, there could be a problem
with the charging system. A charging system message
in the Driver Information Center (DIC) can also appear.
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Black plate (72,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
SERVICE AIR BAG
This message displays when there is a problem with
the airbag system. Have your vehicle serviced by your
dealer immediately. SeeAirbag Readiness Light
on
page 4‑48for more information.
SERVICE A/C SYSTEM
This message displays when the air delivery mode door
or the electronic sensors that control the air conditioning
and heating systems are no longer working. Have the
climate control system serviced by your dealer if you
notice a drop in heating and air conditioning efficiency.
SERVICE BATTERY CHARGING
SYSTEM
This message displays when a problem with the
charging system has been detected. The charging
system light also displays on the instrument panel
cluster. See Charging System Light
on page 4‑49for
more information. Have your vehicle serviced by your
dealer.
SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST
This message displays if there is a problem with the
brake system. The brake system warning light and
the antilock brake system warning light may also be
displayed on the instrument panel cluster. See Brake
System Warning Light
on page 4‑50and Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Lighton page 4‑51for
more information. If this happens, stop as soon as
possible and turn off the vehicle. Restart the vehicle
and check for the message on the DIC display. If the
message is displayed or appears again when you begin
driving, the brake system needs service. See your
dealer as soon as possible. See Brakes
on page 6‑33for more information.
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
This message displays if the ignition is on to inform the
driver that the brake fluid level is low. Have the brake
system serviced by your dealer as soon as possible.
SERVICE LANE DEPARTURE SYSTEM
If your vehicle has the Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
system, this message may display to indicate that the
LDW system is not working properly. If this message
remains on after continued driving, the system needs
service. See your dealer. SeeLane Departure Warning
(LDW)
on page 3‑45for more information.
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Black plate (4,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
California Proposition 65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this one, contain and/or
emit chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive
harm. Engine exhaust, many parts and systems, many
fluids, and some component wear by-products contain
and/or emit these chemicals.
California Perchlorate Materials
Requirements
Certain types of automotive applications, such as
airbag initiators, seat belt pretensioners, and lithium
batteries contained in remote keyless transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials. Special handling
may be necessary. For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.
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.
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, see Service Publications
Ordering Information on page 8‑15.
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Black plate (103,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Electrical System
Add-On Electrical Equipment
Notice:Do not add anything electrical to the vehicle
unless you check with your dealer first. Some
electrical equipment can damage the vehicle and
the damage would not be covered by the vehicle's
warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment can
keep other components from working as they
should.
Add-on equipment can drain the vehicle battery, even if
the vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting to
add anything electrical to the vehicle, see Servicing
Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
on page 2‑68and
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicleon
page 2‑69.
Headlamp Wiring
The headlamp wiring system has four individual fuses.
An electrical overload will cause the lamps to go on and
off, or in some cases to remain off. If this happens,
have the headlamp wiring checked right away.
Windshield Wiper Fuses
The windshield wiper motor is protected by an internal
circuit breaker. If the wiper motor overheats due to
heavy snow, the wipers will stop until the motor cools
and will then restart.
A fuse powers the wiper motor. If the fuse blows, there
is an electrical problem. Be sure to have it fixed.
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Black plate (13,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Insuring Your Vehicle
Protect your investment in your GM vehicle with
comprehensive and collision insurance coverage. There
are significant differences in the quality of coverage
afforded by various insurance policy terms. Many
insurance policies provide reduced protection to your
GM vehicle by limiting compensation for damage
repairs by using aftermarket collision parts. Some
insurance companies will not specify aftermarket
collision parts. When purchasing insurance, we
recommend that you ensure that your vehicle will be
repaired with GM original equipment collision parts.
If such insurance coverage is not available from your
current insurance carrier, consider switching to another
insurance carrier.
If your vehicle is leased, the leasing company may
require you to have insurance that ensures repairs with
Genuine GM Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)
parts or Genuine Manufacturer replacement parts. Read
your lease carefully, as you may be charged at the end
of your lease for poor quality repairs.
If a Crash Occurs
If there has been an injury, call emergency services for
help. Do not leave the scene of a crash until all matters
have been taken care of. Move the vehicle only if its
position puts you in danger, or you are instructed to
move it by a police officer.Give only the necessary information to police and other
parties involved in the crash.
For emergency towing see
Roadside Service
on
page 8‑7.
Gather the following information:
.Driver's name, address, and telephone number
.Driver's license number
.Owner's name, address, and telephone number
.Vehicle license plate number
.Vehicle make, model, and model year
.Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
.Insurance company and policy number
.General description of the damage to the other
vehicle
Choose a reputable repair facility that uses quality
replacement parts. See “Collision Parts”earlier in this
section.
If the airbag has inflated, see What Will You See After
an Airbag Inflates? on page 2‑62.
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Black plate (10,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
O
Object Detection, Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . 3-42
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-46
Off-RoadRecovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Oil Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-15
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-57
Older Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-31
Online Owner Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-5
OnStar, Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-18
OnStar
®System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Operation, Universal Home Remote System . . . . . . . 3-47
Outlet Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-40
Outlets Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Outside Automatic Dimming Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Convex Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38
Power Foldaway Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-36
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . 6-31
Owner Checks and Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-7
Owners, Canadian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
P
Paint, Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-101
Parade Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Park Shifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32
Park Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38
Park Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Parking
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38
Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33
PASS-Key
®III+ Electronic Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
PASS-Key®III+ Electronic Immobilizer
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
Passenger Compartment Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-42
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-64
Passing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Perchlorate Materials Requirements, California . . . . . .6-4
Performance Shifting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Phone
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-107
i - 10