
Black plate (57,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in the middle of the steering
wheel.
The right front passenger frontal airbag is in the
instrument panel on the passenger's side.
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Black plate (59,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
{WARNING:
If something is between an occupant and an
airbag, the airbag might not inflate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
inflating airbag must be kept clear. Do not put
anything between an occupant and an airbag,
and do not attach or put anything on the steering
wheel hub or on or near any other airbag
covering.
Do not use seat accessories that block the
inflation path of a seat-mounted side impact
airbag.
Never secure anything to the roof of a vehicle with
roof-rail airbags by routing a rope or tie down
through any door or window opening. If you do,
the path of an inflating roof-rail airbag will be
blocked.
When Should an Airbag Inflate?
Frontal airbags are designed to inflate in moderate to
severe frontal or near-frontal crashes to help reduce
the potential for severe injuries mainly to the driver's or
right front passenger's head and chest. However, they
are only designed to inflate if the impact exceeds a
predetermined deployment threshold. Deployment
thresholds are used to predict how severe a crash is
likely to be in time for the airbags to inflate and help
restrain the occupants.
Whether your frontal airbags will or should deploy is not
based on how fast your vehicle is traveling. It depends
largely on what you hit, the direction of the impact, and
how quickly your vehicle slows down.
Frontal airbags may inflate at different crash speeds.
For example:
.If the vehicle hits a stationary object, the airbags
could inflate at a different crash speed than if the
vehicle hits a moving object.
.If the vehicle hits an object that deforms, the
airbags could inflate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle hits an object that does not
deform.
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Black plate (61,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an
airbag should have inflated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair
costs were. For frontal airbags, inflation is determined
by what the vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and
how quickly the vehicle slows down. For seat-mounted
side impact and roof-rail airbags, deployment is
determined by the location and severity of the side
impact.
What Makes an Airbag Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing system sends an
electrical signal triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the airbag causing the
bag to break out of the cover and deploy. The inflator,
the airbag, and related hardware are all part of the
airbag module.
Frontal airbag modules are located inside the steering
wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with
seat-mounted side impact airbags, there are airbag
modules in the side of the front seatbacks closest to the
door. For vehicles with roof-rail airbags, there are airbag
modules in the ceiling of the vehicle, near the side
windows that have occupant seating positions.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection provided by safety
belts. Frontal airbags distribute the force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant's upper body, stopping
the occupant more gradually. Seat-mounted side impact
and roof-rail airbags distribute the force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant's upper body.
But airbags would not help in many types of collisions,
primarily because the occupant's motion is not toward
those airbags. SeeWhen Should an Airbag Inflate?
on
page 2‑59for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything more
than a supplement to safety belts.
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Black plate (69,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q: Is there anything I might add to or change aboutthe vehicle that could keep the airbags from
working properly?
A: Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle's
frame, bumper system, height, front end or side
sheet metal, they may keep the airbag system from
working properly. Changing or moving any parts of
the front seats, safety belts, the airbag sensing and
diagnostic module, steering wheel, instrument panel,
roof-rail airbag modules, ceiling headliner or pillar
garnish trim, overhead console, front sensors, side
impact sensors, or airbag wiring can affect the
operation of the airbag system.
In addition, your vehicle has a passenger sensing
system for the right front passenger's position, which
includes sensors that are part of the passenger's
seat. The passenger sensing system may not
operate properly if the original seat trim is replaced
with non-GM covers, upholstery or trim, or with GM
covers, upholstery or trim designed for a different
vehicle. Any object, such as an aftermarket seat
heater or a comfort enhancing pad or device, installed under or on top of the seat fabric, could
also interfere with the operation of the passenger
sensing system. This could either prevent proper
deployment of the passenger airbag(s) or prevent
the passenger sensing system from properly turning
off the passenger airbag(s). See
Passenger Sensing
System on page 2‑64.
If you have any questions about this, you should
contact Customer Assistance before you modify
your vehicle. The phone numbers and addresses
for Customer Assistance are in Step Two of the
Customer Satisfaction Procedure in this manual.
See Customer Satisfaction Procedure on page 8‑2.
Q: Because I have a disability, I have to get my vehicle modified. How can I find out whether this
will affect my airbag system?
A: If you have questions, call Customer Assistance.
The phone numbers and addresses for Customer
Assistance are in Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this manual. See
Customer Satisfaction Procedure on page 8‑2.
In addition, your dealer and the service manual have
information about the location of the airbag sensors,
sensing and diagnostic module and airbag wiring.
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Black plate (5,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Q(Lock):Press to lock all the doors. If enabled
through the Driver Information Center (DIC), the parking
lamps may flash once to indicate locking has occurred.
The horn may chirp when
Qis pressed again within
five seconds. See DIC Vehicle Customization
on
page 4‑77for additional information.
Pressing
Qmay arm the content theft-deterrent system.
See Content Theft-Deterrent on page 3‑19.
K(Unlock): Press once to unlock the driver door.
If
Kis pressed again within five seconds, all remaining
doors unlock. The interior lamps come on and stay
on for 20 seconds or until the ignition is turned on.
If enabled through the DIC, the parking lamps flash
twice to indicate unlocking has occurred. See DIC
Vehicle Customization
on page 4‑77. PressingKmay
disarm the content theft-deterrent system. See Content
Theft-Deterrent on page 3‑19.
V(Remote Trunk Release): Press and hold for
about one second to unlock the trunk. The transmission
must be in P (Park).
L(Vehicle Locator/Panic Alarm): Press and release
to locate the vehicle. The turn signal lamps flash and
the horn sounds three times.
Press and hold
Lfor more than two seconds to
activate the panic alarm. The turn signal lamps flash
and the horn sounds repeatedly for 30 seconds.
The alarm turns off when the ignition is moved to
ON/RUN or
Lis pressed again. The ignition must be
in LOCK/OFF for the panic alarm to work.
The vehicle comes with two transmitters. Each
transmitter will have a number on top of it, “1”or“2”.
These numbers correspond to the driver of the vehicle.
For example, the memory seat position for driver 1 will
be recalled when using the transmitter labeled “1”,
if enabled through the DIC. See Memory Seat, Mirrors
and Steering Wheel
on page 2‑6and DIC Vehicle
Customizationon page 4‑77for more information.
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Black plate (12,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Trunk
{WARNING:
Exhaust gases can enter the vehicle if it is driven
with the liftgate, trunk/hatch open, or with any
objects that pass through the seal between the
body and the trunk/hatch or liftgate. Engine
exhaust contains Carbon Monoxide (CO) which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle must be driven with the liftgate,
or trunk/hatch open:
.Close all of the windows.
.Fully open the air outlets on or under the
instrument panel.
.Adjust the Climate Control system to a setting
that brings in only outside air and set the fan
speed to the highest setting. See Climate
Control System in the Index.
.If the vehicle is equipped with a power liftgate,
disable the power liftgate function.
For more information about carbon monoxide, see
Engine Exhaust on page 3‑33.
Remote Trunk Release
V
(Remote Trunk Release): The remote trunk
release button is located to the left of the steering wheel
next to the instrument panel brightness control. Press
the button to open the trunk. The vehicle must be in
P (Park) or N (Neutral) and the valet lockout switch must
be off to use this button.
You can also press the button with the trunk symbol on
the RKE transmitter to open the trunk. To disable this
feature, see Valet Lockout Switch on page 3‑18.
The trunk can be accessed using the Rear Seat
Pass-Through. See “Rear Seat Pass-Through” following
this section.
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Black plate (23,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
A (STOPPING THE ENGINE/LOCK/OFF):When the
vehicle is stopped, turn the ignition switch to LOCK/OFF
to turn the engine off. Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) on page 3‑24.
This is the only position in which the ignition key can be
inserted or removed. This position locks the ignition and
transmission and steering column.
Do not turn the engine off when the vehicle is moving.
This will cause a loss of power assist in the brake and
steering systems and disable the airbags.
In an emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the brakes repeatedly. This may deplete
power assist, requiring increased brake pedal
force.
2. Shift the vehicle to neutral. This can be done while the vehicle is moving. After shifting to neutral,
firmly apply the brakes and steer the vehicle to a
safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF. On vehicles with
an automatic transmission, the shift lever must
be in P (Park) to turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK/OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake
on
page 3‑29. The steering can bind with the wheels turned off center.
If this happens, move the steering wheel from right to
left while turning the key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
doesn't work, the vehicle needs service.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY):
This position lets the radio
and windshield wipers operate while the engine is off.
To use ACC/ACCESSORY, turn the key clockwise.
C (ON/RUN): This position is where the key returns to
after the vehicle is started. This position displays some
of the warning and indicator lights.
The battery could be drained if you leave the key in
the ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN position with the
engine off. You may not be able to start the vehicle if
the battery is allowed to drain for an extended period
of time.
D (START): This position starts the engine.
A warning chime will sound and the Driver Information
Center (DIC) will display DRIVER DOOR OPEN when
the driver door is opened if the ignition is in LOCK/OFF,
ACC/ACCESSORY and the key is in the ignition. See
DIC Warnings and Messages
on page 4‑65for more
information.
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Black plate (24,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
These vehicle accessories can be used for up to
10 minutes after the ignition key is turned off:
.Audio System
.Audio Steering Wheel Controls
.Power Windows
.Sunroof (if equipped)
Power to these accessories will work up to 10 minutes
or until the driver's door is opened. For an additional
10 minutes of power, close all the doors and turn the
key to ON/RUN and then back to LOCK/OFF.
Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or N (Neutral). The
engine will not start in any other position. To restart the
engine when the vehicle is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only.
Notice: Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the vehicle
is moving. If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to P (Park) only when the vehicle
is stopped.
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition to START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will slow down
as the engine warms. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it. Operate the engine
and transmission gently to allow the oil to warm up
and lubricate all moving parts.
The vehicle has a Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in starting the engine
and protects components. If the ignition key is
turned to the START position, and then released
when the engine begins cranking, the engine will
continue cranking for a few seconds or until the
vehicle starts. If the engine does not start and the
key is held in START, cranking will be stopped
after 15 seconds to prevent cranking motor
damage. To prevent gear damage, this system also
prevents cranking if the engine is already running.
Engine cranking can be stopped by turning the
ignition switch to the ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/
OFF position.
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