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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Black plate (27,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
{WARNING:
It is dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the shift
lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when you are on fairly
level ground, always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park). SeeShifting Into
Park
on page 3‑30. If you are pulling a trailer,
see Towing a Trailer on page 5‑26. Make sure the shift lever is fully in P (Park) before
starting the engine. The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control system. You have to
fully apply the regular brakes before you can shift from
P (Park) while the ignition key is in ON/RUN. If you
cannot shift out of P (Park), ease pressure on the shift
lever. Push the shift lever all the way into P (Park) as
you maintain brake application. Then move the shift
lever into another gear. See
Shifting Out of Park
on
page 3‑32.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse) while the vehicle is
moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
Also use this gear to rock the vehicle back and forth
to get out of snow, ice or sand without damaging the
transmission. See If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
on page 5‑17for additional
information.
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Black plate (29,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
3 (Third):This position is also used for normal driving.
However, it reduces vehicle speed more than D (Drive)
without using the brakes. You might choose 3 (Third)
instead of D (Drive) when driving on hilly, winding roads,
when towing a trailer, so there is less shifting between
gears and when going down a steep hill.
2 (Second): This position reduces vehicle speed more
than 3 (Third) without using the brakes. You can use
2 (Second) on hills. It can help control vehicle speed as
you go down steep mountain roads, but then you would
also want to use the brakes off and on.
Notice: Do not shift into 2 (Second) unless you are
going slower than 65 mph (105 km/h), or you can
damage the engine and/or transmission.
1 (First): This position reduces vehicle speed even
more than 2 (Second) without using the brakes. You can
use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
shift lever is put in 1 (First) while the vehicle is moving
forward, the transmission will not shift into first gear until
the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice: Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission. The repair will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. If you are stuck, do
not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place.Performance Shifting
If the vehicle has this feature, it can detect a change in
driving patterns. If you make an aggressive driving
maneuver, the vehicle's transmission automatically
shifts to the lowest possible gear to maximize vehicle
performance. The vehicle will automatically return to
normal operation when you return to normal driving
patterns.
Parking Brake
The parking brake pedal
is located to the left of the
regular brake pedal, near
the driver door.
To set the parking brake, hold the regular 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 to have the vehicle serviced.
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Black plate (30,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
A warning chime will sound if the parking brake is set,
the ignition is on, and the vehicle speed is greater than
5 mph (8 km/h). The brake light will come on and stay
on until the parking brake is released. SeeBrake
System Warning Light
on page 4‑50for more
information.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down, then push the parking brake pedal down.
When you lift your foot off the parking brake pedal, the
pedal will follow your foot to the released position.
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.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see Towing a Trailer on page 5‑26.
Shifting Into Park
{WARNING:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can roll. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be
sure the vehicle will not move, even when you are
on fairly level ground, use the steps that follow.
If you are pulling a trailer, see Towing a Trailer
on
page 5‑26
.
Steering Column Shift Lever
If the vehicle has a steering column shift lever, use this
procedure to shift the vehicle into P (Park):
1. Hold the brake pedal down.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by pulling the shift lever toward you and moving it up as far as it
will go.
3. With your foot still holding the brake pedal down, set the parking brake. See Parking Brake
on
page 3‑29for more information.
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Black plate (31,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
4. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
5. Remove the key and take it with you. If you canleave the vehicle with the ignition key in your hand,
the vehicle is in P (Park).
Console Shift Lever
If the vehicle is equipped with a console shift lever, use
this procedure to shift the vehicle into P (Park):
1. Hold the brake pedal down.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by pushing the lever all the way toward the front of the vehicle and
then to the left.
3. While keeping the brake pedal applied, set the parking brake. See Parking Brake
on page 3‑29for more information.
4. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
5. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave the vehicle with the ignition key in your hand,
the vehicle is in P (Park).
Leaving the Vehicle With the Engine
Running
{WARNING:
It can be dangerous to leave the vehicle with the
engine running. The vehicle could move suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the
parking brake firmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it could overheat
and even catch fire. You or others could be
injured. Do not leave the vehicle with the engine
running.
If you have to leave the vehicle with the engine running,
be sure your vehicle is in P (Park) and the parking
brake is firmly set before you leave it. See Parking
Brake
on page 3‑29for more information.
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Black plate (32,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Torque Lock
Torque lock is when the weight of the vehicle puts too
much force on the parking pawl in the transmission.
This happens when parking on a hill and shifting the
transmission into P (Park) is not done properly and then
it is difficult to shift out of P (Park). To prevent torque
lock, set the parking brake and then shift into P (Park).
To find out how, see“Shifting Into Park”in this section.
If torque lock does occur, your vehicle may need to be
pushed uphill by another vehicle to relieve the parking
pawl pressure, so you can shift out of P (Park).
Shifting Out of Park
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock
This vehicle has an electronic shift lock release system.
The shift lock release is designed to:
.Prevent ignition key removal unless the shift lever
is in P (Park)
.Prevent movement of the shift lever out of P (Park),
unless the ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular brake pedal is
applied.
The shift lock is always functional except in the case of
a an uncharged or low voltage (less than 9 volt) battery. If the vehicle has an uncharged battery or a battery with
low voltage, try charging or jump starting the battery.
See
Jump Starting on page 6‑38.
Console Shift
If the console shift cannot be moved out of P (Park)
1. Apply the regular brakes.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY position. See Ignition Positions
on page 3‑22for
more information.
3. Push the shift lever all the way into P (Park).
4. Then, shift into the desired gear.
If you still cannot move the shift lever from P (Park),
consult your dealer or a professional towing service.
Column Shift
If the column shift cannot be moved out of P (Park) 1. Apply the regular brakes.
2. Turn the ignition key to the ON/RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY position. See Ignition
Positions
on page 3‑22for more information.
3. Shift out of the P (Park) position to the N (Neutral) position.
4. Move the column shift to the desired gear.
If you still cannot move the shift lever from P (Park),
consult your dealer or a professional towing service.
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Black plate (35,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Mirrors
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror
The vehicle has an automatic dimming inside rearview
mirror with a compass display. Automatic dimming
reduces the glare of lights from behind the vehicle.
The dimming feature comes on and the indicator light
illuminates each time the vehicle is started.
O(On/Off):Press and holdOfor about three seconds
to turn the dimming feature and compass display on
or off.
AUTO 3(Vehicles with Intellibeam®):Press
and hold for approximately three seconds to turn the
compass display on or off. See Exterior Lamps
on
page 4‑25for more information.
Cleaning the Mirror
Do not spray glass cleaner directly on the mirror. Use a
soft towel dampened with water.
Compass
Compass Operation
PressOorAUTO 3, depending on the vehicle, to
turn the compass on or off.
When the ignition and the compass feature are on, after
a few seconds, the mirror will display the compass
heading. The compass automatically calibrates as the
vehicle is driven.
Compass Calibration
If after a few seconds, the display does not show the
correct direction, (for example, N for North), there may
be a strong magnetic field interfering with the compass.
Interference can be caused by a magnetic antenna
mount, magnetic note pad holder or a similar
magnetic item.
The compass can be placed in calibration mode
manually by pressing and holding
OorAUTO 3,
depending on the vehicle, until a C is shown in the
compass display.
The compass can be calibrated by driving the vehicle in
circles at 5 mph (8 km/h) or less until the display reads a
direction.
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Black plate (37,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Mirror Adjustment
1. Press (C) to unfold the mirrors out to the drivingposition.
2. Press (D) to fold the mirrors toward the vehicle.
Resetting the Power Foldaway Mirrors
Reset the power foldaway mirrors if:
.The mirrors are accidentally obstructed while
folding.
.They are accidentally manually folded/unfolded.
.The mirrors do not stay in the unfolded position.
.The mirrors vibrate at normal driving speeds.
Fold and unfold the mirrors one time using the mirror
controls to reset them to their normal position. A noise
may be heard during the resetting of the power
foldaway mirrors. This sound is normal after a manual
folding operation.
Turn Signal Indicator (If Equipped)
The vehicle may have a turn signal indicator lamp that
is built into the mirror. The turn signal lamp flashes with
the use of the vehicle's turn signal and hazard flashers.
Outside Automatic Dimming Mirror
If the vehicle has this feature, the driver side mirror
adjusts for the glare of headlamps behind you. This
feature is controlled by the on and off settings on the
automatic dimming rearview mirror.
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
If the vehicle has the Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
system, see Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)on
page 3‑42for more information.
Park Tilt Mirrors
If your vehicle is equipped with memory mirrors, it is
capable of performing the park tilt mirror feature. This
feature allows the driver and passenger side mirror to
tilt to a factory programmed position when the vehicle is
in R (Reverse). This feature may be useful in allowing
you to view the curb when you are parallel parking.
When the vehicle is shifted out of R (Reverse) and
either a five-second delay has occurred, or the ignition
is turned to LOCK/OFF, the driver and passenger side
mirror will return to its original position.
This feature can be enabled/disabled through the
Driver Information Center (DIC). See DIC Vehicle
Customization
on page 4‑77for more information.
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