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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 (14,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Managing the Vehicle Damage Repair
Process
In the event that your vehicle requires damage repairs,
GM recommends that you take an active role in its
repair. If you have a pre-determined repair facility of
choice, take your vehicle there, or have it towed there.
Specify to the facility that any required replacement
collision parts be original equipment parts, either
new Genuine GM parts or recycled original GM parts.
Remember, recycled parts will not be covered by your
GM vehicle warranty.
Insurance pays the bill for the repair, but you must
live with the repair. Depending on your policy limits,
your insurance company may initially value the repair
using aftermarket parts. Discuss this with your repair
professional, and insist on Genuine GM parts.
Remember, if your vehicle is leased, you may be
obligated to have the vehicle repaired with Genuine
GM parts, even if your insurance coverage does not
pay the full cost.
If another party's insurance company is paying for
the repairs, you are not obligated to accept a repair
valuation based on that insurance company's collision
policy repair limits, as you have no contractual limits
with that company. In such cases, you can have control
of the repair and parts choices as long as the cost stays
within reasonable limits.
Reporting Safety Defects
Reporting Safety Defects to the
United States Government
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause injury
or death, you should immediately inform the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) in addition to notifying General Motors.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open
an investigation, and if it finds that a safety defect
exists in a group of vehicles, it may order a recall
and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA cannot
become involved in individual problems between
you, your dealer, or General Motors.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the
Vehicle Safety Hotline toll-free at
1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153);
go tohttp://www.safercar.gov; or write to:
Administrator, NHTSA
1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20590
You can also obtain other information about motor
vehicle safety from http://www.safercar.gov
.
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Black plate (15,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Reporting Safety Defects to the
Canadian Government
If you live in Canada, and you believe that your
vehicle has a safety defect, notify Transport Canada
immediately, and notify General Motors of Canada
Limited. Call them at 1-800-333-0510 or write to:Transport Canada
Road Safety Branch
2780 Sheffield Road
Ottawa, Ontario K1B 3V9
Reporting Safety Defects to General
Motors
In addition to notifying NHTSA (or Transport Canada) in
a situation like this, notify General Motors.
Call 1-800-458-8006, or write:Cadillac Customer Assistance Center
Cadillac Motor Car Division
P.O. Box 33169
Detroit, MI 48232-5169 In Canada, call 1‐888‐446‐2000, or write:
Canadian Cadillac Customer Communication
Centre, Mail Code: CA1-163-005
General Motors of Canada Limited
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7
Service Publications Ordering
Information
Service Manuals
Service Manuals have the diagnosis and repair
information on the engines, transmission, axle,
suspension, brakes, electrical, steering, body, etc.
Service Bulletins
Service Bulletins give additional technical service
information needed to knowledgeably service
General Motors cars and trucks. Each bulletin
contains instructions to assist in the diagnosis
and service of your vehicle.
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Black plate (16,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Owner Information
Owner publications are written specifically for owners
and intended to provide basic operational information
about the vehicle. The Owner Manual includes the
Maintenance Schedule for all models.
In-Portfolio: Includes a Portfolio, Owner Manual, and
Warranty Booklet.
RETAIL SELL PRICE: $35.00 (U.S.) plus handling and
shipping fees
Without Portfolio: Owner Manual only.
RETAIL SELL PRICE: $25.00 (U.S.) plus handling and
shipping fees
Current and Past Models
Technical Service Bulletins and Manuals are available
for current and past model GM vehicles.
ORDER TOLL FREE: 1-800-551-4123
Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Eastern Time
For Credit Card Orders Only
(VISA-MasterCard-Discover), visit Helm, Inc.,
at: www.helminc.com
Or you can write to:Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
Prices are subject to change without notice and without
incurring obligation. Allow ample time for delivery.
Note to Canadian Customers: All listed prices are
quoted in U.S. funds. Canadian residents are to make
checks payable in U.S. funds.
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Black plate (17,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Data Recording and
Privacy
Your GM vehicle has a number of sophisticated
computers that record information about the vehicle’s
performance and how it is driven. For example, your
vehicle uses computer modules to monitor and control
engine and transmission performance, to monitor the
conditions for airbag deployment and deploy airbags in
a crash, and, if so equipped, to provide antilock braking
to help the driver control the vehicle. These modules
may store data to help your dealer technician service
your vehicle. Some modules may also store data about
how you operate the vehicle, such as rate of fuel
consumption or average speed. These modules may
also retain the owner’s personal preferences, such as
radio pre-sets, seat positions, and temperature settings.
Event Data Recorders
This vehicle has an Event Data Recorder (EDR).
The main purpose of an EDR is to record, in certain
crash or near crash-like situations, such as an airbag
deployment or hitting a road obstacle, data that will
assist in understanding how a vehicle's systems
performed. The EDR is designed to record data related to vehicle dynamics and safety systems for a short
period of time, typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in
this vehicle is designed to record such data as:
.How various systems in your vehicle were
operating
.Whether or not the driver and passenger safety
belts were buckled/fastened
.How far, if at all, the driver was pressing the
accelerator and/or brake pedal
.How fast the vehicle was traveling
This data can help provide a better understanding of the
circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur.
Important: EDR data is recorded by your vehicle only if
a non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data is recorded
by the EDR under normal driving conditions and no
personal data (e.g., name, gender, age, and crash
location) is recorded. However, other parties, such as
law enforcement, could combine the EDR data with the
type of personally identifying data routinely acquired
during a crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equipment
is required, and access to the vehicle or the EDR is
needed. In addition to the vehicle manufacturer, other
parties, such as law enforcement, that have the special
equipment, can read the information if they have access
to the vehicle or the EDR.
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Black plate (18,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
GM will not access this data or share it with others
except: with the consent of the vehicle owner or, if the
vehicle is leased, with the consent of the lessee; in
response to an official request of police or similar
government office; as part of GM's defense of litigation
through the discovery process; or, as required by law.
Data that GM collects or receives may also be used for
GM research needs or may be made available to others
for research purposes, where a need is shown and the
data is not tied to a specific vehicle or vehicle owner.
OnStar®
If your vehicle is equipped with an active OnStar
system, that system may also record data in crash or
near crash‐like situations. The OnStar Terms and
Conditions provides information on data collection and
use and is available in the OnStar glove box kit, at
www.onstar.com (U.S.) or www.onstar.ca (Canada),
or by pressing the
Qbutton and speaking to an
advisor.
Navigation System
If the vehicle has a navigation system, use of the
system may result in the storage of destinations,
addresses, telephone numbers, and other trip
information. Refer to the navigation system operating
manual for information on stored data and for deletion
instructions.
Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID)
RFID technology is used in some vehicles for functions
such as tire pressure monitoring and ignition system
security, as well as in connection with conveniences
such as key fobs for remote door locking/unlocking and
starting, and in-vehicle transmitters for garage door
openers. RFID technology in GM vehicles does not use
or record personal information or link with any other GM
system containing personal information.
Radio Frequency Statement
This vehicle has systems that operate on a radio
frequency that comply with Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) rules and with
Industry Canada Standards RSS‐210/220/310.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1. The device may not cause interference.
2. The device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Changes or modifications to any of these systems by
other than an authorized service facility could void
authorization to use this equipment.
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A
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-3
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Accessory Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-103
Additives, Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-6
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-19
Air Filter, Passenger Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-42
AirbagAdding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-69
Airbag System How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-61
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-64
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 2-68
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-61
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . 2-62
When Should an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-59
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-57
Airbags Passenger Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-54
Analog Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34 Antenna
Backglass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-116
Antenna, XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-116
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-4 Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-51
Appearance Care
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . .6-100
Care of Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-97
Chemical Paint Spotting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-101
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-98
Fabric/Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-95
Finish Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-98
Finish Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-101
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other PlasticSurfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-97
Interior Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-94
Leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-96
Sheet Metal Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-101
Speaker Covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-97
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-101
Underbody Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-101
Washing Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-98
Weatherstrips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-97
Windshield and Wiper Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-99
Wood Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-97
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Audio System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-86Audio Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-114
Navigation/Radio System, see Navigation
Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-106
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-115
Setting the Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-87
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-114
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System . . . . . . . . . . . 4-116
Audio System(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-90
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-21
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
B
Backglass Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-116
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-36
Electric Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30
Inadvertent Power Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Run-Down Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-107
Brake Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5 Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-33
Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-50
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-3
Braking in Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-5
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Bulb Replacement Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-43
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-46
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . 6-46
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-68
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10, 3-35
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
California Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-6
Canadian Owners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
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