Black plate (29,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
When automatic lighting is on and it is bright enough
outside, the regular lamps go off, and the DRL takes
over. If the vehicle is started in a dark garage, the
automatic headlamp system comes on immediately.
Once you leave the garage, it will take approximately
one minute for the automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL if there is light outside. During that
delay, the instrument panel cluster may not be as bright
as usual. Make sure the instrument panel brightness
knob is in the full bright position. SeeInstrument Panel
Brightness on page 4‑30.
Turning on automatic lighting or the headlamps will
deactivate the DRL. If the parking lamps or the fog
lamps were turned on instead, the DRL will still
deactivate.
To idle the vehicle with the DRL off at night, turn off
automatic lighting and shift the transmission into
P (Park). Placing the vehicle in P (Park) disables the
DRL. The DRL will stay off until the vehicle is shifted
out of P (Park).
To drive the vehicle with the DRL off, turn off automatic
lighting and manually turn on the parking lamps or fog
lamps, if the vehicle has them.
The regular headlamp system should be turned on
when needed.Fog Lamps
The fog lamps button is on the exterior lamps control to
the left of the steering column.
#(Fog Lamps): Press to turn the fog lamps on or off.
A light comes on in the instrument panel cluster when
the fog lamps are in use. See Instrument Panel Cluster
on page 4‑45. The ignition must be in the ON/RUN
position for the fog lamps to work.
The fog lamps will go off when the headlamps are
changed to high-beam.
Some localities have laws that require the headlamps to
be on along with the fog lamps.
Cornering Lamps
The cornering lamps come on when the headlamps or
parking lamps are on and you signal a turn with the
multifunction lever. They provide more light for
cornering.
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Black plate (39,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
The heated outside rearview mirrors will turn on to help
clear fog or frost from the surface of the mirror when the
rear window defogger is on.
Notice:Do not use a razor blade or sharp object
to clear the inside rear window. Do not adhere
anything to the defogger grid lines in the rear glass.
These actions may damage the rear defogger.
Repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Sensors
The solar sensor, located in the defrost grille, middle of
the instrument panel, monitors the solar radiation. Do
not cover the solar sensor or the system will not work
properly.
There is also an interior
temperature sensor
located next to the
steering wheel that
measures the temperature
of the air inside the
vehicle.
There is also an exterior temperature sensor located
behind the front grille. This sensor reads the outside air
temperature and helps maintain the temperature inside
the vehicle. Any cover on the front of the vehicle could
cause a false reading in the displayed temperature.
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Black plate (56,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
.If the vehicle has been driven through a deep
puddle of water, the vehicle's electrical system
might be wet. The condition is usually corrected
when the electrical system dries out. A few driving
trips should turn the light off.
.Make sure to fuel the vehicle with quality fuel.
Poor fuel quality causes the engine not to run as
efficiently as designed and can cause: stalling
after start-up, stalling when the vehicle is changed
into gear, misfiring, hesitation on acceleration,
or stumbling on acceleration. These conditions
might go away once the engine is warmed up.
If one or more of these conditions occurs, change
the fuel brand used. It will require at least one full
tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.See Gasoline Octane on page 6‑5.
If none of the above have made the light turn off,
your dealer can check the vehicle. The dealer has the
proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to fix any
mechanical or electrical problems that might have
developed.
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments may have
programs to inspect the on-vehicle emission control
equipment For the inspection, the emission system
test equipment is connected to the vehicle’s Data Link
Connector (DLC).
The DLC is under the instrument panel to the left
of the steering wheel. See your dealer if assistance is
needed.
The vehicle may not pass inspection if:
.the Malfunction Indicator Lamp is on with the
engine running, or if the light does not come on
when the ignition is turned to ON/RUN while the
engine is off.
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Black plate (59,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Fuel Gauge
The fuel gauge shows
approximately how much
fuel is in the tank. It works
only when the engine
is on.
An arrow on the fuel gauge indicates the side of the
vehicle the fuel door is on.
If the fuel supply gets low, the FUEL LEVEL LOW
message appears in the Driver Information Center
and a single chime sounds. See DIC Warnings and
Messages
on page 4‑65for more information.
Here are a few situations that may occur with the fuel
gauge. All of these situations are normal and do not
indicate that anything is wrong with the fuel gauge:
.At the gas station the gas pump shuts off before
the gauge reads full.
.The gauge may change when the vehicle is
turning, stops quickly or accelerates quickly.
.It takes a little more or less fuel to fill the tank than
the gauge indicated. For example, the gauge may
have indicated that the tank was half full, but it
actually took a little more or less than half the
tank's capacity to fill the tank.
Driver Information Center (DIC)
The Driver Information Center (DIC) gives you the
status of many of your vehicle's systems. The DIC is
also used to display warning/status messages. All
messages will appear in the DIC display located at
the bottom of the instrument panel cluster, below the
tachometer and speedometer. The DIC buttons are
located on the instrument panel, to the left of the
steering wheel.
The DIC comes on when the ignition is on. After a short
delay, the DIC will display the information that was last
displayed before the engine was turned off.
The top line of the DIC display shows the vehicle
system information and the warning/status messages.
The bottom line of the DIC display shows the odometer
on the left side. The bottom line of the DIC display also
shows a digital speedometer on the right side.
If a problem is detected, a warning message will appear
on the display. Be sure to take any message that
appears on the display seriously and remember that
clearing the message will only make the message
disappear, not correct the problem.
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Black plate (60,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
DIC Operation and Displays
The Driver Information
Center (DIC) has different
displays which can be
accessed by pressing the
DIC buttons located on
the instrument panel, to
the left of the steering
wheel.
3Trip/Fuel:Press this button to scroll through the
trip and fuel displays. See “Trip/Fuel Display Menu
Items” following for more information on these displays.
TVehicle Information: Press this button to scroll
through the vehicle information displays. See “Vehicle
Information Display Menu Items” following for more
information on these displays.
UCustomization: Press this button to scroll through
each of the customization features. See DIC Vehicle
Customization
on page 4‑77for more information on
the customization features.
VSet/Reset: Press this button to reset certain DIC
features and to acknowledge DIC warning messages
and clear them from the DIC display.
y zMenu Up/Down: Press this button to scroll up
and down the menu items.
Trip/Fuel Display Menu Items
3
(Trip/Fuel): The following display menu items can
be displayed by pressing the trip/fuel button:
TRIP A or TRIP B
These displays show the current distance traveled
since the last reset for each trip odometer in either
kilometers (km) or miles (mi). Both odometers can be
used at the same time. Each trip odometer can be reset
to zero separately by pressing and holding the set/reset
button for a few seconds while the desired trip odometer
is displayed.
FUEL RANGE
This display shows the approximate number of
remaining kilometers (km) or miles (mi) you can drive
without refilling the fuel tank. This estimate is based on
the current driving conditions and will change if the
driving conditions change. For example, if you are
driving in traffic and making frequent stops, the display
may read one number, but if you enter the freeway, the
number may change even though you still have the
same amount of fuel in the fuel tank. This is because
different driving conditions produce different fuel
economies. Generally, freeway driving produces better
fuel economy than city driving.
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Black plate (73,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
SERVICE PARKING ASSIST
If your vehicle has the Ultrasonic Front and Rear
Parking Assist (UFRPA) system, this message displays
if there is a problem with the UFRPA system. Do not
use this system to help you park. SeeUltrasonic Front
and Rear Parking Assist (UFRPA)
on page 3‑38for
more information. See your dealer for service.
SERVICE POWER STEERING
Your vehicle may have a speed variable assist steering
system. See Steering on page 5‑8.
This message displays if a problem is detected with
the speed variable assist steering system. When this
message is displayed, you may notice that the effort
required to steer the vehicle decreases or feels lighter,
but you will still be able to steer the vehicle.
SERVICE RADAR CRUISE
This message displays when the Adaptive Cruise
Control (ACC) system and the Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) system are disabled and need service. See your
dealer.
SERVICE SIDE BLIND ZONE ALERT
SYSTEM
If your vehicle has the Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
system and this message displays, both SBZA displays
will remain on indicating there is a problem with the
SBZA system. If these displays remain on after
continued driving, the system needs service. See your
dealer. See Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
on page 3‑42for more information.
SERVICE STABILITRAK
Your vehicle may have a vehicle stability enhancement
system called StabiliTrak®. SeeStabiliTrak®Systemon
page 5‑6.
This message displays if there has been a problem
detected with the StabiliTrak system.
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, your vehicle needs service.
Have the StabiliTrak system inspected by your dealer
as soon as possible.
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Black plate (75,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
SIDE BLIND ZONE ALERT
SYSTEM OFF
If your vehicle has the Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
system, this message displays when the SBZA system
has been turned off. SeeSide Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
on page 3‑42andDIC Operation and Displayson
page 4‑60for more information.
SIDE BLIND ZONE SYSTEM
UNAVAILABLE
If your vehicle has the Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
system, this message displays when the SBZA system
is disabled because the sensor is blocked and cannot
detect vehicles in your blind zone. The sensor may be
blocked by mud, dirt, snow, ice, or slush. This message
may also display during heavy rain or due to road spray.
It may also come on when driving in isolated areas
with no guardrails, trees, or road signs and light traffic.
Your vehicle does not need service. For cleaning
instructions, see Washing Your Vehicle
on page 6‑98.
See Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)on page 3‑42for
more information.
SPEED LIMIT XXX MPH (km/h)
This message displays when the Speed Alert has
been turned on through the DIC Information Menu
and the vehicle is at or above the speed limit. See DIC
Operation and Displays
on page 4‑60for more
information.
SPEED LIMITED TO XXX MPH (km/h)
This message displays when your vehicle speed is
limited to 128 km/h (80 mph) because the vehicle
detects a problem in the speed variable assist steering,
magnetic ride control, or automatic leveling control
systems. Have your vehicle serviced by your dealer.
STABILITRAK NOT READY
If your vehicle has StabiliTrak, this message may
display and the Traction Control System and StabiliTrak
Warning Light on the instrument panel cluster may be
on after first driving the vehicle and exceeding 30 km/h
(19 mph) for 30 seconds. The StabiliTrak system is not
functional until the light has turned off. See StabiliTrak
®
Systemon page 5‑6for more information.
STARTING DISABLED SERVICE
THROTTLE
This message displays when your vehicle's throttle
system is not functioning properly. Have your vehicle
serviced by your dealer.
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Black plate (84,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
EASY EXIT RECALL
If your vehicle has this feature, it allows you to select
your preference for the automatic easy exit seat feature.
SeeMemory Seat, Mirrors and Steering Wheel
on
page 2‑6for more information.
Press the customization button until EASY EXIT
RECALL appears on the DIC display. Press the set/
reset button once to access the settings for this feature.
Then press the menu up/down button to scroll through
the following settings:
DOOR BUTTON ONLY: No automatic seat exit recall
will occur. The recall will only occur after pressing the
easy exit seat button.
BUTTON AND KEY OUT (default): If the features are
enabled through the EASY EXIT SETUP menu, the
driver's seat will move back, and if the vehicle has the
power tilt wheel and telescopic steering feature, the
power steering column will move up and forward when
the key is removed from the ignition or after pressing
the easy exit seat button.
The automatic easy exit seat movement will only occur
one time after the key is removed from the ignition.
If the automatic movement has already occurred, and
you put the key back in the ignition and remove it again,
the seat and steering column will stay in the original exit
position, unless a memory recall took place prior to
removing the key again. NO CHANGE:
No change will be made to this feature.
The current setting will remain.
To select a setting, press the set/reset button while the
desired setting is displayed on the DIC.EASY EXIT SETUP
If your vehicle has this feature, it allows you to select
which areas will recall with the automatic easy exit seat
feature. It also allows you to turn off the automatic easy
exit feature. See Memory Seat, Mirrors and Steering
Wheel
on page 2‑6and “EASY EXIT RECALL” earlier
for more information.
Press the customization button until EASY EXIT SETUP
appears on the DIC display. Press the set/reset button
once to access the settings for this feature. Then press
the menu up/down button to scroll through the following
settings:
OFF: No automatic seat exit will recall.
SEAT ONLY: The driver's seat will recall.
TILT ONLY: The steering wheel tilt feature will recall.
TELESCOPE ONLY: The steering column telescope
feature will recall.
SEAT/TILT: The driver's seat and the steering wheel tilt
feature will recall.
SEAT/TELESCOPE: The driver's seat and the steering
column telescope feature will recall.
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