Black plate (67,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
If the Off Indicator is Lit for an
Adult-Size Occupant
If a person of adult-size is sitting in the right front
passenger seat, but the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting properly in the seat.If this happens, use the following steps to allow the
system to detect that person and enable the right front
passenger frontal airbag and seat-mounted side impact
airbag:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove any additional material from the seat, such as blankets, cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.
3. Place the seatback in the fully upright position.
4. Have the person sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion, with legs comfortably
extended.
5. Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this position for two to three minutes after the on
indicator is lit.
Additional Factors Affecting System
Operation
Safety belts help keep the passenger in position on the
seat during vehicle maneuvers and braking, which helps
the passenger sensing system maintain the passenger
airbag status. See “Safety Belts”and“Child Restraints”
in the Index for additional information about the
importance of proper restraint use.
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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 (70,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Restraint System Check
Checking the Restraint Systems
Safety Belts
Now and then, check that the safety belt reminder light,
safety belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors, and
anchorages are all working properly.
Look for any other loose or damaged safety belt system
parts that might keep a safety belt system from doing its
job. See your dealer to have it repaired. Torn or frayed
safety belts may not protect you in a crash. They can rip
apart under impact forces. If a belt is torn or frayed, get
a new one right away.
Make sure the safety belt reminder light is working.
SeeSafety Belt Reminders
on page 4‑47for more
information.
Keep safety belts clean and dry. See Care of Safety
Belts
on page 6‑97.
Airbags
The airbag system does not need regularly scheduled
maintenance or replacement. Make sure the airbag
readiness light is working. See Airbag Readiness Light
on page 4‑48for more information.
Notice: If an airbag covering is damaged, opened,
or broken, the airbag may not work properly. Do not
open or break the airbag coverings. If there are any
opened or broken airbag covers, have the airbag
covering and/or airbag module replaced. For the
location of the airbag modules, see What Makes an
Airbag Inflate?
on page 2‑61. See your dealer for
service.
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Black plate (71,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
{WARNING:
A crash can damage the restraint systems in your
vehicle. A damaged restraint system may not
properly protect the person using it, resulting in
serious injury or even death in a crash. To help
make sure your restraint systems are working
properly after a crash, have them inspected and
any necessary replacements made as soon as
possible.
If the vehicle has been in a crash, do you need new
safety belts or LATCH system (if equipped) parts?
After a very minor crash, nothing may be necessary. But
the safety belt assemblies that were used during any
crash may have been stressed or damaged. See your
dealer to have the safety belt assemblies inspected or
replaced. If the vehicle has the LATCH system and it was being
used during a crash, you may need new LATCH system
parts.
New parts and repairs may be necessary even if the
safety belt or LATCH system (if equipped), was not
being used at the time of the crash.
If an airbag inflates, you will need to replace airbag
system parts. See the part on the airbag system earlier
in this section.
Have the safety belt pretensioners checked if the
vehicle has been in a crash, if the airbag readiness light
stays on after the vehicle is started, or while you are
driving. See
Airbag Readiness Light
on page 4‑48.
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Black plate (9,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Doors and Locks
Door Locks
{WARNING:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
.Passengers, especially children, can easily
open the doors and fall out of a moving
vehicle. When a door is locked, the handle will
not open it. The chance of being thrown out of
the vehicle in a crash is increased if the doors
are not locked. So, all passengers should
wear safety belts properly and the doors
should be locked whenever the vehicle is
driven.
.Young children who get into unlocked vehicles
may be unable to get out. A child can be
overcome by extreme heat and can suffer
permanent injuries or even death from heat
stroke. Always lock the vehicle whenever
leaving it.(Continued)
WARNING: (Continued)
.Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or stop
your vehicle. Locking your doors can help
prevent this from happening.
There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
Because the vehicle has the theft-deterrent system, you
must unlock the doors with the key or RKE transmitter
to avoid setting off the alarm.
From the outside, use either the key or the
RKE transmitter.
From the inside, use the power door lock switches or
manual lock knobs. The manual lock knobs are located
at the top of the door panel near the window.
Push the manual lock knob down to lock the door. To
unlock the door, pull up on the knob.
3-9
Black plate (54,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Storage Areas
Glove Box
Lift up the glove box handle to open it. Use the key to
lock and unlock the glove box.
Cupholders
There are cupholders located in the full floor console,
or in the front of the center seat console. Cupholders
are also located in the rear armrest. Slide the cover
back to access the full floor console cupholder. Fold
open the front of the console to access the center seat
console cupholder.
Front Storage Area
To access the front storage area, push down and then
release. Push up and forward to remove.
Center Console Storage
If the vehicle has a full floor console it has two storage
areas. Lift the left lever located in the front of the
armrest lid to access the upper storage tray . Lift
the right lever to access the lower storage area.
If the vehicle has a center seat console it will have
two storage areas. Press the button located on thefront of the armrest and lift the armrest cover to access
the upper storage area. Pull the strap located behind
the cup holder to access the lower storage area.
Center Flex Storage Unit
This vehicle may have a center flex storage unit that
includes a front center seat with a lap belt and an
underseat storage compartment. The center seatback
can also be used as an armrest. Cupholders are also
located at the front edge of the storage unit and can be
accessed by folding the compartment forward.
Pull the handle rearward to open a storage
compartment and access the accessory power outlet.
Pull out to remove.
When not being used, the center seat lap belt can be
stored in the underseat storage compartment.
Floor Mats
{WARNING:
If a floor mat is the wrong size or is not properly
installed, it can interfere with the accelerator pedal
and/or brake pedal. Interference with the pedals
can cause unintended acceleration and/or
(Continued)
3-54
Black plate (1,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Section 4 Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-3
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Tilt Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Power Tilt Wheel and Telescopic Steering Column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Windshield Wipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Windshield Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Exterior Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-25
Wiper Activated Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-28
Headlamps on Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-28
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-28
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Cornering Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30
Instrument Panel Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30 Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30
Parade Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Footwell Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Battery Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Electric Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Inadvertent Power Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Battery Run-Down Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Accessory Power Outlet(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Analog Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34
Dual Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34
Outlet Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-40
Rear Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-40
Passenger Compartment Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-42
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . .4-44
Instrument Panel Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-45
Speedometer and Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-46
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-46
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-47
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-50
4-1
Black plate (47,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Safety Belt Reminders
Driver Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the engine is started, a chime sounds for
several seconds to remind a driver to fasten the safety
belt, unless the driver safety belt is already buckled.
The safety belt light
comes on and stays on
for several seconds, then
flashes for several more.
This chime and light are repeated if the driver remains
unbuckled and the vehicle is in motion. If the driver
safety belt is already buckled, neither the chime nor the
light comes on.
Passenger Safety Belt Reminder Light
For vehicles equipped with the passenger safety belt
reminder light, several seconds after the engine is
started, a chime sounds for several seconds to remind
the front passenger to buckle their safety belt. The
passenger safety belt light, located on the instrument
panel, comes on and stays on for several seconds and
then flashes for several more.
This chime and light are
repeated if the passenger
remains unbuckled and
the vehicle is in motion.
If the passenger safety belt is buckled, neither the
chime nor the light comes on.
The front passenger safety belt warning light and chime
may turn on if an object is put on the seat such as a
briefcase, handbag, grocery bag, laptop or other
electronic device. To turn off the warning light and or
chime, remove the object from the seat or buckle the
safety belt.
4-47