Black plate (32,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release thebrake pedal until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift the transmission into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal while you:
.start the engine,
.shift into a gear, and
.release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
The vehicle needs service more often when pulling a
trailer. See Scheduled Maintenanceon page 7‑3for
more information. Things that are especially important
in trailer operation are automatic transmission fluid,
engine oil, belts, cooling system and brake system. It is
a good idea to inspect these before and during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
The cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. See Engine Overheating
on page 6‑29.
Changing a Tire When Trailer Towing
If the vehicle gets a flat tire while towing a trailer, be
sure to secure the trailer and disconnect it from the
vehicle before changing the tire.
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Black plate (1,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
California Proposition 65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Gasoline Octane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
California Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Checking Things Under the Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-12
Hood Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-15
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-19
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-21
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-26
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-29 Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-31
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-32
Windshield Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-32
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-33
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-36
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-38
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-43
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-46
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . 6-46
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . .6-46
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-48
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-49
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-54
Inflation - Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-57
High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-59
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-60
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-61
Tire Inspection and Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-65
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-67
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-68
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-70
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-70
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-72
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-72
6-1
Black plate (4,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
California Proposition 65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this one, contain and/or
emit chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive
harm. Engine exhaust, many parts and systems, many
fluids, and some component wear by-products contain
and/or emit these chemicals.
California Perchlorate Materials
Requirements
Certain types of automotive applications, such as
airbag initiators, seat belt pretensioners, and lithium
batteries contained in remote keyless transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials. Special handling
may be necessary. For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.
Doing Your Own Service Work
{WARNING:
You can be injured and the vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a vehicle
without knowing enough about it.
.Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts,
and tools before attempting any vehicle
maintenance task.
.Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts, and
other fasteners. English and metric fasteners
can be easily confused. If the wrong fasteners
are used, parts can later break or fall off. You
could be hurt.
If doing some of your own service work, use the proper
service manual. It tells you much more about how to
service the vehicle than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see Service Publications
Ordering Information on page 8‑15.
6-4
Black plate (5,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
This vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting
to do your own service work, seeServicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 2‑68.
Keep a record with all parts receipts and list the mileage
and the date of any service work performed. See
Maintenance Record on page 7‑12.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
the Vehicle
Things added to the outside of the vehicle can affect
the airflow around it. This can cause wind noise and
can affect fuel economy and windshield washer
performance. Check with your dealer before adding
equipment to the outside of the vehicle.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part
of the proper maintenance of this vehicle. To help
keep the engine clean and maintain optimum vehicle
performance, we recommend the use of gasoline
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.
Look for the TOP TIER label on the fuel pump to ensure
gasoline meets enhanced detergency standards
developed by auto companies. A list of marketers
providing TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline can be found
at www.toptiergas.com.
Gasoline Octane
Use premium unleaded gasoline with a posted
octane rating of 91 or higher. You can also use
regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher,
but the vehicle's acceleration could be slightly reduced,
and a slight audible knocking noise, commonly referred
to as spark knock, might be heard. If the octane is less
than 87, you might notice a heavy knocking noise
when you drive. If this occurs, use a gasoline rated
at 87 octane or higher as soon as possible.
6-5
Black plate (6,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Otherwise, you could damage the engine. If heavy
knocking is heard when using gasoline rated
at 87 octane or higher, the engine needs service.
Gasoline Specifications
At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM
specification D 4814 in the United States or
CAN/CGSB‐3.5 or 3.511 in Canada. Some
gasolines contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT). We recommend against the use of gasolines
containing MMT. SeeAdditives
on page 6‑6for
additional information.
California Fuel
If the vehicle is certified to meet California Emissions
Standards, it is designed to operate on fuels that meet
California specifications. See the underhood emission
control label. If this fuel is not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, the vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
might be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp could
turn on and the vehicle might fail a smog‐check test. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 4‑54. If this
occurs, return to your authorized dealer for diagnosis.
If it is determined that the condition is caused by the
type of fuel used, repairs might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that help prevent
engine and fuel system deposits from forming, allowing
the emission control system to work properly. In most
cases, nothing should have to be added to the fuel.
However, some gasolines contain only the minimum
amount of additive required to meet U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency regulations. To help keep fuel
injectors and intake valves clean, or if the vehicle
experiences problems due to dirty injectors or valves,
look for gasoline that is advertised as TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline.
For customers who do not use TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline regularly, one bottle of GM Fuel System
Treatment PLUS, added to the fuel tank at every engine
oil change, can help clean deposits from fuel injectors
and intake valves. GM Fuel System Treatment PLUS is
the only gasoline additive recommended by General
Motors.
6-6
Black plate (8,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Filling the Tank
{WARNING:
Fuel vapor burns violently and a fuel fire can
cause bad injuries. To help avoid injuries to you
and others, read and follow all the instructions on
the fuel pump island. Turn off the engine when
refueling. Do not smoke near fuel or when
refueling the vehicle. Do not use cellular phones.
Keep sparks, flames, and smoking materials away
from fuel. Do not leave the fuel pump unattended
when refueling the vehicle. This is against the law
in some places. Do not re-enter the vehicle while
pumping fuel. Keep children away from the fuel
pump; never let children pump fuel.
The tethered fuel cap is located behind a hinged fuel
door on the driver side of the vehicle.
6-8
Black plate (12,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Checking Things Under
the Hood
{WARNING:
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing, and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
{WARNING:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like fuel, oil,
coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and other
fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others could
be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill things
that will burn onto a hot engine.
6-12
Black plate (14,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Engine Compartment Overview
When you open the hood, here is what you will see:
4.6L L37 Engine shown, 4.6L LD8 Engine similar
6-14