Black plate (23,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
A (STOPPING THE ENGINE/LOCK/OFF):When the
vehicle is stopped, turn the ignition switch to LOCK/OFF
to turn the engine off. Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) on page 3‑24.
This is the only position in which the ignition key can be
inserted or removed. This position locks the ignition and
transmission and steering column.
Do not turn the engine off when the vehicle is moving.
This will cause a loss of power assist in the brake and
steering systems and disable the airbags.
In an emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the brakes repeatedly. This may deplete
power assist, requiring increased brake pedal
force.
2. Shift the vehicle to neutral. This can be done while the vehicle is moving. After shifting to neutral,
firmly apply the brakes and steer the vehicle to a
safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF. On vehicles with
an automatic transmission, the shift lever must
be in P (Park) to turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK/OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake
on
page 3‑29. The steering can bind with the wheels turned off center.
If this happens, move the steering wheel from right to
left while turning the key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
doesn't work, the vehicle needs service.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY):
This position lets the radio
and windshield wipers operate while the engine is off.
To use ACC/ACCESSORY, turn the key clockwise.
C (ON/RUN): This position is where the key returns to
after the vehicle is started. This position displays some
of the warning and indicator lights.
The battery could be drained if you leave the key in
the ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN position with the
engine off. You may not be able to start the vehicle if
the battery is allowed to drain for an extended period
of time.
D (START): This position starts the engine.
A warning chime will sound and the Driver Information
Center (DIC) will display DRIVER DOOR OPEN when
the driver door is opened if the ignition is in LOCK/OFF,
ACC/ACCESSORY and the key is in the ignition. See
DIC Warnings and Messages
on page 4‑65for more
information.
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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 (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 (41,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Backing
Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist (URPA) comes on
automatically when the shift lever is moved into
R (Reverse). The rear display will then briefly illuminate
to let you know the system is working.
The following describes what will occur with the rear
display as you get closer to an object detected in the
rear of your vehicle:Description Metric English
amber light 2.5 m 8 ft.
amber/amber lights 1.0 m 40 in.
amber/amber/red lights and continuous beeping for five seconds 0.6 m 23 in.
amber/amber/red lights
flashing and continuous
beeping for five seconds 0.3 m 1 ft.
The system can be disabled through the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See
“Parking Assist”under
DIC Operation and Displays
on page 4‑60for more
information.
When the System Does Not Seem to
Work Properly
If the URPA system will not activate due to a temporary
condition, the message PARK ASSIST OFF will be
displayed on the DIC and a red light will be shown on
the rear URPA display when the shift lever is moved
into R (Reverse). This occurs under the following
conditions:
.The driver disables the system.
.The ultrasonic sensors are not clean. Keep the
vehicle's rear bumper free of mud, dirt, snow, ice
and slush. For cleaning instructions, see Washing
Your Vehicle on page 6‑98.
.A trailer was attached to the vehicle, or a bicycle or
an object was hanging out of the trunk during the
last drive cycle, the red light may illuminate in the
rear display. Once the attached object is removed,
URPA will return to normal operation.
.A tow bar is attached to the vehicle.
.The vehicle's bumper is damaged. Take the vehicle
to your dealer to repair the system.
.Other conditions may affect system performance,
such as vibrations from a jackhammer or the
compression of air brakes on a very large truck.
If the system is still disabled after driving forward at
least 25 km/h (15 mph), take the vehicle to your dealer.
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Black plate (7,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
The Forward Collision Alert (FCA) system provides an
audible and visual alert if you approach a vehicle too
quickly that is directly ahead. FCA also provides a
visual alert with no audible alert if you are following
another vehicle much too closely. The FCA alert symbol
is located on top of the instrument panel to the right of
the driver. FCA uses the Adaptive Cruise Control radar
to detect a vehicle directly ahead, in your path, within a
distance of 328 ft (100 m) and operates at speeds
above 20 mph (32 km/h).
{WARNING:
FCA is only a warning system and does not apply
the brakes. When you are approaching a vehicle
or object too rapidly or when you are following a
vehicle too closely that is ahead of you, FCA may
not provide you with enough time to avoid a
collision. FCA is not designed to warn the driver of
pedestrians or animals. Your complete attention is
always required while driving and you should be
ready to take action and apply the brakes. For
more information, seeDefensive Driving
on
page 5‑2
.
The FCA control is
located on the steering
wheel.
To enable or disable FCA, press the Adaptive Cruise
Control button. See Adaptive Cruise Control
on
page 4‑14.
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Black plate (12,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Cruise Control
With cruise control, a speed of approximately 40 km/h
(25 mph) or more can be maintained without keeping
your foot on the accelerator. Cruise control does not
work at speeds below about 40 km/h (25 mph). A cruise
control light appears in the instrument panel cluster
when the cruise control is on.
When the brakes are applied, the cruise control
shuts off.
{WARNING:
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
cannot drive safely at a steady speed. So, do not
use the cruise control on winding roads or in
heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on slippery
roads. On such roads, fast changes in tire traction
can cause excessive wheel slip, and you could
lose control. Do not use cruise control on slippery
roads.If your vehicle is in cruise control when the Traction
Control System (TCS) begins to limit wheel spin, the
cruise control automatically turns off. See
Traction
Control System (TCS)
on page 5‑6. When road
conditions let you safely use it again, the cruise control
can be turned back on.
The cruise control buttons
are located on left side of
the steering wheel.
I(On/Off): Press to turn the cruise control system on
or off.
+ RES (Resume/Accelerate): Press briefly to make the
vehicle resume to a previously set speed or press and
hold to accelerate.
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Black plate (13,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
SET–(Set): Press to set the speed and activate cruise
control or make the vehicle decelerate.
[(Cancel): Press to disengage cruise control without
erasing the set speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If the cruise button is on when not in use, it could get
bumped and go into cruise when not desired. Keep the
cruise control switch off when cruise is not being used.
The cruise light on the instrument panel cluster comes
on after the cruise control has been set to the desired
speed.
1. Press
I.
2. Get up to the speed desired.
3. Press the SET– button located on the steering
wheel and release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator.
Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a desired speed and then
the brakes are applied, the cruise control is disengaged
without erasing the set speed from memory.
Once the vehicle speed is 40 km/h (25 mph) or greater,
press the +RES button on the steering wheel. The
vehicle returns to the previously set speed and stays
there.
If you press and hold the +RES button, the vehicle
speed increases until the button is released or the
brake is applied. Do not hold in the +RES button, if you
do not want the vehicle speed to increase.
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
If the cruise control is already activated,
.Press the +RES button. Hold it there until the
desired speed is reached, and then release the
button.
.To increase the vehicle speed in small amounts,
briefly press the +RES button and then release it.
Each time this is done, the vehicle goes about
1.6 km/h (1 mph) faster.
The accelerate feature only works after the cruise
control speed is set by pressing the SET– button.
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