Black plate (2,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
2011 Cadillac DTS Owner ManualM
Service and Appearance Care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Checking Things Under the Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-43
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-46
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . 6-46
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-48
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-94
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-102
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-103
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112 Maintenance Schedule
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Customer Assistance Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Customer Assistance and Information . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-2
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-14
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-17
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1
Black plate (55,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Malfunctions often are indicated by the system before
any problem is apparent. Being aware of the light can
prevent more serious damage to the vehicle. This
system assists the service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.
Notice:If the vehicle is continually driven with this
light on, after a while, the emission controls might
not work as well, the vehicle fuel economy might
not be as good, and the engine might not run as
smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs that
might not be covered by the vehicle warranty.
Notice: Modifications made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake, or fuel system of
the vehicle or the replacement of the original tires
with other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect the vehicle's emission
controls and can cause this light to come on.
Modifications to these systems could lead to costly
repairs not covered by the vehicle warranty. This
could also result in a failure to pass a required
Emission Inspection/Maintenance test. See
Accessories and Modifications on page 6‑3.
This light comes on during a malfunction in one of
two ways:
Light Flashing: A misfire condition has been detected.
A misfire increases vehicle emissions and could
damage the emission control system on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be required. To prevent more serious damage to the vehicle:
.Reduce vehicle speed.
.Avoid hard accelerations.
.Avoid steep uphill grades.
.If towing a trailer, reduce the amount of cargo
being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park the vehicle.
Turn the vehicle off, wait at least 10 seconds, and
restart the engine. If the light is still flashing, follow the
previous steps and see your dealer for service as soon
as possible.
Light On Steady: An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be required.
An emission system malfunction might be corrected by
doing the following:
.Make sure the fuel cap is fully installed. See Filling
the Tankon page 6‑8. The diagnostic system
can determine if the fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel cap
allows fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. A few
driving trips with the cap properly installed should
turn the light 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 (76,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
THEFT ATTEMPTED
This symbol appears with
this message.
This message displays if the content theft-deterrent
system has detected a break-in attempt while you were
away from your vehicle. See Content Theft-Deterrent
on
page 3‑19for more information.
TIGHTEN GAS CAP
This message displays when the fuel cap has not been
fully tightened. Recheck the fuel cap to ensure that it is
on and tightened properly.
TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE
This message displays when the Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS) is re-learning the tire positions on your
vehicle. The tire positions must be re-learned after
rotating the tires or after replacing a tire or sensor. See
Tire Inspection and Rotation
on page 6‑65,
Tire Pressure Monitor Systemon page 6‑60, and
Inflation - Tire Pressureon page 6‑57for more
information.
TRACTION CONTROL OFF
This message displays when the Traction Control
System (TCS) is turned off. Adjust your driving
accordingly. See Traction Control System (TCS)
on
page 5‑6for more information.
TRACTION CONTROL ON
This message displays when the Traction Control
System (TCS) is turned on. See Traction Control
System (TCS)
on page 5‑6for more information.
TRANSMISSION HOT IDLE ENGINE
Notice: If you drive the vehicle while the
transmission fluid is overheating and the
transmission temperature warning is displayed
on the instrument panel cluster and/or DIC, you
can damage the transmission. This could lead to
costly repairs that would not be covered by the
warranty. Do not drive your vehicle with overheated
transmission fluid or while the transmission
temperature warning is displayed.
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Black plate (22,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Refer to your vehicle's Tire and Loading
Information label for specific information about
your vehicle's capacity weight and seating
positions. The combined weight of the driver,
passengers, and cargo should never exceed your
vehicle's capacity weight.
Certification Label
A vehicle specific Certification label is attached
to the rear edge of the driver's door. This label
shows the gross weight capacity of your vehicle,
called the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).The GVWR includes the weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, fuel, and cargo. Never exceed the
GVWR for your vehicle, or the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) for either the front or rear axle.
If your vehicle is a Professional Vehicle,
the vehicle specific Certification label is
provided by the final stage manufacturer. The
coach‐builder should be consulted if the final
stage manufacturer's label is not present. The
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating GVWR label should
be on the driver's door edge.
If you do have a heavy load, you should spread it
out. See
“Steps for Determining Correct Load
Limit” earlier in this section.
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Black plate (27,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Notice:Pulling a trailer improperly can damage the
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by
the vehicle warranty. To pull a trailer correctly,
follow the advice in this section and see your dealer
for important information about towing a trailer with
the vehicle.
The vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with
the proper trailer towing equipment. To identify the
trailering capacity of the vehicle, read the information
in “Weight of the Trailer” that appears later in this
section. Trailering is different than just driving the
vehicle by itself. Trailering means changes in handling,
acceleration, braking, durability and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering takes correct equipment, and
it has to be used properly.
The following information has many time-tested,
important trailering tips and safety rules. Many of
these are important for the safety of the driver and the
passengers. So please read this section carefully before
pulling a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine,
transmission, axles, wheel assemblies and tires are
forced to work harder against the drag of the added
weight. The engine is required to operate at relatively
higher speeds and under greater loads, generating
extra heat. The trailer also adds considerably to wind
resistance, increasing the pulling requirements.Pulling A Trailer
Here are some important points:
.There are many different laws, including speed
limit restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make
sure the rig will be legal, not only where you live
but also where you will be driving. A good source
for this information can be state or provincial
police.
.Do not tow a trailer at all during the
first 1,000 miles (1600 km) the new vehicle
is driven. The engine, transmission or other
parts could be damaged. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle's warranty.
.Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that a
trailer is towed, do not drive over 50 mph (80 km/h)
and do not make starts at full throttle. This helps
the engine and other parts of the vehicle wear in at
the heavier loads.
.Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift the
transmission to a lower gear if the transmission
shifts too often under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
.Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Do not drive faster than the maximum posted
speed for trailers, or no more than 55 mph
(90 km/h), to save wear on the vehicle's parts.
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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 (9,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
To open the fuel door, push the rearward center edge in
and release and it will open.
To remove the fuel cap, turn it slowly counterclockwise.
The fuel cap has a spring in it; if the cap is released too
soon, it will spring back to the right.While refueling, hang the tethered fuel cap from the
hook on the fuel door.
{WARNING:
Fuel can spray out on you if you open the fuel cap
too quickly. If you spill fuel and then something
ignites it, you could be badly burned. This spray
can happen if the tank is nearly full, and is more
likely in hot weather. Open the fuel cap slowly and
wait for any hiss noise to stop. Then unscrew the
cap all the way.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Do not top off or overfill the
tank and wait a few seconds after you have finished
pumping before removing the nozzle. Clean fuel from
painted surfaces as soon as possible. See Washing
Your Vehicle on page 6‑98.
6-9