Black plate (31,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
If you find that the latch plate will not go fully into the
buckle, see if you are using the correct buckle. Be sure
that the latch plate clicks when inserted into the buckle.
Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle's safety belt will fasten around you, you
should use it.
But if a safety belt is not long enough, your dealer will
order you an extender. When you go in to order it, take
the heaviest coat you will wear, so the extender will be
long enough for you. To help avoid personal injury, do
not let someone else use it, and use it only for the seat
it is made to fit. The extender has been designed for
adults. Never use it for securing child seats. To wear it,
attach it to the regular safety belt. For more information,
see the instruction sheet that comes with the extender.
Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster seats should
wear the vehicle's safety belts.
The manufacturer's instructions that come with the
booster seat, state the weight and height limitations for
that booster. Use a booster seat with a lap-shoulder belt
until the child passes the below fit test:
.Sit all the way back on the seat. Do the knees
bend at the seat edge? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat.
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Black plate (36,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Q: What are the different types of add-on childrestraints?
A: Add-on child restraints, which are purchased by the
vehicle's owner, are available in four basic types.
Selection of a particular restraint should take into
consideration not only the child's weight, height, and
age but also whether or not the restraint will be
compatible with the motor vehicle in which it will
be used.
For most basic types of child restraints, there are
many different models available. When purchasing a
child restraint, be sure it is designed to be used in a
motor vehicle. If it is, the restraint will have a label
saying that it meets federal motor vehicle safety
standards.
The restraint manufacturer's instructions that come
with the restraint state the weight and height
limitations for a particular child restraint. In addition,
there are many kinds of restraints available for
children with special needs.
{WARNING:
To reduce the risk of neck and head injury during
a crash, infants need complete support. This is
because an infant's neck is not fully developed
and its head weighs so much compared with
the rest of its body. In a crash, an infant in a
rear-facing child restraint settles into the restraint,
so the crash forces can be distributed across the
strongest part of an infant's body, the back and
shoulders. Infants should always be secured in
rear-facing child restraints.
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Black plate (64,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Passenger Sensing System
The vehicle has a passenger sensing system for the
right front passenger position. The passenger airbag
status indicator will be visible on the overhead console
when the vehicle is started.
United StatesCanada
The words ON and OFF, or the symbol for on and off,
are visible during the system check. If you are using
remote start, if equipped, to start the vehicle from a
distance, you may not see the system check. When
the system check is complete, either the word ON or
OFF, or the symbol for on or off, will be visible. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 4‑48.
The passenger sensing system turns off the right front
passenger frontal airbag and seat-mounted side impact
airbag under certain conditions. The driver airbags and
the roof-rail airbags are not affected by the passenger
sensing system. The passenger sensing system works with sensors
that are part of the right front passenger seat. The
sensors are designed to detect the presence of a
properly-seated occupant and determine if the right
front passenger frontal airbag and seat‐mounted side
impact airbag should be enabled (may inflate) or not.
According to accident statistics, children are safer
when properly secured in a rear seat in the correct
child restraint for their weight and size.
We recommend that children be secured in a rear seat,
including: an infant or a child riding in a rear-facing child
restraint; a child riding in a forward-facing child seat; an
older child riding in a booster seat; and children, who
are large enough, using safety belts.
A label on the sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing
child seat in the front.” This is because the risk to the
rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys.
{WARNING:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates. This is because the
back of the rear-facing child restraint would be
very close to the inflating airbag. A child in a
(Continued)
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Black plate (65,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
WARNING: (Continued)
forward-facing child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front passenger airbag
inflates and the passenger seat is in a forward
position.
Even if the passenger sensing system has turned
off the right front passenger frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag (if equipped),
no system is fail-safe. No one can guarantee that
an airbag will not deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though the airbag(s) are off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints in a rear seat,
even if the airbag(s) are off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat,
always move the front passenger seat as far back
as it will go. It is better to secure the child restraint
in a rear seat.
The passenger sensing system is designed to turn off
the right front passenger airbag and seat‐mounted side
impact airbag if:
.The right front passenger seat is unoccupied.
.The system determines that an infant is present in
a rear-facing infant seat.
.The system determines that a small child is
present in a child restraint.
.The system determines that a small child is
present in a booster seat.
.A right front passenger takes his/her weight off of
the seat for a period of time.
.The right front passenger seat is occupied by a
smaller person, such as a child who has outgrown
child restraints.
.Or, if there is a critical problem with the airbag
system or the passenger sensing system.
When the passenger sensing system has turned off the
right front passenger frontal airbag and seat‐mounted
side impact airbag, the off indicator will light and stay lit
to remind you that the airbags are off. See Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator on page 4‑48.
The passenger sensing system is designed to turn on
(may inflate) the right front passenger frontal airbag and
seat‐mounted side impact airbag anytime the system
senses that a person of adult size is sitting properly in
the right front passenger seat.
When the passenger sensing system has allowed the
airbags to be enabled, the on indicator will light and
stay lit to remind you that the airbags are active.
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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 (3,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
For persons under 21, it is against the law in every
U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical,
psychological, and developmental reasons for
these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol and
then drive.
Medical research shows that alcohol in a person's
system can make crash injuries worse, especially
injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or heart. This means
that when anyone who has been drinking—driver or
passenger —is in a crash, that person's chance of
being killed or permanently disabled is higher than if the
person had not been drinking.
Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to control the vehicle
while driving —brakes, steering, and accelerator. At
times, as when driving on snow or ice, it is easy to ask
more of those control systems than the tires and road
can provide. Meaning, you can lose control of the
vehicle. See Traction Control System (TCS)
on
page 5‑6.
Adding non‐dealer accessories can affect vehicle
performance. See Accessories and Modifications
on
page 6‑3.
Braking
See Brake System Warning Light on page 4‑50.
Braking action involves perception time and reaction
time. Deciding to push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three‐fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or
more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness,
coordination, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol,
drugs, and frustration. But even in three‐fourths of a
second, a vehicle moving at 100 km/h (60 mph) travels
20 m (66 feet). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between the
vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement or
gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is wet, dry,
or icy; tire tread; the condition of the brakes; the weight
of the vehicle; and the amount of brake force applied.
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Black plate (18,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
Loading the Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight your
vehicle can carry. This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all nonfactory‐installed
options. Two labels on your vehicle show how
much weight it may properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and the Certification
label.
{WARNING:
Do not load the vehicle any heavier than the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do, parts
on the vehicle can break, and it can change
the way the vehicle handles. These could
cause you to lose control and crash. Also,
overloading can shorten the life of the
vehicle.
Tire and Loading Information Label
Label Example
A vehicle specific Tire and Loading Information
label is attached to the vehicle's center pillar
(B-pillar). With the driver's door open, you will
find the label attached below the door lock post
(striker). The Tire and Loading Information
label shows the number of occupant seating
positions (A), and the maximum vehicle capacity
weight (B) in kilograms and pounds.
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Black plate (19,1)Cadillac DTS Owner Manual - 2011
The Tire and Loading Information label also
shows the tire size of the original equipment
tires (C) and the recommended cold tire inflation
pressures (D). For more information on tires and
inflation seeTires
on page 6‑48andInflation - Tire
Pressure
on page 6‑57.
There is also important loading information on the
Certification label. It tells you the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR) for the front and rear axle;
see “Certification Label” later in this section.
If you have a Professional Vehicle, a Tire and
Loading Information label specific to your vehicle
will be provided and installed by the final body
manufacturer. The Tire and Loading Information
label, should be attached to the B‐pillar of your
vehicle. See the final stage manufacturer's
manual or contact them directly. The label shows
the original tires installed on your professional
vehicle and the recommended cold tire inflation
pressures for those tires. The label also tells you
the professional vehicle's capacity weight.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1.Locate the statement “The combined weight
of occupants and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or XXX lbs” on your vehicle's placard.
2.Determine the combined weight of the driver
and passengers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the“XXX”amount equals
1400 lbs and there will be five 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400 −750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
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