Page 193 of 528

Black plate (7,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
The Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) controls are
located on the end of the
multifunction lever.
9 (Off): Turns the system off.
R (On): Turns the system on.
The Head-Up Display must be on and properly
adjusted. If the HUD is not on, FCA will not be enabled
and you will not be provided with FCA audible and
visual warnings. See Head-Up Display (HUD)
on
page 4‑38for more information.
{WARNING:
.On winding roads, FCA may not detect a
vehicle ahead. You could crash into a vehicle
ahead of you. Do not rely on FCA on winding
roads.
.When weather limits visibility, such as in fog,
rain, or snow, FCA performance is limited.
There may not be enough warning distance to
the vehicle in front of you. Do not rely on FCA
in low visibility conditions.
{WARNING:
When FCA is enabled, the Adaptive Cruise
Control switch is on. If you press another Adaptive
Cruise Control button, you might go into cruise
when you do not want to. You could be startled
and even lose control. Be careful not to press
adaptive cruise buttons unless you want to use
cruise control.
4-7
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Black plate (8,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Warning the Driver
The alert symbol will
flash on the HUD and a
warning beep will sound
when driver action may be
required.
The driver warning is active when:
.You are approaching a vehicle too quickly.
.You are following a vehicle ahead much too
closely.
See Defensive Driving
on page 5‑2for more
information.
Detecting the Vehicle Ahead
The vehicle ahead symbol will only appear on the HUD
when a vehicle ahead of you is detected in your path.
If this symbol does not appear, or disappears briefly,
FCA will not respond to vehicles you may see ahead.
The symbol may disappear on curves, highway exit
ramps, or hills. Also, when another vehicle enters the
same lane as you, the FCA system will not detect the
vehicle until it is completely in your driving lane.
{WARNING:
When the Adaptive Cruise Control radar is
blocked by snow, ice, or dirt, it may not detect a
vehicle ahead. FCA may not help you avoid a
collision under these conditions. Do not use FCA
when the radar is blocked by snow, ice, or dirt.
Keep your radar clean. See “Cleaning the
System” underAdaptive Cruise Control
on
page 4‑15
.
{WARNING:
FCA may not detect and warn soon enough to
stationary or slow-moving vehicles or other
objects ahead of you. You could crash into an
object ahead of you. Do not rely on FCA when
approaching stationary or slow-moving vehicles or
other objects.
4-8
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Black plate (9,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Unnecessary Warnings
FCA may occasionally provide an unnecessary warning
to guard rails, signs, and other stationary objects. This
is normal operation, your vehicle does not need service.
Other Messages
There are three messages that may appear on the
Driver Information Center (DIC). They are CLEAN
RADAR, RADAR CRUISE NOT READY and SERVICE
RADAR CRUISE. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages
on
page 4‑76.
Cleaning the System
The radar can become blocked by snow, ice, or dirt.
If so, you may need to turn off the engine and clean the
lens. See “Cleaning the System” underAdaptive Cruise
Control on page 4‑15.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature allows you to use the high-beam
headlamps to signal the driver in front of you that you
want to pass.
Pull and hold the turn signal/multifunction lever toward
you to use this feature. When this is done the following
will occur:
.If the headlamps are off, in low-beam or in Daytime
Running Lamps (DRL) mode, the high-beam
headlamps will turn on. They will stay on as long
as the lever is held there. Release the lever to turn
them off.
.If the headlamps are in high-beam mode, they will
switch to low beam. To return to high-beam, push
the lever forward.
4-9
Page 197 of 528

Black plate (11,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Windshield Washer
The windshield washer button is located at the end of
the windshield wiper lever on the right side of the
steering column.
K(Washer Fluid): Press and hold to spray windshield
washer fluid on the windshield. The washer will spray
until the button is released. The wipers will continue to
clear the window for about six seconds after the button
is released and then stop or return to the preset speed.
{WARNING:
In freezing weather, do not use your washer until
the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can form ice on the windshield, blocking your
vision.
If the fluid in the windshield washer fluid reservoir is low,
the message CHECK WASHER FLUID will appear on
the Driver Information Center (DIC) display. It will take
60 seconds after the bottle is refilled for this message
to turn off. For information on the correct washer fluid
mixture to use, see Windshield Washer Fluid
on
page 6‑34and Recommended Fluids and Lubricantson page 7‑9.
Headlamp Washer
For vehicles with headlamp washers, they are located
to the inside of the headlamps.
PressLlocated at the end of the windshield wiper
lever, to wash the headlamps and windshield. After the
first wash, the headlamps will be washed after the fifth
press of the windshield washer button.
The headlamps must be on to be washed. If the washer
fluid is low, the headlamp washers will not work.
See Windshield Washer
on page 4‑11for additional
information.
4-11
Page 198 of 528

Black plate (12,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Cruise Control
With cruise control, a speed of about 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).
If 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 the vehicle is in cruise control when the Traction
Control System (TCS) begins to limit wheel spin or
the stability control system activates, the cruise control
automatically disengages. See
Traction Control System
(TCS)
on page 5‑9and StabiliTrak®Systemon
page 5‑6or Enhanced StabiliTrak®on page 5‑7.
When road conditions allow you to safely use it again,
the cruise control can be turned back on.
These controls are
located on the end of
the multifunction lever.
9 (Off): Turns the system off.
R (On): Turns the system on.
+ (Resume/Accelerate): Use this position to make
the vehicle resume to a previously set speed or to
accelerate.
4-12
Page 202 of 528

Black plate (16,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
The vehicle's braking during Adaptive Cruise Control is
comparable to a person applying moderate pressure to
the vehicle's brake pedal. To disengage Adaptive Cruise
Control, apply the brake. If no vehicle is in your path,
your vehicle will react like traditional cruise control.
{WARNING:
Adaptive Cruise Control will not apply hard
braking or bring the vehicle to a complete
stop. It will not respond to stopped vehicles,
pedestrians or animals. When you are
approaching a vehicle or object, Adaptive
Cruise Control may not have time to slow your
vehicle enough to avoid a collision. 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.
{WARNING:
.On winding roads, Adaptive Cruise Control
may not detect a vehicle ahead. You could
crash into a vehicle ahead of you. Do not use
Adaptive Cruise Control on winding roads.
.Adaptive Cruise Control may not have time to
slow your vehicle enough to avoid a crash
when you are driving in conditions where
vehicles may suddenly slow or stop ahead of
you, enter your lane, or cross your vehicle's
path. If you are driving in these conditions, do
not use Adaptive Cruise Control. The warning
beep and alert symbol may indicate that you
are driving in conditions where Adaptive
Cruise Control should not be used. See
“Alerting the Driver” in this section.
(Continued)
4-16
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Black plate (17,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
WARNING: (Continued)
.On slippery roads, fast changes in tire traction
can cause needless wheel spinning, and you
could lose control. Do not use cruise control
on slippery roads.
.When weather limits visibility, such as when in
fog, rain, or snow conditions, Adaptive Cruise
Control performance is limited. There may not
be enough distance to adapt to the changing
traffic conditions. Do not use cruise control
when visibility is low.
The cruise controls are
located on the end of the
multifunction lever.
The Adaptive Cruise controls are located on the left
side of the steering wheel.
9 (Off): Turns the system off.
R (On): Turns the system on.
S (Resume/Increase): Use this position to make the
vehicle resume a previously set speed or increase the
set speed when Adaptive Cruise Control is already
active.
T (Set/Decrease): Press to set the speed or to
decrease the set speed when Adaptive Cruise Control
is already active.
[(Cancel): Press to disengage cruise control without
erasing the set speed from memory.
4-17
Page 204 of 528

Black plate (18,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Engaging Adaptive Cruise Control With the
Set Button
{WARNING:
If you operate Adaptive Cruise Control without
your Head-up Display (HUD) properly adjusted,
your Adaptive Cruise Control settings may not be
visible. You could forget your settings and be
startled by Adaptive Cruise Control response
and even lose control. Keep your HUD on and
properly adjusted when using Adaptive 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 set speed is selected by the driver. This is the
speed you will travel if there is no vehicle detected in
your path. To set Adaptive Cruise Control, do the following:
1. Make sure the Head-Up Display (HUD) is on and properly adjusted. You cannot engage Adaptive
Cruise Control unless the HUD is on. See Head-Up
Display (HUD)
on page 4‑38for more information.
2. Move the switch to on.
3. Get up to the desired speed.
4. Press
Tat the end of the lever and release it.
5. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
Once Adaptive Cruise Control is set, it might
immediately apply the brakes if it detects a vehicle
ahead that is too close or moving slower than your
vehicle.
4-18