2011 CADILLAC STS towing

Black plate (37,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
WARNING: (Continued)
death. Never run the engine in an enclosed area
that has no fresh air ventilation. For more
information, seeEngine Exhaust on page 3‑36.
{WARNING:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the
automatic transmission 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 after you move the shift lever to P (Park).
Follow the proper steps to be sure the vehicle will not
move. See Shifting Into Park on page 3‑34.
If parking on a hill and pulling a trailer, see Towing a
Trailer on page 5‑31.
Mirrors
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror
The vehicle may have an inside rearview mirror with
automatic dimming and OnStar®controls; or it may
have OnStar®and a compass display. See the OnStar®
owner guide and/or Compasson page 3‑38for more
information.
O(On/Off): Press to turn the dimming feature on or off.
Automatic Dimming Mirror Operation
Automatic dimming reduces the glare of lights from
behind the vehicle. The dimming feature comes on and
the indicator light illuminates each time the vehicle is
started.
Cleaning the Mirror
Do not spray glass cleaner directly on the mirror. Use a
soft towel dampened with water.
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Black plate (45,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
The SBZA detection zones do not change if the vehicle
is towing a trailer. So be extra careful when changing
lanes while towing a trailer.
How the System Works
Left Side Mirror DisplayRight Side Mirror Display
When the vehicle is started, both outside mirror displays
will briefly come on to indicate that the system is
operating. When the vehicle is moving forward, the left
or right side mirror SBZA display will light up if a vehicle
is detected in that blind zone. When the turn signal is
used and a vehicle has been detected on the same
side, the SBZA display will flash to give you extra
warning not to change lanes.
SBZA displays do not come on while the vehicle is
approaching or passing other vehicles.
I(SBZA): To turn SBZA on or off, press the
CONFIG hard key located on the navigation radio,
then press
I. See “Configure Menu” in the index
of the Navigation System manual. The symbol will be
highlighted when the feature is active. If SBZA is
disabled by the driver, the SBZA mirror displays will
not light up.
When the System Does Not Seem To Work
Properly
Occasional missed alerts can occur under normal
circumstances and will increase in wet conditions.
The system does not need to be serviced due to an
occasional missed alert. The number of missed alerts
will increase with increased rainfall or road spray.
If the SBZA displays do not light up when the system is
on and vehicles are in the blind zone, the system may
need service. Take the vehicle to your dealer.
SBZA is designed to ignore stationary objects; however,
the system may occasionally light up due to guard rails,
signs, trees, shrubs, and other stationary objects. This
is normal system operation, the vehicle does not need
service.
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Black plate (26,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Highway Exit Ramps
{WARNING:
Adaptive Cruise Control may lose track of the
vehicle ahead and accelerate up to your set
speed while entering or on highway exit ramps.
You could be startled by this acceleration and
even lose control of the vehicle. Disengage
Adaptive Cruise Control before entering a
highway exit ramp. Do not use Adaptive Cruise
Control while entering or on exit ramps.
Other Vehicle Lane Changes
If another vehicle enters the same lane as you,
Adaptive Cruise Control will not detect the vehicle until
it is completely in the lane. Be ready to take action and
apply the brakes yourself.
Using Adaptive Cruise Controls on Hills
and When Towing a Trailer
How well Adaptive Cruise Control works on hills
and while a trailer is being towed depends on your
vehicle speed, vehicle load, traffic conditions, and the
steepness of the hills. It might not detect a vehicle in
your lane while driving on hills. While going up steep
hills, you might want to use the accelerator pedal to
maintain your vehicle speed. While going downhill and
towing a trailer, you might might have to brake to keep
the vehicle speed down. When the brakes are applied
the cruise control is disengaged. You may choose not to
use Adaptive Cruise Control on steep hills when towing
a trailer.
Disengaging Adaptive Cruise Control
Apply the brake pedal or move the Adaptive Cruise
Control switch to off, to disengage the system. Adaptive
Cruise Control information does not appear on the HUD
while the system is not engaged.
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Black plate (58,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Brake System Warning Light
The vehicle brake system consists of two hydraulic
circuits. If one circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the vehicle. For normal
braking performance, both circuits need to be working
If the warning light comes on, there is a brake problem.
Have the brake system inspected right away.
EnglishMetric
This light comes on briefly when the engine is turned
on. If it does not come on then, have it fixed so it will
be ready to warn if there is a problem. When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
also comes on when the parking brake is set. The light
will stay on if the parking brake does not release fully.
If it stays on after the parking brake is fully released, it
means there is a brake problem.
If the light comes on while driving, pull off the road and
stop carefully.The pedal may be harder to push, or the
pedal may go closer to the floor. It may take longer to
stop. If the light is still on, have the vehicle towed for
service. See
Towing Your Vehicle on page 5‑29.
{WARNING:
The brake system might not be working properly if
the brake system warning light is on. Driving with
the brake system warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after the vehicle has
been pulled off the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for service.
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Black plate (63,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
This light should come on
when the ignition is on,
but the engine is not
running, as a check to
show it is working. If it
does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer.
If the check engine light comes on and stays on, while
the engine is running, this indicates that there is an
OBD II problem and service is required.
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 6‑4.
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.
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Black plate (1,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Section 5 Driving Your Vehicle
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle. . . . . . . . . .5-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Braking in Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Enhanced StabiliTrak®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Passing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14 Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Driving at Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Before Leaving on a Long Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Loading the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Towing Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Towing a Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
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Black plate (23,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
Turn the steering wheel left and right to clear the area
around the front wheels. Turn off any traction or stability
system. Shift back and forth between R (Reverse) and a
forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible.
To prevent transmission wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transmission is in gear. Slowly spinning
the wheels in the forward and reverse directions causes
a rocking motion that could free the vehicle. If that does
not get the vehicle out after a few tries, it might need to
be towed out. If the vehicle does need to be towed out,
seeTowing Your Vehicle on page 5‑29.
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.
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Black plate (25,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
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).
5.Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated in
Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, the load
from your trailer will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual to determine
how this reduces the available cargo and
luggage load capacity of your vehicle.
See Towing a Trailer
on page 5‑31for
important information on towing a trailer,
towing safety rules and trailering tips.
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