2011 CADILLAC STS traction control

Black plate (60,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Traction Control System (TCS)
Warning Light
The TCS warning light
comes on briefly when
the engine is started.
If it does not, have the vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the Traction Control System (TCS) warning light
comes on and stays on, there may be a problem with
the TCS.
The light also comes on if the TCS is turned off using
the traction control on/off button located on the console.
If this light stays on or comes on while driving, pull off
the road as soon as possible and stop carefully. Turn
the engine off and then restart it. If the light still stays on
or comes back on again while driving, the vehicle needs
service. Have the TCS inspected as soon as possible.
See Traction Control System (TCS)
on page 5‑9andStabiliTrak®Systemon page 5‑6for more
information.
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Light
For vehicles with the
lane departure warning
system, this light briefly
comes on green while
starting the vehicle.
If it does not, have the vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the system is working normally the indicator light then
goes off.
This light also comes on green if the system detects
a left or right lane marking. It flashes, changes to
amber, and three beeps sound, if a detected lane
marking is crossed without using a turn signal. For
more information, see the Index in the Navigation
Manual.
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Black plate (90,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
STABILITY SYS (System) ACTIVE
This message displays any time the StabiliTrak system
or Enhanced StabiliTrak system is actively assisting
with directional control of the vehicle. Slippery road
conditions may exist when this message is displayed,
so adjust your driving accordingly. This message may
stay on for a few seconds after StabiliTrak stops
assisting with directional control of the vehicle. See
StabiliTrak
®Systemon page 5‑6orEnhanced
StabiliTrak®on page 5‑7for more information.
STABILITY SYS (System) NOT READY
This message displays if the StabiliTrak system is not
ready. Two conditions may cause this message to
display:
.The vehicle needs to be driven in a straight line
until the sensors are centered. Once the sensors
are centered, the StabiliTrak system is ready and
the STABILITY SYS READY message displays.
.The system needs to warm up. This may occur
when first starting your vehicle and driving away
during cold winter weather. This is normal. To
acknowledge this message, press the reset button.
The StabiliTrak performance is affected until the
STABILITY SYS READY message is displayed in the
DIC. See StabiliTrak
®Systemon page 5‑6for more
information.
STABILITY SYS (System) OFF
This message displays any time StabiliTrak or
Enhanced StabiliTrak is turned off using the TC (traction
control) on/off button. See Traction Control System
(TCS)
on page 5‑9and “Enhanced StabiliTrak and
Traction Control Mode Selection” underEnhanced
StabiliTrak
®on page 5‑7for more information. When
this message has been displayed, StabiliTrak or
Enhanced StabiliTrak is no longer available to assist
with directional control of the vehicle. Adjust your
driving accordingly. See StabiliTrak
®Systemon
page 5‑6or Enhanced StabiliTrak®on page 5‑7for
more information.
STABILITY SYS (System) READY
This message displays any time StabiliTrak is turned
back on using the TC (traction control) on/off button.
See Traction Control System (TCS)
on page 5‑9for
more information. When this message has been
displayed, StabiliTrak is ready to assist with directional
control of the vehicle, if needed. See StabiliTrak
®
Systemon page 5‑6for more information.
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Black plate (91,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
STABILITY TOURING MODE
If your All-Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicle has the Active
Steering with Enhanced StabiliTrak option, this
message displays when the Stability Touring Mode is
re-activated by using the traction control button after:
.Driving in the Stability Competitive Mode.
.The stability control system is turned off by the
driver.
This message may also display after exiting STABILITY
SECURE MODE when certain system faults or vehicle
conditions have been cleared. See Enhanced
StabiliTrak
®on page 5‑7.
STARTING DISABLED THEFT
PROBLEM
This message displays when incorrect conditions exist
within the theft-deterrent system. See your dealer for
service.
STARTING DISABLED THROTTLE
PROBLEM
This message displays when your vehicle's throttle
system is not functioning properly. Have your vehicle
serviced by your dealer.
THEFT ATTEMPTED
This symbol appears
with this message.
This message displays if the theft-deterrent system has
detected a break-in attempt while you were away from
your vehicle.
TRACTION ACTIVE
This message displays when the Traction Control
System (TCS) is actively limiting wheel spin. Slippery
road conditions may exist if this message is displayed,
so adjust your driving accordingly. The message stays
on for a few seconds after the TCS stops limiting wheel
spin. See Traction Control System (TCS)
on page 5‑9for more information.
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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
5-1

Black plate (3,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Police records show that almost 40 percent of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was
drinking and driving. In recent years, more than
17,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have
been associated with the use of alcohol, with about
250,000 people injured.
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 5‑9and StabiliTrak®Systemon page 5‑6or
Enhanced StabiliTrak®on page 5‑7.
Adding non‐dealer/non‐retailer accessories can
affect vehicle performance. See Accessories and
Modifications on page 6‑4.
5-3

Black plate (7,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
StabiliTrak comes on automatically whenever the
vehicle is started. To help assist with directional control
of the vehicle, always leave the system on. StabiliTrak
can be turned off, however, by using the Traction
Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak button. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 5‑9.
If cruise control is being used when StabiliTrak
activates, it will automatically disengage. Cruise control
may be reengaged when road conditions allow. See
Cruise Control
on page 4‑12or Adaptive Cruise
Controlon page 4‑15for more information.
Enhanced StabiliTrak®
All‐wheel‐drive (AWD) vehicles with the Active Steering
with Enhanced StabiliTrak option have an enhanced
computer controlled vehicle stability system that assists
with directional control of the vehicle in difficult driving
conditions. This system coordinates automatic control of
the Active Steering System, the Magnetic Ride Control
Suspension System, and the Brake Control System for
better vehicle performance.
During extreme cold temperature conditions, the active
steering function may be temporarily disabled which
may cause the steering wheel to be offset from the
center position while driving straight. This is normal
operation and the vehicle is safe to drive in these
cases. Stability control activates when the computer senses a
difference between the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling. Stability control
automatically adjusts the front road wheel steering
angle, modifies the suspension stiffness, and selectively
applies braking pressure at any one of the vehicle’s
brakes to help maintain directional control of the
vehicle.
When the system activates, a STABILITY SYS ACTIVE
message displays on the Driver Information Center
(DIC). See
DIC Warnings and Messages
on page 4‑76.
It is normal to hear a noise or feel vibration in the brake
pedal when the system is working. Continue to steer the
vehicle in the intended direction.
If cruise control is engaged when Enhanced
StabiliTrak activates, the cruise control will
automatically disengage. Re-engage cruise control
when road conditions allow. See Cruise Control
on
page 4‑12, or Adaptive Cruise Controlon page 4‑15for more information.
Enhanced StabiliTrak comes on automatically in the
Stability Touring Mode, when the vehicle is started.
The Stability Touring Mode is recommended for normal
driving.
5-7

Black plate (8,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
To assist with directional control of the vehicle, always
leave the system on. Stability control can be turned off
however, by using the TC button. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS)
on page 5‑9. The STABILITY SYS
OFF message will be displayed on the DIC. See DIC
Warnings and Messages on page 4‑76.
If there is a problem detected with Enhanced
StabiliTrak, the SERVICE STABILITY SYS message
will be displayed on the DIC. See DIC Warnings and
Messages
on page 4‑76. When this message is
displayed, the system is not operating. Driving should
be adjusted accordingly.
When certain faults or vehicle conditions are detected,
the Stability control will automatically go into a secure
mode and the STABILITY SECURE MODE message
will be displayed on the DIC. When the Stability Secure
Mode is activated, the stability control system will not
respond to driver requests to change the stability mode
until the next ignition cycle or until the vehicle condition
or fault is returned to normal. When the Stability Secure
Mode is activated, other messages may be displayed,
such as SERVICE STEERING SYS, SERVICE
SUSPENSION SYS or CHECK TIRE PRESSURE on
the DIC. When the Stability Secure Mode is activated,
a larger degree of steering wheel input at low vehicle
speeds and a smaller degree of steering wheel input at
high vehicle speeds may be required. Stability Secure Mode will be activated if a compact spare tire is being
used. See
DIC Warnings and Messages
on page 4‑76andCompact Spare Tire on page 6‑105.
Persistent operation of the vehicle in the STABILITY
SECURE MODE may be an indication that the vehicle
needs to be serviced by your dealer.
When certain faults are present, the vehicle’s speed
may be limited and the SPEED LIMITED TO XXX
message will be displayed on the DIC. See DIC
Warnings and Messages
on page 4‑76. When the
vehicle’s speed is limited, other messages may be
displayed, such as SERVICE STABILITY SYS,
SERVICE STEERING SYS or SERVICE SUSPENSION
SYS on the DIC. Have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer.
Enhanced StabiliTrak and Traction Control
Mode Selection
Enhanced StabiliTrak can be operated in Touring Mode.
It can also be turned off. The TC button is used to
change stability control modes (Touring or Off) as well
as to turn traction control on or off. See Traction Control
System (TCS)
on page 5‑9. The following information
describes the operation of the TC button for changing
Traction Control and Stability Control Modes.
5-8

Black plate (9,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
When the vehicle is started, Stability control comes on
automatically in the Stability Touring Mode.
.To change from Stability Touring Mode to Stability
Off Mode, press and hold the TC button until the
STABILITY SYS OFF message is displayed on
the DIC.
.To change from Stability Off Mode to Stability
Touring Mode, press and release the TC button
and the STABILITY TOURING MODE message will
be displayed on the DIC.
.To turn traction control off while in the Stability
Touring Mode, press and release the TC button
and the traction control system warning light will
come on. SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
on
page 5‑9.
.To turn traction control on while in the Stability
Touring Mode, press and release the TC button
and the traction control system warning light will
turn off.
Traction Control System (TCS)
The vehicle has a traction control system that limits
wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery road
conditions. On a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, the system
operates if it senses that one or both of the rear wheels
are spinning or beginning to lose traction. On an
All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) vehicle, the system will operate
if it senses that any of the wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the
system brakes the spinning wheel(s) and/or reduces
engine power to limit wheel spin.
The system may be heard or felt while it is working, but
this is normal.
This warning light comes
on if there is a problem
with TCS.
See Traction Control System (TCS) Warning Light
on
page 4‑60. When this warning light is on, the system
will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
5-9