
Black plate (27,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
If the engine is off, press this button to turn on the
accessory mode. ACCESSORY ACTIVE will display on
the Driver Information Center (DIC). Accessory mode
allows use of the audio system and windshield wipers.
Accessory mode must be used if the vehicle must be
towed or in motion when the engine is not running.
After the vehicle has been in accessory mode for more
than 20 minutes, the vehicle will enter RAP or turn off,
depending on if the doors are opened or closed.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
These vehicle accessories can be used for up to
20 minutes after the engine is turned off:
.Audio System
.Audio Steering Wheel Controls
.Power Windows
Power to these accessories will work up to 20 minutes
or until one of the front doors is opened. For an
additional 20 minutes of operation, close all the doors
and press Acc. to place the vehicle in accessory mode.
Press the button again to return to RAP.
Starting the Engine
To place the transmission in the proper gear:
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or N (Neutral). To restart
the engine when the vehicle is already moving, use
N (Neutral).
Notice: Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could damage
the transmission. Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.
The keyless access transmitter must be inside the
vehicle for the ignition to work.
Cell phone chargers can interfere with the operation of
the Keyless Access System. Battery chargers should
not be plugged in when starting or turning off the
engine.
To start the vehicle, do the following:
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot on the brake pedal, press the START button located on the instrument panel.
If there is not a keyless access transmitter
in the vehicle or if there is something causing
interference with it, the DIC will display NO FOBS
DETECTED. See DIC Warnings and Messages
on
page 4‑76for more information.
3-27

Black plate (29,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Stopping the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) and press the Acc.
button located on the instrument panel. If the shifter is
not in P (Park), the engine shuts off and the vehicle
goes into the Accessory Mode. The DIC displays SHIFT
TO PARK. Once the shifter is moved to P (Park), the
vehicle turns off.
The DIC displays NO FOB, OFF OR RUN?, if the
keyless access transmitter is not detected inside the
vehicle when it is turned off.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 4‑76for
more information.
Engine Coolant Heater
The engine coolant heater can provide easier starting
and better fuel economy during engine warm‐up in
cold weather conditions at or below −18°C (0°F).
Vehicles with an engine coolant heater should be
plugged in at least four hours before starting. Some
models have an internal thermostat in the cord which
will prevent engine coolant heater operation at
temperatures above −18°C (0°F).
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The cord is located in the front of the engine
compartment, on the passenger side of the vehicle.
3. You must remove the plastic cap to access the plug.
4. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{WARNING:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet could
cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong kind of
extension cord could overheat and cause a fire.
You could be seriously injured. Plug the cord into
a properly grounded three-prong 110-volt AC
outlet. If the cord will not reach, use a heavy-duty
three-prong extension cord rated for at least
15 amps.
5. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the cord as it was before to keep it away from
moving engine parts. If you do not, it could be
damaged.
3-29

Black plate (33,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
If shifting is prevented for any reason, the selected gear
will flash multiple times, indicating that the transmission
has not shifted gears.
The transmission will allow you to shift to the gear
selected and will automatically downshift when the
vehicle comes to a stop. This will allow for more power
during take-off and passing.
Parking Brake
The parking brake pedal
is located on the lower
portion of the instrument
panel to the left of the
steering wheel.
The vehicle has a push-to-release parking brake pedal.
To set the parking brake, hold the brake pedal down,
then push the parking brake pedal down. If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light on
the instrument panel cluster should come on. If it does
not, you need to have the vehicle serviced. See
Brake
System Warning Light
on page 4‑58for more
information.
To release the parking brake, hold the brake pedal
down, then push the parking brake pedal. When you
release the park brake pedal, the parking brake
releases.
Notice: Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Make sure
that the parking brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before driving.
A warning chime will sound if the parking brake is set,
the ignition is on and the vehicle begins to move. To
stop the chime, fully release the parking brake.
If you are towing a trailer and parking on a hill, see
Towing a Trailer
on page 5‑31for more information.
3-33

Black plate (48,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
How the System Works
LDW uses a camera located between the inside
rearview mirror and the windshield to detect the lane
markings.
@(Lane Departure Warning):To turn LDW on or off,
press the CONFIG hard key located on the navigation
radio, then press
@. See “Configure Menu” in the index
of the Navigation System manual. The symbol will be
highlighted when the feature is active.
When the vehicle is started, the LDW symbol that is
located in the instrument panel cluster will briefly come
on to indicate that the light is operational. LDW only operates at speeds of 35 mph (56 km) or
greater. If LDW is turned on when traveling at these
speeds, the LDW symbol will appear green if the
system detects a left or right lane marking. This symbol
will change to amber and flash and three beeps will
sound if you cross a detected lane marking without
using the turn signal.
LDW is not currently operating and will not warn you if
the LDW symbol does not appear.
When the System Does Not Seem To Work
Properly
The LDW symbol will not appear when the system is
having difficulty seeing the lines on the road or if the
view of the camera on the windshield is blocked with
mud, dirt, snow, ice, or slush, if the windshield is
damaged, or when weather limits visibility, such as
while driving in fog, rain, or snow conditions. This is
normal operation, the vehicle does not need service.
For cleaning instructions, see
Washing Your Vehicle
on
page 6‑109.
LDW warnings may occasionally occur due to tar
marks, shadows, cracks in the road, or other road
imperfections. This is normal system operation, the
vehicle does not need service.
3-48

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Section 4 Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-3
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Power Tilt Wheel and Telescopic Steering Column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
Windshield Wipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Windshield Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Headlamp Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27
Wiper Activated Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Headlamps on Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Twilight Sentinel
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-35
Instrument Panel Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-35
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36
Parade Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36 Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36
Battery Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36
Electric Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-37
Inadvertent Power Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-37
Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-38
Accessory Power Outlet(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-42
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-43
Dual Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-43
Outlet Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-48
Rear Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49
Passenger Compartment Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-50
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . .4-51
Instrument Panel Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-52
Speedometer and Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-53
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-53
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-53
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-54
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-57
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-58
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . 4-59
Traction Control System (TCS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-60
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Light . . . . . . . . . . 4-60
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . 4-61
4-1

Black plate (2,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Section 4 Instrument Panel
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-62
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-62
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-66
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67
Lights On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67
Highbeam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-68
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-68
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-69
DIC Operation and Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-70
DIC Warnings and Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-76
Other Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-93 Audio System(s)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-94
Setting the Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-95
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-95
Using an MP3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-108
XM Radio Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-112
Navigation/Radio System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-113
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-113
Radio Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-120
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-123
Audio Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-124
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-125
Backglass Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-126
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System . . . . . . . . 4-126
4-2

Black plate (3,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Instrument Panel Overview
Hazard Warning Flashers
|:Press this button located on the console, near the
shift lever, to make the front and rear turn signal lamps
flash on and off. This warns others that you are having
trouble. Press again to turn the flashers off.
When the hazard warning flashers are on, the turn
signals do not work.
Horn
Press near or on the horn symbols on the steering
wheel pad to sound the horn.
Power Tilt Wheel and Telescopic
Steering Column
The power tilt and telescope wheel control is located on
the left side of the steering column.
To adjust the steering wheel:
.Push the control up or down to tilt the steering
wheel up or down.
.Push the control forward or rearward to move the
steering wheel towards the front or rear of the
vehicle.
To set the memory position, see Vehicle Personalization
on page 3‑59andMemory Seat, Mirrors and Steering
Wheel on page 3‑75.
4-3

Black plate (4,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Heated Steering Wheel
For vehicles with a heated steering wheel, the button for
this feature is located on the steering wheel.
(:Press to turn the heated steering wheel on or off.
A light on the button displays when the feature is
turned on.
The steering wheel takes about three minutes to start
heating.
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
G :Turn and Lane-Change Signals
O :Headlamps
3 :Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer #
:Fog Lamps
I :Cruise Control
.Adaptive Cruise Control (If Equipped).
.Forward Collision Alert (FCA) (If Equipped).
.Flash-To-Pass Feature.
Information for these features is on the pages following.
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
An arrow on the
instrument panel cluster
flashes in the direction of
the turn or lane change.
Move the lever all the way up or down to signal a turn.
Raise or lower the lever until the arrow starts to flash to
signal a lane change. Hold it briefly until the lane
change is complete.
4-4