
Black plate (26,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Ignition Positions
The vehicle has an
electronic keyless ignition
with pushbutton start.
To shift out of P (Park), the vehicle must be running or
in ACCESSORY mode and the regular brake pedal
must be applied.
/ (START): Press to start the engine with your foot on
the brake pedal. The shifter must be in P (Park) or
N (Neutral) and the keyless access transmitter must be
in the vehicle.
If the start button does not work, the vehicle may be
near a strong radio antenna signal causing interference
to the keyless access system. See DIC Warnings and
Messages
on page 4‑76for more information. 9/Acc. (STOPPING THE ENGINE/OFF/
ACCESSORY):
When the vehicle is stopped with the
engine on, press the button once to turn the engine off.
If the shifter is in P (Park), RAP will engage if all doors
are closed. RAP will turn off when a front door is
opened. See Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
on
page 3‑27for more information.
Do not turn the engine off when the vehicle is moving.
This will cause a loss of power assist in the brake and
steering systems and disable the airbags.
In an emergency: 1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the brakes repeatedly. This may deplete
power assist, requiring increased brake pedal
force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the brakes and steer
the vehicle to a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and switch the ignition to OFF. On vehicles with an
automatic transmission, the shift lever must be in
P (Park) to switch the ignition to the OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake
on
page 3‑33.
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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.
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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.
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Black plate (39,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
3. Once the zone number displays, pressO
repeatedly until the correct zone number displays.
Stop pressing the button and the mirror returns to
normal operation. If C appears in the compass
window, the compass may need calibration. See
“Compass Calibration”listed previously.
Outside Power Mirrors
Controls for the outside
power mirrors are located
on the driver door.
To adjust the mirrors: 1. Move the selector switch left or right to choose the driver side or passenger side mirror.
2. Press one of the four arrows located on the control pad to move the mirror to the desired direction. 3. Adjust each outside mirror so that a little of the
vehicle and the area behind it can be seen.
4. Return the selector switch to the center position when finished adjusting.
The preferred mirror positions can be stored with the
memory option. See Memory Seat, Mirrors and Steering
Wheel on page 3‑75.
Manually fold the mirrors inward to prevent damage
when going through car washes or confined spaces. To
fold, push the mirror toward the vehicle. To return the
mirror to its original position, push outward. Return both
mirrors to their original unfolded position before driving.
Outside Automatic Dimming Mirror
The driver side mirror adjusts for the glare of headlamps
behind you. This feature is controlled by the on and off
settings on the automatic dimming inside rearview
mirror. See Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror
on
page 3‑37for more information.
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Black plate (59,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Personalization
The vehicle has personalization that allows you to
program certain features to a preferred setting for
up to two drivers. The back of the keyless access
transmitters are labelled 1 or 2. Additional keyless
access transmitters programmed to the vehicle,
as 3 and/or 4, do not have a number on the back and
are not capable of being personalized. The number of
programmable features varies depending upon which
vehicle options are purchased.
On all vehicles, features such as climate control
settings, radio and XM™preset settings, exterior
lighting at unlock and remote lock unlock confirmation,
and language have already been programmed. Your
vehicle also has an automatic door locking feature
that is always on. You cannot turn the automatic door
locking feature off. See Programmable Automatic Door
Locks on page 3‑14.
Some vehicles have additional features that can be
programmed including the seat, steering column, and
outside rearview mirror position.
If your vehicle has the base audio system, the following
information explains the vehicle personalization on your
vehicle.
If your vehicle has the Navigation system, see
“Personalization” in the Index of the Navigation System
manual for information on vehicle personalization. If your vehicle has the ability to program additional
personalization features, the driver's preferences are
recalled by pressing any button on the keyless access
transmitter, 1 or 2, by selecting Driver 1 or 2 on the radio
display, or when a valid keyless access transmitter is
detected upon opening the driver's door.
If more than one valid keyless access transmitter is
detected upon opening the driver's door, the driver
preferences for the lowest driver number will be
recalled.
Certain features can be programmed not to recall until
the ignition is turned off.
The default settings were preset but may have been
changed.
To change feature preferences, use the following
procedure.
Entering the Personal Settings Menu
To enter the feature programming mode:
1. The ignition must be either on, in ACCESSORY, or in RAP and the transmission in P (Park) or the
vehicle speed less than 6 mph (9 km/h).
To avoid excessive drain on the battery, it is
recommended that the headlamps are turned off.
2. Press any button on the appropriate keyless access transmitter to identify yourself as Driver 1 or
Driver 2.
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Black plate (64,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
START BUTTON RECALL
If your vehicle has the optional memory package, you
will have this feature. When this feature is turned on,
you can recall any previously programmed seat, mirror,
and steering column position when the start button on
the ignition is pressed.
Programmable Modes
Mode 1:ON
Mode 2: OFF (default)
To program the vehicle to a different mode: 1. Enter the PERSONAL SETTINGS MENU by following the instructions listed previously under
“Entering the Personal Settings Menu.”
2. Turn the tune/select knob until START BUTTON RECALL is highlighted.
3. Press the tune/select knob to switch back and forth between on and off.
When the mode is turned on, a check mark will
appear next to the feature name.
If this feature is selected, REMOTE RECALL MEMORY
cannot be selected.
The mode you selected is now set. You can either exit
the programming mode by following the instructions
later in this section or program the next feature
available on your vehicle.
AUTO EXIT SEAT
If your vehicle has the optional memory package, you
will have this feature. When this feature is turned on,
you can recall any previously programmed exit position
for the driver's seat when the vehicle is off, the shift
lever is in P (Park), and the driver's door is opened.
Programmable Modes
Mode 1: ON
Mode 2: OFF (default)
To program the vehicle to a different mode: 1. Enter the PERSONAL SETTINGS MENU by following the instructions listed previously under
“Entering the Personal Settings Menu.”
2. Turn the tune/select knob until AUTO EXIT SEAT is highlighted.
3. Press the tune/select knob to switch back and forth between on and off.
When the mode is turned on, a check mark will
appear in the box next to the feature name.
The mode you selected is now set. You can either exit
the programming mode by following the instructions
later in this section or program the next feature
available on your vehicle.
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Black plate (65,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
AUTO EXIT COLUMN
If your vehicle has the optional memory package, you
will have this feature. When this feature is turned on,
you can recall any previously programmed exit position
for the steering column when the vehicle is off, the shift
lever is in P (Park), and the driver's door is opened.
Programmable Modes
Mode 1:ON
Mode 2: OFF (default)
To program the vehicle to a different mode: 1. Enter the PERSONAL SETTINGS MENU by following the instructions listed previously under
“Entering the Personal Settings Menu.”
2. Turn the tune/select knob until AUTO EXIT COLUMN is highlighted.
3. Press the tune/select knob to switch back and forth between on and off.
When the mode is turned on, a check mark will
appear in the box next to the feature name.
The mode you selected is now set. You can either exit
the programming mode by following the instructions
later in this section or program the next feature
available on your vehicle.
LIGHTS FLASH AT UNLOCK
This feature allows the exterior lamps to flash when the
keyless access transmitter is used to unlock the vehicle.
All doors must be closed for this feature to work, and
the lamps will not flash if the parking lamps or
headlamps are on.
If LIGHTS FLASH AT UNLOCK is turned on and either
KEYLESS FT DOOR UNLOCK or KEYLESS DOORS
UNLOCK is turned on, the exterior lamps will flash
when the doors are passively unlocked. See “KEYLESS
FT (Front) DOOR UNLOCK” and“KEYLESS DOORS
UNLOCK” later in this section for more information.
Programmable Modes
Mode 1: ON (default)
Mode 2: OFF
To program the vehicle to a different mode: 1. Enter the PERSONAL SETTINGS MENU by following the instructions listed previously under
“Entering the Personal Settings Menu.”
2. Turn the tune/select knob until LIGHTS FLASH AT UNLOCK is highlighted.
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Black plate (75,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
The mode you selected is now set. You can either exit
the programming mode by following the instructions
later in this section or program the next feature
available on your vehicle by pressing the F6 (BACK)
button, located on the radio, to return to the
PERSONAL SETTINGS MENU.
Exiting the Personal Settings Menu
Once you have finished making your selections on the
base audio system, you will automatically return to the
main audio screen after 15 seconds. You can also press
the F6 (BACK) button, located on the radio, to return to
the main audio screen.
Memory Seat, Mirrors and Steering
Wheel
If the vehicle has the memory feature, you can program
and recall memory settings for the following features for
up to two drivers:
.The driver seat position
.The outside rearview mirrors position
.The power tilt wheel and telescopic steering
column position
The following settings and presets are set automatically:
.The language, radio and XM™ presets, tone,
volume, playback mode (AM/FM or CD), last
displayed stations, and compact disc position
.The last climate control setting
.The Head-Up Display (HUD) position, if your
vehicle has this feature
.Other personalization settings, for example, remote
start settings
See Vehicle Personalization on page 3‑59.
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