Black plate (70,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Your vehicle's original equipment tires are listed
on the Tire and Loading Information label. See
Loading the Vehicle
on page 5‑23, for more
information about the Tire and Loading
Information label and its location on your vehicle.
Different Size Tires and Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are a different size than
your original equipment wheels and tires, this may
affect the way your vehicle performs, including its
braking, ride and handling characteristics, stability, and
resistance to rollover. Additionally, if your vehicle has
electronic systems such as, antilock brakes, traction
control, and electronic stability control, the performance
of these systems can be affected.
{WARNING:
If you add different sized wheels, your vehicle
may not provide an acceptable level of
performance and safety if tires not recommended
for those wheels are selected. You may increase
the chance that you will crash and suffer serious
injury. Only use GM specific wheel and tire
systems developed for your vehicle, and have
them properly installed by a GM certified
technician.
See Buying New Tires
on page 6‑67andAccessories
and Modificationson page 6‑4for additional
information.
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Black plate (71,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which
grades tires by treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This applies only to
vehicles sold in the United States. The grades are
molded on the sidewalls of most passenger car
tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG)
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver, or temporary use spare
tires, tires with nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors
passenger cars and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they must also conform
to federal safety requirements and additional
General Motors Tire Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.All Passenger Car Tires Must Conform to Federal
Safety Requirements In Addition To These
Grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and a half (1½) times
as well on the government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction
–AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
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Black plate (72,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead
braking traction tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning, or peak
traction characteristics.
Temperature–A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a
specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the material of the
tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels
of performance on the laboratory test wheel than
the minimum required by law. Warning: The
temperature grade for this tire is established for a
tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in combination, can
cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The tires and wheels on your vehicle were aligned and
balanced carefully at the factory to give you the longest
tire life and best overall performance. Adjustments
to wheel alignment and tire balancing will not be
necessary on a regular basis. However, if you notice
unusual tire wear or your vehicle pulling to one side or
the other, the alignment might need to be checked.
If you notice your vehicle vibrating when driving on a
smooth road, the tires and wheels might need to be
rebalanced. See your dealer for proper diagnosis.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly
rusted or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose,
the wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel nuts should be
replaced. If the wheel leaks air, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes be repaired).
See your dealer if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset, and be mounted the
same way as the one it replaces.
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Black plate (74,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Tire Chains
{WARNING:
If your vehicle has P255/45R17, P255/45ZR18,
or 255/45ZR18 size tires, do not use tire chains,
as there is not enough clearance.
Tire chains used on a vehicle without the proper
amount of clearance can cause damage to the
brakes, suspension, or other vehicle parts. The
area damaged by the tire chains could cause you
to lose control of the vehicle and you or others
may be injured in a crash.
Use another type of traction device only if its
manufacturer recommends it for use on your
vehicle and tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that manufacturer's
instructions. To help avoid damage to the vehicle,
drive slowly, readjust, or remove the device if it is
contacting the vehicle, and do not spin the
vehicle's wheels.
If you do find traction devices that will fit, install
them on the rear tires only.Notice:
If your vehicle has P235/50R17 size tires,
use tire chains only where legal and only when you
must. Use only SAE Class S‐type chains that are the
proper size for your tires. Install them on the rear
tires and tighten them as tightly as possible with the
ends securely fastened. Drive slowly and follow the
chain manufacturer's instructions. If you can hear
the chains contacting your vehicle, stop and
retighten them. If the contact continues, slow down
until it stops. Driving too fast or spinning the wheels
with chains on will damage your vehicle.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blowout while you are driving,
especially if you maintain your vehicle's tires properly.
If air goes out of a tire, it is much more likely to leak out
slowly. But if you should ever have a blowout, here are
a few tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire creates a drag that pulls
the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop, well off the road, if possible.
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Black plate (8,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Lights (cont.)Engine Coolant Temperature Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
Front Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Highbeam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-68
Lane Departure Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-60
Lights On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67
Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-66
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-53
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-67
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-62
Traction Control System (TCS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . 4-60
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Loading Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Lockout Switch, Valet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Locks Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Programmable Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Rear Door Security Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . . 2-45
Lumbar Power Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3M
Maintenance Schedule
Maintenance Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13
Maintenance Replacement Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Owner Checks and Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Scheduled Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-62
Memory Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-75
Memory Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-75
Memory Seat, Mirrors, Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-5
Memory Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-75
Message DIC Warnings and Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-76
Mirrors
Automatic Dimming Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Manual Rearview Mirror with Compass andTemperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-75
Outside Automatic Dimming Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39
Outside Convex Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-40
Outside Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-40
Outside Power Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39
Park Tilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-40
MP3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-108
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Black plate (13,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-50Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels,
Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-67
Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-74
Changing a Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-94
Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Compact Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-105
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-70
High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-60
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-74
Inflation - Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-58
Inspection and Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-65
Installing the Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-97
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-62
Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-62
Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-60
Removing the Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-97
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-96
Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . 6-76, 6-85, 6-94
Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-52
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools . . . . . . . . . . .6-103
Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-55
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-71
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-72
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-72
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-67
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-51 Towing
Recreational Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Towing a Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Control System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-60
Enhanced StabiliTrak
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Transmission
Fluid, Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23
Transmission Operation, Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
Transportation Program, Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-4
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-4
Twilight Sentinel
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34
U
Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist (URPA) . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-71
Universal Home Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-49 Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-49
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