2011 CADILLAC STS belt

Black plate (57,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
If, after several seconds, both status indicator lights
remain on, or if there are no lights at all, there may
be a problem with the lights or the passenger sensing
system. See your dealer for service.
{WARNING:
If the airbag readiness light in the instrument
panel cluster ever comes on and stays on, it
means that something may be wrong with the
airbag system. If this ever happens, have the
vehicle serviced promptly, because an adult-size
person sitting in the right front passenger's seat
may not have the protection of the airbag(s). See
Airbag Readiness Light
on page 4‑54for more
on this, including important safety information.
Charging System Light
This light comes on briefly
when the ignition key is
turned to START, 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.
The light should go out once the engine starts. If it stays
on, or comes on while driving, there could be a problem
with the charging system. A charging system message
in the Driver Information Center (DIC) can also appear.
See DIC Warnings and Messages
on page 4‑76for
more information. This light could indicate that there are
problems with a generator drive belt, or that there is an
electrical problem. Have it checked right away. If the
vehicle must be driven a short distance with the light
on, turn off accessories, such as the radio and air
conditioner.
4-57

Black plate (2,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Your Driving, the Road, and the
Vehicle
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means“always expect the
unexpected.” The first step in driving defensively
is to wear your safety belt —See Safety Belts: They
Are for Everyone on page 2‑14.
{WARNING:
Assume that other road users (pedestrians,
bicyclists, and other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what
they might do and be ready. In addition:
.Allow enough following distance between
you and the driver in front of you.
.Focus on the task of driving.
Driver distraction can cause collisions resulting in
injury or possible death. These simple defensive
driving techniques could save your life.
Drunk Driving
{WARNING:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your reflexes, perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even a small amount
of alcohol. You can have a serious —or even
fatal —collision if you drive after drinking. Do not
drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been
drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if you are with a
group, designate a driver who will not drink.
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a global tragedy.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a
vehicle: judgment, muscular coordination, vision, and
attentiveness.
5-2

Black plate (13,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and
find a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. These
problems can be avoided by braking—if you can stop
in time. But sometimes you cannot stop in time because
there is no room. That is the time for evasive
action —steering around the problem.
The vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply the brakes. See Braking
on
page 5‑4. It is better to remove as much speed as
possible from a collision. Then steer around the
problem, to the left or right depending on the space
available.
An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If holding the steering wheel at the
recommended 9 and 3 o'clock positions, it can be
turned a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
5-13

Black plate (38,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal while you:
.Start the engine
.Shift into a gear
.Release the parking brake
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
The vehicle needs service more often when pulling a
trailer. See this manual's Maintenance Schedule or
Index for more information. Things that are especially
important in trailer operation are automatic transmission
fluid, engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling system
and brake system. It is a good idea to inspect these
before and during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
The cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. See Engine Overheating
on page 6‑30.
5-38

Black plate (2,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-60
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-62
Tire Inspection and Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-65
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-67
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-67
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-70
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-71
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-72
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-72
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-74
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-74
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit (WithoutSelector Switch) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-76
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit (With Selector Switch) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-85
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit Storage . . . . . . 6-94
Changing a Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-94
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-96
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-97
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools . . . . . . . . 6-103
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-105 Appearance Care
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-106
Interior Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-106
Fabric/Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-107
Leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-108
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-108
Wood Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-109
Speaker Covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-109
Care of Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-109
Weatherstrips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-109
Washing Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-109
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-110
Finish Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-110
Windshield and Wiper Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-111
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels and Trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Sheet Metal Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Finish Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Underbody Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Chemical Paint Spotting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
6-2

Black plate (5,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
California Proposition 65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this one, contain and/or
emit chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive
harm. Engine exhaust, many parts and systems, many
fluids, and some component wear by-products contain
and/or emit these chemicals.
California Perchlorate Materials
Requirements
Certain types of automotive applications, such as
airbag initiators, seat belt pretensioners, and lithium
batteries contained in remote keyless transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials. Special handling
may be necessary. For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.
Doing Your Own Service Work
{WARNING:
You can be injured and the vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a vehicle
without knowing enough about it.
.Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts,
and tools before attempting any vehicle
maintenance task.
.Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts, and
other fasteners. English and metric fasteners
can be easily confused. If the wrong fasteners
are used, parts can later break or fall off. You
could be hurt.
If doing some of your own service work, use the proper
service manual. It tells you much more about how to
service the vehicle than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see Service Publications
Ordering Information on page 8‑17.
6-5

Black plate (55,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
(B) Tire Width:The three‐digit number indicates
the tire section width in millimeters from sidewall
to sidewall.
(C) Aspect Ratio
:A two‐digit number that
indicates the tire height‐to‐width measurements.
For example, if the tire size aspect ratio is 60, as
shown in item C of the illustration, it would mean
that the tire's sidewall is 60 percent as high as it
is wide.
(D) Construction Code
:A letter code is used to
indicate the type of ply construction in the tire.
The letter R means radial ply construction; the
letter D means diagonal or bias ply construction;
and the letter B means belted‐bias ply
construction.
(E) Rim Diameter
:Diameter of the wheel in
inches.
(F) Service Description
:These characters
represent the load index and speed rating of the
tire. The load index represents the load carrying
capacity a tire is certified to carry. The speed
rating is the maximum speed a tire is certified to
carry a load.
Tire Terminology and Definitions
Air Pressure:The amount of air inside the tire
pressing outward on each square inch of the tire.
Air pressure is expressed in pounds per square
inch (psi) or kilopascal (kPa).
Accessory Weight
:This means the combined
weight of optional accessories. Some examples of
optional accessories are, automatic transmission,
power steering, power brakes, power windows,
power seats, and air conditioning.
Aspect Ratio
:The relationship of a tire's height to
its width.
Belt
:A rubber coated layer of cords that is
located between the plies and the tread. Cords
may be made from steel or other reinforcing
materials.
Bead
:The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped
by steel cords that hold the tire onto the rim.
Bias Ply Tire
:A pneumatic tire in which the plies
are laid at alternate angles less than 90 degrees
to the centerline of the tread.
6-55

Black plate (69,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Winter tires with the same speed rating as your
original equipment tires may not be available for
H, V, W, Y and ZR speed rated tires. If you choose
snow tires with a lower speed rating, never
exceed the tire's maximum speed capability.
{WARNING:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving. If you mix tires of different sizes (other
than those originally installed on your vehicle),
brands, or types (radial and bias-belted tires), the
vehicle may not handle properly, and you could
have a crash. Using tires of different sizes (other
than those originally installed on your vehicle),
brands, or types may also cause damage to your
vehicle. Be sure to use the correct size, brand,
and type of tires on all wheels. It is all right to
drive with your vehicle's compact spare
temporarily, it was developed for use on your
vehicle. SeeCompact Spare Tire on page 6‑105.
{WARNING:
If you use bias-ply tires on the vehicle, the
wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after
many miles of driving. A tire and/or wheel
could fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use
only radial-ply tires with the wheels on the
vehicle.
If you must replace your vehicle's tires with those
that do not have a TPC Spec number, make sure
they are the same size, load range, speed rating,
and construction type (radial and bias‐belted tires)
as your vehicle's original tires.
Vehicles that have a tire pressure monitoring
system could give an inaccurate low‐pressure
warning if non‐TPC Spec rated tires are installed
on it. Non‐TPC Spec rated tires may give a
low‐pressure warning that is higher or lower
than the proper warning level you would get with
TPC Spec rated tires. See Tire Pressure Monitor
System
on page 6‑60.
6-69