Black plate (62,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Tire Pressure Light
For vehicles with a tire
pressure monitoring
system, this light comes
on briefly when the engine
is started. It provides
information about tire
pressures and the Tire
Pressure Monitoring
System.
When the Light is On Steady
This indicates that one or more of the tires is
significantly underinflated.
A tire pressure message in the Driver Information
Center (DIC), can accompany the light. SeeDriver
Information Center (DIC)
on page 4‑69for more
information. Stop and check the tires as soon as it is
safe to do so. If underinflated, inflate to the proper
pressure. See Inflation - Tire Pressure
on page 6‑58for more information.
When the Light Flashes First and Then is
On Steady
This indicates that there may be a problem with the Tire
Pressure Monitor System. The light flashes for about a
minute and stays on steady for the remainder of the
ignition cycle. This sequence repeats with every ignition
cycle. SeeTire Pressure Monitor Operation
on
page 6‑62for more information.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
A computer system called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) monitors operation
of the fuel, ignition, and emission control systems.
It ensures that emissions are at acceptable levels for
the life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment.
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Black plate (74,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
BATTERY VOLTS
This display shows the current battery voltage. If the
voltage is in the normal range, the value will display.
For example, the display may read 13.2 BATTERY
VOLTS. If the voltage is low, the display will have
LOW after it. If the voltage is high, the display will have
HIGH after it. Your vehicle's charging system regulates
voltage based on the state of the battery. The battery
voltage may fluctuate when viewing this information
on the DIC. This is normal. SeeCharging System Light
on page 4‑57for more information.
If there is a problem with the battery charging system,
the DIC may display a message. See DIC Warnings
and Messages
on page 4‑76and Electric Power
Managementon page 4‑37for more information.
Tire Pressure
This display shows the pressure for each tire in either
pounds per square inch (psi) or kilopascals (kPa). If the
tire pressure is normal, the value will display. If the tire
pressure is low, LOW will appear on the display with the
value. See Inflation - Tire Pressure
on page 6‑58and
DIC Warnings and Messageson page 4‑76for more
information. Press the information button to scroll
through the following displays:
LF TIRE: This display shows the pressure in the driver
side front tire. RF TIRE:
This display shows the pressure in the
passenger side front tire.
LR TIRE: This display shows the pressure in the driver
side rear tire.
RR TIRE: This display shows the pressure in the
passenger side rear tire.
If the tire pressure display shows dashes instead of a
value, there may be a problem with your vehicle. If this
consistently occurs, see your dealer for service.
ENGINE OIL LIFE
If your vehicle has this display, it shows the estimated
oil life remaining. If you see 99% ENGINE OIL LIFE on
the display, that means that 99% of the current oil life
remains.
When the oil life is depleted, the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message will appear on the display. Change the
oil as soon as possible. In addition to the engine oil life
system monitoring the oil life, additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance Schedule in this
manual. See Scheduled Maintenance
on page 7‑3andEngine Oil on page 6‑16.
After an oil change, reset the ENGINE OIL LIFE display.
To reset, see Engine Oil Life System
on page 6‑20.
The display will show 100% ENGINE OIL LIFE after it
has been reset. Also clear the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message from the display.
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Black plate (79,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE or TIRE LOW
ADD AIR TO TIRE
This message displays when the pressure in one or
more of the vehicle's tires Is low. It also gives the
location of the tire. The low tire pressure warning light
will also comes on. SeeTire Pressure Light
on
page 4‑62. If a tire pressure message appears on the
DIC, stop as soon as you can. Have the tire pressures
checked and set to those shown on the Tire Loading
Information label. See Tires
on page 6‑50,Loading the
Vehicleon page 5‑23, and Inflation - Tire Pressureon
page 6‑58. The DIC also shows the tire pressure
values. See DIC Operation and Displayson page 4‑70.
CHECK WASHER FLUID
This symbol appears
with this message.
This message displays when the windshield washer
fluid is low. Fill the windshield washer fluid reservoir as
soon as possible. See Windshield Washer Fluid
on
page 6‑34for more information.
CLEAN RADAR
This message displays when the Adaptive Cruise
Control system is disabled because the radar is blocked
and cannot detect vehicles in your path. It may also
activate during heavy rain or due to road spray. To
clean the system, see “Cleaning the System” under
Adaptive Cruise Control on page 4‑15.
DRIVER DOOR AJAR
This symbol appears
with this message.
This message displays when the driver door is not
closed completely. Make sure that the door is closed
completely.
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Black plate (24,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Tire and Loading Information Label
Example Label
A vehicle specific Tire and Loading Information
label is attached to the vehicle's center pillar
(B-pillar). With the driver's door open, you will
find the label attached below the door lockpost (striker). The Tire and Loading Information
label shows the number of occupant seating
positions (A), and the maximum vehicle capacity
weight (B) in kilograms and pounds.
The Tire and Loading Information label also
shows the tire size of the original equipment
tires (C) and the recommended cold tire inflation
pressures (D). For more information on tires and
inflation see
Tires
on page 6‑50andInflation - Tire
Pressure
on page 6‑58.
There is also important loading information on the
Certification label. It tells you the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR) for the front and rear axle;
see “Certification Label” later in this section.
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Black plate (1,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
California Proposition 65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Adding Equipment to the Outside of the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Gasoline Octane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
California Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Checking Things Under the Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-12
Hood Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-16
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-20
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-21
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-25
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-30 Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-32
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-33
Windshield Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-34
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-35
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-38
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-38
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-43
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-44
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-45
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-46
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-47
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . 6-47
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-47
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-48
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-48
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-48
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . .6-49
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-50
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-51
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-52
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-55
Inflation - Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-58
High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-60
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Black plate (50,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires
made by a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever
have questions about your tire warranty and
where to obtain service, see your vehicle
Warranty booklet for details. For additional
information refer to the tire manufacturer.
{WARNING:
.Poorly maintained and improperly used tires
are dangerous.
.Overloading your tires can cause overheating
as a result of too much flexing. You could
have a blowout and a serious accident. See
Loading the Vehicle on page 5‑23.
.Under inflated tires pose the same danger as
overloaded tires. The resulting crash could
cause serious injury. Check all tires frequently
to maintain the recommended pressure. Tire
pressure should be checked when your tires
are cold.(Continued)
WARNING: (Continued)
.Over inflated tires are more likely to be
cut, punctured, or broken by a sudden
impact—such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
.Worn or old tires can cause a crash. If your
tread is badly worn, replace them.
.Replace any tires that have been damaged by
impacts with potholes, curbs, etc.
.Improperly repaired tires can cause a crash.
Only your dealer or an authorized tire service
center should repair, replace, dismount, and
mount the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in excess of 55 km/h
(35 mph) on slippery surfaces such as snow,
mud, ice, etc. Excessive spinning may cause
the tires to explode.
See High-Speed Operation
on page 6‑60for inflation
pressure adjustment for high speed driving.
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Black plate (51,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Low‐Profile Performance Tires
If your vehicle has 255/45ZR18 size tires, they are
classified as low‐profile performance tires. These
tires are designed for very responsive driving on
wet or dry pavement. You may also notice more
road noise with low‐profile performance tires and
that they tend to wear faster. These performance
tires are not rated as all‐season tires. Winter tires
are recommended for snow or ice covered roads.
Notice:If the vehicle has low‐profile tires, they
are more susceptible to damage from road
hazards or curb impact than standard profile
tires. Tire and/or wheel assembly damage can
occur when coming into contact with road
hazards like, potholes, or sharp edged objects,
or when sliding into a curb. The vehicle
warranty does not cover this type of damage.
Keep tires set to the correct inflation pressure
and, when possible avoid contact with curbs,
potholes, and other road hazards.
Winter Tires
If you expect to drive on snow or ice covered roads
often, you may want to get winter tires for your vehicle.
All season tires provide good overall performance on
most surfaces but they may not offer the traction you
would like or the same level of performance as winter
tires on snow or ice covered roads.
Winter tires, in general, are designed for increased
traction on snow and ice covered roads. With winter
tires, there may be decreased dry road traction,
increased road noise, and shorter tread life. After
switching to winter tires, be alert for changes in vehicle
handling and braking.
See your dealer for details regarding winter tire
availability and proper tire selection. Also, see Buying
New Tires on page 6‑67.
If you choose to use winter tires:
.Use tires of the same brand and tread type on all
four wheel positions.
.Use only radial ply tires of the same size, load
range, and speed rating as the original equipment
tires.
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 winter tires with a
lower speed rating, never exceed the tire's maximum
speed capability.
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Black plate (53,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
(E) Tire Ply Material:The type of cord and
number of plies in the sidewall and under the
tread.
(F) Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG)
:Tire
manufacturers are required to grade tires based
on three performance factors: treadwear, traction,
and temperature resistance. For more information
see Uniform Tire Quality Grading
on page 6‑71.
(G) Maximum Cold Inflation Load Limit
:
Maximum load that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to support that load.
Compact Spare Tire Example
(A) Temporary Use Only:The compact spare
tire or temporary use tire has a tread life of
approximately 3,000 miles (5 000 km) and should
not be driven at speeds over 65 mph (105 km/h).
The compact spare tire is for emergency use
when a regular road tire has lost air and gone flat.
If your vehicle has a compact spare tire, see
Compact Spare Tire
on page 6‑105and If a Tire
Goes Flat
on page 6‑74.
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