Black plate (1,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Section 1 In Brief
Instrument Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Heated Seats (Front) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Heated Seats (Rear) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Heated and Ventilated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Sensing System for Passenger Airbag . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15 Vehicle Features
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-21
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Roadside Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
1-1
Black plate (3,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
A.Outlet Adjustment on page 4‑48.
B. Instrument Panel Brightness
on page 4‑35.
DIC Operation and Displays on page 4‑70.
Head-Up Display (HUD)
on page 4‑38(If Equipped).
C. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 4‑4.
Headlamps on page 4‑27.
Cruise Control on page 4‑12.
Adaptive Cruise Control
on page 4‑15(If Equipped).
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System
on
page 4‑6(If Equipped).
D. Instrument Panel Cluster on page 4‑52.
E. Windshield Wipers on page 4‑10.
F. Audio System(s)
on page 4‑94.
Navigation/Radio System
on page 4‑113(If Equipped). G.
Audio Steering Wheel Controls
on page 4‑124(If Equipped).
Adaptive Cruise Control
on page 4‑15(If Equipped).
Heated Steering Wheel
on page 4‑4(If Equipped).
H. Data Link Connector (DLC). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 4‑62.
I. Power Tilt Wheel and Telescopic Steering Column
on page 4‑3.
J. Horn on page 4‑3.
K. Ignition Positions on page 3‑26.
L. Dual Climate Control System
on page 4‑43.
M. Hazard Warning Flashers on page 4‑3.
N. Cupholders on page 3‑56.
O. Traction Control System (TCS) on page 5‑9.
P. Shift Lever. See Automatic Transmission Operation
on page 3‑30.
Q. Glove Box on page 3‑56.
1-3
Black plate (11,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Mirror Adjustment
Exterior Mirrors
Controls for the outside
power mirrors are located
on the driver door.
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. 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. The dimming feature automatically adjusts the driver
outside mirror for the glare of the headlamps behind
your vehicle. See
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirroron page 3‑37for more information.
Manually fold the mirrors inward to prevent damage
when going through an automatic car wash. To fold,
push the mirror toward the vehicle. Push the mirror
outward, to return to its original position.
Interior Mirror
The vehicle has an automatic dimming inside rearview
mirror. Automatic dimming reduces the glare of lights
from behind the vehicle. The dimming feature comes on
and the indicator light illuminates each time the vehicle
is started.
See Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror
on page 3‑37for more information.
1-11
Black plate (12,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Steering Wheel Adjustment
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.
See Power Tilt Wheel and Telescopic Steering Column
on page 4‑3.
Interior Lighting
Reading Lamps
The reading lamps are located on the overhead
console. These lamps come on automatically when any
door is opened.
For manual operation, press the button next to each
lamp to turn it on or off.
If the reading lamps are left on, they automatically shut
off 10 minutes after the ignition has been turned off.
For more information on interior lamps, see:
.Reading Lamps on page 4‑36.
.Entry Lighting on page 4‑36.
.Instrument Panel Brightness on page 4‑35.
1-12
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 (12,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
SeeDIC Warnings and Messageson page 4‑76. The
normal power steering system is still operational. You
might notice that the center position of the steering
wheel is changed and that more steering effort at low
speeds and less steering effort at high speeds is
required. You can continue to drive the vehicle with
normal power steering but you should have your dealer
inspect the steering system as soon as possible in
order to have the problem corrected and the steering
wheel position centered.
When stability control activates, the system
automatically adjusts the front road wheel steering
angle, modifies the suspension stiffness, and selectively
applies braking pressure at any one of the vehicle's
brakes to help maintain directional control of the
vehicle. Adjustments to the steering will not be felt in
the steering wheel. See Enhanced StabiliTrak
®on
page 5‑7.
It is recommended that the battery not be disconnected
when the steering wheel is turned from the center
position. If this occurs, the center position of the
steering wheel could be temporarily changed a small
amount. You can continue to operate the vehicle and,
after a short time, the center position of the steering
wheel will return to normal.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
Traction in a curve depends on the condition of the tires
and the road surface, the angle at which the curve is
banked, and vehicle speed. While in a curve, speed is
the one factor that can be controlled.
If there is a need to reduce speed, do it before entering
the curve, while the front wheels are straight.
Try to adjust the speed so you can drive through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until out of the curve, and then accelerate
gently into the straightaway.
To help you steer in the direction you want to go, during
certain sharp or sudden cornering maneuvers, gear
selection is controlled. This will maximize the available
drive wheel torque and minimize the transmission
response time and shift activity. During this kind of
maneuver, the transmission shifts automatically as
vehicle speed changes.
5-12
Black plate (6,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-6Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
California Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Gasoline Octane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-68
Fuel Economy Driving for Better . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Fuses Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-115
Rear Underseat Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-120
Underhood Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-116
Windshield Wiper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-115
G
Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-49
GasolineOctane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7 Gauges
Engine Coolant Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-68
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-53
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-53
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-56
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-7
H
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-47
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-3
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-38
Headlamp Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-115
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27 Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-46
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-47
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . 6-47
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Range Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Wiper Activated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
i - 6
Black plate (10,1)Cadillac STS Owner Manual - 2011
PhoneBluetooth®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-113
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-115
Lumbar Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-33
Tilt Wheel and Telescopic Steering Column . . . . . . . . 4-3
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Pregnancy, Using Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-33
Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-19 Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-20
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-20
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-20
Program Courtesy Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12
Programmable Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Proposition 65 Warning, California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-5
R
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-20
Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-20
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-95 Radios
Navigation/Radio System, see Navigation
Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-113
Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-120
Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-125
Setting the Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-95
Theft-Deterrent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-123
Range Adjustment, Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-44 Limited-Slip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Rear Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49
Rear Door Security Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Rear Heated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Rearview Mirror with Compass and Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Rearview Mirrors Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Reclining Seatbacks, Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-9
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Reimbursement Program, GM Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-7
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Remote, Keyless Access System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-4
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-97
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-96
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-48
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