
Black plate (15,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-15
For the CTS-V, the tachometer
tracer lights flash prior to reaching
engine speed limit. The tracer lights
also flash on automatic transmission
vehicles while in the DSC or Tap
Shift modes.
Engine Oil Pressure
Gauge
Metric
English
For vehicles with an engine oil
pressure gauge, it shows the engine
oil pressure in kPa (kilopascals)
or psi (pounds per square inch)
when the engine is running.
Oil pressure may vary with engine
speed, outside temperature, and oil
viscosity, but if readings are outside
the normal operating range, the oil
pressure light will come on. See
Engine Oil Pressure Light on
page 5‑25 for more information. A reading outside the normal
operating range may be caused
by a dangerously low oil level or
some other problem causing low oil
pressure. Oil should be checked as
soon as possible. See Oil Pressure
Low Stop Engine under
Engine Oil
Messages on page 5‑35 andEngine
Oil on page 10‑10.
{WARNING
Do not keep driving if the oil
pressure is low. The engine can
become so hot that it catches fire.
Someone could be burned. Check
the oil as soon as possible and
have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always follow the maintenance
schedule for changing engine oil.

Black plate (18,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
5-18 Instruments and Controls
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator
The vehicle has a passenger
sensing system. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 3‑27 for
important safety information. The
instrument panel has a passenger
airbag status indicator.
United States
Canada and Mexico When the vehicle is started, the
passenger airbag status indicator
will light the words ON and OFF,
or the symbols for on and off, for
several seconds as a system check.
If the vehicle has remote start, and it
is being used to start the vehicle
from a distance, you may not see
the system check. Then, after
several more seconds, the status
indicator will light either ON or OFF,
or either the on or off symbol, to let
you know the status of the right front
passenger frontal airbag.
If the word ON or the on symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the outboard
front passenger frontal airbag is
enabled (may inflate).
If the word OFF or the off symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the
passenger sensing system has
turned off the outboard front
passenger frontal airbag. 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 ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. See
Airbag Readiness
Light on page 5‑17 for more
information, including important
safety information.

Black plate (23,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-23
SeeBrake Assist (Except CTS-V)
on page 9‑37 for more information.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
The Antilock Brake System (ABS),
this light comes on briefly when the
engine is started.
If the light does not come on, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn if
there is a problem.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the
ignition off. If the light comes on
while driving, stop as soon as it is
safely possible and turn the ignition
off. A chime may also sound when
the light comes on steady. If this
happens, start the engine again to
reset the system. If the ABS light
stays on, or comes on again while driving, the vehicle needs service.
If the regular brake system warning
light is not on, the vehicle still has
brakes, but not antilock brakes.
If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, the vehicle does not
have antilock brakes and there is a
problem with the regular brakes.
See
Brake System Warning Light on
page 5‑22.
For vehicles with a Driver
Information Center (DIC), see
Driver Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑27 for all brake-related DIC
messages.
Up-Shift Light
The vehicle may have an up-shift
light. It indicates when to shift to
the next higher gear for best fuel
economy. See
Manual Transmission on
page 9‑31 for more information.
For the CTS-V, the tracer lights
function as a performance up-shift
light.
The tracers flash to indicate when
to shift to the next higher gear to
avoid the engine speed limit. See
Automatic Transmission on
page 9‑27 orManual Transmission
on page 9‑31 for more information.
StabiliTrak®OFF Light
This light comes on briefly while
starting the engine. If it does not,
have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer.

Black plate (48,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
5-48 Instruments and Controls
keyless access transmitter, or when
the vehicle is automatically locked
using the Keyless Locking feature.
You will not receive feedback
when locking the vehicle with the
transmitter if the doors are open.
SeeRemote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation (Key Access) on
page 2‑5 orRemote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation (Keyless
Access) on page 2‑6, or “Keyless
Locking” later in this section for
more information.
Press the customization button until
Remote Door Lock appears on the
DIC display. Press the set/reset
button once to access the settings
for this feature. Then press the
menu up/down button to scroll
through the following settings.
Off: There will be no feedback
when you press the lock button
on the transmitter.
Lights Only: The exterior lamps
will flash when you press the lock
button on the transmitter. Horn Only:
The horn will sound on
the second press of the lock button
on the transmitter.
Horn & Lights (default): The
exterior lamps will flash when
you press the lock button on the
transmitter, and the horn will sound
when the lock button is pressed
again within five seconds of the
previous command.
No Change: No change will be
made to this feature. The current
setting will remain.
To select a setting, press the set/
reset button while the desired
setting is displayed on the DIC.
Remote Door Unlock Feedback
This feature allows you to select the
type of feedback you will receive
when unlocking the vehicle with the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) or
keyless access transmitter, or
when the vehicle is automatically
unlocked using the Keyless Unlock
feature. You will not receive
feedback when unlocking the vehicle with the transmitter if the
doors are open. See
Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation (Key Access) on
page 2‑5 orRemote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation (Keyless
Access) on page 2‑6 or“Keyless
Unlock” later in this section for more
information.
Press the customization button until
Remote Door Unlock appears on
the DIC display. Press the set/reset
button once to access the settings
for this feature. Then press the
menu up/down button to scroll
through the following settings.
Lights Off: The exterior lamps will
not flash when you press the unlock
button on the transmitter.
Lights On (default): The exterior
lamps will flash when you press the
unlock button on the transmitter.
No Change: No change will be
made to this feature. The current
setting will remain.

Black plate (49,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-49
To select a setting, press the set/
reset button while the desired
setting is displayed on the DIC.
Exit Lighting
This feature allows you to select the
amount of time you want the
exterior lamps to remain on when it
is dark enough outside. This
happens after the key is turned from
ON/RUN to LOCK/OFF.
Press the customization button until
Exit Lighting appears on the DIC
display. Press the set/reset button
once to access the settings for this
feature. Then press the menu up/
down button to scroll through the
following settings.
Off:The exterior lamps will not
turn on.
10 Seconds (default): The exterior
lamps will stay on for 10 seconds.
30 Seconds: The exterior lamps
will stay on for 30 seconds.
2 Minutes: The exterior lamps will
stay on for two minutes. No Change:
No change will be
made to this feature. The current
setting will remain.
To select a setting, press the set/
reset button while the desired
setting is displayed on the DIC.
Approach Lighting
This feature allows you to select
whether or not to have the exterior
lights turn on briefly during low light
periods after unlocking the vehicle
using the Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) or keyless access transmitter.
Press the customization button until
Approach Lighting appears on the
DIC display. Press the set/reset
button once to access the settings
for this feature. Then press the
menu up/down button to scroll
through the following settings.
Off: The exterior lights will not turn
on when you unlock the vehicle with
the transmitter. On (default):
If it is dark enough
outside, the exterior lights will turn
on briefly when you unlock the
vehicle with the transmitter.
The lights will remain on for
20 seconds or until the lock button
on the transmitter is pressed, or the
vehicle is no longer off. See Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation (Key Access) on
page 2‑5 orRemote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation (Keyless
Access) on page 2‑6 for more
information.
No Change: No change will be
made to this feature. The current
setting will remain.
To select a setting, press the set/
reset button while the desired
setting is displayed on the DIC.
Factory Settings
This feature allows you to set all of
the customization features back to
their factory default settings.

Black plate (50,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
5-50 Instruments and Controls
Press the customization button until
Factory Settings appears on the
DIC display. Press the set/reset
button once to access the settings
for this feature. Then press the
menu up/down button to scroll
through the following settings.
Restore All (default):The
customization features will be set
to their factory default settings.
No Change: The customization
features will not be set to their
factory default settings.
To select a setting, press the set/
reset button while the desired
setting is displayed on the DIC.
Keyless Locking
If the vehicle has the keyless
access system, this feature allows
you to select whether the doors
automatically lock during normal
vehicle exit. When the ignition is
turned off and all doors become
closed, the vehicle will determine
how many keyless access
transmitters remain in the vehicle interior. If at least one keyless
access transmitter has been
removed from the interior of the
vehicle, the doors will lock after
several seconds.
For example, if there are two
keyless access transmitters in the
vehicle and one is removed, the
other will be locked in. The keyless
access transmitter locked in the
vehicle can still be used to start
the vehicle or unlock the doors,
if needed. A person approaching the
outside of the locked vehicle without
an authorized keyless access
transmitter, however, will not be
able to open the door, even with a
transmitter in the vehicle. See the
keyless access information for
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation (Key Access) on
page 2‑5
orRemote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation (Keyless
Access) on page 2‑6 for more
information.
You may temporarily disable the
keyless locking feature by pressing
the door unlock switch for three seconds on an open door. To
enable keyless locking, transition
the power mode from off.
To select whether the horn sounds
or the lights flash when the vehicle
is locked, see
“Remote Door Lock”
earlier in this section.
Press the customization button until
Keyless Locking appears on the
DIC display. Press the set/reset
button once to access the settings
for this feature. Then press the
menu up/down button to scroll
through the following settings.
Off (default): The keyless locking
feature will be disabled.
On: The keyless locking feature will
be enabled.
The doors will automatically lock
several seconds after you turn the
ignition off, remove a keyless
access transmitter from the interior
of the vehicle, and close all of the
doors.

Black plate (51,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-51
No Change:No change will be
made to this feature. The current
setting will remain.
To select a setting, press the set/
reset button while the desired
setting is displayed on the DIC.
Keyless Unlock
If the vehicle has the keyless
access system, this feature allows
you to select which doors will
automatically unlock when you
approach the vehicle with the
keyless access transmitter and
open the driver door. See the
keyless access information for
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation (Key Access) on
page 2‑5 orRemote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation (Keyless
Access) on page 2‑6 for more
information.
To select whether the lights flash
when the vehicle is unlocked, see
“Remote Door Unlock” earlier in this
section. Press the customization button until
Keyless Unlock appears on the DIC
display. Press the set/reset button
once to access the settings for this
feature. Then press the menu up/
down button to scroll through the
following settings.
Entry Door Only:
Only the driver
door will automatically unlock when
you approach the vehicle with the
keyless access transmitter and
open the driver door.
All Doors (default): All doors will
automatically unlock when you
approach the vehicle with the
keyless access transmitter and
open the driver door.
No Change: No change will be
made to this feature. The current
setting will remain.
To select a setting, press the set/
reset button while the desired
setting is displayed on the DIC. Chime Volume
This feature allows you to select the
volume level of the chime.
Press the customization button until
Chime Volume appears on the DIC
display. Press the set/reset button
once to access the settings for this
feature. Then press the menu up/
down button to scroll through the
following settings.
Normal:
The chime volume will be
set to a normal level.
Loud: The chime volume will be
set to a loud level.
No Change: No change will be
made to this feature. The current
setting will remain.
There is no default for chime
volume. The volume will stay at the
last known setting.
To select a setting, press the set/
reset button while the desired
setting is displayed on the DIC.

Black plate (2,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
6-2 Lighting
;(Parking Lamps):Turns on the
parking lamps together with the
following:
.Sidemarker Lamps
.Taillamps
.License Plate Lamps
.Instrument Panel Lights
5(Headlamps): Turns on the
headlamps, together with the
previously listed lamps and lights.
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder
A warning chime will sound if the
exterior lamp control is left on in
either the headlamp or parking lamp
position and the driver door is
opened with the ignition off.
Headlamp High/
Low-Beam Changer
Push the turn signal/lane change
lever away from you to turn the high
beams on. Pull the lever toward you
and then release it to return to low
beams.
If the vehicle is turned off while the
high beams are on, they will come
on the next time the vehicle is
started.
This indicator light turns on in the
instrument panel cluster when the
high‐beam headlamps are on.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature allows the high-beam
headlamps to be used to signal the
driver in front of you that you want
to pass.
Pull and hold the turn signal/lane
change lever toward you to use this
feature. When this is done the
following will occur:
.If the headlamps are off or in
low-beam mode, the high-beam
headlamps will turn on. They will
stay on as long as the lever is
held there. Release the lever to
turn them off.
.If the headlamps are already in
high-beam mode, they will
remain on high beam.