2012 CADILLAC CTS park assist

Black plate (45,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-45
SERVICE TRANSMISSION
This message displays when there
is a problem with the vehicle's
transmission. Have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer.
SHIFT TO PARK (AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION ONLY)
If the vehicle has the keyless
access system, this message
displays if the vehicle is not in
P (Park) while the engine is being
turned off. The vehicle will be in
ACC/ACCESSORY. Once the shift
lever is moved to P (Park), the
ignition needs to be turned off. If the
ignition is not turned off, the vehicle
will remain in ACC/ACCESSORY.
To avoid draining the battery, turn
the ignition off before leaving the
vehicle.
SPORT MODE
This message displays when the
vehicle is in sport mode. The
transmission gear position will also
be displayed when DSC is in use.
SeeManual Mode on page 9‑29 for
more information.
TRANSMISSION HOT IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays when the
transmission fluid in the vehicle is
too hot. Stop the vehicle and allow it
to idle until the transmission cools
down or until this message is
removed.
Vehicle Speed Messages
ICE POSSIBLE DRIVE
WITH CARE
This message displays when the
outside temperature is cold enough
to create icy road conditions. Adjust
your driving accordingly.
SPEED LIMITED TO
XXX KM/H (MPH)
This message displays when the
vehicle speed is limited to 128 km/h
(80 mph) because the vehicle
detects a problem in the speed
variable assist steering or magnetic
ride control systems. Have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
Washer Fluid Messages
WASHER FLUID LOW ADD
FLUID
This message displays when the
vehicle is low on windshield washer
fluid. Refill the windshield washer
fluid reservoir as soon as possible.
See Washer Fluid on page 10‑25 for
more information.

Black plate (54,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
5-54 Instruments and Controls
Do not use the Universal Home
Remote with any garage door
opener that does not have the stop
and reverse feature. This includes
any garage door opener model
manufactured before April 1, 1982.
Read the instructions completely
before attempting to program the
Universal Home Remote. Because
of the steps involved, it may be
helpful to have another person
available to assist you with
programming the Universal Home
Remote.
Keep the original hand-held
transmitter for use in other vehicles
as well as for future Universal Home
Remote programming. It is also
recommended that upon the sale
of the vehicle, the programmed
Universal Home Remote buttons
should be erased for security
purposes. See“Erasing Universal
Home Remote Buttons” later in this
section. When programming a garage door,
park outside of the garage. Park
directly in line with and facing the
garage door opener motor-head
or gate motor-head. Be sure that
people and objects are clear of the
garage door or gate that is being
programmed.
It is recommended that a new
battery be installed in your
hand-held transmitter for quicker
and more accurate transmission of
the radio-frequency signal.
Programming the Universal
Home Remote System
For questions or help programming
the Universal Home Remote
System, call 1‐800‐355‐3515 or go
to www.homelink.com.
Programming a garage door opener
involves time-sensitive actions, so
read the entire procedure before
starting. Otherwise, the device will
time out and the procedure will have
to be repeated.To program up to three devices:
1. From inside the vehicle, press
and hold down the two outside
buttons at the same time,
releasing only when the
Universal Home Remote
indicator light begins to flash,
after 20 seconds. This step will
erase the factory settings or all
previously programmed buttons.
Do not hold down the buttons for
longer than 30 seconds and do
not repeat this step to program
the remaining two Universal
Home Remote buttons.
2. Hold the end of your hand-held transmitter about 3 to 8 cm
(1 to 3 in) away from the
Universal Home Remote buttons
while keeping the indicator light

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Competitive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-8
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-11
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-16
Ignition Positions (KeyAccess) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
Ignition Positions (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-18 Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 9-22
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Parking (Manual Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-27
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . 9-31
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Parking Brake (Manual) . . . . . . 9-34
Parking Brake (Electric) . . . . . . 9-35
Brake Assist (Except CTS-V) . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Ride Control Systems
Traction ControlSystem (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Competitive Driving Mode . . . 9-40
Magnetic Ride Control . . . . . . . 9-40
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . 9-41
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-44
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48

Black plate (8,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
9-8 Driving and Operating
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to
your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find a
safe place to park the vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep the interior
temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving—scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{WARNING
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
{WARNING
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down
and they could get so hot that
they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill. You
could crash. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle in
gear when going downhill.
.Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your
own lane.
.Be alert on top of hills,
something could be in your lane
(stalled car, accident).

Black plate (17,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-17
key is all the way in. If it is and
you have a manual transmission
vehicle, turn the steering wheel
left and right while you turn the
key hard. If none of this works,
then the vehicle needs service.
A (STOPPING THE ENGINE/
LOCK/OFF):When the vehicle is
stopped, turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF to turn the engine off.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9‑22 for more information.
This is the only position in which the
key can be removed. This position
locks the ignition and shift lever on
automatic transmission vehicles,
and the ignition and steering wheel
on manual transmission vehicles.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags. If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady
pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to neutral. This can be done while the vehicle is
moving. After shifting to neutral,
firmly apply the brakes and steer
the vehicle to a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop. Shift to P (Park) with an automatic
transmission, or Neutral with a
manual transmission. Turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake (Manual) on
page 9‑34 orParking Brake
(Electric) on page 9‑35{WARNING
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled
over, and must be shut off while
driving, turn the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
The ignition switch can bind in the
LOCK/OFF position with the wheels
turned off center. If this happens,
move the steering wheel from right
to left while turning the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY. If this does not work,
then the vehicle needs service.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY): This
position lets you use things like the
radio and the windshield wipers
when the engine is off. This position
allows you to turn off the engine.

Black plate (19,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-19
Using a tool to force the ignition
control knob from its cylinder could
damage it.
Make sure the keyless access
transmitter is inside the vehicle
when trying to turn the ignition
control knob.
A (STOPPING THE ENGINE/
LOCK/OFF):When the vehicle is
stopped, turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF to turn the engine off.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9‑22. The ignition control knob cannot be
removed from the vehicle. The
keyless access transmitter must be
inside the vehicle to start the
engine. This position locks the
ignition and shift lever on automatic
transmission vehicles, and the
ignition and steering wheel on
manual transmission vehicles.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady
pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to neutral. This can be done while the vehicle is
moving. After shifting to neutral,
firmly apply the brakes and steer
the vehicle to a safe location. 3. Come to a complete stop. Shift
to P (Park) with an automatic
transmission, or Neutral with a
manual transmission. Turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake (Manual) on
page 9‑34 orParking Brake
(Electric) on page 9‑35.
{WARNING
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
switch the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY): This
position allows you to use things
like the radio and the windshield

Black plate (21,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-21
Notice:Do not try to shift to
P (Park) if the vehicle is moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to P (Park)
only when the vehicle is stopped.
Manual Transmission
The shift lever should be in neutral
position and the parking brake
engaged. Hold the clutch pedal
down to the floor and start the
engine. The vehicle will not start if
the clutch pedal is not all the
way down.
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition key to
START. If the vehicle has the
keyless access system, push the
ignition control knob in and
rotate the knob to the START
position. When the engine starts,
let go of the ignition. The idle
speed will go down as your
engine gets warm. Do not race
the engine immediately after starting it. Operate the engine
and transmission gently to allow
the oil to warm up and lubricate
all moving parts.
The vehicle has a
Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in
starting the engine and protects
components. If the ignition key is
turned to the START position,
and then released when the
engine begins cranking, the
engine will continue cranking for
a few seconds or until the
vehicle starts. If the engine does
not start and the key is held in
START for many seconds,
cranking will be stopped after
15 seconds to prevent cranking
motor damage. To prevent gear
damage, this system also
prevents cranking if the engine
is already running. Engine
cranking can be stopped by
turning the ignition switch to
ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF.When first starting the vehicle,
the engine idle speed will be
elevated to allow the catalytic
converter, an emissions control
device, to quickly reach
operating temperature. After
approximately 20 seconds, the
engine will begin to transition to
its normal, quieter idle speed,
which can vary depending on
the temperature. This is normal
operation.
Notice: Cranking the engine for
long periods of time, by returning
the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after 5‐10 seconds, especially in very
cold weather (below 0°F or
−18°C), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing
the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and holding it there

Black plate (37,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-37
DIC message STEP ON BRAKE TO
RELEASE PARK BRAKE will be
displayed. The EPB is released
when the BRAKE light is off and the
DIC message PARK BRAKE
RELEASED is displayed.
If the yellow light is on, the EPB has
detected an error in another system
and is operating with reduced
functionality. To release the EPB
when this light is on, push down on
the EPB switch and hold it in the
down position. EPB release may
take a longer period of time than
normal when this light is on.
Continue to hold the switch until the
BRAKE light is off. If the yellow light
is on, see your dealer.
Notice:Driving with the parking
brake on can overheat the brake
system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system
parts. Make sure that the parking
brake is fully released and the red
brake warning light is off before
driving.Automatic EPB Release
The EPB will automatically release if
the vehicle is running, placed into
gear, and an attempt is made to
drive away. Avoid rapid acceleration
when the EPB is applied, to
preserve park brake lining life.
The EPB can also be used to
prevent roll back for vehicles with a
manual transmission taking off on a
hill. In a situation where no roll back
is desired, an applied EPB will allow
both feet to be used for the clutch
and accelerator pedals in
preparation for starting the vehicle
moving in the intended direction.
In this situation, perform the normal
clutch and/or accelerator actions
required to begin moving the
vehicle. There is no need to push
the switch to release the EPB.
If you are towing a trailer and
parking on a hill, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips on
page 9‑56 for more information.
Brake Assist
(Except CTS-V)
This vehicle has a brake assist
feature designed to assist the driver
in stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake
control module to supplement the
power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle. The
stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.
Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time
is normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal
as the driving situation dictates.
The brake assist feature will
automatically disengage when the
brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.