2012 CADILLAC CTS check engine

Black plate (6,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
9-6 Driving and Operating
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
.Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly
steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. The vehicle may
straighten out. Be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
.Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues—such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt.
.Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide. Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Competitive Driving
Competitive driving may affect the
vehicle warranty. See the warranty
book before using the vehicle for
competitive driving.
Notice:
If you use your vehicle
for competitive driving, the
engine may use more oil than it
would with normal use. Low oil
levels can damage the engine. Be
sure to check the oil level often
during competitive driving and
keep the level at or near the
upper mark that shows the proper
operating range on the engine oil
dipstick. For information on how
to add oil, see Engine Oil on
page 10‑10.
CTS‐V Only: Be sure to check the
oil level often during racing, track
testing or other competitive driving
and keep the level at or near the upper mark that shows the proper
operating range on the engine oil
dipstick.
For competitive driving, it is
recommended that the brake fluid
be replaced with a high performance
brake fluid that has a dry boiling
point greater than 279°C (534°F).
After conversion to the high
performance brake fluid,
follow the brake fluid service
recommendations outlined by the
fluid manufacturer. Do not use
silicone or DOT‐5 brake fluids.
HF V6 Engine Only: Be sure to
check the oil level often during
racing, track testing or other
competitive driving and keep the
level at or near 0.5 L (0.5 qt) above
the upper mark that shows the
proper operating range on the
engine oil dipstick. For racing, track
testing or other competitive driving
an engine oil cooler must be
installed.

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 (10,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
9-10 Driving and Operating
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use theRoadside
Service (U.S. and Canada) on
page 13‑7 orRoadside Service
(Mexico) on page 13‑9. To get help
and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{WARNING
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO) which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
.Clear away snow from around
the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe.
.Check again from time to
time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
.Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the
wind to bring in fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
.Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
circulates the air inside the
vehicle and set the fan speed
to the highest setting. See
“Climate Control Systems” in
the Index.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑26.
Run the engine for short periods
only as needed to keep warm, but
be careful.
To save fuel, run the engine for only
short periods as needed to warm
the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of
the way to save heat. Repeat this
until help arrives but only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the
cold. Moving about to keep warm
also helps.
If it takes some time for help to
arrive, now and then when you run
the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs
faster than the idle speed. This
keeps the battery charged to restart
the vehicle and to signal for help
with the headlamps. Do this as little
as possible to save fuel.

Black plate (16,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
9-16 Driving and Operating
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Follow these recommended
guidelines during the first 2 414 km
(1,500 miles) of driving this vehicle.
Parts have a break-in period and
performance will be better in the
long run.
For the first 2 414 km (1,500 miles):
.Avoid full throttle starts and
abrupt stops.
.Do not exceed
4,000 engine rpm.
.Avoid driving at any one
constant speed, fast or slow.
.Avoid downshifting to brake or
slow the vehicle when the
engine speed will exceed
4000 rpm.
.Do not let the engine labor.
Never lug the engine in high
gear at low speeds. With amanual transmission, shift to
the next lower gear. This rule
applies at all times, not just
during the break-in period.
.Do not participate in track
events, sport driving schools,
or similar activities during this
break–in period.
.Check engine oil with every
refueling and add if necessary.
Oil and fuel consumption may be
higher than normal during the
first 2 414 km (1,500 miles).
.To break in new tires, drive at
moderate speeds and avoid hard
cornering for the first 322 km
(200 miles). New tires do not
have maximum traction and may
tend to slip.
.New brake linings also need a
break–in period. Avoid making
hard stops during the first
322 km (200 miles). This is
recommended every time brake
linings are replaced.
Ignition Positions (Key
Access)
The ignition switch can be turned to
four different positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
switch must be in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the brake pedal
must be applied.
Notice:
Using a tool to force the
key from its cylinder could cause
damage or break the key. Use the
correct key and turn the key only
with your hand. Make sure the

Black plate (22,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
9-22 Driving and Operating
as you hold the key in START
for up to a maximum of
15 seconds. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try, to
allow the cranking motor to cool
down. When the engine starts,
let go of the key and accelerator.
If the vehicle starts briefly but
then stops again, do the same
thing. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it. Operate the
engine and transmission gently
until the oil warms up and
lubricates all moving parts.
Notice: The engine is designed to
work with the electronics in the
vehicle. If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates.
Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your
dealer. If you do not, the engine
might not perform properly. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
These vehicle accessories can be
used for up to 10 minutes after the
engine is turned off:
.Audio System
.Power Windows
.Sunroof (if equipped)
Power to the audio system will work
up to 10 minutes or until the driver
door is opened. Power to the
windows or sunroof will work up to
10 minutes or until any door is
opened. For an additional
10 minutes of operation, close all
the doors and turn the key to ON/
RUN and then back to LOCK/OFF.
Engine Coolant Heater
Vehicles with the engine coolant
heater can use this option in cold
weather conditions at or below
−18°C (0°F) for easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine
warm-up. Plug in the coolant heater at least four hours before starting
your vehicle. An internal thermostat
in the plug-end of the cord may exist
which will prevent engine coolant
heater operation at temperatures
above
−18°C (0°F).
To Use the Engine Coolant
Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the
electrical cord. The cord is
located near the driver side strut
tower.
Remove the plastic cap to
access the plug.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{WARNING
Plugging the cord into an
ungrounded outlet could cause an
electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could
(Continued)

Black plate (33,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-33
While you accelerate, it is normal for
the light to go on and off if you
quickly change the position of the
accelerator. Ignore the light when
you downshift.
CTS-V vehicles use tracer lights
around the outside of the
tachometer as a performance
up‐shift light. These tracers flash
to indicate when to shift to the next
higher gear to avoid the engine
speed limit. SeeTachometer on
page 5‑13 for more information.
Skip Shift (CTS‐V)
Under light acceleration, the
transmission will only allow you to
shift from 1 (First) to 4 (Fourth).
Shifts from 1 (First) to 2 (Second) or
3 (Third) are not allowed. This helps
improve fuel mileage.
Under harder acceleration, Skip
Shift is disabled, and the driver has
all gears available.
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
Vehicles with this feature always
send engine power to all four
wheels. It is fully automatic, and
adjusts itself as needed for road
conditions.
When using a compact spare tire
on an AWD vehicle, the system
automatically detects the compact
spare and disables AWD. To restore
AWD operation and prevent
excessive wear on the system,
replace the compact spare with a
full-size tire as soon as possible.
SeeCompact Spare Tire on
page 10‑103 for more information.
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the engine is started and the
vehicle begins to drive away, ABS
checks itself. A momentary motor or
clicking noise might be heard while
this test is going on, and it might
even be noticed that the brake
pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑23.

Black plate (50,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
9-50 Driving and Operating
When the System Does Not
Seem to Work Properly
The rear vision camera system
might not work properly or display a
clear image if the following occurs:
.It is dark.
.The sun or the beam of
headlamps is shining directly
into the camera lens.
.Ice, snow, mud, or anything else
builds up on the camera lens.
Clean the lens, rinse it with
water, and wipe it with a soft
cloth.
.The back of the vehicle is in an
accident. The position and
mounting angle of the camera
can change or the camera can
be affected. Be sure to have
the camera and its position and
mounting angle checked at your
dealer.
.There are extreme temperature
changes.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is
an important part of the proper
maintenance of this vehicle. To help
keep the engine clean and maintain
optimum vehicle performance, we
recommend the use of gasoline
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline.
Look for the TOP TIER label on the
fuel pump to ensure gasoline meets
enhanced detergency standards
developed by auto companies. A list
of marketers providing TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline can be found at
www.toptiergas.com.
The eighth digit of the Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN) shows
the code letter or number that
identifies the vehicle's engine.
The VIN is at the top left of the
instrument panel. SeeVehicle
Identification Number (VIN) on
page 12‑1.

Black plate (51,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-51
Recommended Fuel
If the vehicle has a V6 engine, use
regular unleaded gasoline with a
posted octane rating of 87 or higher.
If the octane rating is less than 87,
an audible knocking noise,
commonly referred to as spark
knock, might be heard when driving.
If this occurs, use a gasoline rated
at 87 octane or higher as soon as
possible. If heavy knocking is heard
when using gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher, the engine
needs service.
If the vehicle has the 6.2L V8 engine
(VIN Code P), use premium
unleaded gasoline with a posted
octane rating of 91 or higher. For
best performance, use premium
unleaded gasoline with a posted
octane rating of 93. In an
emergency, you can use regular
unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating of 87 or higher. If 87 octane
fuel is used, do not perform any
aggressive driving maneuvers such
as wide open throttle applications.You might also hear audible spark
knock during acceleration. Refill the
tank with premium fuel as soon as
possible to avoid damaging the
engine. If heavy knocking is heard
when using gasoline rated at
91 octane or higher, the engine
needs service.
Gasoline Specifications
(U.S. and Canada Only)
At a minimum, gasoline should meet
ASTM specification D 4814 in the
United States or CAN/CGSB‐3.5
or 3.511 in Canada. Some
gasolines contain an
octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT). We recommend
against the use of gasolines
containing MMT. See
Fuel Additives
on page 9‑52 for additional
information.
California Fuel
Requirements
If the vehicle is certified to meet
California Emissions Standards, it is
designed to operate on fuels that
meet California specifications. See
the underhood emission control
label. If this fuel is not available in
states adopting California Emissions
Standards, the vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal specifications, but emission
control system performance might
be affected. The malfunction
indicator lamp could turn on and the
vehicle might fail a smog‐check test.
See Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 5‑19. If this occurs, return to
your authorized dealer for diagnosis.
If it is determined that the condition
is caused by the type of fuel used,
repairs might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.