Black plate (43,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-43
Airbag System Messages
SERVICE AIR BAG
This message displays when there
is a problem with the airbag system.
Have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer immediately. SeeAirbag
Readiness Light on page 5‑17 for
more information.
Anti-theft Alarm System
Messages
SERVICE THEFT DETERRENT
SYSTEM
This message displays when there
is a problem with the theft-deterrent
system programmed in the key.
A fault has been detected in the
system which means that the
system is disabled and it is not
protecting the vehicle. The vehicle
usually restarts; however, you may
want to take the vehicle to your
dealer before turning off the engine.
See Immobilizer Operation (Key
Access) on page 2‑25 orImmobilizer Operation (Keyless
Access) on page 2‑26
for more
information.
START ABORTED BY THEFT
DETERRENT
This message displays if there is a
communication problem between
the keyless access system and the
vehicle. The vehicle cannot be
started when this message displays.
See your dealer for service.
THEFT ATTEMPTED
This message displays if the
theft-deterrent system has detected
a break-in attempt while you were
away from the vehicle. See
Anti-theft Alarm System on
page 2‑24 for more information.
Service Vehicle Messages
SERVICE A/C SYSTEM
This message displays when the
electronic sensors that control
the air conditioning and heating
systems are no longer working. Have the climate control system
serviced by your dealer if you
notice a drop in heating and air
conditioning efficiency.
SERVICE VEHICLE SOON
This message displays when a
non-emissions related malfunction
occurs. Have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer as soon as possible.
Tire Messages
SERVICE TIRE MONITOR
SYSTEM
This message displays if a part on
the Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) is not working properly. The
tire pressure light also flashes and
then remains on during the same
ignition cycle. See
Tire Pressure
Light on page 5‑25. Several
conditions may cause this message
to appear. See Tire Pressure
Monitor Operation on page 10‑73 for
more information. If the warning
Black plate (8,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
6-8 Lighting
Exit Lighting
The headlamps, taillamps, parking
lamps, back‐up lamps, and license
plate lamps come on at night, or in
areas with limited lighting, when the
key is removed from the ignition.
The dome lamps also come on
when the key is removed from the
ignition. The exterior lights and
dome lamps remain on after the
door is closed for a set amount of
time, then automatically turn off.
For vehicles with keyless access,
the exterior lights and dome lamps
automatically turn on when a door is
opened after the ignition is turned
off. SeeIgnition Positions (Key
Access) on page 9‑16 orIgnition
Positions (Keyless Access) on
page 9‑18.
The exterior lights turn off
immediately by turning the
exterior lamps control off.
This feature can be changed.
See Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑46.
Parade Dimming
This feature does not let the
instrument panel backlight dim
during daylight hours while the key
is in the ignition and the headlamps
are on. Parade dimming
automatically works with the light
sensor, located on top of the
dashboard. If it is dark enough
outside and the parking lamps are
on, the backlight on the instrument
panel can be adjusted by turning the
instrument panel brightness knob
clockwise or counterclockwise to
brighten or dim the lighting. See
Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6‑7.
Battery Load
Management
The vehicle has Electric Power
Management (EPM) that estimates
the battery's temperature and state
of charge. It then adjusts the voltage
for best performance and extended
life of the battery. When the battery's state of charge
is low, the voltage is raised slightly
to quickly bring the charge back up.
When the state of charge is high,
the voltage is lowered slightly to
prevent overcharging. If the vehicle
has a voltmeter gauge or a voltage
display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC), you may see the
voltage move up or down. This is
normal. If there is a problem, an
alert will be displayed.
The battery can be discharged at
idle if the electrical loads are very
high. This is true for all vehicles.
This is because the generator
(alternator) may not be spinning fast
enough at idle to produce all the
power that is needed for very high
electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when
several of the following are on, such
as: headlamps, high beams, fog
lamps, rear window defogger,
climate control fan at high speed,
heated seats, engine cooling fans,
trailer loads, and loads plugged into
accessory power outlets.
Black plate (1,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Climate Controls 8-1
Climate Controls
Climate Control Systems
Dual Automatic Climate ControlSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment AirFilter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Climate Control Systems
Dual Automatic Climate Control System
The heating, cooling, and ventilation for the vehicle can be controlled with
this system.
A. Display
B. Fan
C. Power
D. AUTO (Automatic Operation)
E. PASS (Passenger Climate
Control) F. Defrost
G. Air Delivery Mode
H. Temperature and Heated/
Ventilated Seat
I. Air Conditioning
J. Recirculation
Black plate (2,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
8-2 Climate Controls
K. Outside Air
L. Rear Window Defogger
Automatic Operation
AUTO (Automatic):The system
automatically controls fan speed, air
delivery, and air conditioning in
order to heat or cool the vehicle to
the desired temperature. When the
indicator light is on, the system is in
full automatic operation. If the air
delivery mode or fan setting is
manually adjusted, the auto
indicator turns off and displays will
show the selected settings.
1. Press the AUTO button.
2. Adjust the temperature to a comfortable setting between
21°C (70°F) and 27°C (80°F).
Choosing the coldest or warmest
temperature setting will not
cause the system to heat or cool
any faster.
To avoid blowing cold air in cold
weather, the system delays
turning on the fan until warm air is available. The system starts
out blowing air at the floor, but
can automatically change modes
as the vehicle warms up to
maintain the chosen temperature
setting. The length of time
needed for warm up depends on
the outside temperature and the
length of time that has elapsed
since the vehicle was last driven.
3. Wait for the system to regulate. This may take from 10 to
30 minutes. Then adjust the
temperature, if necessary.
English can be changed to metric
units through the Driver Information
Center (DIC). See Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑27.
Q/R(Temperature Control): The
temperature can be adjusted
separately for the driver and the
passenger. Press to increase or
decrease the automatic temperature
settings. PASS (Passenger Climate
Control):
Press to set a different
temperature for the passenger.
Then adjust the passenger
temperature buttons to a
comfortable setting.
Pressing the PASS button again
automatically sets the passenger's
temperature to the driver's setting.
Turning the passenger's
temperature display off does not
shut the passenger's climate control
system off.
Manual Operation
O(Power): Press to turn the
climate control system on or off.
When the climate control system is
turned off the air inlet defaults to
outside air.
D C(Fan Control): Press the
buttons to increase or decrease the
fan speed. Pressing either button
cancels automatic fan control. Press
AUTO to return to automatic
Black plate (3,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Climate Controls 8-3
operation. The blower may reduce
during an Onstar®session to limit
background noise.
If the airflow seems low when the
fan speed is at the highest setting,
the passenger compartment air filter
might need to be replaced. For more
information, see Passenger
Compartment Air Filter on page 8‑6
and Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3.
H G(Air Delivery Mode Control):
Press the buttons to change the
direction of the airflow. The current
mode appears in the display screen.
Changing the mode cancels the
automatic air delivery. Press AUTO
to return to automatic operation.
The outboard air outlets always
receive some airflow in every mode,
except defrost.
To change the current mode, select
one of the following:
Y(Vent): Air is directed to the
instrument panel outlets.
\(Bi-Level): Air is divided
between the instrument panel
outlets and the floor outlets. In
automatic operation, cooler air is
directed to the upper outlets and
warmer air to the floor outlets.
[(Floor): Air is directed to the
floor outlets, with some air directed
to the windshield and outboard
outlets.
-(Defog): This mode clears the
windows of fog or moisture. Air is
directed to the windshield, floor, and
side window outlets. When this
mode is selected, the system turns
off recirculation and runs the
air-conditioning compressor unless
the outside temperature is at or
below freezing. If recirculation is
selected while in defog mode, it is
cancelled after 10 minutes.
0(Defrost): This mode clears the
windshield of fog or frost more
quickly. Air is directed to the
windshield, with some air directed to
the side windows. In this mode, the
system automatically turns off recirculation and runs the
air-conditioning compressor, unless
the outside temperature is at or
below freezing.
This mode can also cause the fan
speed and air temperature to
increase.
#(Air Conditioning):
Press to
turn the air conditioning system on
or off and override the automatic
system. When in AUTO, the air
conditioning compressor comes on
automatically, as needed.
The air conditioning system
removes moisture from the air, so
water might drip under the vehicle
while idling or after turning off the
engine. This is normal.
M(Recirculation): Press to turn
on recirculation. An indicator light
comes on. Air is recirculated inside
the vehicle. It helps to quickly cool
the air inside the vehicle or prevent
outside air and odors from entering.
Press the AUTO button to have the
system select the best air delivery
mode for the temperature setting.
Black plate (4,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
8-4 Climate Controls
Recirculation is not available in the
defrost mode and automatically
turns off 10 minutes after defog is
selected. This helps to limit window
fogging in the vehicle.
Using recirculation for long periods
of time could cause the air inside
the vehicle to become too dry or
stuffy. To prevent this from
happening, after the air in the
vehicle has cooled, select outside
air or press the auto button.
F(Outside Air):Press to turn
on the outside air. An indicator light
turns on. The outside air mode pulls
fresh air from outside the vehicle.
Outside air is always selected in
defrost mode to prevent fogging.
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a
warming grid to remove fog or frost
from the rear window. It only works
when the ignition is in ON/RUN.
=(Rear Window Defogger):
Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. The rear window defogger stays on
for about 15 minutes, before turning
off if the vehicle is moving at a
slower speed. At higher speeds, the
rear window defogger may stay on
continuously. With each additional
press, the defogger runs for about
10 minutes. The defogger can also
be turned off by turning off the
engine.
The heated outside rearview mirrors
turn on when the rear window
defogger button is on and helps to
clear fog or frost from the surface of
the mirrors. See
Heated Mirrors on
page 2‑28.
Notice: Do not try to clear frost
or other material from the inside
of the front windshield and rear
window with a razor blade or
anything else that is sharp. This
may damage the rear window
defogger grid and affect your
radio's ability to pick up stations
clearly. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
z/{(Heated and Ventilated
Seats): Press to heat or ventilate
the seat. See Heated and Ventilated
Front Seats on page 3‑10.
Remote Start Climate Control
Operation: For vehicles with
remote vehicle start, the climate
control system automatically heats
and cools the vehicle based on the
temperature inside and outside of
the vehicle. The climate control
displays will be blank. See Remote
Vehicle Start on page 2‑12.
In cold weather the windshield
defroster and/or rear window
defogger automatically turn on.
If the vehicle has heated seats, they
will also turn on.
When the ignition is turned to ON/
RUN, the climate control system
returns to the settings used before
the vehicle was last turned off. The
heated seats will turn off,
if equipped.
Black plate (5,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Climate Controls 8-5
Sensors
The solar sensor located on the
instrument panel, near the
windshield, monitors the solar heat.
The interior temperature sensor,
located on the instrument panel to
the right of the steering wheel,
measures the temperature of the air
inside the vehicle.
The climate control system uses the
information from these sensors to
adjust the fan speed and the air
delivery, in order to maintain the
selected temperature. The system
may also supply cooler air to the
side of the vehicle facing the sun.
The recirculation mode will also be
activated, as necessary.
Do not cover the sensors or the
automatic climate control system will
not work properly.Air Quality Sensor
For vehicles with an air quality
sensor, the climate control system
adjusts to limit some exhaust fumes
from being pulled inside your
vehicle.
Press the AUTO button on the
climate control to activate the air
quality sensor. The recirculation
indicator light comes on when poor
quality air is detected. The air
quality sensor will not maintain
recirculation for an extended period
to prevent the air inside the vehicle
from becoming too dry or stuffy.
Under certain conditions, the air
quality sensor will not activate
recirculation, such as during cold
weather or with odors, like skunk. To
limit odors manually, press
Muntil
the condition has passed.
The air quality sensor system does
not protect against carbon monoxide
(CO), which you cannot see or
smell. See Engine Exhaust on
page 9‑26.
Black plate (6,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
8-6 Climate Controls
Air Vents
Use the air outlets located in the
center and on the side of the
instrument panel to direct the
airflow. Use the thumbwheels near
the air outlets to open or close off
the airflow.
Operation Tips
.Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from air inlets at the
base of the windshield that could
block the flow of air into the
vehicle.
.Keep the path under the front
seats clear of objects to help
circulate the air inside of the
vehicle more effectively.
.Use of non‐GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
Check with your dealer before
adding equipment to the outside
of the vehicle.
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The passenger compartment air
filter traps most of the dust and
pollen from the air entering the
vehicle. The filter will need to
be changed periodically. See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3.
Using the climate control system
without the passenger air filter
installed could let water or other
debris enter the system. This could
cause a water leak or noises. Make
sure a new air filter is installed after
removing the old one.
The passenger compartment air
filter is located under the hood
below the windshield wiper arm
and the screen on the passenger
side of the vehicle. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on
page 10‑6 for more information on
location.