
Black plate (19,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Customer Information 13-19
Reporting Safety Defects
to General Motors
In addition to notifying NHTSA (or
Transport Canada) in a situation like
this, notify General Motors.
Call 1-800-458-8006, or write:
Cadillac Customer Assistance
Center
Cadillac Motor Car Division
P.O. Box 33169
Detroit, MI 48232-5169
In Canada, call 1‐888‐446‐2000,
or write:
Canadian Cadillac Customer Care
Centre, Mail Code: CA1-163-005
General Motors of Canada Limited
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7
Vehicle Data
Recording and
Privacy
This GM vehicle has a number of
sophisticated computers that record
information about the vehicle’s
performance and how it is driven.
For example, the vehicle uses
computer modules to monitor and
control engine and transmission
performance, to monitor the
conditions for airbag deployment
and deploy airbags in a crash, and,
if so equipped, to provide antilock
braking to help the driver control the
vehicle. These modules may store
data to help your dealer technician
service the vehicle. Some modules
may also store data about how you
operate the vehicle, such as rate of
fuel consumption or average speed.
These modules may also retain the
owner’s personal preferences, such
as radio pre-sets, seat positions,
and temperature settings.
Event Data Recorders
This vehicle has an Event Data
Recorder (EDR). The main purpose
of an EDR is to record, in certain
crash or near crash-like situations,
such as an airbag deployment or
hitting a road obstacle, data that will
assist in understanding how a
vehicle's systems performed. The
EDR is designed to record data
related to vehicle dynamics and
safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less.
The EDR in this vehicle is designed
to record such data as:
.How various systems in the
vehicle were operating.
.Whether or not the driver and
passenger safety belts were
buckled/fastened.
.How far, if at all, the driver was
pressing the accelerator and/or
brake pedal.
.How fast the vehicle was
traveling.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
INDEX i-1
A
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Add-On Electrical
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-61
Additional Information, OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Adjustments
Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Thigh Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . 10-15
Air Filter, Passenger Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Airbag Adding Equipment to theVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32 Airbag System
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33
How Does an Airbag
Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
What Will You See after an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . 3-22
Airbags Passenger Status Indicator . . . 5-18
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Servicing Airbag-EquippedVehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20 Alarm System
Anti-theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-24
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . 10-30, 9-33
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Antenna Multi-band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Anti-theft
Alarm System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-24
Alarm System Messages . . . . . 5-43
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Appearance Care Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-110
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-113
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
CD/DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19
MP3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-24

Black plate (7,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
INDEX i-7
I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . 9-16, 9-18
Ignition Transmission LockCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-25
Infants and Young Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Instrument Panel Storage Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-104
K
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . . . 5-37
Keyless Entry Remote (RKE) System . . . 2-5, 2-6
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . 10-65
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Lamps Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . 6-3
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-19
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
LATCH System Replacing Parts after aCrash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-49
LATCH, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . 3-43
Liftgate Carbon Monoxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20 Light
StabiliTrak®OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Lighter, Cigarette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Lighting Adaptive Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Parade Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Lights Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 5-22
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning . . . . . . . 5-24
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Front Fog Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2

Black plate (8,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
i-8 INDEX
Lights (cont.)Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 5-16
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Traction Control System
(TCS)/StabiliTrak
®. . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Up-Shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Locks Automatic Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Central Door UnlockingSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14, 2-15
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
M
Magnetic Ride Control . . . . . . . . . 9-40
MaintenanceRecords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-17
Maintenance Schedule Recommended Fluidsand Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-13
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . 5-19
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . . 9-31 Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Messages Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Anti-theft Alarm System . . . . . . . 5-43
Battery Voltage andCharging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Brake System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Engine Cooling System . . . . . . . 5-35
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Engine Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36
Fuel System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36
Key and Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37 Messages (cont.)
Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Object Detection System . . . . . 5-39
Ride Control System . . . . . . . . . . 5-40
Service Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-44
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Vehicle Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-45
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-45
Mirrors Automatic DimmingRearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-29
Convex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-28
Folding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-28
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-28
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-28
Monitor System, Tire
Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
MP3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-24
Multi-band Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16

Black plate (9,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
INDEX i-9
N
NavigationVehicle Data Recordingand Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-20
Navigation, OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Net Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Net, Convenience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
O
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Object Detection, Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13 Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Off-Road
Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Oil Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-12
Engine Oil PressureGauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25 Older Children, Restraints . . . . . 3-34
Online Owner Center . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
OnStar
®
Additional Information . . . . . . . . 14-5
Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4
Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
OnStar
®System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Operation, Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
Ordering Service Publications . . . . . . . . 13-17
Outlets
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Overview, OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
P
Parade Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Park
Shifting into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Shifting out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25 Assist, Ultrasonic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34, 9-35
Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-32
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . 9-25
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Passenger Compartment Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Passenger Sensing System . . . 3-27
Perchlorate Materials
Requirements, California . . . . . 10-3
Personalization Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-46
Phone Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-35

Black plate (10,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
i-10 INDEX
PowerDoor Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-28
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . 9-22
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-30
Pregnancy, Using Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Privacy Radio FrequencyIdentification (RFID) . . . . . . . 13-21
Program Courtesy Transportation . . . . 13-13
Proposition 65 Warning, California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3R
Radio FrequencyIdentification (RFID) . . . . . . . . 13-21
Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-21
Radios AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
CD/DVD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19
Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
Satellite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Rear Axle Limited-Slip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . 9-48
Rear Window Washer/Wiper . . . . 5-6
Rearview Mirror Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . 2-29
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51 Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-13
Records Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-17
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-108
Reimbursement Program,
GM Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4–2-6
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Replacement Parts
Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-15
Replacing Airbag System . . . . . . 3-34
Replacing LATCH System
Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . 3-49
Replacing Safety Belt System Parts after a Crash . . . 3-19

Black plate (11,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
INDEX i-11
Reporting Safety DefectsCanadian Government . . . . . . 13-18
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-19
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . 13-18
Restraints Where to Put . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Ride Control Systems Limited Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . . 9-41
Magnetic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-40
Roads Driving, Wet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Roadside Service . . . . . . . . 13-7, 13-9
Roof Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-32
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Rotation, Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
Routing, Engine Drive Belt . . . . . 12-4
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26S
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
How to Wear Safety BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Replacing after a Crash . . . . . . 3-19
Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . 3-18
Safety Defects Reporting
Canadian Government . . . . . . 13-18
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-19
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . 13-18
Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . 13-13
Sealant Kit, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Seats Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Easy Entry Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Heated and VentilatedFront . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Lumbar Adjustment, Front . . . . . 3-5 Seats (cont.)
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Power Adjustment, Front . . . . . . 3-4
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Securing Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-49, 3-52
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-24
Security, OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Service Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Doing Your Own Work . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Maintenance Records . . . . . . .11-17
Maintenance, General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Parts Identification Label . . . . . 12-1
Publications Ordering Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-17
Scheduling Appointments . . . 13-13
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Servicing the Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32