2012 CADILLAC CTS tow

Black plate (38,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
10-38 Vehicle Care
5. Pull the old bulb from the lamphousing keeping the bulb
straight as you pull it out.
6. Install a new bulb.
7. Reinstall the electrical connector by pushing in the two plastic
clips.
8. Push the bulb socket into the lamp housing and turn the
socket one‐quarter turn
clockwise.License Plate Lamp
(Coupe and Sedan)
To replace one of these bulbs:
1. Push the tab to remove the
license plate lamp.
2. Turn the license plate lamp assembly down to remove it.
3. Turn the socket counterclockwise and remove it.
4. Pull the bulb straight out to remove it.
5. Push the new bulb straight into the socket.
6. Reverse Steps 1 through 3 to reinstall the license plate lamp
assembly.
License Plate Lamp
(Wagon)
To replace one of these bulbs:
1. Open the liftgate. See Liftgate
on page 2‑20 for more
information.
Passenger Side Shown, Driver
Side Similar
2. Push the left end of the lamp assembly toward the right.
3. Turn the lamp assembly down to remove it from the liftgate.

Black plate (78,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
10-78 Vehicle Care
the tires have been rotated. See
Tire Pressure on page 10‑70
andVehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑11.
Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor
System. See Tire Pressure
Monitor Operation on
page 10‑73.
Check that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel
Nut Torque” underCapacities
and Specifications on
page 12‑2.
{WARNING
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the
parts to which it is fastened, can
make wheel nuts become loose
after time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When
changing a wheel, remove any
rust or dirt from places where the
wheel attaches to the vehicle. In
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
an emergency, a cloth or a paper
towel can be used; however, use
a scraper or wire brush later to
remove all rust or dirt.
Lightly coat the center of the
wheel hub with wheel bearing
grease after a wheel change or
tire rotation to prevent corrosion
or rust build-up. Do not get
grease on the flat wheel
mounting surface or on the
wheel nuts or bolts.
When It Is Time for New
Tires
Factors such as maintenance,
temperatures, driving speeds,
vehicle loading, and road conditions
affect the wear rate of the tires.
Treadwear indicators are one way to
tell when it is time for new tires.
Treadwear indicators appear when
the tires have only 1.6 mm (1/16 in)
or less of tread remaining. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑76 andTire
Rotation on page 10‑77 for more
information.
The rubber in tires ages over time.
This also applies for the spare tire,
if the vehicle has one, even if it is
never used. Multiple conditions
including temperatures, loading
conditions, and inflation pressure

Black plate (84,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
10-84 Vehicle Care
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blow out,
especially if the tires are maintained
properly. SeeTires on page 10‑63.
If air goes out of a tire, it is much
more likely to leak out slowly. But if
there is ever a blowout, here are a
few tips about what to expect and
what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire
creates a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot off
the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel firmly. Steer to
maintain lane position, and then
gently brake to a stop, well off the
road, if possible. A rear blowout, particularly on a
curve, acts much like a skid and
may require the same correction as
used in a skid. Stop pressing the
accelerator pedal and steer to
straighten the vehicle. It may be
very bumpy and noisy. Gently brake
to a stop, well off the road,
if possible.
{WARNING
Driving on a flat tire will cause
permanent damage to the tire.
Re-inflating a tire after it has been
driven on while severely
underinflated or flat may cause a
blowout and a serious crash.
Never attempt to re-inflate a tire
that has been driven on while
severely underinflated or flat.
Have your dealer or an authorized
tire service center repair or
replace the flat tire as soon as
possible.
{WARNING
Lifting a vehicle and getting under
it to do maintenance or repairs is
dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment and
training. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, it is designed only for
changing a flat tire. If it is used for
anything else, you or others could
be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. If a jack
is provided with the vehicle, only
use it for changing a flat tire.
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire
and wheel damage by driving slowly
to a level place, well off the road,
if possible. Turn on the hazard
warning flashers. See Hazard
Warning Flashers on page 6‑5.

Black plate (95,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-95
3. Remove the wing nut (C) thatholds the tire sealant and
compressor kit (A) in place.
4. Remove the tire sealant and compressor kit (A) from the foam
container (B).
To store the tire sealant and
compressor kit, reverse the steps.Tire Changing
Removing the Spare Tire and
Tools (Sedan)
Sedan
A. Wing Nut
B. Spare Tire
C. Jack
D. Wheel Wrench
E. Extension (If Equipped)
F. Strap To access the spare tire and jacking
equipment:
1. Remove the spare tire cover.
2. Remove the stow rod cap by
pulling it straight up off of
the rod.
3. Turn the wing nut (A) on the compact spare tire (B)
counterclockwise to remove.
4. Remove the spare tire and place it next to the flat tire.
5. The tools you will be using next include the jack (C), wheel
wrench (D), and extension (E),
if the vehicle has one.

Black plate (96,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
10-96 Vehicle Care
Removing the Spare Tire and
Tools (Wagon)A. Wing Nut
B. Spare Tire
C. Jack
D. Subwoofer (If Equipped)
E. Wheel Wrench (Two-PieceShown, Three-Piece Similar)
F. Extension (If Equipped)
G. Cable To access the spare tire and jacking
equipment:
1. Remove the spare tire cover.
2. Remove the subwoofer (D),
if the vehicle has one.
To remove the subwoofer:
2.1. Turn the nut (A) counterclockwise to
remove.
2.2. Disconnect the connector wire.
2.3. Pull the subwoofer (D) up to remove it from the stow rod.
3. Remove the spare tire (B) and place it next to the flat tire.
4. Remove the jack (C), wheel wrench (E), and extension (F),
if the vehicle has one.

Black plate (97,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-97
To remove the jack:
A. Retainer Nut
B. Jack Stowage Bracket
C. Jack1. Turn the retainer nut (A)
counterclockwise to remove.
2. Remove the jack stowage bracket (B).
3. Slide the jack (C) forward to remove it from the floor storage
bracket.
Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire
1. Do a safety check before
proceeding. See If a Tire Goes
Flat on page 10‑84
2. Use the wrench to loosen all of the wheel nuts. Do not remove
them yet.

Black plate (100,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
10-100 Vehicle Care
{WARNING
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the
parts to which it is fastened, can
make wheel nuts become loose
after time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When
changing a wheel, remove any
rust or dirt from places where the
wheel attaches to the vehicle. In
an emergency, a cloth or a paper
towel can be used; however, use
a scraper or wire brush later to
remove all rust or dirt.
{WARNING
Never use oil or grease on bolts
or nuts because the nuts might
come loose. The vehicle's wheel
could fall off, causing a crash.
10. Remove any rust or dirt fromthe wheel bolts, mounting
surfaces, and spare wheel.
11. Install the spare tire.
12. Put the wheel nuts back on with the rounded end of the
nuts toward the wheel.
13. Tighten each wheel nut by turning it clockwise with your
hand until the wheel is held
against the hub. 14. Lower the vehicle by turning
the wheel wrench
counterclockwise. Lower the
jack completely.
{WARNING
Wheel nuts that are improperly or
incorrectly tightened can cause
the wheels to become loose or
come off. The wheel nuts should
be tightened with a torque wrench
to the proper torque specification
after replacing. Follow the torque
specification supplied by the
aftermarket manufacturer when
using accessory locking wheel
nuts. See Capacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2 for
original equipment wheel nut
torque specifications.

Black plate (108,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
10-108 Vehicle Care
To disconnect the jumper cables
from both vehicles, do the following:
1. Disconnect the blacknegative (−) cable from the
vehicle that had the dead
battery.
2. Disconnect the black negative (−) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
3. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the vehicle with the
good battery.
4. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the other vehicle.Towing
Towing the Vehicle
Notice: To avoid damage, the
disabled vehicle should be towed
with all four wheels off the
ground. Care must be taken with
vehicles that have low ground
clearance and/or special
equipment. Always flatbed on a
car carrier.
Consult your dealer or a
professional towing service if the
disabled vehicle must be towed.
See Roadside Service (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑7 orRoadside
Service (Mexico) on page 13‑9.
To tow the vehicle behind another
vehicle for recreational purposes,
such as behind a motor home, see
“Recreational Vehicle Towing” in this
section.
Recreational Vehicle
Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means
towing the vehicle behind another
vehicle –such as behind a
motorhome. The two most common
types of recreational vehicle towing
are known as dinghy towing and
dolly towing. Dingy towing is towing
the vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground. Dolly towing is towing
the vehicle with two wheels on the
ground and two wheels up on a
device known as a dolly.
Here are some important things to
consider before recreational vehicle
towing:
.What is the towing capacity of
the towing vehicle? Be sure to
read the tow vehicle
manufacturer's
recommendations.
.What is the distance that will be
travelled? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how
long they can tow.