2012 CADILLAC CTS warning light

Black plate (40,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
9-40 Driving and Operating
If StabiliTrak needs to be turned off,
press and hold the TCS/StabiliTrak
button until the StabiliTrak Off light
comes on. The Stabilitrak Off light
comes on and a DIC message
displays. Press the TCS/StabiliTrak
button again to turn both systems
back on.
If cruise control is being used when
the StabiliTrak activates, the cruise
control will automatically disengage.
When road conditions allow,
reengage the cruise control. See
Cruise Control on page 9‑41for
more information.
Competitive Driving Mode
To select this optional handling
mode, press the TCS/
StabiliTrak button quickly two times
and STABILITRAK COMPETITIVE MODE displays in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). While in
the StabiliTrak Competitive Mode,
the StabiliTrak Off light comes on,
TCS does not limit wheel spin, and
more effort is required to turn the
steering wheel. Adjust your driving
accordingly.
Press the TCS/StabiliTrak button
again, or turn the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY and restart the
vehicle, to turn TCS back on and
turn the TCS/StabiliTrak warning
light off.
Notice:
When traction control is
turned off, or Competitive Driving
Mode is active, it is possible to
lose traction. If you attempt to
shift with the drive wheels
spinning with a loss of traction, it
is possible to cause damage to
the transmission. Do not attempt
to shift when the drive wheels do
not have traction. Damage caused
by misuse of the vehicle is not
covered. See the warranty book
for additional information.
Magnetic Ride Control
With this feature on the CTS-V, the
Magnetic Ride Control system
adjusts the ride of the vehicle to
Tour or Sport modes. Magnetic Ride
Control monitors the suspension
system to determine the proper
system response.
TOUR: Use for normal city and
highway driving. This setting
provides a smooth, soft ride.
SPORT: Use where road conditions
or personal preference demand
more control. This setting provides
more “feel,” or response to road
conditions.
The setting can be changed at any
time. Based on road conditions,
steering wheel angle, and the
vehicle speed, the system
automatically adjusts to provide the
best handling while providing a
smooth ride. The Tour and Sport
modes will feel similar on a smooth
road. Select a new setting whenever
driving conditions change.

Black plate (45,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-45
PARK ASSIST BLOCKED SEE
OWNER'S MANUAL:If the URPA
system does not activate due to a
temporary condition, this message
displays on the DIC. This can occur
under the following conditions:
.The driver has disabled the
system.
.The ultrasonic sensors are not
clean. Keep the vehicle's rear
bumper free of mud, dirt, snow,
ice and slush. For cleaning
instructions, see Exterior Care
on page 10‑110.
.The park assist sensors are
covered by frost or ice. Frost or
ice can form around and behind
the sensors and may not always
be seen; this can occur after
washing the vehicle in cold
weather. The message may not
clear until the frost or ice has
melted.
.A trailer was attached to the
vehicle, or an object was
hanging out of the trunk or
liftgate during the last drive
cycle. Once the object is
removed, URPA will return to
normal operation.
.A tow bar is attached to the
vehicle.
.The bumper is damaged. Take
the vehicle to your dealer to
repair the system.
.Other conditions, such as
vibrations from a jackhammer or
the compression of air brakes on
a very large truck, are affecting
system performance.
Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA)
The vehicle may have a Side Blind
Zone Alert (SBZA) system. Read
this entire section before using the
system.
{WARNING
SBZA does not detect vehicles
rapidly approaching outside of the
side blind zones, pedestrians,
bicyclists, or animals. Failure to
use proper care when changing
lanes may result in injury, death,
or vehicle damage. Always check
for other vehicles and use the
turn signals when changing lanes.
When the system detects a vehicle
in the side blind zone, amber SBZA
displays will light up in the side
mirrors. This indicates that it may be
unsafe to change lanes. Before
making a lane change, always
check the SBZA display, check the

Black plate (46,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
9-46 Driving and Operating
outside and rearview mirrors, look
over your shoulder for vehicles and
hazards, and use the turn signal.
SBZA Detection Zones
The SBZA sensor covers a zone of
approximately one lane over from
both sides of the vehicle, or
3.5 m (11 ft). This zone starts at
each side mirror and goes back
approximately 5.0 m (16 ft). The
height of the zone is approximately
between 0.5 m (1.5 ft) and 2.0 m
(6 ft) off the ground.
The SBZA detection zones do not
change if the vehicle is towing a
trailer. So be extra careful when
changing lanes while towing a
trailer.How the System Works
Left Side Mirror
DisplayRight Side Mirror Display
When the vehicle is started, both
outside mirror displays will briefly
come on to indicate that the system
is operating. While driving forward,
the left or right side mirror SBZA
display will light up if a vehicle is
detected in that blind zone. If you
activate a turn signal and a vehicle
has been detected on the same
side, the SBZA display will flash to
give you extra warning not to
change lanes.
At speeds less than 32 km/h
(20 mph), SBZA displays may not
come on when approaching or
passing other vehicles. SBZA
displays may come on when a vehicle you have passed remains in
or drops back into the detection
zone for more than two seconds.
SBZA can be disabled through the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
on page 5‑27 for more information.
If the SBZA is disabled by the
driver, the SBZA mirror displays will
not light up during normal driving.
When the System Does Not Seem
to Work Properly
Occasional missed alerts can occur
under normal circumstances and will
increase in wet conditions. The
system does not need to be
serviced due to an occasional
missed alert. The number of missed
alerts will increase with increased
rainfall or road spray.
If the SBZA displays do not light up
when the system is on and vehicles
are in the blind zone, the system
may need service. Take the vehicle
to your dealer.

Black plate (54,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
9-54 Driving and Operating
If the fuel cap is not installed
properly, the TIGHTEN GAS CAP
message will appear on the Driver
Information Center display. SeeFuel
System Messages on page 5‑36.
When reinstalling the cap, turn it
clockwise until it clicks once,
otherwise the Malfunction Indicator
Lamp could turn on. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 5‑19.
{WARNING
Fuel can spray out on you if you
open the fuel cap too quickly.
If you spill fuel and then
something ignites it, you could be
badly burned. This spray can
happen if the tank is nearly full,
and is more likely in hot weather.
Open the fuel cap slowly and wait
for any hiss noise to stop. Then
unscrew the cap all the way. Be careful not to spill fuel. Do not
top off or overfill the tank and wait a
few seconds after you have finished
pumping before removing the
nozzle. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon as possible. See
Exterior Care on page 10‑110.
When replacing the fuel cap, turn it
clockwise until it clicks once. Make
sure the cap is fully installed. The
diagnostic system can determine if
the fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. This would
allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. See
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑19.
{WARNING
If a fire starts while you are
refueling, do not remove the
nozzle. Shut off the flow of fuel by
shutting off the pump or by
notifying the station attendant.
Leave the area immediately.
Notice: If a new fuel cap is
needed, be sure to get the right
type of cap from your dealer. The
wrong type of fuel cap might not
fit properly, might cause the
malfunction indicator lamp to
light, and could damage the fuel
tank and emissions system. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 5‑19.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Proposition 65Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-12
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14 Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-15
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-23
Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-24
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-30
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-32
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
High Intensity Discharge(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
License Plate Lamp (Coupe and Sedan) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
License Plate Lamp (Wagon) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Engine Compartment Fuse Block (CTS Coupe and
Sedan) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Engine Compartment Fuse Block (CTS V Coupe and
Sedan) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44

Black plate (28,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
10-28 Vehicle Care
hydraulic system fixed, since a
leak means that sooner or later
the brakes will not work well.
Do not top off the brake fluid.
Adding fluid does not correct a leak.
If fluid is added when the linings are
worn, there will be too much fluid
when new brake linings are
installed. Add or remove brake fluid,
as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
{WARNING
If too much brake fluid is added, it
can spill on the engine and burn,
if the engine is hot enough. You
or others could be burned, and
the vehicle could be damaged.
Add brake fluid only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic
system.
When the brake fluid falls to a low
level, the brake warning light comes
on. See Brake System Warning
Light on page 5‑22. What to Add
Use only new DOT 3 brake fluid
from a sealed container. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑13.
Always clean the brake fluid
reservoir cap and the area around
the cap before removing it. This
helps keep dirt from entering the
reservoir.
{WARNING
With the wrong kind of fluid in the
brake hydraulic system, the
brakes might not work well. This
could cause a crash. Always use
the proper brake fluid.
Notice
.Using the wrong fluid can
badly damage brake
hydraulic system parts. For
example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as
engine oil, in the brake
hydraulic system can
damage brake hydraulic
system parts so badly that
they will have to be replaced.
Do not let someone put in
the wrong kind of fluid.
.If brake fluid is spilled on the
vehicle's painted surfaces,
the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to
spill brake fluid on the
vehicle. If you do, wash it off
immediately.

Black plate (37,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-37
Bulb Replacement
For the proper type of replacement
bulbs, seeReplacement Bulbs on
page 10‑39.
For any bulb‐changing procedure
not listed in this section, contact
your dealer.
Halogen Bulbs
{WARNING
Halogen bulbs have pressurized
gas inside and can burst if you
drop or scratch the bulb. You or
others could be injured. Be sure
to read and follow the instructions
on the bulb package.
High Intensity Discharge
(HID) Lighting
{WARNING
The low beam high intensity
discharge lighting system
operates at a very high voltage.
If you try to service any of the
system components, you could be
seriously injured. Have your
dealer or a qualified technician
service them.
After an HID headlamp bulb has
been replaced, the beam might be a
slightly different shade than it was
originally. This is normal.
Fog Lamps
To replace a front fog lamp bulb:
1. Pull out the push-pins located on the underside of the protection
shield to remove the shield.
2. Reach up behind the front bumper area from under the
vehicle to access the lamp
housing.
3. Remove the electrical connector from the bulb by lifting the two
plastic clips.
4. Remove the bulb socket from the lamp housing by turning the
bulb socket one-quarter turn
counterclockwise.

Black plate (74,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
10-74 Vehicle Care
and transmits the tire pressure
readings to a receiver located in
the vehicle.
When a low tire pressure condition
is detected, the TPMS illuminates
the low tire pressure warning light
located on the instrument cluster.
If the warning light comes on, stop
as soon as possible and inflate the
tires to the recommended pressure
shown on the tire loading
information label. SeeVehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑11.
A message to check the pressure
in a specific tire displays in the
DIC display screen. The low tire
pressure warning light and the DIC
warning message come at each
ignition cycle until the tires are inflated to the correct inflation
pressure. Using the Driver
Information Center (DIC), tire
pressure levels can be viewed. For
additional information and details
about the DIC operation and
displays see
Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑27 andTire
Messages on page 5‑43.
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather when
the vehicle is first started, and then
turn off as the vehicle is driven. This
could be an early indicator that the
air pressure is getting low and
needs to be inflated to the proper
pressure.
The Tire and Loading Information
label shows the size of the original
equipment tires and the correct
inflation pressure for the tires when
they are cold. See Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑11, for an example
of the Tire and Loading Information
label and its location. Also see Tire
Pressure on page 10‑70. The TPMS can warn about a l
ow tire pressure condition but it
does not replace normal tire
maintenance. See
Tire Inspection
on page 10‑76, Tire Rotation on
page 10‑77 andTires on
page 10‑63.
Notice: Tire sealant materials are
not all the same. A non-approved
tire sealant could damage the
TPMS sensors. TPMS sensor
damage caused by using an
incorrect tire sealant is not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always use only the
GM-approved tire sealant
available through your dealer or
included in the vehicle.
Factory-installed Tire Inflator Kits
use a GM approved liquid tire
sealant. Using non-approved tire
sealants could damage the TPMS
sensors. See Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit on page 10‑86 for
information regarding the inflator kit
materials and instructions.