Black plate (2,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
2012 Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner ManualM
Climate Controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-16
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-27
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-38
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-44
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-61 Vehicle Care
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-104
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-108
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . 10-110
Service and Maintenance . . . 11-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Cadillac Premium Care
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-3
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . 11-3
Special Application Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Additional Maintenance and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-10 Recommended Fluids,
Lubricants, and Parts . . . . . . 11-13
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . 11-17
Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Customer Information . . . . . . . 13-1
Customer Information . . . . . . . . 13-1
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . 13-18
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-19
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
OnStar Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1
Black plate (24,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
1-24 In Brief
Be careful not to reset the oil life
display accidentally at any time
other than after the oil is
changed. It cannot be reset
accurately until the next oil
change.
The oil life system can also be reset
as follows:
1. Turn the ignition on with the engine off.
2. Fully press and release the accelerator pedal three times
within five seconds.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message is not on, the
system is reset.
See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑12.Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Roadside Service
U.S. or Canada: 1-800-882-1112
TTY Users (U.S. or Canada):
1-888-889-2438
Mexico: 01-800-466-0805
As the owner of a new Cadillac, you
are automatically enrolled in the
Roadside Service program.
See Roadside Service (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑7 orRoadside
Service (Mexico) on page 13‑9 for
more information.
Black plate (33,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-33
passenger airbag(s). See
Passenger Sensing System on
page 3‑27.
If you have questions, call
Customer Assistance. The
phone numbers and addresses
for Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this
manual. SeeCustomer
Satisfaction Procedure (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑1 or
Customer Satisfaction
Procedure (Mexico) on
page 13‑3.
If the vehicle has rollover
roof-rail airbags, see Different
Size Tires and Wheels on
page 10‑80 for additional
important information. Q: Because I have a disability,
I have to get my vehicle
modified. How can I find out
whether this will affect my
airbag system?
A: If you have questions, call
Customer Assistance. The
phone numbers and addresses
for Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this
manual. See Customer
Satisfaction Procedure (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑1 or
Customer Satisfaction
Procedure (Mexico) on
page 13‑3.
In addition, your dealer and the
service manual have information
about the location of the airbag
sensors, sensing and diagnostic
module and airbag wiring.Airbag System Check
The airbag system does not need
regularly scheduled maintenance or
replacement. Make sure the airbag
readiness light is working. See
Airbag Readiness Light on
page 5‑17 for more information.
Notice: If an airbag covering is
damaged, opened, or broken, the
airbag may not work properly. Do
not open or break the airbag
coverings. If there are any
opened or broken airbag covers,
have the airbag covering and/or
airbag module replaced. For the
location of the airbags, see
Where Are the Airbags? on
page 3‑22. See your dealer for
service.
Black plate (15,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-15
For the CTS-V, the tachometer
tracer lights flash prior to reaching
engine speed limit. The tracer lights
also flash on automatic transmission
vehicles while in the DSC or Tap
Shift modes.
Engine Oil Pressure
Gauge
Metric
English
For vehicles with an engine oil
pressure gauge, it shows the engine
oil pressure in kPa (kilopascals)
or psi (pounds per square inch)
when the engine is running.
Oil pressure may vary with engine
speed, outside temperature, and oil
viscosity, but if readings are outside
the normal operating range, the oil
pressure light will come on. See
Engine Oil Pressure Light on
page 5‑25 for more information. A reading outside the normal
operating range may be caused
by a dangerously low oil level or
some other problem causing low oil
pressure. Oil should be checked as
soon as possible. See Oil Pressure
Low Stop Engine under
Engine Oil
Messages on page 5‑35 andEngine
Oil on page 10‑10.
{WARNING
Do not keep driving if the oil
pressure is low. The engine can
become so hot that it catches fire.
Someone could be burned. Check
the oil as soon as possible and
have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always follow the maintenance
schedule for changing engine oil.
Black plate (25,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-25
Tire Pressure Light
For vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this light
comes on briefly when the engine
is started. It provides information
about tire pressures and the TPMS.
When the Light Is On Steady
This indicates that one or more of
the tires are significantly
underinflated.
A Driver Information Center (DIC)
tire pressure message may also
display. SeeVehicle Messages on
page 5‑31 for more information.
Stop as soon as possible, and
inflate the tires to the pressure value
shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label. See Tire Pressure
on page 10‑70 for more information. When the Light Flashes First and
Then Is On Steady
If the light flashes for about a minute
and then stays on, there may be a
problem with the TPMS. If the
problem is not corrected, the light
will come on at every ignition cycle.
See
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation on page 10‑73 for more
information.
Engine Oil Pressure Light
{WARNING
Do not keep driving if the oil
pressure is low. The engine can
become so hot that it catches fire.
Someone could be burned. Check
the oil as soon as possible and
have the vehicle serviced. Notice:
Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always follow the maintenance
schedule for changing engine oil.
The oil pressure light should come
on briefly as the engine is started.
If it does not come on, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and might have
some other system problem. See
your dealer.
Black plate (29,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-29
To reset the timer to zero, press and
hold the set/reset button.
Inst (Instantaneous) Economy
Displays the current fuel economy
in either liters per 100 kilometers
(L/100 km) or miles per gallon
(mpg). This number changes
frequently as driving conditions
change. It cannot be reset.
AVG (Average) Speed
Displays the average speed of the
vehicle in either kilometers per
hour (km/h) or miles per hour (mph).
This calculation is based on the
various vehicle speeds recorded
since the last reset of this display.
Press the set/reset button to reset
to zero.
Speedometer
Displays a digital speedometer in
the DIC. The speed displays in
either kilometers per hour (km/h) or
miles per hour (mph). To change the
units from English to metric, see
“Units”later in this section. Blank Display
This display shows no information.
Vehicle Information Display
Menu Items
T(Vehicle Information):
Press
to display the following menu items:
Oil Life Remaining
If the vehicle has this display, it
shows the estimated oil life
remaining. If you see 99% Oil Life
Remaining on the display, that
means that 99% of the current oil
life remains.
When the oil life is depleted, the
Change Engine Oil Soon message
displays. Change the oil as soon
as possible. Additional maintenance
is also recommended in the
Maintenance Schedule in this
manual. See Maintenance Schedule
on page 11‑3 andEngine Oil on
page 10‑10.
The Oil Life must be reset after
each oil change. Avoid accidental
resetting of the Oil Life system. It cannot be reset accurately until
the next oil change. To reset the
engine oil life system, See
Engine
Oil Life System on page 10‑12. The
system is reset when 100%
displays.
Units
Select to display English or metric
units of measure. Press the set/
reset button to select when units is
displayed.
Parking Assist
If the vehicle has the Ultrasonic
Rear Parking Assist (URPA) system,
this display allows the system to
be turned on or off. Once in this
display, press the set/reset button
to select between On or Off. The
URPA system automatically turns
back on after each vehicle start.
When the URPA system is turned
off and the vehicle is shifted out
of P (Park), the DIC displays the
PARKING ASSIST OFF message
as a reminder that the system has
been turned off. See Object
Detection System Messages on
Black plate (35,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-35
Engine Cooling System
Messages
ENGINE HOT A/C (AIR
CONDITIONING) OFF
This message displays when the
engine coolant becomes hotter than
the normal operating temperature.
SeeEngine Coolant Temperature
Gauge on page 5‑16. To avoid
added strain on a hot engine,
the air conditioning compressor
automatically turns off. When the
coolant temperature returns to
normal, the air conditioning
compressor turns back on. You
can continue to drive the vehicle.
If this message continues to appear,
have the system repaired by your
dealer as soon as possible to avoid
damage to the engine.
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE
ENGINE
Notice: If you drive the vehicle
while the engine is overheating,
severe engine damage may
occur. If an overheat warning
appears on the instrument panel
cluster and/or DIC, stop the
vehicle as soon as possible. Do
not increase the engine speed
above normal idling speed.
See Engine Overheating on
page 10‑23 for more information.
This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is too
hot. Stop and allow the vehicle
to idle until it cools down. If the
message does not clear in a
few minutes or if the overheat light
stays on, shut the vehicle off and
have it serviced before driving
again. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning Light on
page 5‑24. See
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode on page 10‑24 for
information on driving to a safe
place in an emergency.
Engine Oil Messages
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
When this message displays, it
means that service is required
for the vehicle. See your dealer.
See Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3 andEngine Oil on
page 10‑10 for more information.
When you reset the CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message by
clearing it from the display, you still
must reset the engine oil life system
separately. For more information on
resetting the engine oil life system,
see Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑12.
ENGINE OIL LOW ADD OIL
If the vehicle has an oil level sensor,
this message displays if the oil level
in the vehicle is low. Check the oil
level and correct it as necessary.
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.