
Black plate (1,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
In Brief 1-1
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Trunk Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Heated and Ventilated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11 Passenger Sensing
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 1-14
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Vehicle Features
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . 1-17
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Mobile Apps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . 1-18
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20 Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 1-20
Storage Compartments . . . . . . 1-20
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Universal Remote System . . . 1-21
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Performance and Maintenance
Traction Control
System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . 1-23
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 1-23
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Roadside Service . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25

Black plate (21,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
In Brief 1-21
Power Outlets
Accessory power outlets can be
used to plug in electrical equipment,
such as a cell phone or MP3 player.
There are three accessory power
outlets. The power outlets located
below the climate control system,
inside the center console storage
bin, and on the rear of the center
console are powered while the
vehicle is in ON/RUN, START or
ACC/ACCESSORY mode, or until
the driver door is opened within
10 minutes of turning off the vehicle.
On the CTS Wagon there is an
additional accessory power outlet
located near the rear cargo net that
is powered at all times.
Remove the cover to access and
replace when not in use.
SeePower Outlets on page 5‑9.
Universal Remote System
The Universal Home Remote
System allows for garage door
openers, security systems, and
home automation devices to be
programmed to work with these
buttons in the vehicle.
SeeUniversal Remote System on
page 5‑53.
Sunroof
The ignition must be in ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY, or in Retained
Accessory Power (RAP), to operate
the sunroof and power sunshade.
See Ignition Positions (Key Access)
on page 9‑16 orIgnition Positions
(Keyless Access) on page 9‑18 and
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
on page 9‑22. The sunroof switches are on the
overhead console.
The driver side switch (A) operates
the sunshade.
Open/Close:
Press the front or
rear of the switch (A) to open or
close the sunshade.
Express Open/Express Close:
Press and release the rear or front
of the switch (A) to express open or
express close the sunshade.
The passenger side switch (B)
operates the sunroof.

Black plate (22,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
1-22 In Brief
Vent:Press and hold the front of
the switch (B) to vent the sunroof.
Press and hold the rear of the
switch (B) to close the sunroof vent.
Express Open/Express Close:
For Sedan and Wagon only, press
and release the rear or front of the
switch (B) to express open or
express close the sunroof.
For more information see Sunroof
on page 2‑32.Performance and
Maintenance
Traction Control
System (TCS)
The traction control system limits
wheel spin. The system turns on
automatically every time the vehicle
is started.
.To turn off traction control, press
and release the TCS/StabiliTrak
button located on the instrument
panel (CTS) or the steering
wheel (CTS-V). The appropriate
DIC message is displayed. See
Ride Control System Messages
on page 5‑40.
.Press the TCS/StabiliTrak button
again to turn traction control
back on.
For more information, see Traction
Control System (TCS) on
page 9‑38.
StabiliTrak®System
StabiliTrak assists with directional
control of the vehicle in difficult
driving conditions. The system turns
on automatically every time the
vehicle is started.
.To turn off both traction control
and electronic stability control,
press and hold the TCS/
StabiliTrak button on the
instrument panel (CTS) or
steering wheel (CTS-V) until
g
illuminates and the appropriate
DIC messages are displayed.
See Ride Control System
Messages on page 5‑40.
.Press the TCS/StabiliTrak button
again to turn on both systems.
For more information, see
StabiliTrak
®System on page 9‑39.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-1
Keys, Doors, and
Windows
Keys and Locks
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation (Key
Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation (Keyless
Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . 2-12
Door Locks (Sedan and Wagon) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Door Locks (Coupe) . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Central Door Unlocking System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16 Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . 2-17
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Safety Locks (Sedan and
Wagon) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18Doors
Trunk (Sedan, Coupe) . . . . . . . 2-18
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20
Vehicle Security
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-24
Anti-theft Alarm System . . . . . . 2-24
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-25
Immobilizer Operation(Key Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-25
Immobilizer Operation (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . 2-26
Exterior Mirrors
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-28
Power Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-28
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-28
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-28
Interior Mirrors
Automatic Dimming RearviewMirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-29
Windows
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-29
Power Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-30
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-32
Roof
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-32

Black plate (29,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-29
Interior Mirrors
Automatic Dimming
Rearview Mirror
The vehicle has an automatic
dimming inside rearview mirror.
Automatic dimming reduces the
glare of headlamps from
behind you.
If the vehicle has a rear vision
camera (RVC), seeRear Vision
Camera (RVC) on page 9‑48 for
more information.
Vehicles with OnStar have three
control buttons located at the
bottom of the mirror. See your
dealer for more information about
OnStar and how to subscribe to it.
See OnStar Overview on page 14‑1.
Cleaning the Mirror
Do not spray glass cleaner directly
on the mirror. Use a soft towel
dampened with water.
Windows
{WARNING
Leaving children, helpless adults,
or pets in a vehicle with the
windows closed is dangerous.
They can be overcome by the
extreme heat and suffer
permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Never leave a
child, a helpless adult, or a pet
alone in a vehicle, especially with
the windows closed in warm or
hot weather.
The vehicle aerodynamics are
designed to improve fuel economy
performance. This may result in a
pulsing sound when either rear
window is down and the front
windows are up. To reduce the
sound, open either a front window
or the sunroof (if equipped).

Black plate (32,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
2-32 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Pressoagain to deactivate the
lockout switch.
Sun Visors
Pull the sun visor down to block
glare. Detach the sun visor from the
center mount to pivot to the side
window, or to extend along the rod,
if available.
Roof
Sunroof
If the vehicle has a power sunroof it
will only operate when the ignition is
in ON/RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY,
or when Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) is active. See
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
on page 9‑22.
Switch (A) operates the sunshade. Press and hold the rear of the
switch (A) to open the sunshade.
Press and hold the front of the
switch (A) to close the sunshade.
Express-Open:
To open the
sunshade, fully press and release
the rear of the switch (A). The
sunshade will automatically open.
To stop the sunshade partway,
press the switch (A) a second time.
Express-Close: To close the
sunshade, fully press and release
the front of the switch (A). The
sunshade will automatically close.
To stop the sunshade partway,
press the switch (A) a second time.
The sunshade will open
automatically with the sunroof, but
can also be opened manually.
Switch (B) operates the sunroof.
Express-Open: To open the
sunroof, fully press and release the
rear of the switch (B). The sunroof
will automatically open. To stop the
sunroof partway, press the
switch (B) a second time.

Black plate (33,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-33
Express-Close:To close the
sunroof, fully press and release the
front of the switch (B). The sunroof
will automatically close. To stop the
sunroof partway, press the
switch (B) a second time.
Comfort Stop Feature: The
sunroof has a comfort stop feature
that stops the sunroof from opening
to the full-open position. Press the
rear of the sunroof switch (B) to the
first detent to open the sunroof to
the comfort open position. Press the
rear of the switch (B) again to fully
open the sunroof.
Vent Feature: Press and hold the
front of the switch (B) to vent the
sunroof. The sunshade will
automatically open approximately
fifteen inches. Press and hold the
rear of the switch (B) to close the
sunroof vent.Anti-Pinch Feature
If an object is in the path of the
sunroof/sunshade when it is closing,
the anti-pinch feature will detect the
object and stop the sunroof/
sunshade from closing at the point
of the obstruction. The sunroof/
sunshade will then return to the
full-open position. To close the
sunroof/sunshade, see
“Express-Close” earlier in this
section.
Dirt and debris may collect on the
sunroof seal or in the track. This
could cause an issue with sunroof
operation or noise. It could also plug
the water drainage system.
Periodically open the sunroof and
remove any obstacles or loose
debris. Wipe the sunroof seal and
roof sealing area using a clean
cloth, mild soap, and water. Do not
remove grease from the sunroof.

Black plate (8,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
5-8 Instruments and Controls
3. PressVto scroll through and
select the appropriate
variance zone.
4. Press
3until the vehicle
heading, for example, N for
North, is displayed in the DIC.
5. Calibrate the compass. See “Compass Calibration
Procedure” following.
Compass Calibration
The compass can be manually
calibrated. Only calibrate the
compass in a magnetically clean
and safe location, such as an open
parking lot, where driving the
vehicle in circles is not a danger.
Also calibrate the compass, away
from tall buildings, utility wires,
manhole covers, or other industrial
structures, if possible.
If the DIC display does not show a
heading, for example, N for North,
or the heading does not change
after making turns, there may be a
strong magnetic field interfering with
the compass. Interference may be caused by a magnetic antenna
mount, magnetic note pad holder,
or any other magnetic item. Turn off
the vehicle, move the magnetic
item, then turn on the vehicle and
calibrate the compass.
Compass Calibration Procedure
1. Before calibrating the compass,
check that the compass is set to
the correct variance zone. See
“Compass Variance (Zone)
Procedure” earlier in this
section.
Do not operate any switches
such as window, sunroof,
climate controls, seats, etc.
during the calibration procedure.
2. Press
Tuntil PRESSVTO
CALIBRATE COMPASS
displays.
3. Press
Vto start the compass
calibration.
4. The DIC will display CALIBRATING DRIVE IN
CIRCLES. Drive the vehicle in tight circles at less than 8 km/h
(5 mph) to complete the
calibration. The DIC will display
CALIBRATION COMPLETE for a
few seconds then returns to the
PRESS
VTO CALIBRATE
COMPASS display.
Clock
The analog clock is on the
instrument panel above the radio.
The clock is not connected with any
other vehicle system and runs by
itself. To adjust the clock:
1. Locate the adjustment buttons directly below the clock.
2. Push and release the right adjustment button to move the
clock hands forward or the left
adjustment button to make the
clock hands go backward.
Holding either button down will
cause the clock to advance
faster. Release the button before
the desired time is reached.