2012 CADILLAC CTS throttle

Black plate (14,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
5-14 Instruments and Controls
The FUEL LEVEL LOW message
appears in the Driver Information
Center (DIC) and a single chime
sounds. SeeFuel System
Messages on page 5‑36 for more
information.
Normal operation of the fuel gauge
includes:
.At the service station, the fuel
pump shuts off before the gauge
reads full.
.It takes a little more or less fuel
to fill up than the gauge
indicated.
.The gauge moves a little while
turning a corner or speeding up.
.The gauge takes a few seconds
to stabilize after the ignition is
turned on, and goes back to
empty when the ignition is
turned off.
Boost Gauge
Metric
English For the CTS-V, this gauge is located
in the instrument panel cluster.
This gauge indicates positive
manifold pressure, which is the
induction air pressure level in the
intake manifold before it enters the
combustion chamber. This gauge
reads zero under light throttle before
boost is generated.
The gauge automatically resets to
zero every time the engine is
started.
Engine Speed Limiter
This feature prevents the engine
speed from reaching an unsafe
level. If the level is too high, the
throttle closes or limits the fuel
supply until the engine speed
returns to a safe level. Throttle
operation and fuel supply return to
normal when engine speed is
lowered.

Black plate (5,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-5
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
.Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
.Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve.
.Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
.Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
.The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) allows steering while
braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator andthen, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge. 3. Then turn the steering wheel to
go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
.Steering or Cornering
Skid —too much speed or
steering in a curve causes tires
to slip and lose cornering force.
.Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.

Black plate (16,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
9-16 Driving and Operating
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Follow these recommended
guidelines during the first 2 414 km
(1,500 miles) of driving this vehicle.
Parts have a break-in period and
performance will be better in the
long run.
For the first 2 414 km (1,500 miles):
.Avoid full throttle starts and
abrupt stops.
.Do not exceed
4,000 engine rpm.
.Avoid driving at any one
constant speed, fast or slow.
.Avoid downshifting to brake or
slow the vehicle when the
engine speed will exceed
4000 rpm.
.Do not let the engine labor.
Never lug the engine in high
gear at low speeds. With amanual transmission, shift to
the next lower gear. This rule
applies at all times, not just
during the break-in period.
.Do not participate in track
events, sport driving schools,
or similar activities during this
break–in period.
.Check engine oil with every
refueling and add if necessary.
Oil and fuel consumption may be
higher than normal during the
first 2 414 km (1,500 miles).
.To break in new tires, drive at
moderate speeds and avoid hard
cornering for the first 322 km
(200 miles). New tires do not
have maximum traction and may
tend to slip.
.New brake linings also need a
break–in period. Avoid making
hard stops during the first
322 km (200 miles). This is
recommended every time brake
linings are replaced.
Ignition Positions (Key
Access)
The ignition switch can be turned to
four different positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
switch must be in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the brake pedal
must be applied.
Notice:
Using a tool to force the
key from its cylinder could cause
damage or break the key. Use the
correct key and turn the key only
with your hand. Make sure the

Black plate (29,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-29
M (Manual Mode):This position
allows the driver to select the range
of gears appropriate for current
driving conditions. See Driver Shift
Control (DSC) later in this section.
Notice: Spinning the tires or
holding the vehicle in one
place on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage
the transmission. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes
to hold the vehicle in place.
Manual Mode
Driver Shift Control (DSC) or
Tap Shift
Notice: Driving with the engine at
a high rpm without upshifting
while using Driver Shift Control
(DSC), could damage the vehicle.
Always upshift when necessary
while using DSC. Vehicles with DSC may either use
the shift lever or the tap shift
controls on back of the steering
wheel to manually shift the
automatic transmission.
To use the DSC feature using the
shift lever:
1. Move the shift lever to
the right from D (Drive) to
M (Manual Mode).
The vehicle will be in sport mode
and will shift automatically if the
shift lever is not moved forward
or rearward. The transmission
may remain in a gear longer
than it would in the normal
driving mode based on braking,
throttle input, and vehicle lateral
acceleration. SPORT MODE will
be displayed in the DIC
momentarily.
2. To go from sport mode to DSC, move the shift lever forward to
upshift or rearward to downshift. 3. To exit DSC and enter sport
mode, hold the shift lever in the
upshift/forward position briefly.
If equipped, the tap shift controls
are on the back of the steering
wheel. The tap shift controls can be
used in D (Drive), M (Manual Mode)
with Sport Mode automatic shift
active, or M (Manual Mode) with
Manual Shifting Mode.

Black plate (51,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-51
Recommended Fuel
If the vehicle has a V6 engine, use
regular unleaded gasoline with a
posted octane rating of 87 or higher.
If the octane rating is less than 87,
an audible knocking noise,
commonly referred to as spark
knock, might be heard when driving.
If this occurs, use a gasoline rated
at 87 octane or higher as soon as
possible. If heavy knocking is heard
when using gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher, the engine
needs service.
If the vehicle has the 6.2L V8 engine
(VIN Code P), use premium
unleaded gasoline with a posted
octane rating of 91 or higher. For
best performance, use premium
unleaded gasoline with a posted
octane rating of 93. In an
emergency, you can use regular
unleaded gasoline with an octane
rating of 87 or higher. If 87 octane
fuel is used, do not perform any
aggressive driving maneuvers such
as wide open throttle applications.You might also hear audible spark
knock during acceleration. Refill the
tank with premium fuel as soon as
possible to avoid damaging the
engine. If heavy knocking is heard
when using gasoline rated at
91 octane or higher, the engine
needs service.
Gasoline Specifications
(U.S. and Canada Only)
At a minimum, gasoline should meet
ASTM specification D 4814 in the
United States or CAN/CGSB‐3.5
or 3.511 in Canada. Some
gasolines contain an
octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT). We recommend
against the use of gasolines
containing MMT. See
Fuel Additives
on page 9‑52 for additional
information.
California Fuel
Requirements
If the vehicle is certified to meet
California Emissions Standards, it is
designed to operate on fuels that
meet California specifications. See
the underhood emission control
label. If this fuel is not available in
states adopting California Emissions
Standards, the vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal specifications, but emission
control system performance might
be affected. The malfunction
indicator lamp could turn on and the
vehicle might fail a smog‐check test.
See Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 5‑19. If this occurs, return to
your authorized dealer for diagnosis.
If it is determined that the condition
is caused by the type of fuel used,
repairs might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.

Black plate (56,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
9-56 Driving and Operating
vehicle such as a motor home, see
Recreational Vehicle Towing on
page 10‑108.
Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips
{WARNING
The driver can lose control when
pulling a trailer if the correct
equipment is not used or the
vehicle is not driven properly. For
example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work
well—or even at all. The driver
and passengers could be
seriously injured. The vehicle may
also be damaged; the resulting
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Pull a trailer
only if all the steps in this section
have been followed. Ask your
dealer for advice and information
about towing a trailer with the
vehicle. The vehicle can tow a trailer if it is
equipped with the proper trailer
towing equipment. To identify the
trailering capacity of the vehicle, see
Trailer Towing (CTS-V and Coupe)
on page 9‑59
orTrailer Towing
(Except CTS-V and Coupe) on
page 9‑59. Trailering changes
handling, acceleration, braking,
durability, and fuel economy. With
the added weight, the engine,
transmission, wheel assemblies,
and tires are forced to work harder
and under greater loads. The trailer
also adds wind resistance,
increasing the pulling requirements.
For safe trailering, correctly use the
proper trailering equipment.
The following information has
important trailering tips and rules for
your safety and that of your
passengers. Read this section
carefully before pulling a trailer.
Pulling a Trailer
Here are some important points:
.There are many laws, including
speed limit restrictions that apply
to trailering. Check for legal
requirements with state or
provincial police.
.Do not tow a trailer at all during
the first 1 600 km (1,000 mi) the
new vehicle is driven. The
engine or other parts could be
damaged.
.During the first 800 km (500 mi)
that a trailer is towed, do not
drive over 80 km/h (50 mph) and
do not make starts at full throttle.
This reduces wear on the
vehicle.
.Vehicles with automatic
transmissions can tow in
D (Drive) but M (Manual Mode)
is recommended. See Manual
Mode on page 9‑29 for more
information. Use a lower gear if
the transmission shifts too often.

Black plate (29,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-29
Battery
The battery is in the trunk, behind
the trim panel, on the passenger
side of the vehicle. Refer to the
replacement number shown on the
original battery label when a new
battery is needed.
{WARNING
Battery posts, terminals, and
related accessories contain lead
and lead compounds, chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and reproductive
harm. Wash hands after handling.After a power loss, such as
disconnecting the battery or
removing the maxi fuses in the
power distribution fuse block, the
following steps must be performed
to calibrate the electronic throttle
control. If this is not done, the
engine will not run properly.
1. Turn the ignition on but do not
start the engine.
2. Leave the ignition on for at least three minutes so that the
electronic throttle control will
cycle and re-learn its home
position.
3. Turn the ignition off.
4. Start and run the engine for at least 30 seconds.
Vehicle Storage
{WARNING
Batteries have acid that can burn
you and gas that can explode.
You can be badly hurt if you are
not careful. See Jump Starting on
page 10‑104 for tips on working
around a battery without
getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery to keep the battery from
running down.
Extended Storage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery or use a battery trickle
charger.