2012 CADILLAC CTS winter tires

Black plate (9,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-9
.Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow
or ice between the tires and the
road, creating less traction or grip.
Wet ice can occur at about 0°C
(32°F) when freezing rain begins to
fall, resulting in even less traction.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in
freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently so
traction is not lost. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick, so there is even less
traction.
Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.
The
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 9‑33 improves vehicle
stability during hard stops on
slippery roads, but apply the brakes
sooner than when on dry pavement. Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road and watch for
slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in
shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain icy
when the surrounding roads are
clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
Turn off cruise control, if equipped,
on slippery surfaces.

Black plate (2,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
10-2 Vehicle Care
Engine Compartment FuseBlock (CTS Wagon) . . . . . . . 10-47
Engine Compartment Fuse Block (CTS V Wagon) . . . . . 10-51
Rear Compartment Fuse
Block (CTS Coupe and
Sedan) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Rear Compartment Fuse Block (CTS-V Coupe and
Sedan) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Rear Compartment Fuse Block (CTS Wagon) . . . . . . . 10-58
Rear Compartment Fuse Block (CTS-V Wagon) . . . . . 10-60
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-65
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68 Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-70
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-73
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-76
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-78
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-79
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-80
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-81
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-82
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-83
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-84
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86 Storing the Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit
(Wagon) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-93
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit
(Coupe) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-94
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit
(Sedan) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-94
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-95
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . 10-103
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-104
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . 10-108
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-108
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-110
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-113
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-116

Black plate (64,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
10-64 Vehicle Care
Winter Tires
Consider installing winter tires on
the vehicle if frequent driving on
snow or ice covered roads is
expected. All season tires provide
good overall performance on most
surfaces, but they may not offer
the traction or the same level of
performance as winter tires on
snow or ice covered roads.
Winter tires, in general, are
designed for increased traction on
snow and ice covered roads. With
winter tires, there may be decreased
dry road traction, increased road
noise, and shorter tread life. After
changing to winter tires, be alert for
changes in vehicle handling and
braking.
See your dealer for details
regarding winter tire availability and
proper tire selection. Also, see
Buying New Tires on page 10‑79.If using snow tires:.Use tires of the same brand and
tread type on all four wheel
positions.
.Use only radial ply tires of the
same size, load range, and
speed rating as the original
equipment tires.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment tires
may not be available for H, V, W,
and ZR speed rated tires. If winter
tires with a lower speed rating are
chosen, never exceed the tire's
maximum speed capability.
Low-Profile Tires
If the vehicle has P235/50R18,
245/45ZR19, P245/45R19,
255/40ZR19, P265/45R18,
275/40ZR19 or 285/35ZR19 size
tires, they are classified as
low‐profile tires. These tires are designed for very responsive
driving on wet or dry pavement,
however, may produce more
road noise and tend to wear
faster.
Notice:
Low‐profile tires are
more susceptible to damage
from road hazards or curb
impact than standard profile
tires. Tire and/or wheel
assembly damage can occur
when coming into contact
with road hazards like,
potholes, or sharp edged
objects, or when sliding into a
curb. The warranty does not
cover this type of damage.
Keep tires set to the correct
inflation pressure and, when
possible, avoid contact with
curbs, potholes, and other
road hazards.

Black plate (65,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-65
Summer Performance Tires
Many General Motors high
performance models come
factory‐equipped with tires that
are optimized for maximum dry
and wet road performance while
still retaining satisfactory tread
life, excellent durability, and low
noise levels. In severe winter
climates where snowfall may be
significant, these tires may be
found to provide less traction.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is
molded into its sidewall. The
examples show a typical
passenger vehicle tire and a
compact spare tire sidewall.
Passenger (P‐Metric) Tire Example
(A) Tire Size:The tire size is a
combination of letters and
numbers used to define a
particular tire's width, height,
aspect ratio, construction type,
and service description. See the
“Tire Size” illustration later in this
section for more detail.
(B) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification)
:Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications meet
or exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
(C) DOT (Department of
Transportation)
:The
Department of Transportation
(DOT) code indicates that
the tire is in compliance with
the U.S. Department of
Transportation Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards.
(D) Tire Identification Number
(TIN)
:The letters and numbers
following the DOT (Department
of Transportation) code are
the Tire Identification Number
(TIN). The TIN shows the
manufacturer and plant code,
tire size, and date the tire was
manufactured. The TIN is
molded onto both sides of the
tire, although only one side may
have the date of manufacture.

Black plate (79,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-79
maintenance affect how fast aging
takes place. Tires will typically
need to be replaced due to wear
before they may need to be
replaced due to age. Consult the tire
manufacturer for more information
on when tires should be replaced.
Vehicle Storage
Tires age when stored normally
mounted on a parked vehicle. Park
a vehicle that will be stored for at
least a month in a cool, dry, clean
area away from direct sunlight to
slow aging. This area should be
free of grease, gasoline, or other
substances that can deteriorate
rubber.
Parking for an extended period can
cause flat spots on the tires that
may result in vibrations while
driving. When storing a vehicle for
at least a month, remove the tires or
raise the vehicle to reduce the
weight from the tires.
Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched
specific tires for the vehicle. The
original equipment tires installed
were designed to meet General
Motors Tire Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec) system
rating. When replacement tires are
needed, GM strongly recommends
buying tires with the same TPC
Spec rating.
GM's exclusive TPC Spec system
considers over a dozen critical
specifications that impact the
overall performance of the
vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire pressure
monitoring performance. GM's TPC
Spec number is molded onto the
tire's sidewall near the tire size.
If the tires have an all‐season tread
design, the TPC Spec number will
be followed by MS for mud and
snow. SeeTire Sidewall Labeling on
page 10‑65, for additional
information. GM recommends replacing all the
tires at the same time. Uniform tread
depth on all tires will help to
maintain the performance of the
vehicle. Braking and handling
performance may be adversely
affected if all the tires are not
replaced at the same time. See
Tire
Inspection on page 10‑76 andTire
Rotation on page 10‑77.
{WARNING
Tires could explode during
improper service. Attempting
to mount or dismount a tire
could cause injury or death.
Only your dealer or authorized
tire service center should
mount or dismount the tires.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment tires
may not be available for H, V, W,
and ZR speed rated tires. Never

Black plate (81,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-81
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires
by treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This
applies only to vehicles sold in
the United States. The grades
are molded on the sidewalls of
most passenger car tires. The
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
(UTQG) system does not apply
to deep tread, winter-type snow
tires, space-saver, or temporaryuse spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production
tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government testcourse. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1½) times as well on the
government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and
differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction
–AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on
specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.

Black plate (13,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
INDEX i-13
Tires (cont.)Sealant and
Compressor Kit,
Storing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-93, 10-94
Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-81
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-82
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-78
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Towing Driving Characteristics . . . . . . . . 9-56
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-61
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Recreational Vehicle . . . . . . . 10-108
Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-59
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-108 Traction
Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . 9-38
Control System (TCS)/
StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . . 9-41
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-59
Transmission Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Fluid, Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Fluid, Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-44
Transportation Program, Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
U
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . . . 9-44
Uniform Tire QualityGrading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-81
Universal Remote System . . . . . 5-53 Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-57
Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-53
Up-Shift Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Using This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
V
Vehicle Canadian Owners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Identification
Number (VIN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-46
Remote Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-24
Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-45
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-108

Black plate (14,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
i-14 INDEX
Vehicle CareStoring the Tire
Sealant and
Compressor Kit . . . . 10-93, 10-94
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-70
Vehicle Identification Service Parts Identification
Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Ventilation, Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-32W
Warning Brake System Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv Cautions and Danger . . . . . . . . . . . .iv
Hazard Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Washer Fluid Messages . . . . . . . 5-45
Washer, Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7 Wheels
Alignment and Tire
Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-80
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-78
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . 3-41
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-29 Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-30
Windshield
Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 10-32
Wipers Rear Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6