
Black plate (68,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
10-68 Vehicle Care
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 temporary use
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 test
course. 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.
Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.

Black plate (72,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
10-72 Vehicle Care
{WARNING
Lifting a vehicle and getting
under it to do maintenance or
repairs is dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment and
training. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, it is designed only for
changing a flat tire. If it is used for
anything else, you or others could
be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. If a jack
is provided with the vehicle, only
use it for changing a flat tire.
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire
and wheel damage by driving slowly
to a level place, well off the road,
if possible. Turn on the hazard
warning flashers. See Hazard
Warning Flashers on page 6‑5.
{WARNING
Changing a tire can be
dangerous. The vehicle can slip
off the jack and roll over or fall
causing injury or death. Find a
level place to change the tire.
To help prevent the vehicle from
moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission in P (Park) or a
manual transmission in
1 (First) or R (Reverse).
3. Turn off the engine and do not restart while the vehicle
is raised.
4. Do not allow passengers to remain in the vehicle.
5. Place wheel blocks on both sides of the tire at the
opposite corner of the tire
being changed. This vehicle may come with a jack
and spare tire or a tire sealant and
compressor kit. To use the jacking
equipment to change a spare tire
safely, follow the instructions below.
Then see
Tire Changing on
page 10‑81. To use the tire sealant
and compressor kit, see Tire
Sealant and Compressor Kit on
page 10‑73.
When the vehicle has a flat tire (B),
use the following example as a
guide to assist you in the placement
of wheel blocks (A).
A. Wheel Block
B. Flat Tire
The following information explains
how to repair or change a tire.

Black plate (76,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
10-76 Vehicle Care
7. Start the vehicle. The vehiclemust be running while using the
air compressor.
8. Turn the selector switch (A) counterclockwise to the
Sealant + Air position.
9. Press the on/off button (B) to turn the tire sealant and
compressor kit on.
The compressor will inject
sealant and air into the tire.
The pressure gauge (C) will
initially show a high pressure
while the compressor pushes the
sealant into the tire. Once the
sealant is completely dispersed
into the tire, the pressure will
quickly drop and start to rise
again as the tire inflates with
air only. 10. Inflate the tire to the
recommended inflation
pressure using the pressure
gauge (C). The recommended
inflation pressure can be found
on the Tire and Loading
Information label. See Tire
Pressure on page 10‑56.
The pressure gauge (C) may
read higher than the actual tire
pressure while the compressor
is on. Turn the compressor off
to get an accurate pressure
reading. The compressor may
be turned on/off until the
correct pressure is reached.
Notice: If the recommended
pressure cannot be reached after
approximately 25 minutes, the
vehicle should not be driven
farther. The tire is too severely
damaged and the tire sealant and
compressor kit cannot inflate the tire. Remove the power plug from
the accessory power outlet and
unscrew the inflating hose from
the tire valve. See
Roadside
Service (U.S. and Canada) on
page 13‑7 orRoadside Service
(Mexico) on page 13‑9.
11. Press the on/off button (B) to turn the tire sealant and
compressor kit off.
The tire is not sealed and will
continue to leak air until the
vehicle is driven and the
sealant is distributed in the tire,
therefore, Steps 12 through
18 must be done immediately
after Step 11.
Be careful while handling the
tire sealant and compressor kit
as it could be warm after
usage.

Black plate (83,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-83
7. Insert the hooked end of theextension handle through the
jack and the flat end through the
wheel wrench.
{WARNING
Getting under a vehicle when it is
jacked up is dangerous. If the
vehicle slips off the jack, you
could be badly injured or killed.
Never get under a vehicle when it
is supported only by a jack.
{WARNING
Raising the vehicle with the jack
improperly positioned can
damage the vehicle and even
make the vehicle fall. To help
avoid personal injury and vehicle
damage, be sure to fit the jack lift
head into the proper location
before raising the vehicle.
{WARNING
Lifting a vehicle and getting
under it to do maintenance or
repairs is dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment and
training. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, it is designed only for
changing a flat tire. If it is used for
anything else, you or others could
be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. If a jack
is provided with the vehicle, only
use it for changing a flat tire.
8. Turn the extension with the wheel wrench clockwise to raise
the jack lift head until the jack
just fits under the vehicle.

Black plate (91,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-91
10. Now start the vehicle with thegood battery and run the
engine for a while.
11. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery. If it will not
start after a few tries, it
probably needs service.
Notice: If the jumper cables are
connected or removed in the
wrong order, electrical shorting
may occur and damage the
vehicle. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always connect and remove the
jumper cables in the correct
order, making sure that the
cables do not touch each other
or other metal.
Jumper Cable Removal
A. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine Part or Remote
Negative (−) Terminal
B. Good Battery or Remote Positive (+) and Remote
Negative (−) Terminals
C. Dead Battery or Remote Positive (+) Terminal To disconnect the jumper cables
from both vehicles, do the following:
1. Disconnect the black
negative (−) cable from the
vehicle that had the dead
battery.
2. Disconnect the black negative (−) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
3. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the vehicle with the
good battery.
4. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the other vehicle.
5. Close the access panel on the battery cover, if applicable.

Black plate (96,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
10-96 Vehicle Care
Appearance Care
Exterior Care
Washing the Vehicle
To preserve the vehicle's finish,
wash it often and out of direct
sunlight.
Notice:Do not use petroleum
based, acidic, or abrasive
cleaning agents as they can
damage the vehicle's paint,
metal, or plastic parts. If damage
occurs, it would not be covered
by the vehicle's warranty.
Approved cleaning products can
be obtained from your dealer.
Follow all manufacturer
directions regarding correct
product usage, necessary safety
precautions, and appropriate
disposal of any vehicle care
product. Notice:
Avoid using high
pressure washes closer than
30 cm (12 in) to the surface of the
vehicle. Use of power washers
exceeding 8,274 kPa (1,200 psi)
can result in damage or removal
of paint and decals.
Rinse the vehicle well, before
washing and after, to remove all
cleaning agents completely. If they
are allowed to dry on the surface,
they could stain.
Dry the finish with a soft, clean
chamois or an all-cotton towel to
avoid surface scratches and water
spotting.
Finish Care
Application of aftermarket clearcoat
sealant/wax materials is not
recommended. If painted surfaces
are damaged, see your dealer to
have the damage assessed and
repaired. Foreign materials such as
calcium chloride and other salts, ice
melting agents, road oil and tar, tree
sap, bird droppings, chemicals
from industrial chimneys, etc., can
damage the vehicle's finish if they
remain on painted surfaces. Wash
the vehicle as soon as possible.
If necessary, use non-abrasive
cleaners that are marked safe for
painted surfaces to remove foreign
matter.

Black plate (97,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-97
Occasional hand waxing or mild
polishing should be done to
remove residue from the paint finish.
See your dealer for approved
cleaning products.
Notice:Machine compounding
or aggressive polishing on a
basecoat/clearcoat paint
finish may damage it. Use only
non-abrasive waxes and polishes
that are made for a basecoat/
clearcoat paint finish on the
vehicle.
To keep the paint finish looking
new, keep the vehicle garaged or
covered whenever possible. Protecting Exterior Bright
Metal Parts
Regularly clean bright metal parts
with water or chrome polish on
chrome or stainless steel trim,
if necessary.
For aluminum, never use auto or
chrome polish, steam, or caustic
soap to clean. A coating of wax,
rubbed to a high polish, is
recommended for all bright
metal parts.
Cleaning Exterior
Lamps/Lenses and Emblems
Use only lukewarm or cold water, a
soft cloth, and a car washing soap
to clean exterior lamps and lenses.
Follow instructions under "Washing
the Vehicle" later in this section.
Windshield and Wiper Blades
Clean the outside of the windshield
with glass cleaner.
Clean rubber blades using a lint-free
cloth or paper towel soaked with
windshield washer fluid or a mild
detergent. Wash the windshield
thoroughly when cleaning the
blades. Bugs, road grime, sap,
and a buildup of vehicle wash/wax
treatments may cause wiper
streaking.
Replace the wiper blades if they
are worn or damaged. Damage
can be caused by extreme dusty
conditions, sand, salt, heat, sun,
snow, and ice.

Black plate (98,1)Cadillac SRX Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
10-98 Vehicle Care
Weatherstrips
Apply silicone grease on
weatherstrips to make them last
longer, seal better, and not stick or
squeak. SeeRecommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 11‑13
Tires
Use a stiff brush with tire cleaner to
clean the tires.
Notice: Using petroleum-based
tire dressing products on the
vehicle may damage the paint
finish and/or tires. When applying
a tire dressing, always wipe off
any overspray from all painted
surfaces on the vehicle.
Wheels and Trim —Aluminum
or Chrome
Use a soft, clean cloth with mild
soap and water to clean the wheels.
After rinsing thoroughly with clean
water, dry with a soft, clean towel.
A wax may then be applied.
Keep the wheels clean using a soft,
clean cloth with mild soap and
water. Rinse with clean water.
After rinsing thoroughly, dry with a
soft, clean towel. A wax may then
be applied.
Notice: Chrome wheels and other
chrome trim may be damaged if
the vehicle is not washed after
driving on roads that have been
sprayed with magnesium,
calcium, or sodium chloride.
These chlorides are used on
roads for conditions such as
ice and dust. Always wash the
chrome with soap and water after
exposure. Notice:
To avoid surface
damage, do not use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes,
cleaners, brushes, or cleaners
that contain acid on aluminum or
chrome-plated wheels. Use only
approved cleaners. Also, never
drive a vehicle with aluminum or
chrome-plated wheels through an
automatic car wash that uses
silicone carbide tire cleaning
brushes. Damage could occur
and the repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Steering, Suspension, and
Chassis Components
Visually inspect front and rear
suspension and steering system for
damaged, loose, or missing parts
or signs of wear. Inspect power
steering lines and hoses for proper
hook-up, binding, leaks, cracks,
chafing, etc. Visually check constant
velocity joints, rubber boots, and
axle seals for leaks.