2013 CADILLAC ATS traction control

Black plate (3,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
Vehicle Care 10-3
California Proposition
65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems,
many fluids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, safety belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non‐dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride and
handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non‐GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is
not covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3‑31.

Black plate (44,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
10-44 Vehicle Care
Winter Tires
This vehicle was not, originally,
equipped with winter tires. Winter
tires are designed for increased
traction on snow and ice-covered
roads. Consider installing winter
tires on the vehicle if frequent
driving on snow or ice-covered
roads is expected. See your dealer
for details regarding winter tire
availability and proper tire selection.
Also, seeBuying New Tires on
page 10‑59.
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.
If using winter 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, Y,
and ZR speed rated tires. If winter
tires with a lower speed rating are
chosen, never exceed the tire's
maximum speed capability.
Run-Flat Tires
This vehicle, when new, may have
had run-flat tires. There is no spare
tire, no tire changing equipment,
and no place to store a tire in the
vehicle.
The vehicle also has a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS)
that indicates a loss of tire pressure
in any of the tires.
{WARNING
If the low tire warning light
displays on the instrument
cluster, the handling capabilities
will be reduced during severe
maneuvers. Driving too fast could
cause loss of control and you or
others could be injured. Do not
drive over 90 km/h (55 mph) when
the low tire warning light is
displayed. Drive cautiously and
check the tire pressures as soon
as possible.
Run-flat tires can be driven on with
no air pressure. There is no need to
stop on the side of the road to
change the tire. Continue driving;
however, do not drive too far or too
fast. Driving on the tire may not be
possible if there is permanent
damage. To prevent permanent
damage, keep speed below 80 km/h
(50 mph). With a light load the
vehicle can be driven up to 100 km
(60 mi); with a moderate load 80 km

Black plate (60,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
10-60 Vehicle Care
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 10‑45, for
additional information. GM recommends replacing
worn tires in complete sets of
four. 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.
If proper rotation and
maintenance have been done,
all four tires should wear out at
about the same time. See
Tire
Rotation on page 10‑57 for
information on proper tire
rotation. However, if it is
necessary to replace only one
axle set of worn tires, place the
new tires on the rear axle.
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 exceed the winter tire's maximum speed capability when
using winter tires with a lower
speed rating.
{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.
{WARNING
Mixing tires of different sizes
(other than those originally
installed on the vehicle), brands,
or types may cause loss of
control of the vehicle, resulting in
a crash or other vehicle damage.
Use the correct size, brand, and
type of tire on all four wheels.

Black plate (61,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
Vehicle Care 10-61
{WARNING
Using bias-ply tires on the
vehicle may cause the wheel
rim flanges to develop cracks
after many miles of driving.
A tire and/or wheel could fail
suddenly and cause a crash.
Use only radial-ply tires with
the wheels on the vehicle.
If the vehicle tires must be
replaced with a tire that does not
have a TPC Spec number, make
sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating, and
construction (radial) as the
original tires.
Vehicles that have a tire
pressure monitoring system
could give an inaccurate
low-pressure warning if non-TPC
Spec rated tires are installed.
See Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation on page 10‑53. The Tire and Loading
Information label indicates the
original equipment tires on the
vehicle. See
Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑11, for the label
location and more information
about the Tire and Loading
Information label.
Different Size Tires and
Wheels
If wheels or tires are installed that
are a different size than the original
equipment wheels and tires, vehicle
performance, including its braking,
ride and handling characteristics,
stability, and resistance to rollover
may be affected. If the vehicle has
electronic systems such as antilock
brakes, rollover airbags, traction
control, electronic stability control,
or All-Wheel Drive, the performance
of these systems can also be
affected.
{WARNING
If different sized wheels are used,
there may not be an acceptable
level of performance and safety
if tires not recommended for
those wheels are selected. This
increases the chance of a crash
and serious injury. Only use GM
specific wheel and tire systems
developed for the vehicle, and
have them properly installed by a
GM certified technician.
See Buying New Tires on
page 10‑59 andAccessories and
Modifications on page 10‑3.

Black plate (62,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
10-62 Vehicle Care
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 tires,
compact spare tires, tires withnominal 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
one-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

Black plate (63,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
Vehicle Care 10-63
assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Temperature–A, B, C
The temperature grades are
A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can
lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corresponds to a level
of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum
required by law. Warning: The
temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance
The tires and wheels were aligned
and balanced at the factory to
provide the longest tire life and best
overall performance. Adjustments to
wheel alignment and tire balancing
will not be necessary on a regular
basis. However, check the
alignment if there is unusual tire
wear or if the vehicle is pulling to
one side or the other. If the vehicle
vibrates when driving on a smooth road, the tires and wheels might
need to be rebalanced. See your
dealer for proper diagnosis.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent,
cracked, or badly rusted or
corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming
loose, the wheel, wheel bolts and
wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the wheel leaks air, replace it.
Some aluminum wheels can be
repaired. See your dealer if any of
these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of
wheel that is needed.
Each new wheel should have the
same load-carrying capacity,
diameter, width, offset and be
mounted the same way as the one it
replaces.
Replace wheels, wheel bolts, wheel
nuts, or Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS) sensors with new
GM original equipment parts.

Black plate (65,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
Vehicle Care 10-65
Used Replacement Wheels
{WARNING
Replacing a wheel with a used
one is dangerous. How it has
been used or how far it has been
driven may be unknown. It could
fail suddenly and cause a crash.
When replacing wheels, use a
new GM original equipment
wheel.
Tire Chains
{WARNING
If the vehicle has 225/40R18,
225/40RF18, 255/35RF18,
225/35R19, or 255/30R19 size
tires, do not use tire chains.
There is not enough clearance.
Tire chains used on a vehicle
without the proper amount of
clearance can cause damage to(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
the brakes, suspension, or other
vehicle parts. The area damaged
by the tire chains could cause
loss of control and a crash.
Use another type of traction
device only if its manufacturer
recommends it for the vehicle's
tire size combination and
road conditions. Follow that
manufacturer's instructions.
To avoid vehicle damage, drive
slow and readjust or remove the
traction device if it contacts the
vehicle. Do not spin the wheels.
If traction devices are used, install
them on the rear tires. Notice:
If the vehicle is
equipped with a tire size other
than 225/40R18, 225/40RF18,
255/35RF18, 225/35R19, or
255/30R19, use tire chains only
where legal and only when
necessary. Use low profile chains
that add no more than 12 mm
thickness to the tire tread and
inner sidewall. Use chains that
are the proper size for the tires.
Install them on the tires of the
rear axle. Do not use chains on
the tires of the front axle. Tighten
them as tightly as possible with
the ends securely fastened. Drive
slowly and follow the chain
manufacturer's instructions. If the
chains contact the vehicle, stop
and retighten them. If the contact
continues, slow down until it
stops. Driving too fast or
spinning the wheels with chains
on will damage the vehicle.

Black plate (7,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
INDEX i-7
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . 10-45
LampsCourtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . 6-4
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-62
Lane Departure Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
LATCH System Replacing Parts after aCrash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-47
LATCH, Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . 3-41 LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Light
Adaptive Forward Lighting(AFL) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Lighting Adaptive Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Lights Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Antilock Brake System(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 5-18
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning . . . . . . . 5-22
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-4
Lane Departure Warning . . . . . . 5-20
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23 Lights (cont'd)
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 5-13
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Service Electric Parking
Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
StabiliTrak
®OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®. . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Traction Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Locks Automatic Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-23
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4 Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4