
Black plate (1,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
2013 Cadillac ATS Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Keys, Doors, and Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-23
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33 Storage
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Additional Storage Features . . . 4-3
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-43
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-49
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21
Trademarks and License
Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-33 Climate Controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-16
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-25
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-34
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 9-50
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-64
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-70
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-75

Black plate (3,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
In Brief 1-3
1.Air Vents on page 8‑10.
2. Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
Turn Signal Lever. See Turn and
Lane-Change Signals on
page 6‑6.
3. Cruise Control on page 9‑39.
Adaptive Cruise Control on
page 9‑42 (If Equipped).
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System on page 9‑55 (If
Equipped).
Heated Steering Wheel on
page 5‑3.
Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑2.
4. Instrument Cluster on page 5‑9.
Driver Information Center (DIC)
Display. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑26.
5. Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑2.
6. Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑4. 7. Infotainment Display.
Infotainment System. See the
infotainment manual.
8. Light Sensor. See Automatic
Headlamp System on page 6‑5.
9. Dual Automatic Climate Control
System (Base) on page 8‑1 or
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System (Uplevel) on page 8‑5.
10. Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6‑7.
11. Hood Release (Out of View). SeeHood on page 10‑5.
12. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑16.
13. Parking Assist Button. See Driver Assistance Systems on
page 9‑50.
Lane Departure Warning
(LDW) on page 9‑62.
14. Tap Shift Controls (If Equipped). See Manual Mode
on page 9‑26. 15. Electric Parking Brake (If
Equipped, Automatic
Transmission). See Parking
Brake (Electric) on page 9‑30
or Parking Brake (Manual) on
page 9‑33.
16. Head-Up Display (HUD) on
page 5‑29 (If Equipped).
17. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5‑2.
18. Horn on page 5‑4.
19. Engine START/STOP Button. SeeIgnition Positions on
page 9‑16.
20. Heated Front Seats on
page 3‑8 (If Equipped).
21. Storage Bin. See Instrument
Panel Storage on page 4‑1.
22. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑25 or
Manual Transmission on
page 9‑28 (If Equipped).

Black plate (22,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
2-22 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Express Window Anti-Pinch
Override
{WARNING
If express override is activated,
the window will not reverse
automatically. You or others could
be injured and the window could
be damaged. Before you use
express override, make sure that
all people and obstructions are
clear of the window path.
The anti-pinch feature can be
overridden when the ignition is in
ON/RUN/START. Hold the window
switch all the way up to the second
position. The window will rise for as
long as the switch is held. Once the
switch is released, the express
mode is reactivated.
In this mode, the window can close
on an object in its path. Use care
when using the override mode.
Programming the Power
Windows
If the vehicle battery has been
recharged or disconnected, or is not
working, the front power windows
may need to be reprogrammed for
the express-up feature to work.
Before reprogramming, replace or
recharge the vehicle battery.
To program:
1. With the ignition in ON/RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY, or when
RAP is active, close all doors.
2. Press down the power window switch until the window is
fully open.
3. Pull the power window switch up until the window is fully closed.
4. Continue holding the switch up for approximately two seconds
after the window is completely
closed. The window is now reprogrammed.
Repeat the process for the other
windows.
Window Lockout
This feature prevents the rear
passenger windows from operating,
except from the driver position.
Press
v
{to activate the window
lockout. The indicator light in the
switch will illuminate when
activated.

Black plate (25,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
Seats and Restraints 3-25
Airbags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts by
distributing the force of the
impact more evenly over the
occupant's body.
Rollover capable roof-rail airbags
are designed to help contain the
head and chest of occupants in the
outboard seating positions in the
first and second rows. The rollover
capable roof-rail airbags are
designed to help reduce the risk of
full or partial ejection in rollover
events, although no system can
prevent all such ejections.
But airbags would not help in many
types of collisions, primarily
because the occupant's motion is
not toward those airbags. SeeWhen
Should an Airbag Inflate? on
page 3‑23.
Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to safety belts.What Will You See after
an Airbag Inflates?
After the frontal airbags and
seat-mounted side impact airbags
inflate, they quickly deflate, so
quickly that some people may not
even realize an airbag inflated.
Roof-rail airbags may still be at least
partially inflated for some time after
they inflate. Some components of
the airbag module may be hot for
several minutes. For location of the
airbags, see Where Are the
Airbags? on page 3‑21.
The parts of the airbag that come
into contact with you may be warm,
but not too hot to touch. There may
be some smoke and dust coming
from the vents in the deflated
airbags. Airbag inflation does not
prevent the driver from seeing out of
the windshield or being able to steer
the vehicle, nor does it prevent
people from leaving the vehicle.
{WARNING
When an airbag inflates, there
may be dust in the air. This dust
could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of
asthma or other breathing trouble.
To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as
it is safe to do so. If you have
breathing problems but cannot
get out of the vehicle after an
airbag inflates, then get fresh air
by opening a window or a door.
If you experience breathing
problems following an airbag
deployment, you should seek
medical attention.
The vehicle has a feature that may
automatically unlock the doors, turn
on the interior lamps and hazard
warning flashers, and shut off the
fuel system after the airbags inflate.

Black plate (40,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
3-40 Seats and Restraints
We recommend that children and
child restraints be secured in a rear
seat, including: an infant or a child
riding in a rear-facing child restraint;
a child riding in a forward-facing
child seat; an older child riding in a
booster seat; and children, who are
large enough, using safety belts.
Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front. This is because the risk to
the rear-facing child is so great if the
airbag deploys.
{WARNING
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates. This
is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would
be very close to the inflating
airbag. A child in a forward-facing
child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
passenger airbag inflates and the
passenger seat is in a forward
position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though it is
turned off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints
in a rear seat, even if the
airbag is off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
the right front seat, always move
the front passenger seat as far
back as it will go. It is better to
secure the child restraint in a
rear seat.
SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 3‑27 for additional
information. When securing a child restraint in a
rear seating position, study the
instructions that came with the
child restraint to make sure it is
compatible with this vehicle.
Child restraints and booster seats
vary considerably in size, and some
may fit in certain seating positions
better than others. Always make
sure the child restraint is properly
secured.
Depending on where you place the
child restraint and the size of the
child restraint, you may not be able
to access adjacent safety belt
assemblies or LATCH anchors for
additional passengers or child
restraints. Adjacent seating
positions should not be used if the
child restraint prevents access to or
interferes with the routing of the
safety belt.
Wherever a child restraint is
installed, be sure to secure the child
restraint properly.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
Climate Controls 8-1
Climate Controls
Climate Control Systems
Dual Automatic Climate ControlSystem (Base) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Dual Automatic Climate Control System (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Air Vents
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment AirFilter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11
Climate Control Systems
Dual Automatic Climate Control System (Base)
For vehicles with this system, it controls the heating, cooling, and ventilation.
1. Driver and Passenger
Temperature Controls
2. Fan Control
3. AUTO (Automatic Operation)
4. Air Delivery Mode Control
5. OFF (Fan) 6. SYNC (Synchronized
Temperature)
7. Driver and Passenger Heated Seats (If Equipped)
8. AC (Air Conditioning)
9. Defrost

Black plate (10,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
8-10 Climate Controls
Air Vents
Adjustable air vents are in the
center and on the side of the
instrument panel.
Use the thumbwheels (1) near the
air vents to open or close off the
airflow.
Move the slats (2) to change the
direction of the airflow.
Additional air vents are beneath the
windshield and the driver side and
passenger side door windows.
These are fixed and cannot be
adjusted.Operation Tips
.Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from air inlets at the
base of the windshield that could
block the flow of air into the
vehicle.
.Keep the path under the front
seats clear of objects to help
circulate the air inside the
vehicle more effectively.
.Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
Check with your dealer before
adding equipment to the outside
of the vehicle.
.Do not attach any devices to the
air vent slats. This restricts
airflow and may cause damage
to the air vents.

Black plate (20,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 10/5/12
9-20 Driving and Operating
The vehicle has a
Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in
starting the engine and protects
components. If the START
button is pressed, and then
released when the engine
begins cranking, the engine will
continue cranking for a few
seconds or until the vehicle
starts. If the engine does not
start and the button is pressed
for many seconds, cranking will
be stopped after 15 seconds to
prevent cranking motor damage.
To prevent gear damage, this
system also prevents cranking if
the engine is already running.
Engine cranking can be stopped
by pressing the START button a
second time.Notice:
Cranking the engine for
long periods of time, by pressing
the START button immediately
after cranking has ended, can
overheat and damage the
cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after
five to 10 seconds, especially in
very cold weather (below −18°C
or 0°F), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing
the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and holding it there
as you press the START button,
for up to a maximum of
15 seconds. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try, to
allow the cranking motor to cool
down. When the engine starts,
let go of the button and the
accelerator. If the vehicle starts briefly but then stops again, do
the same thing. This clears the
extra gasoline from the engine.
Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Engine Heater
Vehicles with the engine coolant
heater can use this option in
cold weather conditions at or
below
−18°C (0°F) for easier
starting and better fuel economy
during engine warm-up. Plug in the
coolant heater at least four hours
before starting your vehicle. An
internal thermostat in the plug-end
of the cord may exist which will
prevent engine coolant heater
operation at temperatures above
−18°C (0°F).