Black plate (16,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
3-16 Seats and Restraints
After the height adjuster is set to the
desired position, try to move it down
without pressing the release button
to make sure it has locked into
position.
Safety Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has safety belt
pretensioners for front outboard
occupants. Although the safety belt
pretensioners cannot be seen, they
are part of the safety belt assembly.
They can help tighten the safety
belts during the early stages of a
moderate to severe frontal or near
frontal crash if the threshold
conditions for pretensioner
activation are met. And, if the
vehicle has side impact airbags,
safety belt pretensioners can help
tighten the safety belts in a side or
rear crash.Pretensioners work only once. If the
pretensioners activate in a crash,
the pretensioners and possibly other
parts of the safety belt system will
need to be replaced. See
Replacing
Safety Belt System Parts after a
Crash on page 3‑19.Rear Safety Belt Comfort
Guides
This vehicle may have rear shoulder
belt comfort guides. If not, they are
available through your dealer. The
guides may provide added safety
belt comfort for older children who
have outgrown booster seats and
for some adults. When installed and
properly adjusted, the comfort guide
positions the shoulder belt away
from the neck and head. Here is how to install a comfort
guide to the safety belt:
1. Pull the elastic cord out from
between the edge of the
seatback and the interior body to
remove the guide from its
storage clip.
Black plate (31,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Seats and Restraints 3-31
{WARNING
Stowing of articles under the
passenger seat or between the
passenger seat cushion and
seatback may interfere with the
proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle
should be serviced. There are parts
of the airbag system in several
places around the vehicle. Your
dealer and the service manual have
information about servicing the
vehicle and the airbag system. To
purchase a service manual, see
Service Publications Ordering
Information on page 13‑16.
{WARNING
For up to 10 seconds after the
vehicle is turned off and the
battery is disconnected, an airbag
can still inflate during improper
service. You can be injured if you
are close to an airbag when it
inflates. Avoid yellow connectors.
They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow
proper service procedures, and
make sure the person performing
work for you is qualified to do so.
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q: Is there anything I might addto or change about the vehicle
that could keep the airbags
from working properly?
A: Yes. If you add things that
change the vehicle's frame,
bumper system, height, front end
or side sheet metal, they may keep the airbag system from
working properly. Changing or
moving any parts of the front
seats, safety belts, the airbag
sensing and diagnostic module,
steering wheel, instrument
panel, roof-rail airbag modules,
ceiling headliner or pillar garnish
trim, overhead console, front
sensors, side impact sensors,
rollover sensor module, or airbag
wiring can affect the operation of
the airbag system.
In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for
the right front passenger
position, which includes sensors
that are part of the passenger
seat. The passenger sensing
system may not operate properly
if the original seat trim is
replaced with non-GM covers,
upholstery or trim, or with GM
covers, upholstery or trim
designed for a different vehicle.
Any object, such as an
aftermarket seat heater or a
comfort enhancing pad or
Black plate (34,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
3-34 Seats and Restraints
The manufacturer instructions that
come with the booster seat state the
weight and height limitations for that
booster. Use a booster seat with a
lap-shoulder belt until the child
passes the fit test below:
.Sit all the way back on the seat.
Do the knees bend at the seat
edge? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat.
.Buckle the lap-shoulder belt.
Does the shoulder belt rest on
the shoulder? If yes, continue.
If no, try using the rear safety
belt comfort guide. See“Rear
Safety Belt Comfort Guides”
under Lap-Shoulder Belt on
page 3‑14. If the shoulder belt
still does not rest on the
shoulder, then return to the
booster seat.
.Does the lap belt fit low and
snug on the hips, touching the
thighs? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat.
.Can proper safety belt fit be
maintained for the length of the
trip? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat.
Q: What is the proper way to wear safety belts?
A: An older child should wear a
lap-shoulder belt and get the
additional restraint a shoulder
belt can provide. The shoulder
belt should not cross the face or
neck. The lap belt should fit
snugly below the hips, just
touching the top of the thighs.
This applies belt force to the
child's pelvic bones in a crash.
It should never be worn over the
abdomen, which could cause
severe or even fatal internal
injuries in a crash.
Also see “Rear Safety Belt Comfort
Guides” underLap-Shoulder Belt on
page 3‑14.
According to accident statistics,
children and infants are safer when
properly restrained in a child restraint system or infant restraint
system secured in a rear seating
position.
In a crash, children who are not
buckled up can strike other people
who are buckled up, or can be
thrown out of the vehicle. Older
children need to use safety belts
properly.
{WARNING
Never allow more than one child
to wear the same safety belt. The
safety belt cannot properly spread
the impact forces. In a crash, they
can be crushed together and
seriously injured. A safety belt
must be used by only one person
at a time.
Black plate (37,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Seats and Restraints 3-37
Q: What are the different types ofadd-on child restraints?
A: Add-on child restraints, which
are purchased by the vehicle
owner, are available in four basic
types. Selection of a particular
restraint should take into
consideration not only the child's
weight, height, and age but also
whether or not the restraint will
be compatible with the motor
vehicle in which it will be used.
For most basic types of child
restraints, there are many
different models available. When
purchasing a child restraint, be
sure it is designed to be used in
a motor vehicle. If it is, the
restraint will have a label saying
that it meets federal motor
vehicle safety standards. The restraint manufacturer
instructions that come with the
restraint state the weight and
height limitations for a particular
child restraint. In addition, there
are many kinds of restraints
available for children with
special needs.
{WARNING
To reduce the risk of neck and
head injury during a crash, infants
need complete support. In a
crash, if an infant is in a
rear-facing child restraint, the
crash forces can be distributed
across the strongest part of an
infant's body, the back and
shoulders. Infants should always
be secured in rear-facing child
restraints.
{WARNING
A young child's hip bones are still
so small that the vehicle's regular
safety belt may not remain low on
the hip bones, as it should.
Instead, it may settle up around
the child's abdomen. In a crash,
the belt would apply force on a
body area that is unprotected by
any bony structure. This alone
could cause serious or fatal
injuries. To reduce the risk of
serious or fatal injuries during a
crash, young children should
always be secured in appropriate
child restraints.
Black plate (43,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Driving and Operating 9-43
{WARNING
SBZA does not detect vehicles
rapidly approaching outside of the
side blind zones, pedestrians,
bicyclists, or animals. Failure to
use proper care when changing
lanes may result in injury, death,
or vehicle damage. Before
making a lane change, always
check mirrors, glance over your
shoulder, and use the turn
signals.
When the system detects a vehicle
in the side blind zone, amber SBZA
displays will light up in the side
mirrors. This indicates that it may be
unsafe to change lanes. Before
making a lane change, always
check the SBZA display, check the
outside and rearview mirrors, look
over your shoulder for vehicles and
hazards, and use the turn signal. SBZA Detection Zones
The SBZA sensor covers a zone of
approximately one lane over from
both sides of the vehicle,
or 3.5 m (11 ft). This zone starts at
each side mirror and goes back
approximately 5.0 m (16 ft). The
height of the zone is approximately
between 0.5 m (1.5 ft) and
2.0 m (6 ft) off the ground.
The SBZA detection zones do not
change if the vehicle is towing a
trailer. So be extra careful when
changing lanes while towing a
trailer.
How the System Works
Left Side Mirror
DisplayRight Side Mirror Display When the vehicle is started, both
outside mirror displays will briefly
come on to indicate that the system
is operating. While driving forward,
the left or right side mirror SBZA
display will light up if a vehicle is
detected in that blind zone. If you
activate a turn signal and a vehicle
has been detected on the same
side, the SBZA display will flash to
give you extra warning not to
change lanes.
At speeds less than 32 km/h
(20 mph), SBZA displays may not
come on when approaching or
passing other vehicles. SBZA
displays may come on when a
vehicle you have passed remains in
or drops back into the detection
zone for more than two seconds.
SBZA can be disabled through the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
on page 5‑27 for more information.
If the SBZA is disabled by the
driver, the SBZA mirror displays will
not light up during normal driving.
Black plate (24,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
10-24 Vehicle Care
Brakes
This vehicle has disc brakes. Disc
brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time the vehicle is
moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.
{WARNING
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Notice: Continuing to drive with
worn-out brake pads could result
in costly brake repair. Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications in
Capacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2.
Brake linings should always be
replaced as complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service might be
required.
Brake Adjustment
Every time the brakes are applied,
with or without the vehicle moving,
the brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is
complex. Its many parts have to be
of top quality and work well together
if the vehicle is to have really good
braking. The vehicle was designed
and tested with top-quality brake
parts. When parts of the braking
system are replaced, be sure to get
new, approved replacement parts.
If this is not done, the brakes might
not work properly. For example,
installing disc brake pads that are
wrong for the vehicle, can change
the balance between the front and
rear brakes —for the worse. The
braking performance expected can
change in many other ways if the
wrong replacement brake parts are
installed.
Black plate (61,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Vehicle Care 10-61
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
(1) 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.
(2) 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.
(3) 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.
DOT Tire Date of
Manufacture
:The last four
digits of the TIN indicate the tire
manufactured date. The first two digits represent the week
(01–52) and the last two digits,
the year. For example, the third
week of the year 2010 would
have a four-digit DOT date
of 0310.
(4) 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.
(5) Tire Ply Material
:The type
of cord and number of plies in
the sidewall and under the tread.
(6) Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG)
:Tire
manufacturers are required to
grade tires based on three
Black plate (62,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
10-62 Vehicle Care
performance factors: treadwear,
traction, and temperature
resistance. For more information
seeUniform Tire Quality
Grading on page 10‑77.
(7) Maximum Cold Inflation
Load Limit
:Maximum load that
can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to
support that load.
Compact Spare Tire Example
(1) Tire Ply Material:The type
of cord and number of plies in
the sidewall and under the tread. (2) Temporary Use Only
:The
compact spare tire or temporary
use tire should not be driven at
speeds over 80 km/h (50 mph).
The compact spare tire is for
emergency use when a regular
road tire has lost air and gone
flat. If the vehicle has a compact
spare tire, see Compact Spare
Tire on page 10‑98 andIf a Tire
Goes Flat on page 10‑80.
(3) 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. (4) Maximum Cold Inflation
Load Limit
:Maximum load that
can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to
support that load.
(5) Tire Inflation
:The
temporary use tire or compact
spare tire should be inflated to
420 kPa (60 psi). For more
information on tire pressure and
inflation see Tire Pressure on
page 10‑66.
(6) Tire Size
:A combination of
letters and numbers define a
tire's width, height, aspect ratio,
construction type, and service
description. The letter T as the
first character in the tire size
means the tire is for temporary
use only.
(7) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification)
:Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance