2013 CADILLAC CTS warning

Black plate (19,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Instruments and Controls 5-19
{WARNING
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. SeeAirbag Readiness
Light on page 5‑17 for more
information, including important
safety information.
Charging System Light
The charging system light comes on
briefly when the ignition is turned
on, but the engine is not running, as
a check to show the light is working. The light turns off when the engine
is started. If it does not, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the light stays on, or comes on
while driving, there may be a
problem with the electrical charging
system. Have it checked by your
dealer. Driving while this light is on
could drain the battery.
When this light comes on, the Driver
Information Center (DIC) also
displays a message.
See
Battery Voltage and Charging
Messages on page 5‑31.
If a short distance must be driven
with the light on, be sure to turn off
all accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp
A computer system called OBD II
(On-Board Diagnostics-Second
Generation) monitors the operation
of the vehicle to ensure emissions
are at acceptable levels, helping to maintain a clean environment. The
malfunction indicator lamp comes
on when the vehicle is placed in
ON/RUN, as a check to show it is
working. If it does not, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer. See
Ignition Positions (Keyless Access)
on page 9‑15
orIgnition Positions
(Key Access) on page 9‑17 for more
information.
This light should come on when the
ignition is on, but the engine is not
running, as a check to show it is
working. If it does not, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the malfunction indicator lamp
comes on while the engine is
running, this indicates that the OBD
II system has detected a problem
and diagnosis and service might be
required.

Black plate (22,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
5-22 Instruments and Controls
Brake System Warning
Light
The vehicle brake system consists
of two hydraulic circuits. If one
circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the
vehicle. For normal braking
performance, both circuits need to
be working
If the warning light comes on, there
is a brake problem. Have the brake
system inspected right away.
MetricEnglish
This light should come on briefly
when the ignition is placed in ON/
RUN. If it does not come on then,
have it fixed so it will be ready to
warn if there is a problem. When the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light also comes on
when the parking brake is set.
The light flashes or stays on if the
parking brake is not fully released.
If the light stays on after the parking
brake is fully released, there is a
base brake problem.
{WARNING
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.
For vehicles with the Electric
Parking Brake (EPB), this red brake
status light comes on when the
parking brake is applied. If the light
continues flashing after the parking brake is released, or while driving,
there is a problem with the Electric
Parking Brake system.
If the light does not come on,
or remains flashing, see your dealer.For vehicles with the Electric
Parking Brake (EPB), this parking
brake warning light should come on
briefly when ignition is placed in ON/
RUN. If it does not come on then,
have it fixed so it will be ready to
warn if there is a problem.
If this parking brake light comes on,
there is a problem with a system on
the vehicle that is causing the
parking brake system to work at a
reduced level. The vehicle can still
be driven, but should be taken to a
dealer

Black plate (23,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Instruments and Controls 5-23
SeeBrake Assist (Except CTS-V)
on page 9‑35 for more information.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
The Antilock Brake System (ABS),
this light comes on briefly when the
engine is started.
If the light does not come on, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn if
there is a problem.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the
ignition off. If the light comes on
while driving, stop as soon as it is
safely possible and turn the ignition
off. A chime may also sound when
the light comes on steady. If this
happens, start the engine again to
reset the system. If the ABS light
stays on, or comes on again while driving, the vehicle needs service.
If the regular brake system warning
light is not on, the vehicle still has
brakes, but not antilock brakes.
If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, the vehicle does not
have antilock brakes and there is a
problem with the regular brakes.
See
Brake System Warning Light on
page 5‑22.
For vehicles with a Driver
Information Center (DIC), see Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑27 for all brake-related DIC
messages.
Up-Shift Light
The vehicle may have an up-shift
light. It indicates when to shift to the
next higher gear for best fuel
economy. See
Manual Transmission on
page 9‑29 for more information.
For the CTS-V, the tracer lights
function as a performance up-shift
light.
The tracers flash to indicate when to
shift to the next higher gear to avoid
the engine speed limit. See
Automatic Transmission on
page 9‑25 orManual Transmission
on page 9‑29 for more information.
StabiliTrak®OFF Light
This light comes on briefly while
starting the engine. If it does not,
have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer.

Black plate (24,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
5-24 Instruments and Controls
This light comes on when the
StabiliTrak system is turned off.
If StabiliTrak is off, the Traction
Control System (TCS) is also off.
If the TCS is off, the system does
not assist in controlling the vehicle.
Turn on the TCS and the StabiliTrak
systems and the warning light
turns off.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
on page 9‑35 andStabiliTrak
®
System on page 9‑36.
Traction Control System
(TCS)/StabiliTrak®Light
The StabiliTrak or Traction Control
System (TCS) indicator/warning
light comes on briefly when the
engine is started. If the light does not come on, have
the vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the system is working normally,
the indicator light turns off.
If the light is on and not flashing, the
TCS, and potentially the StabiliTrak
system have been disabled. A DIC
message may display. Check the
DIC messages to determine which
feature(s) is no longer functioning
and whether the vehicle requires
service.
If the indicator/warning light is on
and flashing, the TCS and/or the
StabiliTrak system is actively
working.
See
StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑36 andTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 9‑35.
Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning
Light
The engine coolant temperature
warning light comes on briefly when
the vehicle is started.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally, the
indicator light then goes off.
If the light comes on and stays on
while driving, the vehicle may have
a problem with the cooling system.
Stop and turn off the vehicle to
avoid damage to the engine.
A warning chime sounds when this
light is on.
See Engine Overheating on
page 10‑21 for more information.

Black plate (27,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Instruments and Controls 5-27
Cruise Control Light
This light comes on whenever the
cruise control is active.
The light goes out when the cruise
control is turned off. SeeCruise
Control on page 9‑39 for more
information.
Information Displays
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
The Driver Information Center (DIC)
provides status of many vehicle
systems. The DIC displays warning/
status messages. The DIC display
is at the bottom of the instrument
cluster. The DIC buttons are on the
instrument panel next to the
steering wheel.
The DIC comes on when the ignition
is on. After a short delay, the DIC
displays the information that was
last displayed before the engine
was turned off.
The top line of the DIC display
shows the DIC information. The
bottom line shows the compass.
The compass displays in the trip/
fuel menus and in some vehicle
information menus. If a problem is detected, a warning
message appears on the display. All
messages should be taken
seriously; clearing the message
does not correct the problem.DIC Operation and Displays
Press the DIC buttons to access the
different displays.
3(Trip/Fuel):
Press to scroll
through the trip and fuel displays.
See “Trip/Fuel Display Menu Items”
following for more information.

Black plate (28,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
5-28 Instruments and Controls
T(Vehicle Information):Press
to scroll through the vehicle
information displays. See “Vehicle
Information Display Menu Items”
following for more information.
U(Customization): Press to scroll
through each of the customization
features. See Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑45 for
more information.
V(Set/Reset): Press to reset
certain DIC features and to
acknowledge and clear DIC warning
messages.
yorz(Menu Up/Down): Press
to scroll up and down the menu
items.
Trip/Fuel Display Menu Items
3(Trip/Fuel): Press to display
the following menu items:
Odometer
Displays the distance the vehicle
has been driven in either
kilometers (km) or miles (mi). Trip A or Trip B
Displays the current distance
traveled since the last reset for each
trip odometer in either
kilometers (km) or miles (mi). Both
odometers can be used at the same
time. Reset each trip odometer to
zero by pressing and holding the
set/reset button when Trip A or Trip
B is displayed.
Fuel Range
Displays the approximate remaining
kilometers (km) or miles (mi) you
can drive without refilling the fuel
tank. This estimate is based on the
current driving conditions and
changes if the driving conditions
change. For example, freeway
driving may produce better fuel
economy than city driving with
frequent stops, so the range would
adjust for that.
Once the range drops below about
48 km (30 mi) remaining, the display
shows Low Range.
If the fuel is low, the FUEL LEVEL
LOW message displays. See
“Fuel
Level Low” underFuel System
Messages on page 5‑36 for more
information.
AVG (Average) Economy
Displays the approximate average
liters per 100 kilometers (L/100 km)
or miles per gallon (mpg). The
calculation is based on the number
of L/100 km (mpg) recorded since
the last time this display was reset.
Press the set/reset button to reset
to zero.
Timer
Can be used to measure time. For
example, timing how long it takes to
travel from one point to another. To
access the timer, press the trip/fuel
button until Timer 00:00:00 displays.
To turn on the timer, press the set/
reset button.
To turn off the timer, press the set/
reset button again. The timer
displays the end timing value.

Black plate (33,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Instruments and Controls 5-33
RELEASE PARK BRAKE
SWITCH
For vehicles with the electric parking
brake, this message displays if the
switch is pulled while the vehicle is
moving. See the electric parking
brake information underParking
Brake (Electric) on page 9‑33 or
Parking Brake (Manual) on
page 9‑32.
SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST
This message displays if there is a
problem with the brake system. The
brake system warning light and the
antilock brake system (ABS)
warning light may also display on
the instrument cluster. See Brake
System Warning Light on page 5‑22
and Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light on page 5‑23. Stop
as soon as possible and turn off the
vehicle. Restart the vehicle and
check for the message on the DIC
display. If the message displays
immediately or again after you begin
driving, the brake system needs service. See your dealer as soon as
possible. See
Antilock Brake
System (ABS) on page 9‑31.
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
This message displays, while the
ignition is on, when the brake fluid
level is low. The brake system
warning light on the instrument
panel cluster also comes on. See
Brake System Warning Light on
page 5‑22. This message may also
be displayed for other brake system
problems. Have the brake system
serviced by your dealer as soon as
possible.
SERVICE PARK BRAKE
For vehicles with the electric parking
brake, this message displays if a
problem is detected with the electric
parking brake system. See your
dealer for service.
STEP ON BRAKE TO
RELEASE PARK BRAKE
For vehicles with the electric parking
brake, this message displays if you
try to release the park brake system
without first pressing the brake
pedal. See the electric parking
brake information under Parking
Brake (Electric) on page 9‑33 or
Parking Brake (Manual) on
page 9‑32.
Compass Messages
CALIBRATING DRIVE IN
CIRCLES
This message displays when
calibrating the compass. Drive the
vehicle in circles at less than 8 km/h
(5 mph) to complete the calibration.
See Compass on page 5‑7 for more
information.

Black plate (35,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Instruments and Controls 5-35
If this message continues to appear,
have the system repaired by your
dealer as soon as possible to avoid
damage to the engine.
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE
ENGINE
Notice:If you drive the vehicle
while the engine is overheating,
severe engine damage may
occur. If an overheat warning
appears on the instrument cluster
and/or DIC, stop the vehicle as
soon as possible. Do not increase
the engine speed above normal
idling speed. See Engine
Overheating on page 10‑21 for
more information.
This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is too
hot. Stop and allow the vehicle to
idle until it cools down. If the
message does not clear in a few
minutes or if the overheat light stays
on, shut the vehicle off and have it
serviced before driving again. See
Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Light on page 5‑24. See
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode on page 10‑22 for
information on driving to a safe
place in an emergency.
Engine Oil Messages
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
When this message displays, it
means that service is required for
the vehicle. See your dealer. See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3 andEngine Oil on
page 10‑9.
When you reset the CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message by
clearing it from the display, you still
must reset the engine oil life system
separately. For more information on
resetting the engine oil life system,
see Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑11.
ENGINE OIL LOW ADD OIL
On some vehicles, this message
displays if the oil level in the vehicle
is low. Check the oil level before
filling to the recommended level. You may need to let the vehicle cool
or warm up and cycle the ignition to
be sure this message clears. If the
oil is not low and this message
continues to be displayed, take the
vehicle to your dealer for service.
This message clears itself after
10 seconds, until the next ignition
cycle. See
Engine Oil on page 10‑9.
OIL PRESSURE LOW STOP
ENGINE
Notice:If you drive the vehicle
while the engine oil pressure is
low, severe engine damage may
occur. If a low oil pressure
warning appears on the
instrument cluster and/or DIC,
stop the vehicle as soon as
possible. Do not drive the vehicle
until the cause of the low oil
pressure is corrected. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑9 for more
information.
This message displays when the
vehicle's engine oil pressure is low.
The oil pressure light may also
appear on the instrument cluster.