2013 CADILLAC CTS coolant level

Black plate (4,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
iv Introduction
Danger, Warnings, and
Cautions
Warning messages found on vehicle
labels and in this manual describe
hazards and what to do to avoid or
reduce them.
Dangerindicates a hazard with a
high level of risk which will result in
serious injury or death.
Warning orCaution indicates a
hazard that could result in injury or
death.
{WARNING
These mean there is something
that could hurt you or other
people.
Notice: This means there is
something that could result in
property or vehicle damage. This
would not be covered by the
vehicle's warranty.
A circle with a slash through it is a
safety symbol which means “Do
Not,” “Do not do this,” or“Do not let
this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and
labels that use symbols instead of
text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or
information relating to a specific
component, control, message,
gauge, or indicator.
M: This symbol is shown when
you need to see your owner manual
for additional instructions or
information.
*: This symbol is shown when
you need to see a service manual
for additional instructions or
information. Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the Index.
9:
Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
%:Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar®
$: Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.: Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
(: Heated Steering Wheel

Black plate (16,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
5-16 Instruments and Controls
A reading outside the normal
operating range may be caused by
a dangerously low oil level or some
other problem causing low oil
pressure. Oil should be checked as
soon as possible. See Oil Pressure
Low Stop Engine underEngine Oil
Messages on page 5‑35 andEngine
Oil on page 10‑9.
Notice: Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. Driving with the engine
oil low can also damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Check the oil level as soon as
possible. Add oil if required, but
if the oil level is within the
operating range and the oil
pressure is still low, have the
vehicle serviced. Always follow
the maintenance schedule for
changing engine oil.Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge
Metric
English
This gauge shows the engine
coolant temperature. If the engine
coolant overheats, the engine
coolant temperature warning light
comes on. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning Light on
page 5‑24 andEngine Overheating
on page 10‑21 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.

Black plate (53,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Driving and Operating 9-53
This can help to avoid situations
that require heavy braking and
sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. Because the
rig is longer, it is necessary to go
farther beyond the passed vehicle
before returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. To move the
trailer to the left, move your hand to
the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering. When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal so the
trailer will not strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other
objects. Use the turn signal well in
advance and avoid jerky or sudden
maneuvers.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
The turn signal indicators on the
instrument cluster flash whenever
signaling a turn or lane change.
Properly hooked up, the trailer
lamps also flash, telling other
drivers the vehicle is turning,
changing lanes or stopping.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on
the instrument cluster flash for turns
even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. Check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear before starting down a long or
steep downgrade. If thetransmission is not shifted down, the
brakes might have to be used so
much that they would get hot and no
longer work well.
The vehicle can tow in D (Drive).
Use a lower gear if the transmission
shifts too often.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, engine coolant
boils at a lower temperature than at
normal altitudes. If the engine is
turned off immediately after towing
at high altitude on steep uphill
grades, the vehicle could show
signs similar to engine overheating.
To avoid this, let the engine run
while parked, preferably on level
ground, with the transmission in
P (Park) for a few minutes before
turning the engine off. If the
overheat warning comes on, see
Engine Overheating on page 10‑21.

Black plate (18,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
10-18 Vehicle Care
coolant for the cooling system.
SeeRecommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑13.
Never dispose of engine coolant by
putting it in the trash, pouring it on
the ground, or into sewers, streams,
or bodies of water. Have the coolant
changed by an authorized service
center, familiar with legal
requirements regarding used
coolant disposal. This will help
protect the environment and your
health.
Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level
surface when checking the coolant
level.
The engine coolant reservoir is in
the engine compartment on the
driver side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview on
page 10‑5.
Check to see if coolant is visible in
the surge tank. If the coolant inside
the surge tank is boiling, do not do
anything else until it cools down. If coolant is visible but the coolant
level is not at or above the FULL
COLD mark, add a 50/50 mixture of
clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL coolant at the coolant
surge tank, but be sure the cooling
system is cool before this is done.
If the engine is warm or hot, the
coolant level should be at or above
the FROID/FULL COLD line on the
side of the coolant surge tank. If the
engine is cold, the coolant level
should be near the FROID/FULL
COLD line on the side of the coolant
surge tank. If it is not, there could
be a leak in the cooling system.
How to Add Coolant to the
Surge Tank
{WARNING
You can be burned if you spill
coolant on hot engine parts.
Coolant contains ethylene glycol
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
and it will burn if the engine parts
are hot enough. Do not spill
coolant on a hot engine.
Notice: This vehicle has a
specific coolant fill procedure.
Failure to follow this procedure
could cause the engine to
overheat and be severely
damaged.
{WARNING
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system can blow out
and burn you badly. Never turn
the cap when the cooling system,
including the surge tank pressure
cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling
system and surge tank pressure
cap to cool.

Black plate (19,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Vehicle Care 10-19
If coolant is needed, add the proper
DEX-COOL coolant mixture at the
coolant surge tank.
If no coolant is visible in the surge
tank, add coolant as follows:
1. Remove the coolant surge tankpressure cap when the cooling
system, including the coolant
surge tank pressure cap and
upper radiator hose, is no longer
hot. Turn the pressure cap
slowly counterclockwise about
one-quarter turn and then stop.
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to
stop. A hiss means there is still
some pressure left.
2. Keep turning the pressure capslowly and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank withthe proper mixture, to slightly
above the FROID/FULL COLD
line on the side of the coolant
surge tank.
4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start the
engine and let it run until you
can feel the upper radiator hose
getting hot. The upper radiator
hose is the top hose coming out
of the radiator, on the passenger
side of the vehicle. Watch out for
the engine cooling fans.
By this time, the coolant level
inside the coolant surge tank
may be lower. If the level is
lower, add more of the proper
mixture to the coolant surge tank
until the level reaches the
FROID/FULL COLD line on the
side of the coolant surge tank.
5. Replace the pressure cap. Be sure the pressure cap is
hand-tight and fully seated.

Black plate (20,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
10-20 Vehicle Care
Notice:If the pressure cap is not
tightly installed, coolant loss and
possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly
and tightly secured.
Recheck the coolant level in the
bottle next time you use your
vehicle to ensure the system is full
when cold.
Checking Coolant in the
Intercooler System (CTS-V)
The vehicle must be on a level
surface when checking the coolant
level.
The super charged engine
intercooler coolant fill neck is in the
engine compartment on the
passenger side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview on
page 10‑5.
On the coolant fill neck, there is a
cold fill region between the two
horizontal lines shown.
Check to see if coolant is visible in
the coolant fill neck. If the coolant is
not visible or below the cold fill region in the fill neck, add a 50/
50 mixture of clean, drinkable water
and DEX-COOL coolant at the
coolant fill bottle, but be sure the
cooling system is cool before this
is done.
Adding Coolant to the
Intercooler System
Coolant (CTS-V)
1. Remove the intercooler system
pressure cap when the
intercooler system hoses are no
longer hot. Turn the pressure
cap slowly counterclockwise about one-quarter of a turn.
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to
stop. This allows any pressure
still left to be vented.
2. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly and remove it.
3. Add the proper DEX-COOL coolant mixture to the fill neck
until the coolant is within the
cold fill region.
With the intercooler system
pressure cap off, start the
engine and let it run for a couple
of minutes. Then turn the engine
off. By this time, the coolant
level inside the fill neck may be
lower. If the level drops where
coolant is no longer within the
cold fill region of the fill neck
with the engine off, add more of
the DEX-COOL coolant mixture
to the fill neck until the level is
again visible in the cold fill
region.
4. Replace the pressure cap tightly.

Black plate (21,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Vehicle Care 10-21
Notice:If the pressure cap is not
tightly installed, coolant loss and
possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly
and tightly secured.
If the coolant is not at the proper
level when the system cools down
again, see your dealer.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has several indicators
to warn of engine overheating.
There are two engine hot messages
that may be displayed in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See
Engine Cooling System Messages
on page 5‑34 for more information.
You may decide not to lift the hood
when one of these warnings appear,
but get service help right away. See
Roadside Service (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑7 orRoadside
Service (Mexico) on page 13‑9.
If you do decide to lift the hood,
make sure the vehicle is parked on
a level surface. Then check to see if the engine
cooling fans are running. If the
engine is overheating, the fan(s)
should be running. If they are not,
do not continue to run the engine
and have the vehicle serviced.
Notice:
Running the engine
without coolant may cause
damage or a fire. Vehicle damage
would not be covered by the
warranty. See Overheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode on
page 10‑22 for information on
driving to a safe place in an
emergency.
If Steam Is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
{WARNING
Steam from an overheated engine
can burn you badly, even if you
just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear
steam coming from it. Just turn it
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
off and get everyone away from
the vehicle until it cools down.
Wait until there is no sign of
steam or coolant before you open
the hood.
If you keep driving when the
engine is overheated, the liquids
in it can catch fire. You or others
could be badly burned. Stop the
engine if it overheats, and get out
of the vehicle until the engine
is cool.
If No Steam Is Coming from
the Engine Compartment
If an engine overheat warning is
displayed but no steam can be seen
or heard, the problem may not be
too serious. Sometimes the engine
can get a little too hot when the
vehicle:
.Climbs a long hill on a hot day.
.Stops after high-speed driving.