
Black plate (1,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
2013 Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Keys, Doors, and Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-26
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-27
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-27
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-30
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33 Storage
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Additional Storage Features . . . 4-2
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-45
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-53
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-36
Trademarks and License
Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-44 Climate Controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-14
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-25
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-35
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-41
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-57
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34

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 (1,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
In Brief 1-1
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Trunk Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Heated and Ventilated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10 Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Passenger Sensing
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 1-13
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Vehicle Features
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . 1-17
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . 1-17
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19 Rear Vision
Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 1-20
Storage Compartments . . . . . . 1-20
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Universal Remote System . . . 1-21
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Performance and Maintenance
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . 1-23
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 1-23
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Roadside Service . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24

Black plate (15,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
In Brief 1-15
Climate Controls
The heating, cooling, and ventilation for the vehicle can be controlled with
this system.
1. Driver and Passenger Displays
2. Fan
3. Power
4. AUTO (Automatic Operation)
5. PASS (Passenger ClimateControl)
6. Defrost
7. Air Delivery Mode 8. Temperature and Heated/
Ventilated Seat
9. Air Conditioning
10. Recirculation
11. Outside Air
12. Rear Window Defogger
See Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑1.
Transmission
Automatic Transmission
Driver Shift Control (DSC) or Tap
Shift
Driver Shift Control (DSC) allows
shifting an automatic transmission
similar to a manual transmission.
DSC can be enabled through the
shift lever or the Tap Shift controls,
located on the back of the steering
wheel (if equipped). See Manual
Mode on page 9‑26.
Manual Transmission
Skip Shift (CTS‐V)
Under light acceleration, the
transmission will only allow shifting
from 1 (First) to 4 (Fourth). This
helps improve fuel mileage. Under
harder acceleration, Skip Shift is
disabled, and all gears are
available. See Manual Transmission
on page 9‑29.

Black plate (19,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
In Brief 1-19
See the navigation manual for more
information.
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
The DIC display is at the bottom of
the instrument cluster. It shows the
status of many vehicle systems and
enables access to the
personalization menu.
The DIC buttons are on the
instrument panel next to the
steering wheel.
3:Press to scroll through the
trip and fuel displays.
T: Press to scroll through the
vehicle information displays.
U: Press to customize the feature
settings on your vehicle. See
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑45.
V: Press to reset certain DIC
features and to acknowledge DIC
warning messages and clear them
from the DIC display.
yorz: Press to scroll up and
down the menu items.
See Driver Information Center (DIC)
on page 5‑27.
Vehicle Customization
Some vehicle features can be
programmed by using the DIC
buttons on the instrument panel
next to the steering wheel. These
features include:
.Language
.Door Lock and Unlock Settings
.Lighting
.Chime Volume
.Memory Settings
See Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑45.
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC)
The rear vision camera displays a
view of the area behind the vehicle
on either the navigation screen or
the inside rearview mirror when the
vehicle is shifted into R (Reverse).
Once shifted out of R (Reverse), the
navigation screen will go back to the
last screen that had been displayed,
after a delay or the video image
automatically disappears from the
inside rearview mirror.
To clean the camera lens above the
license plate, rinse it with water and
wipe it with a soft cloth.
See Rear Vision Camera (RVC) on
page 9‑45 for more information.

Black plate (24,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
1-24 In Brief
The oil life system can also be reset
as follows:
1. Turn the ignition on with theengine off.
2. Fully press and release the accelerator pedal three times
within five seconds.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message is not on, the
system is reset.
See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑11.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Roadside Service
U.S.: 1-800-224-1400
Canada: 1-800-882-1112
TTY Users (U.S. Only):
1-888-889-2438
Mexico: 01-800-466-0805 New vehicles are automatically
enrolled in the Roadside Service
program.
See
Roadside Service (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑7 orRoadside
Service (Mexico) on page 13‑9.
Roadside Service and OnStar
(U.S. and Canada)
If the vehicle has an active OnStar
subscription, contact OnStar and the
vehicle’s current GPS location will
be sent to an OnStar advisor to
assess the situation, contact
Roadside Service, and relay the
exact location to send help.
OnStar®
If equipped, this vehicle has a
comprehensive, in-vehicle system
that can connect to a live Advisor
for Emergency, Security, Navigation,
Connection, and Diagnostic
Services. See OnStar Overview on
page 14‑1.

Black plate (11,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-11
/(Remote Vehicle Start):This
button will be on the RKE
transmitter if you have remote start.
The automatic climate control may
begin to heat or cool your vehicle
during remote start depending on
the temperature inside and outside
of the vehicle. The windshield
defroster and/or rear window
defogger turn on if it is cold outside.
If the vehicle has heated seats, they
may also be turned on during
remote start to warm up the seats in
cold weather. Normal operation of
the climate control system returns
after the ignition is turned to ON/
RUN. See Dual Automatic Climate
Control System on page 8‑1.
Laws in some local communities
may restrict the use of remote
starters. For example, some laws
may require a person using remote
start to have the vehicle in view
when doing so. Check local
regulations for any requirements on
remote starting of vehicles. If your vehicle is low on fuel, do not
use the remote start feature. The
vehicle may run out of fuel.
The RKE transmitter range may be
less while the vehicle is running.
Other conditions can affect the
performance of the transmitter; see
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System on page 2‑4
for additional
information.
Starting the Vehicle Using Remote
Start
To start the engine using the remote
start feature:
1. Aim the transmitter at the vehicle
and press and release
Qon the
transmitter.
2. Press and hold
/for at least
two seconds or until the
vehicle's turn signal lamps flash.
The parking lamps will turn on
and remain on as long as the
engine is running. The vehicle's
doors will be locked. 3. After entering the vehicle during
a remote start, press the brake
pedal and turn the ignition to
ON/RUN to drive the vehicle.
After a remote start, the engine
will automatically shut off after
10 minutes unless a time
extension has been done or the
ignition has been turned to
ON/RUN.
Extending Engine Run Time
To extend the engine run time by
10 minutes, repeat Steps 1 and 2
while the engine is still running. The
engine run time can only be
extended if it is the first remote start
since the vehicle has been driven.
Remote start can be extended
one time.
If the remote start procedure is used
again before the first 10-minute time
frame has ended, the first
10 minutes will immediately expire
and the second 10-minute time
frame will start.

Black plate (28,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
2-28 Keys, Doors, and Windows
The vehicle aerodynamics are
designed to improve fuel economy
performance. This may result in a
pulsing sound when either rear
window is down and the front
windows are up. To reduce the
sound, open either a front window
or the sunroof, if equipped.
Power Windows
{WARNING
Children could be seriously
injured or killed if caught in the
path of a closing window. Never
leave keys in a vehicle with
children. When there are children
in the rear seat, use the window
lockout button to prevent
operation of the windows. See
Keys on page 2‑1.Sedan Driver Side Shown, Wagonand Coupe Similar
The driver power window switches
control all the windows. The
passenger switch only controls that
window.
Press the switch down to lower the
window. Pull the switch up to
raise it.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
allows the use of the power
windows after the ignition has been
turned off. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) on page 9‑21.
Express-Down/Up Windows
Windows with the express feature
allow the windows to be raised and
lowered all the way without holding
the switch.
Press or pull the switch fully and
release it to activate the express
feature.
The express mode can be canceled
by briefly pressing or pulling the
switch.
Express Window Anti-Pinch
Feature
If any object is in the path of the
window when the express-up is
active, the window will stop at the
obstruction and auto-reverse to a
preset factory position. Weather
conditions such as severe icing may
also cause the window to
auto-reverse. The window will return
to normal operation after the
obstruction or condition is removed.