Black plate (32,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
3-32 Seats and Restraints
device, installed under or on top
of the seat fabric, could also
interfere with the operation of
the passenger sensing system.
This could either prevent proper
deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the
passenger sensing system from
properly turning off the
passenger airbag(s). See
Passenger Sensing System on
page 3‑26.
If you have questions, call
Customer Assistance. The
phone numbers and addresses
for Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this
manual. SeeCustomer
Satisfaction Procedure (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑1 or
Customer Satisfaction
Procedure (Mexico) on
page 13‑3. If the vehicle has rollover
roof-rail airbags, see
Different
Size Tires and Wheels on
page 10‑77 for additional
important information.
Q: Because I have a disability, I have to get my vehicle
modified. How can I find out
whether this will affect my
airbag system?
A: If you have questions, call
Customer Assistance. The
phone numbers and addresses
for Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this
manual. See Customer
Satisfaction Procedure (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑1 or
Customer Satisfaction
Procedure (Mexico) on
page 13‑3.
In addition, your dealer and the
service manual have information
about the location of the airbag
sensors, sensing and diagnostic
module and airbag wiring.Airbag System Check
The airbag system does not need
regularly scheduled maintenance or
replacement. Make sure the airbag
readiness light is working. See
Airbag Readiness Light on
page 5‑17.
Notice: If an airbag covering is
damaged, opened, or broken, the
airbag may not work properly. Do
not open or break the airbag
coverings. If there are any
opened or broken airbag covers,
have the airbag covering and/or
airbag module replaced. For the
location of the airbags, see
Where Are the Airbags? on
page 3‑22. See your dealer for
service.
Black plate (31,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Driving and Operating 9-31
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
Vehicles with this feature always
send engine power to all four
wheels. It is fully automatic, and
adjusts itself as needed for road
conditions.
When using a compact spare tire on
an AWD vehicle, the system
automatically detects the compact
spare and disables AWD. To restore
AWD operation and prevent
excessive wear on the system,
replace the compact spare with a
full-size tire as soon as possible.
SeeCompact Spare Tire on
page 10‑98.
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the engine is started and the
vehicle begins to drive away, ABS
checks itself. A momentary motor or
clicking noise might be heard while
this test is going on, and it might
even be noticed that the brake
pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑23. If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
Black plate (2,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
10-2 Vehicle Care
Rear Compartment FuseBlock (CTS-V Coupe and
Sedan) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Rear Compartment Fuse Block (CTS Wagon) . . . . . . . 10-54
Rear Compartment Fuse Block (CTS-V Wagon) . . . . . 10-56
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-61
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-66
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68 Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-69
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-75
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-79
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-79
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-80
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-80
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit
(Coupe) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-89 Storing the Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit
(Wagon) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-90
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit
(Sedan) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-90
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-91
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-98Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-99
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . 10-103
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-103
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-105
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-108
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-111
Black plate (60,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
10-60 Vehicle Care
.Use only radial ply tires of the
same size, load range, and
speed rating as the original
equipment tires.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment tires
may not be available for H, V, W, Y,
and ZR speed rated tires. If winter
tires with a lower speed rating are
chosen, never exceed the tire's
maximum speed capability.
Low-Profile Tires
If the vehicle has P235/50R18,
245/45ZR19, P245/45R19, 255/
40ZR19, P265/45R18, 275/
40ZR19 or 285/35ZR19 size
tires, they are classified as low‐
profile tires. These tires are
designed for very responsive
driving on wet or dry pavement,
however, may produce more
road noise and tend to wear
faster. Notice:
Low‐profile tires are
more susceptible to damage
from road hazards or curb
impact than standard profile
tires. Tire and/or wheel
assembly damage can occur
when coming into contact
with road hazards like,
potholes, or sharp edged
objects, or when sliding into a
curb. The warranty does not
cover this type of damage.
Keep tires set to the correct
inflation pressure and, when
possible, avoid contact with
curbs, potholes, and other
road hazards.
Summer Performance Tires
Many General Motors high
performance models come
factory‐equipped with tires that
are optimized for maximum dry
and wet road performance while
still retaining satisfactory tread
life, excellent durability, and low noise levels. In severe winter
climates where snowfall may be
significant, these tires may be
found to provide less traction.
Summer Tires
This vehicle may come with high
performance summer tires. These
tires have a special tread and
compound that are optimized for
maximum dry and wet road
performance. This special tread and
compound will decrease
performance in cold climates, and
on ice and snow. We recommend
installing winter tires on the vehicle
if frequent driving in cold
temperatures or on snow or ice
covered roads is expected. See
Winter Tires on page 10‑59.
Black plate (63,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Vehicle Care 10-63
criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications meet or
exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
Tire Designations
Tire Size
The following is an example of a
typical passenger vehicle
tire size.
(1) Passenger (P-Metric) Tire:
The United States version of a
metric tire sizing system. The
letter P as the first character in
the tire size means a passengervehicle tire engineered to
standards set by the U.S. Tire
and Rim Association.
(2) Tire Width
:The three-digit
number indicates the tire section
width in millimeters from
sidewall to sidewall.
(3) Aspect Ratio
:A two-digit
number that indicates the tire
height-to-width measurements.
For example, if the tire size
aspect ratio is 60, as shown in
item 3 of the illustration, it would
mean that the tire's sidewall is
60 percent as high as it is wide.
(4) Construction Code
:A letter
code is used to indicate the type
of ply construction in the tire.
The letter R means radial ply
construction; the letter D means
diagonal or bias ply
construction; and the letter B
means belted-bias ply
construction. (5) Rim Diameter
:Diameter of
the wheel in inches.
(6) Service Description
:These
characters represent the load
index and speed rating of the
tire. The load index represents
the load carrying capacity a tire
is certified to carry. The speed
rating is the maximum speed a
tire is certified to carry a load.
Tire Terminology and
Definitions
Air Pressure:The amount of
air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of
the tire. Air pressure is
expressed in kPa (kilopascal)
or psi (pounds per square inch).
Accessory Weight
:The
combined weight of optional
accessories. Some examples of
optional accessories are
automatic transmission, power
Black plate (72,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
10-72 Vehicle Care
for approximately five seconds.
The horn sounds twice to signal
the receiver is in relearn mode
and Tire Learning Active
message displays on the DIC
screen.
4. Start with the driver side front tire.
5. Place the relearn tool against the tire sidewall, near the valve
stem. Then press the button to
activate the TPMS sensor.
A horn chirp confirms that the
sensor identification code has
been matched to this tire and
wheel position.
6. Proceed to the passenger side front tire, and repeat the
procedure in Step 5.
7. Proceed to the passenger side rear tire, and repeat the
procedure in Step 5.
8. Proceed to the driver side rear tire, and repeat the procedure in
Step 5. After hearing the
confirming horn chirp, for the driver side rear tire, the horn
sounds two more times to signal
the tire learning mode is no
longer active.
9. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
10. Set all four tires to the recommended air pressure
level as indicated on the tire
and loading information label.
Tire Inspection
We recommend that the tires,
including the spare tire, if the
vehicle has one, be inspected
for signs of wear or damage at
least once a month.
Replace the tire if:
.The indicators at three or
more places around the tire
can be seen.
.There is cord or fabric
showing through the tire's
rubber.
.The tread or sidewall is
cracked, cut, or snagged
deep enough to show cord or
fabric.
.The tire has a bump, bulge,
or split.
.The tire has a puncture, cut,
or other damage that cannot
be repaired well because of
the size or location of the
damage.
Tire Rotation
If the vehicle has non-directional
tires, they should be rotated
every 12 000 km/7,500 mi. See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3.
Tires are rotated to achieve a
uniform wear for all tires. The
first rotation is the most
important.
Black plate (73,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Vehicle Care 10-73
Anytime unusual wear is
noticed, rotate the tires as soon
as possible, check for proper tire
inflation pressure, and check for
damaged tires or wheels. If the
unusual wear continues after the
rotation, check the wheel
alignment. SeeWhen It Is Time
for New Tires on page 10‑74
and Wheel Replacement on
page 10‑79.
Directional tires should not be
rotated. Each tire and wheel
should be used only in the
position it is in. Directional tires
will have an arrow on the tire
indicating the proper direction of
rotation or will have “left”or
“right” molded on the sidewall.
Use this rotation pattern if the
vehicle has different size tires
on the front and rear and they
are non-directional.
Different tire sizes should not be
rotated front to rear.Use this rotation pattern when
rotating tires of the same size
installed on all four wheel
positions.
If the vehicle has a compact
spare tire, do not include it in the
tire rotation.
Adjust the front and rear tires to
the recommended inflation
pressure on the Tire and
Loading Information label after
the tires have been rotated.
Black plate (76,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
10-76 Vehicle Care
necessary to replace only one
axle set of worn tires, place the
new tires on the rear axle.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment
tires may not be available for H,
V, W, and ZR speed rated tires.
Never exceed the winter tire's
maximum speed capability when
using winter tires with a lower
speed rating.
{WARNING
Tires could explode during
improper service. Attempting
to mount or dismount a tire
could cause injury or death.
Only your dealer or authorized
tire service center should
mount or dismount the tires.
{WARNING
Mixing tires of different sizes
(other than those originally
installed on the vehicle), brands,
or types may cause loss of
control of the vehicle, resulting in
a crash or other vehicle damage.
Use the correct size, brand, and
type of tire on all four wheels.
{WARNING
Using bias-ply tires on the
vehicle may cause the wheel
rim flanges to develop cracks
after many miles of driving.
A tire and/or wheel could fail
suddenly and cause a crash.
Use only radial-ply tires with
the wheels on the vehicle. If the vehicle tires must be
replaced with a tire that does not
have a TPC Spec number, make
sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating, and
construction (radial) as the
original tires.
Vehicles that have a tire
pressure monitoring system
could give an inaccurate
low-pressure warning if non-TPC
Spec rated tires are installed.
See
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation on page 10‑69.
The Tire and Loading
Information label indicates the
original equipment tires on the
vehicle. See Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑10, for the label
location and more information
about the Tire and Loading
Information label.