Black plate (23,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
In Brief 1-23
indicator that the tire pressures are
getting low and the tires need to be
inflated to the proper pressure.
The TPMS does not replace normal
monthly tire maintenance. Maintain
the correct tire pressures.
SeeTire Pressure Monitor System
on page 10‑43.
Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit
This vehicle may come with a spare
tire and tire changing equipment or
a tire sealant and compressor kit.
The kit can be used to temporarily
seal small punctures in the tread
area of the tire. See Tire Sealant
and Compressor Kit on page 10‑57.
If the vehicle came with a spare tire
and tire changing equipment, see If
a Tire Goes Flat on page 10‑55.
Engine Oil Life System
The engine oil life system calculates
engine oil life based on vehicle use
and displays the CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message when it is time
to change the engine oil and filter.
The oil life system should be reset
to 100% only following an oil
change.
Resetting the Oil Life System
1. Using the DIC controls, located on the right side of the steering
wheel, display REMAINING OIL
LIFE on the DIC. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑27. When remaining oil
life is low, the CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message
will appear on the display. See
Engine Oil Messages on
page 5‑37. 2. Press SEL on the DIC controls
and hold SEL down for a few
seconds to clear the CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message
and reset the oil life at 100%.
Be careful not to reset the oil life
display accidentally at any time
other than after the oil is
changed. It cannot be reset
accurately until the next oil
change.
The oil life system can also be reset
as follows:
1. Turn the ignition on with the engine 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 10‑9.
Black plate (24,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
9-24 Driving and Operating
In M (Manual Mode) the
transmission will shift as an
automatic until the Tap Shift controls
are used. Tap Shift activates driver
manual gear selection.
SeeManual Mode on page 9‑24 for
more information.
Manual Mode
Tap Shift
Tap Shift allows the driver to
manually control the automatic
transmission. To use Tap Shift, the
shift lever must be in M (Manual Mode). Vehicles with this feature
have indicators on the steering
wheel. The controls are on the back
of the steering wheel. Tap the left
control to downshift, and the right
control to upshift. A Driver
Information Center (DIC) message
indicates the gear the vehicle is in.
When accelerating the vehicle from
a stop in snowy and icy conditions,
you may want to shift into
2 (Second) gear. A higher gear ratio
allows you to gain more traction on
slippery surfaces.
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.
See
Compact Spare Tire on
page 10‑70.
Black plate (2,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
10-2 Vehicle Care
Tire Pressure MonitorSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
When It Is Time for New
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-70
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-71
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-71
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-76
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-79
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
Black plate (36,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
10-36 Vehicle Care
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 (37,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
Vehicle Care 10-37
performance factors: treadwear,
traction, and temperature
resistance. For more information
seeUniform Tire Quality
Grading on page 10‑52.
(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 10‑70 andIf a Tire
Goes Flat on page 10‑55.
(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 10‑41.
(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
Black plate (42,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
10-42 Vehicle Care
load carrying capacity. See
Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑10.
How the vehicle is loaded
affects vehicle handling and ride
comfort. Never load the vehicle
with more weight than it was
designed to carry.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month
or more. Do not forget to check
the spare tire. If the vehicle has
a compact spare tire, it should
be at 420 kPa (60 psi). See
Compact Spare Tire on
page 10‑70andFull-Size Spare
Tire on page 10‑71.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type
gauge to check tire pressure.
Proper tire inflation cannot be
determined by looking at the tire.
Check the tire inflation pressure
when the tires are cold, meaning the vehicle has not been driven
for at least three hours or no
more than 1.6 km (1 mi).
Remove the valve cap from the
tire valve stem. Press the tire
gauge firmly onto the valve to
get a pressure measurement.
If the cold tire inflation pressure
matches the recommended
pressure on the Tire and
Loading Information label, no
further adjustment is necessary.
If the inflation pressure is low,
add air until the recommended
pressure is reached. If the
inflation pressure is high, press
on the metal stem in the center
of the tire valve to release air.
Recheck the tire pressure with
the tire gauge.
Return the valve caps on the
valve stems to prevent leaks
and keep out dirt and moisture.
Professional Vehicle
If the vehicle has P245/45R19 size
tires, the cold inflation pressure is
35 psi (241 kPa).
If the vehicle has 235/55R18 size
tires, the cold inflation pressure
depends on the vehicle mass and
should be determined by the vehicle
coach-builder. A Tire and Loading
Information label provided by the
final stage manufacturer should be
attached to the B-pillar on the driver
side of the vehicle. If the final stage
manufacturer's label is not present,
contact the coach-builder. Do not
use the tire pressures indicated on
the General Motors label. These tire
pressures are for the incomplete
vehicle and are not the correct tire
pressures for the completed
professional vehicle.
Black plate (43,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
Vehicle Care 10-43
Tire Pressure for
High-Speed Operation
{WARNING
Driving at high speeds, 160 km/h
(100 mph) or higher, puts an
additional strain on tires.
Sustained high-speed driving
causes excessive heat buildup
and can cause sudden tire failure.
You could have a crash and you
or others could be killed. Some
high-speed rated tires require
inflation pressure adjustment for
high-speed operation. When
speed limits and road conditions
are such that a vehicle can be
driven at high speeds, make sure
the tires are rated for high-speed
operation, in excellent condition,
and set to the correct cold tire
inflation pressure for the
vehicle load.Vehicles with P245/45R19 98V size
tires require inflation pressure
adjustment when driving the vehicle
at speeds of 160 km/h (100 mph) or
higher. Set the cold inflation
pressure to 260 kPa (38 psi).
Vehicles with P245/40R20 95V size
tires require inflation pressure
adjustment when driving the vehicle
at speeds of 160 km/h (100 mph) or
higher. Set the cold inflation
pressure to 270 kPa (39 psi).
Professional vehicles with 235/
55R18 104H size tires require
inflation pressure adjustment when
driving the vehicle at speeds of
160 km/h (100 mph) or higher. Set
the cold inflation pressure to
40 kPa (6 psi) above the
recommended cold tire pressure
shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label for the 235/
55R18 104H size tires.
Return the tires to the
recommended cold tire inflation
pressure when high-speed driving has ended. See
Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑10 andTire Pressure on
page 10‑41.
Tire Pressure Monitor
System
The Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) uses radio and sensor
technology to check tire pressure
levels. The TPMS sensors monitor
the air pressure in your tires and
transmit tire pressure readings to a
receiver located in the vehicle.
Each tire, including the spare (if
provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated to
the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label. (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or
tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire
inflation pressure for those tires.)
Black plate (44,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
10-44 Vehicle Care
As an added safety feature, your
vehicle has been equipped with a
tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more
of your tires is significantly
under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inflate them
to the proper pressure. Driving on a
significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can
lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency and tire
tread life, and may affect the
vehicle's handling and stopping
ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver's
responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has
not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.Your vehicle has also been
equipped with a TPMS malfunction
indicator to indicate when the
system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is
combined with the low tire pressure
telltale. When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then
remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as
long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is
illuminated, the system may not be
able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation
of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent
the TPMS from functioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or
alternate tires and wheels allow the
TPMS to continue to function
properly.
See
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation on page 10‑44.
Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) Rules and
with Industry Canada
Standards
See Radio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑15 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
Rules and with Industry Canada
Standards RSS-GEN/210/220/310.
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation
This vehicle may have a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).
The TPMS is designed to warn the
driver when a low tire pressure
condition exists. TPMS sensors are
mounted onto each tire and wheel
assembly, excluding the spare tire
and wheel assembly. The TPMS