
Black plate (16,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014430) - 2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/23/13
10-16 Vehicle Care
Cooling System
The cooling system allows the
engine to maintain the correct
working temperature.
2.0L L4 LTG Engine
1. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
2. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
2.5L L4 LCV Engine
1. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
2. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)3.6L V6 LFX Engine
1. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
2. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
{Warning
An electric engine cooling fan
under the hood can start up even
when the engine is not running
and can cause injury. Keep
hands, clothing, and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.

Black plate (17,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014430) - 2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/23/13
Vehicle Care 10-17
{Warning
Heater and radiator hoses, and
other engine parts, can be very
hot. Do not touch them. If you do,
you can be burned.
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak. If you run the engine, it
could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you
could be burned. Get any leak
fixed before you drive the vehicle.
{Caution
Using coolant other than
DEX-COOL®can cause
premature engine, heater core,
or radiator corrosion. In addition,
the engine coolant could require
changing sooner. Any repairs
would not be covered by the
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
vehicle warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL (silicate-free) coolant
in the vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is
filled with DEX-COOL engine
coolant. SeeMaintenance Schedule
on page 11-3 andRecommended
Fluids and Lubricants on
page 11-13.
The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
see Engine Overheating on
page 10-20.
What to Use
{Warning
Adding only plain water or some
other liquid to the cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water
and other liquids, can boil before
the proper coolant mixture will.
The coolant warning system is set
for the proper coolant mixture.
With plain water or the wrong
mixture, the engine could get too
hot but you would not get the
overheat warning. The engine
could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a
50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant. This mixture:
.Gives freezing protection down
to −37°C (−34°F), outside
temperature.

Black plate (18,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014430) - 2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/23/13
10-18 Vehicle Care
.Gives boiling protection up to
129°C (265°F), engine
temperature.
.Protects against rust and
corrosion.
.Will not damage aluminum parts.
.Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.
{Caution
If improper coolant mixture,
inhibitors, or additives are used in
the vehicle cooling system, the
engine could overheat and be
damaged. Too much water in the
mixture can freeze and crack
engine cooling parts. The repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Use only the
proper mixture of engine coolant
for the cooling system. See
Recommended 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.
It is normal to see coolant moving in
the upper coolant hose return line
when the engine is running. It is
also normal to see bubbles entering
the surge tank through the
small hose.
Check to see if coolant is visible in
the coolant surge tank. If the coolant
inside the coolant 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 COLD
FILL line, add a 50/50 mixture of
clean drinkable water and
DEX-COOL coolant.
Be sure the cooling system is cool
before this is done.
If no coolant is visible in the coolant
surge tank, add coolant as follows:
How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Surge Tank
{Caution
This vehicle has a specific
coolant fill procedure. Failure to
follow this procedure could cause
the engine to overheat and be
severely damaged.
If no problem is found, check to see
if coolant is visible in the coolant
surge tank. If coolant is visible but
the coolant level is not at the bottom
of the fill neck, add a 50/50 mixture
of clean, drinkable water and

Black plate (21,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014430) - 2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/23/13
Vehicle Care 10-21
{Caution
Running the engine without
coolant may cause damage or a
fire. Vehicle damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
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
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.(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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.
.Idles for long periods in traffic.
If the overheat warning is displayed
with no sign of steam:
1. Turn the air conditioning off. 2. Turn the heater on to the highest
temperature and to the highest
fan speed. Open the windows as
necessary.
3. When it is safe to do so, pull off the road, shift to P (Park) or
N (Neutral) for an automatic
transmission or Neutral for a
manual transmission, and let the
engine idle.
If the overheat warning no longer
displays, the vehicle can be driven.
Continue to drive the vehicle slowly
for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle distance from the vehicle in
front. If the warning does not come
back on, continue to drive normally
and have the cooling system
checked for proper fill and function.
If the warning continues, pull over,
stop, and park the vehicle
right away.
If there is no sign of steam, idle the
engine for three minutes while
parked. If the warning is still
displayed, turn off the engine until it
cools down.

Black plate (22,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014430) - 2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/23/13
10-22 Vehicle Care
Washer Fluid
What to Use
When windshield washer fluid is
needed, be sure to read the
manufacturer's instructions before
use. If operating the vehicle in an
area where the temperature may fall
below freezing, use a fluid that has
sufficient protection against
freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
Open the cap with the washer
symbol on it. Add washer fluid until
the tank is full. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on
page 10-5 for reservoir location.
{Caution
.Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the windshield
washer. It can damage the
windshield washer system
and paint.
.Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the solution
to freeze and damage the
washer fluid tank and other
parts of the washer system.
.When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer instructions for
adding water.
.Fill the washer fluid tank only
three-quarters full when it is
very cold. This allows for fluid
expansion if freezing occurs,
which could damage the tank
if it is completely full.
Brakes
This vehicle has disc brakes. Disc
brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time when the vehicle
is moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.
{Warning
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
{Caution
Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly
brake repair.

Black plate (3,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014430) - 2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/23/13
INDEX i-3
CleaningExterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Climate Control Systems Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1, 8-5
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Clutch, Hydraulic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . 13-9
Compartments Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5 Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Compressor Kit, Tire Sealant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Connections
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-3
Control Traction and ElectronicStability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19 Coolant
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Engine Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Engine Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Cruise Control, Active . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . 13-4 Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-3
Text Telephone (TTY)Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-4
Customer Information Service Publications
Ordering Information . . . . . . .13-11
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . 13-9
Danger, Warnings, andCautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . 13-13
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Diagnostics OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Rear Seat Pass-Through . . . . . 3-11
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . 12-4
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . 9-29, 10-26
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . 9-48
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35

Black plate (4,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014430) - 2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/23/13
i-4 INDEX
DrivingAssistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Characteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-67
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . 1-22
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . 9-8
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Dual Automatic Climate
Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1, 8-5
E
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-64
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-72 Electrical System
Engine Compartment
Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Emergency
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Check and Service EngineSoon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 10-5
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Coolant Temperature
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Cooling System Messages . . . 5-34
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-4
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23 Engine (cont'd)
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 9-24
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-71
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . 13-13
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 6-3
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
F
Features
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 6-5

Black plate (5,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6014430) - 2014 - 2nd Edition - 8/23/13
INDEX i-5
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
FlexFuelE85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-64
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-85
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . 10-14
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Front Seats Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-62 Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-64
Economy Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-66
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-65
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-63
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . 9-63
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 5-23
Recommended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-62
Requirements, California . . . . . 9-63
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35 Fuses
Engine Compartment
Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
G
Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . 5-50Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-50
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-63
Gauges Engine CoolantTemperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Warning Lights and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8 General Information
Service and Maintenance . . . . . 11-1
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-67
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
H
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . 6-5
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Head-up Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Headlamps Adaptive Forward
Lighting (AFL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-3
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5