2014 CADILLAC XTS engine overheat

Black plate (64,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6006999) -
2014 - CRC - 9/11/13
9-64 Driving and Operating
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. The
combination will not accelerate as
quickly and is longer so it is
necessary to go much 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 that 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
{Caution
Making very sharp turns while
trailering could cause the trailer to
come in contact with the vehicle.(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
The vehicle could be damaged.
Avoid making very sharp turns
while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
If the trailer turn signal bulbs burn
out, the arrows on the instrument
cluster will still flash for turns. It is
important to 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 the
transmission is not shifted down, the
brakes might get hot and no longer
work well. Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift
the transmission to a lower gear if
the transmission shifts too often
under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: Engine coolant will boil 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 may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run while parked,
preferably on level ground, with the
automatic transmission in P (Park)
for a few minutes before turning the
engine off. If the overheat warning
comes on, see
Engine Overheating
on page 10-19.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6006999) -
2014 - CRC - 9/11/13
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-11
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-13
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-19 Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Power Steering Fluid (LF3 and LFX
with AWD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Power Steering Fluid (LFX with FWD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-25
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-26
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Windshield Replacement . . . 10-27
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-29
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-40
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42

Black plate (16,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6006999) -
2014 - CRC - 9/11/13
10-16 Vehicle Care
{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
vehicle warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL (silicate-free) coolant
in the vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The engine and Charged Air
Coolant (CAC) cooling systems in
the vehicle are filled with
DEX-COOL
®engine coolant
mixture. See Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 11-13 and
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11-4. The following explains the cooling
systems and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
see
Engine Overheating on
page 10-19.
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. If using this mixture,
nothing else needs to be added.
This mixture:
.Gives freezing protection down
to
−37°C (−34°F), outside
temperature.
.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
(Continued)

Black plate (17,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6006999) -
2014 - CRC - 9/11/13
Vehicle Care 10-17
Caution (Continued)
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 pouring 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 surge tank and
CAC bottle are 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 and CAC bottle.
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 mark pointed to
on the surge tank or at the CAC
bottle COLD FILL mark, 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 or CAC bottle, add
coolant as follows:
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
and it will burn if the engine parts
are hot enough. Do not spill
coolant on a hot engine.
{Caution
This vehicle has a specific
coolant fill procedure. Failure to
follow this procedure could cause
the engine to overheat and be
severely damaged.

Black plate (18,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6006999) -
2014 - CRC - 9/11/13
10-18 Vehicle Care
{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.
The coolant surge tank pressure
cap can be removed when the
cooling system, including the surge
tank pressure cap and upper
radiator hose, is no longer hot.
1. Turn the pressure cap slowlycounterclockwise. If a hiss is
heard, wait for that to stop.
A hiss means there is still some
pressure left.
2. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with the proper mixture to the mark
pointed to on the front 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. 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 mark pointed to on
the front of the coolant
surge tank.
5. Replace the pressure cap tightly.
How to Add Coolant to the
CAC Bottle
{Warning
You can be burned if you spill
coolant on hot engine parts.
Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts
are hot enough. Do not spill
coolant on a hot engine.
{Caution
This vehicle has a specific
coolant fill procedure. Failure to
follow this procedure could cause
the engine to overheat and be
severely damaged.

Black plate (19,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6006999) -
2014 - CRC - 9/11/13
Vehicle Care 10-19
The CAC bottle pressure cap can
be removed when the Charged Air
Coolant cooling system, including
the CAC bottle pressure cap, is no
longer hot.
1. Turn the pressure cap slowlycounterclockwise and remove it.
2. Fill the CAC bottle with the proper mixture to the COLD FILL
mark pointed to on the front of
the CAC bottle.
3. Replace the pressure cap tightly.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has an engine coolant
temperature gauge and an engine
temperature light to warn of engine
overheating. There are also engine hot
messages that may be displayed in
the Driver Information Center (DIC).
See
Engine Cooling System
Messages on page 5-39.
If the decision is made not to lift the
hood when one of these warnings
appears, but get service help right
away. See Roadside Service on
page 13-5.
If the decision is made 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 fans
should be running. If they are not,
do not continue to run the engine
and have the vehicle serviced.
{Caution
Running the engine without
coolant may cause damage or a
fire. Vehicle damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
See Overheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode on
page 10-20 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
off and get everyone away from
the vehicle until it cools down.
(Continued)

Black plate (20,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6006999) -
2014 - CRC - 9/11/13
10-20 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
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.
.Idles for long periods in traffic.
.Tows a trailer.
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), and let the
engine idle.
If the temperature overheat gauge is
no longer in the overheat zone or an
overheat warning no longer
displays, the vehicle can be driven.
Continue to drive the vehicle slow
for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle distance from the car in front
of you. 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. Also, see
“Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode”
next in this section.
Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode
This emergency operating mode
allows the vehicle to be driven to a
safe place in an emergency
situation. If an overheated engine
condition exists, an overheat
protection mode, which alternates
firing groups of cylinders, helps
prevent engine damage. In this
mode, there is significant loss in
power and engine performance.

Black plate (21,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6006999) -
2014 - CRC - 9/11/13
Vehicle Care 10-21
The engine coolant temperature
warning light comes on in the
instrument cluster, to indicate the
vehicle has entered overheated
engine protection operating mode.
The temperature gauge also
indicates an overheat condition
exists. Driving extended distances
and/or towing a trailer in the
overheat protection mode should be
avoided.
Power Steering Fluid
(LF3 and LFX with AWD)
The power steering fluid reservoir is
under the engine cover on the
passenger side toward the rear of
the engine compartment. See
Engine Compartment Overview on
page 10-5.
When to Check Power Steering
Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly
check power steering fluid unless
you suspect there is a leak in the
system or an unusual noise is
heard. A fluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the
system inspected and repaired.
How to Check Power Steering
Fluid
Check the level when the engine
is cool.
To check the power steering fluid:
1. Remove the engine cover. RefertoEngine Cover on page 10-8.
2. Wipe the cap and the top of the reservoir clean.
3. Turn the cap counterclockwise and pull it straight up.
4. Wipe the dipstick with a clean rag.
5. Replace the cap and completely tighten it. 6. Remove the cap again and look
at the fluid level on the dipstick.
The fluid level should be
between MIN and MAX on the
dipstick.
What to Use
To determine what kind of fluid to
use, see Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11-13. Always
use the proper fluid.
Power Steering Fluid
(LFX with FWD)
The vehicle has electric power
steering and does not use power
steering fluid.