2015 CADILLAC ATS COUPE Owners Manual

Black plate (16,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707477) - 2015 - crc - 9/15/14
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 Tankand Pressure Cap
2. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
2.5L L4 LCV Engine
1. Engine Coolant Surge Tankand Pressure Cap
2. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
3.6L V6 LFX Engine
1. Engine Coolant Surge Tankand 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-
7707477) - 2015 - crc - 9/15/14
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-
7707477) - 2015 - crc - 9/15/14
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 (19,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707477) - 2015 - crc - 9/15/14
Vehicle Care 10-19
DEX-COOL coolant at the coolant
surge tank, but be sure the cooling
system, including the coolant surge
tank pressure cap, is cool before
you do it.
{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.
{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(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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.
{Caution
In cold weather, water can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator,
heater core, and other parts. Use
the recommended coolant and
the proper coolant mixture.
{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.

Black plate (20,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707477) - 2015 - crc - 9/15/14
10-20 Vehicle Care
1. Remove the coolant surge tankpressure cap from the top
chamber when the cooling
system, including the coolant
surge tank pressure cap and
upper radiator hose, is no
longer hot.
Turn the pressure cap slowly
counterclockwise. If you hear a
hiss, wait for that to stop. This
will allow any pressure still left to
be vented out the
discharge hose.
2. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly and remove it. Open the
surge tank service port cap to
the lower chamber
3. Fill the surge tank top chamber with the proper DEX-COOL
coolant mixture to the bottom of
the fill neck. The top chamber
needs to be completely full. Fill
the surge tank bottom chamber
through the service port to
approximately half. 4. With the coolant surge tank
pressure cap off and the surge
tank service port cap open, start
the engine and let it run until you
can feel the upper radiator hose
getting hot. Watch out for the
engine cooling fan.
By this time, the coolant level
inside the coolant surge tank top
chamber may be lower. If the
level is lower, add more of the
proper DEX-COOL coolant
mixture to the surge tank top
chamber until the level reaches
the bottom of the fill neck.
5. Replace the surge tank pressure cap tightly and close the surge
tank service port cap.
{Caution
If the pressure cap is not tightly
installed, coolant loss and
possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly
and tightly secured. Check the level in the surge tank
top and bottom chambers when the
cooling system has cooled down.
If the coolant is not at the proper
levels, repeat Steps 1–3 and
reinstall the pressure cap and close
the service port. If the coolant still is
not at the proper levels when the
system cools down again, see your
dealer.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has several indicators
to warn of the engine overheating.
There is an engine coolant
temperature gauge and an engine
coolant temperature warning light on
the instrument cluster See
Engine
Coolant Temperature Gauge on
page 5-13 andEngine Coolant
Temperature Warning Light on
page 5-22. The vehicle may also
display a message on the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See
Engine Cooling System Messages
on page 5-34.

Black plate (21,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707477) - 2015 - crc - 9/15/14
Vehicle Care 10-21
If the decision is made not to lift the
hood when this warning appears,
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 fan is running. If the engine
is overheating, the fan should be
running. If it is not, do not continue
to run the engine. 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.
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.
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.

Black plate (22,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707477) - 2015 - crc - 9/15/14
10-22 Vehicle Care
If the engine coolant temperature
gauge is no longer in the
overheated area or the engine
coolant temperature warning light 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.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.

Black plate (23,1)Cadillac ATS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707477) - 2015 - crc - 9/15/14
Vehicle Care 10-23
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.Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications. See
Capacities and
Specifications on page 12-2.
Brake pads should be replaced as
complete sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service may be required.
Replacing Brake System Parts
Always replace brake system parts
with new, approved replacement
parts. If this is not done, the brakes
may not work properly. The braking performance expected can change
in many other ways if the wrong
replacement brake parts are
installed or parts are improperly
installed.
Brake Fluid
The brake/clutch master cylinder
reservoir is filled with DOT 3 brake
fluid as indicated on the reservoir
cap. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 10-5 for the
location of the reservoir.