
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369309) -
2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Driving and Operating 245
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
gearbefore 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
0 269.
Parking on Hills
{Warning
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill: 1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if
facing downhill or into traffic if
facing uphill. 2. Have someone place chocks
under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular
brakes until the chocks absorb
the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and
shift into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
7. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369309) -
2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Vehicle Care 267
Warning (Continued)
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.
. 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 0333.
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.
It is normal for the coolant level in
the bottom chamber to rise and fall
with operating temperature and
ambient conditions. Coolant will
evaporate from the bottom chamber
in normal operation. This will

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369309) -
2016 - crc - 7/30/15
270 Vehicle Care
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.(Continued)
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 Steam Is Coming from the
Engine Compartment with No
Overheat Warning
(V-Series Only)
The V-Series hood vent is
functional, and will allow water from
rain and car washes to enter the
engine compartment and contact
hot surfaces. If steam is seen
coming from the hood vent with no
accompanying overheat warning, no
action is required.
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) 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

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369309) -
2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Vehicle Care 271
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 0252 for
reservoir location.
Caution
. Do not use washer fluid that
contains any type of water
repellent coating. This can
cause the wiper blades to
chatter or skip.
. Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the
windshield washer. It can
damage the windshield
washer system and paint.
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
.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
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

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369309) -
2016 - crc - 7/30/15
346 Index
Coolant (cont'd)Engine Temperature Gauge . . .117
Engine Temperature
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264 Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Cruise Control, Adaptive . . . . . . . . 217
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
D
Danger, Warning, and Caution . . . . 2
Data Recorder Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . 342
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Differential, Limited-Slip . . . . . . . . 214
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Door (cont'd)
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Rear Seat Pass-Through . . . . . . . 64
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . 341
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . 203, 274
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . 224
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Driving Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 231
Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Competitive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 26
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 187
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 189
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Track Events and Competitive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
E
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . 204
Electrical Equipment,
Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Electrical System
Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 280
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Check and Service EngineSoon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 252
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Cooling System Messages . . . 137
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369309) -
2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Index 347
Engine (cont'd)Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 199
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20, 195
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . 247, 248
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 342
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 155
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 157
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
F
FeaturesMemory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 159
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 262
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Front Automatic Braking (FAB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Front Seats Heated and Ventilated . . . . . . . . . . 60
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Economy Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 127
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Fuses
Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 280
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
G
GaugesEngine CoolantTemperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117 Gauges (cont'd)
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Warning Lights and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
General Information Service and Maintenance . . . . . 328
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
H
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . 159
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Head-up Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Headlamps Adaptive ForwardLighting (AFL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369309) -
2016 - crc - 7/30/15
348 Index
Headlamps (cont'd)High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 128
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . 157
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 128
Heated Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Heated and Ventilated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . 294
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 187
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
IndicatorVehicle Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Infants and Young Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Instrument Panel Storage Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Interior Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . . . 45
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
K
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . . . . 139
Keyless Entry
Remote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . 29
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
L
Lamps Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . 157
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 121
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . 236
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . 238 Lane Keep Assist Light . . . . . . . . . 124
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
LATCH System
Replacing Parts after aCrash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
LATCH, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Light Adaptive Forward Lighting(AFL) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Lighting Adaptive Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . 160
LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Antilock Brake System(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 122
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning . . . . . . . 126