
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369309) -
2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Driving and Operating 187
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
. Pass with caution.
. Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
. Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See Tires0289.
. Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips include: .
Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
. Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
. Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
loss of steering. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle
in gear.
. Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line.
. Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(e.g., stalled car, accident).
. Pay attention to special road
signs (e.g., falling rocks area,
winding roads, long grades,
passing or no-passing zones)
and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369309) -
2016 - crc - 7/30/15
246 Driving and Operating
Maintenance when Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See
Maintenance Schedule0329.
Things that are especially important
in trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system, and
brake system. It is a good idea to
inspect these before and during
the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Trailer Towing (Sedan L4
Engine)
A maximum speed of 100km/h must
not be exceeded, even in countries
where higher speed limits are
permitted.
Before pulling a trailer, there are
three important considerations that
have to do with weight:
. The weight of the trailer.
. The weight of the trailer tongue. .
The total weight on your
vehicle's tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than
1136 kg (2,500 lb). But even that
can be too heavy.
It depends on how the rig is used.
For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature, and
how much the vehicle is used to pull
a trailer are all important. It can
depend on any special equipment
on the vehicle, and the amount of
tongue weight the vehicle can carry.
See “Weight of the Trailer Tongue”
later in this section.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated
assuming only the driver is in the
tow vehicle and it has all the
required trailering equipment. The
weight of additional optional
equipment, passengers, and cargo
in the tow vehicle must be
subtracted from the maximum trailer
weight.
Ask your dealer for trailering
information or advice.
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (1) of any trailer is
an important weight to measure
because it affects the total gross
weight of the vehicle. The Gross
Vehicle Weight (GVW) includes the
curb weight of the vehicle, any
cargo carried in it, and the people
who will be riding in the vehicle.
If there are a lot of options,
equipment, passengers, or cargo in
the vehicle, it will reduce the tongue
weight the vehicle can carry, which
will also reduce the trailer weight the
vehicle can tow. If towing a trailer,
the tongue load must be added to
the GVW because the vehicle will
be carrying that weight, too. See
Vehicle Load Limits 0189.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369309) -
2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Vehicle Care 249
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 250
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 261
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 263
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 269
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 275
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276 Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 276
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 277
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 277
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 279
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 280
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 280
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Run-Flat Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 303
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 315

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369309) -
2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Vehicle Care 253
1. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 271.
2. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting
0 313.
3. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0281.
4. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0264.
5. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting
0 313.
6. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0259.
7. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 264.
8. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0259.
9. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0263.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0272.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369309) -
2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Vehicle Care 255
1. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 271.
2. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting
0 313.
3. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting
0 313.
4. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0264.
5. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0281.
6. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 264.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0259.
8. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0259.
9. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0263.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0272.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369309) -
2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Vehicle Care 257
1. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 271.
2. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting
0 313.
3. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0281.
4. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0264.
5. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting
0 313.
6. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 264.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0259.
8. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0259.
9. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0263.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0272.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369309) -
2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Vehicle Care 259
1. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 271.
2. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting
0 313.
3. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0281.
4. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0264.
5. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting
0 313.
6. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0259.
7. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 264.
8. Engine Oil Fill Cap (Out of View). See Engine Oil0259.
9. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0263.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0272.Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.
Use engine oil approved to the
proper specification and of the
proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.
. Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
. Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System 0261.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine
oil level at each fuel fill. In order to
get an accurate reading, the vehicle must be on level ground. The
engine oil dipstick handle is a loop.
See
Engine Compartment Overview
0 252 for the location of the engine
oil dipstick.
1. If the engine has been running recently, turn off the engine and
allow several minutes for the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Checking the oil level too soon
after engine shutoff will not
provide an accurate oil level
reading.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle.
2. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all
the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and
check the level.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369309) -
2016 - crc - 7/30/15
264 Vehicle Care
1. Disconnect the lower andupper outlet ducts by loosening
the lower (1) and upper (3) air
duct clamps.
2. Disconnect the lower (2) and upper (4) electrical connectors
and wiring attachments to air
cleaner/filter cover.
3. Remove the screws (5) on top of the air cleaner/filter cover.
4. Lift the air cleaner/filter cover away from the air cleaner/filter
housing.
5. Pull out the air cleaner/filter.
6. Inspect or replace the air cleaner/filter.
7. Reverse Steps 1-5 to reinstall the air cleaner/filter cover.
6.2L V8 LT4 Engine
1. Remove the screws on top of the air cleaner/filter cover.
2. Lift the air cleaner/filter cover away from the air cleaner/filter
housing.
3. Pull out the air cleaner/filter.
4. Inspect or replace the engine air cleaner/filter.
5. Reverse Steps 1-3 to reinstall the air cleaner/filter cover.
{Warning
Operating the engine with the air
cleaner/filter off can cause you or
others to be burned. The air
cleaner not only cleans the air; it
helps to stop flames if the engine
backfires. Use caution when
working on the engine and do not
drive with the air cleaner/filter off.
Caution
If the air cleaner/filter is off, dirt
can easily get into the engine,
which could damage it. Always
have the air cleaner/filter in place
when you are driving.
Cooling System
The cooling system allows the
engine to maintain the correct
working temperature.