Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
252 VEHICLE CARE
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 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 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
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.
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
VEHICLE CARE 253
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 0234 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.
. 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
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
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
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.
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
VEHICLE CARE 255
new brake linings are installed. Add or
remove fluid, as necessary, only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic
system.
{Warning
If too much brake fluid is added, it
can spill on the engine and burn,
if the engine is hot enough. You or
others could be burned, and the
vehicle could be damaged. Add
brake fluid only when work is done
on the brake hydraulic system.
When the brake fluid falls to a low
level, the brake warning light comes
on. See Brake System Warning
Light 0116.
Brake fluid absorbs water over time
which degrades the effectiveness of
the brake fluid. Replace brake fluid at
the specified intervals to prevent
increased stopping distance. See
Maintenance Schedule 0307. What to Add
Use only GM approved DOT 3 brake
fluid from a clean, sealed container.
See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0314.{Warning
The wrong or contaminated brake
fluid could result in damage to the
brake system. This could result in
the loss of braking leading to a
possible injury. Always use the
proper GM approved brake fluid.
Caution
If brake fluid is spilled on the
vehicle's painted surfaces, the paint
finish can be damaged. Immediately
wash off any painted surface.
Battery
The original equipment battery is
maintenance free. Do not remove the
cap and do not add fluid. The battery is in the trunk, behind the
trim panel, on the driver side of the
vehicle. Refer to the replacement
number shown on the original battery
label when a new battery is needed.
{Warning
Do not use a match or flame near a
vehicle's battery. If you need more
light, use a flashlight.
Do not smoke near a vehicle's
battery.
(Continued)
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
256 VEHICLE CARE
Warning (Continued)
When working around a vehicle’s
battery, shield your eyes with
protective glasses.
Keep children away from vehicle
batteries.
{Warning
Batteries have acid that can burn
you and gas that can explode. You
can be hurt badly if you are not
careful.
Follow instructions carefully when
working around a battery.
Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds which can cause cancer
and reproductive harm. Wash
hands after handling.After a power loss, such as
disconnecting the battery or removing
the maxi fuses in the power
distribution fuse block, the following
steps must be performed to calibrate
the electronic throttle control. If this
is not done, the engine will not run
properly.
1. Turn the ignition on but do not start the engine.
2. Leave the ignition on for at least three minutes so that the
electronic throttle control will
cycle and relearn its home
position.
3. Turn the ignition off.
4. Start and run the engine for at least 30 seconds.
Vehicle Storage
Infrequent Usage: Remove the black,
negative (−) cable from the battery to
keep the battery from running down.
Extended Storage: Remove the black,
negative (−) cable from the battery or
use a battery trickle charger.
Starter Switch Check
{Warning
When you are doing this inspection,
the vehicle could move suddenly.
If the vehicle moves, you or others
could be injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room
around the vehicle.
2. Apply both the parking brake and the regular brake.
Do not use the accelerator pedal,
and be ready to turn off the
engine immediately if it starts.
3. Try to start the engine in each gear. The vehicle should start
only in P (Park) or N (Neutral).
If the vehicle starts in any other
position, contact your dealer for
service.
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
VEHICLE CARE 257
Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control Function
Check
{Warning
When you are doing this inspection,
the vehicle could move suddenly.
If the vehicle moves, you or others
could be injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room
around the vehicle. It should be
parked on a level surface.
2. Apply the parking brake. Be ready to apply the regular brake
immediately if the vehicle begins
to move.
3. With the engine off, turn the ignition on, but do not start the
engine. Without applying the
regular brake, try to move the
shift lever out of P (Park) with
normal effort. If the shift lever
moves out of P (Park), contact
your dealer for service.
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check
{Warning
When you are doing this check, the
vehicle could begin to move. You or
others could be injured and
property could be damaged. Make
sure there is room in front of the
vehicle in case it begins to roll. Be
ready to apply the regular brake at
once should the vehicle begin
to move.
Park on a fairly steep hill, with the
vehicle facing downhill. Keeping your
foot on the regular brake, set the
parking brake.
. To check the parking brake's
holding ability: With the engine
running and the transmission in
N (Neutral), slowly remove foot
pressure from the regular brake
pedal. Do this until the vehicle is
held by the parking brake only. .
To check the P (Park) mechanism's
holding ability: With the engine
running, shift to P (Park). Then
release the parking brake followed
by the regular brake.
Contact your dealer if service is
required.
Wiper Blade Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be
inspected for wear and cracking. See
Maintenance Schedule 0307.
Replacement blades come in different
types and are removed in different
ways. For proper type and length, see
Maintenance Replacement Parts 0315.
To replace the windshield wiper blade:
1. Pull the windshield wiper assembly away from the
windshield.
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
VEHICLE CARE 259
Bulb Replacement
For the proper type of replacement
bulbs, seeReplacement Bulbs 0261.
For any bulb-changing procedure not
listed in this section, contact your
dealer.
Halogen Bulbs
{Warning
Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas
inside and can burst if you drop or
scratch the bulb. You or others
could be injured. Be sure to read
and follow the instructions on the
bulb package.
High Intensity Discharge
(HID) Lighting
{Warning
The High Intensity Discharge (HID)
lighting system operates at a very
high voltage. If you try to service
any of the system components, you
could be seriously injured. Have
your dealer or a qualified technician
service them.
After an HID headlamp bulb has been
replaced, the beam might be a slightly
different shade than it was originally.
This is normal.
LED Lighting
This vehicle has several LED lamps.
For replacement of any LED lighting
assembly, contact your dealer.
Back-Up Lamps
1. Back-Up Bulb Socket
2. Back-Up Lamp Assembly
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
270 VEHICLE CARE
Wheels and Tires
Tires
Every new GM vehicle has
high-quality tires made by a
leading tire manufacturer. See the
warranty manual for information
regarding the tire warranty and
where to get service. For
additional information refer to the
tire manufacturer.
{Warning
.Poorly maintained and
improperly used tires are
dangerous.
.Overloading the tires can
cause overheating as a
result of too much flexing.
There could be a blowout
and a serious crash. See
Vehicle Load Limits0181.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Underinflated tires pose
the same danger as
overloaded tires. The
resulting crash could cause
serious injury. Check all
tires frequently to
maintain the
recommended pressure.
Tire pressure should be
checked when the tires
are cold.
.Overinflated tires are more
likely to be cut, punctured,
or broken by a sudden
impact —such as when
hitting a pothole. Keep
tires at the recommended
pressure.
.Worn or old tires can
cause a crash. If the tread
is badly worn,
replace them.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Replace any tires that have
been damaged by impacts
with potholes, curbs, etc.
.Improperly repaired tires
can cause a crash. Only
the dealer or an authorized
tire service center should
repair, replace, dismount,
and mount the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in
excess of 56 km/h
(35 mph) on slippery
surfaces such as snow,
mud, ice, etc. Excessive
spinning may cause the
tires to explode.
See Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation 0274 for inflation
pressure adjustment for
high-speed driving.
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
VEHICLE CARE 271
All-Season Tires
This vehicle may come with all-season
tires. These tires are designed to
provide good overall performance on
most road surfaces and weather
conditions. Original equipment tires
designed to GM's specific tire
performance criteria have a TPC
specification code molded onto the
sidewall. Original equipment
all-season tires can be identified by
the last two characters of this TPC
code, which will be“MS.”
Consider installing winter tires on the
vehicle if frequent driving on snow or
ice-covered roads is expected.
All-season tires provide adequate
performance for most winter driving
conditions, but they may not offer the
same level of traction or performance
as winter tires on snow or ice-covered
roads. See Winter Tires 0271.
Winter Tires
This vehicle was not originally
equipped with winter tires. Winter
tires are designed for increased
traction on snow and ice-covered
roads. Consider installing winter tires on the vehicle if frequent driving on
ice or snow covered roads is expected.
See your dealer for details regarding
winter tire availability and proper tire
selection. Also, see
Buying New
Tires 0280.
With winter tires, there may be
decreased dry road traction, increased
road noise, and shorter tread life.
After changing to winter tires, be alert
for changes in vehicle handling and
braking.
If using winter tires:
. Use tires of the same brand and
tread type on all four wheel
positions.
. Use only radial ply tires of the
same size, load range, and speed
rating as the original equipment
tires.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment tires
may not be available for H, V, W, Y,
and ZR speed rated tires. If winter
tires with a lower speed rating are
chosen, never exceed the tire's
maximum speed capability.
Run-Flat Tires
This vehicle, when new, may have had
run-flat tires. There is no spare tire,
no tire changing equipment, and no
place to store a tire in the vehicle.
The vehicle also has a Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS) that indicates
a loss of tire pressure in any of the
tires.
{Warning
If the low tire warning light displays
on the instrument cluster, the
handling capabilities will be
reduced during severe maneuvers.
Driving too fast could cause loss of
control and you or others could be
injured. Do not drive over 90 km/h
(55 mph) when the low tire warning
light is displayed. Drive cautiously
and check the tire pressures as
soon as possible.
Run-flat tires can be driven on with
no air pressure. There is no need to
stop on the side of the road to change
the tire. Continue driving; however, do