Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
DRIVING AND OPERATING 179
.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 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 freezing rain
begins to fall. Avoid driving on wet ice
or in freezing rain until roads can be
treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick. .
Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0198.
. Antilock Brake System (ABS)
improves vehicle stability during
hard stops, but the brakes should
be applied sooner than when on
dry pavement. See Antilock Brake
System (ABS) 0195.
. Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise
clear roads in shaded areas. The
surface of a curve or an overpass
can remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. Avoid
sudden steering maneuvers and
braking while on ice.
. Turn off cruise control.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. Stay with the vehicle
unless there is help nearby. To get
help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
VEHICLE CARE 231
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 245
Cooling System (Engine) . . . . . . . . . 246
Cooling System (Intercooler) . . . . 248
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257 Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 257
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 258
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 261
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 261
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . 265
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Run-Flat Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 274
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . 296
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
VEHICLE CARE 235
1. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See Washer
Fluid 0253.
2. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump
Starting 0292.
3. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump
Starting 0292.
4. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System
(Engine) 0246 orCooling System
(Intercooler) 0248.
5. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0262.
6. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine
Oil 0241.
7. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
(Engine) 0246 orCooling System
(Intercooler) 0248.
8. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil 0241.
9. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0254.
10. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0245.
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
VEHICLE CARE 237
1. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See Washer
Fluid 0253.
2. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump
Starting 0292.
3. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump
Starting 0292.
4. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System
(Engine) 0246 orCooling System
(Intercooler) 0248.
5. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0262.
6. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine
Oil 0241.
7. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
(Engine) 0246 orCooling System
(Intercooler) 0248.
8. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil 0241.
9. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0254.
10. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0245.
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
VEHICLE CARE 239
1. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See Washer
Fluid 0253.
2. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump
Starting 0292.
3. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump
Starting 0292.
4. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System
(Engine) 0246 orCooling System
(Intercooler) 0248.
5. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0262.
6. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
(Engine) 0246 orCooling System
(Intercooler) 0248.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine
Oil 0241.
8. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil 0241.
9. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0254.
10. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0245.
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10287885) -
2017 - crc - 6/16/16
VEHICLE CARE 241
1. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See Washer
Fluid 0253.
2. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump
Starting 0292.
3. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump
Starting 0292.
4. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System
(Engine) 0246 orCooling System
(Intercooler) 0248.
5. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0262.
6. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
(Engine) 0246 orCooling System
(Intercooler) 0248.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine
Oil 0241.
8. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil 0241.
9. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0254.
10. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0245.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 0243.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly
(every 650 km (400 mi), especially
prior to a long trip. The engine oil dipstick handle is a loop. See
Engine
Compartment Overview 0234 for the
location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle may
be hot; it could burn you. Use a
towel or glove to touch the dipstick
handle.
If a low oil Driver Information Center
(DIC) message displays, check the oil
level.
Follow these guidelines:
. To get an accurate reading, park
the vehicle on level ground. Check
the engine oil level after the
engine has been off for at least
two hours. Checking the engine oil
level on steep grades or too soon
after engine shutoff can result in
incorrect readings. Accuracy
improves when checking a cold
engine prior to starting. Remove
the dipstick and check the level.
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
254 VEHICLE CARE
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.
If equipped with high performance
brake linings, there could be an
increased build-up of brake dust as
well as minor noises as compared to
standard brake linings.
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 0319.
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 master cylinder reservoir is
filled with GM approved DOT 3 brake
fluid as indicated on the reservoir cap.
See Engine Compartment Overview
0 234 for the location of the reservoir.
Checking Brake Fluid
With the vehicle in P (Park) on a level
surface, the brake fluid level should be
between the minimum and maximum
marks on the brake fluid reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in the reservoir may
go down:
. Normal brake lining wear. When
new linings are installed, the fluid
level goes back up.
. A fluid leak in the brake hydraulic
system. Have the brake hydraulic
system fixed. With a leak, the
brakes will not work well.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir
cap and the area around the cap
before removing it.
Do not top off the brake fluid. Adding
fluid does not correct a leak. If fluid is
added when the linings are worn,
there will be too much fluid when