Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
190 DRIVING AND OPERATING
.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 0209.
. 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) 0206.
See Driver Mode Control 0211
. 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. Get help
and keep everyone in the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
VEHICLE CARE 247
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 261
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273 Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 274
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 275
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 278
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 278
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . 282
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Run-Flat Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288 Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 292
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . 313
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
VEHICLE CARE 251
1. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See Washer
Fluid 0269.
2. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump
Starting 0310.
3. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0279.
4. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System 0263.
5. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump
Starting 0310.
6. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine
Oil 0257.
7. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System 0263.
8. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil 0257.
9. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0261.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0270.
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
VEHICLE CARE 253
1. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See Washer
Fluid 0269.
2. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump
Starting 0310.
3. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump
Starting 0310.
4. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System 0263.
5. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0279.
6. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System 0263.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine
Oil 0257.
8. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil 0257.
9. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0270.
10. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0261.
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
VEHICLE CARE 255
1. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See Washer
Fluid 0269.
2. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump
Starting 0310.
3. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0279.
4. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System 0263.
5. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump
Starting 0310.
6. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System 0263.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine
Oil 0257.
8. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil 0257.
9. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0261.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0270.
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
VEHICLE CARE 257
1. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See Washer
Fluid 0269.
2. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump
Starting 0310.
3. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0279.
4. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System 0263.
5. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump
Starting 0310.
6. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil 0257.
7. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System 0263.
8. Engine Oil Fill Cap (Out of View). See Engine Oil 0257.
9. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0261.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0270.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 0259.
. 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 0250 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 CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
VEHICLE CARE 263
Cooling System
The cooling system allows the engine
to maintain the correct working
temperature.
2.0L L4 Engine (LTG)
1. Engine Coolant Surge Tankand Pressure Cap
2. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
3.6L V6 Engine (LGX)
1. Engine Coolant Surge Tankand Pressure Cap
2. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
3.6L V6 Engine (LF3)
1. Engine Coolant Surge Tank
and Pressure Cap
2. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
264 VEHICLE CARE
6.2L V8 Engine (:LT4)
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.
{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 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.
See Maintenance Schedule 0324 and
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0331.
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 0267.
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
(Continued)