Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
DRIVING AND OPERATING 193
The Tire and Loading Information
label also shows the tire size of
the original equipment tires (3)
and the recommended cold tire
inflation pressures (4). For more
information on tires and inflation
seeTires 0287 and Tire
Pressure 0290.
There is also important loading
information on the Certification
label. It may show the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) for the front and rear
axle. See “Certification Label” later
in this section.
“Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit–
1.Locate the statement "The
combined weight of
occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs." on your vehicle’s
placard.
2.Determine the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight
of the driver and passengers
from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4.The resulting figure equals
the available amount of cargo
and luggage load capacity. For
example, if the "XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there
will be five 150 lb passengers
in your vehicle, the amount
of available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5 x 150) =
650 lbs.)
5.Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, load from your
trailer will be transferred to
your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how
this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.”
This vehicle is neither designed
nor intended to tow a trailer.
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
196 DRIVING AND OPERATING
.Check engine oil with every
refueling and add if necessary. Oil
and fuel consumption may be
higher than normal during the
first 2 400 km (1,500 mi).
. To break in new tires, drive at
moderate speeds and avoid hard
cornering for the first
300 km (200 mi). New tires do not
have maximum traction and may
tend to slip.
. New brake linings also need a
break–in period. Avoid making
hard stops during the first
300 km (200 mi). This is
recommended every time brake
linings are replaced.
Composite Materials
This vehicle may be equipped with
parts containing carbon fiber,
sheet-molding compound or other
composite materials. Dealer-installed
accessories may also contain
composite materials. These parts and
accessories may include the splitter or
rocker extensions.
{Warning
Exposed edges of parts containing
carbon fiber and other composite
materials can be sharp. Contact
with these parts could result in
injury. Use caution to avoid
contacting these parts, including
when washing the vehicle. If the
parts are damaged, replace the
parts promptly with replacements
from your dealer.
{Warning
Rocker extensions may break under
pressure, resulting in property
damage or injury. Do not stand on
the rocker extension or use it as
a step.
Ignition Positions
The vehicle has an electronic keyless
ignition with pushbutton start.
Pressing the button cycles it through
three modes: ACC/ACCESSORY, ON/
RUN/START, and Stopping the
Engine/OFF.
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter must be in the vehicle for
the system to operate. If the
pushbutton start is not working, the
vehicle may be near a strong radio
antenna signal causing interference to
the Keyless Access system. See Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation 029.
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 205
Caution
Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill using
only the accelerator pedal may
damage the transmission. The
repair will not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes to
hold the vehicle in place.
While in Sport or Track Mode, the
vehicle monitors driving behavior, and
automatically enables Performance
Shift Features when spirited driving is
detected. These features maintain
lower transmission gears to increase
available engine braking and improve
acceleration response. The vehicle will
exit these features and return to
normal operation after a short period
when no spirited driving is detected.
See Driver Mode Control 0211.
Manual Mode
Tap Shift
Caution
Driving with the engine at a high
rpm without upshifting while using
Tap Shift, could damage the vehicle.
Always upshift when necessary
while using Tap Shift.
Vehicles with Tap Shift have controls
on the back of the steering wheel to
manually shift the automatic
transmission.
To enter Permanent Tap Shift Mode: 1. With the shift lever in D (Drive), press the M (Manual Mode)
button on the top of the shift
lever. While in Tap Shift Mode,
the M of the PRNDM section of
the instrument cluster will
become highlighted, and the
current gear is indicated.
2. Tap the left control to downshift, and the right control to upshift.
3. To exit, press the M (Manual Mode) button a second time.
With the shift lever in D (Drive) and
not in Permanent Tap Shift Mode, the
tap shift controls will activate a
temporary tap manual shift mode,
allowing the transmission to be
manually shifted. Automatic shifts
return after no manual shifts have
been done for seven to 10 seconds.
The Temporary Tap Shift Mode can
also be deactivated by holding the
right upshift control briefly.
While using Tap Shift, the vehicle will
have firmer, quicker shifting. You can
use this for sport driving or when
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
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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) -
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270 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 0336.
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.
Cold Weather Brake Operation
(CTS-V Model)
High performance brake components
may bind and clunk when moving the
vehicle. This may be noticeable after
parking when the brakes have been
wet, such as when driving in the rain
or after a car wash. This is normal for
brakes with high friction pads and
does not affect the operation of the
brakes. Apply the brakes several times
until the binding or clunking stops. Drive the vehicle and apply the brakes
several times if it is washed before
long-term storage.
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
0 250 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.
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
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VEHICLE CARE 287
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 Limits0192.
(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 0291 for inflation
pressure adjustment for
high-speed driving.
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
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288 VEHICLE CARE
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 0288.
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 0298.
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
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
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VEHICLE CARE 289
not drive too far or too fast. Driving
on the tire may not be possible if
there is permanent damage. To
prevent permanent damage, keep
speed below 80 km/h (50 mph). With
a light load the vehicle can be driven
up to 100 km (60 mi); with a
moderate load 80 km (50 mi); and a
heavy load 45 km (25 mi). As soon as
possible, contact the nearest
authorized GM or run-flat servicing
facility for inspection and repair or
replacement.
When driving on a deflated run-flat
tire, avoid potholes and other road
hazards that could damage the tire
and/or wheel beyond repair. When a
tire has been damaged, or driven any
distance while deflated, check with an
authorized run-flat tire service center
to determine whether the tire can be
repaired or should be replaced. To
maintain the run-flat feature, all
replacement tires must be run-flat
tires.
To locate the nearest GM or run-flat
servicing facility, call Customer
Assistance.The valve stems on run-flat tires have
sensors that are part of the TPMS. See
Tire Pressure Monitor System
0292.
These sensors contain batteries that
are designed to last for 10 years under
normal driving conditions. See your
dealer for wheel or sensor
replacement.
Caution
Using liquid sealants can damage
the tire valves and tire pressure
monitor sensors in the run-flat
tires. This damage is not covered by
the vehicle warranty. Do not use
liquid sealants in run-flat tires.
Low-Profile Tires
If the vehicle has 265/35ZR19 or
295/30ZR19 size tires, they are
classified as low-profile tires. Caution
Low-profile tires are more
susceptible to damage from road
hazards or curb impact than
standard profile tires. Tire and/or
wheel assembly damage can occur
when coming into contact with
road hazards like potholes, or sharp
edged objects, or when sliding into
a curb. The warranty does not cover
this type of damage. Keep tires set
to the correct inflation pressure and
when possible, avoid contact with
curbs, potholes, and other road
hazards.
Summer Tires
High Performance Summer Tires
This vehicle may come with 245/
40R18 (front) and 275/35R18 (rear) or
265/35ZR19 (front) and 295/30ZR19
(rear) high performance summer tires.
These tires have a special tread and
compound that are optimized for
maximum dry and wet road
performance. This special tread and