Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
252 VEHICLE CARE
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 267
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . 277
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279 Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 280
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 281
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 285
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 285
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . 289
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Run-Flat Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 303
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 311
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
VEHICLE CARE 257
1. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 275.
2. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0323.
3. Engine Compartment Fuse Block
0286. 4. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and
Pressure Cap. See Cooling System
0 269.
5. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0323.
6. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil
0 263. 7. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of
View). See Cooling System 0269.
8. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil 0263.
9. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0267.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0276.
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
VEHICLE CARE 259
1. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 275.
2. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0323.
3. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0323. 4. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and
Pressure Cap. See Cooling System
0 269.
5. Engine Compartment Fuse Block
0286.
6. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System 0269. 7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See
Engine Oil
0 263.
8. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil 0263.
9. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0276.
10. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0267.
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
VEHICLE CARE 261
1. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 275.
2. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0323.
3. Engine Compartment Fuse Block
0286. 4. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and
Pressure Cap. See Cooling System
0 269.
5. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0323.
6. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System 0269. 7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See
Engine Oil
0 263.
8. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil 0263.
9. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0267.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0276.
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
VEHICLE CARE 263
1. Windshield Washer FluidReservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 275.
2. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0323.
3. Engine Compartment Fuse Block
0286.
4. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System
0 269.
5. Remote Negative (-) Battery Terminal. See Jump Starting -
North America 0323.
6. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil 0263.
7. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System 0269.
8. Engine Oil Fill Cap (Out of View). See Engine Oil 0263.
9. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0267.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0276.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 0265.
. 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 0256 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-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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VEHICLE CARE 269
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
driving.
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 Tank
and Pressure Cap
2. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
270 VEHICLE CARE
3.6L V6 Engine (LF3)
1. Engine Coolant Surge Tankand Pressure Cap
2. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
6.2L V8 Engine (LT4)
1. Engine Coolant Surge Tank
and Pressure Cap
2. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
{Warning
An underhood electric fan 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
Do not touch heater or radiator
hoses, or other engine parts. They
can be very hot and can burn you.
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak; all coolant could leak out.
That could cause an engine fire and
can burn you. Fix any leak before
driving the vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is
filled with DEX-COOL engine coolant.
See Maintenance Schedule 0339 and
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
0 348.
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 0274.
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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VEHICLE CARE 271
What to Use
{Warning
Do not touch heater or radiator
hoses, or other engine parts. They
can be very hot and can burn you.
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak; all coolant could leak out.
That could cause an engine fire and
can burn you. Fix any leak before
driving the vehicle.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant. This mixture:
. Gives freezing protection down to
−37 °C (−34 °F), outside
temperature.
. Gives boiling protection up to
129 °C (265 °F), engine
temperature.
. Protects against rust and
corrosion.
. Will not damage aluminum parts.
. Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.
Caution
Do not use anything other than a
mix of DEX-COOL coolant that
meets GM Standard GMW3420 and
clean, drinkable water. Anything
else can cause damage to the
engine cooling system and the
vehicle, which would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty.
Never dispose of engine coolant by
putting it in the trash, pouring it on
the ground, or into sewers, streams,
or bodies of water. Have the coolant
changed by an authorized service
center, familiar with legal
requirements regarding used coolant
disposal. This will help protect the
environment and your health.
Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level surface
when checking the coolant level. It is normal to see coolant moving in
the upper coolant hose return line
when the engine is running. It is also
normal to see bubbles entering the
surge tank through the small hose.
Check to see if coolant is visible in the
coolant surge tank. If the coolant
inside the coolant surge tank is
boiling, do not do anything else until
it cools down.If coolant is visible but the coolant
level is not at or above the indicated
mark, add a 50/50 mixture of clean
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant.