Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
4 INTRODUCTION
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that
may be found on the vehicle and what
they mean. See the features in this
manual for information.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
$:Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I: Cruise Control
`:Do Not Puncture
^:Do Not Service
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
_:Flame/Fire Prohibited
.:Fuel Gauge
+: Fuses
3:Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j: ISOFIX/LATCH System Child
Restraints
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
O:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Seat Belt Reminders
7: Tire Pressure Monitor
d:Traction Control/StabiliTrak
a:Under Pressure
M: Windshield Washer Fluid
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
IN BRIEF 5
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Heated and Ventilated Seats . . . . . . 14
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . . . . 14
Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . 15
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . 16
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . 18
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Vehicle Features
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . 20
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Forward Automatic Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . . . 22
Surround Vision (CTS Only) . . . . . . 22
Curb View Camera (CTS-V Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . 23
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Automatic Parking Assist (APA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Reverse Automatic Braking (RAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Vehicle-to-Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . . 24
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Performance and Maintenance
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Fuel (LGX 3.6L V6 Engine) . . . . . . . . 26
Fuel (LTG 2.0L L4 Engine) . . . . . . . . 26
Fuel (LF3 3.6L V6 Twin Turbo and LT4 6.2L V8 Engines) . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Car Wash Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Roadside Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
IN BRIEF 27
as 87 may be used, but it will reduce
performance and fuel economy. See
Fuel0242.
Fuel (LF3 3.6L V6 Twin
Turbo and LT4 6.2L
V8 Engines)
Premium Required Fuel
Use premium 93 octane unleaded
gasoline in your vehicle. Unleaded
gasoline with a 91 octane rating may
be used, but it will reduce
performance and fuel economy. See
Fuel 0242.
E85 or FlexFuel
No E85 or FlexFuel
Gasoline-ethanol fuel blends greater
than E15 (15% ethanol by volume),
such as E85, cannot be used in this
vehicle.
Engine Oil Life System
The engine oil life system calculates
engine oil life based on vehicle use
and displays the CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message when it is time to
change the engine oil and filter. The
oil life system should be reset to 100%
only following an oil change.
Resetting the Oil Life System
1. Using the DIC buttons, display REMAINING OIL LIFE on the
DIC. See Driver Information Center
(DIC) 0137. 2. Press and hold SEL to clear the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message and reset the oil life
at 100%.
Be careful not to reset the oil life
display accidentally at any time
other than after the oil is
changed. It cannot be reset
accurately until the next oil
change.
The oil life system can also be reset as
follows: 1. Using the DIC buttons, display REMAINING OIL LIFE on the
DIC. See Driver Information Center
(DIC) 0137.
2. Fully press and release the accelerator pedal three times
within five seconds.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message is not on, the
system is reset.
See Engine Oil Life System 0265.
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS 139
Best Fuel Economy :Displays average
fuel economy, the best fuel economy
over the selected distance, and a bar
graph showing instantaneous fuel
economy.
Cruise Set Speed : Shows the speed
the cruise control or Adaptive Cruise
Control (ACC, if equipped) is set to.
Follow Distance : When Adaptive
Cruise Control (ACC) is not engaged,
the current follow time to the vehicle
ahead is displayed as a time value on
this page. When ACC has been
engaged, the display switches to the
gap setting page. This page shows the
current gap setting along with the
vehicle ahead indicator.
Gap Setting : When ACC has been
engaged, this page shows the current
gap setting along with the vehicle
ahead indicator.
Battery Voltage : Shows the current
battery voltage.
Engine Boost : Shows the current
amount of boost being added. G-Force (V-Series) :
Gives the driver
an indication of the vehicle
performance in cornering. The G-force
is displayed in the center of the DIC
as a numerical value.
Transmission Temperature
(V-Series) : Shows the temperature of
the transmission fluid in either
degrees Celsius (°C) or degrees
Fahrenheit (°F).
Oil Life : Shows an estimate of the
oil's remaining useful life.
If REMAINING OIL LIFE 99% is
displayed, that means 99% of the
current oil life remains.
When the remaining oil life is low, the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message
will appear on the display. The oil
should be changed as soon as
possible. See Engine Oil0263. In
addition to the engine oil life system
monitoring the oil life, additional
maintenance is recommended. See
Maintenance Schedule 0339.
The Oil Life display must be reset
after each oil change. It will not reset
itself. Do not to reset the Oil Life
display accidentally at any time other than when the oil has just been
changed. It cannot be reset accurately
until the next oil change. To reset the
engine oil life system, press and hold
SEL for several seconds while the Oil
Life display is active. See
Engine Oil
Life System 0265.
Tire Pressure : Shows the
approximate pressures of all four tires.
Tire pressure is displayed in either
kilopascal (kPa) or in pounds per
square inch (psi). If the pressure is
low, the value for that tire is shown in
amber. See Tire Pressure Monitor
System 0303 and Tire Pressure
Monitor Operation 0304.
Tire Temperature (V-Series) :
Displays a description of the tire air
temperature based on the readings
from the TPMS sensors. The
temperature range displayed will
change based on ambient conditions
and driving style.
Vehicle Odometer (Base Cluster) :
Shows the odometer.
Blank Page : The Blank Page display
allows for no information to be
displayed in the DIC display zone(s).
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
DRIVING AND OPERATING 181
Caution
If the vehicle is used for track
events and competitive driving, the
engine may use more oil than it
would with normal use. Low oil
levels can damage the engine.
Check the oil level often and
maintain the proper level. See
Engine Oil0263.
Axle Fluid
Axles must have 805 km (500 mi)
before being used in track driving.
The front, if equipped with AWD, and
rear axle fluid temperatures may be
higher than when driving in severe
conditions. Drain and refill with new
fluid after the first racing or
competitive driving event, and then
after every 24 hours of racing or
competitive driving. See Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants 0348.
Caution
During a first time track or racing
event, high axle temperatures can
occur. Damage could be caused to
the axle and would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Do not
drive as long or as fast the first
time the vehicle is driven on the
track or raced.
Engine Oil
2.0L (LTG) Engine
This is not available with a track
package option and is not
recommended for track use.
3.6L Non-Turbo (LGX) Engine
.
With Oil Cooler: Confirm the oil
level is at the upper mark that
shows the proper operating range
on the engine oil dipstick.
. Without Oil Cooler: Do not use for
track events and competitive
driving. 3.6L Twin Turbo (LF3) Engine
This requires premium fuel, and
comes standard with a 7 qt sump,
integrated oil cooler, and other
powertrain and powertrain cooling
components in preparation for
track use.
6.2L Supercharged (LT4) Engine
Change the engine oil to 0W-40 or
5W-40 that meets the dexos2
™
specification. If this oil is not
available, the following oils can be
used as an alternative: Valvoline
®
SYNPOWER MST 5W-40, Mobil®1
ESP Formula M 5W-40. See Capacities
and Specifications 0353.
This requires premium fuel, and
comes standard with a 10 qt sump,
air/oil separator, integrated oil cooler,
and other powertrain and powertrain
cooling components in preparation for
track use.
Check the oil level often during track
events and competitive driving and
keep the oil level at or near the
upper mark.
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
182 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Automatic Transmission Fluid
Have the transmission fluid set to the
track specific oil level prior to track
usage. Transmission fluid should be
changed after every 15 hours of track
usage. Any transmission level set or
change should be performed at your
dealer.
Brake Fluid
For track events and competitive
driving, it is recommended that the
brake fluid be replaced with a high
performance brake fluid that has a dry
boiling point greater than 279 °C
(534 °F). After conversion to the high
performance brake fluid, follow the
brake fluid service recommendations
outlined by the fluid manufacturer. Do
not use silicone or DOT-5 brake fluids.
Caution
Removing the splash shield can
degrade wet braking performance,
as well as introduce brake pedal
pulsation, due to brake disc(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
exposure to road debris. Only
remove the front brake disc splash
shield and front tire deflector when
driving in track events.
Brake cooling can be improved if the
front brake disc splash shield and
front tire deflector are removed.
Removing the shield will require that
the suspension bushings visible to the
brake disc be protected with insulated
thermal wrapping.
Brake Burnishing
To prepare the V-Sport and V-Series
brake systems for track events and
racing, complete the appropriate high
performance brake burnishing
procedure described below.
V-Sport and V-Series Brake
Burnishing
New brake pads must be burnished
before racing or other competitive
driving.
Caution
These procedures are specific to the
V-Sport and V-Series brake package.
This procedure should not be run
on other models as damage may
result.
Caution
The new vehicle break-in period
should be completed before
performing the brake burnishing
procedure or damage may occur to
the powertrain/engine. See New
Vehicle Break-In 0191.
When performed as instructed, this
procedure will not damage the brakes.
During the burnishing procedure, the
brake pads will smoke and produce an
odor. The braking force and pedal
travel may increase. After the
procedure is complete, the brake pads
may appear white at the rotor contact.
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349156) - 2018 - CRC - 9/29/17
244 DRIVING AND OPERATING
adopting California Emissions
Standards, the vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control
system performance may be affected.
The malfunction indicator lamp could
turn on and the vehicle may not pass
a smog-check test. SeeMalfunction
Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light)
0 128. If this occurs, return to your
authorized dealer for diagnosis. If it is
determined that the condition is
caused by the type of fuel used,
repairs may not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
The U.S., Canada, and Mexico post
fuel octane ratings in anti-knock index
(AKI). For fuel not to use in a foreign
country, see “Prohibited Fuels” inFuel
0 242.
Fuel Additives
To keep fuel systems clean, TOP TIER
detergent gasoline is recommended.
See Fuel 0242. If TOP TIER detergent gasoline is not
available, one bottle of GM Fuel
System Treatment Cleaner added to
the fuel tank at every engine oil
change, can help. GM Fuel System
Treatment Cleaner is the only gasoline
additive recommended by General
Motors. It is available at your dealer.
Filling the Tank
{Warning
Fuel vapors and fuel fires burn
violently and can cause injury or
death.
. To help avoid injuries to you
and others, read and follow
all the instructions on the
fuel pump island.
. Turn off the engine when
refueling.
. Keep sparks, flames, and
smoking materials away
from fuel.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Do not leave the fuel pump
unattended.
. Do not use a cell phone while
refueling.
. Do not reenter the vehicle
while pumping fuel.
. Keep children away from the
fuel pump and never let
children pump fuel.
. Fuel can spray out if the
refueling nozzle is inserted
too quickly. This spray can
happen if the tank is nearly
full, and is more likely in hot
weather. Insert the refueling
nozzle slowly and wait for any
hiss noise to stop prior to
beginning to flow fuel.
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.