
Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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180 DRIVING AND OPERATING
be applied sooner than when on
dry pavement. SeeAntilock Brake
System (ABS) 0200.
. 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
Stay with the vehicle unless there is
help nearby. If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside Service 0350.
To get help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
. Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
. Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may cause
exhaust gases to get inside. Engine
exhaust contains carbon monoxide
(CO), which cannot be seen or
smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
. Clear snow from the base of
the vehicle, especially any
blocking the exhaust pipe.
. Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the vehicle side that
is away from the wind, to
bring in fresh air.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set the
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
fan speed to the highest
setting. See“Climate Control
Systems.”
For more information about CO, see
Engine Exhaust 0193.
To save fuel, run the engine for short
periods to warm the vehicle and then
shut the engine off and partially close
the window. Moving about to keep
warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle speed.
This keeps the battery charged to
restart the vehicle and to signal for
help with the headlamps. Do this as
little as possible, to save fuel.

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 187
With the ignition off, pressing the
button one time without the brake
pedal applied will place the ignition
system in ACC/ACCESSORY.
The ignition will switch from ACC/
ACCESSORY to OFF after five minutes
to prevent battery rundown.
ON/RUN/START (Green Indicator
Light) :This mode is for driving and
starting. With the ignition off, and the
brake pedal applied, pressing the
button once will turn the ignition on.
Once engine cranking begins, release
the button. Engine cranking will
continue until the engine starts. See
Starting the Engine 0187. The ignition
will then remain on.
Service Mode
This power mode is available for
service and diagnostics, and to verify
the proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp as may be
required for emission inspection
purposes. With the vehicle off, and the
brake pedal not applied, pressing and
holding the button for more than
five seconds will place the vehicle in
Service Mode. The instruments and audio systems will operate as they do
in ON/RUN/START, but the vehicle
will not be able to be driven. The
engine will not start in Service Mode.
Push the button again to turn the
vehicle off.
Starting the Engine
Place the transmission in the
proper gear.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change the
way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. See
Add-On Electrical Equipment
0240.
Automatic Transmission
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). To restart the vehicle
when it is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only.
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission.
Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.
Manual Transmission
The shift lever should be in Neutral
and the parking brake engaged. Hold
the clutch pedal down to the floor and
start the engine.
Starting Procedure
1. With the Keyless Access system, the RKE transmitter must be in
the vehicle. Press ENGINE
START/STOP with the brake
pedal applied. When the engine
begins cranking, let go of the
button.
The idle speed will go down as
the engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it.

Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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188 DRIVING AND OPERATING
If the RKE transmitter is not in
the vehicle, if there is
interference, or if the RKE
battery is low, the Driver
Information Center (DIC) will
display a message. SeeRemote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation 029.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by pressing
ENGINE START/STOP immediately
after cranking has ended, can
overheat and damage the cranking
motor, and drain the battery. Wait
at least 15 seconds between each
try, to let the cranking motor
cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after five to 10 seconds, especially in
very cold weather (below −18 °C
or 0 °F), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing
the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and holding it there
as you press ENGINE START/ STOP, for up to a maximum of
15 seconds. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try, to
allow the cranking motor to cool
down. When the engine starts,
let go of the button and the
accelerator. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do
the same thing. This clears the
extra gasoline from the engine.
Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Stop/Start System
If equipped, the Stop/Start system will
shut off the engine to help conserve
fuel. It has components designed for
the increased number of starts.
{Warning
The automatic engine Stop/Start
feature causes the engine to shut
off while the vehicle is still on. Do
not exit the vehicle before shifting
to P (Park). The vehicle may restart
and move unexpectedly. Always
shift to P (Park), and then turn the
ignition off before exiting the
vehicle.
Auto Engine Stop/Start
When the brakes are applied and the
vehicle is at a complete stop, the
engine may turn off. When stopped,
the tachometer displays AUTO STOP.
See Tachometer 0116. When the brake
pedal is released or the accelerator
pedal is pressed, the engine will
restart.
To maintain vehicle performance,
other conditions may cause the engine
to automatically restart before the
brake pedal is released.

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 189
Auto Stops may not occur and/or Auto
Starts may occur because:
.The climate control settings
require the engine to be running
to cool or heat the vehicle interior.
. The vehicle battery charge is low.
. The vehicle battery has recently
been disconnected.
. Minimum vehicle speed has not
been reached since the last
Auto Stop.
. The accelerator pedal is pressed.
. The engine or transmission is not
at the required operating
temperature.
. The outside temperature is not in
the required operating range.
. The vehicle is in any gear other
than D (Drive).
. Tow/Haul Mode or other driver
modes have been selected.
. The vehicle is on a steep hill or
grade. .
The driver door has been opened
or the driver seat belt has been
unbuckled.
. The hood has been opened.
. The Auto Stop has reached the
maximum allowed time.
Auto Stop Disable Switch
If equipped, the automatic engine
Stop/Start feature can be disabled and
enabled by pressing the switch with
the
hsymbol. Auto Stop is enabled
each time you start the vehicle.
When
his illuminated, the system is
enabled.
Engine Heater
Vehicles with the engine heater can
use this option in cold weather
conditions at or below −18 °C (0 °F) for
easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up. Plug
in the engine heater at least four
hours before starting your vehicle. An
internal thermostat in the plug-end of
the cord may exist which will prevent
engine heater operation at
temperatures above −18 °C (0 °F).
To Use the Engine Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the
electrical cord. The cord is
clipped to the diagonal brace on
the passenger side of the engine
compartment.
Check the heater cord for
damage. If it is damaged, do not
use it. See your dealer for a
replacement. Inspect the cord for
damage yearly.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 191
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park)by holding in the button on the
shift lever and pushing the lever
all the way toward the front of
the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition off.
4. Take the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter
with you.
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running (Automatic
Transmission)
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
It could overheat and catch fire.
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
move suddenly. You or others could
be injured. To be sure the vehicle
will not move, even when you are
on fairly level ground, always set
the parking brake and move the
shift lever to P (Park). See Shifting
Into Park (Automatic Transmission)
0 190.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, the vehicle must
be in P (Park) with the parking brake
set. After shifting into P (Park), try to
move the shift lever without first
pressing the button on the shift lever.
If you can, the shift lever was not
fully locked into P (Park).
Torque Lock (Automatic
Transmission)
Torque lock is when the weight of the
vehicle puts too much force on the
parking pawl in the transmission. This
happens when parking on a hill and
shifting the transmission into P (Park) is not done properly and then it is
difficult to shift out of P (Park). To
prevent torque lock, set the parking
brake and then shift into P (Park). To
find out how, see "Shifting Into Park"
listed previously.
If torque lock does occur, the vehicle
may need to be pushed uphill by
another vehicle to relieve the parking
pawl pressure, so you can shift out of
P (Park).
Shifting out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with an
electronic shift lock release system.
The shift lock release is designed to
prevent movement of the shift lever
out of P (Park), unless the ignition is
on and the brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9 volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See
Jump Starting - North
America 0312.

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 201
If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to avoid
a sudden obstacle, a computer senses
the wheels are slowing down. If one of
the wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure to
each wheel, as required, faster than
any driver could. This can help you
steer around the obstacle while
braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking
pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change the
time needed to get a foot up to the
brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close
to the vehicle in front of you, there
will not be enough time to apply the
brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows
or stops. Always leave enough room
up ahead to stop, even with ABS.Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the
brake pedal down firmly and let ABS
work. You may hear the ABS pump or
motor operating and feel the brake
pedal pulsate. This is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows you to steer and brake at
the same time. In many emergencies,
steering can help more than even the
very best braking.
Parking Brake (Electric)
Automatic Transmission
Manual Transmission
If equipped with an Electric Parking
Brake (EPB), the switch is on the
center console for manual
transmission vehicles, or on the left
side of the instrument panel for
automatic transmission vehicles. The
EPB can always be activated, even if
the ignition is off. To prevent draining
the battery, avoid repeated cycles of
the EPB when the engine is not
running.

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 241
Caution
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle or cause
components to not work and would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Always check with your
dealer before adding electrical
equipment.
Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12-volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see Servicing
the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 082 and
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 082.

Cadillac ATS/ATS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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242 VEHICLE CARE
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . . . 255
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 256
Cooling System (Engine) . . . . . . . . . 257
Cooling System (Intercooler) . . . . 262
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264 Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . 266
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 269
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 270
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 273
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 274
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . 277 Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Run-Flat Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 291
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 299
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302