2019 CADILLAC CTS Owner's Manual

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460273) - 2019 - CRC - 5/8/18
176 CLIMATE CONTROLS
.Keep the path under the front
seats clear of objects to help
circulate the air inside of the
vehicle more effectively.
. Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect the
performance of the system. Check
with your dealer before adding
equipment to the outside of the
vehicle.
. Do not attach any devices to the
air vent slats. This restricts airflow
and may cause damage to the air
vents.Maintenance
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The filter reduces dust, pollen, and
other airborne irritants from outside
air that is pulled into the vehicle. The
filter should be replaced as part of
routine scheduled maintenance. See
Maintenance Schedule 0345.
See your dealer regarding replacement
of the filter.
Service
All vehicles have a label underhood
that identifies the refrigerant used in
the vehicle. The refrigerant system
should only be serviced by trained and
certified technicians. The air
conditioning evaporator should never
be repaired or replaced by one from a
salvage vehicle. It should only be
replaced by a new evaporator to
ensure proper and safe operation. During service, all refrigerants should
be reclaimed with proper equipment.
Venting refrigerants directly to the
atmosphere is harmful to the
environment and may also create
unsafe conditions based on inhalation,
combustion, frostbite, or other
health-based concerns.
The air conditioning system requires
periodic maintenance. See
Maintenance Schedule
0345.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460273) - 2019 - CRC - 5/16/18
DRIVING AND OPERATING 177
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Track Events and CompetitiveDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 186
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Composite Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . 201
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Brakes
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . 205
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/ElectronicStability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Competitive Driving Mode (V-Sport Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . . . 215
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . 218
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . 226
Assistance Systems for Parking
or Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Forward Automatic Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . 238
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . 238
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . 240
Vehicle-to-Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Recommended Fuel (LGX 3.6L V6 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Recommended Fuel (LTG 2.0L L4 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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178 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Recommended Fuel (LF3 3.6L V6Twin Turbo and LT4 6.2L
V8 Engines) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . 246
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . . 248
Driving Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Trailer Towing (V6 Engine, Non Twin Turbo) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Trailer Towing (V6 Twin
Turbo) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Towing Equipment (V6 Engine, Non Twin Turbo) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Towing Equipment (V6 Twin Turbo) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . 255
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms and
can take your focus from the task of
driving. Exercise good judgment and
do not let other activities divert your
attention away from the road. Many
local governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep your
eyes on the road, keep your hands on
the steering wheel, and focus your
attention on driving.
. Do not use a phone in demanding
driving situations. Use a
hands-free method to place or
receive necessary phone calls.
. Watch the road. Do not read, take
notes, or look up information on
phones or other electronic devices.
. Designate a front seat passenger
to handle potential distractions. .
Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings. Program
all trip information into any
navigation device prior to driving.
. Wait until the vehicle is parked to
retrieve items that have fallen to
the floor.
. Stop or park the vehicle to tend to
children.
. Keep pets in an appropriate carrier
or restraint.
. Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 179
Refer to the infotainment section for
more information on using that
system and the navigation system,
if equipped, including pairing and
using a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means“always
expect the unexpected.” The first step
in driving defensively is to wear the
seat belt. See Seat Belts068.
. Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and other
drivers) are going to be careless
and make mistakes. Anticipate
what they might do and be ready.
. Allow enough following distance
between you and the driver in
front of you.
. Focus on the task of driving.
Drunk Driving
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
{Warning
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even a
small amount of alcohol. You can
have a serious —or even fatal —
collision if you drive after drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating are
important factors in helping to control
a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time. Average driver reaction time is about
three-quarters of a second. In that
time, a vehicle moving at 100 km/h
(60 mph) travels 20 m (66 ft), which
could be a lot of distance in an
emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.
Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
. Avoid needless heavy braking.
. Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake normally
but do not pump the brakes. Doing so
could make the pedal harder to push
down. If the engine stops, there will
be some power brake assist but it will
be used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the brake
pedal will be harder to push.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460273) - 2019 - CRC - 5/16/18
180 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Steering
Variable Effort Steering
The vehicle has a steering system that
varies the amount of effort required to
steer the vehicle in relation to the
speed of the vehicle.
The amount of steering effort required
is less at slower speeds to make the
vehicle more maneuverable and easier
to park. At faster speeds, the steering
effort increases to provide a sport-like
feel to the steering. This provides
maximum control and stability.
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance is
not required.
If power steering assist is lost due to a
system malfunction, the vehicle can
be steered, but may require increased
effort. See your dealer if there is a
problem.If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is
held against that position for an
extended period of time, power
steering assist may be reduced.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time while the
vehicle is not moving, power assist
may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the system
cools down.
See your dealer if there is a problem.
Curve Tips
.
Take curves at a reasonable speed.
. Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
. Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve.
. Wait until the vehicle is out of the
curve before accelerating gently
into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may be
more effective than braking.
. Holding both sides of the steering
wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
. Antilock Brake System (ABS)
allows steering while braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop off
the edge of a road onto the shoulder
while driving. Follow these tips:

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460273) - 2019 - CRC - 5/16/18
DRIVING AND OPERATING 181
1. Ease off the accelerator and then,if there is nothing in the way,
steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge.
3. Turn the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
. Steering or Cornering Skid —too
much speed or steering in a curve
causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force.
. Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving wheels
to spin. Defensive drivers avoid most skids by
taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
.
Ease your foot off the accelerator
pedal and steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. The vehicle may
straighten out. Be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
. Slow down and adjust your driving
according to weather conditions.
Stopping distance can be longer
and vehicle control can be affected
when traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other material
on the road. Learn to recognize
warning clues —such as enough
water, ice, or packed snow on the
road to make a mirrored surface
— and slow down when you have
any doubt.
. Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking, including
reducing vehicle speed by shifting to a lower gear. Any sudden
changes could cause the tires to
slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help avoid
only the braking skid.
Track Events and
Competitive Driving
{Danger
High-performance features are
intended for use only on closed
tracks by experienced and qualified
drivers and should not be used on
public roads. High-speed driving,
aggressive cornering, hard braking,
and other high-performance driving
can be dangerous. Improper driver
inputs for the conditions may result
in loss of control of the vehicle,
which could injure or kill you or
others. Always drive safely.
Track events and competitive driving
may affect the vehicle warranty. See
the warranty manual before using the
vehicle for competitive driving.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460273) - 2019 - CRC - 5/16/18
182 DRIVING AND OPERATING
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. SeeRecommended
Fluids and Lubricants 0354.
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
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 Oil 0268.
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
The LF3 3.6L twin turbo engine 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
Keep the oil level at or near the upper
mark on the engine oil dipstick, which
shows the proper operating range.
Use 15W-50 full synthetic engine oil
for track use. After track use, change
the oil back to 0W-40 dexos2 for
street use. If 0W-40 dexos2 oil is not
available, 5W-30 dexos1 full synthetic
engine oil may be used for street use.
If 5W-30 dexos1 is used, it must be
changed to 15W-50 full synthetic
engine oil for track use. See
Capacities
and Specifications 0359.
Fuel
Use premium unleaded gasoline with
a posted octane rating of 93 at a track
event. Unleaded gasoline with a
posted octane rating of 91 may be
used, but performance will be
degraded.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460273) - 2019 - CRC - 5/16/18
DRIVING AND OPERATING 183
For the LT4 6.2L supercharged engine,
consider using 100 octane unleaded
gasoline if the air temperature is
above 30 °C (86 °F). Do not use any
fuel with conditions listed in
Prohibited Fuels0245.
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
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 0192.
When performed as instructed, this
procedure will not damage the brakes.
During the burnishing procedure, the
brake pads will smoke and produce an