2019 CADILLAC CTS ABS

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460273) - 2019 - CRC - 5/8/18
INTRODUCTION 3
Danger, Warning, and
Caution
Warning messages found on vehicle
labels and in this manual describe
hazards and what to do to avoid or
reduce them.
{Danger
Danger indicates a hazard with a
high level of risk which will result
in serious injury or death.
{Warning
Warning indicates a hazard that
could result in injury or death.
Caution
Caution indicates a hazard that
could result in property or vehicle
damage.
A circle with a slash through it is a
safety symbol which means“Do Not,”
“Do not do this,” or“Do not let this
happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and
labels that use symbols instead of
text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or
information relating to a specific
component, control, message, gauge,
or indicator.
M: Shown when the owner’s manual
has additional instructions or
information.
*: Shown when the service manual
has additional instructions or
information.
0: Shown when there is more
information on another page —
“see page.” 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.
u:
Air Conditioning System
G:Air Conditioning Refrigerant Oil
9:Airbag Readiness Light
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
$:Brake System Warning Light
9:Dispose of Used Components
Properly
P: Do Not Apply High Pressure
Water
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
_:Flame/Fire Prohibited
H: Flammable
[:Forward Collision Alert
R: Fuse Block Cover Lock Location
+:Fuses
j:ISOFIX/LATCH System Child
Restraints

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460273) - 2019 - CRC - 5/8/18
38 KEYS, DOORS, AND WINDOWS
.Pull the door handle once to
unlock it. Pull the door handle
again to unlatch it.
Keyless Access
The RKE transmitter must be within
1 m (3 ft) of the trunk or door being
opened. Press the button on the door
handle to open. See “Keyless Access
Operation ”in Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation 029. Driver Door Key Lock Cylinder
Access (In Case of Dead Battery)
To access the driver door key lock
cylinder:
1. Pull the door handle (1) to the open position and hold it open
until the cap removal is
complete.
2. Insert the key into the slot (3) on the bottom of the cap (2) and lift
the key upward.
3. Move the cap (2) rearward and remove.
4. Use the key in the cylinder. To replace the cap:
1. Pull the door handle (1) to the open position and hold it open
until the cap installation is
complete.
2. Insert the two tabs (6) at theback of the cap between the
seal (5) and the metal base (4).

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460273) - 2019 - CRC - 5/8/18
INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS 109
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . 110
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . 110
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . 110
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . 111
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Boost Gauge (Performance Configuration Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Engine Oil Temperature Gauge
(Performance
Configuration Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . 127
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Brake System Warning Light . . . . 131
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . 131
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light . . . 132
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . 132
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Driver Mode Control Light (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . 135 Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . 135
Auto Stop Mode (Uplevel
Cluster Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . . . . . 141
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Engine Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . 144
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . 145
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . . . . 145
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . 150
Universal Remote System Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Universal Remote System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460273) - 2019 - CRC - 5/8/18
132 INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS
If this light stays on, the vehicle
should be taken to a dealer as soon as
possible. SeeElectric Parking Brake
0 205. A message may also display in
the Driver Information Center (DIC).
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
This light comes on briefly when the
engine is started.
If the light does not come on, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn if
there is a problem.
If the light comes on while driving,
stop as soon as it is safely possible
and turn off the vehicle. Then start
the engine again to reset the system.
If the ABS light stays on, or comes on
again while driving, the vehicle needs
service. A chime may also sound when
the light comes on steady. If the ABS light is the only light on,
the vehicle has regular brakes, but the
antilock brakes are not functioning.
If both the ABS and the brake system
warning light are on, the vehicle's
antilock brakes are not functioning
and there is a problem with the
regular brakes. See your dealer for
service.
See
Brake System Warning Light 0131.
Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
Light
For some vehicles, this light comes on
briefly while starting the vehicle. If it
does not come on, have the vehicle
serviced.
For vehicles with the uplevel cluster,
this light may not come on when
starting the vehicle. This light is green if LKA is available
to assist.
LKA may assist by gently turning the
steering wheel if the vehicle
approaches a detected lane marking
without using the turn signal in that
direction. The LKA light will turn
amber.
This light is amber and flashes as a
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) alert,
to indicate that the lane marking has
been crossed.
See
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) 0240.
Vehicle Ahead Indicator
If equipped, this indicator will display
green when a vehicle is detected
ahead and amber when you are
following a vehicle ahead much too
closely.

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-
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
184 DRIVING AND OPERATING
odor. The braking force and pedal
travel may increase. After the
procedure is complete, the brake pads
may appear white at the rotor contact.
Run this procedure in a safe manner
and in compliance with all local and
state ordinances/laws regarding motor
vehicle operation. Run this procedure
only on dry pavement.
Racing/Track Brake Burnishing
Procedure
Caution
Brake pedal fade will occur during
this track burnish procedure and
can cause brake pedal travel and
force to increase. This could extend
stopping distance until the brakes
are fully burnished.
1. Apply the brakes 25 times starting at 100 km/h (60 mph) to
50 km/h (30 mph) while
decelerating at 0.4 g. This is a
medium brake application. Drive
for at least 1 km (0.6 mi) between
applying the brakes. This first step may be skipped if there are
more than 320 km (200 mi) on
the brake pads.
2. Repeatedly apply the brakes from 100 km/h (60 mph) to 25 km/h
(15 mph) while decelerating at
0.8 g. This is a hard brake
application, without activating
the Antilock Brake System (ABS).
Drive for at least 1 km (0.6 mi)
between stops. Repeat until the
brake pedal travel starts to
increase. Depending on
conditions, this should take no
longer than 25 brake
applications.
3. Cool down: Drive at 100 km/h (60 mph) for approximately
15 km (10 mi) without using the
brakes.
4. Apply the brakes 25 times from 100 km/h (60 mph) to 50 km/h
(30 mph) while decelerating at
0.4 g. This is a medium brake
application. Drive for at least
1 km (0.6 mi) between
applications. Brake Cooling
On V-Series, remove front tire
deflectors if equipped, before track
driving for optimized brake cooling.
Wheel Alignment (V-Series Only)
Wheel alignment suggested specs for
track use:
.
Front: -2.0 deg camber, 0.2 deg
total toe
. Rear: -1.7 deg camber, 0.2 deg
total toe
V-Series Vehicles Equipped with
the Original Equipment Tires
Follow the requirements and
recommendations for tire inflation
pressures while driving on various
types of tracks/courses. This helps to
achieve a well-balanced vehicle and
enhance tire traction performance.
Use good judgment to determine the
appropriate tire inflation pressure and
speeds for the track/course
configuration and environmental
conditions. Contact the tire
manufacturer if further assistance is
needed.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460273) - 2019 - CRC - 5/16/18
DRIVING AND OPERATING 187
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
. Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the vehicle
on a long downhill slope can cause
brake overheating, can reduce brake
performance, and could result in a
loss of braking. Shift the
transmission to a lower gear to let
the engine assist the brakes on a
steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or
with the ignition off is dangerous.
This can cause overheating of the
brakes and loss of steering assist.
Always have the engine running
and the vehicle in gear. .
Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line.
. Be alert on top of hills; something
could be in your lane (e.g., stalled
car, crash).
. Pay attention to special road signs
(e.g., falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and the
road creates less traction or grip, so
drive carefully. Wet ice can occur at
about 0 °C (32 °F) when freezing rain
begins to fall. Avoid driving on wet ice
or in freezing rain until roads can be
treated.
For slippery road driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick. .
Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0207.
. Antilock Brake System (ABS)
improves vehicle stability during
hard stops, but the brakes should
be applied sooner than when on
dry pavement. See Antilock Brake
System (ABS) 0205.
See Driver Mode Control 0209.
. 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
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. Stay with the vehicle
unless there is help nearby. If possible,
use Roadside Service. See Roadside
Service 0367. To get help and keep
everyone in the vehicle safe: