towing CADILLAC STS 2007 1.G Owners Manual

Seats and Restraint Systems
....................... 7
Front Seats
.............................................. 9
Rear Seats
............................................. 14
Safety Belts
............................................ 15
Child Restraints
...................................... 38
Airbag System
........................................ 64
Restraint System Check
......................... 80
Features and Controls
................................ 83
Keys
....................................................... 85
Doors and Locks
.................................... 98
Windows
............................................... 104
Theft-Deterrent Systems
....................... 107
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
..... 111
Mirrors
.................................................. 127
OnStar
®System
................................... 132
Universal Home Remote System
.......... 135
Storage Areas
...................................... 146
Sunroof
................................................ 147
Vehicle Personalization
......................... 148Instrument Panel
....................................... 175
Instrument Panel Overview
................... 178
Climate Controls
................................... 230
Warning Lights, Gages, and
Indicators
.......................................... 241
Driver Information Center (DIC)
............ 258
Audio System(s)
................................... 280
Driving Your Vehicle
................................. 315
Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle
..................................... 316
Towing
................................................. 355
Service and Appearance Care
.................. 359
Service
................................................. 362
Fuel
...................................................... 365
Checking Things Under the Hood
......... 372
All-Wheel Drive
..................................... 414
Rear Axle
............................................. 416
Front Axle
............................................ 417
Bulb Replacement
................................ 417
2007 Cadillac STS/STS-V Owner ManualM
1

Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will perform better in
the long run if you follow these guidelines:
Do not drive at any one constant speed,
fast or slow, for the rst 500 miles
(805 km). Do not make full-throttle starts.
Avoid downshifting to brake, or slow,
the vehicle.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with new linings can
mean premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this breaking-in
guideline every time you get new brake
linings.
Do not tow a trailer during break-in. See
Towing a Trailer on page 357for the
trailer towing capabilities of your vehicle
and more information.
Following break-in, engine speed and load can
be gradually increased.
Ignition Positions
Your vehicle has an
electronic keyless
ignition with
pushbutton start.
/(START):Press this button while your foot is
on the brake to start the engine. The shifter
must be in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) to start the
engine and the keyless access transmitter must
be in the vehicle for the ignition to work.
111

{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake rmly set. Your
vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not
move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, always set your parking brake
and move the shift lever to PARK (P). See
Shifting Into Park (P) on page 122.Ifyou
are pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer
on page 357.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P)
before starting the engine. Your vehicle has an
automatic transmission shift lock control system.You must fully apply your regular brakes rst and
then press the shift lever button before you
can shift from PARK (P) when the vehicle is
running. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease
pressure on the shift lever and push the shift
lever all the way into PARK (P) as you maintain
brake application. Then press the shift lever button
and move the shift lever into another gear. See
Shifting Out of Park (P) on page 124.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving forward could damage
the transmission. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
At low vehicle speeds, you can also use
REVERSE (R) to rock your vehicle back and forth
to get out of snow, ice, or sand without damaging
your transmission. SeeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck
in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 348for
additional information.
117

Parking Brake
The parking brake
pedal is located on the
lower portion of the
instrument panel to
the left of the steering
wheel.
This vehicle has a push-to-release parking brake
pedal. To set the parking brake, hold the
regular brake pedal down with your right foot and
push the parking brake pedal down with your
left foot.
If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
on the instrument panel cluster should come
on. If it does not, you need to have your vehicle
serviced. SeeBrake System Warning Light
on page 248for more information.To release the parking brake, hold the brake pedal
down with your right foot and push the parking
brake pedal with your left foot. When you lift your
left foot, the parking brake releases.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause
premature wear or damage to brake system
parts. Verify that the parking brake is fully
released and the brake warning light is
off before driving.
A warning chime will sound if the parking brake
is set, the ignition is on and the vehicle begins
to move. To stop the chime, fully release the
parking brake.
If you are towing a trailer and parking on a hill,
seeTowing a Trailer on page 357for more
information.
121

Shifting Into Park (P)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly
set. Your vehicle can roll. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on fairly level ground,
use the steps that follow. If you are
pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 357.To shift into PARK (P), use the following steps:
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by
pressing the button on the front of the
shift lever while pushing the lever all the way
toward the front of the vehicle. Release
the button.
3. With your right foot still holding the brake
pedal down, set the parking brake with
your left foot. SeeParking Brake on page 121
for more information.
4. Turn the ignition off.
122

Running the Engine While Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running. But if
you ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust
into your vehicle. See the earlier caution
underEngine Exhaust on page 125.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let
deadly carbon monoxide (CO) into your
vehicle even if the climate control fan is at
the highest setting. One place this can
happen is a garage. Exhaust — with
CO — can come in easily. NEVER park in
a garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
SeeWinter Driving on page 344.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly
set. Your vehicle can roll. Do not leave
your vehicle when the engine is running
unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on fairly level ground,
always set your parking brake after you
move the shift lever to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle
will not move. SeeShifting Into Park (P) on
page 122.
If you are parking on a hill and if you are pulling a
trailer, also seeTowing a Trailer on page 357.
126

Other Vehicle Lane Changes
If another vehicle enters the same lane as you,
Adaptive Cruise Control will not detect the vehicle
until it is completely in the lane. Be ready to
take action and apply the brakes yourself.
Using Adaptive Cruise Controls on Hills
and When Towing a Trailer
How well Adaptive Cruise Control will work on hills
and when towing a trailer depends on your
speed, vehicle load, traffic conditions and thesteepness of the hills. It may not detect a vehicle
in your lane while driving on hills. When going
up steep hills, you may want to use the accelerator
pedal to maintain your speed. When going
downhill when towing a trailer, you may want to
brake to keep your speed down. Applying the
brake disengages the system. You may choose
not to use Adaptive Cruise Control on steep
hills when towing a trailer.
Disengaging Adaptive Cruise Control
To disengage the system, apply the brake pedal
or move the Adaptive Cruise Control switch to
off. Adaptive Cruise Control information will
not appear on the HUD when the system is not
engaged.
Erasing Set Speed Memory
When you turn the Adaptive Cruise Control switch
or the ignition off, the set speed memory is erased.
210

Brake System Warning Light
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided
into two parts. If one part isn’t working, the
other part can still work and stop you. For good
braking, though, you need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there is a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected
right away.
This light should come on briey when you turn
the engine on. If it does not come on then, have it
xed so it will be ready to warn you if there is a
problem.When the ignition is on, the brake system warning
light will also come on when you set your
parking brake. The light will stay on if your parking
brake does not release fully. If it stays on after
your parking brake is fully released, it means you
have a brake problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off
the road and stop carefully. You may notice
that the pedal is harder to push, or the pedal may
go closer to the oor. It may take longer to
stop. If the light is still on, have the vehicle towed
for service. SeeTowing Your Vehicle on
page 355.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light
is on. Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to an accident.
If the light is still on after you have pulled
off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
United StatesCanada
248

Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle............................................ 316
Defensive Driving...................................... 316
Drunken Driving........................................ 317
Control of a Vehicle.................................. 320
Braking...................................................... 320
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).................. 321
Braking in Emergencies............................. 323
Traction Control System (TCS).................. 323
Competitive Driving Mode (STS-V)............ 325
Magnetic Ride Control............................... 325
Limited-Slip Rear Axle............................... 325
StabiliTrak
®System................................... 326
Panic Brake Assist.................................... 327
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System.................. 327
Steering.................................................... 327
Off-Road Recovery.................................... 330
Passing..................................................... 330
Loss of Control.......................................... 332Competitive Driving................................... 333
Driving at Night......................................... 333
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads............ 335
City Driving............................................... 338
Freeway Driving........................................ 339
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.................. 340
Highway Hypnosis..................................... 341
Hill and Mountain Roads........................... 342
Winter Driving........................................... 344
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow ................................. 348
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out........... 349
Loading Your Vehicle................................ 349
Towing........................................................ 355
Towing Your Vehicle ................................. 355
Recreational Vehicle Towing...................... 355
Towing a Trailer........................................ 357
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
315

Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left and right.
That will clear the area around the front wheels.
You should turn the traction control system
off. SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on
page 323. Then shift back and forth between
REVERSE (R) and a forward gear, spinning the
wheels as little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly
on the accelerator pedal when the transmission
is in gear. By slowly spinning the wheels in
the forward and reverse directions, you will cause
a rocking motion that may free your vehicle. If
that does not get your vehicle out after a few tries,
it may need to be towed out. If your vehicle
does need to be towed out, seeTowing Your
Vehicle on page 355.
Loading Your Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight your
vehicle can carry. This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all nonfactory-installed
options. Two labels on your vehicle show how much
weight it may properly carry, the Tire and Loading
Information label, and the Certication label.
{CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do,
parts on your vehicle can break, and it
can change the way your vehicle handles.
These could cause you to lose control
and crash. Also, overloading can shorten
the life of your vehicle.
349