traction control CADILLAC CTS 2013 2.G Owner's Manual

Black plate (38,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
9-38 Driving and Operating
vehicle, to turn TCS back on and
turn the TCS/StabiliTrak warning
light off.
Notice:When traction control is
turned off, or Competitive Driving
Mode is active, it is possible to
lose traction. If you attempt to
shift with the drive wheels
spinning with a loss of traction, it
is possible to cause damage to
the transmission. Do not attempt
to shift when the drive wheels do
not have traction. Damage caused
by misuse of the vehicle is not
covered. See the warranty book
for additional information.
Magnetic Ride Control
With this feature on the CTS-V, the
Magnetic Ride Control system
adjusts the ride of the vehicle to
Tour or Sport modes. Magnetic Ride
Control monitors the suspension
system to determine the proper
system response. TOUR:
Use for normal city and
highway driving. This setting
provides a smooth, soft ride.
SPORT: Use where road conditions
or personal preference demand
more control. This setting provides
more “feel,” or response to road
conditions.
The setting can be changed at any
time. Based on road conditions,
steering wheel angle, and the
vehicle speed, the system
automatically adjusts to provide the
best handling while providing a
smooth ride. The Tour and Sport
modes will feel similar on a smooth
road. Select a new setting whenever
driving conditions change.
The Driver Information Center (DIC)
briefly displays SUSPENSION
MODE TOUR or SUSPENSION
MODE SPORT on vehicle startup or
when a new mode is selected.
Press and release this button in the
center of the instrument panel, to
change modes.
Limited-Slip Rear Axle
Vehicles with a limited-slip rear axle
can give more traction on snow,
mud, ice, sand, or gravel. When
traction is low, this feature allows
the drive wheel with the most
traction to move the vehicle. The
limited-slip rear axle also gives the
driver enhanced control when
cornering hard or completing a
maneuver, such as a lane change.

Black plate (39,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Driving and Operating 9-39
Cruise Control
{WARNING
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. So, do not use
the cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
With cruise control, a speed of
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more can
be maintained without keeping your
foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below about 40 km/h (25 mph).
When the brakes are applied, the
cruise control turns off. If the vehicle has the Stabilitrak
®
system and begins to limit wheel
spin while you are using cruise
control, the cruise control will
automatically disengage. See
StabiliTrak
®System on page 9‑36.
When road conditions allow you to
safely use it again, the cruise
control can be turned back on.
CTS Shown, CTS-V Similar
I(On/Off): Turns the system on
or off. The indicator light on the
button turns on when cruise control
is on. +RES (Resume/Accelerate):
Press briefly to make the vehicle
resume to a previously set speed,
or press and hold to accelerate.
−SET (Set/Coast):
Press to set the
speed and activate cruise control or
make the vehicle decelerate.
[(Cancel): Press to disengage
cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If the cruise button is on when not in
use, it could get bumped and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep the
cruise control switch off when cruise
is not being used.
The cruise control light on the
instrument cluster comes on after
the cruise control has been set to
the desired speed.
1. Press the
Ibutton.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press the −SET button and
release it.

Black plate (3,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Vehicle Care 10-3
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California tocause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems,
many fluids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, safety belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non‐dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride andhandling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non‐GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is
not covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3‑31.

Black plate (75,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Vehicle Care 10-75
equipped, be replaced after six
years, regardless of tread wear. The
tire manufacturer date is the last
four digits of the DOT Tire
Identification Number (TIN) which is
molded into one side of the tire
sidewall. The first two digits
represent the week (01–52) and the
last two digits, the year. For
example, the third week of the year
2010 would have a four-digit DOT
date of 0310.
Vehicle Storage
Tires age when stored normally
mounted on a parked vehicle. Park
a vehicle that will be stored for at
least a month in a cool, dry, clean
area away from direct sunlight to
slow aging. This area should be free
of grease, gasoline, or other
substances that can deteriorate
rubber.
Parking for an extended period can
cause flat spots on the tires that
may result in vibrations while
driving. When storing a vehicle forat least a month, remove the tires or
raise the vehicle to reduce the
weight from the tires.
Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched
specific tires for the vehicle. The
original equipment tires installed
were designed to meet General
Motors Tire Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec)
system rating. When
replacement tires are needed,
GM strongly recommends
buying tires with the same TPC
Spec rating.
GM's exclusive TPC Spec
system considers over a dozen
critical specifications that impact
the overall performance of the
vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire
pressure monitoring
performance. GM's TPC Spec
number is molded onto the tire's
sidewall near the tire size. If the
tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC Spec number
will be followed by MS for mud
and snow. See
Tire Sidewall
Labeling on page 10‑61, for
additional information.
GM recommends replacing worn
tires in complete sets of four.
Uniform tread depth on all tires
will help to maintain the
performance of the vehicle.
Braking and handling
performance may be adversely
affected if all the tires are not
replaced at the same time.
If proper rotation and
maintenance have been done,
all four tires should wear out at
about the same time. See Tire
Rotation on page 10‑72 for
information on proper tire
rotation. However, if it is

Black plate (77,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
Vehicle Care 10-77
Different Size Tires and
Wheels
If wheels or tires are installed that
are a different size than the original
equipment wheels and tires, vehicle
performance, including its braking,
ride and handling characteristics,
stability, and resistance to rollover
may be affected. If the vehicle has
electronic systems such as antilock
brakes, rollover airbags, traction
control, electronic stability control,
or All-Wheel Drive, the performance
of these systems can also be
affected.
{WARNING
If different sized wheels are used,
there may not be an acceptable
level of performance and safety if
tires not recommended for those
wheels are selected. This
increases the chance of a crash
and serious injury. Only use GM(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
specific wheel and tire systems
developed for the vehicle, and
have them properly installed by a
GM certified technician.
See Buying New Tires on
page 10‑75 andAccessories and
Modifications on page 10‑3.
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which grades tires by
treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This
applies only to vehicles sold in
the United States. The grades
are molded on the sidewalls of
most passenger car tires. The
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
(UTQG) system does not apply
to deep tread, winter tires,
compact spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production
tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.

Black plate (78,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
10-78 Vehicle Care
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test
course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and
one-half (1½) times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and
differences in road
characteristics and climate.Traction
–AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on
specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Temperature –A, B, C
The temperature grades are A
(the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure. The grade
C corresponds to a level of
performance which all
passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and
A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum
required by law. Warning: The
temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.

Black plate (80,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
10-80 Vehicle Care
Tire Chains
{WARNING
Do not use tire chains. There is
not enough clearance. Tire chains
used on a vehicle without the
proper amount of clearance can
cause damage to the brakes,
suspension, or other vehicle
parts. The area damaged by the
tire chains could cause loss of
control and a crash. Use another
type of traction device only if its
manufacturer recommends it for
the vehicle's tire size combination
and road conditions. Follow that
manufacturer's instructions. To
avoid vehicle damage, drive
slowly and readjust or remove the
traction device if it contacts the
vehicle. Do not spin the wheels.
If traction devices are used, install
them on the rear tires.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blow out
while driving, especially if the tires
are maintained properly. SeeTires
on page 10‑58. If air goes out of a
tire, it is much more likely to leak
out slowly. But if there is ever a
blowout, here are a few tips about
what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire
creates a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot off
the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel firmly. Steer to
maintain lane position, and then
gently brake to a stop, well off the
road, if possible.
A rear blowout, particularly on a
curve, acts much like a skid and
may require the same correction as
used in a skid. Stop pressing the
accelerator pedal and steer to
straighten the vehicle. It may be
very bumpy and noisy. Gently brake
to a stop, well off the road,
if possible.{WARNING
Driving on a flat tire will cause
permanent damage to the tire.
Re-inflating a tire after it has been
driven on while severely
underinflated or flat may cause a
blowout and a serious crash.
Never attempt to re-inflate a tire
that has been driven on while
severely underinflated or flat.
Have your dealer or an authorized
tire service center repair or
replace the flat tire as soon as
possible.
{WARNING
Lifting a vehicle and getting under
it to do maintenance or repairs is
dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment and
training. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, it is designed only for
(Continued)

Black plate (7,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
INDEX i-7
LATCH SystemReplacing Parts after a
Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-47
LATCH, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Liftgate Carbon Monoxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Lighting Adaptive Forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Parade Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Lights
Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Antilock Brake System(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 5-22
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning . . . . . . . 5-24
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2 Lights (cont'd)
Front Fog Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 5-17
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
StabiliTrak
®OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®. . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Up-Shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Locks Automatic Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Central Door Unlocking
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12, 2-13
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41 Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
M
Magnetic Ride Control . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Maintenance
Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-17
Maintenance Schedule Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-13
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . 5-19
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . . 9-29 Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Messages Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-42
Battery Voltage and
Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Brake System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Engine Cooling System . . . . . . . 5-34
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Engine Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36

Black plate (12,1)Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/22/12
i-12 INDEX
Tires (cont'd)Uniform Tire Quality
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-79
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-79
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Towing Driving Characteristics . . . . . . . . 9-51
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Recreational Vehicle . . . . . . . 10-103
Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54, 9-55
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-103
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . 9-35
Control System (TCS)/
StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . . 9-38
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54, 9-55 Transmission
Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Fluid, Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Fluid, Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-44
Transportation Program, Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
U
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . . . 9-41
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
Universal Remote System . . . . . 5-53 Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-56
Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-53
Up-Shift Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Using This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
V
Vehicle Alarm System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22
Canadian Owners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
IdentificationNumber (VIN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-45
Remote Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22
Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-45
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-103
Vehicle Care Storing the Tire
Sealant and
Compressor Kit . . . . 10-89, 10-90
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-66
Ventilation, Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-30