headlamp CADILLAC STS 2005 1.G Owner's Manual

Twilight Sentinel®
Twilight Sentinel®can turn your lamps on and off for you.
A light sensor on top of the instrument panel makes the
Twilight Sentinel
®work, so be sure it is not covered.
With Twilight Sentinel
®you will see the following
happen:
When it is dark enough outside, the front turn signal
lamps (DRL) will go off, and the headlamps and
parking lamps will come on. The other lamps
that come on with headlamps will also come on.
When it is bright enough outside, the headlamps
will go off, and the front turn signal lamps (DRL)
will come on, as long as the exterior lamp switch is
in the off position.
If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once
you leave the garage, it will take approximately
one minute for the automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL if it is light outside. During that delay,
your instrument panel cluster may not be as bright
as usual. Make sure your instrument panel brightness
control is in full bright position. SeeInstrument Panel
Brightness on page 3-41for more information.
You can idle the vehicle with the lamps off, even when
it is dark outside. First set the parking brake while
the ignition is in OFF/ACC. Then start the vehicle. The
lamps will stay off until you release the parking
brake.
Twilight Sentinel
®also provides exterior illumination as
you leave the vehicle. If Twilight Sentinel®has turned
on the lamps when you turn off the ignition, your lamps
will remain on until:
The exterior lamp switch is moved from off to the
parking lamp position, or
a delay time that you select has elapsed.
3-40

SeeVehicle Personalization on page 2-47to select the
delay time that you want. You can also select no
delay time.
If you turn off the ignition with the exterior lamp switch
in the parking lamp or headlamp position, the Twilight
Sentinel
®delay will not occur. The lamps will turn off as
soon as the switch is turned off.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver
If the parking lamps or headlamps have been left on,
the exterior lamps will turn off about 10 minutes after the
ignition is turned off. This protects against draining
the battery in case you have accidentally left the
headlamps or parking lamps on. The battery saver does
not work if the headlamps are turned on after the
ignition is turned off.
If you need to leave the lamps on for more than
10 minutes, use the exterior lamp control to turn the
lamps back on.
Instrument Panel Brightness
This feature controls
the brightness of the
instrument panel lights.
Press in the center knob on the DIC control panel until
the knob pops out. Then turn the knob clockwise to
brighten the lights or counterclockwise to dim them.
If you turn the knob completely clockwise, the interior
lamps will turn on.Base Level Shown,
Uplevel Similar
3-41

Entry Lighting
The entry lighting system turns on the reading and
dome lamps and the backlighting to the exterior lamp
control when a door is opened or if you press the remote
keyless entry transmitter unlock button. If activated by
the transmitter, the lighting will remain active for
about 25 seconds. The entry lighting system uses the
light sensor; it must be dark outside in order for the
lamps to turn on. The lamps turn off about 25 seconds
after the last door is closed. They will dim to off if
the ignition is on, or immediately deactivate if the power
locks are activated.
Parade Dimming
This feature prohibits dimming of the instrument panel
displays and backlighting during daylight hours when the
key is in the ignition and the headlamps are on. This
feature operates with the light sensor and is fully
automatic. When the light sensor reads darkness outside
and the parking lamps are active, the instrument
panel displays can be adjusted by turning the instrument
panel brightness knob. SeeInstrument Panel Brightness
on page 3-41for additional information.
Reading Lamps
The reading lamps are located on the overhead console.
These lamps come on automatically when any door is
opened.
For manual operation, press the button next to each
lamp to turn it on. Press it again to turn the lamp off.
If the reading lamps are left on, they automatically shut
off 10 minutes after the ignition has been turned off.
Battery Load Management
The battery load management feature is designed to
monitor the vehicle’s electrical load and determine when
the battery is in a heavy discharge condition. During
times of high electrical loading, the engine may idle at
a higher revolutions per minute (rpm) setting than normal
to make sure the battery charges. High electrical
loads may occur when several of the following are on:
headlamps, high beams, fog lamps, rear window
defogger, the climate control fan at high speeds, heated
seats and engine cooling fans.
3-42

This light tells you if there
could be a problem with
your engine oil pressure.
This light will come on briey when you start your
engine. That is a check to be sure the light works.
If it does not come on, be sure to have it xed so it
will be there to warn you if something goes wrong.
When the light comes on and stays on, it means that
oil is not owing through your engine properly. You could
be low on oil and you might have some other system
problem.
Security Light
For information
regarding this light,
seeTheft-Deterrent
System on page 2-19.
Fog Lamp Light
The fog lamps light will
come on when the fog
lamps are in use.
The light will go out when the fog lamps are turned off.
SeeFog Lamps on page 3-39for more information.
Lights On Reminder
This light comes on
whenever the parking
lamps are on.
SeeHeadlamps on Reminder on page 3-37for more
information.
3-71

Cruise Control Light
This light comes on
whenever you set your
cruise control.
The light will go out when the cruise control is turned
off. SeeCruise Control on page 3-16andAdaptive
Cruise Control on page 3-20for more information.
Highbeam On Light
This light comes on
whenever the high-beam
headlamps are on.
See “Smart Beam Intelligent High-Beam Headlamp
Control System” underHeadlamps on page 3-33and
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer on page 3-9
for more information.
Fuel Gage
The fuel gage shows
approximately how much
fuel is in the tank. It
works only when the
engine is on.
If the fuel supply gets low, the Fuel Level Low message
will appear on the DIC and a single chime will sound.
Here are a few concerns some owners have had about
the fuel gage. All of these situations are normal and
do not indicate that anything is wrong with the fuel gage:
At the gas station the gas pump shuts off before
the gage reads full.
The gage may change when you turn, stop quickly
or accelerate quickly.
It takes a little more or less fuel to ll the tank than
the gage indicated. For example, the gage may
have indicated that the tank was half full, but
it actually took a little more or less than half the
tank’s capacity to ll the tank.
3-72

AUTOMATIC LIGHTS OFF
This message will display when the automatic
headlamps are turned off. SeeHeadlamps on page 3-33
for more information.
AUTOMATIC LIGHTS ON
This message will display when the automatic
headlamps are turned on. SeeHeadlamps on page 3-33
for more information.
BATTERY NOT CHARGING SERVICE
CHARGING SYS (System)
This symbol appears with
the BATTERY NOT
CHARGING SERVICE
CHARGING SYS
message.
This message will display when a problem with the
charging system has been detected. Have your vehicle
serviced by your GM dealer.
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message will display when the system detects that
the battery voltage is dropping beyond a reasonable
level. The battery saver system will start reducing certain
features of the vehicle that you may not be able to
notice. At the point that the features are disabled, this
message is displayed. It means that the vehicle is trying
to save the charge in the battery.
Turn off all unnecessary accessories to allow the battery
to recharge.
The normal battery voltage range is 11.5 to 15.5 volts.
You can monitor battery voltage on the DIC by pressing
the information button until you nd BATTERY VOLTS.
BATTERY VOLTAGE HIGH
This symbol appears with
the BATTERY VOLTAGE
HIGH message.
This message will display when the electrical charging
system is overcharging the battery. When the system
detects that the battery voltage is above approximately
16 volts, this message will be displayed.
3-79

Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to be
impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Since you cannot see as well, you may need to
slow down and keep more space between you
and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But as we get older these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your
night vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your
eyes will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you
are driving, do not wear sunglasses at night. They
may cut down on glare from headlamps, but they also
make a lot of things invisible.
4-16

You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even
several seconds, for your eyes to re-adjust to the dark.
When you are faced with severe glare, as from a
driver who does not lower the high beams, or a vehicle
with misaimed headlamps, slow down a little. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean — inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a lm caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and ash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep
your eyes moving; that way, it is easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from
night blindness — the inability to see in dim light — and
are not even aware of it.Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a
wet road, you cannot stop, accelerate, or turn as well
because your tire-to-road traction is not as good as
on dry roads. And, if your tires do not have much tread
left, you will get even less traction. It is always wise
to go slower and be cautious if rain starts to fall while
you are driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when
your reexes are tuned for driving on dry pavement.
4-17

Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with
your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost all
the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again and
repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable from
the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the fuel
as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get out
of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you do not want to
spin your wheels too fast. The method known as rocking
can help you get out when you are stuck, but you
must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they
can explode, and you or others could be
injured. And, the transmission or other parts of
the vehicle can overheat. That could cause an
engine compartment re or other damage.
When you are stuck, spin the wheels as little
as possible. Do not spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the
speedometer.
Notice:Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of
your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the
wheels too fast while shifting your transmission
back and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
For more information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 5-73.
4-29

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...........................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling the Tank..............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-15
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-18
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-20
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-21
Engine Coolant.............................................5-22
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-24
Engine Overheating.......................................5-24
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode........................................5-26
Cooling System............................................5-27Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-31
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-32
Brakes........................................................5-34
Battery........................................................5-37
Jump Starting...............................................5-38
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-42
Rear Axle.......................................................5-44
Front Axle......................................................5-45
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-46
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-48
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting............5-48
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-49
Front Turn Signal Lamps...............................5-49
Sidemarker Lamps........................................5-50
Back-Up Lamps............................................5-50
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-51
Windshield Replacement.................................5-51
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-51
Tires..............................................................5-53
Tire Sidewall Labelling...................................5-54
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-58
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-60
Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................5-62
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1