Tire CADILLAC STS 2007 1.G Owner's Manual

SERVICE TIRE MONITOR
If your vehicle has a Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM)
system, this message displays if a part on the
system is not working properly. If you drive your
vehicle while any of the four sensors are
missing or inoperable, the warning comes on in
about 20 minutes. A sensor would be missing, for
example, if you put different wheels on your
vehicle without transferring the sensors. If the
warning comes on and stays on, there may be a
problem with the TPM. See your dealer.
SERVICE THEFT SYSTEM
This message displays when there is a problem
with the hood open and closed switches. The
switches may need to be replaced. When
this message is displayed, the theft-deterrent
system will still be protecting the interior of
the vehicle, however, the hood area will not be
protected at this time. Also, the remote start
function will not work when this message appears.
See your dealer for service.
SERVICE TRANSMISSION
This message displays when there is a problem
with the transmission of your vehicle. Have
your vehicle serviced by your dealer.
SERVICE VEHICLE SOON
This message displays when a non-emissions
related malfunction occurs. Have your vehicle
serviced by your dealer as soon as possible.
SPEED LIMITED TO XXX
This message displays when your vehicle speed is
limited to XXX, mph in English mode and km/h
in Metric mode, because the vehicle detects
a problem in the suspension system. Have your
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
STABILITY SYS (System) ACTIVE
This message displays any time the StabiliTrak®
System is actively assisting you with directional
control of the vehicle. Slippery road conditions may
exist when this message is displayed, so adjust
your driving accordingly. This message may
stay on for a few seconds after StabiliTrak
®stops
assisting you with directional control of the
vehicle. SeeStabiliTrak
®System on page 326for
more information.
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Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade)
To adjust the balance or fade, perform the
following steps:
1. Press the tune/select knob to enter the
main menu.
2. Turn the tune/select knob until
BASS-MID-TREBLE displays.
3. Press the tune/select knob to enter the tone
settings.
4. Press the tune/select knob to scroll to
BALANCE or FADER.
5. Turn the tune/select knob to adjust the
BALANCE to the right or the left speakers and
the FADER to the front or the rear speakers.
6. Press the tune/select knob to set the
adjustment.
7. Press the BACK (F6) button to exit the
display. To return to the original display,
repeatedly press the BACK (F6) button or wait
for the display to time out.
EQ0 does not appear on the display while in
this mode.
RDS Messages
ALERT:Alert warns of local and national
emergencies. When, an alert announcement comes
on the current radio station or a related network
station, ALERT displays. You will hear the
announcement, even if the volume is low or a CD is
playing. If a CD is playing, play stops during the
announcement. Alert announcements cannot be
turned off. If the radio tunes to a related network
station for the announcement, it returns to the
original station when the announcement is nished.
ALERT is not affected by tests of the emergency
broadcast system. This feature is not supported by
all RDS stations.
MSG (Message):If the current RDS station has a
message, MSG displays. The message can
display the artist, song title, call in phone numbers,
etc. If the entire message does not display,
parts of the message displays every three seconds
until the message is complete. Once the
completed message has displayed, MSG
disappears from the display until another new
message is received.
288

BSET DATE:Use this menu item to set
the date.
SeeSetting the Time on page 281for more
information.
4(Information):This menu item is used to
display XM™ satellite radio service and CD MP3
playback information. See “
4(Information)”
underRadio with CD on page 282for more
information.
LANG (Language):To change the language
displayed on the radio, select LANGUAGE
by pressing the tune/select knob. Turn the
tune/select knob to scroll through the following
available languages:
ENGLISH
GERMAN
FRENCH
SPANISH
JAPANESE
To make your selection, press the tune/select
knob. If you accidentally select a language that you
did not want, ENGLISH is always at the top of
the language list.SETUP:When you select this menu item, the
following submenu is available:
PERSONAL SETTINGS MENU
DRIVER SELECTION
DRIVER EXIT SETTINGS
CONFIGURE DISPLAY KEYS
SETUP Submenu Items
The following choices are available for
programming using the Base audio system.
PERSONAL SETTINGS MENU
This item turns the entire list of personalization
features on or off. This item allows you to program
certain features to a preferred setting for up to
two people. The number of available features
varies depending upon which options are
purchased. While this item is on, a check mark
appears after it. For more information on the
PERSONAL SETTINGS MENU item, seeVehicle
Personalization on page 148.
308

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go
where you want it to go. They are the brakes, the
steering, and the accelerator. All three systems
have to do their work at the places where the tires
meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or
ice, it is easy to ask more of those control systems
than the tires and road can provide. That means
you can lose control of your vehicle. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 323and
StabiliTrak
®System on page 326.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 363.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 248.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake
pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to
bring up your foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds
or more with another. Age, physical condition,
alertness, coordination, and eyesight all play a part.
So do alcohol, drugs, and frustration. But even in
three-fourths of a second, a vehicle moving at
60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That
could be a lot of distance in an emergency, so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and
others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary
greatly with the surface of the road, whether it is
pavement or gravel; the condition of the road,
whether it is wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the
condition of the brakes; the weight of the vehicle;
and the amount of brake force applied.
320

Let us say the road is wet and you are driving
safely. Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of
you. You slam on the brakes and continue braking.
Here is what happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down.
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the brakes at
each wheel.ABS can change the brake pressure faster than
any driver could. The computer is programmed
to make the most of available tire and road
conditions. This can help you steer around the
obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, the computer keeps receiving
updates on wheel speed and controls braking
pressure accordingly.
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Panic Brake Assist
Your vehicle has a panic brake assist system that
monitors the intention of the driver while braking. If
the system senses that the driver has applied
hard/fast pressure to the brake pedal, the system
will generate additional pressure, making it easier
for the driver to maintain brake application. When
this happens the brake pedal will feel easier to
push. Just hold the brake pedal down rmly and let
the system work for you. You may feel the brakes
vibrate, or you may notice some noise but this is
normal. The brakes will return to normal operation
after the brake pedal has been released.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System
If your vehicle is equipped with this feature, engine
power is sent to all four wheels all the time.
This is like four-wheel drive, but it is fully
automatic.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the
engine stops or the system is not functioning, you
can steer but it will take much more effort.
Speed Variable Assist Steering
Your vehicle has a steering system that
continuously adjusts the effort you feel when
steering at all vehicle speeds. It provides ease
when parking, yet a rm, solid feel at highway
speeds.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned
on the news happen on curves. Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is
subject to the same laws of physics when driving on
curves. The traction of the tires against the road
surface makes it possible for the vehicle to change
its path when you turn the front wheels. If there is
no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in the
same direction. If you have ever tried to steer a
vehicle on wet ice, you will understand this.
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The traction you can get in a curve depends on
the condition of your tires and the road surface, the
angle at which the curve is banked, and your
speed. While you are in a curve, speed is the
one factor you can control.
Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control
systems — steering and acceleration — have to
do their work where the tires meet the road.
Adding the sudden acceleration can demand too
much of those places. You can lose control.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 323
andStabiliTrak
®System on page 326.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up
on the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the
way you want it to go, and slow down.
Since your vehicle is equipped with StabiliTrak
®,
the system may be active. SeeDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 264andStabiliTrak
®System
on page 326.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you
should adjust your speed. Of course, the posted
speeds are based on good weather and road
conditions. Under less favorable conditions you will
want to go slower.If you need to reduce your speed as you approach
a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while
your front wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive”
through the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady
speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out of
the curve, and then accelerate gently into
the straightaway.
To help you steer in the direction you want to go,
during certain sharp or sudden cornering
maneuvers, gear selection is controlled. This will
maximize the available drive wheel torque and
minimize the transmission response time and shift
activity. During this kind of maneuver, the
transmission shifts automatically as vehicle
speed changes.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 363.
328

Off-Road Recovery
You may nd that your vehicle’s right wheels have
dropped off the edge of a road onto the shoulder
while you are driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off
the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer so that your vehicle straddles the edge
of the pavement. You can turn the steering wheel
up to one-quarter turn until the right front tire
contacts the pavement edge. Then turn your
steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then
goes back into the right lane again. A simple
maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a
two-lane highway is a potentially dangerous move,
since the passing vehicle occupies the same
lane as oncoming traffic for several seconds.
A miscalculation, an error in judgment, or a brief
surrender to frustration or anger can suddenly
put the passing driver face to face with the worst
of all traffic accidents — the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
Drive ahead. Look down the road, to the
sides, and to crossroads for situations
that might affect your passing patterns. If you
have any doubt whatsoever about making
a successful pass, wait for a better time.
330

Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not have enough
friction where the tires meet the road to do what the
driver has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to
steer and constantly seek an escape route or
area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking
reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and
by not overdriving those conditions. But skids
are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your
vehicle’s three control systems. In the braking skid,
your wheels are not rolling. In the steering or
cornering skid, too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and lose cornering force.
And in the acceleration skid, too much throttle
causes the driving wheels to spin.A cornering skid is best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal.
Remember: Any traction control system helps
avoid only the acceleration skid. If your traction
control system is off, then an acceleration
skid is also best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off
the accelerator pedal and quickly steer the
way you want the vehicle to go. If you start
steering quickly enough, your vehicle may
straighten out. Always be ready for a second skid
if it occurs.
With StabiliTrak
®, you may see the STABILITY
SYS ACTIVE message on the Driver Information
Center. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on
page 264.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow,
ice, gravel, or other material is on the road.
For safety, you will want to slow down and adjust
your driving to these conditions. It is important
to slow down on slippery surfaces because
stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control
more limited.
332

While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best 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. You may not realize the
surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding.
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.
Remember: Any Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
helps avoid only the braking skid.
Competitive Driving
See your warranty book before using your vehicle
for competitive driving.
Notice:If you use your vehicle for competitive
driving, the engine may use more oil than it
would with normal use. Low oil levels can
damage the engine. Be sure to check the oil
level often during competitive driving and keep
the level at or near the upper mark that
shows the proper operating range on the
engine oil dipstick. For information on how to
add oil, seeEngine Oil on page 380.
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.
Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
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 vehicle’s 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.
333