brake CADILLAC XTS 2013 1.G Repair Manual

Black plate (63,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
Driving and Operating 9-63
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system and
brake system. Inspect these before
and during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. SeeEngine Overheating
on page 10‑14.
Trailer Towing
Before pulling a trailer, there are
three important considerations that
have to do with weight:
.The weight of the trailer.
.The weight of the trailer tongue.
.The total weight on your
vehicle's tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than
454 kg (1,000 lbs). But even that
can be too heavy.
It depends on how the rig is used.
For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature, and
how much the vehicle is used to pull
a trailer are all important. It can
depend on any special equipment
on the vehicle, and the amount of
tongue weight the vehicle can carry.
See “Weight of the Trailer Tongue”
later in this section.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated
assuming only the driver is in the
tow vehicle and it has all the
required trailering equipment. The
weight of additional optional
equipment, passengers, and cargo
in the tow vehicle must be
subtracted from the maximum trailer
weight. Ask your dealer for trailering
information or advice, or write us at
our Customer Assistance Offices.
See
Customer Assistance Offices
on page 13‑3.
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (1) of any trailer is
an important weight to measure
because it affects the total gross
weight of the vehicle. The Gross
Vehicle Weight (GVW) includes the
curb weight of the vehicle, any
cargo carried in it, and the people
who will be riding in the vehicle.
If there are a lot of options,
equipment, passengers, or cargo in
the vehicle, it will reduce the tongue
weight the vehicle can carry, which
will also reduce the trailer weight the
vehicle can tow. If towing a trailer,
the tongue load must be added to
the GVW because the vehicle will
be carrying that weight, too. See
Vehicle Load Limits on page 9‑10.

Black plate (64,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
9-64 Driving and Operating
The trailer tongue (1) should weigh
10 to 15 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight (2).
After loading the trailer, weigh the
trailer and then the tongue,
separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they are not, adjustments
might be made by moving some
items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle's
Tires
Be sure the vehicle's tires are
inflated to the upper limit for cold
tires. These numbers can be foundon the Tire and Loading Information
label. See
Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑10. Make sure not to go over
the GVW limit for the vehicle,
including the weight of the trailer
tongue.
Towing Equipment
Hitches
Use the correct hitch equipment.
See your dealer or a hitch dealer for
assistance.
.The rear bumper on the vehicle
is not intended for hitches. Do
not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to it. Use
only a frame-mounted hitch that
does not attach to the bumper.
.Will any holes be made in the
body of the vehicle when the
trailer hitch is installed? If so,
seal the holes when the hitch is
removed. If the holes are not
sealed, dirt, water, and deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) from the exhaust can get into the vehicle.
See
Engine Exhaust on
page 9‑21.
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer. Cross the
safety chains under the tongue of
the trailer to help prevent the tongue
from contacting the road if it
becomes separated from the hitch.
Leave enough slack so the rig can
turn. Never allow safety chains to
drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Does the trailer have its own
brakes? Be sure to read and follow
the instructions for the trailer brakes
so they are installed, adjusted, and
maintained properly.
Because the vehicle has antilock
brakes, do not tap into the vehicle's
brake system. If this is done, both
brake systems will not work well,
or at all.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 10-9
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-10
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-14 Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-16
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-20
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-21
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Windshield Replacement . . . 10-22
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23 Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-24
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Electrical System
Electrical System
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-36
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43

Black plate (3,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
Vehicle Care 10-3
cause 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 3‑39.
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to work on
your vehicle if you do not have
the proper knowledge, service
manual, tools, or parts. Always
follow owner manual procedures
and consult the service manual
for your vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service
manual. It tells you much more
about how to service the vehicle
than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see Service
Publications Ordering Information
on page 13‑11.

Black plate (6,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
10-6 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑10.
2. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (Under Engine Cover). See
Power Steering Fluid on
page 10‑16.
3. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑6.
4. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See Engine Oil on
page 10‑6.
5. Engine Cover.
6. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System on
page 10‑11.
7. Brake Fluid Reservoir (Out of View). See Brakes on
page 10‑18.
8. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10‑12.
9. Battery on page 10‑20.
10. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting on
page 10‑71. 11.
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑26.
12. Remote Negative (−) Terminal. SeeJump Starting on
page 10‑71.
13. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
on page 10‑17.
Engine Cover
1. Engine Oil Fill Cap
2. Engine Cover Bolt
3. Engine Cover To remove:
1. Remove the oil fill cap (1).
2. Remove the engine cover
bolt (2).
3. Raise the engine cover (3) to release it from the retainers.
4. Lift and remove the engine cover.
5. Reverse Steps 1–4 to reinstall the engine cover.
Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.Always use engine oil approved
to the proper specification and of
the proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.

Black plate (18,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
10-18 Vehicle Care
.Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the windshield
washer. It can damage the
windshield washer system
and paint.
Brakes
This vehicle has disc brakes. Disc
brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time the vehicle is
moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.
{WARNING
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.Notice:
Continuing to drive with
worn-out brake pads could result
in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications in Capacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2.
Brake linings should always be
replaced as complete axle sets.Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service might be
required.
Brake Adjustment
Every time the brakes are applied,
with or without the vehicle moving,
the brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is
complex. Its many parts have to be
of top quality and work well together
if the vehicle is to have really good
braking. The vehicle was designed
and tested with top-quality brake
parts. When parts of the braking
system are replaced, be sure to get
new, approved replacement parts.
If this is not done, the brakes might
not work properly. For example,
installing disc brake pads that are
wrong for the vehicle, can change
the balance between the front and
rear brakes —for the worse. The
braking performance expected can
change in many other ways if the
wrong replacement brake parts are
installed.

Black plate (19,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
Vehicle Care 10-19
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder reservoir
is filled with DOT 3 brake fluid as
indicated on the reservoir cap. See
Engine Compartment Overview on
page 10‑5for the location of the
reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in the reservoir
might go down:
.The brake fluid level goes down
because of normal brake lining
wear. When new linings are
installed, the fluid level goes
back up.
.A fluid leak in the brake
hydraulic system can also cause
a low fluid level. Have the brake hydraulic system fixed, since a
leak means that sooner or later
the brakes will not work well.
Do not top off the brake fluid.
Adding fluid does not correct a leak.
If fluid is added when the linings are
worn, there will be too much fluid
when new brake linings are
installed. Add or remove brake fluid,
as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
{WARNING
If too much brake fluid is added, it
can spill on the engine and burn,
if the engine is hot enough. You
or others could be burned, and
the vehicle could be damaged.
Add brake fluid only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic
system.
When the brake fluid falls to a low
level, the brake warning light comes
on. See Brake System Warning
Light on page 5‑20. What to Add
Use only new DOT 3 brake fluid
from a sealed container. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑13.
Always clean the brake fluid
reservoir cap and the area around
the cap before removing it. This
helps keep dirt from entering the
reservoir.
{WARNING
With the wrong kind of fluid in the
brake hydraulic system, the
brakes might not work well. This
could cause a crash. Always use
the proper brake fluid.
Notice
.Using the wrong fluid can
badly damage brake
hydraulic system parts. For
example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as
engine oil, in the brake

Black plate (20,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
10-20 Vehicle Care
hydraulic system can
damage brake hydraulic
system parts so badly that
they will have to be replaced.
Do not let someone put in
the wrong kind of fluid.
.If brake fluid is spilled on the
vehicle's painted surfaces,
the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to
spill brake fluid on the
vehicle. If you do, wash it off
immediately.
Battery
Refer to the replacement number
shown on the original battery label
when a new battery is needed. See
Engine Compartment Overview on
page 10‑5for battery location.
{WARNING
Battery posts, terminals, and
related accessories contain lead
and lead compounds, chemicals
(Continued)
WARNING (CONTINUED)
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and reproductive
harm. Wash hands after handling.
Vehicle Storage
{WARNING
Batteries have acid that can burn
you and gas that can explode.
You can be badly hurt if you are
not careful. SeeJump Starting on
page 10‑71 for tips on working
around a battery without
getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery to keep the battery from
running down.
Extended Storage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery or use a battery trickle
charger.
All-Wheel Drive
Transfer Case
Under normal driving conditions,
transfer case fluid does not require
changing or checking unless there
is a fluid leak or unusual noise.
If required, have the transfer case
serviced by your dealer.
Starter Switch Check
{WARNING
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room
around the vehicle.

Black plate (21,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
Vehicle Care 10-21
2. Firmly apply both the parkingbrake and the regular brake.
See Electric Parking Brake on
page 9‑26.
Do not use the accelerator
pedal, and be ready to turn off
the engine immediately if it
starts.
3. Try to start the engine in each gear. The vehicle should start
only in P (Park) or N (Neutral).
If the vehicle starts in any other
position, contact your dealer for
service.
Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control
Function Check
{WARNING
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured. 1. Before starting this check, be
sure there is enough room
around the vehicle. It should be
parked on a level surface.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake. See Electric Parking Brake on
page 9‑26.
Be ready to apply the regular
brake immediately if the vehicle
begins to move.
3. With the engine off, turn the ignition on, but do not start the
engine. Without applying the
regular brake, try to move the
shift lever out of P (Park) with
normal effort. If the shift lever
moves out of P (Park), contact
your dealer for service.
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check
{WARNING
When you are doing this check,
the vehicle could begin to move.
You or others could be injured
and property could be damaged.
Make sure there is room in front
of the vehicle in case it begins to
roll. Be ready to apply the regular
brake at once should the vehicle
begin to move.
Park on a fairly steep hill, with the
vehicle facing downhill. Keeping
your foot on the regular brake, set
the parking brake.
.To check the parking brake's
holding ability: With the engine
running and the transmission in
N (Neutral), slowly remove foot
pressure from the regular brake
pedal. Do this until the vehicle is
held by the parking brake only.

Black plate (22,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
10-22 Vehicle Care
.To check the P (Park)
mechanism's holding ability:
With the engine running, shift to
P (Park). Then release the
parking brake followed by the
regular brake.
Contact your dealer if service is
required.
Wiper Blade Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be
inspected for wear or cracking. See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3.
It is a good idea to clean the wiper
blade assembly on a regular basis.
When worn, or cleaning is
ineffective, replace the wiper blade.
For proper windshield wiper blade
length and type, see Maintenance
Replacement Parts on page 11‑14.
Notice: Allowing the wiper arm to
touch the windshield when no
wiper blade is installed could
damage the windshield. Any
damage that occurs would not be covered by your warranty. Do not
allow the wiper arm to touch the
windshield.
To replace the wiper blade:
1. Pull the wiper assembly away
from the windshield.
2. Lift up on the latch in the middleof the wiper blade where the
wiper arm attaches.
3. With the latch open, pull the wiper blade down toward the
windshield far enough to release
it from the J-hooked end of the
wiper arm. 4. Remove the wiper blade.
5. Reverse Steps 1–3 for wiper
blade replacement.
Windshield Replacement
For vehicles equipped with the
Head-Up Display (HUD), the
windshield is part of the HUD
system. If the vehicle has to have
the windshield replaced, get one
that is designed for HUD or the
HUD image may look out of focus.