Cadillac 2003 CTS User manual

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The 2003 Cadillac CTS Owner’s Manual
1-1Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the air bag system.
2-1Features and Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle.
3-1Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system.
4-1Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.
5-1Problems on the Road
This section tells you what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.
6-1Service and Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good.
7-1Maintenance Schedule
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.
8-1Customer Assistance Information
This section tells you how to contact Cadillac for assistance and how to get service and owner publications.
It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page 8-9.

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GENERAL MOTORS, GM and the GM Emblem,
CADILLAC, the CADILLAC Crest & Wreath are
registered trademarks and the name CTS is a trademark
of General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes after
that time without further notice. For vehicles first sold in
Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada
Limited” for Cadillac Motor Car Division whenever it
appears in this manual.
Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will
be there if you ever need it when you’re on the road.
If you sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it
so the new owner can use it.
We support voluntary
technician certification.
Litho in U.S.A. E Copyright General Motors Corporation 11/12/01
Part Number 25735664 A First Edition All Rights Reserved

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How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you
do this, it will help you learn about the features and
controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find
that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will find a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you
about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore
the warning.
CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is.
Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce
the hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t,
you or others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Don’t,”
“Don’t do this” or “Don’t
let this happen.”

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Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
NOTICE:
These mean there is something that could damage
your vehicle.
In the notice area, we tell you about something that can
damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would
not be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly.
But the notice will tell you what to do to help avoid
the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different
colors or in different words.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle.
They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
Your vehicle may be equipped with components and
labels that use symbols instead of text. Symbols,
used on your vehicle, are shown along with the text
describing the operation or information relating to a
specific component, control, message, gage or indicator.
If you need help figuring out a specific name of a
component, gage or indicator reference the following
topics in the Index:
D “Engine Compartment Overview”
D “Instrument Panel”
D “Comfort Controls”
D “Audio Systems”
Also see “Warning Lights and Gages” in the Index.

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These are some examples of vehicle symbols you may find on your vehicle:

1- 1-1
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
Here you’ll find information about the seats in your vehicle and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also
learn about some things you should not do with air bags and safety belts.
1-2 Seats and Seat Controls
1-10 Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
1-15 Here Are Questions Many People Ask About
Safety Belts -- and the Answers
1-16 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
1-16 Driver Position
1-22 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
1-23 Right Front Passenger Position
1-24 Air Bag Systems
1-35 Safety Belt Pretensioners
1-36 Rear Seat Passengers
1-39 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children
and Small Adults
1-41 Children
1-45 Restraint Systems for Children
1-58 Older Children
1-61 Safety Belt Extender
1-61 Checking Your Restraint Systems
1-62 Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash

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Seats and Seat Controls
This section tells you about the power seats -- how to
adjust them, and also about the reclining front seatbacks,
memory seats, lumbar adjustments and heated seats.
Two-Way Manual Passenger Seat
Lift the bar under the front of the seat to unlock it. Slide
the seat to where you want it and release the bar. Try to
move the seat back and forth with your body to be sure
the seat is locked in place.
Six-Way Power Seats (If Equipped)
If your vehicle is equipped with power seats, the
controls are located on the outboard sides of the front
seat cushions.
D Move the front of the horizontal control up or down
to adjust the front portion of the cushion.
D Move the rear of the horizontal control up or down
to adjust the rear portion of the cushion.
D Lift up or push down on the center of the horizontal
control to move the entire seat up or down.
D To move the seat forward or rearward, slide the
horizontal control forward or rearward.

1-3
Memory Seat and Mirrors (If Equipped)
This feature allows you to program and recall memory
settings for the driver’s seating and outside rearview
mirror driving positions for up to two drivers.
The buttons for this feature
are located on the driver’s
door armrest.
Use the following steps to program the buttons:
1. Adjust the driver’s seat including the seatback
recliner and both outside mirrors.
2. Press and hold button 1 for at least three seconds.
Two beeps will sound to confirm that the seat and
mirror positions have been saved.
3. Repeat the procedure for a second driver
using button 2.
If your vehicle has an automatic transmission, the
vehicle must be in PARK (P) to recall the stored driving
positions. If your vehicle has a manual transmission and
the engine is running, the parking brake must be set to
recall the memory seat driving positions. The stored
driving positions can be recalled without setting the
parking brake if the vehicle is off.
Press one of the numbered memory buttons to recall the
stored setting. Each time a memory button is pressed, a
single beep will sound.
Three chimes will sound and the setting will not be
recalled if you press button 1 or 2 while the engine is
running and the vehicle is not in PARK (P) on an
automatic transmission or the parking brake is not
set on a manual transmission.
If you would like the stored driving positions to be
recalled when unlocking your vehicle with the remote
keyless entry transmitter or when you place the key in
the ignition, see “Vehicle Programming and
Personalization Features” in the Index.
To stop recall movement of the memory feature at any
time, press one of the power seat or mirror controls.

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Two personalized exit positions can also be
programmed. Use the following steps to program
exit positions:
1. Press memory seat button 1 or the button with
the unlock symbol on the remote keyless entry
transmitter with the number 1 on the back to recall
the drive position.
2. Adjust the driver’s seat to the desired exit position.
3. Press and hold the exit button located above
buttons 1 and 2 on the driver’s door armrest for
at least three seconds.
Two beeps will sound to confirm that the exit
position has been saved.
4. Repeat the procedure for a second driver using
memory seat button 2 or the remote keyless entry
transmitter with the number 2 on the back.
To recall the stored exit positions, press and release the
exit button. One beep will sound, and the seat will move
to the previously stored exit position for the currently
identified driver. If an exit position has not been stored
for this driver, the seat will move all the way back. The
position of the outside mirrors is not stored or recalled
for the exit position.
If your vehicle has an automatic transmission, the
vehicle must be in PARK (P) to recall the exit positions.
For a manual transmission, the parking brake must
be set if the engine is running to recall the stored
exit positions.
Three chimes will sound and the exit setting will not be
recalled if you press the exit button while the engine is
running and the vehicle is not in PARK (P) on an
automatic transmission or the parking brake is not set on
a manual transmission.
If you would like your stored exit position to be recalled
when unlocking the vehicle with the remote keyless
entry transmitter or when the ignition is turned off and
the driver’s door is opened, see “Vehicle Programming
and Personalization Features” in the Index.

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Heated Front Seats (If Equipped)
If your vehicle is equipped
with heated front seats, the
buttons are located on the
climate control panel.
There is a button for the driver and one for the front
passenger. Each button has the following three settings:
LO, HI and off. The active setting appears on the
climate control panel display. The LO setting warms the
seatback and cushion until the seat approximates normal
body temperature. The HI setting has a slightly higher
temperature.
To turn on the heated seats, press the button once. The
seat will heat to the HI setting. Press the button again to
switch to the LO setting. Pressing the button a third time
turns the system off.
The heated seats can only be used when the ignition is
turned on. When the vehicle is turned off, the heated
seats automatically turn off. If you wish to have the
heated seats on once the vehicle is restarted, press the
button again.

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Reclining Front Seatbacks
Manual Recliner
If your vehicle has manual reclining front seatbacks,
the levers are located on the outboard sides of the
front seats.
Lift the lever to release the seatback, then move the
seatback to where you want it. Release the lever to lock
the seatback in place. To return the seatback to the
upright position, pull up on the lever without pushing on
the seatback.
Power Recliner
If your vehicle has power reclining front seatbacks,
the controls are located on the outboard sides of the
front seats.
Press the top of the vertical control forward or rearward
to adjust the seatback angle.

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But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.
CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle
up, your safety belts can’t do their job when
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do its job. In a crash you
could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt can’t do its job either. In a crash the
belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones.
This could cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well
back in the seat and wear your safety belt
properly.

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Head Restraints
Adjust your head restraint so that the top of the restraint
is closest to the top of your head. This position reduces
the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
The front seat head restraints move up and down. Press
the button located at the bottom of the head restraint to
raise or lower the head restraint. The head restraints tilt
forward and rearward, also.
The rear seat head restraints tilt forward and rearward,
but do not move up and down.
Split Folding Rear Seat (If Equipped)
The split folding rear seat allows you to carry long cargo
by folding down part or all of the rear seat. Before you
can fold the rear seatback, you need to unlatch the center
seatbelt buckle.
Use the following steps to lower one or both of the rear
seatbacks:
1. Insert a tool with a small
tip into the slot as shown
to unlatch the seatbelt
buckle. Then move the
belt to the side so it is
not in your way.

1-9
2. There is a tab located on
the outboard sides of the
seatback. Pull forward
on the tab to unlock the
seatback.
3. Fold the seatback down. This will allow you direct
access to the trunk.
4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 to fold down the other
seatback.
CAUTION:
If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it
is locked.
CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted won’t provide the
protection needed in a crash. The person wearing
the belt could be seriously injured. After raising
the rear seatback, always check to be sure that
the safety belts are properly routed and attached,
and are not twisted.

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To return the seatback to the upright position, do the
following:
1. Lift the seatback up and push it back into place.
2. Reconnect the center
safety belt latch plate to
the buckle as shown.
3. Make sure the seatback is locked into place by
pushing and pulling on it.
4. Repeat Steps 1 and 3 for the other seatback.
When the seatback is not in use, it should be kept in the
upright, locked position.
Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly. It also tells you some things you should not do
with safety belts.
And it explains the air bag system.
CAUTION:
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear
a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and
you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries
can be much worse. You can hit things inside the
vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously
injured or killed. In the same crash, you might
not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts
are fastened properly too.

1-11
CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to
ride in any area of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure
everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a reminder
to buckle up. See “Safety
Belt Reminder Light” in
the Index.
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here’s why: They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.
After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter ... a lot!

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Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s just a seat
on wheels.
Put someone on it.

1-13
Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn’t stop. The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...

1-14
or the instrument panel ... or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That’s why
safety belts make such good sense.