stop start CADILLAC ESCALADE 2002 2.G User Guide

2-73
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the floor.
It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. See ªTowing Your Vehicleº in
the Index.
CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident. If the light is still on after you've
pulled off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and may stay
on for several seconds.
That's normal.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you're driving,
your vehicle needs service. If the regular brake system
warning light isn't on, you still have brakes, but you
don't have anti
-lock brakes. If the regular brake system
warning light is also on, you don't have anti
-lock brakes
and there's a problem with your regular brakes. See
ªBrake System Warning Lightº earlier in this section.
The anti
-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to RUN.
If the light doesn't come on then, have it fixed so
it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.

2-79
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn't come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:

Light Flashing
-- A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.

Light On Steady
-- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:

Reducing vehicle speed.

Avoiding hard accelerations.

Avoiding steep uphill grades.

If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.If the light stops flashing and remains on steady,
see ªIf the Light Is On Steadyº following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine. If the light remains on steady, see ªIf the Light
Is On Steadyº following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. See ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index.
The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap
has been left off or improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.

2-89 CARGO DOOR AJAR Message
This message is displayed
when the rear liftglass or
liftgate is ajar when the
ignition is in RUN.
LOW FUEL Message
This message is displayed
when your vehicle is low
on fuel.
Refer to the fuel gage for a better indication of the
amount of fuel remaining in the fuel tank.
SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM Message
If you ever see the
SERVICE STABILITY
SYSTEM message, it means
there may be a problem
with your stability
enhancement system.
If you see this message, try to reset the system
(stop; turn off the engine; then start the engine again).
If the SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM message
still comes on, it means there is a problem. You should
see your dealer for service. Reduce your speed and
drive accordingly.

3-16
For example, rear seat passengers may listen to a
cassette tape through headphones while the driver listens
to the radio through the front speakers. The rear seat
passengers have control of the volume for each set of
headphones. Be aware that the front seat audio controls
always have priority over the RSA controls. If the front
seat passengers switch the source for the main radio to a
remote source, the RSA will play the same remote
source. The rear speakers will be muted when the RSA
power is turned on. You may operate the RSA functions
even when the main radio is off.
The following functions are controlled by the buttons on
the main radio:
REAR DSPL: When the main radio is turned on, press
this button to turn on the RSA display on the main radio.
Press it again to turn the RSA display off.
PR: Press this button to turn RSA on or off. The light
to the right of the button will illuminate to indicate that
RSA is on.
The following functions are controlled by the RSA
system buttons:
PWR: Press this button to turn RSA on or off.AM FM: Press this button to switch between AM, FM1
and FM2. If the front passengers are already listening to
AM FM, the RSA controller will not switch between the
bands and cannot change the frequency.
SEEK : While listening to the radio, press the up
arrow to tune to the next station and stay there. Press the
down arrow to tune to the previous station and stay
there. The sound will mute while seeking. The SEEK
button is inactive if the AM FM mode on the front radio
is in use.
While listening to a cassette tape, press the up arrow to
hear the next selection on the tape. Press the down arrow
to go back to the previous selection. The SEEK button is
inactive if the tape mode on the front radio is in use.
While listening to a CD, press the up arrow to hear the
next selection on the CD. Press the down arrow to go
back to the start of the current selection (if more than
eight seconds have played). The SEEK button is inactive
in the CD mode if the CD changer is in use.
Press and hold one of the SEEK arrows until the radio
goes into the scan mode. Scan allows you to listen to
stations for a few seconds. The receiver will continue to
scan and momentarily stop at each station until you press
one of the SEEK arrows again. The scan function is
inactive if the AM FM mode on the front radio is in use.

4-7
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you
do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you're driving, brake
normally but don't pump your brakes. If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti
-lock brake system will check itself. You may
hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on. This is normal.
If there's a problem with the
anti
-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on.
See ªAnti
-Lock Brake
System Warning Lightº in
the Index.

4-10
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the TCS begins
to limit wheel spin, the cruise control will automatically
disengage. When road conditions allow you to safely
use it again, you may re
-engage the cruise control.
See ªCruise Controlº in the Index.
When the TRAC OFF
light is on, the TCS is
off and will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly.
The TRAC OFF light will come on under the
following conditions:

The Traction Control System is turned off, either by
pressing the TCS on/off button or turning off the
automatic engagement feature of the TCS.

The transmission is in FIRST (1); TCS will not
operate in this gear. This is normal.
The vehicle is driven on an extremely rough road.
When the vehicle leaves the rough surface, slows
down or stops, the light will go off and TCS will be
on again. This is normal.

A Traction Control System, Anti
-Lock Brake
System or engine
-related problem has been detected
and the vehicle needs service.
See ªTraction Off Lightº in the Index.
The Traction Control System, as delivered from the
factory, will automatically come on whenever you start
your vehicle. To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery
road conditions, you should always leave the system on.
But you can turn the TCS off if you ever need to.
You should turn the TCS off if your vehicle ever gets
stuck in sand, mud or snow and rocking the vehicle is
required. See ªRocking Your Vehicleº in the Index.
To turn the system on or
off press the TCS on/off
button located to the right
of the steering wheel,
on the instrument panel.

4-12
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the STABILITY
SYSTEM ACTIVE message appears, the cruise control
will automatically disengage. When road conditions
allow you to safely use it again, you may reengage the
cruise control. See ªCruise Controlº in the Index.
The Stabilitrak button,
located to the right
steering wheel, on the
instrument panel can
be pressed to put the
Stabilitrak system in
LIMITED mode.
The Stabilitrak system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle. When the switch is
pressed, the STABILITY SYSTEM LIMITED message
is displayed in the message center. While in LIMITED
mode, traction control is disabled and the stabilitysystem is less likely to activate. The stability system can
still activate in LIMITED mode if the vehicle starts to
spin, but it will not activate as quickly as when the
system is not in LIMITED mode. You should put
Stabilitrak in the LIMITED mode if your vehicle is
stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow and you want to ªrockº
your vehicle to attempt to free it. See ªRocking Your
Vehicleº in the Index.
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
-Sensitive Steering
This system varies the amount of steering effort
proportionate to your vehicle speed. Steering is easier
at lower speeds for maneuvering and parking ease.
As your vehicle speed increases, the steering effort also
increases. At highway speeds, the amount of steering
effort is increased.

4-16

Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass while you're awaiting an opportunity. For one
thing, following too closely reduces your area of
vision, especially if you're following a larger
vehicle. Also, you won't have adequate space if the
vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a
reasonable distance.

When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and
don't get too close. Time your move so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into the
other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have
a ªrunning startº that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And if
something happens to cause you to cancel your pass,
you need only slow down and drop back again and
wait for another opportunity.

If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your turn. But take care that someone isn't trying to
pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
if your right outside mirror is convex, the vehicle
you just passed may seem to be farther away from
you than it really is.)

Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two
-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.

Don't overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.

If you're being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.

4-17
Loss of Control
Let's review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don't have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don't 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
ªoverdrivingº 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
aren't 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. If you have the ªTraction Assist
System,º remember: It helps avoid only the accelerationskid. If you do not have this system, or if the 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.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you'll
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.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking 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 ªmirrored surfaceº
-- and slow down
when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti
-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.

4-21 Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over many different kinds
of terrain. You need to be familiar with the terrain and its
many different features. Here are some things to consider.
Surface Conditions. Off
-roading can take you over
hard
-packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow
or ice. Each of these surfaces affects the steering,
acceleration and braking of your vehicle in different ways.
Depending upon the kind of surface you are on, you may
experience slipping, sliding, wheel spinning, delayed
acceleration, poor traction and longer braking distances.
Surface Obstacles. Unseen or hidden obstacles can
be hazardous. A rock, log, hole, rut or bump can startle
you if you're not prepared for them. Often these
obstacles are hidden by grass, bushes, snow or even
the rise and fall of the terrain itself. Here are some
things to consider:

Is the path ahead clear?

Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead?

Does the travel take you uphill or downhill?
(There's more discussion of these subjects later.)

Will you have to stop suddenly or change
direction quickly?When you drive over obstacles or rough terrain, keep a
firm grip on the steering wheel. Ruts, troughs or other
surface features can jerk the wheel out of your hands if
you're not prepared.
When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other obstacles,
your wheels can leave the ground. If this happens, even
with one or two wheels, you can't control the vehicle as
well or at all.
Because you will be on an unpaved surface, it's
especially important to avoid sudden acceleration,
sudden turns or sudden braking.
In a way, off
-road driving requires a different kind of
alertness from driving on paved roads and highways.
There are no road signs, posted speed limits or signal
lights. You have to use your own good judgment about
what is safe and what isn't.
Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any
road. And this is certainly true for off
-road driving.
At the very time you need special alertness and driving
skills, your reflexes, perceptions and judgment can be
affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You could
have a serious
-- or even fatal -- accident if you drink
and drive or ride with a driver who has been drinking.
See ªDrunken Drivingº in the Index.