CADILLAC ESCALADE 2010 3.G Owners Manual

Section 6 Driving Your Vehicle
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle. . . . . . . . . . 6-2Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5Braking in Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6Magnetic Ride Control™. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9Road Sensing Suspension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11Passing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13
Driving at Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-25Before Leaving on a Long Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-26Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-26Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-27Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-28If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,or Snow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-30Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-30Recovery Hooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-31Loading the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-32
Towing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-38Towing Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-38Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-38Level Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-41Autoride®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-42Towing a Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-42Trailer Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-55
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Your Driving, the Road, and
the Vehicle
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means“always expect theunexpected.”The first step in driving defensively is towear your safety belt—SeeSafety Belts: They Are forEveryone on page 2!26.
{WARNING:
Assume that other road users (pedestrians,
bicyclists, and other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they
might do and be ready. In addition:
.Allow enough following distance between you
and the driver in front of you.
.Focus on the task of driving.
Driver distraction can cause collisions resulting in
injury or possible death. These simple defensive
driving techniques could save your life.
Drunk Driving
{WARNING:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your reflexes, perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even a small amount
of alcohol. You can have a serious—or even
fatal—collision if you drive after drinking. Do not
drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been
drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if you are with a
group, designate a driver who will not drink.
Death and injury associated with drinking and drivingis a global tragedy.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive avehicle: judgment, muscular coordination, vision, andattentiveness.
Police records show that almost 40 percent of allmotor vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In mostcases, these deaths are the result of someone whowas drinking and driving. In recent years, more than17,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have beenassociated with the use of alcohol, with about250,000 people injured.
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For persons under 21, it is against the law in everyU.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical,psychological, and developmental reasons forthese laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highwaysafety problem is for people never to drink alcohol andthen drive.
Medical research shows that alcohol in a person'ssystem can make crash injuries worse, especiallyinjuries to the brain, spinal cord, or heart. This meansthat when anyone who has been drinking—driver orpassenger—is in a crash, that person's chance ofbeing killed or permanently disabled is higher than ifthe person had not been drinking.
Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to control the vehiclewhile driving—brakes, steering, and accelerator. Attimes, as when driving on snow or ice, it is easy to askmore of those control systems than the tires and roadcan provide. Meaning, you can lose control of thevehicle. SeeStabiliTrak®System on page 6!6.
Adding non!dealer/non!retailer accessories can affectvehicle performance. SeeAccessories andModifications on page 7!4.
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Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 4!33.
Braking action involves perception time and reactiontime. Deciding to push the brake pedal is perceptiontime. Actually doing it is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three!fourths of asecond. But that is only an average. It might be lesswith one driver and as long as two or three seconds ormore 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 asecond, a vehicle moving at 100 km/h (60 mph) travels20 m (66 feet). That could be a lot of distance in anemergency, so keeping enough space between thevehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatlywith the surface of the road, whether it is pavement orgravel; the condition of the road, whether it is wet, dry,or icy; tire tread; the condition of the brakes; the weightof the vehicle; and the amount of brake force applied.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive inspurts, heavy acceleration followed by heavy braking,rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a mistake.The brakes might not have time to cool between hardstops. The brakes will wear out much faster with a lotof heavy braking. Keeping pace with the traffic andallowing realistic following distances eliminates a lotof unnecessary braking. That means better brakingand longer brake life.
If the engine ever stops while the vehicle is beingdriven, brake normally but do not pump the brakes.If the brakes are pumped, the pedal could get harder topush down. If the engine stops, there will still be somepower brake assist but it will be used when the brake isapplied. Once the power assist is used up, it can takelonger to stop and the brake pedal will be harderto push.
Adding non!dealer/non!retailer accessories can affectvehicle performance. SeeAccessories andModifications on page 7!4.
6-4

Antilock Brake System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake System (ABS), anadvanced electronic braking system that helps preventa braking skid.
When the engine is started and the vehicle begins todrive away, ABS checks itself. A momentary motor orclicking noise might be heard while this test is going on.This is normal.
If there is a problem withABS, this warning lightstays on. SeeAntilockBrake System (ABS)Warning Lightonpage 4!34.
Along with ABS, the vehicle has a Dynamic RearProportioning (DRP) system. If there is a DRP problem,both the brake and ABS warning lights come onaccompanied by a 10!second chime. The lights andchime will come on each time the ignition is turned onuntil the problem is repaired. See your dealer/retailerfor service.
Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slamon the brakes and continue braking. Here is whathappens with ABS:
A computer senses that the wheels are slowing down.If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, thecomputer will separately work the brakes at each frontwheel and at both rear wheels.
ABS can change the brake pressure to each wheel, asrequired, faster than any driver could. This can help thedriver steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the computer keepsreceiving updates on wheel speed and controls brakingpressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change the time needed toget a foot up to the brake pedal or always decreasestopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle infront of you, there will not be enough time to apply thebrakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Alwaysleave enough room up ahead to stop, even with ABS.
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Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedaldown firmly and let antilock work. The brakes mightvibrate or some noise might be heard, but this isnormal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and brake at the sametime. In many emergencies, steering can help morethan even the very best braking.
Brake Assist
This vehicle has a Brake Assist feature designed toassist the driver in stopping or decreasing vehiclespeed in emergency driving conditions. This featureuses the stability system hydraulic brake control moduleto supplement the power brake system under conditionswhere the driver has quickly and forcefully applied thebrake pedal in an attempt to quickly stop or slow downthe vehicle. The stability system hydraulic brake controlmodule increases brake pressure at each corner of thevehicle until the ABS activates. Minor brake pedalpulsations or pedal movement during this time is normaland the driver should continue to apply the brake pedalas the driving situation dictates The Brake Assistfeature will automatically disengage when the brakepedal is released or brake pedal pressure is quicklydecreased.
StabiliTrak®System
The vehicle has a vehicle stability enhancement systemcalled StabiliTrak. It is an advanced computer controlledsystem that assists the driver with directional control ofthe vehicle in difficult driving conditions.
StabiliTrak activates when the computer sensesa discrepancy between the intended path and thedirection the vehicle is actually traveling. StabiliTrakselectively applies braking pressure at any one of thevehicle's brakes to assist the driver with keeping thevehicle on the intended path.
When the vehicle is started and begins to move, thesystem performs several diagnostic checks to insurethere are no problems. The system may be heard or feltwhile it is working. This is normal and does not meanthere is a problem with the vehicle. The system shouldinitialize before the vehicle reaches 20 mph (32 km/h).In some cases, it may take approximately two miles ofdriving before the system initializes.
If cruise control is being used when StabiliTrakactivates, the cruise control automatically disengages.The cruise control can be re-engaged when roadconditions allow. SeeCruise Control on page 4!8.
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If the system fails to turn on or activate, the StabiliTraklight along with one of the following messages will bedisplayed on the Driver Information Center (DIC):TRACTION CONTROL OFF, SERVICE TRACTIONCONTROL, STABILITRAK OFF, SERVICESTABILITRAK. If these DIC messages appear, makesure the StabiliTrak system has not been turned offusing the StabiliTrak on/off button. Then turn thesteering wheel clockwise from the nine o'clock positionto the three o'clock position. If this clears themessage(s), the vehicle does not need servicing.If this does not clear the message(s), then turn thevehicle off, wait 15 seconds, and then turn it back onagain to reset the system. If any of these messagesstill appear on the Driver Information Center (DIC), thevehicle should be taken in for service. For moreinformation on the DIC messages, seeDriverInformation Center (DIC) on page 4!41.
The StabiliTrak light willflash on the instrumentpanel cluster when thesystem is both onand activated.
The system may be heard or felt while it is working; thisis normal.
The traction controldisable button is locatedon the instrument panelbelow the climatecontrols.
The traction control part of StabiliTrak can be turnedoff by pressing and releasing the StabiliTrak button ifboth systems (traction control and StabiliTrak) werepreviously on. To disable both traction control andStabiliTrak, press and hold the button for five seconds.
Traction control and StabiliTrak can be turned on bypressing and releasing the StabiliTrak button if notautomatically shut off for any other reason.
When the TCS or StabiliTrak system is turned off,the StabiliTrak light and the appropriate TCS off orStabiliTrak off message will be displayed on the DIC towarn the driver. The vehicle will still have brake-tractioncontrol when traction control is off, but will not be ableto use the engine speed management system. See“Traction Control Operation”next for more information.
When the traction control system has been turned off,system noises may still be heard as a result of thebrake-traction control coming on.
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It is recommended to leave the system on for normaldriving conditions, but it may be necessary to turn thesystem off if the vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice orsnow, and you want to“rock”the vehicle to attempt tofree it. It may also be necessary to turn off the systemwhen driving in extreme off-road conditions where highwheel spin is required. SeeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck inSand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 6!30.
Traction Control Operation
The traction control system is part of the StabiliTraksystem. Traction control limits wheel spin by reducingengine power to the wheels (engine speedmanagement) and by applying brakes to each individualwheel (brake-traction control) as necessary.
The traction control system is enabled automaticallywhen the vehicle is started. It will activate and theStabiliTrak light will flash if it senses that any of thewheels are spinning or beginning to lose tractionwhile driving. If traction control is turned off, only thebrake-traction control portion of traction control willwork. The engine speed management will be disabled.In this mode, engine power is not reduced automaticallyand the driven wheels can spin more freely. This cancause the brake-traction control to activate constantly.
Notice:If the wheel(s) of one axle is allowed to spinexcessively while the StabiliTrak, ABS and brakewarning lights and any relevant DIC messages aredisplayed, the transfer case could be damaged.The repairs would not be covered by the vehiclewarranty. Reduce engine power and do not spin thewheel(s) excessively while these lights andmessages are displayed.
The traction control system may activate on dry orrough roads or under conditions such as heavyacceleration while turning or abrupt upshifts/downshiftsof the transmission. When this happens, a reduction inacceleration may be noticed, or a noise or vibration maybe heard. This is normal.
If cruise control is being used when the systemactivates, the StabiliTrak light will flash and cruisecontrol will automatically disengage. Cruise control maybe reengaged when road conditions allow. SeeCruiseControl on page 4!8.
StabiliTrak may also turn off automatically if itdetermines that a problem exists with the system.If the problem does not clear itself after restarting thevehicle, see your dealer/retailer for service.
6-8

Magnetic Ride Control™
The vehicle may have the MagneRide control system.MagneRide constantly checks speed, wheel position,lift/dive and steering of the vehicle. The damping forcefor each shock absorber and adjustment level is chosenfor the best ride and handling.
MagneRide also works with the tow/haul switch that,when engaged, will provide more firmness from theshock absorbers. This added control gives better rideand handling when carrying heavy loads or towinga trailer. SeeTow/Haul Modeon page 3!36formore information.
Road Sensing Suspension
The Road Sensing Suspension (RSS) feature providessuperior vehicle ride and handling under a variety ofpassenger and loading conditions.
The system is fully automatic and uses a computercontroller to continuously monitor vehicle speed, wheelto body position, lift/dive and steering position of thevehicle. The controller then sends signals to each shockabsorber to independently adjust the damping level toprovide the optimum vehicle ride.
RSS also interacts with the tow/haul mode that, whenengaged, will provide additional control of the shockabsorbers. This additional control results in better rideand handling characteristics when the vehicle is loadedor towing a trailer. See“Tow/Haul Mode”underTowing aTrailer on page 6!42.
Locking Rear Axle
Vehicles with a locking rear axle can give more tractionon snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It works like astandard axle most of the time, but when traction is low,this feature will allow the rear wheel with the mosttraction to move the vehicle.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System
If the vehicle has this feature, engine power is sent toall four wheels when extra traction is needed. This islike four-wheel drive, but there is no separate lever orswitch to engage or disengage the front axle. It is fullyautomatic, and adjusts itself as needed for roadconditions.
If the vehicle is a Two-mode Hybrid, see“Four-WheelDrive”in the Two-mode Hybrid Supplement.
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Steering
Power Steering
If the vehicle is a Two!mode Hybrid, see the Two!modeHybrid manual for more information.
If power steering assist is lost because the engine stopsor the system is not functioning, the vehicle can besteered but it will take more effort.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
Traction in a curve depends on the condition of the tiresand the road surface, the angle at which the curve isbanked, and vehicle speed. While in a curve, speed isthe one factor that can be controlled.
If there is a need to reduce speed, do it before enteringthe curve, while the front wheels are straight.
Try to adjust the speed so you can drive through thecurve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait toaccelerate until out of the curve, and then accelerategently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effectivethan braking. For example, you come over a hill andfind a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pullsout from nowhere, or a child darts out from betweenparked cars and stops right in front of you. Theseproblems can be avoided by braking—if you can stopin time. But sometimes you cannot stop in time becausethere is no room. That is the time for evasiveaction—steering around the problem.
The vehicle can perform very well in emergencieslike these. First, apply the brakes. SeeBrakingonp a g e 6!4. It is better to remove as much speed aspossible from a collision. Then steer around theproblem, to the left or right depending on thespace available.
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