engine CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV 2009 User Guide

Retained Accessory Power (RAP) The following vehicle accessories can be used for up to
10 minutes after the engine is turned off:
Audio System
Power Windows
OnStar ®
System (if equipped)
Sunroof (if equipped)
These features work when the key is in ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY. Once the key is turned from
ON/RUN to LOCK/OFF, the windows and sunroof
continue to work up to 10 minutes until any door
is opened. The radio continues to work for up to
10 minutes or until the driver door is opened.
Starting the Engine If the vehicle is a Two-mode Hybrid, see the Two-mode
Hybrid manual for more information.
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or N (Neutral).
The engine will not start in any other position.
To restart the engine when the vehicle is are already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
Notice: Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to P (Park) only when the vehicle
is stopped. Starting Procedure 1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START. When the engine starts, let go
of the key. The idle speed will go down as the engine
gets warm. Do not race the engine immediately after
starting it. Operate the engine and transmission
gently to allow the oil to warm up and lubricate all
moving parts.
The vehicle has a Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in starting the engine
and protects components. If the ignition key is turned
to the START position, and then released when the
engine begins cranking, the engine will continue
cranking for a few seconds or until the vehicle starts.
If the engine does not start and the key is held in
START for many seconds, cranking will be stopped
after 15 seconds to prevent cranking motor damage.
To prevent gear damage, this system also prevents
cranking if the engine is already running. Engine
cranking can be stopped by turning the ignition
switch to the ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF
position.
Notice: Cranking the engine for long periods of
time, by returning the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has ended, can overheat
and damage the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds between each try,
to let the cranking motor cool down.
2-26

2. If the engine does not start after 5-10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather (below 0°F or − 18°C),
it could be ooded with too much gasoline. Try
pushing the accelerator pedal all the way to the oor
and holding it there as you hold the key in START
for up to a maximum of 15 seconds. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try, to allow the cranking
motor to cool down. When the engine starts, let go of
the key and accelerator. If the vehicle starts briey
but then stops again, do the same thing. This clears
the extra gasoline from the engine. Do not race the
engine immediately after starting it. Operate the
engine and transmission gently until the oil warms
up and lubricates all moving parts.
Notice: The engine is designed to work with the
electronics in the vehicle. If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change the way the engine
operates. Before adding electrical equipment, check
with your dealer/retailer. If you do not, the engine
might not perform properly. Any resulting damage
would not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal The vehicle has adjustable throttle and brake pedals
that allow you change their positions.
The feature will not operate when the vehicle is in
R (Reverse) or while using the cruise control.
The switch used to adjust the pedals is located on the
center console below the climate control system.
Press the right and left arrows to move the pedals either
closer or further from your body.
Before you start driving, fully press the brake pedal to
conrm the adjustment is right for you. While driving,
make only small adjustments.
The vehicle has a memory function which allows the
pedal positions to be saved and recalled. See Memory
Features on page 1-7 for more information.
2-27

Engine Coolant Heater The engine coolant heater can provide easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm-up in cold
weather conditions at or below 0°F ( − 18°C). Vehicles
with an engine heater should be plugged in at least
four hours before starting. An internal thermostat in
the plug-end of the cord may exist which will prevent
engine coolant heater operation at temperatures above
0°F ( − 18°C).
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater 1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The cord is located on the driver’s side of the
engine compartment, near the power steering uid
reservoir.
3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC
outlet. { CAUTION: Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet could
cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong kind of
extension cord could overheat and cause a re.
You could be seriously injured. Plug the cord into a
properly grounded three-prong 110-volt AC outlet.
If the cord will not reach, use a heavy-duty
three-prong extension cord rated for at least
15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you do not, it could be
damaged.
The length of time the heater should remain plugged in
depends on several factors. Ask a dealer/retailer in
the area where you will be parking the vehicle for the
best advice on this.
2-28

Automatic Transmission Operation If the vehicle is a Two-mode Hybrid, see the Two-mode
Hybrid manual for more information.
The vehicle has a Hydra-Matic ®
6L80 automatic
transmission, and has an electronic shift position
indicator within the instrument panel cluster.
The electronic shift position indicator displays
when the shift lever is moved out of P (Park).
There are several different positions for the shift lever.
P (Park): This position locks the rear wheels. It is the
best position to use when you start the engine because
the vehicle cannot move easily. When parked on a hill, especially when the vehicle has
a heavy load, you may notice an increase in the effort to
shift out of P (Park). See Torque Lock (Automatic
Transmission) under Shifting Into Park on page 2-36 for
more information.
{ CAUTION: It is dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the shift
lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking brake
rmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when you are on fairly
level ground, always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park). See Shifting Into
Park on page 2-36 . If you are pulling a trailer, see
Towing a Trailer on page 5-44 .
2-29

R (Reverse): Use this gear to back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse) while the vehicle is
moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to get out of snow, ice,
or sand without damaging the transmission, see If Your
Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on
page 5-31 .
N (Neutral): In this position, the engine does not connect
with the wheels. To restart when you are already moving,
use N (Neutral) only. Also, use N (Neutral) when the
vehicle is being towed.
{ CAUTION: Shifting into a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless your
foot is rmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could
move very rapidly. You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift into a drive gear
while the engine is running at high speed. Notice: Shifting out of P (Park) or N (Neutral) with
the engine running at high speed may damage
the transmission. The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Be sure the engine is
not running at high speed when shifting the vehicle.
D (Drive): This position is for normal driving. It provides
the best fuel economy. If you need more power for
passing, and you are:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
By doing this, the vehicle shifts down to the next gear
and has more power.
D (Drive) can be used when towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, driving on steep hills, or for off-road driving.
You may want to shift the transmission to a lower gear
selection if the transmission shifts too often.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road conditions
could result in skidding, see Skidding under Loss of
Control on page 5-12 .
2-30

M (Manual Mode): This position lets drivers select the
range of gears appropriate for current driving conditions.
See Driver Shift Control (DSC) later in this section.
Notice: Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission. The repair will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. If you are stuck, do
not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
The vehicle has a shift stabilization feature that adjusts
the transmission shifting to the current driving conditions
in order to reduce rapid upshifts and downshifts. This shift
stabilization feature is designed to determine, before
making an upshift, if the engine will be able to maintain
vehicle speed by analyzing things such as vehicle speed,
throttle position and vehicle load. If the shift stabilization
feature determines that a current vehicle speed cannot be
maintained, the transmission does not upshift and instead
holds the current gear. In some cases, this may appear to
be a delayed shift, however the transmission is operating
normally. The vehicle’s transmission uses adaptive shift controls
that compares key shift parameters to pre-programmed
ideal shifts stored in the transmissions computer.
The transmission constantly makes adjustments to
improve vehicle performance according to how the
vehicle is being used, such as with a heavy load or when
temperature changes. During this adaptive shift controls
process, shifting may feel different as the transmission
determines the best settings.
When temperatures are very cold, the Hydra-Matic ®
6L80 automatic transmission’s gear shifting may
be delayed providing more stable shifts until the engine
warms up. Shifts may be more noticeable with a cold
transmission. This difference in shifting is normal.
2-31

Tow/Haul Mode
The vehicle has a tow/haul mode. The tow/haul mode
adjusts the transmission shift pattern to reduce shift
cycling, providing increased performance, vehicle control,
and transmission cooling when towing or hauling heavy
loads.
Press the button located on the end of the shift lever to
turn the tow/haul on or off. When the tow/haul is on,
a light on the instrument panel cluster will come on.
See Tow/Haul Mode Light on page 3-46 for more
information.
Also see “Tow Haul Mode” under Towing a Trailer on
page 5-44 for more information. The tow/haul mode works with the Autoride ®
feature, if
the vehicle has this, to enhance the ride when trailering or
with a loaded vehicle. See Autoride ®
on page 5-44 .
Grade Braking The Grade Braking shift modes can be activated by
pressing the button on the end of the shift control lever.
While in Range Selection Mode, Grade Braking is
deactivated allowing the driver to select a desired range
of gears.
Grade Braking is only active while the Tow/Haul Mode is
selected and you are not in the Range Selection Mode.
See “Tow/Haul Mode listed previously and Automatic
Transmission Operation on page 2-29 for more
information on the Range Selection Mode. Grade Braking
assists in maintaining desired vehicle speeds when
driving on downhill grades by automatically implementing
a shift schedule that utilizes the engine and transmission
to slow the vehicle. This reduces wear on the braking
system and increases control of the vehicle. Grade
Braking monitors vehicle speed, acceleration, engine
torque and brake pedal usage. Using this information, it
detects when the vehicle is on a downhill grade and the
driver desires to slow the vehicle by pressing the brake.
Also see Towing a Trailer on page 5-44 for more
information.
2-33

Cruise Grade Braking Cruise Grade Braking assists when driving on a downhill
grade. It maintains vehicle speed by automatically
implementing a shift schedule that uses the engine and
the transmission to slow the vehicle. Cruise Grade
Braking operates while Cruise Control is engaged in
Tow/Haul mode to assist in maintaining vehicle speed
under loaded vehicle conditions. It utilizes vehicle
acceleration and deviation from desired speed to
determine the correct gear for the operating condition.
If vehicle speed is above the desired speed the
transmission will downshift to slow the vehicle.
If vehicle speed is near or below desired speed the
trans will upshift, allowing vehicle speed to increase.
While in the Range Select Mode (RSM) mode, cruise
grade braking is not available.
See Automatic Transmission Operation on page 2-29 .Parking Brake
For vehicles with a release handle, set the parking
brake by holding the regular brake pedal down, then
pushing down the parking brake pedal.
If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light will
come on. See Brake System Warning Light on page 3-39 .
A chime sounds and the warning light ashes when the
parking brake is applied and the vehicle is moving
at least 5 mph (8 km/h).
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down. Then pull the bottom edge of the lever with
the parking brake symbol, located above the parking
brake pedal.
2-34

Shifting Into Park
{ CAUTION: It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake rmly set. The vehicle can roll. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be
sure the vehicle will not move, even when you are
on fairly level ground, use the steps that follow.
If you are pulling a trailer, see Towing a Trailer on
page 5-44 .
1. Hold the brake pedal down, then set the parking
brake.
2. Move the shift lever into the P (Park) position by
pulling the shift lever toward you and moving it up
as far as it will go.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave the vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, the vehicle is in P (Park). Leaving the Vehicle With the Engine
Running
{ CAUTION: It can be dangerous to leave the vehicle with the
engine running. The vehicle could move suddenly if
the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake rmly set. And, if you leave the vehicle with
the engine running, it could overheat and even
catch re. You or others could be injured. Do not
leave the vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave the vehicle with the engine running,
be sure the vehicle is in P (Park) and the parking
brake is rmly set. After the shift lever is moved into
P (Park), hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see
if you can move the shift lever away from P (Park)
without rst pulling it toward you. If you can, it means
that the shift lever was not fully locked into P (Park).
2-36

Parking Over Things That Burn
{ CAUTION: Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust parts
under the vehicle and ignite. Do not park over
papers, leaves, dry grass, or other things that
can burn.
Engine Exhaust
{ CAUTION: Engine exhaust contains Carbon Monoxide (CO)
which cannot be seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:
The vehicle idles in areas with poor ventilation
(parking garages, tunnels, deep snow that
may block underbody airow or tail pipes).
The exhaust smells or sounds strange or
different.
CAUTION: (Continued) CAUTION: (Continued)
The exhaust system leaks due to corrosion or
damage.
The vehicle’s exhaust system has been
modied, damaged or improperly repaired.
There are holes or openings in the vehicle
body from damage or after-market
modications that are not completely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or if it is suspected
that exhaust is coming into the vehicle:
Drive it only with the windows
completely down.
Have the vehicle repaired immediately.
Never park the vehicle with the engine running in an
enclosed area such as a garage or a building that
has no fresh air ventilation.
2-38