traction control CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT 2006 2.G Owners Manual

Low Tire Pressure Warning Light....................3-36
Traction Off Light..........................................3-37
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage..................3-37
Transmission Temperature Gage.....................3-38
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.............................3-39
Oil Pressure Gage........................................3-41
Security Light...............................................3-42
Cruise Control Light......................................3-43
Highbeam On Light.......................................3-43
Tow/Haul Mode Light....................................3-43
Cargo Lamp Light.........................................3-43
Fuel Gage...................................................3-44
Low Fuel Warning Light.................................3-44
Driver Information Center (DIC).......................3-45
DIC Operation and Displays...........................3-45
DIC Warnings and Messages.........................3-48
DIC Vehicle Customization.............................3-57Audio System(s).............................................3-63
Setting the Time...........................................3-64
Radio with Cassette and CD..........................3-65
Navigation/Radio System...............................3-80
Rear Seat Entertainment System....................3-80
Rear Seat Audio (RSA).................................3-92
CD Changer................................................3-94
Theft-Deterrent Feature..................................3-97
Audio Steering Wheel Controls.......................3-98
Radio Reception...........................................3-99
Care of the Cassette Tape Player.................3-100
Care of Your CDs and DVDs........................3-101
Care of the CD and DVD Player...................3-101
Fixed Mast Antenna....................................3-101
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System............3-102
Chime Level Adjustment...............................3-102
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-2

If you apply your brakes, the cruise control will shut off.
{CAUTION:
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
cannot drive safely at a steady speed. So, do
not use your cruise control on winding roads
or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on slippery
roads. On such roads, fast changes in tire
traction can cause needless wheel spinning,
and you could lose control. Do not use cruise
control on slippery roads.
Setting Cruise Control
{CAUTION:
If you leave your cruise control on when you
are not using cruise, you might hit a button
and go into cruise when you do not want to.
You could be startled and even lose control.
Keep the cruise control switch off until you
want to use cruise control.
1. Move the cruise control switch to on.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Press in the set button at the end of the lever and
release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
The cruise light on the
instrument panel will
illuminate when the cruise
control is engaged.
3-11

Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control

Press in the button at the end of the lever until you
reach the lower speed you want, then release it.
To slow down in very small amounts, briey press
the set button. Each time you do this, you will go
about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed.
When you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will
slow down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the
hills. When going up steep hills, you may want to step
on the accelerator pedal to maintain your speed.
When going downhill, you may have to brake or shift to
a lower gear to keep your speed down. Of course,
applying the brake takes you out of cruise control.
Many drivers nd this to be too much trouble and do not
use cruise control on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
To turn off the cruise control, do one of the following:
Step lightly on the brake pedal,
move the cruise control switch to off, or
shift the transmission to NEUTRAL (N).
If your vehicle has the StabiliTrak®feature, cruise
control will turn off if road conditions cause
StabiliTrak
®to activate.
If the accelerator pedal is held longer than
60 seconds, cruise control will turn off.
The cruise control will turn off automatically if the
traction control system or StabiliTrak
®system activate,
if your vehicle is equipped with either feature.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory is erased.
3-13

STABILITY SYS (System) DISABLED
The STABILITY SYS DISABLED message will turn on
when you press the StabiliTrak®button or when the
stability control has been automatically disabled.
There are four conditions that can cause this message
to appear.
One condition is overheating, which could occur if
StabiliTrak®activates continuously for an extended
period of time.
The message will also be displayed if the brake
system warning light is on. SeeBrake System
Warning Light on page 3-35.
The message could be displayed if the stability
system takes longer than usual to complete its
diagnostic checks due to driving conditions.
Also, if an engine or vehicle related problem has
been detected, and the vehicle needs service, the
message will appear.
The message will turn off as soon as the conditions
that caused the message to be displayed are no
longer present.
For more information on the StabiliTrak
®system, see
StabiliTrak®System on page 4-9.
TIGHTEN FUEL CAP
If the vehicle’s fuel cap is not tightened properly this
message may appear along with the check engine light
on the instrument panel. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp on page 3-39. Reinstall the fuel cap, making sure
to fully install the cap. SeeFilling the Tank on
page 5-8. 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 and message off.
TRACTION ACTIVE
When the traction control system has detected that any
of the vehicle’s wheels are slipping, the traction
control system will activate and this message will appear
on the DIC. SeeStabiliTrak
®System on page 4-9for
more information.
TRACTION SYS (System) LIMITED
If the brake traction control system activates constantly
or if the brakes have heated up due to high-speed
braking, brake traction control will be disabled and the
TRACTION SYS LIMITED message will be displayed.
The system will return to normal operation after the
brakes have cooled. SeeStabiliTrak
®System on
page 4-9for more information.
3-55

Audio System(s)
Determine which radio your vehicle has and then
read the pages following to familiarize yourself with
its features.
Driving without distraction is a necessity for a safer
driving experience. SeeDefensive Driving on page 4-2.
By taking a few moments to read this manual and
get familiar with your vehicle’s audio system, you can
use it with less effort, as well as take advantage of
its features. While your vehicle is parked, set up your
audio system by presetting your favorite radio stations,
setting the tone and adjusting the speakers. Then,
when driving conditions permit, you can tune to your
favorite stations using the presets and steering
wheel controls (if equipped).{CAUTION:
This system provides you with a far greater
access to audio stations and song listings.
Giving extended attention to entertainment
tasks while driving can cause a crash and you
or others can be injured or killed. Always keep
your eyes on the road and your mind on the
drive — avoid engaging in extended searching
while driving.
Keeping your mind on the drive is important for safe
driving. For more information, seeDefensive Driving
on page 4-2. Get familiar with your vehicle’s audio
system so you can use it with less effort and take full
advantage of its features.
3-63

Here are some ways in which you can help avoid
distraction while driving.
While your vehicle is parked:
Familiarize yourself with all of its controls.
Familiarize yourself with its operation.
Set up your audio system by presetting your
favorite radio stations, setting the tone, and
adjusting the speakers. Then, when driving
conditions permit, you can tune to your favorite
radio stations using the presets and steering wheel
controls (if equipped).
Notice:Before adding any sound equipment to
your vehicle, such as an audio system, CD player,
CB radio, mobile telephone, or two-way radio, make
sure that it can be added by checking with your
dealer. Also, check federal rules covering mobile
radio and telephone units. If sound equipment can
be added, it is very important to do it properly.
Added sound equipment may interfere with
the operation of your vehicle’s engine, radio, or
other systems, and even damage them. Your
vehicle’s systems may interfere with the operation
of sound equipment that has been added.
Notice:The chime signals related to safety belts,
parking brake, and other functions of your vehicle
operate through the GM radio/entertainment system.If that equipment is replaced or additional equipment
is added to your vehicle, the chimes may not work.
Make sure that replacement or additional equipment
is compatible with your vehicle before installing it.
SeeAccessories and Modifications on page 5-3.
Your vehicle has a feature called Retained Accessory
Power (RAP). With RAP, the audio system can be
played even after the ignition is turned off. SeeRetained
Accessory Power (RAP) on page 2-26for more
information.
Setting the Time
Press and hold the HR button until the correct hour
appears on the display. Press and hold the MN button
until the correct minute appears on the display. The time
can be set with the ignition on or off.
To synchronize the time with an FM station broadcasting
Radio Data System (RDS) information, press and hold
the hour and minute buttons at the same time until RDS
TIME appears on the display. To accept this time, press
and hold the hour and minute buttons, at the same time,
for another two seconds. If the time is not available from
the station, NO UPDAT will appear on the display.
RDS time is broadcast once a minute. After tuning to an
RDS broadcast station, it may take a few minutes for
the time to update.
3-64

Navigation/Radio System
Your vehicle may have a navigation radio system.
The navigation system has built-in features intended to
minimize driver distraction. Technology alone, no
matter how advanced, can never replace your own
judgment. See the navigation system manual for some
tips to help you reduce distractions while driving.
Rear Seat Entertainment System
Your vehicle may have a DVD Rear Seat Entertainment
(RSE) system. The RSE system includes a DVD
player, a video display screen, two sets of wireless
headphones, and a remote control.
Parental Control
This button is located behind the video screen. Press this
button while a DVD or CD is playing to freeze the video
and mute the audio. The video screen will display
Parental Control ON and the power indicator light on the
DVD player will ash. It will also disable all other button
operations from the remote control and the DVD player,
with the exception of the eject button. Press this button
again to restore operation of the DVD player.
This button may also be used to turn the DVD player
power on and automatically resume play if the ignition is
in RUN, ACCESSORY, or if RAP is active.
Before You Drive
The RSE system is for rear seat passengers only.
The driver cannot safely view the video screen while
driving and should not try to do so.
Headphones
The RSE system includes two sets of wireless
headphones.
Each set of headphones has an ON/OFF control.
An indicator light will illuminate on the headphones
when they are on. If the light does not illuminate, the
batteries may need to be replaced. See “Battery
Replacement” following for more information.
Each set of headphones has a volume knob. To adjust
the volume, adjust this knob.
The transmitters are located below the video display
screen. The headphones will shut off automatically
if they lose the signal from the system after about
four minutes to save battery power. The signal may be
lost if the system is turned off or if the headphones
are out of range of the transmitters.
When using the wired headphones, if the front seat
passengers play a CD in the Radio with Six-Disc CD
(if equipped) or use XM™ Satellite Radio Service
(if equipped), you will hear the audio for these sources,
instead of the DVD or CD that is currently playing
through the RSE.
3-80

Road Sensing Suspension
The Road Sensing Suspension (RSS) feature provides
superior vehicle ride and handling under a variety of
passenger and loading conditions.
The system is fully automatic and uses a computer
controller to continuously monitor vehicle speed, wheel
to body position, lift/dive and steering position of the
vehicle. The controller then sends signals to each shock
absorber to independently adjust the damping level to
provide the optimum vehicle ride.
RSS also interacts with the tow/haul mode that, when
engaged, will provide additional control of the shock
absorbers. This additional control results in better ride
and handling characteristics when the vehicle is
loaded or towing a trailer. See “Tow/Haul Mode” under
Towing a Trailer on page 4-50.
StabiliTrak®System
Your vehicle is equipped with StabiliTrak®, which
combines antilock brake, traction and stability control
systems and helps the driver maintain directional control
of the vehicle in most driving conditions.
When you rst start your vehicle and begin to drive
away, the system performs several diagnostic checks to
insure there are no problems. You may hear or feel the
system working. This is normal and does not mean thereis a problem with your vehicle. The system should
initialize before the vehicle reaches 20 mph
(32 km/h). In some cases, it may take approximately
two miles of driving before the system initializes.
If the system fails to turn on or activate, the STABILITY
SYS DISABLED or SERVICE STABILITY message
will be displayed. If the vehicle has gone through heavy
acceleration or braking or multiple turns during the
rst two miles of driving after starting your vehicle, the
STABILITY SYS DISABLED message may appear.
If this is the case, your vehicle does not need servicing.
You will need to turn the vehicle off and then restart
it to initialize StabiliTrak
®. If either message appears on
the Driver Information Center (DIC), and your vehicle
hasn’t gone through hard acceleration, braking or
multiple turns in the rst two miles of driving, your
vehicle should be taken in for service.
The STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message will appear on
the Driver Information Center (DIC) only when the
system is both on and activated. It means that an
advanced computer-controlled system has come on to
help your vehicle continue to go in the direction in which
you’re steering. StabiliTrak
®activates when the
computer senses that your vehicle is just starting to
spin, as it might if you hit a patch of ice or other slippery
spot on the road. When the system activates, you
may hear a noise or feel a vibration in the brake pedal.
4-9

This is normal. When the STABILITY SYS ACTIVE
message is on, you should continue to steer in
the direction you want to go. The system is designed to
help you in bad weather or other difficult driving
situations by making the most of whatever road
conditions will permit. For more information on the
stability messages, seeDriver Information Center (DIC)
on page 3-45.
StabiliTrak
®and part of
the traction control system
can be turned off or
back on by pressing the
StabiliTrak
®button located
on the instrument panel.
When the system is turned off, the traction off light will
illuminate, and the STABILITY SYS DISABLED
message will appear on the DIC to warn the driver that
both the stability system and part of the traction
control system are disabled. Your vehicle will still have
brake-traction control when StabiliTrak
®is off, but
will not be able to use the engine speed management
system. See “Traction Control Operation” next for
more information.When the StabiliTrak
®system has been turned off you
may still hear system noises as a result of the
brake-traction control coming on.
To limit wheel spin and realize the full benets of the
stability enhancement system, you should normally
leave StabiliTrak
®on, but it may be necessary to turn
the system off if your vehicle is stuck in sand, mud,
ice or snow, and you want to “rock” your vehicle
to attempt to free it. It may also be necessary to turn off
the system when driving in extreme off-road conditions
where high wheel spin is required. SeeIf Your Vehicle is
Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on page 4-42.
Traction Control Operation
The traction control system is part of the StabiliTrak®
system. Traction control limits wheel spin by reducing
engine power to the wheels (engine speed management)
and by applying brakes to each individual wheel
(brake-traction control) as necessary.
The traction control system is enabled automatically
when you start your vehicle, and it will activate
and display the TRACTION ACTIVE message in the
Driver Information Center (DIC) if it senses that any of
the wheels are spinning or beginning to lose traction
while driving. If you turn off StabiliTrak
®, only the
brake-traction control portion of traction control will work.
4-10

The engine speed management will be disabled. In this
state, engine power is not reduced automatically and
the driven wheels can spin more freely. This can cause
the brake-traction control to activate constantly. For
more information on the traction active message, see
Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-45.
Notice:If the traction off light comes on due to
heavy braking and/or because the traction control
system has been continuously active, do not
allow the wheel(s) of one axle to spin excessively.
If you do, you may be causing damage to the
transfer case. This could lead to costly repairs not
covered by your warranty.
If the brake traction-control system activates constantly
or if the brakes have heated up due to high-speed
braking, brake traction-control will be disabled and the
TRACTION SYS LIMITED message will be displayed.
In the limited mode, the traction control system will only
use engine traction-control and is limited in its ability
to provide optimal performance since the system will not
utilize brake traction-control to control slip on the
drive wheels. The system will return to normal operation
after the brakes have cooled. This can take up to
two minutes or longer depending on brake usage.Notice:If you allow the wheel(s) of one axle to
spin excessively while the traction system is off,
ABS and brake warning lights and the SERVICE
STABILITY message are displayed, you could
damage the transfer case. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Reduce engine power
and do not spin the wheel(s) excessively while these
lights and this message are displayed.
The traction control system may activate on dry or
rough roads or under conditions such as heavy
acceleration while turning or abrupt upshifts/downshifts
of the transmission. When this happens you may
notice a reduction in acceleration, or may hear a noise
or vibration. This is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the system
activates, the STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message will
appear on the Driver Information Center and the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to use cruise again, you may
re-engage the cruise control. SeeCruise Control on
page 3-10.
StabiliTrak
®may also turn off automatically if it
determines that a problem exists with the system.
If the problem does not clear itself after restarting the
vehicle, you should see your dealer for service.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 5-3for more information.
4-11