stop start CADILLAC ESCALADE 2000 1.G User Guide

3-13
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 function is controlled by the knob on
the main radio:
The following functions are controlled by the RSA
system buttons:
PWR: Press this button to turn RSA on or off.
VOL: Press this knob lightly so it extends. Turn the
knob clockwise to increase volume and
counterclockwise to decrease volume. Push the knob
back into its stored position when you're not using it.
The upper VOL knob controls the upper headphone and
the lower VOL knob controls the lower headphone.
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 AM
-FM, press the up arrow
to tune to the next higher station and stay there. Press
the down arrow to tune to the next lower 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 remote CD player or the CD
changer is in use.
SCAN: Press and hold SEEK until the radio goes into
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 SEEK
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 Brakes (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.

4-12
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two
-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes
back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two
-lane
highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming
traffic for several seconds. A miscalculation, an error
in judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger
can suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the
worst of all traffic accidents
-- the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:

ªDrive ahead.º Look down the road, to the sides
and to crossroads for situations that might affect your
passing patterns. If you have any doubt whatsoever
about making a successful pass, wait for a better time.

Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings and
lines. If you can see a sign up ahead that might
indicate a turn or an intersection, delay your pass.
A broken center line usually indicates it's all right to
pass (providing the road ahead is clear). Never cross
a solid line on your side of the lane or a double
solid line, even if the road seems empty of
approaching traffic.
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.

4-13

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.
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 and an acceleration skid are 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.

4-17 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.

4-20
CAUTION:
Driving to the top (crest) of a hill at full speed
can cause an accident. There could be a drop
-off,
embankment, cliff, or even another vehicle. You
could be seriously injured or killed. As you near
the top of a hill, slow down and stay alert.
Q:What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about
to stall, and I can't make it up the hill?
A:If this happens, there are some things you should
do, and there are some things you must not do.
First, here's what you should do:

Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and
keep it from rolling backwards. Also, apply the
parking brake.

If your engine is still running, shift the transmission
to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill in REVERSE (R).
If your engine has stopped running, you'll need
to restart it. With the brake pedal pressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to
PARK (P) and restart the engine. Then, shift to
REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill as straight as possible in
REVERSE (R).

As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand
on the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position. This
way, you'll be able to tell if your wheels are straight
and maneuver as you back down. It's best that you
back down the hill with your wheels straight rather
than in the left or right direction. Turning the wheel
too far to the left or right will increase the possibility
of a rollover.
Here are some things you must not do if you stall,
or are about to stall, when going up a hill.

Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
NEUTRAL (N) to ªrev
-upº the engine and regain
forward momentum. This won't work. Your vehicle
will roll backwards very quickly and you could go
out of control.

4-22

Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts?
Logs? Boulders?

What's at the bottom of the hill? Is there a hidden
creek bank or even a river bottom with large rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then try to
keep your vehicle headed straight down, and use a low
gear. This way, engine drag can help your brakes and
they won't have to do all the work. Descend slowly,
keeping your vehicle under control at all times.
CAUTION:
Heavy braking when going down a hill can
cause your brakes to overheat and fade. This
could cause loss of control and a serious accident.
Apply the brakes lightly when descending a
hill and use a low gear to keep vehicle speed
under control.
Q:Are there some things I should not do when
driving down a hill?
A:Yes! These are important because if you ignore them
you could lose control and have a serious accident.

When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across the incline of the hill. A hill that's not too
steep to drive down may be too steep to drive across.
You could roll over if you don't drive straight down.

Never go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N). This is called ªfree
-wheeling.º
Your brakes will have to do all the work and could
overheat and fade.
Q:Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A:It's much more likely to happen going uphill.
But if it happens going downhill, here's what to do.

Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes.
Apply the parking brake.

Shift to PARK (P) and, while still braking, restart
the engine.

Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake,
and drive straight down.

If the engine won't start, get out and get help.

4-24
Q:What if I'm driving across an incline that's not
too steep, but I hit some loose gravel and start to
slide downhill. What should I do?
A:If you feel your vehicle starting to slide sideways,
turn downhill. This should help straighten out the
vehicle and prevent the side slipping. However, a
much better way to prevent this is to get out and
ªwalk the courseº so you know what the surface
is like before you drive it.
Stalling on an Incline
If your vehicle stalls when you're crossing an incline,
be sure you (and your passengers) get out on the uphill
side, even if the door there is harder to open. If you get
out on the downhill side and the vehicle starts to roll
over, you'll be right in its path.
If you have to walk down the slope, stay out of the path
the vehicle will take if it does roll over.
CAUTION:
Getting out on the downhill (low) side of a vehicle
stopped across an incline is dangerous. If the
vehicle rolls over, you could be crushed or killed.
Always get out on the uphill (high) side of the
vehicle and stay well clear of the rollover path.

4-26
If the water isn't too deep, then drive through it slowly.
At fast speeds, water splashes on your ignition system
and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also occur if you
get your tailpipe under water. And, as long as your
tailpipe is under water, you'll never be able to start your
engine. When you go through water, remember that when
your brakes get wet, it may take you longer to stop.
CAUTION:
Driving through rushing water can be dangerous.
Deep water can sweep your vehicle downstream
and you and your passengers could drown. If
it's only shallow water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires, and you could lose
traction and roll the vehicle over. Don't drive
through rushing water.
See ªDriving Through Waterº in the Index for more
information on driving through water.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the
underbody, chassis or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings
cleaned and checked. These substances can cause
glazing and uneven braking. Check the body structure,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires and exhaust system
for damage. Also, check the fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due to
off
-road use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule booklet
for additional information.

4-29
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road, you can't stop, accelerate or turn as well because
your tire
-to-road traction isn't as good as on dry roads.
And, if your tires don't have much tread left, you'll get
even less traction. It's always wise to go slower and be
cautious if rain starts to fall while you are driving. The
surface may get wet suddenly when your reflexes are
tuned for driving on dry pavement.
The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your
windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy rain
can make it harder to see road signs and traffic signals,
pavement markings, the edge of the road and even
people walking.
It's wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape
and keep your windshield washer tank filled with
washer fluid. Replace your windshield wiper inserts
when they show signs of streaking or missing areas on
the windshield, or when strips of rubber start to separate
from the inserts.
Driving too fast through large water puddles or even
going through some car washes can cause problems, too.
The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles.
But if you can't, try to slow down before you hit them.