brake CADILLAC ESCALADE 2007 3.G Owner's Guide

Let us say the road is wet and you are driving
safely. Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of
you. You slam on the brakes and continue braking.
Here is what happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down.
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the brakes at each
front wheel and at both rear wheels.ABS can change the brake pressure faster than
any driver could. The computer is programmed
to make the most of available tire and road
conditions. This can help you steer around the
obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving
updates on wheel speed and controls braking
pressure accordingly.
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Remember: ABS does not change the time you
need to get your foot up to the brake pedal
or always decrease stopping distance. If you get
too close to the vehicle in front of you, you will not
have time to apply your brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always leave enough
room up ahead to stop, even though you
have ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake
pedal down rmly and let anti-lock work for you.
You may feel the brakes vibrate, or you may notice
some noise, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With ABS, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you
more than even the very best braking.
Locking Differential
If your vehicle has this feature, your locking
differential can give you additional traction on
snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It works like
a standard axle most of the time, but when one of
the wheels has no traction and the other does,
this feature will allow the wheel with traction
to move the vehicle.
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.
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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” underTowing a Trailer on
page 379.
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 there is 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
STABILITRAK OFF or SERVICE STABILITRAK
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, these messages may also
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.
For more information on the stability messages,
seeDriver Information Center (DIC) on page 245.
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. This is normal. 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.
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The StabiliTrak®light
will ash on the
instrument panel cluster
when the system is
both on and activated.
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 StabiliTrak
®
light will ash, and the STABILITRAK OFF
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 368.
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 StabiliTrak
®light if
it senses that any of the wheels are spinning
or beginning to lose traction while driving.
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If you turn off StabiliTrak®, only the brake-traction
control portion of traction control will work. 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.
Notice:If you allow the wheel(s) of one axle
to spin excessively while the StabiliTrak
®,
ABS and brake warning lights and the
SERVICE STABILITRAK 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 StabiliTrak
®light will ash 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 202.
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 396for more information.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System
If your vehicle is equipped with this feature,
engine power is sent to all four wheels when extra
traction is needed. This is like four-wheel drive,
but there is no separate lever or switch to engage
or disengage the front axle. It is fully automatic,
and adjusts itself as needed for road conditions.
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If you need to reduce your speed as you approach
a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while
your front wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive”
through the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady
speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out of
the curve, and then accelerate gently into
the straightaway.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 396.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more
effective than braking. For example, you come
over a hill and nd a truck stopped in your lane,
or a car suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or
a child darts out from between parked cars and
stops right in front of you. You can avoid
these problems by braking — if you can stop in
time. But sometimes you cannot; there is not room.
That is the time for evasive action — steering
around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies
like these. First apply your brakes.SeeBraking on page 326. It is better to remove as
much speed as you can from a possible collision.
Then steer around the problem, to the left or
right depending on the space available.
An emergency like this requires close attention and
a quick decision. If you are holding the steering
wheel at the recommended 9 and 3 o’clock
positions, you can turn it a full 180 degrees very
quickly without removing either hand. But you
have to act fast, steer quickly, and just as quickly
straighten the wheel once you have avoided
the object.
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Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a
time on two-lane roads. Reconsider before
passing the next vehicle.
Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle
too rapidly. Even though the brake lamps
are not ashing, it may be slowing down or
starting to turn.
If you are 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 us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not have enough
friction where the tires meet the road to do what the
driver has asked.
In any emergency, do not 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 overdriving 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 are not 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.
Remember: Any traction control system helps
avoid only the acceleration skid. If your traction
control system is off, then an acceleration
skid is also best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
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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 will 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 reducing vehicle speed 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 mirrored surface — and slow down when
you have any doubt.
Remember: Any Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
helps avoid only the braking skid.Off-Road Driving
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have
all-wheel drive. If your vehicle does not have
all-wheel drive or if it has 20-inch tire/wheel
assemblies, you should not drive off-road unless
you are on a level, solid surface. SeeTires
on page 454.
Many of the same design features that help make
your vehicle responsive on paved roads during
poor weather conditions — features like all-wheel
drive — help make it much better suited for
off-road use. Its higher ground clearance also
helps your vehicle step over some off-road
obstacles. But your vehicle does not have features
like special underbody shielding and a transfer
case low gear range, things that are usually
thought necessary for extended or severe off-road
service.
Also, seeBraking on page 326.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have
some denite hazards. The greatest of these is
the terrain itself.
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Sound the horn as you approach the top of the
hill to let opposing traffic know you are there.
Use the headlamps even during the day. They
make you more visible to oncoming traffic.
{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 cannot 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 is what youshoulddo:
Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle
and keep it from rolling backwards. Also, apply
the parking brake.
If the engine is still running, shift the
transmission to REVERSE (R), release the
parking brake, and slowly back down the hill in
REVERSE (R).
If the engine has stopped running, you will 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 will be able to tell if the
wheels are straight and maneuver as you back
down. It is best that you back down the hill with
the 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.
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Here are some things youmust notdo 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 rev-up the engine
and regain forward momentum. This will not
work. Your vehicle will roll backwards
very quickly and you could go out of control.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop
the vehicle. Then apply the parking brake.
Shift to REVERSE (R), release the parking
brake, and slowly back straight down.
Never attempt to turn around if you are about
to stall when going up a hill. If the hill is steep
enough to stall your vehicle, it is steep
enough to cause you to roll over if you turn
around. If you cannot make it up the hill
you must back straight down the hill.
Q:Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down
the hill and decide I just cannot do it.
What should I do?
A:Set the parking brake, put the transmission
in PARK (P) and turn off the engine. Leave
the vehicle and go get some help. Exit on
the uphill side and stay clear of the path the
vehicle would take if it rolled downhill.
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