airbag CADILLAC ESCALADE 2011 3.G Owners Manual

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
2011 Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Keys, Doors and Windows . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-55
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3 Instruments and Controls
. . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-40
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-50
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19
Rear Seat Infotainment . . . . . . . 7-33
Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-60
Voice Recognition . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-99
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-102
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-8 Driving and Operating
. . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-30
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-40
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-47
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-54
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-63
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-70
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-82
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-89
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-94
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . 10-97

Black plate (5,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Introduction v
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the Index.
0:Adjustable Pedals
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
g:Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar®
$: Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.: Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
(: Heated Steering Wheel
j:LATCH System Child
Restraints
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
g:Outside Power Foldaway
Mirrors
}: Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
_: Tow/Haul Mode
F:Traction Control
M:Windshield Washer Fluid

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-1
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Second Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Third Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Heated and Ventilated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9 Head Restraint
Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Sensing System for Passenger Airbag . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Throttle and Brake Pedal Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 1-14
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Vehicle Features
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . 1-16
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . 1-17 Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 1-20
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Universal Remote System . . . 1-21
Performance and Maintenance
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . 1-22
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 1-22
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 1-23
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Roadside Service . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24

Black plate (10,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
1-10 In Brief
Head Restraint
Adjustment
Do not drive until the head restraints
for all occupants are installed and
adjusted properly.
To achieve a comfortable seating
position, change the seatback
recline angle as little as necessary
while keeping the seat and the
head restraint height in the proper
position.
For more information seeHead
Restraints on page 3‑2 andPower
Seat Adjustment on page 3‑3.
Safety Belts
Refer to the following sections for
important information on how to use
safety belts properly.
.Safety Belts on page 3‑22.
.How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly on page 3‑25.
.Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 3‑31.
.Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑63.
Sensing System for
Passenger Airbag
The passenger sensing system,
if equipped, will turn off the right
front passenger frontal airbag
under certain conditions. The driver
airbags, seat‐mounted side impact
airbags and roof‐rail airbags are not
affected by this.
If the vehicle has one of the
indicators pictured in the following
illustrations, then the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the
right front passenger position.
The passenger airbag status
indicator, if equipped, will be visible
on the overhead console when the
vehicle is started.

Black plate (25,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-25
Crisis Assist, Stolen Vehicle
Assistance, Vehicle Diagnostics,
Remote Door Unlock, Roadside
Assistance, Turn‐by‐Turn
Navigation and Hands‐Free
Calling are available on most
vehicles. Not all OnStar services are
available on all vehicles. For more
information see the OnStar Owner's
Guide or visit www.onstar.com
(U.S.) or www.onstar.ca (Canada),
contact OnStar at 1-888-4-ONSTAR
(1‐888‐466‐7827) or TTY
1‐877‐248‐2080, or press
Qto
speak with an OnStar advisor
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For a full description of OnStar
services and system limitations, see
the OnStar Owner's Guide in the
glove box.
OnStar service is subject to the
OnStar terms and conditions
included in the OnStar Subscriber
Information. OnStar service cannot work unless
the vehicle is in a place where
OnStar has an agreement with
a wireless service provider for
service in that area. OnStar service
also cannot work unless the vehicle
is in a place where the wireless
service provider OnStar has hired
for that area has coverage, network
capacity and reception when the
service is needed, and technology
that is compatible with the OnStar
service. Not all services are
available everywhere, particularly
in remote or enclosed areas, or at
all times.
The OnStar system can record
and transmit vehicle information.
This information is automatically
sent to an OnStar call center when
Qis pressed,]is pressed, or if
the airbags or ACR system deploy.
This information usually includes the
vehicle's GPS location and, in the
event of a crash, additional information regarding the crash that
the vehicle was involved in (e.g. the
direction from which the vehicle was
hit). When the virtual advisor feature
of OnStar hands-free calling is
used, the vehicle also sends OnStar
the vehicle's GPS location so they
can provide services where it is
located.
Location information about the
vehicle is only available if the GPS
satellite signals are unobstructed
and available.
The vehicle must have a working
electrical system, including
adequate battery power, for the
OnStar equipment to operate.
There are other problems OnStar
cannot control that may prevent
OnStar from providing OnStar
service at any particular time or
place. Some examples are damage
to important parts of the vehicle in
a crash, hills, tall buildings, tunnels,
weather or wireless phone network
congestion.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-1
Seats and
Restraints
Head Restraints
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats
Power Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . 3-3
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Heated and Ventilated FrontSeats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Rear Seats
Heated Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Second Row Seats (60/40Split Bench Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Second Row Seats (Bucket Seats) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Third Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Safety Belts
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31 Safety Belt Use During
Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-36
Lap Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Safety Belt Extender . . . . . . . . . 3-38
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . 3-38
Safety Belt Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38
Replacing Safety Belt System Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . 3-39
Airbag System
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . 3-42
When Should an AirbagInflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-44
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-45
How Does an Airbag
Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-46
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-46
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-48
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-52
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . 3-53
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . 3-54
Replacing Airbag System Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . 3-54
Child Restraints
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-55
Infants and YoungChildren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-57
Child Restraint Systems . . . . . 3-60
Where to Put the Restraint . . . 3-62
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-63
Replacing LATCH System Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . 3-71
Securing Child Restraints (Rear Seat Position) . . . . . . . . 3-72
Securing Child Restraints (Center Front Seat
Position) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-75
Securing Child Restraints (Right Front Seat
Position) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-75

Black plate (25,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-25
Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicleafter a crash if I am wearing a
safety belt?
A: You could be—whether you
are wearing a safety belt or
not. But your chance of being
conscious during and after an
accident, so you canunbuckle
and get out, is muchgreater if
you are belted. And you can
unbuckle a safety belt, even if
you are upside down.
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to wear safety
belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental
systems only; so they work with
safety belts —not instead of
them. Whether or not an airbag
is provided, all occupants still
have to buckle up to get the
most protection. That is true
not only in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and
other collisions. Q: If I am a good driver, and I
never drive far from home,
why should I wear safety
belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver,
but if you are in a crash —even
one that is not your fault —you
and your passenger(s) can be
hurt. Being a good driver does
not protect you from things
beyond your control, such
as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within
40 km (25 miles) of home.
And the greatest number of
serious injuries and deaths
occur at speeds of less than
65 km/h (40 mph).
Safety belts are for everyone.
How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly
This section is only for people of
adult size.
Be aware that there are special
things to know about safety belts
and children. And there are different
rules for smaller children and
infants. If a child will be riding in
the vehicle, see Older Children on
page 3‑55 orInfants and Young
Children on page 3‑57. Follow those
rules for everyone's protection.
It is very important for all occupants
to buckle up. Statistics show that
unbelted people are hurt more often
in crashes than those who are
wearing safety belts.
Occupants who are not buckled up
can be thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash. And they can strike others in
the vehicle who are wearing safety
belts.

Black plate (34,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
3-34 Seats and Restraints
Safety Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has safety belt
pretensioners for front outboard
occupants. Although the safety
belt pretensioners cannot be seen,
they are part of the safety belt
assembly. They can help tighten the
safety belts during the early stages
of a moderate to severe frontal,
near frontal, or rear crash if the
threshold conditions for pretensioner
activation are met. And, if the
vehicle has side impact airbags,
safety belt pretensioners can help
tighten the safety belts in a side
crash or a rollover event.
Pretensioners work only once. If the
pretensioners activate in a crash,
the pretensioners and probably
other parts of the vehicle's safety
belt system will need to be replaced.
SeeReplacing Safety Belt System
Parts After a Crash on page 3‑39.
Rear Safety Belt Comfort
Guides
This vehicle may have rear shoulder
belt comfort guides. If not, they
are available through your dealer.
The guides may provide added
safety belt comfort for older children
who have outgrown booster seats
and for some adults. When installed
and properly adjusted, the comfort
guide positions the belt away from
the neck and head.
There is one guide, if equipped, for
each outside passenger position in
the second row seat and the third
row, if the vehicle has one.
Second Row
Here is how to install a comfort
guide to the safety belt:
1. For the second row, remove the guide from its storage clip on the
interior body.

Black plate (39,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-39
Replacing Safety Belt
System Parts After a
Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the safety
belt system in the vehicle.
A damaged safety belt system
may not properly protect the
person using it, resulting in
serious injury or even death in
a crash. To help make sure the
safety belt systems are working
properly after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as
possible.After a minor crash, replacement of
safety belts may not be necessary.
But the safety belt assemblies that
were used during any crash may
have been stressed or damaged.
See your dealer to have the safety
belt assemblies inspected or
replaced.
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the safety belt
system was not being used at the
time of the crash.
Have the safety belt pretensioners
checked if the vehicle has been in a
crash, or if the airbag readiness light
stays on after you start the vehicle
or while you are driving. See
Airbag
Readiness Light on page 5‑16.
Airbag System
The vehicle has the following
airbags:
.A frontal airbag for the driver.
.A frontal airbag for the right front
passenger.
.A seat‐mounted side impact
airbag for the driver.
.A seat‐mounted side impact
airbag for the right front
passenger.
.A roof-rail airbag for the driver
and passenger directly behind
the driver.
.A roof-rail airbag for the right
front passenger and the person
seated directly behind that
passenger.

Black plate (40,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
3-40 Seats and Restraints
The vehicle may have the following
airbags:
.If the vehicle has a third row
seat, it will have a third row
roof-rail airbag.
All of the airbags in the vehicle will
have the word AIRBAG embossed
in the trim or on an attached label
near the deployment opening.
For frontal airbags, the word
AIRBAG will appear on the middle
part of the steering wheel for the
driver and on the instrument panel
for the right front passenger.
With seat‐mounted side impact
airbags, the word AIRBAG will
appear on the side of the seatback
closest to the door. With roof-rail airbags, the word
AIRBAG will appear along the
headliner or trim.
Airbags are designed to supplement
the protection provided by safety
belts. Even though today's airbags
are also designed to help reduce
the risk of injury from the force of an
inflating bag, all airbags must inflate
very quickly to do their job.
Here are the most important things
to know about the airbag system:
{WARNING
You can be severely injured or
killed in a crash if you are not
wearing your safety belt
—even
if you have airbags. Airbags are
designed to work with safety
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
belts, but do not replace them.
Also, airbags are not designed to
deploy in every crash. In some
crashes safety belts are your only
restraint. SeeWhen Should an
Airbag Inflate? on page 3‑44.
Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce your chance
of hitting things inside the vehicle
or being ejected from it. Airbags
are “supplemental restraints” to
the safety belts. Everyone in your
vehicle should wear a safety belt
properly —whether or not there is
an airbag for that person.