towing CADILLAC ESCALADE 2013 3.G User Guide

Black plate (29,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
Driving and Operating 9-29
WARNING (Continued)
.There are holes or openings
in the vehicle body from
damage or aftermarket
modifications 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.
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running.
If the vehicle is left with the engine
running, follow the proper steps to
be sure the vehicle will not move.
See Shifting Into Park on page 9‑26
and Engine Exhaust on page 9‑28.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑57.
Automatic
Transmission
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement 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.

Black plate (30,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
9-30 Driving and Operating
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” underShifting Into
Park on page 9‑26 for more
information.
{WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. 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
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park on
page 9‑26 andDriving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
on page 9‑57.
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
the Vehicle Is Stuck on page 9‑14.
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.
{WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly 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.

Black plate (31,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
Driving and Operating 9-31
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 55 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 55 km/h (35 mph) 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 9‑5. 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 witha 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.
M (Manual Mode): This position
lets drivers select the range of gears
appropriate for current driving
conditions. See “Driver Shift Control
(DSC)” underManual Mode on
page 9‑32.
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

Black plate (32,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
9-32 Driving and Operating
spin the tires. When stopping on
a hill, use the brakes to hold the
vehicle in place.
Normal Mode Grade Braking
Normal Mode Grade Braking is
enabled when the vehicle is started,
but is not enabled in Range
Selection Mode. It assists in
maintaining desired vehicle speeds
when driving on downhill grades by
using the engine and transmission
to slow the vehicle. The first time
the system engages for each
ignition key cycle, a DIC message
will be displayed. SeeTransmission
Messages on page 5‑36.
To disable or enable Normal Mode
Grade Braking within the current
ignition key cycle, press and hold
the Tow/Haul button for
three seconds. A DIC message
displays. See Transmission
Messages on page 5‑36.
For other forms of grade braking,
see Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑33
and Cruise Control on page 9‑41.
Manual Mode
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
The vehicle has Driver Shift
Control (DSC). DSC controls the
vehicle's transmission and vehicle
speed while driving down hill or
towing a trailer by allowing you to
select a desired range of gears.
To use this feature:
1. Move the shift lever to
M (Manual Mode).
2. Press the plus/minus buttons, to upshift or downshift selecting the
desired range of gears for
current driving conditions.
The DIC display will show the
message MANUAL SHIFT on the
first line and the current gear will be displayed on the second line. The
number displayed in the DIC is the
highest gear that can be used.
However, the vehicle can
automatically shift to lower gears as
it adjusts to driving conditions. This
means that all gears below that
number are available. When 5 (Fifth)
is selected, 1 (First) through 5 (Fifth)
gears are automatically shifted by
the vehicle, but 6 (Sixth) cannot be
used until the plus/minus button
located on the steering column lever
is used to change to the gear.
Grade Braking is not available when
the Driver Shift Control is active.
See
Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑33.
While using the DSC, Cruise
Control and the Tow/Haul Mode can
be used.

Black plate (33,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
Driving and Operating 9-33
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 driving
down steep hills and mountain
grades, 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.
SeeTow/Haul Mode Light on
page 5‑20 andHill and Mountain
Roads on page 9‑12 for more
information. Also see
“Tow/Haul Mode” under
Towing Equipment on page 9‑63 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 Continuous Damping Control
(CDC) on page 9‑40.
Tow/Haul Mode Grade Braking
(6-Speed Automatic
Transmission)
This feature is only enabled while
the Tow/Haul Mode is selected and
the vehicle is not in the Range
Selection Mode. See “Tow/Haul
Mode” listed previously and Manual
Mode on page 9‑32. Tow/Haul Mode
Grade Braking assists in
maintaining desired vehicle speeds
when driving on downhill grades by
using the engine and transmission
to slow the vehicle. To disable or enable Tow/Haul
Grade Braking within the current
ignition key cycle, press and hold
the Tow/Haul button for
three seconds. A DIC message will
be displayed. See
Transmission
Messages on page 5‑36.
See Towing Equipment on
page 9‑63 for more information.
For other forms of grade braking,
see Automatic Transmission on
page 9‑29 andCruise Control on
page 9‑41.

Black plate (35,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
Driving and Operating 9-35
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Parking Brake
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.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 5‑19. Notice:
Driving with the parking
brake on can overheat the brake
system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system
parts. Make sure that the parking
brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before
driving.
To release the parking brake, hold
the regular brake pedal down, then
push down momentarily on the
parking brake pedal until you feel
the pedal release. Slowly pull your
foot up off the parking brake pedal.
If the parking brake is not released
when you begin to drive, the brake
system warning light will flash and a
chime will sound warning you that
the parking brake is still on.
If you are towing a trailer and are
parking on a hill, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips on
page 9‑57.

Black plate (40,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
9-40 Driving and Operating
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” underTowing
Equipment on page 9‑63.
Continuous Damping
Control (CDC)
This vehicle may have a continuous
damping control system called
Autoride
®or MagneRide™. With
this feature, improved vehicle ride
and handling is provided under a
variety of passenger and loading
conditions.
Autoride and MagneRide are fully
automatic and use 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. Autoride and MagneRide also
interact with the tow/haul mode that,
when activated, 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” underTrailer Towing on
page 9‑59.
Automatic Level Control
The automatic level control rear
suspension is available on light‐duty
vehicles and comes as a part of the
Continuous Damping Control (CDC)
suspension, if equipped.
This type of level control is fully
automatic and will provide a better
leveled riding position as well as
better handling under a variety of
passenger and loading conditions.

Black plate (46,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
9-46 Driving and Operating
SBZA Detection Zones
The SBZA sensor covers a zone of
approximately one lane over from
both sides of the vehicle, 3.5 m
(11 ft). This zone starts at each side
mirror and goes back approximately
5.0 m (16 ft). The height of the zone
is approximately between
0.5 m (1.5 ft) and 2.0 m (6 ft) off the
ground.
Use caution while changing lanes
when towing a trailer, as the SBZA
detection zones do not change
when a trailer is towed.How the System Works
The SBZA symbol lights up in the
side mirrors when the system
detects a vehicle in the side blind
zone, indicating it may be unsafe to
change lanes. Before making a lane
change, check the SBZA display,
check all mirrors, glance over your
shoulder, and use the turn signals.
Left Side Mirror
DisplayRight Side Mirror Display
When the vehicle is started, both
outside mirror SBZA displays will
briefly come on to indicate the
system is operating. When the
vehicle is moving forward, the left or
right side mirror display will light up
if a vehicle is detected in that blind
zone. If the turn signal is activated
and a vehicle is also detected on the same side, the display will flash
to give you extra warning not to
change lanes.
At speeds greater then 32 km/h
(20 mph), SBZA displays may come
on when approaching or passing
other vehicles. SBZA displays may
come on when a passed vehicle
remains in or drops back into the
detection zone. SBZA can be
disabled through the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See
Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑23. If SBZA is disabled by
the driver, the SBZA mirror displays
will not light up.
When the System Does Not Seem
To Work Properly
Missed alerts can occur under
normal circumstances and will
increase in wet conditions. The
system does not need to be
serviced. SBZA is designed to
ignore stationary objects; however,
the system may occasionally light
up due to guard rails, signs, trees,

Black plate (56,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
9-56 Driving and Operating
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container
{WARNING
Filling a portable fuel container
while it is in the vehicle can cause
fuel vapors that can ignite either
by static electricity or other
means. You or others could be
badly burned and the vehicle
could be damaged. Always:
.Use approved fuel
containers.
.Remove container from
vehicle, trunk, or pickup bed
before filling.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Place container on the
ground.
.Place the nozzle inside the fill
opening of the container
before dispensing fuel, and
keep it in contact with the fill
opening until filling is
complete.
.Do not smoke while
pumping fuel.
Towing
General Towing
Information
Only use towing equipment that has
been designed for the vehicle.
Contact your dealer or trailering
dealer for assistance with preparing
the vehicle for towing a trailer. Read
the entire section before towing a
trailer.
For towing a disabled vehicle, see
Towing the Vehicle on page 10‑87.
For towing the vehicle behind
another vehicle such as a motor
home, seeRecreational Vehicle
Towing on page 10‑87.

Black plate (57,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
Driving and Operating 9-57
Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips
Driving with a Trailer
When towing a trailer:
.Become familiar with the state
and local laws that apply to
trailer towing.
.Do not tow a trailer during the
first 800 km (500 mi) to prevent
damage to the engine, axle,
or other parts.
.Then during the first 800 km
(500 mi) of trailer towing, do not
drive over 80 km/h (50 mph) and
do not make starts at full throttle.
.Vehicles can tow in D (Drive).
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear if the transmission shifts
too often under heavy loads and/
or hilly conditions.
{WARNING
When towing a trailer, exhaust
gases may collect at the rear of
the vehicle and enter if the
liftgate, trunk/hatch, or rear-most
window is open.
When towing a trailer:
.Do not drive with the liftgate,
trunk/hatch, or rear-most
window open.
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
.Also adjust the climate
control system to a setting
that brings in only outside air.
See“Climate Control System”
in the Index.
For more information about
Carbon Monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑28. Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. The
combination you are driving is
longer and not as responsive as the
vehicle itself. Get acquainted with
the handling and braking of the rig
before setting out for the open road.
Before starting, check all trailer hitch
parts and attachments, safety
chains, electrical connectors, lamps,
tires, and mirrors. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start the
combination moving and then apply
the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure the brakes work.
During the trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure
and the lamps and any trailer
brakes still work.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid heavy
braking and sudden turns.