traction control CADILLAC ESCALADE 2013 3.G Owners Manual

Black plate (5,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
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)
%: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
O: Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
_: Tow/Haul Mode
d:Traction Control/StabiliTrak®
M:Windshield Washer Fluid

Black plate (22,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
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1-22 In Brief
Performance and
Maintenance
StabiliTrak®System
The vehicle has a traction control
system that limits wheel spin and
the StabiliTrak system that assists
with directional control of the vehicle
in difficult driving conditions. Both
systems turn on automatically every
time the vehicle is started.
.To turn off traction control, press
and release
gon the instrument
panel. The appropriate DIC
message displays. See Ride
Control System Messages on
page 5‑33.
.To turn off both traction control
and StabiliTrak, press and hold
guntilgilluminates and the
appropriate DIC message
displays. See Ride Control
System Messages on page 5‑33.
.Press and releasegagain to
turn on both systems. For more information, see
StabiliTrak
®System on page 9‑37.
Tire Pressure Monitor
This vehicle may have a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).
The low tire pressure warning light
alerts to a significant loss in
pressure of one of the vehicle's
tires. If the warning light comes on,
stop as soon as possible and inflate
the tires to the recommended
pressure shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. See
Vehicle Load Limits on page 9‑15.
The warning light will remain on until
the tire pressure is corrected.
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather when
the vehicle is first started, and then
turn off as the vehicle is driven. This
may be an early indicator that the
tire pressures are getting low and
the tires need to be inflated to the
proper pressure.
The TPMS does not replace normal
monthly tire maintenance. Maintain
the correct tire pressures.
See
Tire Pressure Monitor System
on page 10‑49.Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit
This vehicle may come with a spare
tire and tire changing equipment or
a tire sealant and compressor kit.
The kit can be used to temporarily
seal small punctures in the tread
area of the tire. See Tire Sealant
and Compressor Kit on page 10‑62.
If the vehicle came with a spare tire
and tire changing equipment, see If
a Tire Goes Flat on page 10‑61.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
Instruments and Controls 5-1
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 5-2
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 5-2
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . 5-4
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . 5-4
Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12 Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . 5-13
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . 5-14
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Charging System Light . . . . . . 5-16
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . 5-20
StabiliTrak
®OFF Light . . . . . . . 5-20
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . 5-21
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 5-22
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . 5-23
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Battery Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Brake System Messages . . . . 5-29
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . 5-31
Engine Power Messages . . . . 5-31
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . 5-32
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . 5-32
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Airbag System Messages . . . . 5-35
Security Messages . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Tire Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Transmission Messages . . . . . 5-36
Vehicle Reminder Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Washer Fluid Messages . . . . . 5-37
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . 5-37

Black plate (20,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
5-20 Instruments and Controls
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally the
indicator light then goes off.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the
ignition off. If the light comes on
while driving, stop as soon as it is
safely possible and turn the ignition
off. Then start the engine again to
reset the system. If the ABS light
stays on, or comes on again while
driving, the vehicle needs service.
If the regular brake system warning
light is not on, the vehicle still has
brakes, but not antilock brakes.
If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, the vehicle does not
have antilock brakes and there is a
problem with the regular brakes.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 5‑19.
For vehicles with a Driver
Information Center (DIC), see Brake
System Messages on page 5‑29 for
all brake‐related DIC messages. If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.
Tow/Haul Mode Light
For vehicles with the Tow/Haul
Mode feature, this light comes on
when the Tow/Haul Mode has been
activated.
For more information, see
Tow/Haul
Mode on page 9‑33.
StabiliTrak®OFF Light
This light comes on briefly while
starting the engine.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally, the
indicator light then goes off.
Press and release the Traction
Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
button to turn off TCS, and a
message displays in the DIC.
Press and briefly hold the TCS/
StabiliTrak button to turn off the
StabiliTrak system; the StabiliTrak
Off light comes on and a message
appears in the Driver Information
Center (DIC).

Black plate (21,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
Instruments and Controls 5-21
If the StabiliTrak/TCS system is off,
the system does not assist in
controlling the vehicle. Turn on the
StabiliTrak/TCS system and the
indicator light turns off.
SeeStabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑37, and Ride Control System
Messages on page 5‑33 for more
information.
Traction Control System
(TCS)/StabiliTrak®Light
The TCS/StabiliTrak light comes on
briefly when the engine is started.
If the light does not come on or
stays on, have the vehicle serviced
by the dealer. If the system is
working normally, the indicator light
turns off. If the light comes on and stays on
while driving, and a message
displays in the Driver Information
Center (DIC), have the vehicle
serviced by the dealer. See
Ride
Control System Messages on
page 5‑33 for more information.
If the light flashes while driving, this
means that StabiliTrak or TCS is
assisting in controlling the vehicle.
See StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑37 for more information.
Tire Pressure Light
For vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this light
comes on briefly when the engine is
started. It provides information
about tire pressures and the TPMS. When the Light Is On Steady
This indicates that one or more of
the tires are significantly
underinflated.
A Driver Information Center (DIC)
tire pressure message may also
display. See
Tire Messages on
page 5‑35. Stop as soon as
possible, and inflate the tires to the
pressure value shown on the Tire
and Loading Information label. See
Tire Pressure on page 10‑47.
When the Light Flashes First and
Then Is On Steady
If the light flashes for about a minute
and then stays on, there may be a
problem with the TPMS. If the
problem is not corrected, the light
will come on at every ignition cycle.
See Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation on page 10‑50.

Black plate (34,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
5-34 Instruments and Controls
however, you do not have the
benefit of StabiliTrak, so reduce
your speed and drive accordingly.
SERVICE SUSPENSION
SYSTEM
This message displays when the
Road Sensing Suspension (RSS)
system is not operating properly.
Have your vehicle serviced by your
dealer.
SERVICE TRACTION
CONTROL
If your vehicle has StabiliTrak, this
message displays when there is a
problem with the Traction Control
System (TCS). When this message
displays, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving
accordingly. See your dealer for
service. SeeStabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑37 for more information.
STABILITRAK INITIALIZING
If the vehicle has StabiliTrak, this
message may come on if the
StabiliTrak system has not fully initialized because of road
conditions or the incorrect tire size.
When the StabiliTrak system is fully
initialized, the message will turn off.
See
StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑37 for more information.
If this message continues to be
displayed for multiple ignition cycles
and on different road surfaces, see
your dealer for service.
TRACTION XX
STABILITRAK XX
This message displays when the
traction control and/or StabiliTrak
systems have been turned on or off.
Adjust your driving accordingly. To
limit wheel spin and realize the full
benefits of the stability
enhancement system, you should
normally leave StabiliTrak on.
However, you should turn
StabiliTrak off if the vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow
and you want to rock the vehicle to
attempt to free it, or if you are
driving in extreme off-road
conditions and require more wheel spin. See
If the Vehicle Is Stuck on
page 9‑14. To turn the StabiliTrak
system on or off, see StabiliTrak
®
System on page 9‑37.
STABILITRAK OFF may also
display when the stability control
has been automatically disabled.
There are several 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 also displays if the
brake system warning light is on.
SeeBrake System Warning
Light on page 5‑19.
.The message could display if the
stability system takes longer
than usual to complete its
diagnostic checks due to driving
conditions.

Black plate (30,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
7-30 Infotainment System
When playing an MP3 the rear seat
operator can power on the RSE
video screen and use the remote
control to navigate through the MP3.
Auxiliary Devices
Using the Auxiliary Input Jack
The navigation system has an
auxiliary input jack located on the
faceplate and in the center console.
This is not an audio output; do not
plug the headphone set into the
front auxiliary input jack. An external
audio device such as an iPod,
laptop computer, MP3 player, CD
player, or cassette tape player, etc.
can be connected to the auxiliary
input jack for use as another audio
source.
Drivers are encouraged to set up
any auxiliary device while the
vehicle is in P (Park). SeeDefensive
Driving on page 9‑3 for more
information on driver distraction. To use a portable audio player,
connect a 3.5 mm (1/8 in) cable to
the radio's front auxiliary input jack.
When a device is connected, press
AUDIO, then press AUDIO again
until AUX is selected or press the
AUX screen button to begin playing
audio from the device over the
vehicle speakers.
For optimal sound quality, increase
the portable audio device's volume
to the loudest level.
It is always best to power the
portable audio device through its
own battery while playing.
The vehicle may have a rear
entertainment system (RSE) with a
second and third row screen. The
RSE has audio adapters to allow
you to connect auxiliary devices.
The audio can be heard through the
speakers or through the wireless or
wired headphones. See the Rear
Seat Infotainment user guide for
more information.Drivers are encouraged to set up
any auxiliary device while the
vehicle is in P (Park). See
Defensive Driving on page 9‑3
for
more information on driver
distraction.
To switch the RSE system to use an
auxiliary device:
1. Connect the auxiliary device to the RSE system, for the second
or third row.

Black plate (62,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
7-62 Infotainment System
Navigation
Using the Navigation
System
This section presents basic
information needed to operate the
navigation system.
Use the buttons located on the
navigation system along with the
available touch-sensitive screen
buttons on the navigation screen to
operate the system. SeeOverview
on page 7‑4 for more information.
Once the vehicle is moving, various
functions are disabled to reduce
driver distractions.
Navigation Control Buttons
The following control buttons are
located on the navigation system:
O/n(Power/Volume):
1. Press to turn the system on and off.
2. Turn to increase or decrease the volume to the audio system. 3. Press and hold for more than
two seconds to turn off the
navigation system, the Rear
Seat Entertainment (RSE), and
Rear Seat Audio (RSA). If the
vehicle has not been tuned off,
the RSE and the RSA can be
turned back on by pressing this
knob and continues play of the
last active source.
Z(Eject): Press to eject the CD/
DVD Disc. See CD/DVD Player on
page 7‑18.
w(Tuning Knob): Turn to go to
the next or previous frequency or
disc track or chapter. See CD/DVD
Player on page 7‑18 orMP3 on
page 7‑27 for more information.
AUDIO: Press to display the audio
screen. Press to switch between
AM, FM, or XM, if equipped, DISC,
or AUX (Auxiliary), or press on the
screen button. See CD/DVD Player
on page 7‑18, MP3 on page 7‑27,
and Auxiliary Devices on page 7‑30
for more information. FAV (Favorite):
Press to access
the preset stations. See “Storing
Radio Station Presets” under,
Overview on page 7‑4.
5(Phone): SeeOnStar Overview
on page 14‑1 (if equipped) and
Bluetooth on page 7‑103 (if
equipped) for more information.
e(Sound): Press to access the
Sound menu to adjust the treble,
midrange, bass, fade, balance, and
Digital Signal Processing (DSP).
y/z(Scan Up/Down): Press to
scan the tracks/chapters up or down
on a disc.
y/©or¨/z(Seek/Scan)
(Previous/Next): Press the up or
down arrows to go to the next or
previous station. Press and hold
either arrow for more than
two seconds. The radio goes to a
station, plays for a few seconds,
then goes to the next station.

Black plate (103,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
Infotainment System 7-103
CD, DVD, Disc select previous
folder:Use this command to select
the previous folder on the MP3 or
audio DVD.
CD help, DVD help, Disc help:
Instructs the system to assist with
CD and DVD commands.
Auxiliary Commands
The following auxiliary commands
can be accessed by clearly stating
the commands exactly as they are
written. The commands are
available when the auxiliary source
is available.
Aux, Auxiliary: Use this command
to select the auxiliary device, when
a device is connected.
Voice Help
Provides a description of help
commands that can be used.Phone
Bluetooth
For vehicles equipped with
Bluetooth capability, the system can
interact with many cell phones,
allowing:
.Placement and receipt of calls in
a hands-free mode.
.Sharing of the cell phone’s
address book or contact list with
the vehicle.
To minimize driver distraction,
before driving, and with the vehicle
parked:
.Become familiar with the
features of the cell phone.
Organize the phone book and
contact lists clearly and delete
duplicate or rarely used entries.
If possible, program speed dial
or other shortcuts.
.Review the controls and
operation of the infotainment
system.
.Pair cell phone(s) to the vehicle.
The system may not work with
all cell phones. See “Pairing”in
this section for more information.
.If the cell phone has voice
dialing capability, learn to use
that feature to access the
address book or contact list. See
“Voice Pass-Thru” in this section
for more information.
.See “Storing and Deleting Phone
Numbers” in this section for
more information.
{WARNING
When using a cell phone, it can
be distracting to look too long or
too often at the screen of the
phone or the infotainment
(navigation) system. Taking your
eyes off the road too long or too
often could cause a crash
resulting in injury or death. Focus
your attention on driving.

Black plate (2,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
9-2 Driving and Operating
Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-57
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-59
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 9-63
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-67
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-67
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, always
keep your eyes on the road, hands
on the wheel, and mind on the drive.
.Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
.Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices.
.Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
.Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
.Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
.Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
.Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
.Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.