transmission CADILLAC ESCALADE 2017 4.G Owner's Manual

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
190 DRIVING AND OPERATING
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper tread
depth. See Tires0289.
. Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving on
flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
. Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
. Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the vehicle
on a long downhill slope can cause
brake overheating, can reduce brake
performance, and could result in a
loss of braking. Shift the
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
transmission to a lower gear to let
the engine assist the brakes on a
steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or
with the ignition off is dangerous.
This can cause overheating of the
brakes and loss of steering. Always
have the engine running and the
vehicle in gear.
. Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line.
. Be alert on top of hills; something
could be in your lane (e.g., stalled
car, accident).
. Pay attention to special road signs
(e.g., falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and the
road creates less traction or grip, so
drive carefully. Wet ice can occur at
about 0 °C (32 °F) when freezing rain
begins to fall. Avoid driving on wet ice
or in freezing rain until roads can be
treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick.
. Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0216.
. Antilock Brake System (ABS)
improves vehicle stability during
hard stops, but the brakes should
be applied sooner than when on
dry pavement. See Antilock Brake
System (ABS) 0212.
. Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise
clear roads in shaded areas. The

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
192 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Warning (Continued)
compartment fire or other damage.
Spin the wheels as little as possible
and avoid going above 56 km/h
(35 mph).
For information about using tire
chains on the vehicle, see Tire
Chains 0301.
Rocking the Vehicle to Get It Out
Turn the steering wheel left and right
to clear the area around the front
wheels. For four-wheel-drive vehicles,
shift into Four-Wheel Drive High.
Turn the TCS off. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a forward
gear, spinning the wheels as little as
possible. To prevent transmission
wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears. Slowly
spinning the wheels in the forward
and reverse directions causes a
rocking motion that could free the
vehicle. If that does not get the
vehicle out after a few tries, it might
need to be towed out. See Towing the
Vehicle 0315.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can carry.
This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the
weight of all occupants, cargo, and
all nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle may
show how much weight it was
designed to carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and the
Certification/Tire label.
{Warning
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or
rear Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR). This can cause
systems to break and change
the way the vehicle handles.
This could cause loss of control
and a crash. Overloading can
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
also reduce stopping distance,
damage the tires, and shorten
the life of the vehicle.
Tire and Loading Information Label
Label Example
A vehicle specific Tire and
Loading Information label is
attached to the center pillar
(B-pillar). The tire and loading
information label shows the
number of occupant seating

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
198 DRIVING AND OPERATING
To shift out of P (Park), the vehicle
must be in ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/
RUN and the brake pedal must be
applied.
Stopping the Engine/LOCK/OFF (No
Indicator Lights) :When the vehicle
is stopped, press the ENGINE START/
STOP button once to turn the
engine off.
If the vehicle is in P (Park), the
ignition will turn off, and Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) 0200.
If the vehicle is not in P (Park), the
ignition will return to ACC/
ACCESSORY and display the message
SHIFT TO PARK in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See
Transmission Messages 0152. When
the vehicle is shifted into P (Park), the
ignition system will switch to OFF.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake and
steering systems and disable the
airbags. The vehicle may have an electric
steering column lock. The lock is
activated when the vehicle is switched
to OFF and either front door is
opened. A sound may be heard as the
lock actuates or releases. The steering
column lock may not release with the
wheels turned off center. If this
happens, the vehicle may not start.
Move the steering wheel from left to
right while attempting to start the
vehicle. If this does not work, the
vehicle needs service.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to a
safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the ignition to
OFF. On vehicles with an automatic transmission, the shift
lever must be in P (Park) to turn
the ignition switch to the OFF
position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake 0213.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the vehicle
off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
press and hold the ENGINE START/
STOP button for longer than
two seconds, or press twice in
five seconds.
ACC/ACCESSORY (Amber Indicator
Light) : This mode allows some
electrical accessories to be used when
the engine is off.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 199
With the ignition off, pressing the
button one time without the brake
pedal applied will place the ignition
system in ACC/ACCESSORY.
The ignition will switch from ACC/
ACCESSORY to OFF after five minutes
to prevent battery rundown.
ON/RUN/START (Green Indicator
Light) :This mode is for driving and
starting. With the ignition off, and the
brake pedal applied, pressing the
button once will place the ignition
system in ON/RUN/START. Once
engine cranking begins, release the
button. Engine cranking will continue
until the engine starts. See Starting the
Engine 0199. The ignition will then
remain in ON/RUN.
Service Only Mode
This power mode is available for
service and diagnostics, and to verify
the proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp as may be
required for emission inspection
purposes. With the vehicle off, and the
brake pedal not applied, pressing and
holding the button for more than
five seconds will place the vehicle in
Service Only Mode. The instruments and audio systems will operate as they
do in ON/RUN, but the vehicle will
not be able to be driven. The engine
will not start in Service Only Mode.
Press the button again to turn the
vehicle off.
Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission.
Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change the
way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. See
Add-On Electrical Equipment
0252.
Starting Procedure
1. With the Keyless Access system,
the RKE transmitter must be in
the vehicle. Press ENGINE
START/STOP with the brake
pedal applied. When the engine
begins cranking, let go of the
button.
The idle speed will go down as
the engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it.
If the RKE transmitter is not in
the vehicle, if there is
interference, or if the RKE
battery is low, the Driver
Information Center (DIC) will
display a message. See Key and
Lock Messages 0147.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
200 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by returning the
ignition to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after five to 10 seconds, especially in
very cold weather (below −18 °C
or 0 °F), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing
the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and holding it there
as you press ENGINE START/
STOP, for up to a maximum of
15 seconds. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try, to
allow the cranking motor to cool
down. When the engine starts,
let go of the button, and the
accelerator. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do
the same thing. This clears the extra gasoline from the engine.
Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
The following vehicle accessories can
be used for up to 10 minutes after the
engine is turned off:
.
Audio System
. Power Windows
. OnStar System (if equipped)
. Sunroof (if equipped)
. Accessory Power Outlets. The
console and center seat outlets are
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
powered.
These features work when the ignition
is in ON/RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY.
Once the ignition is turned from ON/
RUN to LOCK/OFF, the windows and
sunroof continue to work up to
10 minutes until any door is opened. The radio continues to work for up to
10 minutes or until the driver door is
opened.
Shifting Into Park
{Warning
It can be 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. 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 you are on
fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow. If the vehicle has a
four-wheel-drive transfer case with
a N (Neutral) position, and the
transfer case is in N (Neutral), the
vehicle will be free to roll, even if
the shift lever is in P (Park). Be sure
the transfer case is in a drive gear.
If towing a trailer, see
Driving
Characteristics and Towing
Tips 0245.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
DRIVING AND OPERATING 201
1. Hold the brake pedal down, thenset the parking brake.
See Parking Brake 0213.
2. Move the shift lever into the P (Park) position by pulling the
shift lever toward you and
moving it up as far as it will go.
3. Be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear —not in N (Neutral).
4. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
The vehicle could move suddenly if
the shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set.
And, if you leave the vehicle with
the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You or (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
others could be injured. Do not
leave the vehicle with the engine
running unless you have to.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the parking
brake is firmly set before you leave it.
After you move the shift lever into
P (Park), hold the regular brake pedal
down. Then, see if you can move the
shift lever away from P (Park) without
first pulling it toward you. If you can,
it means that the shift lever was not
fully locked into P (Park).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do
not shift the transmission into
P (Park) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on
the parking pawl in the transmission.
You may find it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of P (Park). This is
called torque lock. To prevent torque
lock, set the parking brake and then shift into P (Park) properly before you
leave the driver seat. To find out how,
see
Shifting Into Park 0200.
When you are ready to drive, move
the shift lever out of P (Park) before
you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may
need to have another vehicle push
yours a little uphill to take some of
the pressure from the parking pawl in
the transmission. You will then be
able to pull the shift lever out of
P (Park).
Shifting out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with an
electronic shift lock release system.
The shift lock release is designed to
prevent movement of the shift lever
out of P (Park), unless the ignition is
in ON/RUN and the regular brake
pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9 volt) battery.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
204 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Automatic Transmission
If equipped, there is an electronic shift
lever position indicator within the
instrument cluster. This display comes
on when the ignition is turned to the
ON/RUN position.
There are several different positions
for the shift lever.
See“Range Selection Mode ”under
Manual Mode 0206.
P : This position locks the rear wheels.
It is the best position to use when
starting the engine because the
vehicle cannot move easily. When
parked on a hill, especially when the
vehicle has a heavy load, you might
notice an increase in the effort to shift
out of P (Park). See “Torque Lock”
under Shifting Into Park 0200.
{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 you are
on fairly level ground, always set
the parking brake and move the
shift lever to P (Park). See Shifting
Into Park 0200 and Driving
Characteristics and Towing
Tips 0245.
{Warning
If you have four-wheel drive, the
vehicle will be free to roll —even if
the shift lever is in P (Park) —if the
transfer case is in N (Neutral). So,
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
be sure the transfer case is in a
drive gear, Two-Wheel Drive High
or Four-Wheel Drive High or
Four-Wheel Drive Low—not in
N (Neutral). See Shifting Into
Park 0200.
R : Use this gear to back up.
Caution
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 0191.
N : In this position, the engine does
not connect with the wheels. To
restart when you are already moving,

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 205
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.
Caution
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.D :
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.
Use D (Drive) and Tow/Haul Mode
when towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, driving on steep hills,
or driving off-road. 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”underLoss
of Control 0184.
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 is 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 could appear to be
a delayed shift, however the
transmission is operating normally.
The transmission uses adaptive shift
controls. The adaptive shift control
process continually compares key shift
parameters to pre-programmed ideal
shifts stored in the transmission’s
computer. The transmission
constantly makes adjustments to
improve vehicle performance
according to how the vehicle is being
used, such as with a heavy load or
when the temperature changes.
During this adaptive shift control
process, shifting might feel different
as the transmission determines the
best settings.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
206 DRIVING AND OPERATING
When temperatures are very cold, the
transmission's gear shifting could be
delayed providing more stable shifts
until the engine warms up. Shifts
could be more noticeable with a cold
transmission. This difference in
shifting is normal.
L :This position allows selection of a
range of gears appropriate for current
driving conditions. If equipped, see
“Range Selection Mode ”under Manual
Mode 0206.
Caution
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 spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes to
hold the vehicle in place.
Normal Mode Grade Braking
This mode 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
cycle, a DIC message will be displayed.
See
Transmission Messages 0152.
To disable or enable Normal Mode
Grade Braking within the current
ignition cycle, press and hold the
Tow/Haul button for five seconds.
When the button is released, the
requested mode change is made.
A DIC message displays. See
Transmission Messages 0152.
For other forms of grade braking, see
Tow/Haul Mode 0208 and Cruise
Control 0220.
Kickdown Mode
The accelerator pedal provides an
additional downshift after pressing
through the kickdown feature.
It requires extra pedal pressure near
the end of its travel to engage.
Manual Mode
Range Selection Mode
If equipped, Range Selection Mode
helps control the vehicle's
transmission and vehicle speed while
driving downhill or towing a trailer by
letting you select a desired range of
gears.
To use this feature:
1. Move the shift lever to L (Manual Mode).
2. Tap the plus/minus buttons on the shift lever to select the
desired range of gears for current
driving conditions. Or, hold the
plus/minus buttons to select the
highest or lowest range available
for the current vehicle speed.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
DRIVING AND OPERATING 207
When the shift lever is moved from
D (Drive) to L (Manual Mode), a
number displays next to the L,
indicating the current transmission
range.
This number is the highest gear that
the transmission will command while
operating in L (Manual Mode). All
gears below that number are available.
As driving conditions change, the
transmission can automatically shift
to lower gears. For example, when
5 (Fifth) is selected, 1 (First) through
5 (Fifth) gears are automatically
shifted by the transmission, but
6 (Sixth) cannot be used until the
plus/minus button on the shift lever is
used to change to the range.
In vehicles with gasoline engines,
when the shift lever is moved from
D (Drive) to L (Manual Mode), a
downshift may occur. The gear that
the transmission is operating in when
the shift lever is moved from D (Drive)
to L (Manual Mode) determines if a
downshift occurs. See the following
chart.Gear before shifting
from D (Drive) to
L (Manual Mode)
8th 7th 6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd 1st
Range after shifting
from D (Drive) to
L (Manual Mode) –
Tow/Haul not
engaged L6 L6 L5 L4 L3 L3 L2 L1
Range after shifting
from D (Drive) to
L (Manual Mode) –
Tow/Haul engaged L6 L5 L4 L3 L3 L3 L2 L1
Grade Braking is not available when
Range Selection Mode is active. See
Tow/Haul Mode 0208.
While using Range Selection Mode,
cruise control and the Tow/Haul Mode
can be used.
Caution
Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill using
only the accelerator pedal may
damage the transmission. The (Continued)
Caution (Continued)
repair will not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes to
hold the vehicle in place.
Low Traction Mode
Low Traction Mode assists in vehicle
acceleration when road conditions are
slippery, such as with ice or snow.
While the vehicle is at a stop, select