CADILLAC ESCALADE 2018 Owner's Manual

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349344) - 2018 - crc - 11/7/17
220 DRIVING AND OPERATING
The vehicle has a Trailer Sway Control
(TSC) feature and a Hill Start Assist
(HSA) feature.
SeeTrailer Sway Control (TSC) 0260 or
Hill Start Assist (HSA) 0218.
Adding accessories can affect the
vehicle performance. See Accessories
and Modifications 0265.
Driver Mode Control
Driver Mode Control attempts to add
a sportier feel, provide a more
comfortable ride, or assist in different
weather conditions or terrain. This
system simultaneously changes the
software settings of various
sub-systems. Depending on the option
package, available features, and mode
selected, the suspension, steering, and
powertrain will change settings to
achieve the desired mode
characteristics. If the vehicle is
equipped with Magnetic Ride Control,
selecting the various Driver Modes
adjusts the ride of the vehicle to
enhance the ride performance for the
road conditions and the
selected mode. The Driver Mode Control has four
modes: Tour, Sport, Snow/Ice, and
Tow/Haul.
Press the Tow/Haul button to activate
and deactivate the Tow/Haul Mode.
Press the MODE switch on the center
console to select Tour, Sport, or Snow/
Ice. Pressing the switch will display a
graphic of all available ride modes and
change to the next mode. The Tour
and Sport Modes will feel similar on a
smooth road. Select a new setting
whenever driving conditions change.
Tour Mode
Use for normal city and highway
driving to provide a smooth, soft ride.
When selected, there will be no
indication in the DIC.
Sport Mode
Use where road conditions or personal
preference demand a more controlled
response.
The steering will change to provide
more precise control. The Magnetic
Ride Control will change to provide
better cornering performance.When selected, the Sport Mode
indicator will display in the DIC.
Snow/Ice Mode
Use when more traction is needed
during slippery conditions.
The vehicle will upshift normally
when the vehicle is moving. The
acceleration will adjust to help provide
a smoother launch.
When selected, the Snow/Ice Mode
indicator will display in the DIC.
Tow/Haul Mode
Tow/Haul is a feature that assists
when pulling a heavy trailer or a large
or heavy load. See
Tow/Haul Mode
0 210.
Tow/Haul is designed to be most
effective when the vehicle and trailer
combined weight is at least 75 percent
of the vehicle’s Gross Combined
Weight Rating (GCWR). See “Weight
of the Trailer” underTrailer Towing
0 255.

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 221
Tow/Haul is most useful under the
following conditions:
.When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load through rolling
terrain
. When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load in stop-and-go
traffic
. When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load in busy
parking lots where improved low
speed control of the vehicle is
desired
Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul
when lightly loaded or with no trailer
at all will not cause damage. However,
there is no benefit to the selection of
Tow/Haul when the vehicle is
unloaded. Such a selection when
unloaded may result in unpleasant
engine and transmission driving
characteristics and reduced fuel
economy. Tow/Haul is recommended
only when pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load.
When selected, the Tow/Haul
indicator will display in the
instrument cluster.Magnetic Ride Control
The Magnetic Ride Control monitors
the suspension system.
Based on road conditions, steering
wheel angle, and vehicle speed, the
system automatically adjusts to
provide the best handling while
providing a smooth ride. The Tour and
Sport Modes will feel similar on a
smooth road.
Tour : Use for normal city and
highway driving. This setting provides
a smooth, soft ride.
8Sport : Use where road conditions
or personal preference demand more
control. This setting provides more
“feel,” or response to road conditions.
6Snow/Ice : Use when more
traction is needed during slippery
conditions.
The vehicle is normally in Tour Mode.
Sport Mode and Snow/Ice Mode are
engaged when the Magnetic Ride
Control MODE button on the center
stack is pressed. Press the button to
select the desired mode.
The Driver Information Center (DIC)
briefly displays the appropriate
message on vehicle startup or when a
new mode is selected.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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222 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Locking Rear Axle
Vehicles with a locking rear axle can
give more traction on snow, mud, ice,
sand, or gravel. It works like a
standard axle most of the time, but
when traction is low, this feature will
allow the rear wheel with the most
traction to move the vehicle.
Automatic Level Control
The automatic level control rear
suspension comes as a part of the
Magnetic Ride Control system.
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. An
air compressor connected to the rear
shocks will raise or lower the rear of
the vehicle to maintain proper vehicleheight. The system is activated when
the ignition is on and will
automatically adjust vehicle height
thereafter. The system may exhaust
(lower vehicle height) for up to
10 minutes after the ignition has been
turned off. You may hear the air
compressor operating when the height
is being adjusted.
If a weight-distributing hitch is being
used, it is recommended to allow the
shocks to inflate, leveling the vehicle
prior to adjusting the hitch.
Cruise Control
{Warning
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at a
steady speed. Do not use cruise
control on winding roads or in
heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast
changes in tire traction can cause
excessive wheel slip, and you could
lose control. Do not use cruise
control on slippery roads.
If equipped with cruise control, a
speed of about 40 km/h (25 mph) or
more can be maintained without
keeping your foot on the accelerator.
Cruise control does not work at speeds
below about 40 km/h (25 mph).
If the Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control system begins to
limit wheel spin while using cruise
control, the cruise control

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 223
automatically disengages. SeeTraction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
0 218. If a collision alert occurs when
cruise control is activated, cruise
control is disengaged. See Forward
Collision Alert (FCA) System 0240.
When road conditions allow you to
safely use it again, the cruise control
can be turned back on.
If the brakes are applied, cruise
control disengages.
J: Press to turn the system on and
off. A white indicator appears in the
instrument cluster when cruise is
turned on. +RES :
If there is a set speed in
memory, press the control up briefly
to resume that speed or press and
hold to accelerate. If the cruise control
is already active, use to increase
vehicle speed.
SET− :Press the control down briefly
to set the speed and activate cruise
control. If the cruise control is already
active, use to decrease vehicle speed.
*: Press to disengage cruise control
without erasing the set speed from
memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If
Jis on when not in use, SET− or
+RES could get pressed and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep
Joff
when cruise is not being used.
To set cruise control:
1. Press
J.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press and release SET−.
4. Remove your foot from the accelerator. When the cruise control has been set
to the desired speed, a green cruise
control indicator appears on the
instrument cluster and a cruise set
speed message appears on the Driver
Information Center (DIC) and
Head-Up Display (HUD), if equipped.
Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a desired
speed and then the brakes are applied
or
*is pressed, the cruise control is
disengaged without erasing the set
speed from memory.
Once the vehicle speed reaches about
40 km/h (25 mph) or more, press +RES
up briefly. The vehicle returns to the
previous set speed.
Increasing Speed While Cruise
Control is at a Set Speed
If the cruise control system is already
activated:
. Press and hold +RES up until the
vehicle accelerates to the desired
speed, then release it.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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224 DRIVING AND OPERATING
.To increase vehicle speed in small
increments, press +RES up briefly.
For each press, the vehicle goes
about 1.6 km/h (1 mph) faster.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Instrument Cluster 0130.
The increment value used depends on
the units displayed.
Reducing Speed While Cruise
Control is at a Set Speed
If the cruise control system is already
activated:
. Press and hold SET− down until
the desired lower speed is reached,
then release it.
. To decrease the vehicle speed in
small increments, press SET−
down briefly. For each press, the
vehicle goes about 1.6 km/h
(1 mph) slower.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Instrument Cluster 0130.
The increment value used depends on
the units displayed. Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase
the vehicle speed. When you take your
foot off the pedal, the vehicle will slow
down to the previous set cruise speed.
While pressing the accelerator pedal
or shortly following the release to
override cruise, briefly applying the
SET−
control will result in cruise set
to the current vehicle speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control works on
hills depends on the vehicle speed, the
load, and the steepness of the hills.
When going up steep hills, pressing
the accelerator pedal may be
necessary to maintain vehicle speed.
When going downhill, Cruise Grade
Braking helps maintain the driver
selected speed.
Cruise Grade Braking is enabled when
the vehicle is started and cruise
control is active. It is not enabled in
Range Selection Mode. It assists in
maintaining driver selected speed when driving on downhill grades by
using the engine and transmission to
slow the vehicle.
To disable and enable Cruise Grade
Braking for the current ignition cycle,
press and hold the Tow/Haul button
for five seconds. A Driver Information
Center (DIC) message displays.
For other forms of Grade Braking, see
Automatic Transmission
0206 and
Tow/Haul Mode 0210.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise
control:
. Step lightly on the brake pedal.
. Press
*.
. Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
. To turn off cruise control,
press
J.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is erased
from memory if
Jis pressed or if
the ignition is turned off.

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Adaptive Cruise Control
If equipped with Adaptive Cruise
Control (ACC), it allows for selecting
the cruise control set speed and
following gap. Read this entire section
before using this system. ACC uses a
camera and radar sensors to detect
other vehicles. SeeRadio Frequency
Statement 0372. The following gap is
the following time (or distance)
between your vehicle and a vehicle
detected directly ahead in your path,
moving in the same direction. If no
vehicle is detected in your path, ACC
works like regular cruise control.
If a vehicle is detected in your path,
ACC can speed up the vehicle or apply
limited, moderate braking to maintain
the selected following gap. To
disengage ACC, apply the brake. If the
Traction Control System (TCS) or
electronic stability control system
activates while ACC is engaged, ACC
may automatically disengage. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0218. When road conditions
allow ACC to be safely used, the ACC
can be turned back on. ACC will not engage if the TCS or
StabiliTrak electronic stability control
system is disabled.
{Warning
ACC has limited braking ability and
may not have time to slow the
vehicle down enough to avoid a
collision with another vehicle you
are following. This can occur when
vehicles suddenly slow or stop
ahead, or enter your lane. Also see
“Alerting the Driver”
in this section.
Complete attention is always
required while driving and you
should be ready to take action and
apply the brakes. See Defensive
Driving 0184.
{Warning
ACC will not detect or brake for
children, pedestrians, animals,
or other objects.
Do not use ACC when:
. On winding and hilly roads or
when the sensors are blocked
by snow, ice, or dirt. The
system may not detect a
vehicle ahead. Keep the entire
front of the vehicle clean.
. Visibility is low, such as in
fog, rain, or snow conditions.
ACC performance is limited
under these conditions.
. On slippery roads where fast
changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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226 DRIVING AND OPERATING
J:Press to turn the system on or
off. The indicator turns white on the
instrument cluster when ACC is
turned on.
+RES : Press the control up briefly to
resume the previous set speed or hold
upwards to accelerate. If ACC is
already engaged, use to increase
vehicle speed.
SET– :Press the control down briefly
to set the speed and activate ACC.
If ACC is already engaged, use to
decrease vehicle speed.
*: Press to disengage ACC without
erasing the selected set speed.
[: Press to select a following gap
time (or distance) setting for ACC of
Far, Medium, or Near.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Instrument Cluster 0130.
The increment value used depends on
the units displayed.
Switching Between ACC and
Regular Cruise Control
If equipped, to switch between ACC
and regular cruise control, press and
hold
*. A Driver Information Display
(DIC) message displays. See Vehicle
Messages 0151.
ACC IndicatorRegular Cruise
Control Indicator
When ACC is engaged, a green
o
indicator will be lit on the instrument
cluster and the following gap will be
displayed. When the regular cruise control is engaged, a green
J
indicator will be lit on the instrument
cluster; the following gap will not
display.
When the vehicle is turned on, the
cruise control mode will be set to the
last mode used before the vehicle was
turned off.
{Warning
Always check the cruise control
indicator on the instrument cluster
to determine which mode cruise
control is in before using the
feature. If ACC is not active, the
vehicle will not automatically brake
for other vehicles, which could
cause an accident if the brakes are
not applied manually. You and
others could be seriously injured or
killed.

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 227
Setting Adaptive Cruise Control
If
Jis on when not in use, it could
get pressed and go into ACC when not
desired. Keep
Joff when cruise is
not being used.
Select the set speed desired for ACC.
This is the vehicle speed when no
vehicle is detected in its path.
While the vehicle is moving, ACC will
not set at a speed less than 25 km/h
(15 mph), although it can be resumed
when driving at lower speeds.
To set ACC while moving:
1. Press
J.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press and release SET–.
4. Remove your foot from the accelerator.
After ACC is set, it may immediately
apply the brakes if a vehicle ahead is
detected closer than the selected
following gap.
ACC can also be set while the vehicle
is stopped if ACC is on and the brake
pedal is applied.
The ACC indicator displays on the
instrument cluster and Head-Up
Display (HUD). When ACC is active,
the indicator will be lit green.
Be mindful of speed limits,
surrounding traffic speeds, and
weather conditions when selecting the
set speed.
Resuming a Set Speed
If ACC is set at a desired speed and
then the brakes are applied, ACC is
disengaged without erasing the set
speed from memory.
To begin using ACC again, press RES+
up briefly.
. If the vehicle is moving, it returns
to the previous set speed. .
If the vehicle is stopped with the
brake pedal applied, press RES+
and release the brake pedal. ACC
will hold the vehicle until RES+ or
the accelerator pedal is pressed.
A green ACC indicator and the set
speed display on the instrument
cluster. The vehicle ahead indicator
may be flashing if a vehicle ahead was
present and moved. See “Approaching
and Following a Vehicle ”later in this
section.
Once ACC has resumed, if there is no
vehicle ahead, if the vehicle ahead is
beyond the selected following gap,
or if the vehicle has exited a sharp
curve, then the vehicle speed will
increase to the set speed.
Increasing Speed While ACC is at a
Set Speed
Do one of the following:
. Use the accelerator to get to the
higher speed. Press SET– down.
Release the control and the
accelerator pedal. The vehicle will
now cruise at the higher speed.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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228 DRIVING AND OPERATING
When the accelerator pedal is
pressed, ACC will not brake
because it is overridden. The ACC
indicator will turn blue on the
instrument cluster.
. Press and hold +RES up until the
desired set speed appears on the
display, then release it.
. To increase speed in small
increments, briefly press +RES up.
For each press, the vehicle speed
increases by 1 km/h (1 mph).
. To increase speed in larger
increments, press and briefly hold
+RES up. For each press, the
vehicle speed increases by
5 km/h (5 mph).
When it is determined there is no
vehicle ahead or the vehicle ahead is
beyond the selected following gap, the
vehicle speed will increase to the set
speed.
The set speed can also be increased
while the vehicle is stopped.
. If stopped with the brake applied,
press RES+ until the desired set
speed is displayed. .
If ACC is holding the vehicle at a
stop and there is another vehicle
directly ahead, pressing RES+ will
increase the set speed. Pressing
RES+ when there is no longer a
vehicle ahead will cause ACC to
resume.
Reducing Speed While ACC is at a
Set Speed
Do one of the following:
. Use the brake to get to the desired
lower speed. Release the brake and
press SET– . The vehicle will now
cruise at the lower speed.
. Press and hold SET– down until
the desired lower speed is reached,
then release it.
. To decrease speed in smaller
increments, briefly press SET−
down. For each press, the vehicle
speed increases by 1 km/h (1 mph).
. To decrease speed in larger
increments, press and briefly hold
SET− down. For each press, the
vehicle speed decreases by
5 km/h (5 mph). .
To decrease speed while the
vehicle is stopped, press SET−
until the desired set speed is
displayed.
Selecting the Follow Distance Gap
When a slower moving vehicle is
detected ahead within the selected
following gap, ACC will adjust the
vehicle's speed and attempt to
maintain the follow distance gap
selected.
Press
[on the steering wheel to
adjust the following gap. Each press
cycles the gap button through three
settings: Far, Medium, or Near.
When pressed, the current gap setting
displays briefly on the DIC and HUD.
The gap setting will be maintained
until it is changed.
Since each gap setting corresponds to
a following time (Far, Medium,
or Near), the following distance will
vary based on vehicle speed. The
faster the vehicle speed, the further
back your vehicle will follow a vehicle
detected ahead. Consider traffic and
weather conditions when selecting the

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 229
following gap. The range of selectable
gaps may not be appropriate for all
drivers and driving conditions.
Changing the gap setting
automatically changes the alert timing
sensitivity (Far, Medium, or Near) for
the Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
feature. SeeForward Collision Alert
(FCA) System 0240.
Alerting the Driver
If ACC is engaged, driver action may
be required when ACC cannot apply
sufficient braking when approaching a
vehicle too rapidly.
When this condition occurs, the
collision alert symbol on the HUD will
flash on the windshield. Either eight
beeps will sound from the front,
or both sides of the Safety Alert Seat will pulse five times. See
“Collision/
Detection Systems” underVehicle
Personalization 0152.
See Defensive Driving 0184.
Approaching and Following a
Vehicle
The vehicle ahead indicator is in the
instrument cluster and HUD display.
This indicator only displays when a
vehicle is detected in your vehicle’s
path moving in the same direction.
If this indicator is not displaying, ACC
will not respond to or brake to
vehicles ahead.
ACC automatically slows the vehicle
down and adjusts vehicle speed to
follow the vehicle in front at the
selected following gap. The vehicle
speed increases or decreases to follow
the vehicle in front of you, but will not exceed the set speed. It may apply
limited braking, if necessary. When
braking is active, the brake lights will
come on. The automatic braking may
feel or sound different than if the
brakes were applied manually. This is
normal.
Stationary or Very Slow-Moving
Objects
{Warning
ACC may not detect and react to
stopped or slow-moving vehicles
ahead of you. For example, the
system may not brake for a vehicle
it has never detected moving. This
can occur in stop-and-go traffic or
when a vehicle suddenly appears
due to a vehicle ahead changing
lanes. Your vehicle may not stop
and could cause a crash. Use
caution when using ACC. Your
complete attention is always
required while driving and you
should be ready to take action and
apply the brakes.