CADILLAC ESCALADE 2021 Owner's Manual

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
270 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Increased Height
Increased Height is 25 mm (1 in)
higher than Normal Height. This ride
height raises the vehicle for off-road
use, allows for higher speeds than
Maximum Height, and is only
available with specific optional
content.
Increased Height can be selected in
the Ride Height Menu while vehicle
speed is less than 80 km/h (50 mph).
If vehicle speed exceeds 80 km/h
(50 mph), the vehicle will
automatically lower to Normal Height.
Off-Road Driver Mode and Terrain
Driver Mode will automatically set
Increased Height when vehicle speed
is less than 80 km/h (50 mph).
If vehicle speed exceeds 80 km/h
(50 mph), the vehicle will lower to
Normal Height. Normal Height will be
maintained until vehicle speed is
slowed to less than 16 km/h (10 mph)
and then the vehicle will
automatically raise back to Increased
Height.The vehicle will automatically lower
from Increased Height to Normal
Height to provide improved stability if
aggressive maneuvers are detected.
Maximum Height
Maximum Height is 50 mm (2 in)
higher than Normal Height. This ride
height raises the vehicle for off-road
use and is only available with specific
optional content.
To raise the vehicle to Maximum
Height, first shift the transfer case to
4
n. Once the transfer case is in 4n
and vehicle speed is less than
48 km/hr (30 mph), select Maximum
Height in the Ride Height Menu.
If vehicle speed exceeds 48 km/h, the
vehicle will automatically lower to
Increased Height.
The vehicle will automatically lower
from Maximum Height to Normal
Height to provide improved stability if
aggressive maneuvers are detected.
Aerodynamic Height
Aerodynamic Height is 20 mm
(0.75 in) lower than Normal Height.
This ride height lowers the vehicle at
higher vehicle speeds to improve
aerodynamics.
The vehicle will lower to Aerodynamic
Height when vehicle speed exceeds
105 km/h (65 mph) for a period of
time. The vehicle will raise to Normal
Height when the vehicle slows to less
than 48 km/h (30 mph).
Aerodynamic Height is automatically
disabled when a trailer is connected to
the vehicle or Tow/Haul Driver Mode
is active.
Suspension Modes
The air suspension has two special
modes, Service Mode and Alignment
Mode, located in the infotainment
screen under Settings/Vehicle/
Suspension.

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Service Mode
Service Mode will disable all air
suspension operation including raising
and lowering the vehicle and
operation of the air compressor. This
mode is useful when the vehicle is
being towed on a flat bed or when any
work under the vehicle is being
performed.
Service Mode is automatically enabled
when the vehicle is put on a hoist or a
floor jack is used to raise a corner.
Service Mode automatically disables
when vehicle speed exceeds 16 km/h
(10 mph).
Alignment Mode
Alignment Mode will optimize the
vehicle height to provide the most
accurate wheel alignment. This mode
should be enabled once the vehicle is
driven onto the alignment station.
To enable Alignment Mode, ensure
the vehicle is at Normal Height and
shift the vehicle to Neutral. Alignment
Mode automatically disables when
vehicle speed exceeds 16 km/h
(10 mph).Air Suspension Operation with
Door(s) or Hood Open
The air suspension will temporarily
suspend all height changes while the
hood or any door is open.
System Over-Temperature
If the air suspension is under heavy
use, the system may temporarily
suspend all height changes to allow
compressor cooldown. When this
occurs and a height change is
requested, a
‘Leveling System
Unavailable’ message will be displayed
in the instrument cluster.
Suspension Lowered for Stability
In the event of a loss of Electronic
Stability Control, the air suspension
will lower the vehicle at higher speeds
to provide increased stability. This will
be accompanied by a ‘Vehicle
Lowering for Stability’ message in the
instrument cluster.
Excessive Vehicle Loading
If the air suspension detects excessive
vehicle loading, it will not raise above
Normal Height. Air Suspension Service
If a
‘Service Leveling System’ message
is displayed in the instrument cluster,
see your authorized dealer
immediately.
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).

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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272 DRIVING AND OPERATING
If the Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control system begins to
limit wheel spin while using cruise
control, the cruise control
automatically disengages. SeeTraction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
0 264. If a collision alert occurs when
cruise control is activated, cruise
control is disengaged. See Forward
Collision Alert (FCA) System 0313.
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.

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 273
.To increase vehicle speed in small
increments, press RES+ up briefly to
the first detent. For each press, the
vehicle goes about 1 km/h (1 mph)
faster.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Instrument Cluster 0114.
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 km/h (1 mph) slower.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Instrument Cluster 0114.
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
0251 and
Tow/Haul Mode 0256.
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, pressJ.
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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274 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Adaptive Cruise Control
(Advanced)
If equipped, Adaptive Cruise Control
(ACC) allows the cruise control set
speed and following gap to be
selected. Read this entire section
before using this system. 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.
ACC uses camera and radar sensors.
SeeRadio Frequency Statement 0467.
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
StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) activates while ACC is engaged,
ACC may automatically disengage. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0264. When road conditions
allow ACC to be safely used, ACC can
be turned back on. Turning off the TCS or StabiliTrak/
ESC system will disengage the cruise
control.
ACC can reduce the need for you to
frequently brake and accelerate,
especially when used on expressways,
freeways, and interstate highways.
When used on other roads, you may
need to take over the control of
braking or acceleration more often.
{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 0231.
{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.
.When towing a trailer.

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5:Press to turn the system on or off.
The indicator turns white on the
instrument cluster when ACC is
turned on.
RES+ : Press briefly to resume the
previous set speed or to increase
vehicle speed if ACC is already
activated. To increase speed by about
1 km/h (1 mph), press RES+ to the first
detent. To increase speed to the next
5 km/h (5 mph) mark on the
speedometer, press RES+ to the
second detent.
SET– :Press briefly to set the speed
and activate ACC or to decrease
vehicle speed if ACC is already
activated. To decrease speed by about 1 km/h (1 mph), press SET–
to the
first detent. To decrease speed to the
next 5 km/h (5 mph) mark on the
speedometer, press SET– to the
second detent.
*: 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 0114.
The increment value used depends on
the units displayed.
Switching Between ACC and
Regular Cruise Control
To switch between ACC and regular
cruise control, press and hold
*.
A Driver Information Center (DIC)
message displays.
ACC IndicatorRegular Cruise
Control Indicator
When ACC is engaged, a green
\
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 (Continued)

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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276 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Warning (Continued)
feature. If ACC is not active, the
vehicle will not automatically brake
for other vehicles, which could
cause a crash if the brakes are not
applied manually. You and others
could be seriously injured or killed.
Setting Adaptive Cruise Control
If
5is on when not in use, it could
get pressed and go into ACC when not
desired. Keep
5off 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 5 km/h
(3 mph), although the minimum
allowable set speed is 25 km/h
(15 mph).
To set ACC while moving:
1. Press
5.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press and release SET–. 4. Remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal.
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), if equipped. When ACC
is turned on, the indicator will be lit
white. When ACC is active, the
indicator will turn 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 more than
5 km/h (3 mph), 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.

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Increasing Speed While ACC is at a
Set Speed
If ACC is already activated, do one of
the following:
.Use the accelerator pedal to get to
the higher speed. Briefly press and
release SET–and release the
accelerator pedal. The vehicle will
now cruise at the higher speed.
When the accelerator pedal is
pressed, ACC will not brake because
it is overridden. While overridden,
the ACC indicator will turn blue on
the instrument cluster and heads up
display, if equipped.
.Press and hold RES+ until the
desired set speed is displayed, then
release it.
.To increase speed in small
increments, press RES+. to the first
detent. For each press, the vehicle
goes 1 km/h (1 mph) faster.
.To increase speed in larger
increments, press RES+ to the
second detent. For each press, the
vehicle speed increases to the next
5 km/h (5 mph) mark on the
speedometer. 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 or the vehicle
ahead is pulling away and the brake
is not applied will cause the ACC to
resume.
When it is determined that there is
no vehicle ahead or the vehicle
ahead is beyond the selected
following gap, then the vehicle
speed will increase to the set speed.
Reducing Speed While ACC is at a
Set Speed
If ACC is already activated, 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– until the
desired lower speed is reached, then
release it.
.To decrease the vehicle speed in
smaller increments, press SET− to
the first detent. For each press, the
vehicle goes about 1 km/h (1 mph)
slower.
.To decrease speed in larger
increments, press SET− to the
second detent. For each press, the
vehicle speed decreases to the next
5 km/h (5 mph) mark on the
speedometer.
The set speed can also be decreased
while the vehicle is stopped.
.If stopped with the brake applied,
press or hold 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.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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278 DRIVING AND OPERATING
With ACC active, 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 instrument
cluster and HUD (if equipped). 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
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. See Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System 0313. Courtesy Gap
Press and hold
[on the steering
wheel when vehicle is moving to
temporarily increase the gap with the
vehicle ahead to allow for merging
traffic.
Press and hold
[when stopped to
cancel ACC from resuming
automatically (if the stop is brief) and
remain stationary. This can be used to
allow traffic to merge between you
and the vehicle ahead. Press RES+ or
the accelerator pedal to resume ACC.
Following distance gap will return to
the original selection after hold.
Alerting the Driver
If ACC is engaged, driver action may
be required when ACC cannot apply
sufficient braking because of
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 0138.
See Defensive Driving 0231.
Approaching and Following a
Vehicle
The vehicle ahead indicator is in the
instrument cluster and HUD display,
if equipped.
The vehicle ahead indicator only
displays when a vehicle is detected in
your vehicle’s path moving in the
same direction.
If the symbol is not displaying, ACC
will not respond to or brake to
vehicles ahead.

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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 lamps will
come on. The automatic braking may
feel or sound different than if the
brakes were applied manually. This is
normal.
Passing a Vehicle While Using ACC
If the set speed is high enough, and
the left turn signal is used to pass a
vehicle ahead in the selected following
gap, ACC may assist by gradually
accelerating the vehicle prior to the
lane change.
{Warning
When using ACC to pass a vehicle
or perform a lane change, the
following distance to the vehicle
being passed may be reduced. ACC
may not apply sufficient(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
acceleration or braking when
passing a vehicle or performing a
lane change. Always be ready to
manually accelerate or brake to
complete the pass or lane change.
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. Irregular Objects Affecting ACC
ACC may have difficulty detecting the
following objects:
.Vehicles with cargo extending from
the back end.
.Non-standard shaped vehicles, such
as vehicle transport, vehicles with a
side car fitted, or horse carriages.
.Objects that are close to the front of
your vehicle.
ACC Automatically Disengages
ACC may automatically disengage and
the driver will need to manually apply
the brakes to slow the vehicle if:
.The sensors are blocked.
.The Traction Control System (TCS)
or Stabilitrack/ESC has activated or
been disabled.
.There is a fault in the system.
.The radar falsely reports blockage
when driving in a desert or remote
area with no other vehicles or
roadside objects. A DIC message
may display to indicate that ACC is
temporarily unavailable.
The ACC active symbol will turn white
when ACC is no longer active.