ABS CADILLAC ESCALADE 2021 Owner's Manual

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/11/21
2 INTRODUCTION
Helm, Incorporated
Attention: Customer Service
47911 Halyard Drive
Plymouth, MI 48170
USA
Using this Manual
To quickly locate information about
the vehicle, use the Index in the back
of the manual. It is an alphabetical
list of what is in the manual and the
page number where it can be found.
Danger, Warning, and
Caution
Warning messages found on vehicle
labels and in this manual describe
hazards and what to do to avoid or
reduce them.
{Danger
Danger indicates a hazard with a
high level of risk which will result
in serious injury or death.
{Warning
Warning indicates a hazard that
could result in injury or death.
Caution
Caution indicates a hazard that
could result in property or vehicle
damage.
A circle with a slash through it is a
safety symbol which means“Do not,”
“Do not do this,” or“Do not let this
happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and
labels that use symbols instead of
text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or information relating to a specific
component, control, message, gauge,
or indicator.
M:
Shown when the owner’s manual
has additional instructions or
information.
*: Shown when the service manual
has additional instructions or
information.
0: Shown when there is more
information on another page —
“see page.”
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that
may be found on the vehicle and what
they mean. See the features in this
manual for information.
u: Air Conditioning System
G:Air Conditioning Refrigerant Oil
9:Airbag Readiness Light
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
$:Brake System Warning Light
9:Dispose of Used Components
Properly

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS 103
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . 104
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . 104
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . 104
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . 105
Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . . 107
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . 116
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Transmission Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . 120
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Brake System Warning Light . . . . 124
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . 124
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Automatic Vehicle Hold (AVH) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light . . . 125
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) Disabled Light . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . 126
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . . 126
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Driver Mode Control Light . . . . . . . 128 Four Corner Air Suspension
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . 130
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . 130
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Vehicle Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . . . . . 135
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Engine Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . 138
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . 138
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . . . . 138
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . 145
Universal Remote System Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Universal Remote System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS 125
Service Electric Parking
Brake Light
This light should come on briefly
when the vehicle is turned on. If it
does not come on, have it fixed so it
will be ready to warn if there is a
problem.
If this light stays on or comes on
while driving, there is a problem with
the Electric Parking Brake (EPB). Take
the vehicle to a dealer as soon as
possible. In addition to the parking
brake, other safety functions that
utilize the EPB may also be degraded.
A message may also display in the
Driver Information Center (DIC). See
Electric Parking Brake0261.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
This warning light should come on
briefly when the vehicle is turned on.
It is located on the center stack, below
the infotainment screen. If the light
does not come on, have it fixed so it
will be ready to warn if there is a
problem.
If the light comes on while driving,
safely stop as soon as it is possible
and turn off the vehicle. Then turn on
the vehicle again to reset the system.
If the ABS warning light stays on,
or comes on again while driving, the
vehicle needs service. A chime may
also sound when the light stays on.
If the ABS warning light is the only
light on, the vehicle has regular
brakes, but ABS is not functioning. If both the ABS warning light and the
brake system warning light are on,
ABS is not functioning and there is a
problem with the regular brakes. See
your dealer for service.
See
Brake System Warning Light 0124.
Automatic Vehicle Hold
(AVH) Light
This light comes on when AVH is
actively holding the vehicle. See
Automatic Vehicle Hold (AVH) 0263.
Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
Light

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 229
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 238
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248 Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Dynamic Fuel Management . . . . . 250
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . 251
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . 261
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Automatic VehicleHold (AVH) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/ElectronicStability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266 Magnetic Ride Control . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Four Corner Air Suspension
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Adaptive Cruise Control(Advanced) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Super Cruise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . 298
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Rear Pedestrian Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Night Vision System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . 321
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . 321
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . 324
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
DRIVING AND OPERATING 233
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may be
more effective than braking.
.Holding both sides of the steering
wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
.Antilock Brake System (ABS) allows
steering while braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop off
the edge of a road onto the shoulder
while driving. Follow these tips:1. Ease off the accelerator and then,
if there is nothing in the way, steer
the vehicle so that it straddles the
edge of the pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the right
front tire contacts the
pavement edge.
3. Turn the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
.Steering or Cornering Skid —too
much speed or steering in a curve
causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force.
.Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving wheels
to spin. Defensive drivers avoid most skids by
taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
.Ease your foot off the accelerator
pedal and steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. The vehicle may
straighten out. Be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
.Slow down and adjust your driving
according to weather conditions.
Stopping distance can be longer and
vehicle control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water, snow,
ice, gravel, or other material on the
road. Learn to recognize warning
clues
—such as enough water, ice,
or packed snow on the road to
make a mirrored surface —and
slow down when you have any
doubt.
.Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking, including
reducing vehicle speed by shifting
to a lower gear. Any sudden changes
could cause the tires to slide.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 239
.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
Control0264.
.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) 0261.
.Allow greater following distance and
watch for slippery spots. Icy patches
can occur on otherwise clear roads
in shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain icy
when the surrounding roads are
clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
.Turn off cruise control.
Blizzard Conditions
Stay with the vehicle unless there is
help nearby. If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside Service 0462.
To get help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside mirror.
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may cause
exhaust gases to get inside. Engine
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
exhaust contains carbon monoxide
(CO), which cannot be seen or
smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
.Clear snow from the base of the
vehicle, especially any blocking
the exhaust pipe.
.Open a window about 5 cm (2 in)
on the vehicle side that is away
from the wind, to bring in
fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets on or
under the instrument panel.
.Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air inside
the vehicle and set the fan speed
to the highest setting. See
“Climate Control Systems.”
For more information about CO, see
Engine Exhaust 0250.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 261
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost
Vehicles equipped with electric brake
boost have hydraulic brake circuits
that are electronically controlled when
the brake pedal is applied during
normal operation. The system
performs routine tests and turns off
within a few minutes after the vehicle
is turned off. Noise may be heard
during this time. If the brake pedal is
pressed during the tests or when the
electric brake boost system is off, a
noticeable change in pedal force and
travel may be felt. This is normal.
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
helps prevent a braking skid and
maintain steering while braking hard.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
0 125.
ABS does not change the time needed
to get a foot on the brake pedal and
does not always decrease stopping
distance. If you get too close to the
vehicle ahead, there will not be
enough time to apply the brakes if
that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the
brake pedal down firmly. Hearing and
feeling ABS operate is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows steering and braking at the
same time. In many emergencies,
steering can help even more than
braking.
Electric Parking Brake
The Electric Parking Brake (EPB) can
always be applied, even if the vehicle
is off. In case of insufficient electrical
power, the EPB cannot be applied or
released. To prevent draining the
battery, avoid unnecessary repeated
cycles of the EPB.
The system has a red parking brake
status light and an amber service
parking brake warning light. See
Electric Parking Brake Light 0124 and
Service Electric Parking Brake Light
0 125. There are also parking
brake-related Driver Information
Center (DIC) messages.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 263
Brake Assist
Brake Assist detects rapid brake pedal
applications due to emergency braking
situations and provides additional
braking to activate the Antilock Brake
System (ABS) if the brake pedal is not
pushed hard enough to activate ABS
normally. Minor noise, brake pedal
pulsation, and/or pedal movement
during this time may occur. Continue
to apply the brake pedal as the driving
situation dictates. Brake Assist
disengages when the brake pedal is
released.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
{Warning
Do not rely on the HSA feature.
HSA does not replace the need to
pay attention and drive safely. You
may not hear or feel alerts or
warnings provided by this system.
Failure to use proper care when
driving may result in injury, death,
or vehicle damage. SeeDefensive
Driving 0231. When the vehicle is stopped on a
grade, Hill Start Assist (HSA)
temporarily prevents the vehicle from
rolling in an unintended direction
during the transition from brake pedal
release to accelerator pedal apply. The
brakes release when the accelerator
pedal is applied or automatically
release after a few seconds. The brakes
may also release under other
conditions. Do not rely on HSA to
hold the vehicle.
HSA is available when the vehicle is
facing uphill in a forward gear,
or when facing downhill in
R (Reverse). The vehicle must come to
a complete stop on a grade for HSA to
activate.
Automatic Vehicle
Hold (AVH)
{Warning
Do not rely on this feature. It does
not replace the need to pay
attention and drive safely. You may
not hear or feel alerts or warnings
provided by this system. Failure to
use proper care when driving may
result in injury, death, or vehicle
damage.
When Automatic Vehicle Hold (AVH)
is turned on and the vehicle is braked
to a stop, AVH prevents the vehicle

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 267
To activate each mode, press the
MODE button on the instrument
panel to the left of the steering wheel.
To activate Terrain Mode, press
g
button located next to the MODE
button.
Tour :Use for normal city and
highway driving to provide a smooth
ride. This setting provides balance
between comfort and handling. This is
the standard/default mode. There is
no persistent indicator in the
instrument cluster for this mode.
8Sport Mode : Use where road
conditions or personal preference
demand a more controlled response. When you enter this mode you will
immediately feel a down shift. In this
mode, the vehicle also monitors
driving behaviors and automatically
enables Performance Shift Features
when spirited driving is detected.
These features maintain lower
transmission gears to increase
available engine braking and improve
acceleration response. The vehicle will
exit these features and return to
normal operation after a short period
when no spirited driving is detected.
The steering will change to provide
more precise control. If the vehicle
has Magnetic Ride Control, the
suspension will change to provide
better cornering performance.
6Snow/Ice Mode :
Snow/Ice
improves vehicle acceleration on snow
and ice covered roads. When active,
Snow/Ice Mode will adjust
acceleration to optimize traction on
slippery surfaces. This can
compromise the acceleration on dry
asphalt. This feature is not intended
for use when the vehicle is stuck in
sand, mud, ice, snow, or gravel. If the
vehicle becomes stuck see If the
Vehicle Is Stuck 0240.
7Off-Road Mode : Use this mode
for off-road recreational driving.
Off-Road Mode should be used to
improve driving at moderate speeds,
on grass, gravel, dirt, unpaved roads,
or snow-covered roads. The
accelerator pedal is tuned for off-road
use. This mode modifies pedal
mapping, All-Wheel Drive (AWD),
steering, ride height, Antilock Brake
System (ABS), StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC), and Traction
Control System (TCS) performance.
For more information on off-road
driving, see Off-Road Driving 0234.
_Tow/Haul Mode : For more
information on Tow/Haul Mode, see
Tow/Haul Mode 0256.
gTerrain Mode : Use this mode
when traveling on very rough roads at
very low speeds, such as a two-track
or heavily rutted road. This can also
be used for pulling a boat out of the
water on a trailer. When in Terrain
Mode, the vehicle will shift
automatically but will hold a lower
gear longer to maximize engine
torque. This mode has a unique pedal
map and transmission shift pattern

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 333
2. Have someone place chocks underthe trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, gradually release the brake
pedal to allow the chocks to absorb
the load of the trailer.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
.Start the engine.
.Shift into a gear.
.Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Launching and Retrieving a Boat
Backing the Trailer into the Water
{Warning
.Have all passengers get out of
the vehicle before backing onto
the sloped part of the ramp.
Lower the driver and passenger
side windows before backing
onto the ramp. This will provide
a means of escape in the unlikely
event the vehicle slides into the
water.
.If the boat launch surface is
slippery, have the driver remain
in the vehicle with the brake
pedal applied while the boat is
being launched. The boat launch
can be especially slippery at low
tide when part of the ramp was
previously submerged at high
tide. Do not back onto the ramp
to launch the boat if you are not
sure the vehicle can maintain
traction.
.Do not move the vehicle if
someone is in the path of the
trailer. Some parts of the trailer
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
might be underwater and not
visible to people who are
assisting in launching the boat.
Disconnect the wiring to the trailer
before backing the trailer into the
water to prevent damage to the
electrical circuits on the trailer.
Reconnect the wiring to the trailer
after removing the trailer from the
water. If the trailer has electric brakes
that can function when the trailer is
submerged, it might help to leave the
electrical trailer connector attached to
maintain trailer brake functionality
while on the boat ramp.
To back the trailer into the water: 1. If equipped, place the vehicle in four-wheel-drive high.
2. Slowly back down the boat ramp until the boat is floating, but no
further than necessary.
3. Press and hold the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet.
4. Have someone place chocks under the front wheels of the vehicle.