CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV 2008 Owners Manual
Manufacturer: CADILLAC, Model Year: 2008, Model line: ESCALADE ESV, Model: CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV 2008Pages: 500, PDF Size: 6.65 MB
Page 131 of 500

Driver Shift Control (DSC)
Your vehicle has a Driver Shift Control (DSC). The DSC
controls the vehicle’s transmission and vehicle speed
while driving down hill or towing a trailer by allowing you
to select a desired range of gears.
To use this feature, do the following:
1. Move the shift lever to the MANUAL MODE (M).
2. Press the plus/minus button, to upshift or downshift
selecting the desired range of gears for your current
driving conditions. The DIC display will show the message MANUAL
SHIFT on the rst line and the current gear will be
displayed on the second line. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 3-48 and DIC Operation and
Displays on page 3-49 for more information. The number
displayed in the DIC is the highest gear that can be
used. However, your vehicle can automatically shift to
lower gears as it adjusts to driving conditions. This
means that all gears below that number are available.
When FIFTH (5) is selected, FIRST (1) through
FIFTH (5) gears are automatically shifted by the vehicle,
but SIXTH (6) cannot be used until the plus/minus
button located on the steering column lever is used to
change to the gear.
Grade Braking is not available when the Driver Shift
Control is active. See Tow/Haul Mode on page 2-34 for
more information.
While using the DSC, cruise control and the tow/haul
mode can be used.
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Page 132 of 500

Tow/Haul Mode
Your vehicle has a tow/haul mode. The tow/haul mode
adjusts the transmission shift pattern to reduce shift
cycling, providing increased performance, vehicle
control, and transmission cooling when towing or hauling
heavy loads.
Press the button located on the end of the shift lever to
turn the tow/haul on or off. When the tow/haul is on,
a light on the instrument panel cluster will come on.
See Tow/Haul Mode Light on page 3-47 for more
information. Also see “Tow Haul Mode” under Towing a Trailer on
page 4-44 for more information.
The tow/haul mode works with the Autoride ®
feature, if
the vehicle has this, to enhance the ride when
trailering or with a loaded vehicle. See Autoride ®
on
page 4-43 .
Grade Braking Grade Braking assists when driving on a downhill grade.
It maintains the vehicle’s speed by automatically
implementing a shift schedule that uses the engine and
the transmission to slow the vehicle. This reduces
wear on the brakes system and increases control of the
vehicle. The system constantly monitors the vehicle’s
speed, acceleration, throttle position, and whether
the brake pedal is being pressed, and determines when
to keep the current vehicle speed or to slow down.
The system will then automatically command downshifts
that reduces the vehicles speed, until the brake pedal
is no longer being pressed. This indicates the desired
vehicle speed has been reached.
The tow/haul mode and grade braking shift modes can
be activated by pressing the button on the end of
the shift control stalk. While in the DSC mode, grade
braking is deactivated, allowing the driver to select
a gear.
See Automatic Transmission Operation on page 2-30 for
more information.
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