brakes CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV 2012 User Guide
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: CADILLAC, Model Year: 2012, Model line: ESCALADE ESV, Model: CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV 2012Pages: 538, PDF Size: 8.42 MB
Page 313 of 538

Black plate (13,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Driving and Operating 9-13.
Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving Driving on Snow or Ice Drive carefully when there is snow
or ice between the tires and the
road, creating less traction or grip.
Wet ice can occur at about 0°C
(32°F) when freezing rain begins to
fall, resulting in even less traction.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in
freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand. Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently so
traction is not lost. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick, so there is even less
traction.
Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 9 ‑ 35 improves vehicle
stability during hard stops on
slippery roads, but apply the brakes
sooner than when on dry pavement. Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road 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, if equipped,
on slippery surfaces.
Page 323 of 538

Black plate (23,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Driving and Operating 9-23Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9 ‑ 26 .
This position locks the ignition.
It may also lock the steering wheel
and automatic transmission. The
key can be removed in LOCK/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.
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 LOCK/OFF. On vehicles with
an automatic transmission, the
shift lever must be in P (Park) to
turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK/OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See
Parking Brake on page 9 ‑ 36 .
{ WARNINGTurning 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,
turn the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
The steering may bind with the
wheels turned off center. If this
happens, move the steering wheel
from right to left while turning the key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
doesn't work, then the vehicle needs
service.
Notice: Using a tool to force the
key to turn in the ignition could
cause damage to the switch or
break the key. Use the correct
key, make sure it is all the way in,
and turn it only with your hand.
If the key cannot be turned by
hand, see your dealer.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY): This
position lets things like the radio
and the windshield wipers operate
while the engine is off. Use this
position if the vehicle must be
pushed or towed.
C (ON/RUN): This position can be
used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument panel cluster warning
and indicator lights. This position
can also be used for service and
diagnostics, and to verify the proper
operation of the malfunction
indicator lamp as may be required
for emission inspection purposes.
Page 332 of 538

Black plate (32,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
9-32 Driving and Operating D (Drive): 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.
D (Drive) can be used when towing
a trailer, carrying a heavy load,
driving on steep hills, or for off-road
driving. You may want to 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 ” under
Loss of Control on page 9 ‑ 5 . M (Manual Mode): This position
lets drivers select the range of gears
appropriate for current driving
conditions. See “ Driver Shift Control
(DSC) ” under Manual Mode on
page 9 ‑ 33 .
Notice: 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.
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 will be 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 may appear to be
a delayed shift, however the
transmission is operating normally.
The vehicle's transmission uses
adaptive shift controls that
compares key shift parameters to
pre-programmed ideal shifts stored
in the transmissions 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 temperature
changes. During this adaptive shift
controls process, shifting may feel
different as the transmission
determines the best settings.
When temperatures are very cold,
the Hydra-Matic ®
6L80 automatic
transmission's gear shifting may be
delayed providing more stable shifts
until the engine warms up. Shifts
Page 335 of 538

Black plate (35,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Driving and Operating 9-35
Brakes Antilock Brake
System (ABS) This vehicle has the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the engine is started and the
vehicle begins to drive away, ABS
checks itself. A momentary motor or
clicking noise might be heard while
this test is going on, and it might
even be noticed that the brake
pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5 ‑ 20 . If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies ABS allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Page 337 of 538

Black plate (37,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Driving and Operating 9-37drive off. After the driver completely
stops and holds the vehicle in a
complete standstill on a grade, HSA
will be automatically activated.
During the transition period between
when the driver releases the brake
pedal and starts to accelerate to
drive off on a grade, HSA holds the
braking pressure for a maximum of
two seconds to ensure that there is
no rolling. The brakes will
automatically release when the
accelerator pedal is applied within
the two ‐ second window. It will not
activate if the vehicle is in a drive
gear and facing downhill or if the
vehicle is facing uphill and in
R (Reverse). There may be
situations on minor hills (less than
5% grade) with a loaded vehicle or
while pulling a trailer where HSA will
not activate. Ride Control Systems StabiliTrak ®
System The vehicle has a vehicle stability
enhancement system called
StabiliTrak. It is an advanced
computer-controlled system that
assists the driver with directional
control of the vehicle in difficult
driving conditions.
StabiliTrak activates when the
computer senses a discrepancy
between the intended path and the
direction the vehicle is actually
traveling. StabiliTrak selectively
applies braking pressure at any one
of the vehicle's brakes to assist the
driver with keeping the vehicle on
the intended path.
StabiliTrak is on automatically
whenever the vehicle is started. To
assist with directional control of the
vehicle, the system should always
be left on. Trailer Sway Control
(TSC) is also on automatically when the vehicle is started. See Trailer
Sway Control (TSC) on page 9 ‑ 69
for more information.
When the vehicle is started and
begins to move, the system
performs several diagnostic checks
to insure there are no problems.
The system may be heard or felt
while it is working. This is normal
and does not mean there is a
problem with the vehicle. The
system should initialize before the
vehicle reaches 32 km/h (20 mph).
In some cases, it may take
approximately 3.2 km (2 mi) of
driving before the system initializes.
If cruise control is being used when
StabiliTrak activates, the cruise
control automatically disengages.
The cruise control can be
re-engaged when road conditions
allow. See Cruise Control on
page 9 ‑ 41 .
If the system fails to turn on or
activate, the StabiliTrak light along
with a message will be displayed on
the Driver Information Center (DIC).
Page 339 of 538

Black plate (39,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Driving and Operating 9-39It is recommended to leave the
system on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn the system off if the vehicle
is stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow,
and you want to “ rock ” the vehicle to
attempt to free it. It may also be
necessary to turn off the system
when driving in extreme off-road
conditions where high wheel spin is
required. See If the Vehicle Is Stuck
on page 9 ‑ 15 .
Traction Control Operation TCS is part of the StabiliTrak
system. Traction control limits wheel
spin by reducing engine power to
the wheels (engine speed
management) and by applying
brakes to each individual wheel
(brake-traction control) as
necessary.
TCS is enabled automatically when
the vehicle is started. It will activate
and the StabiliTrak light will flash if it
senses that any of the wheels are
spinning or beginning to lose
traction while driving. If traction control is turned off, only the
brake-traction control portion of
traction control will work. The
engine speed management will be
disabled. In this mode, engine
power is not reduced automatically
and the driven wheels can spin
more freely. This can cause the
brake-traction control to activate
constantly.
Notice: If the wheel(s) of one axle
is allowed to spin excessively
while the StabiliTrak ®
, ABS, brake
warning lights, and any relevant
DIC messages are displayed, the
transfer case could be damaged.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Reduce
engine power and do not spin the
wheel(s) excessively while these
lights and messages are
displayed.
TCS may activate on dry or rough
roads or under conditions such as
heavy acceleration while turning or
abrupt upshifts/downshifts of the
transmission. When this happens, a reduction in acceleration may be
noticed, or a noise or vibration may
be heard. This is normal.
If cruise control is being used when
the system activates, the StabiliTrak
light will flash and cruise control will
automatically disengage. Cruise
control may be reengaged when
road conditions allow. See Cruise
Control on page 9 ‑ 41 .
StabiliTrak may also turn off
automatically if it determines that a
problem exists with the system.
If the problem does not clear itself
after restarting the vehicle, see your
dealer for service.
Non-hybrid vehicles with StabiliTrak
have a Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
feature. See Trailer Sway Control
(TSC) on page 9 ‑ 69 .
Non-hybrid vehicles with StabiliTrak
have a Hill Start Assist (HSA)
feature. See Hill Start Assist (HSA)
on page 9 ‑ 36 .
Page 341 of 538

Black plate (41,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Driving and Operating 9-41better 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 vehicle height. The system is
activated when the ignition key is
turned to ON/RUN and will
automatically adjust vehicle height
thereafter. The system may exhaust
(lower vehicle height) for up to
ten minutes after the ignition key
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, thereby
leveling the vehicle prior to adjusting
the hitch. Cruise Control
{ WARNINGCruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. So, do not use
the 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.
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). When the brakes are applied, cruise
control is turned off.
This vehicle has a Hydra ‐ Matic
6 ‐ speed automatic transmission,
see Grade Braking under Tow/Haul
Mode on page 9 ‑ 33 for an
explanation of how cruise control
interacts with the Range Selection
Mode, tow/haul and grade braking
systems.
This vehicle has StabiliTrak and
when the system begins to limit
wheel spin, the cruise control will
automatically disengage. See
StabiliTrak ®
System on page 9 ‑ 37 .
When road conditions allow the
cruise control to be safely used
again, it can be turned back on.
Page 342 of 538

Black plate (42,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
9-42 Driving and Operating
Cruise Control Shown with Heated
Steering Wheel Button
(If Equipped)
The cruise control buttons are
located on the left side of the
steering wheel.
I (On/Off): Press to turn the
system on or off. The indicator light
is on when cruise control is on and
turns off when cruise control is off.
+ RES (Resume/Accelerate):
Press briefly to make the vehicle
resume to a previously set speed,
or press and hold to accelerate. SET − (Set/Coast): Press to set
the speed and activate cruise
control or make the vehicle
decelerate.
[ (Cancel): Press to disengage
cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If the cruise button is on when not in
use, it could get bumped and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep the
cruise control switch off when cruise
is not being used.
The cruise control light on the
instrument panel cluster comes on
after the cruise control has been set
to the desired speed.
1. Press the
I button.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press the SET − button located
on the steering wheel and
release it.
4. Take your foot off the
accelerator. Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a
desired speed and then the brakes
are applied, 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 the +RES button on the
steering wheel. The vehicle returns
to the previous set speed and stays
there.
Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated, .
Press and hold the +RES button
on the steering wheel until the
desired speed is reached, then
release it. .
To increase vehicle speed in
small amounts, press the +RES
button. Each time this is done,
the vehicle goes about 1.6 km/h
(1 mph) faster.
Page 343 of 538

Black plate (43,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Driving and Operating 9-43Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated, .
Press and hold the SET – button
on the steering wheel until the
desired lower speed is reached,
then release it. .
To slow down in small amounts,
press the SET – button on the
steering wheel briefly. Each time
this is done, the vehicle goes
about 1.6 km/h (1 mph) slower.
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. 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.
While going downhill, the Cruise
Grade Braking feature may
automatically shift to a lower gear to
keep the vehicle's speed down.
It may be necessary to apply the
brake or manually shift the
transmission to a lower gear. The
vehicle may shift to a higher gear
when grade braking assistance is
no longer required. Cruise Grade
Braking is not available while in
Range Selection Mode. See "Range
Selection Mode" under Manual
Mode on page 9 ‑ 33 . When the brakes are manually
applied the cruise control is
disengaged.
Ending Cruise Control
There are three ways to end cruise
control: .
To disengage cruise control,
step lightly on the brake pedal. .
Press
[ on the steering wheel. .
To turn off the cruise control,
press
I on the steering wheel.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory by pressing
the
I button or if the ignition is
turned off.
Page 345 of 538

Black plate (45,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Driving and Operating 9-45PARKING ASSIST OFF: This
message occurs if the driver
disables the system or if the vehicle
is driven above 8 km/h (5 mph) in
R (Reverse).
PARKING ASSIST BLOCKED SEE
OWNERS MANUAL: This
message can occur under the
following conditions: .
The ultrasonic sensors are not
clean. Keep the vehicle's rear
bumper free of mud, dirt, snow,
ice, slush, and frost. The
message may not clear until
frost or ice has melted all around
and inside the sensor. .
A trailer is attached to the
vehicle, or a bicycle or an object
was hanging out of the liftgate
during the current or last drive
cycle. URPA will return to normal
operation after it is determined
the object is removed. This
could take a few drive cycles. .
A tow bar is attached to the
vehicle. Other conditions may affect system
performance, such as vibrations
from a jackhammer or the
compression of air brakes on a very
large truck.
Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA) If available, the Side Blind Zone
Alert system is a lane changing aid
that assists drivers with avoiding
crashes that occur with vehicles in
the side blind zones.
{ WARNING
SBZA does not detect vehicles
rapidly approaching outside of the
side blind zones, pedestrians,
bicyclists, or animals. Failure to
use proper care when changing
lanes may result in injury, death,
or vehicle damage. Always check
for other vehicles and use the
turn signals when changing lanes. SBZA Detection Zones
The SBZA sensor covers a zone of
approximately one lane over from
both sides of the vehicle, 3.5 m
(11 ft). This zone starts at each side
mirror and goes back approximately
5.0 m (16 ft). The height of the zone
is approximately between
0.5 m (1.5 ft) and 2.0 m (6 ft) off the
ground.
Use caution while changing lanes
when towing a trailer, as the SBZA
detection zones do not change
when a trailer is towed.