CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV 2012 Service Manual

Black plate (9,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-9
Doors Liftgate
{ WARNINGExhaust gases can enter the
vehicle if it is driven with the
liftgate or trunk/hatch open,
or with any objects that pass
through the seal between the
body and the trunk/hatch or
liftgate. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO) which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle must be driven with
the liftgate or trunk/hatch open: .
Close all of the windows. .
Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
(Continued) WARNING (Continued) .
Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
brings in only outside air and
set the fan speed to the
highest setting. See “ Climate
Control Systems ” in the
Index. .
If the vehicle is equipped with
a power liftgate, disable the
power liftgate function.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9 ‑ 29 .
Notice: If you open the liftgate
without checking for overhead
obstructions such as a garage
door, you could damage the
liftgate or the liftgate glass.
Always check to make sure the
area above and behind the liftgate
is clear before opening it. The liftglass or liftgate cannot be
opened if the rear wiper is in motion.
Attempting to open the liftglass or
liftgate while the rear wiper is in
motion will cause the release of the
liftglass or liftgate to delay until the
wipers are parked off the liftglass.
Manual Liftgate Operation
To unlock the liftgate, press
" on
the power door lock switch or press
" on the Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) transmittertwice, see Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation on page 2 ‑ 3 .

Black plate (10,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
2-10 Keys, Doors, and Windows Press the touch pad on the
underside of the liftgate handle (B)
and lift up.
Use the pull cup to lower and close
the liftgate. Do not press the touch
pad while closing the liftgate. This
will cause the liftgate to be
unlatched.
Power Liftgate Operation On vehicles with a power liftgate,
the switch is on the overhead
console.
The vehicle must be in P (Park) to
use the power feature. The taillamps
will flash and a chime will sound
when the power liftgate moves.
{ WARNING
Exhaust gases can enter the
vehicle if it is driven with the
liftgate, trunk/hatch open, or with
any objects that pass through the
seal between the body and the
trunk/hatch or liftgate. 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 must be driven with
the liftgate, or trunk/hatch open: .
Close all of the windows. .
Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel. .
Adjust the Climate Control
system to a setting that
brings in only outside air and
set the fan speed to the
highest setting. See Climate
Control System in the Index. .
If the vehicle is equipped with
a power liftgate, disable the
power liftgate function.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9 ‑ 29 . There are several ways to open and
close the power liftgate: .
Press and hold
8 on the
RKEtransmitter until the liftgate
starts moving. .
Press
8 on the overhead
console. .
Press
l on the bottom of the
liftgate next to the latch to close.
Pressing a second time while the
liftgate is moving reverses the
direction.
To disable the power liftgate
function, press OFFon the liftgate
switch.
The power liftgate may be
temporarily disabled under extreme
temperatures, or under low battery
conditions. If this occurs, the liftgate
can still be operated manually.
If the transmission is shifted out of
P (Park) while the power function is
in progress, the liftgate power
function will continue to completion.

Black plate (11,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-11If the transmission is shifted out of
P (Park) and the vehicle accelerates
before the power liftgate latches
closed, the liftgate may reverse to
the open position. Cargo could fall
out of the vehicle. Always make
sure the power liftgate is closed and
latched before driving away.
If the liftgate is opened using power
operation and the liftgate support
struts have lost pressure, the turn
signals flash and a chime will
sound. The liftgate stays open
temporarily, and then slowly closes.
See a dealer for service before
using the liftgate.
Obstacle Detection Features If the liftgate encounters an obstacle
during a power open or close cycle,
a warning chime will sound and the
liftgate will automatically reverse
direction to the full closed or open
position. After removing the
obstruction, the power liftgate
operation can be used again. If the
liftgate encounters multiple obstacles on the same power cycle,
the power function will deactivate
and a message will display in the
Driver Information Center (DIC), see
Object Detection System Messages
on page 5 ‑ 33 . After removing the
obstructions, the liftgate will resume
normal power operation.
Pinch sensors are located on the
side edges of the liftgate. If an
object is caught between the liftgate
and the vehicle and presses against
this sensor, the liftgate will reverse
direction and open fully. The liftgate
will remain open until it is activated
again or closed manually.
Manual Operation of Power
Liftgate To change the liftgate to manual
operation, press OFFon the liftgate
switch.
With the power liftgate disabled and
all of the doors unlocked, the liftgate
can be manually opened and
closed. To open the liftgate, press the touch
pad on the handle (B) and lift up.
Use the pull cup to lower and close
the liftgate. Do not press the touch
pad while closing the liftgate. This
will cause the liftgate to be
unlatched. The liftgate latch will
power close. Always close the
liftgate before driving.
If
8 on the RKEtransmitter or
l on the liftgate is pressed while
power operation is disabled, the
lamps will flash three times, but the
liftgate will not move.
It is not recommended to drive with
the liftgate open, however, when
driving with the liftgate open; the
liftgate should be set to manual
operation by pressing OFFon the
liftgate switch on the center console.
The liftgate has an electric latch.
If the battery is disconnected or has
low voltage, the liftgate will not
open. The liftgate will resume
operation when the battery is
reconnected and charged.

Black plate (12,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
2-12 Keys, Doors, and Windows If the battery is properly connected
with adequate voltage, the switch is
not disabled, and the liftgate still will
not function, see a dealer for
service.
Liftglass
If equipped, there are two ways to
open the liftglass: .
Press the button on the
underside of the license plate
applique (A). .
Press
m on the
RKEtransmitter. Power Assist Steps
The vehicle may have power assist
steps. To enable or disable the
power assist steps push
j . The power assist steps
automatically extend from beneath
the vehicle on the side in which the
door has been opened. Once the
door is closed, the assist steps
automatically move back under the
vehicle after a brief delay. The
vehicle must not be moving for the
assist steps to extend or retract.
The assist steps cannot be disabled
in the extended position.

Black plate (13,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-13
Vehicle Security This vehicle has theft-deterrent
features; however, they do not make
it impossible to steal.
Anti-theft Alarm System Your vehicle has a content
theft-deterrent alarm system.
This is the security light.
To arm the theft-deterrent system:
1. Open the door.
2. Lock the door with the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter
or the power door lock switch. The security light will come on to
inform the driver the system is
arming. If a door is open when
the doors are locked, the
security light will flash.
If the delayed locking feature is
turned on, the theft ‐ deterrent
system will not start the arming
process until the last door is
closed and the delay timer has
expired. See Delayed Locking
on page 2 ‑ 8 .
3. Close all doors. The security
light should go off after about
30 seconds. The alarm is not
armed until the security light
goes off.
If a locked driver door is opened
without using the RKE transmitter, a
10-second pre-alarm will occur. The
horn will chirp and the lights will
flash. If the key is not placed in the
ignition and turned to START or the
door is not unlocked by pressing the
unlock button on the RKE
transmitter during the 10-second pre-alarm, the alarm will go off. Your
vehicle's headlamps will flash and
the horn will sound for about
30 seconds, then will turn off to save
the battery power.
The theft-deterrent system will not
activate if the doors are locked with
the vehicle's key or the manual door
lock. It activates only if you use the
power door lock switch with the door
open or the RKE transmitter. You
should also remember that you can
start your vehicle with the correct
ignition key if the alarm has been
set off.
To avoid setting off the alarm by
accident: .
If you do not want to activate the
theft-deterrent system, the
vehicle should be locked with
the door key after the doors are
closed. .
Always unlock the doors with the
RKE transmitter. Unlocking a
door any other way will set off
the alarm if it is armed.

Black plate (14,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
2-14 Keys, Doors, and Windows If you set off the alarm by accident,
press unlock on the RKE transmitter
or place the key in the ignition and
turn it to START to turn off the
alarm. The alarm will not stop if you
try to unlock a door any other way.
Testing the Alarm To test the alarm:
1. From inside the vehicle, lower
the driver window and open the
driver door.
2. Activate the system by locking
the doors with the power door
lock switch while the door is
open, or with the RKE
transmitter.
3. Get out of the vehicle, close the
door and wait for the security
light to go out.
4. Then reach in through the
window, unlock the door with the
manual door lock and open the
door. This should set off the
alarm. While the alarm is set, the power
door unlock switch will not work.
If the alarm does not sound when it
should but the headlamps flash,
check to see if the horn works. The
horn fuse may be blown. To replace
the fuse, see Fuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 10 ‑ 39 .
If the alarm does not sound or the
headlamps do not flash, the vehicle
should be serviced by your dealer.
Immobilizer See Radio Frequency Statement on
page 13 ‑ 21 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-GEN/210/220/310. Immobilizer Operation This vehicle has PASS-Key ®
III+
(Personalized Automotive Security
System) theft-deterrent system.
PASS-Key III+ is a passive
theft-deterrent system.
The system is automatically armed
when the key is removed from the
ignition.
The system is automatically
disarmed when the key is turned to
ON/RUN, ACC/ACCESSORY,
or START from the LOCK/OFF
position.
You do not have to manually arm or
disarm the system.
The security light will come on if
there is a problem with arming or
disarming the theft-deterrent
system.
When the PASS-Key III+ system
senses that someone is using the
wrong key, it prevents the vehicle
from starting. Anyone using a
trial-and-error method to start the

Black plate (15,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-15vehicle will be discouraged because
of the high number of electrical key
codes.
If the engine does not start and the
security light on the instrument
panel cluster comes on when trying
to start the vehicle, there may be a
problem with the theft-deterrent
system. Turn the ignition off and try
again.
If the engine still does not start, and
the key appears to be undamaged,
try another ignition key. At this time,
you may also want to check the
fuse. See Fuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 10 ‑ 39 . If the
engine still does not start with the
other key, the vehicle needs service.
If the vehicle does start, the first key
may be faulty. See your dealer who
can service the PASS-Key III+ to
have a new key made.
It is possible for the PASS-Key III+
decoder to learn the transponder
value of a new or replacement key. Up to 10 keys may be programmed
for the vehicle. The following
procedure is for programming
additional keys only. If all the
currently programmed keys are lost
or do not operate, you must see
your dealer or a locksmith who can
service PASS-Key III+ to have keys
made and programmed to the
system.
See your dealer or a locksmith who
can service PASS-Key III+ to get a
new key blank cut exactly as the
ignition key that operates the
system.
To program the new additional key:
1. Verify that the new key has a
1stamped on it.
2. Insert the original, already
programmed key in the ignition
and start the engine. If the
engine will not start, see your
dealer for service. 3. After the engine has started, turn
the key to LOCK/OFF, and
remove the key.
4. Insert the new key to be
programmed and turn it to the
ON/RUN position within
five seconds of turning the
ignition to the LOCK/OFF
position in Step 3.
The security light will turn off
once the key has been
programmed.
5. Repeat Steps 1 through 4 if
additional keys are to be
programmed.
If you lose or damage your
PASS-Key III+ key, see your dealer
or a locksmith who can service
PASS-Key III+ to have a new
key made.
Do not leave the key or device that
disarms or deactivates the
theft-deterrent system in the vehicle.

Black plate (16,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
2-16 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Exterior Mirrors Convex Mirrors
{ WARNINGA convex mirror can make things,
like other vehicles, look farther
away than they really are. If you
cut too sharply into the right lane,
you could hit a vehicle on the
right. Check the inside mirror or
glance over your shoulder before
changing lanes.
The passenger side mirror is convex
shaped. A convex mirror's surface is
curved so more can be seen from
the driver seat. Power Mirrors
Premium Trim Shown, Up ‐ Level
Similar
Mirror Adjustment 1. Press (A) or (B) to select the
driver or passenger side mirror.
2. Press the arrows on the control
pad to move the mirror up,
down, right, or left.
3. Press the opposite side to get
the control pad to a neutral
position. Power Folding Mirrors To fold the mirrors:
1. Press (C) to fold the mirrors out
to the driving position.
2. Press (D) to fold the mirrors into
the folded position.
Resetting the Power Folding
Mirrors Reset the power folding mirrors if: .
The mirrors are accidentally
obstructed while folding. .
They are accidentally manually
folded/unfolded. .
The mirrors will not stay in the
unfolded position. .
The mirrors vibrate at normal
driving speeds.
Fold and unfold the mirrors one time
using the mirror controls to reset
them to their normal position.
A popping noise may be heard
during the resetting of the power
folding mirrors. This sound is normal
after a manual folding operation.

Black plate (17,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-17See Power Mirrors on page 2 ‑ 16 .
Turn Signal Indicator The vehicle has a turn signal
indicator on the mirror. An arrow on
the mirror flashes in the direction of
the turn or lane change.
Heated Mirrors The heated outside rearview mirrors
turn on when the rear window
defogger is on.
1 (Rear Window Defogger): This
button is on the climate control
panel.
See “ Rear Window Defogger ” under
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8 ‑ 1 for more
information.
Automatic Dimming
Mirror The vehicle has an automatic
dimming mirror. The driver outside
mirror automatically adjusts for the
glare of headlamps behind you. This feature is controlled by the on and
off setting on the inside rearview
mirror. See Automatic Dimming
Rearview Mirror on page 2 ‑ 17 for
more information.
Park Tilt Mirrors If the vehicle has the memory
package, the passenger and/or
driver mirror tilts to a preselected
position when the vehicle is in
R (Reverse). This feature lets the
driver view the curb when parallel
parking. The mirror(s) return to the
original position when the vehicle is
shifted out of R (Reverse), or the
ignition is turned off or to
OFF/LOCK.
Turn this feature on or off through
the Driver Information Center (DIC).
See Driver Information Center (DIC)
on page 5 ‑ 23 for more information.Interior Mirrors Automatic Dimming
Rearview Mirror To adjust the inside rearview mirror,
hold the rearview mirror in the
center and move it to view the area
behind the vehicle.
The automatic dimming rearview
mirror will automatically reduce the
glare from the headlamps from
behind. The dimming feature comes
on when the vehicle is started.
O (On/Off): Press to turn the
dimming feature on or off.
The vehicle may have IntelliBeam ®
.
For more information on IntelliBeam,
see “ IntelliBeam Intelligent
High ‐ Beam Headlamp Control
System ” under Exterior Lamp
Controls on page 6 ‑ 1 .

Black plate (18,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
2-18 Keys, Doors, and Windows Vehicles with OnStar ®
have three
additional control buttons located at
the bottom of the mirror. See your
dealer for more information about
OnStar and how to subscribe to it.
See OnStar Overview on page 14 ‑ 1
for more information.
Cleaning the Mirror Do not spray glass cleaner directly
on the mirror. Use a soft towel
dampened with water.
Windows
{ WARNINGLeaving children, helpless adults,
or pets in a vehicle with the
windows closed is dangerous.
They can be overcome by the
extreme heat and suffer
permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Never leave a
child, a helpless adult, or a pet
alone in a vehicle, especially with
the windows closed in warm or
hot weather. The vehicle aerodynamics are
designed to improve fuel economy
performance. This may result in a
pulsing sound when a window is
partially open. To reduce the sound,
open another window or the sunroof
(if equipped).