warning CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV 2012 Workshop Manual

Black plate (56,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
3-56 Seats and Restraints .
If the position you are using
has a fixed or an adjustable
headrest or head restraint
and you are using a dual
tether, route the tether
around the headrest or
head restraint.
3. Before placing a child in the
child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To check,
grasp the child restraint at the
LATCH path and attempt to
move it side ‐ to ‐ side and
back ‐ and ‐ forth. There should be
no more than 2.5 cm (1 in) of
movement, for proper
installation. Replacing LATCH System
Parts After a Crash
{ WARNINGA crash can damage the LATCH
system in the vehicle. A damaged
LATCH system may not properly
secure the child restraint,
resulting in serious injury or even
death in a crash. To help make
sure the LATCH system is
working properly after a crash,
see your dealer to have the
system inspected and any
necessary replacements made as
soon as possible.
If the vehicle has the LATCH system
and it was being used during a
crash, new LATCH system parts
may be needed.
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the LATCH
system was not being used at the
time of the crash. Securing Child Restraints
(Rear Seat Position) When securing a child restraint in a
rear seating position, study the
instructions that came with the child
restraint to make sure it is
compatible with this vehicle.
If the child restraint has the LATCH
system, see Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3 ‑ 49 for how and
where to install the child restraint
using LATCH. If a child restraint is
secured in the vehicle using a
safety belt and it uses a top tether,
see Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on
page 3 ‑ 49 for top tether anchor
locations.
Do not secure a child seat in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be anchored, or if
the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top strap
must be anchored.

Black plate (59,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Seats and Restraints 3-59
5. To tighten the belt, push down
on the child restraint, pull the
shoulder portion of the belt to
tighten the lap portion of the belt
and feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor. When installing
a forward-facing child restraint, it
may be helpful to use your knee
to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.
Try to pull the belt out of the
retractor to make sure the
retractor is locked. If the
retractor is not locked, repeat
Steps 4 and 5. 6. If the child restraint has a top
tether, follow the child restraint
manufacturer's instructions
regarding the use of the top
tether. See Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3 ‑ 49 for more
information.
7. Before placing a child in the
child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To check,
grasp the child restraint at the
safety belt path and attempt
to move it side ‐ to ‐ side and
back ‐ and ‐ forth. When the child
restraint is properly installed,
there should be no more than
2.5 cm (1 in) of movement.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and
let it return to the stowed position.
If the top tether is attached to a top
tether anchor, disconnect it. Securing Child Restraints
(Center Front Seat
Position)
{ WARNINGA child in a child restraint in the
center front seat can be badly
injured or killed by the frontal
airbags if they inflate. Never
secure a child restraint in the
center front seat. It is always
better to secure a child restraint in
a rear seat.
Do not use child restraints in the
center front seat position.

Black plate (60,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
3-60 Seats and Restraints
Securing Child Restraints
(Right Front Seat
Position) This vehicle has airbags. A rear
seat is a safer place to secure a
forward-facing child restraint. See
Where to Put the Restraint on
page 3 ‑ 47 .
In addition, the vehicle may have a
passenger sensing system which is
designed to turn off the right front
passenger frontal airbag under
certain conditions. See Passenger
Sensing System on page 3 ‑ 33 and
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 5 ‑ 14 for more information,
including important safety
information.
A label on the sun visor says,
“ Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front. ” This is because the risk to
the rear-facing child is so great if the
airbag deploys. { WARNINGA child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates. This
is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would
be very close to the inflating
airbag. A child in a forward-facing
child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates and the
passenger seat is in a forward
position.
The vehicle may have a
passenger sensing system which
is designed to turn off the right
front passenger frontal airbag
under certain conditions.
Even if the passenger sensing
system, if equipped, has turned
off the right front passenger
frontal airbag, no system is
(Continued) WARNING (Continued) fail-safe. No one can guarantee
that an airbag will not deploy
under some unusual
circumstance, even though it is
turned off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints
in a rear seat, even if the airbag
is off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
the right front seat, always move
the front passenger seat as far
back as it will go. It is better to
secure the child restraint in a
rear seat.
See Passenger Sensing System
on page 3 ‑ 33 for additional
information.
If the child restraint has the LATCH
system, see Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3 ‑ 49 for how and
where to install the child restraint
using LATCH. If a child restraint is

Black plate (3,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Storage 4-3
Center Console Storage A console compartment is located
between the bucket seats.
The console has both an upper and
lower storage bin accessed by lifting
up on the latches located at the
front of the console lid.
The console may have an
accessory power outlet inside.
See Power Outlets on page 5 ‑ 8 .
The rear of the console also has a
cupholder that swings down for the
rear seat passengers to use. Roof Rack System
{ WARNINGIf something is carried on top of
the vehicle that is longer or wider
than the roof rack — like paneling,
plywood, or a mattress — the
wind can catch it while the vehicle
is being driven. The item being
carried could be violently torn off,
and this could cause a collision
and damage the vehicle. Never
carry something longer or wider
than the roof rack on top of the
vehicle unless using a GM
certified accessory carrier.
For vehicles with a roof rack, the
rack can be used to load items.
For roof racks that do not have
crossrails included, GM Certified crossrails can be purchased as an
accessory. See your dealer for
additional information.
For vehicles with crossrails, they
can be moved back and forth to
help secure cargo. To adjust them,
turn the knob located at each end
of the crossrail counterclockwise
until the crossrail can move freely.
To secure the crossrail, turn the
knob located at each end of the
crossrail clockwise until tightened.
Tie the load to the siderails or
siderail supports.
Notice: Loading cargo on the
roof rack that weighs more than
91 kg (200 lbs) or hangs over the
rear or sides of the vehicle may
damage the vehicle. Load cargo
so that it rests evenly between
the crossrails, making sure to
fasten cargo securely.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Instruments and Controls 5-1
Instruments and
Controls Controls Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 5-2
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 5-2
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . 5-4
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . 5-4
Rear Window
Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12 Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . 5-13
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . 5-14
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Charging System Light . . . . . . 5-16
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Brake System Warning
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . 5-20
StabiliTrak ®
OFF Light . . . . . . . 5-20
Traction Control System
(TCS)/StabiliTrak ®
Light . . . . 5-21
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 5-22
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . 5-22 Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . 5-23
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Information Displays Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Vehicle Messages Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Battery Voltage and
Charging Messages . . . . . . . . 5-29
Brake System Messages . . . . 5-29
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Engine Cooling System
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . 5-31
Engine Power Messages . . . . 5-32
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . 5-32
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . 5-32
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Object Detection System
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Ride Control System
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34

Black plate (5,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Instruments and Controls 5-5Windshield Washer
{ WARNINGIn freezing weather, do not use
the washer until the windshield is
warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can form ice on the
windshield, blocking your vision.
L (Washer Fluid): Push the
paddle at the top of the multifunction
lever, to spray washer fluid on the
windshield. The wipers clear the
window and then either stop or
return to the preset speed.
Rear Window
Wiper/Washer The rear wiper control is located on
the turn and lane ‐ change lever.
To turn the rear wiper on, slide the
lever to a wiper position. 9 (Off): Turns the wiper off.
5 (Rear Wiper Delay): Turns on
the rear wiper delay.
Z (Rear Wiper): Turns on the rear
wiper.
= (Rear Wiper Wash): Press this
button on the end of the lever to
spray washer fluid on the rear
window. The wipers will clear the
rear window and either stop or
return to your preset speed.
For more washer cycles, press and
hold the button.
The rear window wiper/washer will
not operate if the liftgate or liftglass
is open or ajar. If the liftgate or
liftglass is opened while the rear
wiper is on, the wiper returns to the
parked position and stops. Compass Your vehicle may have a
compass in the Driver Information
Center (DIC).
Compass Zone
The zone is set to zone eight upon
leaving the factory. Your dealer will
set the correct zone for your
location.
Under certain circumstances,
such as during a long distance
cross-country trip or moving to a
new state or province, it will be
necessary to compensate for
compass variance by resetting the
zone through the DIC if the zone
is not set correctly.

Black plate (8,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
5-8 Instruments and Controls
Power Outlets The accessory power outlets can be
used to plug in electrical equipment,
such as a cell phone or MP3 player.
The vehicle has three accessory
power outlets located: .
Inside the floor console
storage bin. .
On the rear of the floor console. .
In the rear cargo area on the
passenger side.
Remove the cover to use and
replace when not in use.
The accessory power outlets are
powered, even when the ignition is
in LOCK/OFF. Continuing to use
power outlets while the ignition is in
LOCK/OFF may cause the vehicle's
battery to run down. { WARNINGPower is always supplied to the
outlets. Do not leave electrical
equipment plugged in when the
vehicle is not in use because the
vehicle could catch fire and cause
injury or death.
Notice: Leaving electrical
equipment plugged in for an
extended period of time while
the vehicle is off will drain the
battery. Always unplug electrical
equipment when not in use and
do not plug in equipment that
exceeds the maximum 20 ampere
rating. Certain power accessory plugs
may not be compatible with the
accessory power outlet and could
overload adapter or vehicle fuses.
If a problem is experienced, see
your dealer.
When adding electrical equipment,
be sure to follow the proper
installation instructions included
with the equipment. Do not use
equipment exceeding the
maximum amperage rating of
20 amperes. See Add-On Electrical
Equipment on page 9 ‑ 69 .
Notice: Hanging heavy
equipment from the power
outlet can cause damage not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
The power outlets are designed
for accessory power plugs only,
such as cell phone charge cords.

Black plate (10,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
5-10 Instruments and Controls
Ashtrays For vehicles with an ashtray, it is
located in the center console near
the cupholders. Press on the access
door to open it and use the ashtray.
Notice: If papers, pins, or other
flammable items are put in the
ashtray, hot cigarettes or other
smoking materials could ignite
them and possibly damage the
vehicle. Never put flammable
items in the ashtray.
To remove the ashtray, pull it from
the center console. Slide it back in
and push down to be sure it is
secure. Warning Lights,
Gauges, and
Indicators Warning lights and gauges can
signal that something is wrong
before it becomes serious enough
to cause an expensive repair or
replacement. Paying attention to the
warning lights and gauges could
prevent injury.
Warning lights come on when there
could be a problem with a vehicle
function. Some warning lights come
on briefly when the engine is started
to indicate they are working. Gauges can indicate when there
could be a problem with a vehicle
function. Often gauges and warning
lights work together to indicate a
problem with the vehicle.
When one of the warning lights
comes on and stays on while
driving, or when one of the gauges
shows there may be a problem,
check the section that explains what
to do. Follow this manual's advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
and even dangerous.

Black plate (14,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
5-14 Instruments and Controls The front passenger safety belt
reminder light and chime may turn
on if an object is put on the seat
such as a briefcase, handbag,
grocery bag, laptop, or other
electronic device. To turn off the
reminder light and/or chime, remove
the object from the seat or buckle
the safety belt.
Airbag Readiness Light The system checks the airbag's
electrical system for possible
malfunctions. If the light stays on it
indicates there is an electrical
problem. The system check includes
the airbag sensor(s), passenger
sensing system, the pretensioners,
the airbag modules, the wiring, and
the crash sensing and diagnostic
module. For more information on the
airbag system, see Airbag System
on page 3 ‑ 25 . The airbag readiness light comes on
solid for a few seconds when the
engine is started. If the light does
not come on then, have it fixed
immediately.
{ WARNINGIf the airbag readiness light stays
on after the vehicle is started or
comes on while driving, it means
the airbag system might not be
working properly. The airbags in
the vehicle might not inflate in a
crash, or they could even inflate
without a crash. To help avoid
injury, have the vehicle serviced
right away. If there is a problem with the airbag
system, a Driver Information Center
(DIC) message can also come on.
See Airbag System Messages on
page 5 ‑ 35 for more information.
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator If the vehicle has the airbag status
indicator pictured in the following
illustration, then the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the
right front passenger position.
The passenger airbag status
indicator is on the overhead
console. See Passenger Sensing
System on page 3 ‑ 33 for important
safety information.
In addition, if the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the
right front passenger position, the
label on the vehicle's sun visors
refers to “ ADVANCED AIRBAGS. ”

Black plate (15,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Instruments and Controls 5-15
United States
Canada and Mexico
When the vehicle is started, the
passenger airbag status indicator
will light ON and OFF, or the
symbols for on and off, for several
seconds as a system check. If you
are using remote start, if equipped,
to start the vehicle from a distance,
you may not see the system check. Then, after several more seconds,
the status indicator will light either
ON or OFF, or either the on or off
symbol to let you know the status of
the right front passenger frontal
airbag.
If the word ON or the on symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the right
front passenger frontal airbag is
enabled (may inflate).
If the word OFF or the off symbol is
lit on the airbag status indicator, it
means that the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right front
passenger frontal airbag.
If, after several seconds, both
status indicator lights remain on,
or if there are no lights at all, there
may be a problem with the lights or
the passenger sensing system.
See your dealer for service. { WARNINGIf the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. See Airbag Readiness
Light on page 5 ‑ 14 for more
information, including important
safety information.