ECU CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV 2012 Owners Manual

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
2012 Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual MIn Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Performance and
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Keys, Doors, and
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21 Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-38
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-46 Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18
Rear Seat Infotainment . . . . . . . 7-31
Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-62
Voice Recognition . . . . . . . . . . . 7-100
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-103
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7

Black plate (22,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
1-22 In Brief
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC) If available, the RVC displays a view
of the area behind the vehicle on
the navigation screen when the
vehicle is shifted into R (Reverse).
Once shifted out of R (Reverse), the
navigation screen will go back to the
last screen that had been displayed,
after a delay.
To clean the camera lens, located
above the license plate, rinse it with
water and wipe it with a soft cloth.
See Rear Vision Camera (RVC) on
page 9 ‑ 48 .
Ultrasonic Parking Assist If available, the Ultrasonic Rear
Parking Assist (URPA) system uses
sensors on the rear bumper to
assist with parking and avoiding
objects while in R (Reverse).
It operates at speeds less than
8 km/h (5 mph). URPA uses audible
beeps to provide distance and
system information. Keep the sensors on the vehicle's
rear bumper clean to ensure proper
operation.
See Ultrasonic Parking Assist on
page 9 ‑ 44 .
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.
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.
See Power Outlets on page 5 ‑ 8 .Universal Remote System
Vehicles with the Universal Remote
System will have these buttons
located in the headliner.
This system provides a way to
replace up to three remote control
transmitters used to activate
devices such as garage door
openers, security systems, and
home automation devices.
Read the instructions completely
before attempting to program the
transmitter. Because of the steps
involved, it may be helpful to have
another person assist with
programming the transmitter.
See Universal Remote System on
page 5 ‑ 46 .

Black plate (26,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
1-26 In Brief
Roadside Service U.S.: 1-800-224-1400
Canada: 1-800-882-1112
TTY Users (U.S. only):
1-888-889-2438
Mexico: 01-800-466-0805
As the owner of a new Cadillac,
you are automatically enrolled in the
Roadside Service program.
See Roadside Service (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13 ‑ 7 or Roadside
Service (Mexico) on page 13 ‑ 9 .
Roadside Service and OnStar
(U.S. and Canada)
If you have an active OnStar
subscription, press the
Q button
and the current GPS location will be
sent to an OnStar advisor who will
assess your problem, contact
Roadside Service, and relay your
exact location to get the help
you need. Online Owner Center
(U.S. and Canada)
The Online Owner Center is a
complimentary service that includes
online service reminders, vehicle
maintenance tips, online owner
manual, special privileges,
and more.
Sign up today at:
U.S.: cadillac.com
Click on “ Owners, ” then “ Manage
My Cadillac/Owners Login. ”
Canada: cadillacowner.ca
OnStar ®
If equipped, this vehicle has a
comprehensive, in-vehicle system
that can connect to a live Advisor
for Emergency, Security, Navigation,
Connection, and Diagnostic
Services. See OnStar Overview on
page 14 ‑ 1 .

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-1
Keys, Doors, and
Windows Keys and Locks Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8 Doors Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Power Assist Steps . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Vehicle Security Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Anti-theft Alarm System . . . . . . 2-13
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Immobilizer Operation . . . . . . . 2-14
Exterior Mirrors Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Power Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Automatic Dimming Mirror . . . 2-17
Park Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17 Interior Mirrors Automatic Dimming Rearview
Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Windows Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Power Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21
Roof Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21

Black plate (8,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
2-8 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Delayed Locking When locking the doors with the
power lock switch and a door or the
liftgate is open, the doors will lock
five seconds after the last door is
closed. You will hear three chimes
to signal that the delayed locking
feature is in use.
Pressing the power lock switch
twice will override the delayed
locking feature and immediately
lock all the doors.
This feature will not operate if the
key is in the ignition.
You can program this feature using
the Driver Information Center (DIC).
See “ Delay Door Lock ” under
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5 ‑ 38 .
Automatic Door Locks The vehicle may have an automatic
lock/unlock feature. This feature can
be programmed using the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See Vehicle Personalization on
page 5 ‑ 38 for more information on
DIC programming.
Lockout Protection If the driver side power door lock
switch is pressed when the driver
door is open and the key is in the
ignition, all of the doors will lock and
then the driver door will unlock.
If the passenger side power door
lock switch is pressed when the
front passenger door is open and
the key is in the ignition, all of the
doors will lock and then the front
passenger door will unlock.
Safety Locks The vehicle has rear door security
locks to prevent passengers from
opening the rear doors from the
inside. Open the rear doors to access the
security locks on the inside edge of
each door.
To set the locks, insert a key into
the slot and turn it to the horizontal
position. The door can only be
opened from the outside with the
door unlocked. To return the door to
normal operation, turn the slot to the
vertical 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 (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Seats and Restraints 3-1
Seats and
Restraints Head Restraints Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats Power Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . 3-3
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Heated and Ventilated Front
Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Rear Seats Heated Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Second Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Third Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Safety Belts Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Safety Belt Use During
Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23 Lap Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Safety Belt Extender . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . 3-24
Safety Belt Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Replacing Safety Belt System
Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Airbag System Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . 3-27
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31
How Does an Airbag
Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31
What Will You See after an
Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32
Passenger Sensing
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . 3-38
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . 3-40
Replacing Airbag System
Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . 3-40 Child Restraints Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
Infants and Young
Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43
Child Restraint Systems . . . . . 3-45
Where to Put the Restraint . . . 3-47
Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-49
Replacing LATCH System
Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . 3-56
Securing Child Restraints
(Rear Seat Position) . . . . . . . . 3-56
Securing Child Restraints
(Center Front Seat
Position) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-59
Securing Child Restraints
(Right Front Seat
Position) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-60

Black plate (19,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Seats and Restraints 3-19
If the belt stops before it reaches
the buckle, for lap ‐ shoulder belts
with cinching latch plates, tilt the
latch plate and keep pulling the
safety belt until it can be
buckled. 3. Push the latch plate into the
buckle until it clicks. If you find
that the latch plate will not go
fully into the buckle, see if you
are using the correct buckle.
Pull up on the latch plate to
make sure it is secure. If the belt
is not long enough, see Safety
Belt Extender on page 3 ‑ 24 .
Position the release button on
the buckle so that the safety belt
could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary. 4. If equipped with a shoulder belt
height adjuster, move it to the
height that is right for you. See
“ Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster ”
in this section for instructions on
use and important safety
information.
5. To make the lap part tight, pull
up on the shoulder belt.
It may be necessary to pull
stitching on the safety belt
through the latch plate to fully
tighten the lap belt on smaller
occupants.