brake CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT 2003 2.G Owner's Manual

Brake System Warning Light
With the ignition on, the brake system warning light will
¯ash when you set the parking brake. The light will ¯ash if
the parking brake doesn't release fully. If you try to drive
with the parking brake engaged, a chime will sound when
the vehicle speed is greater than 3 mph (5 km/h).
Your vehicle's hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part isn't working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though,
you need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on and a chime sounds there
could be a brake problem. Have your brake system
inspected right away.
This light should come on brie¯y when you turn the
ignition key to RUN. If it doesn't come on then, have it
®xed so it will be ready to warn you if there's a problem.If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal
is harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to
the ¯oor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is still
on, have the vehicle towed for service. See
Towing Your
Vehicle on page 4-48.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light is
on. Driving with the brake system warning light
on can lead to an accident. If the light is still
on after you've pulled off the road and stopped
carefully, have the vehicle towed for service.
United States
Canada
3-38

Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and may stay on
for several seconds.
That's normal. If the light doesn't come on then, have it
®xed so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you're driving,
your vehicle needs service. You will also hear a
chime sound when the light is on steady. If the regular
brake system warning light isn't on, you still have
brakes, but you don't have anti-lock brakes. If the
regular brake system warning light is also on you don't
have anti-lock brakes and there's a problem with
your regular brakes. In addition to both lights, you will
also hear a chime sound on the ®rst occurrence of
a problem and each time the vehicle is shut off and then
restarted. See
Brake System Warning Light on
page 3-38.
Traction Off Light
If you have the
Stabilitrakžsystem,
this light should come on
brie¯y when you turn
the ignition to RUN.
If the light doesn't come on then, the system may
require service; have it ®xed so it will be there to
warn you if the system is turned off.
For more information on the traction off light,
see
StabilitrakžSystem on page 4-10.
3-39

At approximately 265ÉF (130ÉC), the DIC will display a
TRANSMISSION HOT message and the transmission
will enter a transmission protection mode. When the
transmission enters the protection mode, you may
notice a change in the transmission shifting patterns.
The transmission will return to normal shifting patterns
when the transmission ¯uid temperature falls below
260ÉF (127ÉC).
See
Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-47for
further information.
If the transmission ¯uid reaches temperatures of
approximately 275ÉF (135ÉC) or greater, the DIC will
display a TRANS HOT IDLE ENGINE warning message
and a chime will sound. Pull the vehicle off the
roadway when it is safe to do so. Set the parking brake,
place the transmission in PARK (P) and allow the
engine to idle until the transmission temperature falls
below 260ÉF (127ÉC). If the transmission continues
to operate above 265ÉF (130ÉC), please contact your
nearest dealer or the Roadside Assistance Center.
Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with the
transmission temperature gage above the normal
operating range, you can damage the transmission.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered under your warranty.
The following situations can cause the transmission to
operate at higher temperatures:
·Towing a trailer,
·hot outside air temperatures,
·hauling a large or heavy load,
·low transmission ¯uid level,
·high transmission ¯uid level,
·restricted air ¯ow to the radiator.
3-41

ENGINE OVERHEATED
If the engine cooling system reaches unsafe
temperatures for operation, this message will appear in
the DIC and you will hear a chime. Stop and turn off
the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so to avoid severe
damage. This message will clear when the engine
has cooled to a safe operating temperature.
REDUCED ENGINE POWER
This message is displayed and a chime will sound
when the cooling system temperature gets too hot
and the engine further enters the engine coolant
protection mode.
See
Engine Overheating on page 5-27for further
information.
BATTERY NOT CHARGING
If the battery is not charging during operation, this
message will appear on the DIC. Driving with this
problem could drain your battery. Have the electrical
system checked as soon as possible. Pressing the
select button will clear it from the DIC display.
SERVICE AIR BAG
If there is a problem with the air bag system, this
message will be displayed on the DIC. Have a quali®ed
technician inspect the system for problems. Pressing
the select button will clear it from the DIC display.
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
If a problem occurs with the brake system, this message
will appear on the DIC. If this message appears, stop
as soon as possible and turn off the vehicle. Restart the
vehicle and check for the message on the DIC display.
If the message is still displayed, or appears again when
you begin driving, the brake system needs service.
Pressing the select button will clear it from the
DIC display.
SERVICE 4WD
If a problem occurs with the all±wheel drive system,
this message will appear on the DIC. If this message
appears, stop as soon as possible and turn off the
vehicle. Restart the vehicle and check for the message
on the DIC display. If the message is still displayed,
or appears again when you begin driving, the four wheel
drive system needs service. Pressing the select button
will clear it from the DIC display.
3-60

STABILITY SYS LIMITED
New text under development.
STABILITY SYS READY
New text under development.
STABILITY SYS ACTIVE
You may see the STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message on
the DIC. It means that an advanced computer-controlled
system has come on to help your vehicle continue to
go in the direction in which you're steering. Stabilitrak
ž
activates when the computer senses that your vehicle
is just starting to spin, as it might if you hit a patch of ice
or other slippery spot on the road. When the system
activates, you may hear a noise or feel a vibration in the
brake pedal. This is normal. When the STABILITY
SYS ACTIVE message is on, you should continue to
steer in the direction you want to go. The system
is designed to help you in bad weather or other difficult
driving situations by making the most of whatever
road conditions will permit.
SERVICE STABILITY
If you ever see the SERVICE STABILITY message,
it means there may be a problem with your Stabilitrakž
system. If you see this message try to reset the
system (stop; turn off the engine; then start the engine
again). If the SERVICE STABILITY message still
comes on, it means there is a problem. You should see
your dealer for service. The vehicle is safe to drive,
however, you do not have the bene®t of Stabilitrak
ž,
so reduce your speed and drive accordingly.
STABILITY SYS DISABLED
The STABILITY SYS DISABLED message will turn on
when you press the Stabilitrakžbutton, or when the
stability control has been automatically disabled.
To limit wheel spin and realize the full bene®ts of the
stability enhancement system, you should normally leave
Stabilitrak
žon. However, you should turn Stabilitrakžoff
if your vehicle gets stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow and
you want to ªrockº your vehicle to attempt to free it, or if
you are driving in extreme off-road conditions and require
more wheel spin. See
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow on page 4-46. To turn the Stabilitrakž
system back on press the Stabilitrakžbutton again.
3-64

There are four conditions that can cause this message to
appear. One condition is overheating, which could occur
if Stabilitrak
žactivates continuously for an extended
period of time. The message will also be displayed if the
brake system warning light is on. See
Brake System
Warning Light on page 3-38. The message could be
displayed if the stability system takes longer than usual to
complete its diagnostic checks due to driving conditions.
Also, if an engine or vehicle related problem has been
detected, and the vehicle needs service, the message will
appear.
The message will turn off as soon as the conditions that
caused the message to be displayed are no longer
present.
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
If a low tire pressure is detected in any of the vehicle's
tires, this message will appear on the DIC. Press the
select button to clear it from the DIC display. It will
appear at each ignition cycle until the tires are in¯ated
to the correct in¯ation pressure.
SERVICE TIRE MONITOR
This message will be displayed if any of the tire monitor
sensors have malfunctioned, or if the tire monitor
sensors have not been programmed, or if the
recommended tire pressures are not programmed.
Press the select button to clear it from the DIC display.
3-65

Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle
Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is:
Drive defensively.
Please start with a very important safety device in your
vehicle: Buckle up. See
Safety Belts: They Are for
Everyone on page 1-8.
Defensive driving really means ªbe ready for anything.º
On city streets, rural roads or freeways, it means
ªalways expect the unexpected.º
Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to
be careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what
they might do. Be ready for their mistakes.Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable of
accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough following
distance. It's the best defensive driving maneuver, in
both city and rural driving. You never know when
the vehicle in front of you is going to brake or turn
suddenly.
Defensive driving requires that a driver concentrate on
the driving task. Anything that distracts from the
driving task Ð such as concentrating on a cellular
telephone call, reading, or reaching for something on
the ¯oor Ð makes proper defensive driving more difficult
and can even cause a collision, with resulting injury.
Ask a passenger to help do things like this, or pull off the
road in a safe place to do them yourself. These simple
defensive driving techniques could save your life.
4-2

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at
the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you're driving on snow or ice, it's
easy to ask more of those control systems than the
tires and road can provide. That means you can lose
control of your vehicle. Also see
StabilitrakžSystem on
page 4-10.
Braking
Braking action involvesperception timeandreaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That'sperception time.Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That'sreaction time.
Averagereaction timeis about 3/4 of a second.
But that's only an average. It might be less with one
driver and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs
and frustration. But even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle
moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could be a lot of distance in an emergency,
so keeping enough space between your vehicle and
others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it's pavement
or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of
the vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.
4-6

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts Ð heavy acceleration followed by heavy braking
Ð rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if
you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you're driving, brake
normally but don't pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.Anti-lock Brake System
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced
electronic braking system that will help prevent a
braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You may
hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on. This is normal.
If there's a problem with
the anti-lock brake system,
this warning light will
stay on. See
Anti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light on page 3-39
.
Along with ABS, your vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system. If there's a DRP problem,
both the brake and ABS warning lights will come on
accompanied by a 10-second chime. The lights and
chime will come on each time the ignition is turned on
until the problem is repaired. See your dealer for service.
4-7

Let's say the road is wet and you're driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here's what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If
one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels.The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could. The computer is
programmed to make the most of available tire and road
conditions. This can help you steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly.
4-8