steering CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT 2009 3.G Owner's Manual

PARK TILT MIRRORS
This feature allows you to select whether or not the
outside mirror(s) will automatically tilt down when
the vehicle is shifted into R (Reverse). SeeOutside
Power Foldaway Mirrors on page 2-47for more
information.
Press the customization button until PARK TILT
MIRRORS appears on the DIC display. Press the
set/reset button once to access the settings for
this feature. Then press the customization button to
scroll through the following settings:
OFF (default):Neither outside mirror will be tilted down
when the vehicle is shifted into R (Reverse).
DRIVER MIRROR:The driver’s outside mirror will be
tilted down when the vehicle is shifted into R (Reverse).
PASSENGER MIRROR:The passenger’s outside
mirror will be tilted down when the vehicle is shifted into
R (Reverse).
BOTH MIRRORS:The driver’s and passenger’s outside
mirrors will be tilted down when the vehicle is shifted
into R (Reverse).
NO CHANGE:No change will be made to this feature.
The current setting will remain.
To select a setting, press the set/reset button while the
desired setting is displayed on the DIC.
EASY EXIT RECALL
If your vehicle has this feature, it allows you to select
your preference for the automatic easy exit seat feature.
SeeMemory Features on page 1-7for more information.
Press the customization button until EASY EXIT
RECALL appears on the DIC display. Press the set/reset
button once to access the settings for this feature.
Then press the customization button to scroll through
the following settings:
DOOR BUTTON ONLY:No automatic seat exit recall
will occur. The recall will only occur after pressing
the easy exit seat button.
BUTTON AND KEY OUT (default):If the features are
enabled through the EASY EXIT SETUP menu, the
driver’s seat will move back, and the power steering
column will move up when the key is removed from the
ignition or after pressing the easy exit seat button.
The automatic easy exit seat movement will only occur
one time after the key is removed from the ignition.
If the automatic movement has already occurred, and
you put the key back in the ignition and remove it again,
the seat and steering column will stay in the original
exit position, unless a memory recall took place prior to
removing the key again.
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NO CHANGE:No change will be made to this feature.
The current setting will remain.
To select a setting, press the set/reset button while the
desired setting is displayed on the DIC.
EASY EXIT SETUP
If your vehicle has this feature, it allows you to select
which areas will recall with the automatic easy exit seat
feature. It also allows you to turn off the automatic
easy exit feature. SeeMemory Features on page 1-7
and “EASY EXIT RECALL” earlier for more information.
Press the customization button until EASY EXIT
SETUP appears on the DIC display. Press the set/reset
button once to access the settings for this feature.
Then press the menu up/down button to scroll through
the following settings:
OFF:No automatic seat exit will recall.
SEAT ONLY:The driver’s seat will recall.
TILT ONLY:The steering wheel tilt feature will recall.
ALL (default):The driver’s seat and the steering wheel
tilt will recall.
NO CHANGE:No change will be made to this feature.
The current setting will remain.
To select a setting, press the set/reset button while the
desired setting is displayed on the DIC.
MEMORY SEAT RECALL
This feature allows you to select your preference for the
remote memory seat recall feature. SeeMemory
Features on page 1-7for more information.
Press the customization button until MEMORY SEAT
RECALL appears on the DIC display. Press the set/reset
button once to access the settings for this feature.
Then press the customization button to scroll through
the following settings:
OFF (default):No remote memory seat recall will
occur.
ON:The driver’s seat, and on some vehicles, the
outside mirrors will automatically move to the stored
driving position when the unlock button on the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter is pressed. On
some vehicles with the adjustable throttle and brake
pedal feature, the pedals will also automatically move.
See “Relearn Remote Key” underDIC Operation
and Displays on page 3-42for more information on
matching transmitters to driver ID numbers.
NO CHANGE:No change will be made to this feature.
The current setting will remain.
To select a setting, press the set/reset button while the
desired setting is displayed on the DIC.
3-63

Voice Recognition
The Bluetooth system uses voice recognition to interpret
voice commands to dial phone numbers and name tags.
Noise:Keep interior noise levels to a minimum. The
system may not recognize voice commands if there is
too much background noise.
When to Speak:A short tone sounds after the system
responds indicating when it is waiting for a voice
command. Wait until the tone and then speak.
How to Speak:Speak clearly in a calm and
natural voice.
Audio System
When using the in-vehicle Bluetooth system, sound
comes through the vehicle’s front audio system speakers
and overrides the audio system. Use the audio system
volume knob, during a call, to change the volume level.
The adjusted volume level remains in memory for later
calls. To prevent missed calls, a minimum volume level is
used if the volume is turned down too low.
Bluetooth Controls
Use the buttons located on the steering wheel to
operate the in-vehicle Bluetooth system. SeeAudio
Steering Wheel Controls on page 3-88for more
information.
bg(Push To Talk):Press to answer incoming calls,
to conrm system information, and to start speech
recognition.
cx(Phone On Hook):Press to end a call, reject a
call, or to cancel an operation.
Pairing
A Bluetooth enabled cell phone must be paired to the
in-vehicle Bluetooth system rst and then connected to
the vehicle before it can be used. See the cell phone
manufacturers user guide for Bluetooth functions before
pairing the cell phone. If a Bluetooth phone is not
connected, calls will be made using OnStar
®
Hands-Free Calling, if available. Refer to the OnStar
owner’s guide for more information.
Pairing Information:
Up to ve cell phones can be paired to the in-vehicle
Bluetooth system.
The pairing process is disabled when the vehicle is
moving.
3-67

Audio Steering Wheel Controls
Vehicles with audio
steering wheel controls
could differ depending on
the vehicle’s options.
Some audio controls can
be adjusted at the steering
wheel.
w(Next):Press to go to the next radio station stored
as a favorite, or the next track if a CD/DVD is playing.
xc(Previous/End):Press to go to the previous
radio station stored as a favorite, the next track if
a CD/DVD is playing, to reject an incoming call, or end
a current call.
bg(Mute/Push to Talk):Press to silence the vehicle
speakers only. Press again to turn the sound on.
For vehicles with OnStar
®or Bluetooth systems press
and hold
bgfor longer than two seconds to
interact with those systems. SeeOnStar®System on
page 2-56andBluetooth®on page 3-66for more
information.
SRCE (Source/Voice Recognition):Press to switch
between the radio (AM, FM, XM), CD, and for vehicles
with, DVD, and rear auxiliary.
Press and hold this button for longer than one second
to initiate voice recognition. SeeVoice Recognition
on page 4-78for more information.
+
e−e(Volume): Press to increase or to decrease
the radio volume.
¨(Seek):Press to go to the next radio station while
in AM, FM, or XM™. Press
¨to go to the next
track or chapter while sourced to the CD or DVD slot.
Press the
¨if multiple discs are loaded to go to
the next disc while sourced to a CD player.
3-88

Voice recognition can be used when the ignition is on or
when Retained Accessory Power (RAP) is active. See
“Retained Accessory Power (RAP)” in the Index of
your vehicle’s owner manual for more information.
To use voice recognition, do the following:
1. Push and hold the
SRCE button on the
steering wheel until you
hear a beep. The
audio system mutes.
2. Clearly state one of the commands listed on the
following pages.Helpful Hints for Stating Commands

When a multiple command is available, choose the
command that works best.
Words that are in brackets are optional. For
example, for the command Radio [band] [select] FM,
stating Radio FM or Radio select FM are both
valid commands.
When the system recognizes the command the
system does one of the following:
Perform the function.
Ask you to conrm your choice.
Issue an error message “Did not recognize.
Voice Recognition Canceled.”
If you experience difficulty with the system
recognizing a command, try saying it more softly,
and wait for a few seconds after the beep, or repeat
the command.
Background noise may cause voice commands
to be misunderstood, including airow noise
from wind.
To use the voice recognition system, the map
DVD must be loaded and the navigation system
must be on.
4-79

Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle............5-2
Driving for Better Fuel Economy.......................5-2
Defensive Driving...........................................5-2
Drunk Driving.................................................5-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................5-3
Braking.........................................................5-4
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................5-5
Braking in Emergencies...................................5-6
StabiliTrak
®System........................................5-6
Magnetic Ride Control™..................................5-9
Road Sensing Suspension...............................5-9
Locking Rear Axle..........................................5-9
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System.........................5-9
Steering........................................................5-9
Off-Road Recovery.......................................5-11
Passing.......................................................5-11
Loss of Control.............................................5-11
Off-Road Driving...........................................5-12
Driving at Night............................................5-24Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................5-24
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................5-25
Highway Hypnosis........................................5-26
Hill and Mountain Roads................................5-26
Winter Driving..............................................5-27
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow...................................................5-29
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................5-29
Recovery Hooks...........................................5-30
Loading the Vehicle......................................5-31
Truck-Camper Loading Information..................5-37
Towing..........................................................5-37
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................5-37
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................5-37
Level Control...............................................5-39
Autoride
®.....................................................5-39
Towing a Trailer...........................................5-40
Trailer Recommendations...............................5-52
Section 5 Driving Your Vehicle
5-1

Drunk Driving
{CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous. Your
reexes, perceptions, attentiveness, and judgment
can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol.
You can have a serious — or even fatal — collision
if you drive after drinking. Do not drink and drive or
ride with a driver who has been drinking. Ride home
in a cab; or if you are with a group, designate a
driver who will not drink.
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a global tragedy.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a
vehicle: judgment, muscular coordination, vision, and
attentiveness.
Police records show that almost 40 percent of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was
drinking and driving. In recent years, more than
17,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have been
associated with the use of alcohol, with about
250,000 people injured.For persons under 21, it is against the law in every
U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical,
psychological, and developmental reasons for
these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol and
then drive.
Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s
system can make crash injuries worse, especially
injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or heart. This means
that when anyone who has been drinking — driver
or passenger — is in a crash, that person’s chance of
being killed or permanently disabled is higher than if the
person had not been drinking.
Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to control the vehicle
while driving — brakes, steering, and accelerator.
At times, as when driving on snow or ice, it is easy to
ask more of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. Meaning, you can lose control of
the vehicle. SeeStabiliTrak
®System on page 5-6.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
vehicle performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 6-3.
5-3

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.
Brake Assist
This vehicle has a Brake Assist feature designed to
assist the driver in stopping or decreasing vehicle speed
in emergency driving conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake control module to
supplement the power brake system under conditions
where the driver has quickly and forcefully applied
the brake pedal in an attempt to quickly stop or slow
down the vehicle. The stability system hydraulic
brake control module increases brake pressure at each
corner of the vehicle until the ABS activates. Minor
brake pedal pulsations or pedal movement during this
time is normal and the driver should continue to
apply the brake pedal as the driving situation dictates
The Brake Assist feature will automatically disengage
when the brake pedal is released or brake pedal
pressure is quickly decreased.
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.
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 20 mph
(32 km/h). In some cases, it may take approximately
two miles 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. SeeCruise Control on page 3-10.
5-6

If the system fails to turn on or activate, the StabiliTrak
light along with one of the following messages will
be displayed on the Driver Information Center (DIC):
TRACTION CONTROL OFF, SERVICE TRACTION
CONTROL, STABILITRAK OFF, SERVICE
STABILITRAK. If these DIC messages appear, make
sure the StabiliTrak system has not been turned
off using the StabiliTrak on/off button. Then turn the
steering wheel clockwise from the nine o’clock position
to the three o’clock position. If this clears the
message(s), the vehicle does not need servicing. If this
does not clear the message(s), then turn the vehicle
off, wait 15 seconds, and then turn it back on again to
reset the system. If any of these messages still
appear on the Driver Information Center (DIC), the
vehicle should be taken in for service. For more
information on the DIC messages, seeDriver
Information Center (DIC) on page 3-41.
The StabiliTrak light will
ash on the instrument
panel cluster when
the system is both on
and activated.
The system may be heard or felt while it is working; this
is normal.The traction control disable
button is located on the
instrument panel below the
climate controls.
The traction control part of StabiliTrak can be turned off
by pressing and releasing the StabiliTrak button if
both systems (traction control and StabiliTrak) were
previously on. To disable both traction control and
StabiliTrak, press and hold the button for ve seconds.
Traction control and StabiliTrak can be turned on by
pressing and releasing the StabiliTrak button if not
automatically shut off for any other reason.
When the TCS or StabiliTrak system is turned off, the
StabiliTrak light and the appropriate TCS off or
StabiliTrak off message will be displayed on the DIC to
warn the driver. The vehicle will still have brake-traction
control when traction control is off, but will not be
able to use the engine speed management system. See
“Traction Control Operation” next for more information.
When the traction control system has been turned
off, system noises may still be heard as a result of the
brake-traction control coming on.
5-7

Magnetic Ride Control™
The vehicle may have the MagneRide control system.
MagneRide constantly checks speed, wheel position,
lift/dive and steering of the vehicle. The damping force
for each shock absorber and adjustment level is
chosen for the best ride and handling.
MagneRide also works with the tow/haul switch that,
when engaged, will provide more rmness from
the shock absorbers. This added control gives better
ride and handling when carrying heavy loads or towing a
trailer. SeeTow/Haul Mode on page 2-39for more
information.
Road Sensing Suspension
The Road Sensing Suspension (RSS) feature provides
superior vehicle ride and handling under a variety of
passenger and loading conditions.
The system is fully automatic and uses a computer
controller to continuously monitor vehicle speed, wheel
to body position, lift/dive and steering position of the
vehicle. The controller then sends signals to each shock
absorber to independently adjust the damping level to
provide the optimum vehicle ride.
RSS also interacts with the tow/haul mode that, when
engaged, will provide additional control of the shock
absorbers. This additional control results in better rideand handling characteristics when the vehicle is loaded
or towing a trailer. See “Tow/Haul Mode” under
Towing a Trailer on page 5-40.
Locking Rear Axle
Vehicles with a locking rear axle can give more traction
on snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It works like a
standard axle most of the time, but when traction is low,
this feature will allow the rear wheel with the most
traction to move the vehicle.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System
With this feature, engine power is sent to all four wheels
at all times. This is like four-wheel drive, but there is
no separate lever or switch to engage or disengage the
front axle. It is fully automatic, and adjusts itself as
needed for road conditions.
Steering
Power Steering
If power steering assist is lost because the engine stops
or the system is not functioning, the vehicle can be
steered but it will take more effort.
5-9