transmission CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT 2012 3.G Owner's Manual

Black plate (28,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
9-28 Driving and Operating
Shifting Into Park
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow. If you are pulling a
trailer, seeDriving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑57.
1. Hold the brake pedal down, then set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into the P (Park) position by pulling the
shift lever toward you and
moving it up as far as it will go. 3. Turn the ignition key to
LOCK/OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave the vehicle
with the ignition key in your
hand, the vehicle is in P (Park).
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
The vehicle could move suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it
could overheat and even catch
fire. You or others could be
injured. Do not leave the vehicle
with the engine running.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the parking brake is firmly set. After the
shift lever is moved into P (Park),
hold the regular brake pedal down.
Then, see if you can move the shift
lever away from P (Park) without
first pulling it toward you. If you can,
it means that the shift lever was not
fully locked into P (Park).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you
do not shift the transmission into
P (Park) properly, the weight of
the vehicle can put too much
force on the parking pawl in the
transmission. It might be difficult to
pull the shift lever out of P (Park).
This is called torque lock. To
prevent torque lock, set the parking
brake and then shift into P (Park)
properly before you leave the driver
seat. To find out how, see
Shifting
Into Park on page 9‑28.
When you are ready to drive, move
the shift lever out of P (Park) before
releasing the parking brake.

Black plate (29,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-29
If torque lock does occur, you might
need to have another vehicle push
yours a little uphill to take some of
the pressure from the parking pawl
in the transmission. Then you
should be able to pull the shift lever
out of P (Park).
Shifting out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with an
electronic shift lock release system.
The shift lock release is
designed to:
.Prevent ignition key removal
unless the shift lever is in
P (Park) with the shift lever
button fully released.
.Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park), unless the
ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular
brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9 volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See Jump Starting on
page 10‑76 for more information.
To shift out of P (Park) use the
following:
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Move the shift lever to the desired position. If you still are unable to shift out of
P (Park):
1. Ease the pressure on the shift
lever.
2. While holding down the brake pedal, press the shift lever all
the way into P (Park).
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you are still having a problem
shifting, then have the vehicle
serviced soon.
Parking over Things
That Burn
{WARNING
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.

Black plate (31,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-31
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running. But if you ever have
to, here are some things to know.
{WARNING
Idling a vehicle in an enclosed
area with poor ventilation is
dangerous. Engine exhaust may
enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust
contains carbon monoxide (CO)
which cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness
and even death. Never run the
engine in an enclosed area that
has no fresh air ventilation. For
more information, seeEngine
Exhaust on page 9‑30.
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the automatic
transmission shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll. Do
not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
Follow the proper steps to be sure
the vehicle will not move. See
Shifting Into Park on page 9‑28.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑57.
Automatic
Transmission
The vehicle has a
Hydra-Matic®6L80 automatic
transmission, and has an electronic
shift position indicator within the
instrument panel cluster. The
electronic shift position indicator
displays when the shift lever is
moved out of P (Park).
There are several different positions
for the shift lever.
P (Park): This position locks the
rear wheels. It is the best position to
use when you start the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily.

Black plate (32,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
9-32 Driving and Operating
When parked on a hill, especially
when the vehicle has a heavy load,
you may notice an increase in the
effort to shift out of P (Park). See
“Torque Lock”underShifting Into
Park on page 9‑28 for more
information.
{WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
SeeShifting Into Park on
page 9‑28. If you are pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑57.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to
back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only
after the vehicle is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck on page 9‑15. N (Neutral):
In this position, the
engine does not connect with the
wheels. To restart when you are
already moving, use N (Neutral)
only. Also, use N (Neutral) when the
vehicle is being towed.
{WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.

Black plate (33,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-33
Notice:Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
D (Drive): This position is for
normal driving. It provides the best
fuel economy. If you need more
power for passing, and you are:
.Going less than about 55 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 55 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
By doing this, the vehicle shifts
down to the next gear and has more
power. D (Drive) can be used when towing
a trailer, carrying a heavy load,
driving on steep hills, or for off-road
driving. You may want to shift the
transmission to a lower gear
selection if the transmission shifts
too often.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding. See
“Skidding”under
Loss of Control on page 9‑5.
M (Manual Mode): This position
lets drivers select the range of gears
appropriate for current driving
conditions. See “Driver Shift
Control (DSC)” underManual Mode
on page 9‑34. Notice:
Spinning the tires or
holding the vehicle in one
place on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage
the transmission. The repair will
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. If you are stuck, do not
spin the tires. When stopping on
a hill, use the brakes to hold the
vehicle in place.
The vehicle has a shift stabilization
feature that adjusts the transmission
shifting to the current driving
conditions in order to reduce rapid
upshifts and downshifts. This shift
stabilization feature is designed to
determine, before making an
upshift, if the engine will be able to
maintain vehicle speed by analyzing
things such as vehicle speed,
throttle position and vehicle load.
If the shift stabilization feature
determines that a current vehicle
speed cannot be maintained, the
transmission does not upshift and
instead holds the current gear.

Black plate (34,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
9-34 Driving and Operating
In some cases, this may appear to
be a delayed shift, however the
transmission is operating normally.
The vehicle's transmission uses
adaptive shift controls that
compares key shift parameters to
pre-programmed ideal shifts stored
in the transmissions computer. The
transmission constantly makes
adjustments to improve vehicle
performance according to how the
vehicle is being used, such as with
a heavy load or when temperature
changes. During this adaptive shift
controls process, shifting may feel
different as the transmission
determines the best settings.
When temperatures are very cold,
the Hydra-Matic
®6L80 automatic
transmission's gear shifting may be
delayed providing more stable shifts
until the engine warms up. Shifts
may be more noticeable with a cold
transmission. This difference in
shifting is normal.
Manual Mode
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
The vehicle has Driver Shift
Control (DSC). DSC controls the
vehicle's transmission and vehicle
speed while driving down hill or
towing a trailer by allowing you to
select a desired range of gears.
To use this feature, do the following:
1. Move the shift lever to the
M (Manual Mode).
2. Press the plus/minus button, to upshift or downshift selecting the
desired range of gears for
current driving conditions. The DIC display will show the
message MANUAL SHIFT on the
first line and the current gear will be
displayed on the second line. The
number displayed in the DIC is the
highest gear that can be used.
However, the vehicle can
automatically shift to lower gears as
it adjusts to driving conditions. This
means that all gears below that
number are available. When 5 (Fifth)
is selected, 1 (First) through 5 (Fifth)
gears are automatically shifted by
the vehicle, but 6 (Sixth) cannot be
used until the plus/minus button
located on the steering column lever
is used to change to the gear.
Grade Braking is not available when
the Driver Shift Control is active.
See
Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑35
for more information.
While using the DSC, Cruise
Control and the Tow/Haul Mode can
be used.

Black plate (35,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-35
Tow/Haul Mode
The vehicle has a Tow/Haul Mode.
The Tow/Haul Mode adjusts the
transmission shift pattern to reduce
shift cycling, providing increased
performance, vehicle control, and
transmission cooling when driving
down steep hills and mountain
grades, towing, or hauling heavy
loads.
Press the button located on the end
of the shift lever to turn the tow/haul
on or off. When the tow/haul is on, a
light on the instrument panel cluster
will come on.See
Tow/Haul Mode Light on
page 5‑19 andHill and Mountain
Roads on page 9‑12 for more
information.
Also see “Tow/Haul Mode” under
Towing Equipment on page 9‑64 for
more information.
The Tow/Haul Mode works with the
Autoride®feature, if the vehicle has
this, to enhance the ride when
trailering or with a loaded vehicle.
See Continuous Damping Control
(CDC) on page 9‑42.
Grade Braking
The Grade Braking shift modes can
be activated by pressing the button
on the end of the shift control lever.
While in Range Selection Mode,
Grade Braking is deactivated
allowing the driver to select a
desired range of gears. Grade Braking is only active while
the Tow/Haul Mode is selected and
you are not in the Range Selection
Mode. See
“Tow/Haul Mode” listed
previously and Manual Mode on
page 9‑34 for more information on
the Range Selection Mode. Grade
Braking assists in maintaining
desired vehicle speeds when driving
on downhill grades by automatically
implementing a shift schedule that
utilizes the engine and transmission
to slow the vehicle. This reduces
wear on the braking system and
increases control of the vehicle.
Grade Braking monitors vehicle
speed, acceleration, engine torque
and brake pedal usage. Using this
information, it detects when the
vehicle is on a downhill grade and
the driver desires to slow the vehicle
by pressing the brake.
Also see Towing Equipment on
page 9‑64 for more information.

Black plate (41,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-41
The TCS is enabled automatically
when the vehicle is started. It will
activate and the StabiliTrak light will
flash if it senses that any of the
wheels are spinning or beginning to
lose traction while driving. If traction
control is turned off, only the
brake-traction control portion of
traction control will work. The
engine speed management will be
disabled. In this mode, engine
power is not reduced automatically
and the driven wheels can spin
more freely. This can cause the
brake-traction control to activate
constantly.
Notice:If the wheel(s) of one axle
is allowed to spin excessively
while the StabiliTrak
®, ABS, brake
warning lights, and any relevant
DIC messages are displayed, the
transfer case could be damaged.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Reduce
engine power and do not spin the
wheel(s) excessively while these
lights and messages are
displayed. The TCS may activate on dry or
rough roads or under conditions
such as heavy acceleration while
turning or abrupt upshifts/downshifts
of the transmission. When this
happens, a reduction in acceleration
may be noticed, or a noise or
vibration may be heard. This is
normal.
If cruise control is being used when
the system activates, the StabiliTrak
light will flash and cruise control will
automatically disengage. Cruise
control may be reengaged when
road conditions allow. See
Cruise
Control on page 9‑43.
StabiliTrak may also turn off
automatically if it determines that a
problem exists with the system.
If the problem does not clear itself
after restarting the vehicle, see your
dealer for service. Vehicles with StabiliTrak have a
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) feature.
See
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) on
page 9‑67.
Vehicles with StabiliTrak have a Hill
Start Assist (HSA) feature. See Hill
Start Assist (HSA) on page 9‑38.
Adding non‐dealer accessories can
affect the vehicle's performance.
See Accessories and Modifications
on page 10‑2.
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.

Black plate (43,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-43
Cruise Control
{WARNING
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. So, do not use
the cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
With cruise control, a speed of
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more can
be maintained without keeping your
foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below about 40 km/h (25 mph). When the brakes are applied, the
cruise control turns off.
This vehicle has a Hydra‐Matic
6‐speed automatic transmission,
see
“Grade Braking” under
Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑35
for an explanation of how cruise
control interacts with the Range
Selection Mode, tow/haul and
grade braking systems.
This vehicle has StabiliTrak and
when the system begins to limit
wheel spin, the cruise control will
automatically disengage. See
StabiliTrak
®System on page 9‑39.
When road conditions allow the
cruise control to be safely used
again, it can be turned back on.
I(On/Off): Turns the system on
and off. The indicator light on the
button turns on when cruise control
is on and turns off when cruise
control is off.
+ RES (Resume/Accelerate):
Press briefly to make the vehicle
resume to a previously set speed,
or press and hold to accelerate.

Black plate (45,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-45
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control works
on hills depends on the vehicle
speed, the load, and the steepness
of the hills. When going up steep
hills, pressing the accelerator pedal
may be necessary to maintain
vehicle speed.
While going downhill, the Cruise
Grade Braking feature may
automatically shift to a lower gear to
keep the vehicle's speed down.
It may be necessary to apply the
brake or manually shift the
transmission to a lower gear. The
vehicle may shift to a higher gear
when grade braking assistance is
no longer required. Cruise Grade
Braking is not available while in
Range Selection Mode. See "Range
Selection Mode" underManual
Mode on page 9‑34.
When the brakes are manually
applied the cruise control is
disengaged. Ending Cruise Control
There are three ways to end cruise
control:
.To disengage cruise control,
step lightly on the brake pedal.
.Press the[button on the
steering wheel.
.To turn off the cruise control,
press
Ion the steering wheel.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory by pressing
the
Ibutton or if the ignition is
turned off.
Object Detection
Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist
If available, the Ultrasonic Rear
Parking Assist (URPA) system
operates at parking speeds and
assists with avoiding objects while
parking in R (Reverse).
{WARNING
The URPA system does not
detect pedestrians, bicyclists,
animals, or any other objects
located below the bumper or that
are too close or too far from the
vehicle. To prevent injury, death,
or vehicle damage, even with
URPA, always check behind the
vehicle and check all mirrors
before backing.