CADILLAC ESCALADE HYBRID 2011 Owner's Guide

Black plate (5,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-5
Shifting Into Park
{ WARNINGIt 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. With four-wheel drive,
(Continued) WARNING (Continued) if the transfer case is in
N (Neutral), the vehicle will be
free to roll, even if the shift lever
is in P (Park). So, be sure the
transfer case is in a drive
gear — not in N (Neutral). If you
are pulling a trailer, see “ Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips ”
in the owner manual.
1. Hold the brake pedal down, then
set the parking brake.
See “ Parking Brake ” in the
owner manual.
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. Be sure the transfer case
(if equipped) is in a drive
gear — not in N (Neutral).
4. Turn the ignition key to
LOCK/OFF.
5. 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).

Black plate (6,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2011
9-6 Driving and Operating Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running
{ WARNINGIt 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.
If you have four-wheel drive and
the transfer case is in N (Neutral),
the vehicle will be free to roll,
even if the shift lever is in
P (Park). So be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear — not in
N (Neutral).
(Continued) WARNING (Continued) 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 unless you have to.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure your
vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you move the shift
lever 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 parking on a hill and the
transmission not shifted into
P (Park) properly, the weight
of the vehicle may put too much
force on the parking pawl in the
transmission. You may find it 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 ‑ 5 .
When you are ready to drive, move
the shift lever out of P (Park) before
you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may
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 will be
able to pull the shift lever out of
P (Park).

Black plate (7,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-7
Engine Exhaust 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.
{ WARNINGExiting the vehicle, without first
shifting into P (Park), may cause
the vehicle to move, and you or
others can be seriously injured.
Because the vehicle has the
Automatic Engine Start/Stop
feature, the vehicle ’ s engine
might seem to be shut off when
you come to a complete stop.
(Continued) WARNING (Continued) However, once the brake pedal is
released, the vehicle can move.
The vehicle ’ s engine can also
restart at any time.
Shift to P (Park) and turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF, before
exiting the vehicle.
Follow the proper steps to be sure
the vehicle will not move. See
Shifting Into Park on page 9 ‑ 5 .
If pulling a trailer, see “ Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips ” in
the owner manual. Automatic
Transmission The vehicle has an electronic shift
position indicator within the
instrument panel cluster.
There are several different positions
for the shift lever.
See “ Range Selection Mode ” in this
section.
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 (8,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2011
9-8 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
Shifting Into Park on page 9 ‑ 5 .
{ WARNINGIt 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).
See Shifting Into Park on
page 9 ‑ 5 . If you are pulling a
trailer, see “ Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips ”
in the owner manual. { WARNINGIf you have Four-Wheel Drive, the
vehicle will be free to roll — even
if the shift lever is in P (Park) — if
the transfer case is in Neutral. So,
be sure the transfer case is in a
drive gear, Two-Wheel Drive High
or Four-Wheel Drive High or
Four-Wheel Drive Low — not in
Neutral. See Shifting Into Park
on page 9 ‑ 5 .
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 ” in the owner
manual.
N (Neutral): In this position, the
engine and transmission are not
connected with the wheels. To
restart the engine when the vehicle
is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only.
{ WARNINGShifting 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 (9,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-9Notice: 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. D (Drive) or M (Manual Mode) 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 “ Loss of Control ” in
the owner manual.
When temperatures are very cold,
the 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.
M (Manual Mode): This position
lets drivers select the range of gears
appropriate for current driving
conditions. If the vehicle has this
feature, see Manual Mode on
page 9 ‑ 10 . 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 to reduce rapid upshifts
and downshifts. If the shift
stabilization feature determines that
a current vehicle speed cannot be
maintained, the transmission does
not upshift. In some cases, this may
appear to be a delayed shift,
however the transmission is
operating normally.

Black plate (10,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2011
9-10 Driving and Operating
Manual Mode Range Selection Mode
The Range Selection Mode controls
the vehicle's transmission.
To use this feature:
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. A number displays next to the M,
indicating the current gear that has
been selected. The number
displayed in the gear indicator is the
highest gear that can be used. The
vehicle can automatically shift to
lower gears as it adjusts to driving
conditions. When 3 (Third) is
selected, 1 (First) through 3 (Third)
gears are automatically shifted by
the vehicle, but 4 (Fourth) cannot be
used until it is selected.
The Range Selection Mode controls
the vehicle and engine speed while
driving down a hill or towing a trailer,
by allowing you to select a desired
range of gears.
When you move the shift lever into
M, the transmission will default to
M4. In this gear range, effective
engine braking occurs at speeds
above 72 km/h (45 mph). Pushing the minus ( − ) button on the
shift lever reduces the gear range.
In the M3 gear range, effective
engine braking occurs at speeds
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
In the M2 gear range, effective
engine braking occurs at speeds
above 40 km/h (25 mph).
In the M1 gear range, effective
engine braking occurs at speeds
above 16 km/h (10 mph).
When operating in M (Manual
Mode), Auto Stop is disabled. For
better vehicle efficiency, operate the
vehicle in D (Drive) not
M (Manual Mode).
Cruise control can be used while
using the Range Selection Mode.

Black plate (11,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-11
Drive Systems Four-Wheel Drive If the vehicle has four-wheel drive,
you can send the engine's driving
power to all four wheels for extra
traction. Read the following before
using four-wheel drive.
Notice: Driving on clean, dry
pavement in Four-Wheel Drive
High or Four-Wheel Drive Low for
an extended period of time may
cause premature wear on the
vehicle's powertrain. Do not drive
on clean, dry pavement in
Four-Wheel Drive High or
Four-Wheel Drive Low for
extended periods of time. While driving on clean dry pavement
and during tight turns, you may
experience a vibration in the
steering system.
The vehicle has StabiliTrak. Shifting
into Four-Wheel Drive Low will turn
Traction Control and StabiliTrak off.
See “ StabiliTrak System ” in the
owner manual.
Front Axle The front axle engages and
disengages automatically when you
shift the transfer case. Some delay
for the axle to engage or disengage
is normal. Automatic Transfer Case
The transfer case knob is located to
the left of the instrument panel
cluster.
Use this dial to shift into and out of
four-wheel drive.

Black plate (12,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2011
9-12 Driving and Operating You can choose among five driving
settings:
Indicator lights in the switches show
you which setting you are in. The
indicator lights will come on briefly
when you turn on the ignition and
the last chosen setting will stay on.
If the lights do not come on, you
should take the vehicle to your
dealer for service. An indicator light
will flash while shifting. It will stay on
when the shift is completed. If for
some reason the transfer case
cannot make a requested shift, it will
return to the last chosen setting.
2
m (Two-Wheel Drive High): This
setting is used for driving in most
street and highway situations. The
front axle is not engaged in
two-wheel drive. This setting also
provides the best fuel economy.
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel
Drive): This setting is ideal for use
when road surface traction
conditions are variable. When
driving your vehicle in AUTO, the
front axle is engaged, but the vehicle's power is primarily sent to
the rear wheels. When the vehicle's
software determines a need for
more traction, the system will
transfer more power to the front
wheels. Driving in this mode results
in slightly lower fuel economy than
Two-Wheel Drive High.
4
m (Four-Wheel Drive High): Use
the four-wheel high position when
you need extra traction, such as on
snowy or icy roads or in most
off-road situations. This setting also
engages the front axle to help drive
the vehicle. This is the best setting
to use when plowing snow.
4
n (Four-Wheel Drive Low) : This
setting also engages the front axle
and delivers extra torque. You may
never need this setting. It sends
maximum power to all four wheels.
You might choose Four-Wheel Drive
Low if you are driving off-road in
deep sand, deep mud, deep snow,
and while climbing or descending
steep hills. The vehicle has StabiliTrak. Shifting
into Four-Wheel-Drive Low will turn
Traction Control and StabiliTrak off.
See “ StabiliTrak System ” in the
owner manual.
{ WARNINGShifting the transfer case to
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the transmission is
in P (Park). You or someone else
could be seriously injured. Be
sure to set the parking brake
before placing the transfer case in
N (Neutral). See “ Parking Brake ”
in the owner manual for more
information.
N (Neutral): Shift the vehicle's
transfer case to N (Neutral) only
when towing the vehicle. See
“ Recreational Vehicle Towing ” or
“ Towing Your Vehicle ” in the owner
manual.

Black plate (13,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-13If the SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE
message stays on, you should take
the vehicle to your dealer for
service. See Transmission
Messages on page 5 ‑ 7 .
Shifting Into Four-Wheel Drive
High or AUTO (Automatic
Four-Wheel Drive)
Turn the knob to the Four-Wheel
High or AUTO position. This can be
done at any speed, except when
shifting from Four-Wheel Drive Low.
The indicator light will flash while
shifting. It will remain on when the
shift is completed.
Shifting Into Two-Wheel
Drive High
Turn the knob to the Two-Wheel
High position. This can be done at
any speed, except when shifting
from Four-Wheel Drive Low.
See “ Shifting Out of Four-Wheel
Drive Low ” in this section for more
information. Shifting Into Four-Wheel
Drive Low
When Four-Wheel Low is engaged,
vehicle speed should be kept below
64 km/h (40 mph). Extended
high-speed operation in 4L may
damage or shorten the life of the
drivetrain.
To shift to the Four-Wheel Drive
Low position, the ignition must be in
ON/RUN and the vehicle must be
stopped or moving less than 5 km/h
(3 mph) with the transmission in
N (Neutral). The preferred method
for shifting into Four-Wheel Drive
Low is to have the vehicle moving
1.6 to 3.2 km/h (1 to 2 mph). Turn
the knob to the Four-Wheel Drive
Low position. You must wait for the
Four-Wheel Drive Low indicator light
to stop flashing and remain on
before shifting the transmission
into gear. Notice: Shifting the transmission
into gear before the Four-Wheel
Drive Low indicator light has
stopped flashing could damage
the transfer case. To help avoid
damaging the vehicle, always wait
for the Four-Wheel Drive Low
indicator light to stop flashing
before shifting the transmission
into gear.
The vehicle may have significant
engagement noise and bump when
shifting between Four-Wheel Drive
Low and Four-Wheel Drive High
ranges or from N (Neutral) while the
engine is running.
If the knob is turned to the
Four-Wheel Drive Low position
when the vehicle is in gear and/or
moving, the Four-Wheel Drive Low
indicator light will flash for
30 seconds and not complete the
shift unless the vehicle is moving
less than 5 km/h (3 mph) and the
transmission is in N (Neutral). After
30 seconds the transfer case will
shift to Four-Wheel Drive
High mode.

Black plate (14,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2011
9-14 Driving and Operating Shifting Out of Four-Wheel
Drive Low
To shift from Four-Wheel Drive Low
to Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO,
or Two-Wheel Drive High, the
vehicle must be stopped or moving
less than 5 km/h (3 mph) with the
transmission in N (Neutral) and the
ignition in ON/RUN. The preferred
method for shifting out of
Four-Wheel Drive Low is to have
your vehicle moving 1.6 to 3.2 km/h
(1 to 2 mph). Turn the knob to the
Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO,
or Two-Wheel Drive High position.
You must wait for the Four-Wheel
Drive High, AUTO, or Two-Wheel
Drive High indicator light to stop
flashing and remain on before
shifting the transmission into gear.
Notice: Shifting the transmission
into gear before the Four-Wheel
Drive Low indicator light has
stopped flashing could damage
the transfer case. To help avoid
damaging the vehicle, always wait
for the Four-Wheel Drive Low indicator light to stop flashing
before shifting the transmission
into gear.
The vehicle may have significant
engagement noise and bump when
shifting between Four-Wheel Drive
Low and Four-Wheel Drive High
ranges or from N (Neutral) while the
engine is running.
If the knob is turned to the
Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO,
or Two-Wheel Drive High switch
position when the vehicle is in gear
and/or moving, the Four-Wheel
Drive High, AUTO or Two-Wheel
Drive High indicator light will flash
for 30 seconds but will not complete
the shift unless the vehicle is
moving less than 5 km/h (3 mph)
and the transmission is in
N (Neutral). Shifting into Neutral
To shift the transfer case into
N (Neutral):
1. Make sure the vehicle is parked
so that it will not roll.
2. Set the parking brake and apply
the regular brake pedal. See
“ Parking Brake ” in the owner
manual.
3. Start the vehicle or turn the
ignition to ON/RUN.
4. Put the transmission in
N (Neutral).
5. Shift the transfer case to
Two-Wheel Drive High.
6. Turn the transfer case dial
clockwise to N (Neutral) until it
stops and hold it there until the
N (Neutral) light starts blinking.
This will take at least
10 seconds. Then slowly release
the dial to the Four ‐ Wheel Drive
Low position. The N (Neutral)
light will come on when the
transfer case shift to N (Neutral)
is complete.