CADILLAC ESCALADE HYBRID 2012 Owner's Guide

Black plate (7,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
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 - 2012
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 - 2012
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 - 2012
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 - 2012
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.
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.

Black plate (12,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
9-12 Driving and Operating 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.
If 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 .

Black plate (13,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-13Shifting 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 requested
mode indicator light has stopped
flashing could damage the
transfer case. To help avoid
damaging the vehicle, always wait
for the mode indicator lights 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 more than 5 km/h (3 mph),
the Four-Wheel Drive Low indicator
light will flash for 30 seconds
and not complete the shift. After
30 seconds the transfer case
will shift to Four-Wheel Drive
High mode.
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.

Black plate (14,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
9-14 Driving and Operating 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 requested
mode indicator light has stopped
flashing could damage the
transfer case. To help avoid
damaging the vehicle, always wait
for the mode indicator lights 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 more than 5 km/h
(3 mph), the Four-Wheel Drive
High, AUTO or Two-Wheel Drive
High indicator light will flash for
30 seconds but will not complete the
shift.
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.
7. If the engine is running, verify
that the transfer case is in
N (Neutral) by shifting the
transmission to R (Reverse)
for one second, then shift the
transmission to D (Drive) for
one second.
8. Turn the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY, which will turn
the engine off.
9. Place the transmission shift
lever in P (Park).
10. Release the parking brake prior
to moving the vehicle.
11. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.

Black plate (15,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-15Shifting Out of Neutral
To shift the transfer case out of
N (Neutral):
1. Set the parking brake and apply
the regular brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with
the engine off, and shift the
transmission to N (Neutral).
3. Turn the transfer case dial to the
desired transfer case shift
position (Two-Wheel Drive High,
Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO).
After the transfer case has
shifted out of N (Neutral), the
N (Neutral) light will go out.
4. Release the parking brake prior
to moving the vehicle. 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.
5. Start the engine and shift the
transmission to the desired
position.
Excessively shifting the transfer
case into or out of the different
modes may cause the transfer case
to enter the shift protection mode.
This will protect the transfer case
from possible damage and will only
allow the transfer case to respond
to one shift per 10 seconds. The
transfer case may stay in this mode
for up to three minutes. Brakes Regenerative Braking Regenerative braking is a hybrid
technology that enables the electric
drive motor to operate as a
generator when coasting or braking.
Energy from the moving vehicle
recharges the hybrid battery.
The hydraulic disc brakes work with
the regenerative braking to insure
effective braking, such as when a
high braking demand is requested.
The braking system is computer
controlled and blends the
regenerative braking with the
conventional hydraulic disc brakes
to meet any requirements for
deceleration. The controller
interprets the braking request
and uses regenerative braking,
conventional hydraulic braking or a
combination of both as necessary.

Black plate (16,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
9-16 Driving and Operating Because the controller applies the
hydraulic brakes through its high
pressure accumulator, you may
occasionally hear the motor driven
pump when it recharges the system.
This is normal.
In the event of a controller problem,
the brake pedal may be harder to
push and the stopping distance may
be longer.
Towing Trailer Towing For more information, see “ Towing a
Trailer ” in the owner manual.
Weight of the Trailer How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how the rig is used.
For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature and
how much the vehicle is used to pull
a trailer are all important. It can
depend on any special equipment
on the vehicle, and the amount of
tongue weight the vehicle can carry. Maximum trailer weight is
calculated assuming only the driver
is in the tow vehicle and it has all
the required trailering equipment.
The weight of additional optional
equipment, passengers and cargo in
the tow vehicle must be subtracted
from the maximum trailer weight.
Use the following charts to
determine how much the vehicle
can weigh, based upon the vehicle
model and options.