1999 CADILLAC ESCALADE instrument panel

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or the instrument panel ...or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That's why
safety belts make such good sense.

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There is an air bag readiness
light on the instrument
panel, which shows
AIR BAG.
The system checks the air bag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. See ªAir Bag Readiness Lightº in the Index
for more information.How the Air Bag System Works
Where are the air bags?
The driver's air bag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.

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The right front passenger's air bag is in the instrument
panel on the passenger's side.
CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an air
bag, the bag might not inflate properly or it
might force the object into that person. The path
of an inflating air bag must be kept clear. Don't
put anything between an occupant and an air
bag, and don't attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other air
bag covering.

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When should an air bag inflate?
An air bag is designed to inflate in a moderate to severe
frontal or near
-frontal crash. The air bag will inflate only if
the impact speed is above the system's designed ªthreshold
level.º If your vehicle goes straight into a wall that doesn't
move or deform, the threshold level is about 9 to 16 mph
(14 to 26 km/h). The threshold level can vary, however,
with specific vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat
above or below this range. If your vehicle strikes
something that will move or deform, such as a parked car,
the threshold level will be higher. The air bag is not
designed to inflate in rollovers, side impacts or rear
impacts, because inflation would not help the occupant.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
Inflation is determined by the angle of the impact and
how quickly the vehicle slows down in frontal or
near
-frontal impacts.
The air bag system is designed to work properly under a
wide range of conditions, including off
-road usage.
Observe safe driving speeds, especially on rough terrain.
As always, wear your safety belt. See ªOff
-Road
Drivingº in the Index for more tips on off
-road driving.What makes an air bag inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which
inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related
hardware are all part of the air bag modules inside the
steering wheel and in the instrument panel in front of the
right front passenger.
How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near
-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or the
instrument panel. Air bags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually. But air bags would
not help you in many types of collisions, including
rollovers, rear impacts and side impacts, primarily because
an occupant's motion is not toward those air bags. Air
bags should never be regarded as anything more than a
supplement to safety belts, and then only in moderate to
severe frontal or near
-frontal collisions.

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What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly
that some people may not even realize the air bag
inflated. Some components of the air bag module
-- the
steering wheel hub for the driver's air bag, or the
instrument panel for the right front passenger's
bag
-- will be hot for a short time. The parts of the bag
that come into contact with you may be warm, but not
too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust
coming from vents in the deflated air bags. Air bag
inflation doesn't prevent the driver from seeing or from
being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop people
from leaving the vehicle.
CAUTION:
When an air bag inflates, there is dust in the air.
This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe to do so.
If you have breathing problems but can't get out
of the vehicle after an air bag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or door.
In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.

Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After they
inflate, you'll need some new parts for your air bag
system. If you don't get them, the air bag system
won't be there to help protect you in another crash.
A new system will include air bag modules and
possibly other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.

Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module, which records information about
the air bag system. The module records information
about the readiness of the system, when the system
commands air bag inflation and driver's safety belt
usage at deployment.

Let only qualified technicians work on your air bag
system. Improper service can mean that your air bag
system won't work properly. See your dealer
for service.

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NOTICE:
If you damage the covering for the driver's or the
right front passenger's air bag, the bag may not
work properly. You may have to replace the air
bag module in the steering wheel or both the air
bag module and the instrument panel for the
right front passenger's air bag. Do not open or
break the air bag coverings.
If your vehicle ever gets into a lot of water -- such as
water up to the carpeting or higher
-- or if water enters
your vehicle and soaks the carpet, the air bag controller
can be soaked and ruined. If this ever happens, and then
you start your vehicle, the damage could make the air
bags inflate, even if there's no crash. You would have to
replace the air bags as well as the sensors and related
parts. If your vehicle is ever in a flood, or if it's exposed
to water that soaks the carpet, you can avoid needless
repair costs by turning off the vehicle immediately and
disconnecting the battery cables. Don't let anyone start
the vehicle under any circumstances. See your dealer
for service.
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the air bag system in several places
around your vehicle. You don't want the system to
inflate while someone is working on your vehicle. Your
dealer and the service manual have information about
servicing your vehicle and the air bag system. To
purchase a service manual, see ªService and Owner
Publicationsº in the Index.
CAUTION:
For up to 10 minutes after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an air
bag can still inflate during improper service. You
can be injured if you are close to an air bag when
it inflates. Avoid yellow connectors. They are
probably part of the air bag system. Be sure to
follow proper service procedures, and make sure
the person performing work for you is qualified
to do so.
The air bag system does not need regular maintenance.

2-
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Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
2
-2 Keys
2
-4 Door Locks
2
-6 Keyless Entry System
2
-11 Rear Doors
2
-12 Theft
2
-13 Theft-Deterrent System
2
-16 Feature Customization
2
-21 Passlock

2-21 New Vehicle ªBreak-Inº
2
-22 Ignition Positions
2
-23 Starting Your Engine
2
-25 Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
2
-26 Automatic Transmission Operation
2
-29 Four-Wheel Drive
2
-33 Parking Brake
2
-34 Shifting Into PARK (P)
2
-36 Shifting Out of PARK (P)
2
-37 Parking Over Things That Burn2
-38 Engine Exhaust
2
-38 Running Your Engine While You're Parked
2
-39 Locking Rear Axle
2
-39 Windows
2
-41 Tilt Wheel
2
-41 Multifunction Lever
2
-47 Exterior Lamps
2
-50 Interior Lamps
2
-52 Mirrors
2
-56 Storage Compartments
2
-62 Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
2
-64 Universal Transmitter
2
-67 OnStar
System (If Equipped)
2
-68 The Instrument Panel - Your
Information System
2
-70 Instrument Panel Cluster
2
-72 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators

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Alarm/Panic Mode
The theft
-deterrent system provides a fourth button on
your transmitter. This button is the alarm/panic button.
If you are involved in a panic situation, press this button
and your vehicle's horn will sound and the headlamps
will flash. This will draw needed attention to you and
your vehicle. To turn this feature off, either push the
panic button again or turn the ignition to RUN. The
alarm will stop by itself after two minutes. This feature
will not work if your ignition is on or if the transmitter
is 30 feet (9 m) or more away from your vehicle.
Transmitter Verification
This feature provides feedback to the holder of the
keyless entry transmitter that a command has been
received by the keyless entry receiver. The headlamps
and parking lamps will flash on every lock and unlock
command and the horn will sound only if the LOCK
button is pressed twice within five seconds. This allows
for silent operation of locking and unlocking, unless a
confirming horn chirp is desired. Other options may be
selected for this feature (see ªFeature Customizationº in
the Index).
Matching Transmitter(s) To Your Vehicle
Each remote keyless entry transmitter is coded to
prevent another transmitter from unlocking your vehicle.
If a transmitter is lost or stolen, a replacement can be
purchased through your dealer. Remember to bring any
remaining transmitters with you when you go to your
dealer. When the dealer matches the replacement
transmitter to your vehicle, any remaining transmitters
must also be matched. Once your dealer has coded the
new transmitter, the lost transmitter will not unlock your
vehicle. Each vehicle can have only four transmitters
matched to it.
Have each transmitter you intend to match ready for the
next steps. To match transmitters to your vehicle:
1. Turn the ignition to RUN, then to OFF. This will
disarm the theft
-deterrent system.
2. Remove the RADIO fuse (Fuse 17). This fuse is
located in the main fuse block, which is located on
the left side of your main instrument panel. When
the fuse block is open, the radio fuse is located on
the lower right corner of your instrument panel. See
ªFuses and Circuit Breakersº in the Index.