2000 CADILLAC ESCALADE Owners Manual

2-37
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and the
parking brake is firmly set before you leave it. After you
move the shift lever into PARK (P), hold the regular
brake pedal down. Then, see if you can move the shift
lever away from PARK (P) without first pulling it
toward you. If you can, it means that the shift lever
wasn't fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don't shift your
transmission into PARK (P) 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 PARK (P). This is called ªtorque lock.º
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave the
driver's seat. To find out how, see ªShifting Into
PARK (P)º in the Index.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P) 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, so
you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Your vehicle has an Automatic Transmission Shift Lock
Control system. You have to fully apply your regular
brakes before you can shift from PARK (P) when the
ignition is in RUN. See ªAutomatic Transmissionº in
the Index.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way up
into PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then,
move the shift lever into the gear you want.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can't
shift out of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to OFF.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the drive gear
you want.
5. Have the system fixed as soon as you can.

2-38
Parking Over Things That Burn
CAUTION:
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Don't park
over papers, leaves, dry grass or other things that
can burn.
Engine Exhaust
CAUTION:
Engine exhaust can kill. It contains the gas
carbon monoxide (CO), which you can't see or
smell. It can cause unconsciousness and death.
You might have exhaust coming in if:

Your exhaust system sounds strange
or different.

Your vehicle gets rusty underneath.

Your vehicle was damaged in a collision.

Your vehicle was damaged when driving
over high points on the road or over
road debris.

Repairs weren't done correctly.

Your vehicle or exhaust system had been
modified improperly.
If you ever suspect exhaust is coming into
your vehicle:

Drive it only with all the windows down to
blow out any CO; and

Have your vehicle fixed immediately.

2-39
Running Your Engine While
You're Parked
It's better not to park with the engine running. But if
ever you have to, here are some things to know.
CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control system
off could allow dangerous exhaust into your
vehicle (see the earlier Caution under
ªEngine Exhaustº).
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle even if
the fan switch is at the highest setting. One place
this can happen is a garage. Exhaust
-- with
CO
-- can come in easily. NEVER park in a
garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard. (See
ªBlizzardº in the Index.)
CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don't leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you've left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won't move, even when you're on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK (P).
Four-wheel drive vehicles with the transfer case
in NEUTRAL will allow the vehicle to roll, even if
your shift lever is in PARK (P). So, be sure the
transfer case is in a drive gear
-- not in
NEUTRAL. Always set your parking brake.
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won't
move. See ªShifting Into PARK (P)º in the Index.
If you're pulling a trailer, see ªTowing a Trailerº in
the Index.

2-40
Locking Rear Axle
Your locking rear axle can give you additional traction
on snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It works like a
standard axle most of the time, but when one of the rear
wheels has no traction and the other does, this feature
will allow the wheel with traction to move the vehicle.
Windows
Power Windows
The power window controls are located on each of the
side doors.The driver's door has a switch for the passenger
windows as well. Your power windows will work when
the ignition has been turned to ACCESSORY or RUN or
when Retained Accessory Power (RAP) is present. See
ªRetained Accessory Powerº in the Index.
Push the rear of the switch with the power window
symbol on it to lower the window.
Push the front of the switch with the power window
symbol on it to raise the window.
The driver's window switch has an express
-down
feature. Press and hold the side of the window switch
marked AUTO for one second to activate the
express
-down mode. The express-down mode can be
canceled at any time by pressing the opposite side of the
switch. To open the window partway, lightly tap the
switch until the window is at the desired position.
The power window switch has a lockout feature. This
feature prevents the passenger windows from operating
except from the driver's position, when the front
driver's side switch is in LOCK. When the switch is
moved to NORM, the passenger windows will
operate again.

2-41 Electric Tailgate Glass Release
(If Equipped)
Before operating your electric tailgate glass release, see
ªRear Doorsº in the the Index.
Your vehicle has the theft
-deterrent system. If it is
armed, use the transmitter, not the key, to open the
tailgate or the alarm will sound. The hatch switch will
not work while the system is armed. See
ªTheft
-Deterrent Systemº in the Index.
The electric hatch release
button lets you release the
tailgate glass. To release the
glass, press the top of
the button.
Then, lift the window up to open.
The shift lever must be in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
for the release to work.There is also a power door lock switch at the rear of the
vehicle which will allow you to lock or unlock all of the
doors. See ªPower Doors Locksº in the Index.
Horn
Press the center of the steering wheel to sound the horn.
Tilt Wheel
A tilt steering wheel allows
you to adjust the steering
wheel before you drive.
You can also raise it to the highest level to give your
legs more room when you enter and exit the vehicle.
To tilt the wheel, hold the steering wheel and pull the
lever. Move the steering wheel to a comfortable level,
then release the lever to lock the wheel in place.

2-42
Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes your:

Turn and Lane Change Signals

Headlamp High/Low
-Beam Changer

Windshield Wipers

Windshield Washer

Cruise Control
Turn and Lane Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you
to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
When the turn is finished, the lever will return automatically.
An arrow located on the
instrument panel will flash
in the direction of the turn
or lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release it.
If you move the lever all the way up or down and the arrow
flashes at twice the normal rate, a signal bulb may be burned
out and other drivers may not see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don't go on at all when you
signal a turn, check for burned
-out bulbs and a blown
fuse (see ªFusesº in the Index).

2-43 Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low beam to high or high
to low, pull the turn signal lever all the way toward you.
Then release it.
When the high beams are
on, this light located on the
instrument panel also will
be on.
Windshield Wipers
You operate the windshield wipers by turning the
control with the wiper symbol on it located on the
multifunction lever.
For a single wiping cycle, turn the control to MIST.
Hold it there until the wipers start, then let go. The
wipers will stop after one cycle. If you want more
cycles, hold the control on MIST longer.You can set the wiper speed for a long or short delay
between wipes. This can be very useful in light rain or
snow. Turn the control to choose the delay time. The
closer to LOW, the shorter the delay.
For steady wiping at low speed, turn the control to the
LOW position. For high
-speed wiping, turn the control
further, to HIGH. To stop the wipers, turn the control
to OFF.
Damaged wiper blades may prevent you from seeing
well enough to drive safely. To avoid damage, be sure to
clear ice and snow from the wiper blades before using
them. If they are frozen to the windshield, carefully
loosen or thaw them. If your blades do become
damaged, get new blades or blade inserts. See
ªWindshield Wipers, Blade Replacementº in the Index.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your wipers. The
windshield wiper motor is protected from overload by a
circuit breaker and a fuse. If the motor overheats due to
heavy snow or ice, the wiper will stop until the motor
cools. Although the circuit is protected from electrical
overload, overload due to heavy snow or ice may cause
wiper linkage damage. Always clear ice and heavy
snow from the windshield before using your
windshield wipers.

2-44 Windshield Washer
At the top of the multifunction lever, there's a paddle
with the word PUSH on it. To spray washer fluid on the
windshield, push the paddle.
CAUTION:
In freezing weather, don't use your washer until
the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can form ice on the windshield, blocking
your vision.
Washer fluid will spray as long as you push the paddle.
When you let go of the paddle, the wipers will continue
to wipe for a few seconds and then either stop or return
to the preset speed.
The use of hood
-mounted air deflectors may adversely
affect windshield wiper and washer performance.Rear Window Wiper and Washer (If Equipped)
The rear window
wiper/washer switch is
located on your instrument
panel, to the right of the
gage cluster.
To turn the wiper on, slide the switch all the way up.
For delayed wiping, slide the switch even with DELAY
in the center position of the rear wiper control. The
wiper will cycle every nine seconds.