2000 CADILLAC ESCALADE wheel

2-51
The length of time that the headlamps stay on after the
ignition is turned off can be adjusted by pressing and
holding the HEADLAMP DELAY button. The delay
can be varied in five steps (0, 15, 30, 60 and 90
seconds). When the HEADLAMP DELAY button is
held in, the Light Emitting Diode (LED) on the mirror
will show five step changes in brightness. When the
LED is at its brightest the headlamp delay will be
90 seconds, and when it is most dim the delay will be
zero seconds.
Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Intensity Control
The instrument panel intensity control is located next to
the parking/headlamp switch. Turn the thumbwheel up
to adjust the instrument panel lights. Turn the
thumbwheel up to the first notch to return the radio
display and gear shift indicator LED display to full
intensity when the headlamps or parking lamps are on.
To turn on the dome lamps (with the vehicle doors
closed) turn the thumbwheel up to the second
notch position.
Exit Lighting and Delayed Illumination
With this feature, your interior lamps will come on and
stay on for up to 25 seconds when entering the vehicle
and up to five seconds when leaving your vehicle.
When the doors are opened, the dome lamps will only
come on if the DOME OVERRIDE button is in the out
position. When all doors are closed the lamps will stay
on for a short period of time and will then fade out. If
the DOME OVERRIDE button is pressed in, the dome
lamps will not illuminate.
Dome Lamps
The dome lamps will come on when you open the doors.
You can also turn the dome lamps on by turning the
thumbwheel, located next to the parking/headlamps
switch knob, all the way up to the second notch. In this
position, the dome lamps will remain on whether the
doors are opened or closed.

2-62
To prevent damage or loss of cargo as you're driving,
check now and then to make sure the luggage carrier and
cargo are still securely fastened.
Be sure the cargo is properly loaded.

If small heavy objects are placed on the roof, place
the load in the area over the rear wheels. If you need
to, cut a piece of 3/8 inch plywood to fit inside the
crossrails and side rails to spread the load.

Tie the load to the crossrails or the side rail supports.
Use the crossrails only to keep the load from sliding.

If you need to carry long items, move the crossrails
as far apart as they will go. Tie the load to the
crossrails and tie loops. Also tie the load to the
bumpers. Do not tie the load so tightly that the
crossrails or side rails are damaged.

For the purpose of wind noise reduction, locate the
front crossrail approximately 18 to 24 inches (46 cm
to 58 cm) rearward of the front supports.

After moving the crossrails, be sure to tighten all the
slider screws.
Your vehicle has a Center High
-Mounted Stoplamp
(CHMSL) located above the tailgate glass or above the
rear load doors.If items are loaded on the roof of the vehicle, care should
be taken not to block or damage the CHMSL unit.
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
Front Ashtray
The front ashtray is located at the bottom of the
instrument panel. Pull on the notch in the ashtray door to
open it.
NOTICE:
If you store paper or other things that burn in
your ashtrays, they could be set on fire by
cigarettes or other smoking materials. That could
cause a fire and possibly damage your vehicle. Do
not store papers and other things that burn in
your ashtrays.
To remove the front ashtray, press the retainer spring
and pivot the ashtray toward you. To replace the ashtray,
place the bottom part of the ashtray on the pivot bar at
the bottom of its mounting on the instrument panel.
Then turn the ashtray back to its original position.

2-83 Security Light
This light will come on
briefly when you turn the
key to START.
The light will stay on until the engine starts. If the light
flashes, the Passlock

System has entered a tamper
mode. If the vehicle fails to start, see ªPasslockº in
the Index.
If the light comes on continuously while driving and
stays on, there may be a problem with the Passlock
System. Your vehicle will not be protected by Passlock,
and you should see your Cadillac dealer.
Service Four-Wheel Drive Warning Light
Your vehicle is equipped with an automatic
four
-wheel-drive transfer case. It has a computer which
controls the four
-wheel-drive system.
This light should come on
briefly when you turn on the
ignition, as a check to show
you it is working.
If the SERVICE 4WD light comes on, there may be a
problem with the automatic four
-wheel-drive system
and service is required. Malfunctions can be indicated
by the system before any problem is apparent, which
may prevent serious damage to the vehicle. This system
is also designed to assist your service technician in
correctly diagnosing a malfunction.

4-
4-1
Section 4 Your Driving and the Road
Here you'll find information about driving on different kinds of roads and in varying weather conditions. We've also
included many other useful tips on driving.
4
-2 Defensive Driving
4
-3 Drunken Driving
4
-6 Control of a Vehicle
4
-6 Braking
4
-9 Steering
4
-11 Off-Road Recovery
4
-12 Passing
4
-13 Loss of Control
4
-14 Off-Road Driving with Your
Four
-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
4
-27 Driving at Night4
-28 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
4
-31 City Driving
4
-32 Freeway Driving
4
-33 Before Leaving on a Long Trip
4
-34 Highway Hypnosis
4
-35 Hill and Mountain Roads
4
-36 Winter Driving
4
-40 Recreational Vehicle Towing
4
-42 Loading Your Vehicle
4
-44 Towing a Trailer

4-8
Here's how anti-lock works. Let's say the road is wet.
You're driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in
front of you.
You slam on the brakes. Here's what happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at
both rear wheels.The anti
-lock system can change the brake pressure faster
than any driver could. The computer is programmed to
make the most of available tire and road conditions.
You can steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.

4-9
Remember: Anti-lock doesn't change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, you won't have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have
anti
-lock brakes.
Using Anti
-Lock
Don't pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti
-lock work for you. You may feel
the brakes vibrate, or you may notice some noise,
but this is normal. Your anti
-lock brakes work at
all times
-- whether you are in two-wheel drive or
four
-wheel drive.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine stops
or the system is not functioning, you can steer but it will
take much more effort.
Speed-Sensitive Steering
This system varies the amount of steering effort
proportionate to your vehicle speed. Steering is easier
at lower speeds for maneuvering and parking ease.
As your vehicle speed increases, the steering effort also
increases. At highway speeds, the amount of steering
effort is increased for vehicle control and stability.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It's important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the ªdriver lost controlº accidents mentioned
on the news happen on curves. Here's why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The
traction of the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels. If there's no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction. If you've ever
tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you'll understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you're
in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.

4-10
Suppose you're steering through a sharp curve. Then you
suddenly accelerate. Both control systems
-- steering and
acceleration
-- have to do their work where the tires meet
the road. Adding the sudden acceleration can demand
too much of those places. You can lose control.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the
accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it
to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should adjust
your speed. Of course, the posted speeds are based on
good weather and road conditions. Under less favorable
conditions you'll want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can ªdriveº through
the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective than
braking. For example, you come over a hill and find a
truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out
from nowhere, or a child darts out from between parked
cars and stops right in front of you. You can avoid these
problems by braking
-- if you can stop in time. But
sometimes you can't; there isn't room. That's the time
for evasive action
-- steering around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies
like these. First apply your brakes. (See ªBraking in
Emergenciesº earlier in this section.) It is better to
remove as much speed as you can from a possible
collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left
or right depending on the space available.

4-11
An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended 9 and 3 o'clock positions, you can
turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
Off-Road Recovery
You may find that your right wheels have dropped off the
edge of a road onto the shoulder while you're driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer
so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement.
You can turn the steering wheel up to one
-quarter turn
until the right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then
turn your steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.