2003 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT traction control

Controlling your vehicle is the key to successful off-road
driving. One of the best ways to control your vehicle
is to control your speed. Here are some things to keep
in mind. At higher speeds:
·you approach things faster and you have less time
to scan the terrain for obstacles.
·you have less time to react.
·you have more vehicle bounce when you drive over
obstacles.
·you'll need more distance for braking, especially
since you're on an unpaved surface.
{CAUTION:
When you're driving off-road, bouncing and
quick changes in direction can easily throw
you out of position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash. So, whether you're
driving on or off the road, you and your
passengers should wear safety belts.
Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over many different kinds of
terrain. You need to be familiar with the terrain and its
many different features. Here are some things to
consider.
Surface Conditions:Off-roading can take you over
hard-packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow
or ice. Each of these surfaces affects the steering,
acceleration and braking of your vehicle in different
ways. Depending upon the kind of surface you are on,
you may experience slipping, sliding, wheel spinning,
delayed acceleration, poor traction and longer braking
distances.
Surface Obstacles:Unseen or hidden obstacles can
be hazardous. A rock, log, hole, rut or bump can startle
you if you're not prepared for them. Often these
obstacles are hidden by grass, bushes, snow or even
the rise and fall of the terrain itself. Here are some
things to consider:
·Is the path ahead clear?
·Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead?
·Does the travel take you uphill or downhill?
(There's more discussion of these subjects later.)
·Will you have to stop suddenly or change direction
quickly?
4-21

Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow or sand, your wheels
won't get good traction. You can't accelerate as quickly,
turning is more difficult, and you'll need longer braking
distances.
It's best to use a low gear when you're in mud Ð the
deeper the mud, the lower the gear. In really deep mud,
the idea is to keep your vehicle moving so you don't
get stuck.
When you drive on sand, you'll sense a change in
wheel traction. But it will depend upon how loosely
packed the sand is. On loosely packed sand (as
on beaches or sand dunes) your tires will tend to sink
into the sand. This has an effect on steering,
accelerating and braking. Drive at a reduced speed and
avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction.
On these surfaces, it's very easy to lose control. On
wet ice, for example, the traction is so poor that you will
have difficulty accelerating. And if you do get moving,
poor steering and difficult braking can cause you to slide
out of control.
{CAUTION:
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds or rivers can
be dangerous. Underwater springs, currents
under the ice, or sudden thaws can weaken
the ice. Your vehicle could fall through the ice
and you and your passengers could drown.
Drive your vehicle on safe surfaces only.
4-30

Buying New Tires
To ®nd out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Certi®cation/Tire label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had a
Tire Performance Criteria Speci®cations (TPC Spec)
number on each tire's sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread design,
the TPC number will be followed by an ªMSº (for mud
and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same
size, load range, speed rating and construction type
(bias, bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.{CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control
while driving. If you mix tires of different sizes
or types (radial and bias-belted tires), the
vehicle may not handle properly, and youcould
have a crash. Using tires of different sizes may
also cause damage to your vehicle. Be sure to
use the same size and type tires on all wheels.
If your vehicle has 17 inch road tires (those
originally installed on your vehicle) it is all
right to drive with the 16 inch spare tire that
came with your vehicle. When new, your
vehicle included a spare tire and wheel
assembly with the same overall diameter as
your vehicle's road tires and wheels. Because
this spare tire was developed for use on your
vehicle, it will not affect vehicle handling or
cause damage to your vehicle.
5-70

{CAUTION:
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle, the
wheel rim ¯anges could develop cracks after
many miles of driving. A tire and/or wheel
could fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only
radial-ply tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance.
(This applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.)The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver or temporary use spare tires,
tires with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a speci®ed government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1.5) times as well on the government course as
a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart signi®cantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
5-71

Traction ± AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire's ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on speci®ed government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature ± A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance to the generation
of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested
under controlled conditions on a speci®ed indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly in¯ated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underin¯ation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are
not needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
5-72

Used Replacement Wheels
{CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can't know how it's been used
or how far it's been driven. It could fail suddenly
and cause a crash. If you have to replace a
wheel, use a new GM original equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
{CAUTION:
Don't use tire chains. There's not enough
clearance. Tire chains used on a vehicle without
the proper amount of clearance can cause
damage to the brakes, suspension or other
vehicle parts. The area damaged by the tire
chains could cause you to lose control of your
vehicle and you or others may be injured in a
crash. Use another type of traction device only
if its manufacturer recommends it for use on
your vehicle and tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that manufacturer's
instructions. To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or remove the
device if it's contacting your vehicle, and don't
spin your wheels. If you do ®nd traction devices
that will ®t, install them on the rear tires.
5-74

Instrument Panel Brightness.............................3-18
Instrument Panel Fuse Block..........................5-102
Instrument Panel.............................................3-32
Cluster.......................................................3-32
Overview..................................................... 3-4
Interior Lamps................................................3-18
J
Jump Starting.................................................5-44
K
Key Lock Cylinders Service..............................6-12
KEYFOB X BATTERY LOW.............................3-63
Keyless Entry System....................................... 2-4
Keys............................................................... 2-3
L
Lamps On Reminder.......................................3-16
Lamps...........................................................3-14
Exterior......................................................3-14
Interior.......................................................3-18
Lap-Shoulder Belt...................................1-14, 1-23LATCH System...............................................1-42
Child Restraints...........................................1-42
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System...................................1-44
Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine Running......2-37
LEFT REAR DOOR AJAR................................3-63
Light.............................................................3-34
Air Bag Readiness.......................................3-34
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning...................3-39
Brake System Warning.................................3-38
Charging System.........................................3-36
Cruise Control.............................................3-45
Low Fuel Warning.......................................3-46
Malfunction Indicator....................................3-42
Passenger Air Bag Status Indicator................3-35
Safety Belt Reminder...................................3-33
Tow/Haul Mode...........................................3-45
Traction Off................................................3-39
Listening to a DVD.........................................3-81
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving..........4-19
Loading Your Vehicle.......................................4-48
Lockout Protection..........................................2-12
Locks............................................................. 2-9
Delayed Locking........................................... 2-9
Door........................................................... 2-8
Lockout Protection.......................................2-12
Power Door.................................................. 2-9
9

TIGHTEN FUEL CAP......................................3-61
Tilt Wheel........................................................ 3-7
Tire In¯ation Check.........................................6-11
Tires.............................................................5-66
Buying New Tires........................................5-70
Chains.......................................................5-74
Changing a Flat Tire....................................5-76
If a Tire Goes Flat.......................................5-75
In¯ation Ð Tire Pressure..............................5-67
Inspection and Rotation................................5-68
Spare Tire..................................................5-92
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.........................5-71
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance.................5-72
Wheel Replacement.....................................5-73
When It Is Time for New Tires......................5-69
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater....................2-31
Top Drain Grates ± Removal and Cleaning.........2-67
Top Strap Anchor Location...............................1-41
Top Strap......................................................1-40
Top-Box Storage.............................................2-70
Torque Lock...................................................2-38
Total Weight on Your Vehicle's Tires..................4-56
Tow/Haul Mode Light.......................................3-45
Tow/Haul Mode Selector Button........................2-34
Towing..........................................................4-48
Recreational Vehicle.....................................4-48
Towing a Trailer..........................................4-52
Your Vehicle...............................................4-48Towing (cont.)
Traction Control Operation................................4-11
TRACTION SYS LIMITED................................3-63
Traction.........................................................3-39
Off Light.....................................................3-39
Road Sensing Suspension.............................. 4-9
Stabilitrak
žSystem......................................4-10
Trailer Brakes.................................................4-57
Trailer Wiring Harness.....................................4-61
Trailer...........................................................4-51
Recommendations.......................................4-51
TRANS HOT IDLE ENGINE.............................3-62
Transfer Case................................................5-50
TRANSMISSION HOT.....................................3-62
Transmission Operation, Automatic....................2-32
Transmission, Transaxle, Transfer Case Unit
Repair Manual............................................7-10
Transmission..................................................5-21
Fluid, Automatic...........................................5-21
Temperature Gage.......................................3-40
Transportation Options...................................... 7-8
Traveling to Remote Areas...............................4-20
Trip Information Button....................................3-48
Truck-Camper Loading Information....................4-51
Turn and Lane Change Signals.......................... 3-8
TURN SIGNAL ON.........................................3-61
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever........................... 3-7
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer..................4-58
16