
Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-3
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-8
Safety Belts
.............................................1-28
Child Restraints
.......................................1-51
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
.........1-76
Restraint System Check
............................1-90
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-8
Windows
.................................................2-16
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-18
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-20
Mirrors
....................................................2-33
OnStar
žSystem
......................................2-38
HomeLinkžTransmitter
.............................2-40
Storage Areas
.........................................2-44
Sunroof
..................................................2-49
Vehicle Personalization
.............................2-50
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-24
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
.........3-34
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-51
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-70Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-50
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-4
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-50
Rear Axle
...............................................5-51
Front Axle
...............................................5-52
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-53
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-57
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-65
Tires
......................................................5-66
Appearance Care
.....................................5-94
Vehicle Identi®cation
...............................5-102
Electrical System
....................................5-102
Capacities and Speci®cations
...................5-112
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
......5-114
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance Information
.................. 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-10
Index................................................................ 1
2003 Cadillac Escalade Owner ManualM

Testing the Alarm
The alarm can be tested by following these steps:
1. From inside the vehicle, lower the driver's window
and open the driver's door.
2. Activate the system by locking the doors with the
power door lock switch while the door is open, or
with the remote keyless entry transmitter.
3. Get out of the vehicle, close the door and wait for
the security light to go out.
4. Then reach in through the window, unlock the door
with the manual door lock and open the door. This
should set off the alarm.
While the alarm is set, the power door unlock switch is
not operational.
If the alarm does not sound when it should but the
headlamps ¯ash, check to see if the horn works. The
horn fuse may be blown. To replace the fuse, see
Fuses
and Circuit Breakers on page 5-103.
If the alarm does not sound or the headlamps do not
¯ash, the vehicle should be serviced by your dealer.
Passlockž
Your vehicle is equipped with the Passlockž
theft-deterrent system.
Passlock
žis a passive theft-deterrent system. Passlockž
enables fuel if the ignition lock cylinder is turned with
a valid key. If a correct key is not used or the ignition
lock cylinder is tampered with, the fuel system is
disabled and the vehicle will not start.
During normal operation, the security light will turn off
approximately ®ve seconds after the key is turned
to RUN.
If the engine stalls and the security light ¯ashes, wait
about 10 minutes until the light stops ¯ashing before
trying to restart the engine. Remember to release
the key from START as soon as the engine starts.
If the engine does not start after three tries, the vehicle
needs service.
If the engine is running and the security light comes on,
you will be able to restart the engine if you turn the engine
off. However, your Passlock
žsystem is not working
properly and must be serviced by your dealer. Your
vehicle is not protected by Passlock
žat this time. You
may also want to check the fuse. SeeFuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-103. See your dealer for service.
In an emergency, call the Roadside Assistance Center.
See
Roadside Service on page 7-6.
2-19

Engine Coolant Heater
Your vehicle may be equipped with an engine coolant
heater.
In very cold weather, 0ÉF
(-18ÉC) or colder, the
engine coolant heater can
help. You'll get easier
starting and better
fuel economy during
engine warm-up.
Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged in a
minimum of four hours prior to starting your vehicle. At
temperatures above 32ÉF (0ÉC), use of the coolant
heater is not required.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The
cord is located on the driver's side of the engine
compartment, near the power steering ¯uid
reservoir.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a ®re. You could be seriously
injured. Plug the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet. If the cord
won't reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don't, it could be
damaged.
2-23

NEUTRAL (N):In this position, your engine doesn't
connect with the drive wheels. To restart when you're
already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is
ªracingº (running at high speed) is dangerous.
Unless your foot is ®rmly on the brake pedal,
your vehicle could move very rapidly. You
could lose control and hit people or objects.
Don't shift into a drive gear while your engine
is racing.
Notice:Damage to your transmission caused by
shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with
the engine racing isn't covered by your warranty.
DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving. If
you need more power for passing, and you're:
·Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
·Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.You'll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
DRIVE (D) 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 THIRD (3)
or, if necessary, a lower gear selection if the
transmission shifts too often.
THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal driving,
however, it offers more power and lower fuel economy
than DRIVE (D).
SECOND (2):This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2) on
hills. It can help control your speed as you go down
steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to
use your brakes off and on.
If you manually select SECOND (2) the transmission will
drive in second gear. You may use this feature for
reducing the speed of the rear wheels when you are
trying to start your vehicle from a stop on slippery road
surfaces.
2-25

FIRST (1):This position gives you even more power,
but lower fuel economy than SECOND (2). You can use
it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
shift lever is put in FIRST (1) while the vehicle is moving
forward, the transmission won't shift into ®rst gear
until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:If your wheels won't turn, don't try to drive.
This might happen if you were stuck in very deep
sand or mud or were up against a solid object. You
could damage your transmission. Also, if you
stop when going uphill, don't hold your vehicle there
with only the accelerator pedal. This could overheat
and damage the transmission. Use your brakes
or shift into PARK (P) to hold your vehicle in
position on a hill.
On cold days, approximately 32ÉF (0ÉC) or colder, your
transmission is designed to shift differently until the
engine reaches normal operating temperature. This is
intended to improve heater performance.
Tow/Haul Mode Selector Button
Your vehicle is equipped with a tow/haul mode. The
button for this feature is located on the end of the
column shift lever. You can use this feature to assist
when towing or hauling a heavy load. See ªTow/Haul
Modeº under
Towing a Trailer on page 4-54for
more information.
The tow/haul mode also interacts with the Road
Sensing Suspension (RSS) feature to enhance the ride
when trailering or with a loaded vehicle. See
Road
Sensing Suspension on page 4-9.
2-26

Instrument Panel Overview...............................3-4
Hazard Warning Flashers................................3-6
Other Warning Devices...................................3-7
Horn.............................................................3-7
Tilt Wheel.....................................................3-7
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever.........................3-8
Exterior Lamps.............................................3-15
Interior Lamps..............................................3-18
Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist (URPA)............3-20
Accessory Power Outlets...............................3-23
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter........................3-23
Analog Clock...............................................3-24
Climate Controls............................................3-24
Automatic Climate Control System...................3-24
Outlet Adjustment.........................................3-31
Rear Climate Control System.........................3-31
Climate Controls Personalization.....................3-33
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators.............3-34
Instrument Panel Cluster................................3-34
Speedometer and Odometer...........................3-36
Tachometer.................................................3-36
Safety Belt Reminder Light.............................3-36
Air Bag Readiness Light................................3-37
Passenger Air Bag Status Indicator.................3-38Charging System Light..................................3-39
Voltmeter Gage............................................3-40
Brake System Warning Light..........................3-40
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light.............3-42
Traction Off Light..........................................3-42
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage..................3-43
Transmission Temperature Gage.....................3-43
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.............................3-44
Oil Pressure Gage........................................3-48
Security Light...............................................3-49
Cruise Control Light......................................3-49
Tow/Haul Mode Light....................................3-49
Fuel Gage...................................................3-50
Low Fuel Warning Light.................................3-50
Driver Information Center (DIC).......................3-51
DIC Operation and Displays...........................3-51
DIC Warnings and Messages.........................3-62
Audio System(s).............................................3-70
Setting the Time...........................................3-70
Radio with Cassette and CD..........................3-71
Rear Seat Entertainment System....................3-85
Navigation/Radio System...............................3-96
Rear Seat Audio (RSA).................................3-97
CD Changer................................................3-99
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-1

Warning Lights, Gages and
Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages on
your vehicle. The pictures will help you locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause
an expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you
or others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle's functions. As you will
see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on brie¯y when you start the
engine just to let you know they're working. If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one of your vehicle's functions. Often gages
and warning lights work together to let you know when
there's a problem with your vehicle.When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages
shows there may be a problem, check the section that
tells you what to do about it. Please follow this
manual's advice. Waiting to do repairs can be costly ±
and even dangerous. So please get to know your
warning lights and gages. They're a big help.
Your vehicle also has a message center that works
along with the warning lights and gages. See
Driver
Information Center (DIC) on page 3-51.
Instrument Panel Cluster
Your instrument panel cluster is designed to let you
know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You'll
know how fast you're going, about how much fuel you
have and many other things you'll need to know to drive
safely and economically.
3-34

SeeDriver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-51for
further information.
If the transmission ¯uid reaches temperatures of
approximately 275ÉF (135ÉC) or greater, the DIC will
display a TRANS HOT IDLE ENGINE warning message
and a chime will sound. Pull the vehicle off the
roadway when it is safe to do so. Set the parking brake,
place the transmission in PARK (P) and allow the
engine to idle until the transmission temperature falls
below 260ÉF (127ÉC). If the transmission continues
to operate above 265ÉF (130ÉC), please contact your
nearest dealer or the Roadside Assistance Center.
Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with the
transmission temperature gage above the normal
operating range, you can damage the transmission.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered under your warranty.
The following situations can cause the transmission to
operate at higher temperatures:
·Towing a trailer,
·hot outside air temperatures,
·hauling a large or heavy load,
·low transmission ¯uid level,
·high transmission ¯uid level,
·restricted air ¯ow to the radiator.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
This system is called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the
life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The Check Engine light comes on to
indicate that there is a problem and service is required.
Malfunctions often will be indicated by the system
before any problem is apparent. This may prevent more
serious damage to your vehicle. This system is also
designed to assist your service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.
3-44