2004 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT steering

The main components of your instrument panel are the following:
A. Air Outlets. See
Outlet Adjustment on page 3-32.
B. Exterior Lamps Control. See
Exterior Lamps
on page 3-15.
C. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever. See
Turn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7.
D. OnStaržand Radio Steering Wheel Buttons. SeeOnStaržSystem on page 2-48andAudio Steering
Wheel Controls on page 3-99.
E. Instrument Panel Cluster. See
Instrument Panel
Cluster on page 3-34.
F. Shift Lever/Tow/Haul Selector Button. See
Automatic
Transmission Operation on page 2-34.
G. Audio System. See
Audio System(s) on page 3-67.
H. Dome Override Button. See
Interior Lamps on
page 3-19.
I. Cargo/Top-Box Lamps Button. See
Exterior Lamps
on page 3-15.
J. Fog Lamps Button. See
Exterior Lamps on
page 3-15.K. Driver Information Center (DIC) Buttons. See
Driver
Information Center (DIC) on page 3-49.
L. Parking Brake Release. See
Parking Brake on
page 2-37.
M. Tilt Lever. See
Tilt Wheel on page 3-7.
N. Comfort Control System. See
Automatic Climate
Control System on page 3-24.
O. Compact Disc Changer. See
CD Changer on
page 3-95.
P. Storage Area
Q. Clock. See
Analog Clock on page 3-24.
R. Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist Button. See
Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist (URPA) on
page 3-20.
S. StabiliTrakžButton. SeeStabilitrakžSystem on
page 4-9.
T. Glove Box. See
Glove Box on page 2-54.
3-5

Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning ¯ashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have a problem. Your front
and rear turn signal lamps will ¯ash on and off.
But they won't ¯ash if you're braking.The hazard warning
¯asher button is located at
the top of the steering
column.
Press the button to make your front and rear turn signal
lamps ¯ash on and off. To turn off the ¯ashers, press
the button until the ®rst click and release.
Your hazard warning ¯ashers work no matter what
position your key is in, and even if the key isn't in.
When the hazard warning ¯ashers are on, your turn
signals won't work.Other Warning Devices
If you carry re¯ective triangles, you can use them to
warn others. Set one up at the side of the road about
300 feet (100 m) behind your vehicle.
3-6

Horn
To sound the horn, press the center pad on the
steering wheel.
Tilt Wheel
The tilt steering wheel allows you to adjust the steering
wheel before you drive. You can raise it to the highest
level to give your legs more room when you enter
and exit the vehicle.
The tilt lever is located on
the driver's side of the
steering column under the
turn signal lever.
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.
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
·Turn and Lane Change Signals
·Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
·Flash-to-Pass
·Windshield Wipers
·Windshield Washer
·Cruise Control
For more information on exterior lamps, see
Exterior
Lamps on page 3-15.
3-7

Driver Information Center (DIC)
The DIC display is located on the instrument panel
cluster above the steering wheel. The DIC can display
information such as the trip odometer, fuel economy and
personalization features. Vehicles without the DIC
buttons will not have all the features as the regular DIC.
See
Speedometer and Odometer on page 3-35for
information on features for vehicles without a full DIC.
A (Trip Information):This button will display the
odometer, personal trip odometer, business trip
odometer, hourmeter, annual log and the timer.
B (Fuel Information):This button will display the
current range, average fuel economy, instant fuel
economy and engine oil life.C (Personalization):This button will change personal
options available on your vehicle.
D (Select):This button resets certain functions and
turns off or acknowledges messages on the DIC.
DIC Operation and Displays
The DIC comes on when the ignition is on. After a short
delay the DIC will display the current driver (1 or 2)
and the information that was last displayed before the
engine was turned off.
If a problem is detected, a warning message will appear
on the display. Pressing any of the four buttons will
acknowledge (clear) most current warnings or service
messages. Some warnings that cannot be
acknowledged (cleared) are: ENGINE OVERHEATED,
OIL PRESSURE LOW, REDUCED ENGINE POWER,
TRANS HOT IDLE ENGINE. These warnings must
be dealt with immediately and therefore cannot
be cleared until the problem has been corrected.
The DIC has different modes which can be accessed by
pressing the four buttons on the DIC. These buttons
are trip information, fuel information, personalization and
select. The button functions are detailed in the
following.
3-49

STABILITY SYS ACTIVE
You may see the STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message on
the DIC. It means that an advanced computer-controlled
system has come on to help your vehicle continue to
go in the direction in which you're steering.
Stabilitrak
žactivates when the computer senses that
your vehicle is just starting to spin, as it might if you hit
a patch of ice or other slippery spot on the road.
When the system activates, you may hear a noise or
feel a vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal. When
the STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message is on, you
should continue to steer in the direction you want to go.
The system is designed to help you in bad weather
or other difficult driving situations by making the most of
whatever road conditions will permit.
SERVICE STABILITY
If you ever see the SERVICE STABILITY message, it
means there may be a problem with your
Stabilitrak
žsystem. If you see this message try to reset
the system (stop; turn off the engine; then start the
engine again). If the SERVICE STABILITY message still
comes on, it means there is a problem. You should
see your dealer for service. The vehicle is safe to drive,
however, you do not have the bene®t of Stabilitrak
ž,
so reduce your speed and drive accordingly.
STABILITY SYS DISABLED
The STABILITY SYS DISABLED message will turn on
when you press the Stabilitrakžbutton, or when the
stability control has been automatically disabled. To limit
wheel spin and realize the full bene®ts of the stability
enhancement system, you should normally leave
Stabilitrak
žon. However, you should turn Stabilitrakžoff
if your vehicle gets stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow
and you want to ªrockº your vehicle to attempt to free it,
or if you are driving in extreme off-road conditions
and require more wheel spin. See
If You Are Stuck: In
Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on page 4-44If You Are
Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow. To turn the
Stabilitrak
žsystem back on press the Stabilitrakžbutton
again. There are four conditions that can cause this
message to appear. One condition is overheating, which
could occur if Stabilitrak
žactivates continuously for
an extended period of time. The message will also be
displayed if the brake system warning light is on.
See
Brake System Warning Light on page 3-39Brake
System Warning Light. The message could be displayed
if the stability system takes longer than usual to
complete its diagnostic checks due to driving conditions.
Also, if an engine or vehicle related problem has
been detected, and the vehicle needs service, the
message will appear.
The message will turn off as soon as the conditions that
caused the message to be displayed are no longer
present.
3-66

Audio Steering Wheel Controls
You can control certain radio functions using the buttons
on your steering wheel.
g(OnStar/Voice Recognition):If your vehicle has
OnStarž, you can press this button to interact with
the OnStaržsystem. See the OnStaržmanual provided
with your vehicle for more information.
If your vehicle does not have OnStar
ž, pressing this
button will mute the audio system.
PROG (Program):Press this button to play a station
you have stored on the radio preset pushbuttons.
If a CD is playing in the CD changer, press this button
to go to the next available CD.
QSOURCER:Press this button to select FM1,
FM2, AM, or XM1 or XM2 (48 contiguous US states, if
equipped), or a CD. If a CD is loaded the CD symbol
will appear on the display.
QSEEKR:Press the up or the down arrow to go to
the next or to the previous radio station and stay
there.
If a CD is playing, press the up or the down arrow to
fast forward or reverse.
QVOLR(Volume):Press the up or the down arrow
to increase or to decrease volume.
DVD Distortion
You may experience audio distortion in the
IR headphones when operating cellular phones,
scanners, CB radios, Global Positioning
Systems (GPS)*, two-way radios, mobile fax, or walkie
talkies.
It may be necessary to turn off the DVD player when
operating one of these devices in or near the vehicle.
* Excludes the OnStar
žSystem.
3-99

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-5
Braking.........................................................4-6
Road Sensing Suspension...............................4-9
Stabilitrak
žSystem.........................................4-9
Steering......................................................4-12
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-14
Passing.......................................................4-14
Loss of Control.............................................4-16
Operating Your All-Wheel-Drive Vehicle Off
Paved Roads............................................4-17
Driving at Night............................................4-31
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-32City Driving..................................................4-35
Freeway Driving...........................................4-36
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-37
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-38
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-38
Winter Driving..............................................4-40
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice
or Snow...................................................4-44
Towing..........................................................4-46
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-46
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-46
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-47
Truck-Camper Loading Information..................4-54
Trailer Recommendations...............................4-54
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-55
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

{CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your re¯exes, perceptions, attentiveness
and judgment can be affected by even a
small amount of alcohol. You can have a
serious Ð or even fatal Ð collision if you drive
after drinking. Please do not drink and drive or
ride with a driver who has been drinking. Ride
home in a cab; or if you are with a group,
designate a driver who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go
where you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering
and the accelerator. All three systems have to do their
work at the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you're driving on snow or ice, it's
easy to ask more of those control systems than the
tires and road can provide. That means you can lose
control of your vehicle. Also see
StabilitrakžSystem on
page 4-9.
4-5