2004 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT steering wheel

Where Are the Air Bags?
The driver's frontal air bag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.The right front passernger's frontal air bag is in the
instrument panel on the passenger's side.
1-50

{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an
air bag, the bag might not in¯ate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
in¯ating air bag must be kept clear. Don't put
anything between an occupant and an air bag,
and don't attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other air
bag covering. Don't let seat covers block the
in¯ation path of a side impact air bag.
When Should an Air Bag In¯ate?
The driver's and right front passenger's frontal air bags
are designed to in¯ate in moderate to severe frontal
or near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to in¯ate
only if the impact speed is above the system's
designed ªthreshold level.º
In addition, your vehicle has ªdual stageº frontal air
bags, which adjust the amount of restraint according to
crash severity. For moderate frontal impacts, these
air bags in¯ate at a level less than full deployment. For
more severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs.
If the front of your vehicle goes straight into a wall that
doesn't move or deform, the threshold level for the
reduced deployment is about 10 to 16 mph
(16 to 25 km/h), and the threshold level for a full
deployment is about 20 to 25 mph (32 to 40 km/h). The
threshold level can vary, however, with speci®c
vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat above or
below this range.
If your vehicle strikes something that will move or
deform, such as a parked car, the threshold level will be
higher. The driver's and right front passenger's frontal
air bags are not designed to in¯ate in rollovers, rear
impacts, or in many side impacts because in¯ation
would not help the occupant.
1-52

Side impact air bags are designed to in¯ate in moderate
to severe side crashes. A side impact air bag will
in¯ate if the crash severity is above the system's
designed ªthreshold level.º The threshold level can vary
with speci®c vehicle design. Side impact air bags are
not designed to in¯ate in frontal or near-frontal impacts,
rollovers or rear impacts, because in¯ation would not
help the occupant. A side impact air bag will only deploy
on the side of the vehicle that is struck.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have in¯ated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
For frontal air bags, in¯ation is determined by the angle
of the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down
in frontal and near-frontal impacts. For side impact
air bags, in¯ation is determined by the location
and severity of the impact.
The air bag system is designed to work properly under
a wide range of conditions, including off-road usage.
Observe safe driving speeds, especially on rough
terrain. As always, wear your safety belt. See
Operating
Your All-Wheel-Drive Vehicle Off Paved Roads on
page 4-17
for tips on off-road driving.
Seat Position Sensors
Vehicle's with dual stage air bags are also equipped
with special sensors which enable the sensing system to
monitor the position of both the driver and passenger
front seats. The seat position sensor provides
information which is used to determine if the air bags
should deploy at a reduced level or at full depoyment.
What Makes an Air Bag In¯ate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For
both frontal and side impact air bags, the sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the in¯ator, which
in¯ates the air bag. The in¯ator, the air bag and
related hardware are all part of the air bag modules.
Frontal air bag modules are located inside the steering
wheel and instrument panel. For side impact air
bags, the air bag modules are located in the
seatback closest to the driver's and/or right front
passenger's door.
1-53

How Does an Air Bag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The air bag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the
frontal air bags would not help you in many types
of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant's motion
is not toward the air bag. Side impact air bags would not
help you in many types of collisions, including frontal
or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear impacts,
primarily because an occupant's motion is not toward
those air bags. Air bags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and
then only in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal
collisions for the driver's and right front passenger's
frontal air bags, and only in moderate to severe
side collisions for vehicles with a driver's and right front
passenger's side impact air bag.
What Will You See After an Air Bag
In¯ates?
After the air bag in¯ates, it quickly de¯ates, so quickly
that some people may not even realize the air bag
in¯ated. Some components of the air bag module will be
hot for a short time. These components include the
steering wheel hub for the driver's frontal air bag and the
instrument panel for the right front passenger's frontal
air bag. For side impact air bags, the side of the
seatback closest to the driver's and/or right front
passenger's door will be hot. The parts of the bag that
come into contact with you may be warm, but not
too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust
coming from the vents in the de¯ated air bags. Air bag
in¯ation doesn't prevent the driver from seeing or
being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop people
from leaving the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an air bag in¯ates, there is dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of asthma or other
CAUTION: (Continued)
1-54

CAUTION: (Continued)
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in
the vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe
to do so. If you have breathing problems but
can't get out of the vehicle after an air bag
in¯ates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or a door. If you experience breathing
problems following an air bag deployment, you
should seek medical attention.
In many crashes severe enough to in¯ate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.
·Air bags are designed to in¯ate only once. After an
air bag in¯ates, you'll need some new parts for
your air bag system. If you don't get them, the air
bag system won't be there to help protect you
in another crash. A new system will include air bag
modules and possibly other parts. The service
manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace
other parts.
·Your vehicle is equipped with electronic frontal
sensors which help the sensing system distinguish
between a moderate and a more severe frontal
impact. Your vehicle is also equipped with a crash
sensing and diagnostic module, which records
information about the frontal air bag system. The
module records information about the readiness of
the system and when the system commands air
bag in¯ation. It records the status of the driver's
safety belt usage in a crash in which the air
bag deploys or a crash in which the air bag nearly
deploys. The module also records speed, engine
rpm, brake and throttle data.
·Let only quali®ed technicians work on your air bag
systems. Improper service can mean that an air
bag system won't work properly. See your dealer for
service.
Notice:If you damage the covering for the driver's
or the right front passenger's air bag, or the air
bag covering on the driver's and right front
passenger's seatback, the bag may not work
properly. You may have to replace the air bag
module in the steering wheel, both the air bag
module and the instrument panel for the right front
passenger's air bag, or both the air bag module
and seatback for the driver's and right front
passenger's side impact air bag. Do not open or
break the air bag coverings.
1-55

Luxury and Leisure Plan
·
All Directions and Connections Plan services
·Personal Concierge
OnStaržPersonal Calling
With OnStaržPersonal Calling, you have a safer way to
stay connected while driving. It's a hands-free wireless
phone that's integrated into your vehicle. You can place
calls nationwide using voice-activated dialing with no
contracts and no additional roaming charges. To ®nd out
more about OnStar
žPersonal Calling, refer to the
OnStaržowner's guide in your vehicle's glove box, or
call OnStaržat 1-888-4-ONSTAR (1-888-466-7827).
OnStaržVirtual Advisor
With OnStaržVirtual Advisor you can listen to your
favorite news, entertainment and information topics,
such as traffic and weather reports, stock quotes
and sports scores. You listen to your e-mail through
your vehicle's speakers, and reply with your hands on
the wheel and your eyes on the road.
OnStaržSteering Wheel Controls
g
: If your vehicle is
equipped with the steering
wheel control buttons
you can use them
to interact with the OnStar
ž
system.
See the OnStar
žmanual provided with your vehicle for
more information.
2-49

Driver Information Center (DIC).......................3-49
DIC Operation and Displays...........................3-49
DIC Warnings and Messages.........................3-60
Audio System(s).............................................3-67
Setting the Time...........................................3-68
Radio with Cassette and CD..........................3-68
Navigation/Radio System...............................3-82
Rear Seat Entertainment System....................3-83
Rear Seat Audio (RSA).................................3-94
CD Changer................................................3-95
Theft-Deterrent Feature..................................3-98
Audio Steering Wheel Controls.......................3-99DVD Distortion.............................................3-99
Radio Reception.........................................3-100
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player...............3-100
Care of Your CDs and DVDs........................3-101
Care of Your CD Changer............................3-101
Care of Your CD and DVD Player.................3-102
Cleaning the Video Screen...........................3-102
Fixed Mast Antenna....................................3-102
XMŸ Satellite Radio Antenna System
(48 Contiguous US States)........................3-102
Chime Level Adjustment...............................3-102
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-2

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