2005 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT steering

Remember: Any traction control system helps avoid only
the acceleration skid. If your traction control system is
off, then an acceleration skid is also best handled
by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety,
you will want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including engine braking by shifting to a
lower gear. Any sudden changes could cause the tires
to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues — such as enough water, ice, or packed snow
on the road to make a mirrored surface — and
slow down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.Operating Your All-Wheel-Drive
Vehicle Off Paved Roads
Many of the same design features that help
make your vehicle responsive on paved roads during
poor weather conditions — features like all-wheel
drive — help make it much better suited for off-road use
than a conventional passenger car. Its higher ground
clearance also helps your vehicle step over some
off-road obstacles. But your vehicle does not have
features like special underbody shielding and a transfer
case low gear range, things that are usually thought
necessary for extended or severe off-road service.
This guide is for operating your vehicle off paved roads.
Also, seeBraking on page 4-5.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have
some denite hazards. The greatest of these is
the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you have left the great North
American road system behind. Traffic lanes are not
marked. Curves are not banked. There are no
road signs. Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or
downhill. In short, you have gone right back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that is why
it is very important that you read this guide. You will nd
many driving tips and suggestions. These will help make
your off-road driving safer and more enjoyable.
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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 are on an unpaved surface.
{CAUTION:
When you are 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 are 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 is more discussion of these subjects later.
Will you have to stop suddenly or change direction
quickly?
4-19

When you drive over obstacles or rough terrain, keep a
rm grip on the steering wheel. Ruts, troughs or
other surface features can jerk the wheel out of your
hands if you are not prepared.
When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other obstacles,
your wheels can leave the ground. If this happens,
even with one or two wheels, you cannot control the
vehicle as well or at all.
Because you will be on an unpaved surface, it is
especially important to avoid sudden acceleration,
sudden turns or sudden braking.
In a way, off-road driving requires a different kind of
alertness from driving on paved roads and highways.
There are no road signs, posted speed limits or
signal lights. You have to use your own good judgment
about what is safe and what is not.
Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any
road. And this is certainly true for off-road driving. At
the very time you need special alertness and driving
skills, your reexes, perceptions and judgment can be
affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You
could have a serious — or even fatal — accident if you
drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been
drinking. SeeDrunken Driving on page 4-2.Driving on Off-Road Hills
Off-road driving often takes you up, down or across a
hill. Driving safely on hills requires good judgment
and an understanding of what your vehicle can and
cannot do. There are some hills that simply cannot be
driven, no matter how well built the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Many hills are simply too steep for any vehicle.
If you drive up them, you will stall. If you drive
down them, you cannot control your speed.
If you drive across them, you will roll over.
You could be seriously injured or killed. If you
have any doubt about the steepness, do not
drive the hill.
Approaching a Hill
When you approach a hill, you need to decide if
it is one of those hills that is just too steep to climb,
descend or cross. Steepness can be hard to judge. On
a very small hill, for example, there may be a smooth,
constant incline with only a small change in elevation
where you can easily see all the way to the top.
4-20

On a large hill, the incline may get steeper as you near
the top, but you may not see this because the crest
of the hill is hidden by bushes, grass or shrubs.
Here are some other things to consider as you
approach a hill.
Is there a constant incline, or does the hill get
sharply steeper in places?
Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the
surface cause tire slipping?
Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you
will not have to make turning maneuvers?
Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your
path, such as boulders, trees, logs, or ruts?
What is beyond the hill? Is there a cliff, an
embankment, a drop-off, a fence? Get out and
walk the hill if you do not know. It is the smart way
to nd out.
Is the hill simply too rough? Steep hills often have
ruts, gullies, troughs and exposed rocks because
they are more susceptible to the effects of erosion.
Driving Uphill
Once you decide you can safely drive up the hill, you
need to take some special steps.
Use a low gear and get a rm grip on the steering
wheel.
Get a smooth start up the hill and try to maintain
your speed. Do not use more power than you
need, because you do not want your wheels to start
spinning or sliding.
Try to drive straight up the hill if at all possible. If
the path twists and turns, you might want to nd
another route.
{CAUTION:
Turning or driving across steep hills can be
dangerous. You could lose traction, slide
sideways, and possibly roll over. You could be
seriously injured or killed. When driving up
hills, always try to go straight up.
Ease up on your speed as you approach the top
of the hill.
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As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand
on the steering wheel at the 12 o’clock position.
This way, you will be able to tell if your wheels are
straight and maneuver as you back down. It is
best that you back down the hill with your wheels
straight rather than in the left or right direction.
Turning the wheel too far to the left or right
will increase the possibility of a rollover.
Here are some things youmust notdo if you stall, or
are about to stall, when going up a hill.
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
NEUTRAL (N) to rev-up the engine and regain
forward momentum. This will not work. Your vehicle
will roll backwards very quickly and you could go
out of control.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the
vehicle. Then apply the parking brake. Shift to
REVERSE (R), release the parking brake,
and slowly back straight down.
Never attempt to turn around if you are about to
stall when going up a hill. If the hill is steep
enough to stall your vehicle, it is steep enough to
cause you to roll over if you turn around. If you
cannot make it up the hill, you must back straight
down the hill.
Q:Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down
the hill and decide I just cannot do it. What
should I do?
A:Set the parking brake, put your transmission in
PARK (P) and turn off the engine. Leave the
vehicle and go get some help. Exit on the uphill
side and stay clear of the path the vehicle would
take if it rolled downhill.
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{CAUTION:
Getting out on the downhill (low) side of a
vehicle stopped across an incline is dangerous.
If the vehicle rolls over, you could be crushed
or killed. Always get out on the uphill (high)
side of the vehicle and stay well clear of the
rollover path.
Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow or sand, your wheels
will not get good traction. You cannot accelerate
as quickly, turning is more difficult, and you will need
longer braking distances.
It is best to use a low gear when you are in mud — the
deeper the mud, the lower the gear. In really deep
mud, the idea is to keep your vehicle moving so you do
not get stuck.When you drive on sand, you will sense a change in
wheel traction. But it will depend upon how loosely
packed the sand is. On loosely packed sand, such 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 is 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.
4-27

Driving in Water
Heavy rain can mean ash ooding, and ood waters
demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before you drive through
it. If it is deep enough to cover your wheel hubs,
axles or exhaust pipe, do not try it — you probably will
not get through. Also, water that deep can damage
your axle and other vehicle parts.
If the water is not too deep, drive slowly through it. At
faster speeds, water splashes on your ignition system
and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also occur if you
get your tailpipe under water. And, as long as your
tailpipe is under water, you will never be able to start your
engine. When you go through water, remember that when
your brakes get wet, it may take you longer to stop.{CAUTION:
Driving through rushing water can be
dangerous. Deep water can sweep your vehicle
downstream and you and your passengers
could drown. If it is only shallow water, it can
still wash away the ground from under your
tires, and you could lose traction and roll the
vehicle over. Do not drive through rushing
water.
SeeDriving in Rain and on Wet Roads on page 4-30for
more information on driving through water.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the
underbody, chassis or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a re hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings
cleaned and checked. These substances can cause
glazing and uneven braking. Check the body structure,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires and exhaust
system for damage. Also, check the fuel lines and
cooling system for any leakage.
4-28

What is the worst time for this? Wet ice. Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because it may offer
the least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it is
about freezing (32°F; 0°C) and freezing rain begins
to fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and
sand crews can get there.Whatever the condition — smooth ice, packed, blowing,
or loose snow — drive with caution.
Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and
polish the surface under the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road.
Even though you have an anti-lock braking system, you
will want to begin stopping sooner than you would on
dry pavement. SeeAnti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
on page 4-6.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be
ne until you hit a spot that is covered with ice. On
an otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear
in shaded areas where the sun cannot reach, such
as around clumps of trees, behind buildings, or
under bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve or
an overpass may remain icy when the surrounding
roads are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead
of you, brake before you are on it. Try not to brake
while you are actually on the ice, and avoid
sudden steering maneuvers.
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