2005 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT wheel

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-6
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-8
Child Restraints
.......................................1-25
Airbag System
.........................................1-46
Restraint System Check
............................1-59
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-8
Windows
.................................................2-23
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-25
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-27
Mirrors
....................................................2-39
OnStar
®System
......................................2-44
HomeLink®Transmitter
.............................2-46
Storage Areas
.........................................2-50
Sunroof
..................................................2-68
Vehicle Personalization
.............................2-69
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-23
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-29
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-46
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-66Driving 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
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-45
Rear Axle
...............................................5-46
Front Axle
...............................................5-47
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-48
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-52
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-59
Tires
......................................................5-60
Appearance Care
.....................................5-95
Vehicle Identication
...............................5-104
Electrical System
....................................5-105
Capacities and Specications
...................5-115
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-11
Index................................................................ 1
2005 Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner ManualM

You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do
have a crash, you do not know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be
so serious that even buckled up, a person would not
survive. But most crashes are in between. In many
of them, people who buckle up can survive and
sometimes walk away. Without belts they could have
been badly hurt or killed.
After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up
does matter...a lot!Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat
on wheels.
1-9

Where Are the Airbags?
The driver’s frontal airbag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.The right front passenger’s frontal airbag is in the
instrument panel on the passenger’s side.
1-48

The right front passenger’s side impact airbag is in the
side of the passenger’s seatback closest to the door.
{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an
airbag, the airbag might not inate properly
or it might force the object into that person
causing severe injury or even death. The path
of an inating airbag must be kept clear.
Do not put anything between an occupant and
an airbag, and do not attach or put anything
on the steering wheel hub or on or near any
other airbag covering. Do not let seat covers
block the ination path of a side impact airbag.
1-50

Side impact airbags are designed to inate in moderate to
severe side crashes. A side impact airbag will inate if the
crash severity is above the system’s designed “threshold
level.” The threshold level can vary with specic vehicle
design. Side impact airbags are not designed to inate in
frontal or near-frontal impacts, rollovers or rear impacts,
because ination would not likely help the occupant.
A side impact airbag will only deploy on the side of the
vehicle that is struck.
Vehicle’s with dual stage airbags 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 airbags should deploy
at a reduced level or at full deployment.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an
airbag should have inated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs
were. For frontal airbags, ination is determined by the
angle of the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows
down in frontal and near-frontal impacts. For side impact
airbags, ination is determined by the location and
severity of the impact.
The airbag 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. SeeOperating Your
All-Wheel-Drive Vehicle Off Paved Roads on page 4-16
for tips on off-road driving.What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For both
frontal and side impact airbags, the sensing system
triggers a release of gas from the inator, which inates
the airbag. The inator, the airbag and related hardware
are all part of the airbag modules. Frontal airbag modules
are located inside the steering wheel and instrument
panel. For side impact airbags, the airbag modules are
located in the seatback closest to the driver’s and/or right
front passenger’s door.
How Does an Airbag 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 airbag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually. But the frontal
airbags 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
airbag. Side impact airbags 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 airbags.
1-52

Airbags 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 airbags, and only in
moderate to severe side collisions for vehicles with a
driver’s and right front passenger’s side impact airbag.
What Will You See After an
Airbag Inates?
After the airbag inates, it quickly deates, so quickly that
some people may not even realize the airbag inated.
Some components of the airbag module will be hot for a
short time. These components include the steering wheel
hub for the driver’s frontal airbag and the instrument
panel for the right front passenger’s frontal airbag. For
side impact airbags, 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 deated
airbags. Airbag ination does not prevent the driver from
seeing or being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it
stop people from leaving the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an airbag inates, there is dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of asthma or other
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 not get out of the vehicle after an airbag
inates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or a door. If you experience breathing
problems following an airbag deployment,
you should seek medical attention.
In many crashes severe enough to inate an airbag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation. Additional
windshield breakage may also occur from the right front
passenger airbag.
Airbags are designed to inate only once. After an
airbag inates, you will need some new parts for your
airbag system. If you do not get them, the airbag
system will not be there to help protect you in another
crash. A new system will include airbag modules and
possibly other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
1-53

Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module which records information after a
crash. SeeVehicle Data Collection and Event Data
Recorders on page 7-10.
Let only qualied technicians work on your airbag
system. Improper service can mean that an airbag
system will not work properly. See your dealer for
service.
Notice:If you damage the covering for the driver’s
or the right front passenger’s airbag, or the airbag
covering on the driver’s and right front passenger’s
seatback, the airbag may not work properly.
You may have to replace the airbag module in the
steering wheel, both the airbag module and the
instrument panel for the right front passenger’s
airbag, or both the airbag module and seatback
for the driver’s and right front passenger’s
side impact airbag. Do not open or break the
airbag coverings.
Passenger Sensing System
If your rearview mirror has one of the indicators pictured
in the following illustrations, your vehicle has a passenger
sensing system. The indicator will be visible when you
turn your ignition key to START or RUN. The words
ON and OFF or the symbol for on and off, will be visible
on the rearview mirror during the system check. When
the system check is complete, either the word ON or the
word OFF, or the symbol for on or the symbol for off will
be visible. SeePassenger Airbag Status Indicator on
page 3-33. If your rearview mirror does not have either of
the indicators pictured, then your vehicle does not have
the passenger sensing system.
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator – United States
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator – Canada
1-54

Keys...............................................................2-3
Remote Keyless Entry System.........................2-4
Remote Keyless Entry System Operation...........2-5
Doors and Locks.............................................2-8
Door Locks....................................................2-8
Power Door Locks..........................................2-9
Delayed Locking.............................................2-9
Programmable Automatic Door Locks..............2-10
Rear Door Security Locks..............................2-12
Lockout Protection........................................2-12
Midgate.......................................................2-13
Tailgate.......................................................2-21
Windows........................................................2-23
Power Windows............................................2-24
Sun Visors...................................................2-24
Theft-Deterrent Systems..................................2-25
Content Theft-Deterrent.................................2-25
Passlock
®....................................................2-26Starting and Operating Your Vehicle................2-27
New Vehicle Break-In....................................2-27
Ignition Positions..........................................2-27
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)...................2-28
Starting Your Engine.....................................2-28
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal................2-29
Engine Coolant Heater..................................2-30
Automatic Transmission Operation...................2-31
Tow/Haul Mode............................................2-33
All-Wheel Drive............................................2-34
Parking Brake..............................................2-34
Shifting Into Park (P).....................................2-35
Shifting Out of Park (P).................................2-36
Parking Over Things That Burn.......................2-37
Engine Exhaust............................................2-37
Running Your Engine While
You Are Parked........................................2-38
Section 2 Features and Controls
2-1