2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV suspension

Tow/Haul Mode
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 “Tow/Haul Mode” 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. SeeRoad Sensing
Suspension on page 4-9.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot. Push down the parking
brake pedal with your left foot.
A chime will activate and the warning light will ash
when the parking brake is applied and the vehicle
is moving at least 3 mph (5 km/h) for at least three
seconds.To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the bottom edge of the lever, located
above the parking brake pedal, with the parking
brake symbol, to release the parking brake.
If the ignition is on when the parking brake is released,
the brake system warning light will go off.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify that
the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-54.
2-23

SERVICE CHARGING SYSTEM
On some vehicles, if there is a problem with the battery
charging system, this message will appear on the
DIC. Under certain conditions, the charging system light
may also turn on in the instrument panel cluster. See
Charging System Light on page 3-38. The battery
will not be charging at an optimal rate and the vehicle
will lose the ability to enter the fuel economy mode. The
vehicle is safe to drive, however you should have the
electrical system checked by your GM dealer. Pressing
any of the four DIC buttons or the trip odometer
reset stem will acknowledge the message and clear it
from the DIC display.
SERVICE RIDE CONTROL
If a problem occurs with the suspension system, this
message will appear on the DIC. See your GM dealer.
Pressing any of the four DIC buttons or the trip
odometer reset stem will acknowledge the message
and clear it from the DIC display.
SERVICE STABILITY
If you ever see the SERVICE STABILITY message, it
means there may be a problem with your StabiliTrak®
system. 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
GM dealer for service. The vehicle is safe to drive,
however, you do not have the benet of StabiliTrak
®,
so reduce your speed and drive accordingly.
For more information on the StabiliTrak
®system, see
StabiliTrak®System on page 4-9.
SERVICE TIRE MONITOR
This message will be displayed if any of the tire monitor
sensors have malfunctioned, if the tire monitor sensors
have not been programmed or if the recommended
tire pressures are not programmed. See your GM dealer
for service. Pressing any of the four DIC buttons or
the trip odometer reset stem will acknowledge the
message and clear it from the DIC display.
STABILITY SYS (System) 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 are steering.
For more information on the StabiliTrak
®system, see
StabiliTrak®System on page 4-9.
3-60

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-5
Braking.........................................................4-6
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).........................4-7
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-8
Road Sensing Suspension...............................4-9
StabiliTrak
®System........................................4-9
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System.......................4-12
Steering......................................................4-12
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-15
Passing.......................................................4-15
Loss of Control.............................................4-17
Off-Road Driving...........................................4-18
Driving at Night............................................4-32
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-33City Driving..................................................4-36
Freeway Driving...........................................4-37
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-38
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-39
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-39
Winter Driving..............................................4-41
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow..............................................4-45
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-46
Recovery Hooks...........................................4-46
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-47
Towing..........................................................4-53
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-53
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-54
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-54
Trailer Recommendations...............................4-67
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Road Sensing Suspension
The Road Sensing Suspension (RSS) feature provides
superior vehicle ride and handling under a variety of
passenger and loading conditions.
The system is fully automatic and uses a computer
controller to continuously monitor vehicle speed, wheel
to body position, lift/dive and steering position of the
vehicle. The controller then sends signals to each shock
absorber to independently adjust the damping level to
provide the optimum vehicle ride.
RSS also interacts with the tow/haul mode that, when
engaged, will provide additional control of the shock
absorbers. This additional control results in better ride
and handling characteristics when the vehicle is
loaded or towing a trailer. See “Tow/Haul Mode” under
Towing a Trailer on page 4-54.
StabiliTrak®System
Your vehicle is equipped with StabiliTrak®, which
combines antilock brake, traction and stability control
systems and helps the driver maintain directional control
of the vehicle in most driving conditions.
When you rst start your vehicle and begin to drive
away, the system performs several diagnostic checks to
insure there are no problems. You may hear or feel
the system working. This is normal and does not mean
there is a problem with your vehicle. The system
should initialize before the vehicle reaches 20 mph
(32 km/h). In some cases, it may take approximately
two miles of driving before the system initializes.
If the system fails to turn on or activate, the STABILITY
SYS DISABLED or SERVICE STABILITY message
will be displayed. If the vehicle has gone through heavy
acceleration or braking or multiple turns during the
rst two miles of driving after starting your vehicle, the
STABILITY SYS DISABLED message may appear.
If this is the case, your vehicle does not need servicing.
You will need to turn the vehicle off and then restart
it to initialize StabiliTrak
®. If either message appears on
the Driver Information Center (DIC), and your vehicle
hasn’t gone through hard acceleration, braking or
multiple turns in the rst two miles of driving, your
vehicle should be taken in for service.
4-9

If the water is not too deep, drive slowly through it.
At faster speeds, water splashes on the ignition system
and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also occur if
you get the tailpipe under water. And, as long as
the tailpipe is under water, you will never be able to
start the engine. When you go through water, remember
that when the 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 4-33
for 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.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due
to off-road use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule for
additional information.
4-31

Your warranty does not cover parts or components
that fail because of overloading.
The label will help you decide how much cargo and
installed equipment your truck can carry.
Using heavier suspension components to get added
durability might not change your weight ratings. Ask your
dealer to help you load your vehicle the right way.
If you put things inside your vehicle — like suitcases,
tools, packages, or anything else — they will go as
fast as the vehicle goes. If you have to stop or
turn quickly, or if there is a crash, they will keep going.
{CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn,
or in a crash.
Put things in the cargo area of your
vehicle. Try to spread the weight evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that some of them
are above the tops of the seats.
Do not leave an unsecured child restraint
in your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Do not leave a seat folded down unless
you need to.
There is also important loading information for off-road
driving in this manual. See “Loading Your Vehicle
for Off-Road Driving” underOff-Road Driving on
page 4-18.
4-52

Add-On Equipment
When you carry removable items, you may need to
put a limit on how many people you can carry inside
your vehicle. Be sure to weigh your vehicle before
you buy and install the new equipment.
Notice:Overloading your vehicle may cause
damage. Repairs would not be covered by your
warranty. Do not overload your vehicle.
Remember not to exceed the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) of the front or rear axle.
Automatic Level Control
The automatic level control rear suspension comes
as a part of the Road Sensing Suspension. See
Road Sensing Suspension on page 4-9.
This type of level control is fully automatic and will
provide a better leveled riding position as well as better
handling under a variety of passenger and loading
conditions. An air compressor connected to the rear
shocks will raise or lower the rear of the vehicle
to maintain proper vehicle height. The system is
activated when the ignition key is turned to RUN and
will automatically adjust vehicle height thereafter.The system may exhaust (lower vehicle height) for up
to 10 minutes after the ignition key has been turned
to LOCK. You may hear the air compressor operating
when the height is being adjusted.
If a weight-distributing hitch is being used, it is
recommended to allow the shocks to inate, thereby
leveling the vehicle prior to adjusting the height.
See “Weight distributing Hitches and Weight Carrying
Hitches” underTowing a Trailer on page 4-54.
Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service
if you need to have your disabled vehicle towed.
SeeRoadside Service on page 7-6.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see Recreational Vehicle Towing following.
4-53

Headlamp Aiming
Your vehicle has a visual optical headlamp aiming
system equipped with horizontal aim indicators. The aim
has been preset at the factory and should need no
further adjustment. This is true even though your
horizontal aim indicators may not fall exactly on the
“0” (zero) marks on their scales.
If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the headlamp
aim may be affected. Aim adjustment to the low beam
may be necessary if it is difficult to see lane markers
(for horizontal aim), or if oncoming drivers ash
their high beams at you (for vertical aim).
If you believe your headlamps need to be re-aimed, we
recommend that you take your vehicle to your dealer
for service. However, it is possible for you to re-aim your
headlamps as described in the following procedure.Notice:To make sure your headlamps are aimed
properly, read all the instructions before beginning.
Failure to follow these instructions could cause
damage to headlamp parts.
The vehicle should be properly prepared as follows:
The vehicle should be placed so the headlamps are
25 ft. (7.6 m) from a light colored wall or other at
surface.
The vehicle must have all four tires on a perfectly
level surface which is level all the way to the wall
or other at surface.
The vehicle should be placed so it is perpendicular
to the wall or other at surface.
The vehicle should not have any snow, ice or mud
attached to it.
The vehicle should be fully assembled and all other
work stopped while headlamp aiming is being done.
The vehicle should be normally loaded with a
full tank of fuel and one person or 160 lbs (75 kg) on
the driver’s seat.
Tires should be properly inated.
Start the vehicle and rock it to level the suspension.
Headlamp aiming is done with the vehicle low-beam
headlamps. The high-beam headlamps will be correctly
aimed if the low-beam headlamps are aimed properly.
5-46