2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT brake light

Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and may stay on for
several seconds.
That’s normal. If the light doesn’t come on then, have it
xed so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you’re driving,
your vehicle needs service. You will also hear a
chime sound when the light is on steady. If the regular
brake system warning light isn’t on, you still have
brakes, but you don’t have anti-lock brakes. If the
regular brake system warning light is also on you don’t
have anti-lock brakes and there’s a problem with
your regular brakes. In addition to both lights, you will
also hear a chime sound on the rst occurrence of
a problem and each time the vehicle is shut off and then
restarted. SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 3-35.
Low Tire Pressure Warning Light
This light and a chime will
come on along with the
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
message in the DIC
when one or more of your
tires is signicantly
under-inated.
This light will also come on briey when you start
the engine.
See “CHECK TIRE PRESSURE” underDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 3-48for more information.
Stop and check your tires as soon as possible,
and inate them to the proper pressure as indicated on
the vehicle’s certication/tire label. SeeTires on
page 5-60for more information on your vehicle’s tires.
3-36

REDUCED ENGINE POWER
This message is displayed and a chime will sound when
the cooling system temperature gets too hot and the
engine further enters the engine coolant protection
mode. SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-26for
further information.
You may also see this message when the vehicle
determines a problem with the electronic throttle control.
See your GM dealer for service.
RIGHT REAR DOOR AJAR
If the passenger’s side rear door is not fully closed and
the vehicle is in a drive gear, this message will
appear on the display and you will hear a chime.
Stop and turn off the vehicle, check the door for
obstacles, and close the door again. Check to see if the
message still appears on the DIC. Pressing any of
the four DIC buttons or the trip odometer reset stem will
clear the message from the DIC display.
SERVICE 4WD (Four-Wheel-Drive)
If a problem occurs with the all-wheel-drive system,
this message will appear on the DIC. If this message
appears, stop as soon as possible and turn off the
vehicle. Restart the vehicle and check for the messageon the DIC display. If the message is still displayed
or appears again when you begin driving, the
all-wheel-drive system needs service. See your
GM dealer. Pressing any of the four DIC buttons or the
trip odometer reset stem will clear the message from
the DIC display.
SERVICE AIR BAG
If there is a problem with the airbag system, this
message will be displayed on the DIC. Have your
GM dealer inspect the system for problems. SeeAirbag
Readiness Light on page 3-31andAirbag System on
page 1-52for more information. Pressing any of the
four DIC buttons or the trip odometer reset stem
will clear the message from the DIC display.
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
If a problem occurs with the brake system, this message
will appear on the DIC. If this message appears, stop
as soon as possible and turn off the vehicle. Restart the
vehicle and check for the message on the DIC display.
If the message is still displayed or appears again
when you begin driving, the brake system needs service.
See your GM dealer. Pressing any of the four DIC
buttons or the trip odometer reset stem will clear the
message from the DIC display.
3-53

STABILITY SYS (System) DISABLED
The STABILITY SYS DISABLED message will turn on
when you press the StabiliTrak®button or when the
stability control has been automatically disabled.
There are four conditions that can cause this message
to appear.
One condition is overheating, which could occur if
StabiliTrak®activates continuously for an extended
period of time.
The message will also be displayed if the brake
system warning light is on. SeeBrake System
Warning Light on page 3-35.
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.
For more information on the StabiliTrak
®system, see
StabiliTrak®System on page 4-9.
TIGHTEN FUEL CAP
If the vehicle’s fuel cap is not tightened properly this
message may appear along with the check engine light
on the instrument panel. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp on page 3-39. Reinstall the fuel cap, making sure
to fully install the cap. SeeFilling the Tank on
page 5-8. The diagnostic system can determine if the
fuel cap has been left off or improperly installed. A loose
or missing fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into
the atmosphere. A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed should turn the light and message off.
TRACTION ACTIVE
When the traction control system has detected that any
of the vehicle’s wheels are slipping, the traction
control system will activate and this message will appear
on the DIC. SeeStabiliTrak
®System on page 4-9for
more information.
TRACTION SYS (System) LIMITED
If the brake traction control system activates constantly
or if the brakes have heated up due to high-speed
braking, brake traction control will be disabled and the
TRACTION SYS LIMITED message will be displayed.
The system will return to normal operation after the
brakes have cooled. SeeStabiliTrak
®System on
page 4-9for more information.
3-55

Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-35.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That is perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or
more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness,
coordination, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol,
drugs, and frustration. But even in three-fourths of a
second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between
your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement
or gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is
wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition of your brakes;
the weight of the vehicle; and the amount of brake
force applied.Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is
a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much
faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace
with the traffic and allow realistic following distances,
you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you are driving, brake
normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 5-3.
4-6

Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced
electronic braking system that will help prevent a
braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You may
hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on. This is normal.
If there is a problem with
the anti-lock brake system,
this warning light will
stay on. SeeAnti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light on page 3-36.
Along with ABS, your vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system. If there is a DRP problem,
both the brake and ABS warning lights will come on
accompanied by a 10-second chime. The lights
and chime will come on each time the ignition is
turned on until the problem is repaired. See your
dealer for service.Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down.
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels.
4-7

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. For more information on the
stability messages, seeDriver Information Center (DIC)
on page 3-45.
StabiliTrak
®and part of
the traction control system
can be turned off or
back on by pressing the
StabiliTrak
®button located
on the instrument panel.
When the system is turned off, the traction off light will
illuminate, and the STABILITY SYS DISABLED
message will appear on the DIC to warn the driver that
both the stability system and part of the traction
control system are disabled. Your vehicle will still have
brake-traction control when StabiliTrak
®is off, but
will not be able to use the engine speed management
system. See “Traction Control Operation” next for
more information.When the StabiliTrak
®system has been turned off you
may still hear system noises as a result of the
brake-traction control coming on.
To limit wheel spin and realize the full benets of the
stability enhancement system, you should normally
leave StabiliTrak
®on, but it may be necessary to turn
the system off if your vehicle is stuck in sand, mud,
ice or snow, and you want to “rock” your vehicle
to attempt to free it. It may also be necessary to turn off
the system when driving in extreme off-road conditions
where high wheel spin is required. SeeIf Your Vehicle is
Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on page 4-42.
Traction Control Operation
The traction control system is part of the StabiliTrak®
system. Traction control limits wheel spin by reducing
engine power to the wheels (engine speed management)
and by applying brakes to each individual wheel
(brake-traction control) as necessary.
The traction control system is enabled automatically
when you start your vehicle, and it will activate
and display the TRACTION ACTIVE message in the
Driver Information Center (DIC) if it senses that any of
the wheels are spinning or beginning to lose traction
while driving. If you turn off StabiliTrak
®, only the
brake-traction control portion of traction control will work.
4-10

The engine speed management will be disabled. In this
state, engine power is not reduced automatically and
the driven wheels can spin more freely. This can cause
the brake-traction control to activate constantly. For
more information on the traction active message, see
Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-45.
Notice:If the traction off light comes on due to
heavy braking and/or because the traction control
system has been continuously active, do not
allow the wheel(s) of one axle to spin excessively.
If you do, you may be causing damage to the
transfer case. This could lead to costly repairs not
covered by your warranty.
If the brake traction-control system activates constantly
or if the brakes have heated up due to high-speed
braking, brake traction-control will be disabled and the
TRACTION SYS LIMITED message will be displayed.
In the limited mode, the traction control system will only
use engine traction-control and is limited in its ability
to provide optimal performance since the system will not
utilize brake traction-control to control slip on the
drive wheels. The system will return to normal operation
after the brakes have cooled. This can take up to
two minutes or longer depending on brake usage.Notice:If you allow the wheel(s) of one axle to
spin excessively while the traction system is off,
ABS and brake warning lights and the SERVICE
STABILITY message are displayed, you could
damage the transfer case. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Reduce engine power
and do not spin the wheel(s) excessively while these
lights and this message are displayed.
The traction control system may activate on dry or
rough roads or under conditions such as heavy
acceleration while turning or abrupt upshifts/downshifts
of the transmission. When this happens you may
notice a reduction in acceleration, or may hear a noise
or vibration. This is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the system
activates, the STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message will
appear on the Driver Information Center and the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to use cruise again, you may
re-engage the cruise control. SeeCruise Control on
page 3-10.
StabiliTrak
®may also turn off automatically if it
determines that a problem exists with the system.
If the problem does not clear itself after restarting the
vehicle, you should see your dealer for service.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 5-3for more information.
4-11

{CAUTION:
Heavy braking when going down a hill can
cause your brakes to overheat and fade. This
could cause loss of control and a serious
accident. Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low gear to keep
vehicle speed under control.
Q:Are there some things I should not do when
driving down a hill?
A:Yes! These are important because if you ignore
them you could lose control and have a serious
accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across the incline of the hill. A hill that is not too
steep to drive down may be too steep to drive
across. You could roll over if you do not drive
straight down.
Never go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N). This is called “free-wheeling.”
The brakes will have to do all the work and
could overheat and fade.
Q:Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A:It is much more likely to happen going uphill. But if
it happens going downhill, here is what to do.
1. Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes.
Apply the parking brake.
2. Shift to PARK (P) and, while still braking, restart the
engine.
3. Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake,
and drive straight down.
4. If the engine will not start, get out and get help.
4-25