2007 CADILLAC ESCALADE steering wheel

Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow, or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow, or sand, the 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, the
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.
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 the wheel
hubs, axles, or exhaust pipe, do not try it — you
probably will not get through. Also, water that deep
can damage the axle and other vehicle parts.
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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 355for 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.
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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. SeeStabiliTrak
®System on page 330,
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or
Snow on page 368, andRocking Your Vehicle to
Get It Out on page 368.
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) improves
your vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop
on a slippery road. Even though you have ABS,
you will want to begin stopping sooner than
you would on dry pavement. SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System (ABS) on page 327.
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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If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you
will need to spin the wheels, but you do not
want to spin your wheels too fast. The method
known as rocking can help you get out when you
are stuck, but you must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed,
they can explode, and you or others could
be injured. And, the transmission or other
parts of the vehicle can overheat. That
could cause an engine compartment re
or other damage. When you are stuck,
spin the wheels as little as possible. Do
not spin the wheels above 35 mph
(55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer.Notice:Spinning your wheels can destroy
parts of your vehicle as well as the tires. If you
spin the wheels too fast while shifting your
transmission back and forth, you can destroy
your transmission.
For more information about using tire chains on
your vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 475.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That
will clear the area around your front wheels. If your
vehicle has the StabiliTrak
®System, turn the
system off by pressing the StabiliTrak®button so
that the STABILITY SYS DISABLED message
and the traction off light are illuminated on the
instrument panel cluster. Then shift back and
forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward gear,
spinning the wheels as little as possible.
Release the accelerator pedal while you shift,
and press lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
368

Dolly Towing
Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles (Rear Wheels
Off the Ground)
Notice:If you tow a two-wheel-drive vehicle
with the rear wheels on the ground, the
transmission could be damaged. The repairs
would not be covered by your warranty. Never
tow your vehicle with the rear wheels on the
ground.
Two-wheel-drive vehicles should not be towed
with the rear wheels on the ground.
Two-wheel-drive transmissions have no provisions
for internal lubrication while being towed.
Two-wheel-drive vehicles can be towed on a dolly
with the front wheels on the ground provided
that the wheels are straight.
Use the following procedure to dolly tow your
vehicle:
1. Drive the vehicle up onto the tow dolly.
2. Shift the transmission to PARK (P).
3. Turn the engine off, but leave the ignition on.
4. Firmly set the parking brake.5. Securely attach the vehicle being towed to the
tow dolly.
6. Release the parking brake only after the
vehicle being towed is rmly attached to
the towing vehicle.
Autoride®
The Autoride®feature provides improved 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.
Autoride
®also interacts with the tow/haul mode
that, when activated, 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” underTowing a Trailer
on page 379for more information.
378

Acquaint yourself with the feel of handling and
braking with the added weight of the trailer. And
always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly
as responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check all trailer hitch parts and
attachments, safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer
has electric brakes, start your vehicle and
trailer moving and then apply the trailer brake
controller by hand to be sure the brakes are
working. This lets you check your electrical
connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure
that the load is secure, and that the lamps and
any trailer brakes are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead
as you would when driving your vehicle without
a trailer. This can help you avoid situations
that require heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a
good deal longer, you’ll need to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before you can
return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with
one hand. Then, to move the trailer to the left, just
move that hand to the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right. Always back up
slowly and, if possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns while
trailering could cause the trailer to come in
contact with the vehicle. Your vehicle could
be damaged. Avoid making very sharp
turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider
turns than normal. Do this so your trailer
won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs,
trees or other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden
maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
388

Service........................................................ 396
Accessories and Modications................... 396
California Proposition 65 Warning.............. 397
Doing Your Own Service Work.................. 397
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle................................................... 398
Fuel............................................................. 398
Gasoline Octane........................................ 398
Gasoline Specications.............................. 398
California Fuel........................................... 399
Additives................................................... 399
Fuels in Foreign Countries........................ 400
Filling the Tank......................................... 401
Filling a Portable Fuel Container............... 403
Checking Things Under the Hood.............. 404
Hood Release........................................... 405
Engine Compartment Overview.................. 406
Engine Oil................................................. 407
Engine Oil Life System.............................. 410
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter............................ 412
Automatic Transmission Fluid.................... 415
Engine Coolant.......................................... 419Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap............ 422
Engine Overheating................................... 422
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode..................................... 424
Cooling System......................................... 425
Engine Fan Noise..................................... 430
Power Steering Fluid ................................. 430
Windshield Washer Fluid........................... 431
Brakes...................................................... 433
Battery...................................................... 436
Jump Starting............................................ 437
All-Wheel Drive........................................... 443
Rear Axle.................................................... 444
Front Axle................................................... 445
Headlamp Aiming........................................ 446
Bulb Replacement....................................... 449
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting..... 449
Back-Up Lamps......................................... 449
License Plate Lamp................................... 451
Replacement Bulbs................................... 451
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
393

Hood Release
To open the hood do the following:
1. Pull the handle with
this symbol on it. It
is located inside
the vehicle to
the lower left of the
steering wheel.
2. Then go to the front of the vehicle and locate
the secondary hood release, near the center
of the grille.
3. Push the secondary hood release to the right.
4. Lift the hood.
Before closing the hood, be sure all the ller
caps are on properly. Then bring the hood from
full open to within 6 inches (152 mm) from
the closed position, pause, then push the front
center of the hood with a swift, rm motion
to fully close the hood.
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