2008 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT ECO mode

What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In a deployment event, the sensing system sends
an electrical signal triggering a release of gas from
the inator. Gas from the inator lls the airbag
causing the bag to break out of the cover and deploy.
The inator, the airbag, and related hardware are
all part of the airbag module.
Frontal airbag modules are located inside the
steering wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles
with roof-rail airbags, there are airbag modules in
the ceiling of the vehicle, near the side windows
that have occupant seating positions.
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.Airbags supplement the protection provided by
safety belts. Frontal airbags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually. Roof-rail airbags
distribute the force of the impact more evenly over
the occupant’s upper body.
Rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to
help contain the head and chest of occupants in the
outboard seating positions in the rst and second rows.
The rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to
help reduce the risk of full or partial ejection in rollover
events, although no system can prevent all such
ejections.
But airbags would not help in many types of
collisions, primarily because the occupant’s motion
is not toward those airbags. SeeWhen Should an
Airbag Inate? on page 1-61for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything
more than a supplement to safety belts.
1-63

Remote Vehicle Start
Your vehicle may have a remote starting feature. This
feature allows you to start the engine from outside of
the vehicle. It may also start up the vehicle’s heating or
air conditioning systems and rear window defogger.
Normal operation of the system will return after the
key is turned to the ON/RUN position.
During a remote start, the climate control system will
default to a heating or cooling mode depending on
the outside temperatures.
During a remote start, if your vehicle has an automatic
climate control system and heated seats, the heated
seats will turn on during colder outside temperatures
and will shut off when the key is turned to ON/RUN.
If your vehicle does not have an automatic climate
control system, during remote start, you will need
to manually turn the heated seats on and off. See
Heated Seats on page 1-4for additional information.
Laws in some communities may restrict the use of
remote starters. For example, some laws may require
a person using the remote start to have the vehicle
in view when doing so. Check local regulations for
any requirements on remote starting of vehicles.Do not use the remote start feature if your vehicle is
low on fuel. Your vehicle may run out of fuel.
The RKE transmitter with the remote start button,
provides an increased range of operation. However,
the range may be less while the vehicle is running.
As a result, you may need to be closer to your vehicle
to turn it off, than you were to turn it on.
There are other conditions which can affect the
performance of the transmitter, seeRemote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System on page 2-4for additional
information.
/(Remote Start):This button will be on the RKE
transmitter if you have remote start.
To start the vehicle using the remote start feature:
1. Aim the transmitter at the vehicle.
2. Press and release the transmitter’s lock button.
The vehicle’s doors will lock. Immediately press
and hold the transmitter’s remote start button
until the turn signal lights ash. If you cannot see
the vehicle’s lights, press and hold the remote
start button for two to four seconds. Pressing the
remote start button again after the vehicle has
started will turn the engine off.
2-8

Driver Shift Control (DSC)
Your vehicle has a Driver Shift Control (DSC).
The DSC controls the vehicle’s transmission and
vehicle speed while driving down hill or towing a trailer
by allowing you to select a desired range of gears.
To use this feature, do the following:
1. Move the shift lever to the MANUAL MODE (M).
2. Press the plus/minus button, to upshift or downshift
selecting the desired range of gears for your current
driving conditions.The DIC display will show the message MANUAL
SHIFT on the rst line and the current gear will be
displayed on the second line. SeeDriver Information
Center (DIC) on page 3-45andDIC Operation and
Displays on page 3-45for more information. The
number displayed in the DIC is the highest gear that
can be used. However, your vehicle can automatically
shift to lower gears as it adjusts to driving conditions.
This means that all gears below that number are
available. When FIFTH (5) is selected, FIRST (1)
through FIFTH (5) gears are automatically shifted by
the vehicle, but SIXTH (6) cannot be used until the
plus/minus button located on the steering column lever
is used to change to the gear.
Grade Braking is not available when the Driver Shift
Control is active. SeeTow/Haul Mode on page 2-40
for more information.
While using the DSC, cruise control and the tow/haul
mode can be used.
2-39

Mirrors
Automatic Dimming Rearview
Mirror with Intellibeam
®, OnStar®,
Compass, and Temperature Display
Your vehicle may have an automatic dimming rearview
mirror with Intellibeam®, OnStar®, compass and
temperature display. For more information on OnStar®,
seeOnStar®System on page 2-56. For more information
on Intellibeam®, see “Intellibeam®Intelligent High-Beam
Headlamp Control System” underExterior Lamps
on page 3-14.
The mirror includes an eight-point compass display in
the upper right corner of the mirror face. When on, the
compass automatically calibrates as the vehicle is driven.
Outside temperature is also shown in the display.
Automatic Dimming
Your vehicle has an inside automatic dimming rearview
mirror. The automatic dimming feature is activated
whenever the vehicle is turned on and dims only
during nighttime driving.
Compass Operation
AUTO3:Press and hold the “auto highbeam”
button for about three seconds to turn the
compass/temperature display on or off.
When the ignition and the display features are on,
the display will show two character boxes for about
two seconds. After two seconds, the mirror will display
the compass heading and temperature.
Compass Calibration
If after two seconds the display does not show the
correct direction, (N for North for example), there may
be a strong magnetic eld interfering with the compass.
Such interference may be caused by a magnetic
antenna mount, magnetic note pad holder, or a similar
magnetic item.
The compass can be placed in calibration mode
manually by pressing and holding the “auto highbeam”
button for about nine seconds until CAL is shown in
the compass display.
The mirror can then be calibrated by driving the vehicle
in circles at 5 mph (8 km/h) or less until the display
reads the correct direction.
2-46

Temperature and Compass Display
Press the on/off button, located on the far left
of the mirror face, to turn the compass/temperature
display on or off.
If the display reads CAL, the compass needs
to be calibrated. For more information, see
“Compass Calibration” following.
To adjust between Fahrenheit and Celsius,
do the following:
1. Press and hold the on/off button until either
a ashing F or C appears.
2. Press the button again to change the display
to the desired unit of measurement. After
approximately four seconds of inactivity,
the new unit will be locked in and the
compass/temperature display will return.
If an abnormal temperature reading is displayed
for an extended period of time, please see your
GM dealer. Under certain circumstances, a delay
in updating the temperature is normal.
Automatic Dimming Mirror Operation
The automatic dimming mirror function is turned
on automatically each time the ignition is started.
To operate the automatic dimming mirror,
do the following:
1. Make sure the green indicator light, located
to the left of the on/off button, is lit. If it is not,
press and hold the on/off button until the
green light comes on, indicating that the mirror
is in automatic dimming mode.
2. Turn off the automatic dimming mirror function
by pressing and holding the on/off button until
the green indicator light turns off.
2-49

2. Write down the eight to 12 switch settings from
left to right as follows:
When a switch is in the up position,
write “Left.”
When a switch is in the down position,
write “Right.”
If a switch is set between the up and down
position, write “Middle.”
The switch settings that you wrote down in
Step 2 will now become the button strokes
you enter into the Universal Home Remote in
Step 4. Be sure to enter the switch settings
that you wrote down in Step 2, in order from
left to right, into the Universal Home Remote,
when completing Step 4.
3. From inside your vehicle, rst rmly press all
three buttons at the same time for about
three seconds. Release the buttons to put the
Universal Home Remote into programming mode.4. The indicator lights will blink slowly. Enter each
switch setting from Step 2 into your vehicle’s
Universal Home Remote. You will have two
and one-half minutes to complete Step 4.
Now press one button on the Universal Home
Remote for each switch setting as follows:
If you wrote “Left,” press the left button in
the vehicle.
If you wrote “Right,” press the right button in
the vehicle.
If you wrote “Middle,” press the middle button
in the vehicle.
2-65

Turn and Lane-Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and
two downward (for left) positions. These positions
allow you to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or
down. When the turn is nished, the lever will return
automatically.
To signal a lane change, raise or lower the lever for
less than one second until the arrow starts to ash.
This will cause the turn signals to automatically
ash three times. It will ash six times if the tow-haul
mode is active. Holding the turn signal lever for
more than one second will cause the turn signals to
ash until you release the lever. The lever will return
by itself when it is released.
An arrow on the instrument
panel cluster will ash
in the direction of the
turn or lane change.As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows
ash more quickly than normal, a signal bulb may
be burned out and other drivers will not see your
turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows do not go on at all when you
signal a turn, check for burned-out bulbs and a blown
fuse. SeeInstrument Panel Fuse Block on page 5-108
andUnderhood Fuse Block on page 5-111.
Turn Signal On Chime
If your turn signal is left on for more than 3/4 of a mile
(1.2 km), a chime will sound at each ash of the
turn signal and the message TURN SIGNAL ON will
also appear in the DIC. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 3-50. To turn the chime and message off, move
the turn signal lever to the off position.
3-8

Rainsense™ II Wipers
Your vehicle has Rainsense™ II windshield wipers.
These wipers automatically turn on when a sensor,
mounted next to the inside rearview mirror, detects
moisture on the windshield. When active, these wipers
are able to detect moisture on the windshield and
automatically turn on the wipers.
To turn on the Rainsense™ feature, the wipers must
be set to one of the ve delay settings. Each of the
ve settings adjusts the sensitivity of the rain sensor.
Since different drivers have different setting preferences,
it is recommended that the mid-range setting, position
three, be used initially. For more wipes, select the higher
settings; for fewer wipes, select the lower settings located
closer to the off position on the multifunction lever.
The rain sensor will automatically control the frequency
of the wipes from off to high speed according to
the weather conditions. The wipers can be left in a
Rainsense™ mode even when it is not raining.
When Rainsense™ II is active, the headlamps will
turn on automatically after approximately eight wipes.
The headlamps will turn off if the wiper switch is set
to a delay position, and there have been no wipesfor approximately three minutes, or if the wiper switch
is turned to the off position. If it is dark outside, the
headlamps will remain on.
Notice:Going through an automatic car wash with
the wipers on can damage them. Turn the wipers
off when going through an automatic car wash.
Windshield Washer
{CAUTION:
In freezing weather, do not use your washer
until the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the
washer uid can form ice on the windshield,
blocking your vision.
L(Washer Fluid):Push the paddle marked with the
windshield washer symbol at the top of the multifunction
lever, to spray washer uid on the windshield. The
wipers clear the window and then either stop or return
to the preset speed.
3-10