2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV towing

Shifting Into Park
{ CAUTION: It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake rmly set. The vehicle can roll. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be
sure the vehicle will not move, even when you are
on fairly level ground, use the steps that follow.
If you are pulling a trailer, see Towing a Trailer on
page 5-44 .
1. Hold the brake pedal down, then set the parking
brake.
2. Move the shift lever into the P (Park) position by
pulling the shift lever toward you and moving it up
as far as it will go.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave the vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, the vehicle is in P (Park). Leaving the Vehicle With the Engine
Running
{ CAUTION: It can be dangerous to leave the vehicle with the
engine running. The vehicle could move suddenly if
the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake rmly set. And, if you leave the vehicle with
the engine running, it could overheat and even
catch re. You or others could be injured. Do not
leave the vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave the vehicle with the engine running,
be sure the vehicle is in P (Park) and the parking
brake is rmly set. After the shift lever is moved into
P (Park), hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see
if you can move the shift lever away from P (Park)
without rst pulling it toward you. If you can, it means
that the shift lever was not fully locked into P (Park).
2-36

Running the Vehicle While Parked It is better not to park with the engine running. But if you
ever have to, here are some things to know.
{ CAUTION: Idling a vehicle in an enclosed area with poor
ventilation is dangerous. Engine exhaust may
enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust contains Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
Never run the engine in an enclosed area that has
no fresh air ventilation. For more information, see
Engine Exhaust on page 2-38 .{ CAUTION: It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle
if the automatic transmission shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking brake rmly set.
The vehicle can roll. Do not leave the vehicle
when the engine is running unless you have to.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure the vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground, always set the
parking brake and move the shift lever to P (Park).
Follow the proper steps to be sure the vehicle will not
move. See Shifting Into Park on page 2-36 .
If parking on a hill and pulling a trailer, see Towing a
Trailer on page 5-44 .
2-39

The manufacturer is not responsible for any radio or TV
interference caused by unauthorized modications to
this equipment. Such modications could void the user’s
authority to operate the equipment.
{ CAUTION: SBZA is only a lane changing aid and does not
replace driver vision. SBZA does not detect:
Vehicles outside the side blind zones which
may be rapidly approaching.
Pedestrians, bicyclists, or animals.
Failure to use proper care when changing lanes
may result in damage to the vehicle, injury, or
death. Always check the outside and rearview
mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and use the
turn signal before changing lanes.
When the system detects a vehicle in the side blind zone,
amber SBZA displays light up in the side mirrors. This
indicates that it may be unsafe to change lanes. Before
making a lane change, always check the SBZA display,
check the outside and rearview mirrors, look over your
shoulder for vehicles and hazards, and use the turn
signal. SBZA Detection Zones The SBZA sensor covers a zone of approximately one
lane over from both sides of the vehicle, 11 ft. or 3.5 m.
This zone starts at each side mirror and goes back
approximately 16 ft. (5.0 m). The height of the zone is
approximately between 1.5 ft. (0.5 m) and 6 ft. (2.0 m) off
the ground.
Use caution while changing lanes when towing a trailer,
as the SBZA detection zones do not change when a
trailer is towed.
2-45

Brake System Warning Light With the ignition on, the brake system warning light
comes on when the parking brake is set. If the vehicle
is driven with the parking brake engaged, a chime
sounds when the vehicle speed is greater than
3 mph (5 km/h).
The vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part is not working, the other part
can still work and stop the vehicle. For good braking
both parts need to be working well.
If the warning light comes on and a chime sounds there
could be a brake problem. Have the brake system
inspected by your dealer/retailer.
This light can also come on due to low brake uid.
See Brakes on page 6-36 for more information. This light comes on briey when the ignition is turned
to ON/RUN. If it does not, have it xed so it will be ready
to warn if there is a problem.
If the light comes on while driving, pull off the road and
stop carefully. The pedal could be harder to push or
could go closer to the oor. It can take longer to stop.
If the light is still on, have the vehicle towed for service.
See Towing Your Vehicle on page 5-40 .
{ CAUTION: The brake system might not be working properly if
the brake system warning light is on. Driving with
the brake system warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after the vehicle has
been pulled off the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for service.
United States
Canada
3-39

This light comes on during a malfunction in one of
two ways:
Light Flashing: A misre condition has been detected.
A misre increases vehicle emissions and could
damage the emission control system on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be required.
To prevent more serious damage to the vehicle:
Reduce vehicle speed.
Avoid hard accelerations.
Avoid steep uphill grades.
If towing a trailer, reduce the amount of cargo being
hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park the vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds, and restart
the engine. If the light is still ashing, follow the previous
steps and see your dealer/retailer for service as soon
as possible.
Light On Steady: An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be required. An emission system malfunction might be corrected by
doing the following:
Make sure the fuel cap is fully installed. See Filling
the Tank on page 6-9 . The diagnostic system
can determine if the fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel cap
allows fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed
should turn the light off.
If the vehicle has been driven through a deep puddle
of water, the vehicle’s electrical system might be wet.
The condition is usually corrected when the electrical
system dries out. A few driving trips should turn the
light off.
Make sure to fuel the vehicle with quality fuel. Poor
fuel quality causes the engine not to run as efficiently
as designed and can cause: stalling after start-up,
stalling when the vehicle is changed into gear,
misring, hesitation on acceleration, or stumbling
on acceleration. These conditions might go away
once the engine is warmed up.
If one or more of these conditions occurs, change the
fuel brand used. It will require at least one full tank of
the proper fuel to turn the light off.
See Gasoline Octane on page 6-5 .
If none of the above have made the light turn off, your
dealer/retailer can check the vehicle. The dealer/retailer
has the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to
x any mechanical or electrical problems that might have
developed.
3-43

Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle ........... .5-2
Driving for Better Fuel Economy ...................... .5-2
Defensive Driving .......................................... .5-2
Drunk Driving ................................................ .5-3
Control of a Vehicle ....................................... .5-3
Braking ........................................................ .5-4
Antilock Brake System (ABS) .......................... .5-5
Braking in Emergencies .................................. .5-6
StabiliTrak ®
System ....................................... .5-6
Magnetic Ride Control™ ................................. .5-9
Road Sensing Suspension .............................. .5-9
Locking Rear Axle ......................................... .5-9
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System ........................ .5-9
Steering ..................................................... .5-10
Off-Road Recovery ...................................... .5-11
Passing ...................................................... .5-12
Loss of Control ............................................ .5-12
Off-Road Driving .......................................... .5-13 Driving at Night ........................................... .5-25
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads ................. .5-26
Before Leaving on a Long Trip ...................... .5-27
Highway Hypnosis ....................................... .5-27
Hill and Mountain Roads ............................... .5-28
Winter Driving ............................................. .5-29
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow ............................................ .5-31
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out ................ .5-32
Recovery Hooks .......................................... .5-32
Loading the Vehicle ..................................... .5-33
Towing ......................................................... .5-40
Towing Your Vehicle .................................... .5-40
Recreational Vehicle Towing .......................... .5-40
Level Control .............................................. .5-43
Autoride ®
.................................................... .5-44
Towing a Trailer .......................................... .5-44
Trailer Recommendations .............................. .5-57Section 5 Driving Your Vehicle
5-1

Magnetic Ride Control™ The vehicle may have the MagneRide control system.
MagneRide constantly checks speed, wheel position,
lift/dive and steering of the vehicle. The damping force for
each shock absorber and adjustment level is chosen for
the best ride and handling.
MagneRide also works with the tow/haul switch that,
when engaged, will provide more rmness from the shock
absorbers. This added control gives better ride and
handling when carrying heavy loads or towing a trailer.
See Tow/Haul Mode on page 2-33 for more information.
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 5-44 .
Locking Rear Axle Vehicles with a locking rear axle can give more traction
on snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It works like a
standard axle most of the time, but when traction is
low, this feature will allow the rear wheel with the
most traction to move the vehicle.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System If the vehicle has this feature, engine power is sent to all
four wheels when extra traction is needed. This is like
four-wheel drive, but there is no separate lever or switch
to engage or disengage the front axle. It is fully automatic,
and adjusts itself as needed for road conditions.
If the vehicle is a Two-mode Hybrid, see “Four-Wheel
Drive” in the Two-mode Hybrid Supplement.
5-9

Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out Turn the steering wheel left and right to clear the area
around the front wheels. Turn off any traction or stability
system. Shift back and forth between R (Reverse) and a
forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible.
To prevent transmission wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transmission is in gear. Slowly spinning
the wheels in the forward and reverse directions causes a
rocking motion that could free the vehicle. If that does not
get the vehicle out after a few tries, it might need to be
towed out. Recovery hooks can be used, if the vehicle
has them. If the vehicle does need to be towed out, see
Towing Your Vehicle on page 5-40 . Recovery Hooks
{ CAUTION: These hooks, when used, are under a lot of force.
Always pull the vehicle straight out. Never pull on
the hooks at a sideways angle. The hooks could
break off and you or others could be injured from
the chain or cable snapping back.
5-32