2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV steering

Voice Recognition The Bluetooth system uses voice recognition to interpret
voice commands to dial phone numbers and name tags.
Noise: Keep interior noise levels to a minimum.
The system may not recognize voice commands if
there is too much background noise.
When to Speak: A short tone sounds after the system
responds indicating when it is waiting for a voice
command. Wait until the tone and then speak.
How to Speak: Speak clearly in a calm and natural
voice.
Audio System When using the in-vehicle Bluetooth system, sound
comes through the vehicle’s front audio system speakers
and overrides the audio system. Use the audio system
volume knob, during a call, to change the volume level.
The adjusted volume level remains in memory for later
calls. To prevent missed calls, a minimum volume level
is used if the volume is turned down too low. Bluetooth Controls Use the buttons located on the steering wheel to
operate the in-vehicle Bluetooth system. See Audio
Steering Wheel Controls on page 3-115 for more
information.
b g (Push To Talk): Press to answer incoming calls,
to conrm system information, and to start speech
recognition.
c x (Phone On Hook): Press to end a call, reject a
call, or to cancel an operation.
Pairing A Bluetooth enabled cell phone must be paired to the
in-vehicle Bluetooth system rst and then connected to
the vehicle before it can be used. See the cell phone
manufacturers user guide for Bluetooth functions before
pairing the cell phone. If a Bluetooth phone is not
connected, calls will be made using OnStar ®
Hands-Free
Calling, if available. Refer to the OnStar owner’s guide for
more information.
3-76

PROG (Program): Press this button to go to the
next preset radio station or channel set on the main
radio. This function is inactive, with some radios, if the
front seat passengers are listening to the radio.
When a CD or DVD audio disc is playing, press this
button to go to the beginning of the CD or DVD audio.
This function is inactive, with some radios, if the
front seat passengers are listening to the disc.
When a disc is playing in the CD or DVD changer,
press this button to select the next disc, if multiple discs
are loaded. This function is inactive, with some radios,
if the front seat passengers are listening to the disc.
When a DVD video menu is being displayed, press the
PROG button to perform the menu function, enter.
Theft-Deterrent Feature THEFTLOCK ®
is designed to discourage theft of the
vehicle’s radio by learning a portion of the Vehicle
Identication Number (VIN). The radio does not operate
if it is stolen or moved to a different vehicle. Audio Steering Wheel Controls Vehicles with audio
steering wheel controls
could differ depending
on the vehicle’s options.
Some audio controls
can be adjusted at the
steering wheel.
w (Next): Press to go to the next radio station stored
as a favorite, or the next track if a CD/DVD is playing.
x c (Previous/End): Press to go to the previous
radio station stored as a favorite, the next track if
a CD/DVD is playing, to reject an incoming call,
or end a current call.
3-115

3. For the second row display select the Rear AUX
screen button next to Rear Display 1 and for the
third row display select the Rear AUX screen
button next to Rear Display 2. Each screen
works independently of the other. The second
row screen can watch a DVD while the third row
screen can use the auxiliary device.
The rear seat passengers can also use the remote
control to change the functions of the RSE. See Rear
Seat Entertainment (RSE) System (Overhead) on
page 3-87 or Rear Seat Entertainment (RSE) System
(Headrest DVD) on page 3-97 for more information.
Voice Recognition The navigation system’s voice recognition allows for
hands-free operation of the navigation system, audio
system, and OnStar ®
features. The DVD map disc must
be installed in the navigation system for voice recognition
to work. See “Installing the DVD Map Disc” under Maps
on page 4-15 for more information. Voice recognition can be used when the ignition is on
or when Retained Accessory Power (RAP) is active.
See “Retained Accessory Power (RAP)” in the Index
of your vehicle’s owner manual for more information.
To use voice recognition, do the following:
1. Push and hold the
SRCE button on the
steering wheel until you
hear a beep. The audio
system mutes.
2. Clearly state one of the commands listed on the
following pages.
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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

Drunk Driving
{ CAUTION: Drinking and then driving is very dangerous. Your
reexes, perceptions, attentiveness, and judgment
can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol.
You can have a serious — or even fatal — collision
if you drive after drinking. Do not drink and drive or
ride with a driver who has been drinking. Ride home
in a cab; or if you are with a group, designate a
driver who will not drink.
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a global tragedy.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a
vehicle: judgment, muscular coordination, vision, and
attentiveness.
Police records show that almost 40 percent of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking
and driving. In recent years, more than 17,000 annual
motor vehicle-related deaths have been associated with
the use of alcohol, with about 250,000 people injured. For persons under 21, it is against the law in every
U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical,
psychological, and developmental reasons for
these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol and
then drive.
Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s system
can make crash injuries worse, especially injuries to the
brain, spinal cord, or heart. This means that when anyone
who has been drinking — driver or passenger — is in a
crash, that person’s chance of being killed or permanently
disabled is higher than if the person had not been
drinking.
Control of a Vehicle The following three systems help to control the vehicle
while driving — brakes, steering, and accelerator.
At times, as when driving on snow or ice, it is easy to
ask more of those control systems than the tires and road
can provide. Meaning, you can lose control of the vehicle.
See StabiliTrak ®
System on page 5-6 .
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
vehicle performance. See Accessories and Modifications
on page 6-3 .
5-3

Braking in Emergencies ABS allows the driver to steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help more than
even the very best braking.
Brake Assist This vehicle has a Brake Assist feature designed to assist
the driver in stopping or decreasing vehicle speed in
emergency driving conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake control module to
supplement the power brake system under conditions
where the driver has quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly stop or slow down
the vehicle. The stability system hydraulic brake control
module increases brake pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates. Minor brake pedal
pulsations or pedal movement during this time is normal
and the driver should continue to apply the brake pedal
as the driving situation dictates The Brake Assist feature
will automatically disengage when the brake pedal is
released or brake pedal pressure is quickly decreased. StabiliTrak ®
System The vehicle has a vehicle stability enhancement system
called StabiliTrak. It is an advanced computer controlled
system that assists the driver with directional control of
the vehicle in difficult driving conditions.
StabiliTrak activates when the computer senses a
discrepancy between the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling. StabiliTrak selectively
applies braking pressure at any one of the vehicle’s
brakes to assist the driver with keeping the vehicle on the
intended path.
When the vehicle is started and begins to move, the
system performs several diagnostic checks to insure
there are no problems. The system may be heard or felt
while it is working. This is normal and does not mean
there is a problem with the 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 cruise control is being used when StabiliTrak activates,
the cruise control automatically disengages. The cruise
control can be re-engaged when road conditions allow.
See Cruise Control on page 3-13 .
5-6

If the system fails to turn on or activate, the StabiliTrak
light along with one of the following messages will be
displayed on the Driver Information Center (DIC):
TRACTION CONTROL OFF, SERVICE TRACTION
CONTROL, STABILITRAK OFF, SERVICE
STABILITRAK. If these DIC messages appear, make
sure the StabiliTrak system has not been turned off
using the StabiliTrak on/off button. Then turn the steering
wheel clockwise from the nine o’clock position to the
three o’clock position. If this clears the message(s), the
vehicle does not need servicing. If this does not clear the
message(s), then turn the vehicle off, wait 15 seconds,
and then turn it back on again to reset the system. If any
of these messages still appear on the Driver Information
Center (DIC), the vehicle should be taken in for service.
For more information on the DIC messages, see Driver
Information Center (DIC) on page 3-47 .
The StabiliTrak light will
ash on the instrument
panel cluster when the
system is both on and
activated.
The system may be heard or felt while it is working; this
is normal. The traction control disable
button is located on the
instrument panel below the
climate controls.
The traction control part of StabiliTrak can be turned off
by pressing and releasing the StabiliTrak button if both
systems (traction control and StabiliTrak) were previously
on. To disable both traction control and StabiliTrak, press
and hold the button for ve seconds.
Traction control and StabiliTrak can be turned on by
pressing and releasing the StabiliTrak button if not
automatically shut off for any other reason.
When the TCS or StabiliTrak system is turned off,
the StabiliTrak light and the appropriate TCS off or
StabiliTrak off message will be displayed on the DIC to
warn the driver. The vehicle will still have brake-traction
control when traction control is off, but will not be able
to use the engine speed management system. See
“Traction Control Operation” next for more information.
When the traction control system has been turned off,
system noises may still be heard as a result of the
brake-traction control coming on.
5-7

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