2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV automatic transmission

Power Release Fold and Tumble
Feature The transmission must be in (P) Park for this feature
to work.
Folding and Tumbling the Seat(s)
{ CAUTION: Automatically folding and tumbling the seat when
someone is sitting in the seat, could cause injury
to the person sitting there. Always make sure
there is no one sitting in the seat before pressing
the automatic seat release button.
To fold and tumble the seat, do the following:
1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of, or
on the seat.
Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts
still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts
and return them to their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat. 2. From the front seats,
press one of the
automatic seat release
buttons located on
the overhead console.
When accessing the third row seats, if your vehicle
has them, from the outside of the vehicle, press
the button on the panel behind either rear door.
One press of the button automatically folds
the seatback at and tumbles the seat forward.
There will be a slight delay between the folding of
the seatback and the tumbling of the seat.Overhead Console
Buttons shown, Panel
Button similar
1-15

Power Release Fold and Tumble
Feature The transmission must be in (P) Park for this feature
to work.
Folding and Tumbling the Seat(s)
{ CAUTION: Automatically folding and tumbling the seat when
someone is sitting in the seat, could cause injury
to the person sitting there. Always make sure
there is no one sitting in the seat before pressing
the automatic seat release button.
To fold and tumble the seat, do the following:
1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of, or
on the seat.
Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts
still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts
and return them to their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat. 2. From the front seats,
press one of the
automatic seat release
buttons located on
the overhead console.
When accessing the third row seats, if your vehicle
has them, from the outside of the vehicle, press
the button on the panel behind either rear door.
One press of the button automatically folds
the seatback at and tumbles the seat forward.
There will be a slight delay between the folding of
the seatback and the tumbling of the seat.Overhead Console
Buttons shown
1-22

Keys .............................................................. .2-3
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System ............... .2-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation .................................................. .2-5
Remote Vehicle Start ..................................... .2-8
Doors and Locks ........................................... .2-10
Door Locks ................................................. .2-10
Power Door Locks ....................................... .2-10
Delayed Locking .......................................... .2-10
Programmable Automatic Door Locks ............. .2-11
Rear Door Security Locks ............................. .2-11
Lockout Protection ....................................... .2-12
Liftgate/Liftglass ........................................... .2-12
Power Liftgate ............................................. .2-14
Power Assist Steps ...................................... .2-16
Windows ....................................................... .2-17
Power Windows ........................................... .2-18
Sun Visors .................................................. .2-20
Theft-Deterrent Systems ................................. .2-21
Content Theft-Deterrent ................................ .2-21
PASS-Key ®
III+ Electronic Immobilizer ............ .2-22
PASS-Key ®
III+ Electronic Immobilizer
Operation ................................................ .2-23 Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ............... .2-24
New Vehicle Break-In ................................... .2-24
Ignition Positions ......................................... .2-25
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) .................. .2-26
Starting the Engine ...................................... .2-26
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal ............... .2-27
Engine Coolant Heater ................................. .2-28
Automatic Transmission Operation .................. .2-29
Tow/Haul Mode ........................................... .2-33
Parking Brake ............................................. .2-34
Shifting Into Park ......................................... .2-36
Shifting Out of Park ..................................... .2-37
Parking Over Things That Burn ...................... .2-38
Engine Exhaust ........................................... .2-38
Running the Vehicle While Parked ................. .2-39
Mirrors .......................................................... .2-40
Manual Rearview Mirror ................................ .2-40
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror ............... .2-40
Outside Power Foldaway Mirrors .................... .2-40
Park Tilt Mirrors ........................................... .2-41
Outside Convex Mirror .................................. .2-41
Outside Heated Mirrors ................................. .2-42Section 2 Features and Controls
2-1

The power liftgate can be power opened and closed in
the following ways:
Press and hold the power liftgate button on the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter until
the liftgate starts moving. Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation on page 2-5 for more
information.
Pressing the liftgate button on the overhead
console.
Pressing the touchpad switch on the outside liftgate
handle.
Pressing the buttons, or touchpad switch a second time
while the liftgate is moving reverses the direction.
l : The liftgate can also be closed by pressing the
power liftgate button next to the liftgate latch.
Press the button a second time during liftgate operation
to reverse that operation.
The power liftgate may be temporarily disabled under
extreme temperatures, or under low battery conditions.
If this occurs, the liftgate can still be operated manually.
If you shift the transmission out of PARK (P) while the
power function is in progress, the liftgate power function
will continue to completion. If you shift the transmission
out of PARK (P) and accelerate before the power liftgate
latches closed, the liftgate may reverse to the open
position. Cargo could fall out of the vehicle. Always make
sure the power liftgate is closed and latched before you
drive away. If you power open the liftgate and the liftgate support
struts have lost pressure, the lights will ash and a chime
will sound. The liftgate will stay open temporarily, then
slowly close. See your dealer/retailer for service before
using the liftgate.
Obstacle Detection Features If the liftgate encounters an obstacle during a power open
or close cycle, a warning chime will sound and the liftgate
will automatically reverse direction to the full closed or
open position. After removing the obstruction, the power
liftgate operation can be used again. If the liftgate
encounters multiple obstacles on the same power cycle,
the power function will deactivate, and you must manually
open or close the liftgate. The REAR ACCESS OPEN
warning message in the Driver Information Center (DIC)
will indicate that the liftgate is open. After removing the
obstructions, manually open the liftgate to the full open
position or close the liftgate to the fully closed and latched
position. The liftgate will now resume normal power
operation.
Your vehicle has pinch sensors located on the side edges
of the liftgate. If an object is caught between the liftgate
and the body and presses against this sensor, the liftgate
will reverse direction and open fully. The liftgate will
remain open until it is activated again or closed manually.
Do not force the liftgate open or closed during a power
cycle.
2-15

Ignition Positions The ignition switch has
four different positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition must be in ON/RUN
or ACC/ACCESSORY and the regular brake pedal must
be applied.
A (LOCK/OFF): This position locks the ignition. It may
also lock the steering wheel and automatic transmission.
The key can be removed in LOCK/OFF.
On vehicles with an automatic transmission, the shift
lever must be in P (Park) to turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF.
The steering may bind with the wheels turned off center.
If this happens, move the steering wheel from right
to left while turning the key to ACC/ACCESSORY.
If this doesn’t work, then the vehicle needs service. Notice: Using a tool to force the key to turn in the
ignition could cause damage to the switch or break
the key. Use the correct key, make sure it is all the
way in, and turn it only with your hand. If the key
cannot be turned by hand, see your dealer/retailer.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY): This position lets things like the
radio and the windshield wipers operate while the
engine is off. Use this position if the vehicle must be
pushed or towed.
C (ON/RUN): This position can be used to operate the
electrical accessories and to display some instrument
panel cluster warning and indicator lights. The switch
stays in this position when the engine is running.
The transmission is also unlocked in this position
on automatic transmission vehicles.
If you leave the key in the ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/
RUN position with the engine off, the battery could be
drained. You may not be able to start the vehicle if the
battery is allowed to drain for an extended period of time.
D (START): This is the position that starts the engine.
When the engine starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for driving.
A warning tone will sound when the driver door is
opened, the ignition is in ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF and the key is in the ignition.
2-25

Automatic Transmission Operation If the vehicle is a Two-mode Hybrid, see the Two-mode
Hybrid manual for more information.
The vehicle has a Hydra-Matic ®
6L80 automatic
transmission, and has an electronic shift position
indicator within the instrument panel cluster.
The electronic shift position indicator displays
when the shift lever is moved out of P (Park).
There are several different positions for the shift lever.
P (Park): This position locks the rear wheels. It is the
best position to use when you start the engine because
the vehicle cannot move easily. When parked on a hill, especially when the vehicle has
a heavy load, you may notice an increase in the effort to
shift out of P (Park). See Torque Lock (Automatic
Transmission) under Shifting Into Park on page 2-36 for
more information.
{ CAUTION: It is 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.
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). See Shifting Into
Park on page 2-36 . If you are pulling a trailer, see
Towing a Trailer on page 5-44 .
2-29

M (Manual Mode): This position lets drivers select the
range of gears appropriate for current driving conditions.
See Driver Shift Control (DSC) later in this section.
Notice: Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission. The repair will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. If you are stuck, do
not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
The vehicle has a shift stabilization feature that adjusts
the transmission shifting to the current driving conditions
in order to reduce rapid upshifts and downshifts. This shift
stabilization feature is designed to determine, before
making an upshift, if the engine will be able to maintain
vehicle speed by analyzing things such as vehicle speed,
throttle position and vehicle load. If the shift stabilization
feature determines that a current vehicle speed cannot be
maintained, the transmission does not upshift and instead
holds the current gear. In some cases, this may appear to
be a delayed shift, however the transmission is operating
normally. The vehicle’s transmission uses adaptive shift controls
that compares key shift parameters to pre-programmed
ideal shifts stored in the transmissions computer.
The transmission constantly makes adjustments to
improve vehicle performance according to how the
vehicle is being used, such as with a heavy load or when
temperature changes. During this adaptive shift controls
process, shifting may feel different as the transmission
determines the best settings.
When temperatures are very cold, the Hydra-Matic ®
6L80 automatic transmission’s gear shifting may
be delayed providing more stable shifts until the engine
warms up. Shifts may be more noticeable with a cold
transmission. This difference in shifting is normal.
2-31

Driver Shift Control (DSC)
The vehicle has Driver Shift Control (DSC). 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 M (Manual Mode).
2. Press the plus/minus button, to upshift or downshift
selecting the desired range of gears for 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. See Driver Information Center (DIC) on
page 3-47 and DIC Operation and Displays on page 3-48
for more information. The number displayed in the DIC is
the highest gear that can be used. However, the vehicle
can automatically shift to lower gears as it adjusts to
driving conditions. This means that all gears below
that number are available. When 5 (Fifth ) is selected,
1 (First) through 5 (Fifth) gears are automatically shifted
by the vehicle, but 6 (Sixth) 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. See Tow/Haul Mode on page 2-33 for
more information.
While using the DSC, cruise control and the tow/haul
mode can be used.
2-32