2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV traction control

Vehicle Symbol Chart Here are some additional symbols that may be found on
the vehicle and what they mean. For more information
on the symbol, refer to the index.
0 : Adjustable Pedals
9 : Airbag Readiness Light
# : Air Conditioning
! : Antilock Brake System (ABS)
g : Audio Steering Wheel Controls or OnStar ®
$ : Brake System Warning Light
" : Charging System
I : Cruise Control
B : Engine Coolant Temperature
O : Exterior Lamps
# : Fog Lamps . : Fuel Gage
+ : Fuses
i : Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
j : LATCH System Child Restraints
* : Malfunction Indicator Lamp
: : Oil Pressure
g : Outside Power Foldaway Mirrors
} : Power
/ : Remote Vehicle Start
> : Safety Belt Reminders
7 : Tire Pressure Monitor
_ : Tow/Haul Mode
F : Traction Control
M : Windshield Washer Fluid
v

Cruise Control
{ CAUTION: Cruise control can be dangerous where you cannot
drive safely at a steady speed. So, do not use the
cruise control on winding roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on slippery roads.
On such roads, fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and you could lose
control. Do not use cruise control on slippery roads.
With cruise control, a speed of about 25 mph (40 km/h)
or more can be maintained without keeping your foot
on the accelerator. Cruise control does not work
at speeds below about 25 mph (40 km/h). When the brakes are applied, cruise control is turned off.
For vehicles with an Allison ®
or Hydra-Matic 6-speed
automatic transmission, see “Grade Braking and Cruise
Grade Braking (Allison Transmission) under Tow/Haul
Mode on page 2-33 for an explanation of how cruise
control interacts with the Range Selection Mode,
tow/haul and grade braking systems.
If the vehicle has StabiliTrak ®
, and the system begins
to limit wheel spin, cruise control will automatically
disengage. See StabiliTrak ®
System on page 5-6 .
When road conditions allow the cruise control to
be safely used again, it can be turned back on.
3-13

SERVICE THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM This message displays when there is a problem
with the theft-deterrent system. The vehicle may
or may not restart so you may want to take the vehicle
to your dealer/retailer before turning off the engine.
See PASS-Key ®
III+ Electronic Immobilizer Operation
on page 2-23 for more information.
SERVICE TIRE MONITOR SYSTEM On vehicles with the Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS), this message displays if a part on
the TPMS is not working properly. The tire pressure
light also ashes and then remains on during the same
ignition cycle. See Tire Pressure Light on page 3-41 .
Several conditions may cause this message to appear.
See Tire Pressure Monitor Operation on page 6-65
for more information. If the warning comes on and stays
on, there may be a problem with the TPMS. See your
dealer/retailer.
SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL If your vehicle has StabiliTrak, this message displays
when there is a problem with the Traction Control
System (TCS). When this message displays, the system
will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
See your dealer/retailer for service. See StabiliTrak ®
System on page 5-6 for more information. SIDE BLIND ZONE ALERT
SYSTEM OFF If your vehicle has the Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
system, this message displays when the SBZA system
has been turned off. See Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) on
page 2-44 and DIC Operation and Displays on page 3-48
for more information.
SIDE BLIND ZONE SYSTEM
UNAVAILABLE If your vehicle has the Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
system, this message displays when the SBZA system
is disabled because the sensor is blocked and cannot
detect vehicles in your blind zone. The sensor may be
blocked by mud, dirt, snow, ice, or slush. This message
may also display during heavy rain or due to road spray.
It may also come on when driving in isolated areas with
no guardrails, trees, or road signs and light traffic.
Your vehicle does not need service. For cleaning
instructions, see Washing Your Vehicle on page 6-100 .
See Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) on page 2-44 for more
information.
3-62

TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE On vehicles with the Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS), this message displays when
the TPMS is re-learning the tire positions on your
vehicle. The tire positions must be re-learned after
rotating the tires or after replacing a tire or sensor.
See Tire Inspection and Rotation on page 6-69 ,
Tire Pressure Monitor System on page 6-64 , and
Inflation - Tire Pressure on page 6-62 for more
information.
TRACTION CONTROL OFF If your vehicle has StabiliTrak, this message displays
when the Traction Control System (TCS) is turned
off. Adjust your driving accordingly. See StabiliTrak ®
System on page 5-6 for more information.
TRANSMISSION HOT IDLE ENGINE Notice: If you drive your vehicle while the
transmission uid is overheating and the
transmission temperature warning is displayed
on the instrument panel cluster and/or DIC, you
can damage the transmission. This could lead
to costly repairs that would not be covered by your warranty. Do not drive your vehicle with
overheated transmission uid or while the
transmission temperature warning is displayed.
This message displays along with four chimes if
the transmission uid in the vehicle gets hot. Driving
with the transmission uid temperature high can cause
damage to the vehicle. Stop the vehicle and let it
idle to allow the transmission to cool. This message
clears and the chime stops when the uid temperature
reaches a safe level.
TURN SIGNAL ON This message displays and a chime sounds if a turn
signal is left on for 3/4 of a mile (1.2 km). Move the turn
signal/multifunction lever to the off position.
WASHER FLUID LOW ADD FLUID This message displays when the windshield washer
uid is low. Fill the windshield washer uid reservoir as
soon as possible. See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 6-14 for the location of the windshield washer
uid reservoir. Also, see Windshield Washer Fluid on
page 6-34 for more information.
3-64

Features and Controls Using the Navigation System This section presents basic information needed to
operate the navigation system.
Use the hard keys located on the navigation system
along with the available touch-sensitive screen buttons
on the navigation screen to operate the system.
See Navigation System Overview on page 4-2 for
more information.
Once the vehicle is moving, various functions are
disabled to reduce driver distractions.
Hard Keys The following hard keys are located on the navigation
system:
O /
n (Power/Volume): Press to turn the system
on and off. Turn to increase or decrease the volume
to the audio system.
Press and hold for more than two seconds to turn off
the navigation system, the Rear Seat Entertainment
(RSE), and Rear Seat Audio (RSA). If the vehicle has
not been tuned off, the RSE and the RSA can be turned
back on by pressing this knob and continues play of
the last active source. w (Tune): Turn to go to the next or previous
radio station or disc track or chapter. See Navigation
Audio System on page 4-62 , CD Player on page 4-71 ,
or DVD Player on page 4-78 for more information.
Z (DVD Map Disc Eject): Press to eject the DVD
map disc. This button is located next to the upper disc
slot. See Maps on page 4-15 for more information.
M (Load): Press to load CDs or audio/video DVDs.
See CD Player on page 4-71 or DVD Player on
page 4-78 for more information.
Z (CD/DVD Eject): Press to eject CDs or audio/video
DVDs. This button is located under the load button.
See CD Player on page 4-71 or DVD Player on
page 4-78 for more information.
M (Disc Up/Down): Press the up or down arrows to go
to the next or previous disc.
AUDIO: Press access the full Audio screen to change
AM, FM, XM™ Satellite Radio Service (if equipped),
CD/DVD, and auxiliary input. See “Audio” under
Navigation Audio System on page 4-62 for more
information.
FAV (Favorite): Press to access the preset stations.
See “Storing Radio Station Presets” under Navigation
Audio System on page 4-62 for more information.
4-13

Your Driving, the Road, and
the Vehicle Driving for Better Fuel Economy Driving habits can affect fuel mileage. Here are some
driving tips to get the best fuel economy possible.
Avoid fast starts and accelerate smoothly.
Brake gradually and avoid abrupt stops.
Avoid idling the engine for long periods of time.
When road and weather conditions are appropriate,
use cruise control, if equipped.
Always follow posted speed limits or drive more
slowly when conditions require.
Keep vehicle tires properly inated.
Combine several trips into a single trip.
Replace the vehicle’s tires with the same TPC Spec
number molded into the tire’s sidewall near the size.
Follow recommended scheduled maintenance. Defensive Driving Defensive driving means “always expect the
unexpected.” The rst step in driving defensively is to
wear your safety belt — See Safety Belts: They Are for
Everyone on page 1-30 .
{ CAUTION: Assume that other road users (pedestrians,
bicyclists, and other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they
might do and be ready. In addition:
Allow enough following distance between you
and the driver in front of you.
Focus on the task of driving.
Driver distraction can cause collisions resulting in
injury or possible death. These simple defensive
driving techniques could save your life.
5-2

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

It is recommended to leave the system on for normal
driving conditions, but it may be necessary to turn the
system off if the vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice or
snow, and you want to “rock” the vehicle to attempt to
free it. It may also be necessary to turn off the system
when driving in extreme off-road conditions where high
wheel spin is required. See If Your Vehicle is Stuck in
Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 5-31 .
Traction Control Operation The traction control system is part of the StabiliTrak
system. Traction control limits wheel spin by reducing
engine power to the wheels (engine speed management)
and by applying brakes to each individual wheel
(brake-traction control) as necessary.
The traction control system is enabled automatically
when the vehicle is started. It will activate and the
StabiliTrak light will ash if it senses that any of the
wheels are spinning or beginning to lose traction
while driving. If traction control is turned off, only the
brake-traction control portion of traction control will work.
The engine speed management will be disabled. In this
mode, engine power is not reduced automatically and the
driven wheels can spin more freely. This can cause the
brake-traction control to activate constantly. Notice: If the wheel(s) of one axle is allowed
to spin excessively while the StabiliTrak, ABS and
brake warning lights and any relevant DIC messages
are displayed, the transfer case could be damaged.
The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Reduce engine power and do not spin
the wheel(s) excessively while these lights and
messages are displayed.
The traction control system may activate on dry or
rough roads or under conditions such as heavy
acceleration while turning or abrupt upshifts/downshifts
of the transmission. When this happens, a reduction in
acceleration may be noticed, or a noise or vibration may
be heard. This is normal.
If cruise control is being used when the system activates,
the StabiliTrak light will ash and cruise control will
automatically disengage. Cruise control may be
reengaged when road conditions allow. See Cruise
Control on page 3-13 .
StabiliTrak may also turn off automatically if it determines
that a problem exists with the system. If the problem does
not clear itself after restarting the vehicle, see your
dealer/retailer for service.
5-8