2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV trailer

See your dealer/retailer or a locksmith who can service
PASS-Key ®
III+ to get a new key blank that is cut exactly
as the ignition key that operates the system.
To program the new additional key:
1. Verify that the new key has a
1 stamped on it.
2. Insert the original, already programmed, key in the
ignition and start the engine. If the engine will not
start, see your dealer/retailer for service.
3. After the engine has started, turn the key to
LOCK/OFF, and remove the key.
4. Insert the new key to be programmed and turn it to
the ON/RUN position within ve seconds of turning
the ignition to the LOCK/OFF position in Step 3.
The security light will turn off once the key has been
programmed.
5. Repeat Steps 1 through 4 if additional keys are to
be programmed.
If you lose or damage your PASS-Key ®
III+ key, see
your dealer/retailer or a locksmith who can service
PASS-Key ®
III+ to have a new key made.
Do not leave the key or device that disarms or
deactivates the theft deterrent system in the vehicle. Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle New Vehicle Break-In Notice: The vehicle does not need an elaborate
break-in. But it will perform better in the long run if
you follow these guidelines:
Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 km/h) or less for
the rst 500 miles (805 km).
Do not drive at any one constant speed, fast or
slow, for the rst 500 miles (805 km). Do not
make full-throttle starts. Avoid downshifting to
brake or slow the vehicle.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst 200 miles
(322 km) or so. During this time the new brake
linings are not yet broken in. Hard stops
with new linings can mean premature wear and
earlier replacement. Follow this breaking-in
guideline every time you get new brake linings.
Do not tow a trailer during break-in. See Towing
a Trailer on page 5-44 for the trailer towing
capabilities of the vehicle and more information.
Following break-in, engine speed and load can
be gradually increased.
2-24

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

R (Reverse): Use this gear to back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse) while the vehicle is
moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to get out of snow, ice,
or sand without damaging the transmission, see If Your
Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on
page 5-31 .
N (Neutral): In this position, the engine does not connect
with the wheels. To restart when you are already moving,
use N (Neutral) only. Also, use N (Neutral) when the
vehicle is being towed.
{ CAUTION: Shifting into a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless your
foot is rmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could
move very rapidly. You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift into a drive gear
while the engine is running at high speed. Notice: Shifting out of P (Park) or N (Neutral) with
the engine running at high speed may damage
the transmission. The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Be sure the engine is
not running at high speed when shifting the vehicle.
D (Drive): This position is for normal driving. It provides
the best fuel economy. If you need more power for
passing, and you are:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
By doing this, the vehicle shifts down to the next gear
and has more power.
D (Drive) can be used when towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, driving on steep hills, or for off-road driving.
You may want to shift the transmission to a lower gear
selection if the transmission shifts too often.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road conditions
could result in skidding, see Skidding under Loss of
Control on page 5-12 .
2-30

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

Tow/Haul Mode
The vehicle has a tow/haul mode. The tow/haul mode
adjusts the transmission shift pattern to reduce shift
cycling, providing increased performance, vehicle control,
and transmission cooling when towing or hauling heavy
loads.
Press the button located on the end of the shift lever to
turn the tow/haul on or off. When the tow/haul is on,
a light on the instrument panel cluster will come on.
See Tow/Haul Mode Light on page 3-46 for more
information.
Also see “Tow Haul Mode” under Towing a Trailer on
page 5-44 for more information. The tow/haul mode works with the Autoride ®
feature, if
the vehicle has this, to enhance the ride when trailering or
with a loaded vehicle. See Autoride ®
on page 5-44 .
Grade Braking The Grade Braking shift modes can be activated by
pressing the button on the end of the shift control lever.
While in Range Selection Mode, Grade Braking is
deactivated allowing the driver to select a desired range
of gears.
Grade Braking is only active while the Tow/Haul Mode is
selected and you are not in the Range Selection Mode.
See “Tow/Haul Mode listed previously and Automatic
Transmission Operation on page 2-29 for more
information on the Range Selection Mode. Grade Braking
assists in maintaining desired vehicle speeds when
driving on downhill grades by automatically implementing
a shift schedule that utilizes the engine and transmission
to slow the vehicle. This reduces wear on the braking
system and increases control of the vehicle. Grade
Braking monitors vehicle speed, acceleration, engine
torque and brake pedal usage. Using this information, it
detects when the vehicle is on a downhill grade and the
driver desires to slow the vehicle by pressing the brake.
Also see Towing a Trailer on page 5-44 for more
information.
2-33

If the ignition is on when the parking brake is released,
the brake system warning light goes off.
Notice: Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Make sure
that the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see Towing a Trailer on page 5-44 .
For vehicles without a release handle, set the parking
brake by holding the regular brake pedal down,
then pushing down the parking brake pedal. If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light will
come on. See Brake System Warning Light on
page 3-39 .
Notice: Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Make sure
that the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down, then push down momentarily on the parking
brake pedal until you feel the pedal release. Slowly
pull your foot up off the park brake pedal. If the parking
brake is not released when you begin to drive, the
brake system warning light will ash and a chime will
sound warning you that the parking brake is still on.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on a hill, see
Towing a Trailer on page 5-44 .
2-35

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