2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE 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
1-14

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
1-21

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..................................2-20
Content Theft-Deterrent.................................2-21
PASS-Key
®III+ Electronic Immobilizer.............2-22
PASS-Key®III+ Electronic Immobilizer
Operation.................................................2-23Starting 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..................................2-42
Section 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 2-5for
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 also
locks the transmission on automatic transmission
vehicles. 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 can 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) underShifting Into Park on
page 2-36for 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). SeeShifting Into
Park on page 2-36. If you are pulling a trailer, see
Towing a Trailer on page 5-42.
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. SeeDriver Information
Center (DIC) on page 3-46andDIC Operation and
Displays on page 3-46for 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. SeeTow/Haul Mode on page 2-33for
more information.
While using the DSC, cruise control and the tow/haul
mode can be used.
2-32