
Black plate (28,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
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.
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.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) The following vehicle accessories can be used for up to
10 minutes after the engine is turned off: .
Audio System .
Power Windows .
OnStar ®
System (if equipped) .
Sunroof (if equipped)
These features work when the key is in ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY. Once the key is turned from
ON/RUN to LOCK/OFF, the windows and sunroof
continue to work up to 10 minutes until any door is
opened. The radio continues to work for up to
10 minutes or until the driver door is opened.
3-28

Black plate (32,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Active Fuel Management ™Vehicles with V8 engines may have Active Fuel
Management ™ . This system allows the engine to
operate on either all or half of its cylinders, depending
on the driving conditions.
When less power is required, such as cruising at a
constant vehicle speed, the system will operate in the
half cylinder mode, allowing the vehicle to achieve
better fuel economy. When greater power demands are
required, such as accelerating from a stop, passing,
or merging onto a freeway, the system will maintain
full-cylinder operation.
If the vehicle has an Active Fuel Management ™
indicator, see DIC Operation and Displays
on
page 4 ‑ 42
for more information on using this display . 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.
3-32

Black plate (34,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
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.
{ WARNING: Shifting into a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless your
foot is firmly 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 6 ‑ 12 .
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
3-34

Black plate (65,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Notice: Loading cargo on the roof rack that weighs
more than 91 kg (200 lbs) or hangs over the rear or
sides of the vehicle may damage the vehicle. Load
cargo so that it rests evenly between the crossrails,
making sure to fasten cargo securely.
To prevent damage or loss of cargo when driving, check
to make sure crossrails and cargo are securely
fastened. Loading cargo on the roof rack will make the
vehicle ’ s center of gravity higher. Avoid high speeds,
sudden starts, sharp turns, sudden braking or abrupt
maneuvers, otherwise it may result in loss of control.
If driving for a long distance, on rough roads, or at high
speeds, occasionally stop the vehicle to make sure the
cargo remains in its place.
Do not exceed the maximum vehicle capacity when
loading the vehicle. For more information on vehicle
capacity and loading, see Loading the Vehicle
on
page 6 ‑ 32 .
To prevent damage or loss of cargo, check now and
then to make sure the luggage and cargo are still
securely fastened.
Be sure the cargo is properly loaded. .
If small heavy objects are placed on the roof, place
the load in the area over the rear wheels (behind
the rear side door on extended models). If needed,
cut a piece of 3/8 inch plywood to fit inside the
crossrails and siderails to spread the load.
If plywood is used, tie it to the siderail supports. .
Tie the load to the crossrails or the siderail
supports. Use the crossrails only to keep the load
from sliding. To move the crossrails, pull out on the
latch release handle at each end. Slide the
crossrail to the desired position balancing the force
side to side. Push the release handle back into the
latched position and slide the crossrail back and
forth slightly to be sure the latch snaps securely
into place. .
If needed to carry long items, move the crossrails
as far apart as they will go. Tie the load to the
crossrails and the siderails or siderail supports.
Also tie the load to the bumpers. Do not tie the
load so tightly that the crossrails or siderails are
damaged. .
After moving a crossrail, be sure it is securely
locked into the siderail.
A Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) is located
above the glass or above the rear load doors.
If items are loaded on the roof of the vehicle, care
should be taken not to block or damage the
CHMSL unit.
3-65

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Section 4 Instrument PanelInstrument Panel Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Tilt Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Windshield Wipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Windshield Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8
Exterior Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Headlamps on Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Automatic Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16
Instrument Panel Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Dome Lamp Override . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17 Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Electric Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18
Battery Run-Down Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18
Accessory Power Outlet(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-19
Ashtray(s) and Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20
Analog Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . 4-20
Outlet Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-25
Rear Air Conditioning and Heating System and
Electronic Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-26
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . . 4-27
Instrument Panel Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-28
Speedometer and Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
4-1

Black plate (2,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Section 4 Instrument PanelAntilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . 4-34
StabiliTrak ®
Indicator Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . 4-35
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-35
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-39
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-39
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-39
Lights On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-40
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-40
Highbeam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-40
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-40
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-41
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-41
DIC Operation and Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-42
DIC Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-47
DIC Warnings and Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49
DIC Vehicle Customization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-58 Audio System(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-68
Bluetooth ®
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-68
Rear Seat Entertainment (RSE) System
(Overhead) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-78
Rear Seat Entertainment (RSE) System
(Headrest DVD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-87
Rear Seat Audio (RSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-104
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-106
Audio Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-106
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-108
Rear Side Window Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-109
XM ™ Satellite Radio Antenna System . . . . . . . . 4-109
4-2

Black plate (3,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Instrument Panel Overview Hazard Warning Flashers | (Hazard Warning Flasher): Press this button
located on top of the steering column, to make the front
and rear turn signal lamps flash on and off. This warns
others that you are having trouble. Press again to turn
the flashers off.
When the hazard warning flashers are on, the vehicle's
turn signals will not work.
Horn To sound the horn, press the center pad on the steering
wheel. Tilt Wheel
The power tilt wheel control is located on the left side of
the steering column.
Push the control up or down to tilt the steering wheel up
or down.
To set the memory position, see Memory Features
on
page 2 ‑ 6 .
4-3

Black plate (4,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Heated Steering Wheel For vehicles with a heated steering wheel, the button for
this feature is located on the steering wheel.
( : Press to turn the heated steering wheel on or off.
A light on the button displays when the feature is
turned on.
The steering wheel takes about three minutes to start
heating.
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
G : Turn and Lane Change Signals
5 : Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
N : Windshield Wipers
L : Windshield Washer
5 : Rear Wiper Delay
Z : Rear Wiper
= : Rear Wiper Wash
Flash-to-Pass Feature.
Information for these features is on the pages following.
4-4