2010 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT instrument panel

or the instrument panel...or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why
safety belts make such good sense.
2-14

Airbag System
The vehicle has the following airbags:
.A frontal airbag for the driver.
.A frontal airbag for the right front passenger.
.A seat‐mounted side impact airbag for the driver.
.A seat‐mounted side impact airbag for the right
front passenger.
.A roof-rail airbag for the driver and passenger
directly behind the driver.
.A roof-rail airbag for the right front passenger and
the person seated directly behind that passenger.
All of the airbags in the vehicle will have the word
AIRBAG embossed in the trim or on an attached label
near the deployment opening. For frontal airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear on the
middle part of the steering wheel for the driver and on
the instrument panel for the right front passenger.
With seat‐mounted side impact airbags, the word
AIRBAG will appear on the side of the seatback closest
to the door.
With roof-rail airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear
along the headliner or trim.
Airbags are designed to supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Even though today's airbags
are also designed to help reduce the risk of injury from
the force of an inflating bag, all airbags must inflate very
quickly to do their job.
2-51

{WARNING:
Children who are up against, or very close to, any
airbag when it inflates can be seriously injured or
killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder belts offer
protection for adults and older children, but not for
young children and infants. Neither the vehicle's
safety belt system nor its airbag system is
designed for them. Young children and infants
need the protection that a child restraint system
can provide. Always secure children properly in
your vehicle. To read how, seeOlder Children
on
page 2‑30
or Infants and Young Childrenon
page 2‑32
.
There is an airbag
readiness light on the
instrument panel cluster,
which shows the airbag
symbol. The system checks the airbag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. See
Airbag Readiness Light
on page 4‑28for
more information.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in the middle of the steering
wheel.
2-53

The right front passenger frontal airbag is in the
instrument panel on the passenger's side.Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side Similar
The seat‐mounted side impact airbags for the driver and
right front passenger are in the side of the seatbacks
closest to the door.
2-54

The vehicle has seat‐mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags. SeeAirbag Systemon page 2‑51.
Seat‐mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags are
intended to inflate in moderate to severe side crashes.
In addition, these roof-rail airbags are intended to
inflate during a rollover or in a severe frontal impact.
Seat‐mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags will
inflate if the crash severity is above the system's
designed threshold level. The threshold level can
vary with specific vehicle design.
Roof-rail airbags are not intended to inflate in rear
impacts. A seat‐mounted side impact airbag is intended
to deploy on the side of the vehicle that is struck.
Both roof-rail airbags will deploy when either side of the
vehicle is struck or if the sensing system predicts that
the vehicle is about to roll over, or in a severe frontal
impact.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an
airbag should have inflated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair
costs were. For frontal airbags, inflation is determined
by what the vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and
how quickly the vehicle slows down. For seat‐mounted
side impact and roof-rail airbags, deployment is
determined by the location and severity of the side
impact. In a rollover event, roof-rail airbag deployment
is determined by the direction of the roll.What Makes an Airbag Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing system sends an
electrical signal triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the airbag causing the
bag to break out of the cover and deploy. The inflator,
the airbag, and related hardware are all part of the
airbag module.
Frontal airbag modules are located inside the
steering wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with
seat‐mounted side impact airbags, there are airbags
modules in the side of the front seatbacks closest to the
door. For vehicles with roof-rail airbags, there are airbag
modules in the ceiling of the vehicle, near the side
windows that have occupant seating positions.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection provided by safety
belts. Frontal airbags distribute the force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant's upper body, stopping
the occupant more gradually. Seat‐mounted side impact
and roof-rail airbags distribute the force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant's upper body.
2-57

Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q: Is there anything I might add to or change aboutthe vehicle that could keep the airbags from
working properly?
A: Yes. If you add things that change the vehicle's
frame, bumper system, height, front end or side
sheet metal, they may keep the airbag system from
working properly. Changing or moving any parts of
the front seats, safety belts, the airbag sensing and
diagnostic module, steering wheel, instrument panel,
roof-rail airbag modules, ceiling headliner or pillar
garnish trim, overhead console, front sensors, side
impact sensors, rollover sensor module, or airbag
wiring can affect the operation of the airbag system.
In addition, the vehicle may have a passenger
sensing system for the right front passenger
position, which includes sensors that are part of the
passenger seat. The passenger sensing system
may not operate properly if the original seat trim is
replaced with non-GM covers, upholstery or trim,
or with GM covers, upholstery or trim designed for a
different vehicle. Any object, such as an aftermarket
seat heater or a comfort enhancing pad or device,
installed under or on top of the seat fabric, could
also interfere with the operation of the passenger sensing system. This could either prevent proper
deployment of the passenger airbag(s) or prevent
the passenger sensing system from properly turning
off the passenger airbag(s). See
Passenger Sensing
System on page 2‑60.
If you have any questions, call Customer
Assistance. The phone numbers and addresses
for Customer Assistance are in Step Two of the
Customer Satisfaction Procedure in this manual.
See Customer Satisfaction Procedure on page 9‑2.
If the vehicle has rollover roof-rail airbags, see
Different Size Tires and Wheels
on page 7‑74for
additional important information.
Q: Because I have a disability, I have to get my vehicle modified. How can I find out whether
this will affect my airbag system?
A: If you have questions, call Customer Assistance.
The phone numbers and addresses for Customer
Assistance are in Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this manual. See
Customer Satisfaction Procedure on page 9‑2.
In addition, your dealer/retailer and the service manual
have information about the location of the airbag
sensors, sensing and diagnostic module and airbag
wiring.
2-65

Section 3 Features and Controls
Object Detection Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-48
Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist (URPA) . . . . . . . . 3-48
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-50
Universal Home Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-54
Universal Home Remote System Operation
(With Three Round LED) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-54
Storage Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-60
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-60
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-60
Instrument Panel Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-60 Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-61
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-61
Rear Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-62
Cargo Cover Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-62
All-Weather Cargo Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-71
Top-Box Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-76
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-77
3-2

Midgate®
{WARNING:
It can be dangerous to drive with the cargo area
covered and the tailgate and the Midgate®open
because carbon monoxide (CO) gas can come
into your vehicle. You can not see or smell CO.
It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
If you must drive with the cargo covers on and the
tailgate and Midgate
®open or if electrical wiring or
other cable connections must pass through the
seal between the body and the Midgate
®:
.Make sure all windows are shut.
.Turn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed on the setting that
brings in outside air. This will force outside air
into your vehicle. See Dual Automatic Climate
Control System
on page 4‑20.
(Continued)
WARNING: (Continued)
.If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
See Engine Exhaust
on page 3‑44.
Midgate®Operation
Your vehicle is equipped with a Midgate®and a
removable rear glass panel. The Midgate®allows you
to extend the length of your vehicle's cargo area.
3-12