2011 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV traction control

Black plate (7,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-7Of course, traction is reduced when
water, snow, ice, gravel, or other
material is on the road. For safety,
slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to
slow down on slippery surfaces
because stopping distance is longer
and vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with
reduced traction, try to avoid
sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including reducing
vehicle speed by shifting to a lower
gear. Any sudden changes could
cause the tires to slide. You might
not realize the surface is slippery
until the vehicle is skidding. Learn to
recognize warning clues — such as
enough water, ice, or packed snow
on the road to make a mirrored
surface — and slow down when
you have any doubt.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid. Off-Road Driving Vehicles with all ‐ wheel drive can be
used for off ‐ road driving. Vehicles
without all ‐ wheel drive and vehicles
with 22 ‐ inch tire/wheel assemblies
should not be driven off-road except
on a level, solid surface.
Many of the vehicle design features
that help make the vehicle more
responsive on paved roads during
poor weather conditions also help
make it better suited for off ‐ road
use than conventional passenger
vehicles. The vehicle does not
have features usually thought to be
necessary for extended or severe
off ‐ road use such as special
underbody shielding and transfer
case low gear range.
The airbag system is designed to
work properly under a wide range of
conditions, including off ‐ road usage.
Always wear your safety belt and
observe safe driving speeds,
especially on rough terrain. Drinking and driving can be very
dangerous on any road and this is
certainly true for off-road driving.
At the very time you need special
alertness and driving skills, your
reflexes, perceptions, and judgment
can be affected by even a small
amount of alcohol. You could have a
serious — or even fatal — accident
if you drink and drive or ride with a
driver who has been drinking.
Off-roading can be great fun but has
some definite hazards. The greatest
of these is the terrain itself. When
off-road driving, traffic lanes are not
marked, curves are not banked, and
there are no road signs. Surfaces
can be slippery, rough, uphill,
or downhill.
Avoid sharp turns and abrupt
maneuvers. Failure to operate the
vehicle correctly off ‐ road could
result in loss of vehicle control or
vehicle rollover.

Black plate (11,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-11.
The vehicle has more bounce
when driving over obstacles. .
More braking distance is
needed, especially on an
unpaved surface.
{ WARNINGWhen you are driving off-road,
bouncing and quick changes in
direction can easily throw you
out of position. This could cause
you to lose control and crash.
So, whether you are driving
on or off the road, you and
your passengers should wear
safety belts. Scanning the Terrain Off-road driving can take you over
many different kinds of terrain. Be
familiar with the terrain and its many
different features.
Surface Conditions: Off-roading
surfaces can be hard-packed dirt,
gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud,
snow, or ice. Each of these
surfaces affects the vehicle's
steering, acceleration, and braking
in different ways. Depending on the
surface, slipping, sliding, wheel
spinning, delayed acceleration,
poor traction, and longer braking
distances can occur. Surface Obstacles: Unseen or
hidden obstacles can be hazardous.
A rock, log, hole, rut, or bump can
startle you if you are not prepared
for them. Often these obstacles are
hidden by grass, bushes, snow,
or even the rise and fall of the
terrain itself.
Some things to consider: .
Is the path ahead clear? .
Will the surface texture change
abruptly up ahead? .
Does the travel take you uphill or
downhill? .
Will you have to stop suddenly
or change direction quickly?

Black plate (12,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
9-12 Driving and Operating When driving over obstacles or
rough terrain, keep a firm grip on
the steering wheel. Ruts, troughs,
or other surface features can jerk
the wheel out of your hands.
When driving over bumps, rocks,
or other obstacles, the wheels can
leave the ground. If this happens,
even with one or two wheels, you
cannot control the vehicle as well or
at all.
Because you will be on an unpaved
surface, it is especially important to
avoid sudden acceleration, sudden
turns, or sudden braking.
Off-roading requires a different kind
of alertness from driving on paved
roads and highways. There are
no road signs, posted speed limits,
or signal lights. Use good judgment
about what is safe and what is not. Driving on Hills Off-road driving often takes you up,
down, or across a hill. Driving safely
on hills requires good judgment
and an understanding of what the
vehicle can and cannot do. There
are some hills that simply cannot be
driven, no matter how well built the
vehicle.
{ WARNINGMany hills are simply too steep
for any vehicle. If you drive up
them, you will stall. If you drive
down them, you cannot control
your speed. If you drive across
them, you will roll over. You could
be seriously injured or killed.
If you have any doubt about the
steepness, do not drive the hill. Approaching a Hill When you approach a hill, decide
if it is too steep to climb, descend,
or cross. Steepness can be hard
to judge. On a very small hill, for
example, there may be a smooth,
constant incline with only a small
change in elevation where you can
easily see all the way to the top.
On a large hill, the incline may get
steeper as you near the top, but you
might not see this because the crest
of the hill is hidden by bushes,
grass, or shrubs.
Consider this as you approach a hill: .
Is there a constant incline,
or does the hill get sharply
steeper in places? .
Is there good traction on the
hillside, or will the surface cause
tire slipping? .
Is there a straight path up or
down the hill so you will not
have to make turning
maneuvers?

Black plate (17,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-17Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow,
or Ice When you drive in mud, snow,
or sand, the wheels do not get
good traction. Acceleration is not
as quick, turning is more difficult,
and braking distances are longer.
It is best to use a low gear when in
mud — the deeper the mud, the
lower the gear. In really deep mud,
keep the vehicle moving so it does
not get stuck.
When driving on sand, wheel
traction changes. On loosely packed
sand, such as on beaches or sand
dunes, the tires will tend to sink
into the sand. This affects steering,
accelerating, and braking. Drive at
a reduced speed and avoid sharp
turns or abrupt maneuvers. Hard packed snow and ice offer
the worst tire traction. On these
surfaces, it is very easy to lose
control. On wet ice, for example,
the traction is so poor that you will
have difficulty accelerating. And,
if the vehicle does get moving, poor
steering and difficult braking can
cause it to slide out of control.
{ WARNINGDriving on frozen lakes, ponds,
or rivers can be dangerous.
Underwater springs, currents
under the ice, or sudden thaws
can weaken the ice. Your vehicle
could fall through the ice and you
and your passengers could
drown. Drive your vehicle on
safe surfaces only. Driving in Water
{ WARNINGDriving through rushing water can
be dangerous. Deep water can
sweep your vehicle downstream
and you and your passengers
could drown. If it is only shallow
water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires, and
you could lose traction and roll
the vehicle over. Do not drive
through rushing water.
Heavy rain can mean flash flooding,
and flood waters demand extreme
caution.

Black plate (18,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
9-18 Driving and Operating Find out how deep the water is
before driving through it. Do not try
it if it is deep enough to cover the
wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust
pipe — you probably will not get
through. Deep water can damage
the axle and other vehicle parts.
If the water is not too deep, drive
slowly through it. At faster speeds,
water splashes on the ignition
system and the vehicle can stall.
Stalling can also occur if you get the
tailpipe under water. If the tailpipe is
under water, you will never be able
to start the engine. When going
through water, remember that when
the brakes get wet, it might take
longer to stop. See Driving on Wet
Roads on page 9 ‑ 18 . After Off-Road Driving Remove any brush or debris that
has collected on the underbody,
chassis, or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand,
have the brake linings cleaned and
checked. These substances can
cause glazing and uneven braking.
Check the body structure, steering,
suspension, wheels, tires, and
exhaust system for damage and
check the fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
The vehicle requires more frequent
service due to off-road use. Refer to
the Maintenance Schedule for
additional information. Driving on Wet Roads Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep ‐ standing or flowing water.
{ WARNINGWet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
(Continued)

Black plate (21,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-21.
Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your
own lane. .
Top of hills: Be alert —
something could be in your
lane (stalled car, accident). .
Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action. Winter Driving Driving on Snow or Ice Drive carefully when there is snow
or ice between the tires and the
road, creating less traction or grip.
Wet ice can occur at about 0°C
(32°F) when freezing rain begins to
fall, resulting in even less traction.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in
freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently so
traction is not lost. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick, so there is even less
traction. Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 9 ‑ 45 improves vehicle
stability during hard stops on
slippery roads, but apply the brakes
sooner than when on dry pavement.
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road and watch for
slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in
shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain
icy when the surrounding roads are
clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
Turn off cruise control, if equipped,
on slippery surfaces.

Black plate (47,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-47
Brake Assist This vehicle has a brake assist
feature designed to assist the driver
in stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake
control module to supplement the
power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle. The
stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.
Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time
is normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal
as the driving situation dictates.
The brake assist feature will
automatically disengage when
the brake pedal is released or
brake pedal pressure is quickly
decreased. Ride Control Systems StabiliTrak ®
System The vehicle has a vehicle stability
enhancement system called
StabiliTrak. It is an advanced
computer-controlled system that
assists the driver with directional
control of the vehicle in difficult
driving conditions.
StabiliTrak activates when the
computer senses a discrepancy
between the intended path and
the direction the vehicle is actually
traveling. StabiliTrak selectively
applies braking pressure at any one
of the vehicle's brakes to assist the
driver with keeping the vehicle on
the intended path.
When the vehicle is started
and begins to move, the system
performs several diagnostic checks
to insure there are no problems. The system may be heard or felt
while it is working. This is normal
and does not mean there is a
problem with the vehicle. The
system should initialize before the
vehicle reaches 32 km/h (20 mph).
In some cases, it may take
approximately 3.2 km (2 mi) of
driving before the system initializes.
If cruise control is being used when
StabiliTrak activates, the cruise
control automatically disengages.
The cruise control can be
re-engaged when road conditions
allow. See Cruise Control on
page 9 ‑ 51 .
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.

Black plate (48,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
9-48 Driving and Operating If these DIC messages appear,
make sure the StabiliTrak system
has not been turned off using the
StabiliTrak on/off button. 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 5 ‑ 26 .
The StabiliTrak light will flash 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.
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
TCS and StabiliTrak, press and
hold
5 until
F illuminates and the
appropriate DIC message displays.
Traction control and StabiliTrak can
be turned on by pressing and
releasing the StabiliTrak button if
they are not automatically shut off
for any other reason.
When the traction control system
(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.
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 the Vehicle is Stuck
on page 9 ‑ 23 .