2011 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT ABS

Black plate (44,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
9-44 Driving and Operating
If driving safely on a wet road and
it becomes necessary to slam on
the brakes and continue braking
to avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Parking Brake
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 5‑18.

Black plate (45,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-45
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 parking brake pedal.
If the parking brake is not released
when you begin to drive, the brake
system warning light will flash 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 Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips on
page 9‑64.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.

Black plate (47,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-47
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 9‑22.
Traction Control Operation
The traction control system is part
of the StabiliTrak system. Traction
control limits wheel spin by reducing
engine power to the wheels (engine
speed management) and by
applying brakes to each individual
wheel (brake-traction control) as
necessary.
The traction control system is
enabled automatically when the
vehicle is started. It will activate and
the StabiliTrak light will flash if it
senses that any of the wheels are
spinning or beginning to lose
traction while driving. If traction
control is turned off, only the
brake-traction control portion of
traction control will work. The
engine speed management will be disabled. In this mode, engine
power is not reduced automatically
and the driven wheels can spin
more freely. This can cause the
brake-traction control to activate
constantly.
Notice:
If the wheel(s) of one axle
is allowed to spin excessively
while the StabiliTrak
®, ABS, brake
warning lights, and any relevant
DIC messages are displayed, the
transfer case could be damaged.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Reduce
engine power and do not spin
the wheel(s) excessively while
these lights and messages are
displayed.
The traction control system
may activate on dry or rough
roads or under conditions
such as heavy acceleration
while turning or abrupt upshifts/
downshifts of the transmission.

Black plate (48,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
9-48 Driving and Operating
When this happens, a reduction in
acceleration may be noticed, or a
noise or vibration may be heard.
This is normal.
If cruise control is being used when
the system activates, the StabiliTrak
light will flash and cruise control will
automatically disengage. Cruise
control may be reengaged when
road conditions allow. SeeCruise
Control on page 9‑49.
StabiliTrak may also turn off
automatically if it determines that a
problem exists with the system.
If the problem does not clear itself
after restarting the vehicle, see your
dealer for service.Locking Rear Axle
Vehicles with a locking rear axle can
give more traction on snow, mud,
ice, sand, or gravel. It works like a
standard axle most of the time, but
when traction is low, this feature will
allow the rear wheel with the most
traction to move the vehicle.
Continuous Damping
Control (CDC)
This vehicle may have a continuous
damping control system called
Autoride
®or MagneRide™. With
this feature, improved vehicle ride
and handling is provided under a
variety of passenger and loading
conditions.
Autoride and MagneRide are fully
automatic and use a computer
controller to continuously monitor
vehicle speed, wheel to body
position, lift/dive and steering position of the vehicle. The
controller then sends signals
to each shock absorber to
independently adjust the damping
level to provide the optimum
vehicle ride.
Autoride and MagneRide also
interact with the tow/haul mode
that, when activated, will provide
additional control of the shock
absorbers. This additional control
results in better ride and handling
characteristics when the vehicle is
loaded or towing a trailer. See
“Tow/Haul Mode”
underTrailer
Towing on page 9‑68 for more
information.
Automatic Level Control
The automatic level control rear
suspension is available on light‐duty
vehicles and comes as a part of the
Continuous Damping Control (CDC)
suspension, if equipped.

Black plate (67,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-67
The tow/haul mode may be used if
the transmission shifts too often.
SeeTow/Haul Mode on page 9‑42.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: Engine coolant will boil at
a lower temperature than at normal
altitudes. If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the
vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run while parked,
preferably on level ground, with the
automatic transmission in P (Park)
for a few minutes before turning the
engine off. If the overheat warning
comes on, see Engine Overheating
on page 10‑22.Parking on Hills
{WARNING
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if facing
downhill or into traffic if facing
uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels. 3. When the wheel chocks are in
place, release the regular brakes
until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle
can roll.
If the engine has been left
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when on fairly
level ground, always put the shift
lever fully in P (Park) with the
parking brake firmly set.

Black plate (96,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
10-96 Vehicle Care
.Too much cleaner that saturates
the upholstery.
.Organic solvents such as
naptha, alcohol, etc. that can
damage the vehicle's interior.
Fabric/Carpet
Use a vacuum cleaner with a soft
brush attachment frequently to
remove dust and loose dirt.
A canister vacuum with a beater bar
in the nozzle may only be used on
floor carpet and carpeted floor mats.
For any soil, always try to remove it
first with plain water or club soda.
Before cleaning, gently remove as
much of the soil as possible using
one of the following techniques:
.For liquids: gently blot the
remaining soil with a paper
towel. Allow the soil to absorb
into the paper towel until no
more can be removed.
.For solid dry soils: remove as
much as possible and then
vacuum.To clean:
1. Saturate a lint-free, clean white
cloth with water or club soda.
2. Wring the cloth to remove excess moisture.
3. Start on the outside edge of the soil and gently rub toward the
center. Continue cleaning, using
a clean area of the cloth each
time it becomes soiled.
4. Continue to gently rub the soiled area until the cleaning cloth
remains clean.
5. If the soil is not completely removed, use a mild soap
solution and repeat the cleaning
process that was used with plain
water.
If any of the soil remains, a
commercial fabric cleaner or spot
lifter may be necessary. When a
commercial upholstery cleaner or
spot lifter is to be used, test a small
hidden area for colorfastness first. If the locally cleaned area gives any
impression that a ring formation may
result, clean the entire surface.
After the cleaning process has been
completed, a paper towel can be
used to blot excess moisture from
the fabric or carpet.
Leather
Leather, and lighter colored leather
in particular, will need more frequent
cleaning to prevent the buildup of
dust, dirt, and colors transferred
from other items so that these do
not become permanent stains.
To remove dust, a soft cloth
dampened with water can be used.
If a more thorough cleaning is
necessary, a soft cloth dampened
with a mild soap solution can be
used. Your dealer has a GM
approved leather cleaner available
that provides superior cleaning
performance when used regularly
on finished automotive leathers.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-1
A
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Active Fuel Management™ . . . . 9-36
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-75
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . 3-38
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Adjustments Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . 10-16
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39
How Does an AirbagRestrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
Passenger Sensing
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30 Airbag System (cont.)
What Will You See After
an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . 3-31
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . 3-27
Airbags Adding Equipment to theVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38
Passenger Status Indicator . . . 5-14
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Servicing Airbag-Equipped Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Alarm System Anti-Theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . 9-43, 10-30
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Antenna Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-17
Anti-Theft Alarm System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Alarm System Messages . . . . . 5-33 Antilock Brake
System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Appearance Care Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-91
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-95
Armrest Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Audio Players
CD/DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-17
MP3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-26
Audio System Fixed Mast Antenna . . . . . . . . . . 7-17
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Rear Seat (RSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-40
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . . 7-3
Automatic Dimming Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Level Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . 9-38 Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41

Black plate (7,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-7
Latch, Lower Anchors andTethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . 3-48
Level Control Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Lighter, Cigarette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Lighting Entry/Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Lights Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Antilock Brake System(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Front Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-5
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 5-12
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
StabiliTrak
®Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48 Locks
Automatic Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH
SYSTEM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-48
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5 Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
M
MaintenanceRecords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-10
Maintenance Schedule
Recommended Fluids andLubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7
Scheduled Maintenance . . . . . . 11-2
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . 5-15
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Map Data Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-79
Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-44 Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Menu
Configure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-64
Messages Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Anti-Theft Alarm System . . . . . . 5-33
Battery Voltage andCharging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Brake System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Engine Cooling System . . . . . . . 5-29
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Engine Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Fuel System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Key and Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Object Detection System . . . . . 5-32
Ride Control System . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Vehicle Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Midgate
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9