Black plate (83,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
Infotainment System 7-83
Phone
Bluetooth
Vehicles with a Bluetooth system
can use a Bluetooth‐capable cell
phone with a Hands‐Free Profile
to make and receive phone calls.
The system can be used while
the key is in the ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY position. The
range of the Bluetooth system can
be up to 9.1 m (30 ft). Not all phones
support all functions, and not all
phones are guaranteed to work with
the in-vehicle Bluetooth system.
See www.gm.com/bluetooth for
more information on compatible
phones.
Voice Recognition
The Bluetooth system uses voice
recognition to interpret voice
commands to dial phone numbers
and name tags.
For additional information, say
“Help”while you are in a voice
recognition menu. Noise:
Keep interior noise levels to
a minimum. The system may not
recognize voice commands if there
is too much background noise.
When to Speak: A short tone
sounds after the system responds
indicating when it is waiting for a
voice command. Wait until the tone
and then speak.
How to Speak: Speak clearly in a
calm and natural voice.
Audio System
When using the in‐vehicle Bluetooth
system, sound comes through the
vehicle's front audio system
speakers and overrides the audio
system. Use the audio system
volume knob, during a call, to
change the volume level. The
adjusted volume level remains in
memory for later calls. To prevent
missed calls, a minimum volume
level is used if the volume is turned
down too low.
Bluetooth Controls
Use the buttons located on the
steering wheel to operate the
in‐vehicle Bluetooth system. See
Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑2 for more information.
bg(Push To Talk): Press to
answer incoming calls, confirm
system information, and start
speech recognition.
c x(Phone On Hook): Press to
end a call, reject a call, or cancel an
operation.
Pairing
A Bluetooth cell phone must be
paired to the Bluetooth system and
then connected to the vehicle before
it can be used. See your cell phone
manufacturer's user guide for
Bluetooth functions before pairing
the cell phone. If a Bluetooth phone
is not connected, calls will be made
using OnStar Hands‐Free Calling,
if equipped. Refer to the OnStar
Owner's Guide for more information.
Black plate (6,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
9-6 Driving and Operating
Turn the steering wheel 8 to 13 cm
(3 to 5 inches), about one-eighth
turn, until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge. Then turn the
steering wheel to go straight down
the roadway.
Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts
say about what happens when the
three control systems—brakes,
steering, and acceleration —do not
have enough friction where the tires
meet the road to do what the driver
has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up.
Keep trying to steer and constantly
seek an escape route or area of
less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of
the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions,
and by not overdriving those
conditions. But skids are always
possible.
The three types of skids correspond
to the vehicle's three control
systems. In the braking skid, the
wheels are not rolling. In the
steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes
tires to slip and lose cornering force.
And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
If the vehicle starts to slide, ease
your foot off the accelerator pedal
and quickly steer the way you
want the vehicle to go. If you start
steering quickly enough, the vehicle
may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs. Of 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.
Black plate (10,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
9-10 Driving and Operating
For vehicles with a winch, be sure to
read the winch instructions. In a
remote area, a winch can be handy
if you get stuck but you will want to
know how to use it properly.
Getting Familiar with Off-Road
Driving
It is a good idea to practice in an
area that is safe and close to home
before you go into the wilderness.
Off-roading requires some new and
different skills.
Tune your senses to different kinds
of signals. Your eyes need to
constantly sweep the terrain for
unexpected obstacles. Your ears
need to listen for unusual tire or
engine sounds. Use your arms,
hands, feet, and body to respond to
vibrations and vehicle bounce.Controlling the vehicle is the key to
successful off-road driving. One of
the best ways to control the vehicle
is to control the speed. At higher
speeds:
.You approach things faster and
have less time to react.
.There is less time to scan the
terrain for obstacles.
.The vehicle has more bounce
when driving over obstacles.
.More braking distance is
needed, especially on an
unpaved surface.
{WARNING
When 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.
Black plate (11,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-11
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?
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.
{WARNING
Many 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.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
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.
Black plate (16,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
9-16 Driving and Operating
Stalling on an Incline
{WARNING
Getting out on the downhill (low)
side of a vehicle stopped across
an incline is dangerous. If the
vehicle rolls over, you could be
crushed or killed. Always get out
on the uphill (high) side of the
vehicle and stay well clear of the
rollover path.
If the vehicle stalls when crossing
an incline, be sure you, and any
passengers, get out on the uphill
side, even if the door there is harder
to open. If you get out on the
downhill side and the vehicle starts
to roll over, you will be right in
its path.
If you have to walk down the slope,
stay out of the path the vehicle will
take if it does roll over.
Driving 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.
{WARNING
Driving 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.
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 (49,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-49
This type of level control is fully
automatic and will provide a better
leveled riding position as well as
better handling under a variety of
passenger and loading conditions.
An air compressor connected to
the rear shocks will raise or lower
the rear of the vehicle to maintain
proper vehicle height. The system
is activated when the ignition
key is turned to ON/RUN and will
automatically adjust vehicle height
thereafter. The system may exhaust
(lower vehicle height) for up to
ten minutes after the ignition key
has been turned off. You may hear
the air compressor operating when
the height is being adjusted.
If a weight‐distributing hitch is being
used, it is recommended to allow
the shocks to inflate, thereby
leveling the vehicle prior to adjusting
the hitch.Cruise Control
{WARNING
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. So, do not use
the cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.With cruise control, a speed of
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more can
be maintained without keeping your
foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below about 40 km/h (25 mph).
When the brakes are applied, cruise
control is turned off.
This vehicle has a Hydra‐Matic
6‐speed automatic transmission,
see Grade Braking and Cruise
Grade Braking under
Tow/Haul
Mode on page 9‑42 for an
explanation of how cruise control
interacts with the Range Selection
Mode, tow/haul and grade braking
systems.
Black plate (27,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-27
Brakes
This vehicle has disc brakes. Disc
brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time the vehicle is
moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.
{WARNING
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Notice: Continuing to drive with
worn-out brake pads could result
in costly brake repair. Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications in
Capacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2.
Brake linings should always be
replaced as complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service might be
required.
Brake Adjustment
Every time the brakes are applied,
with or without the vehicle moving,
the brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is
complex. Its many parts have to be
of top quality and work well together
if the vehicle is to have really good
braking. The vehicle was designed
and tested with top-quality brake
parts. When parts of the braking
system are replaced, be sure to get
new, approved replacement parts.
If this is not done, the brakes might
not work properly. For example,
installing disc brake pads that are
wrong for the vehicle, can change
the balance between the front and
rear brakes —for the worse. The
braking performance expected can
change in many other ways if the
wrong replacement brake parts are
installed.