2011 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT brake light

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 (50,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
9-50 Driving and Operating
This vehicle has StabiliTrak and
when the system begins to limit
wheel spin, the cruise control will
automatically disengage. See
StabiliTrak
®System on page 9‑45.
When road conditions allow the
cruise control to be safely used
again, it can be turned back on.
Cruise Control Shown With
Heated Steering Wheel Button (If Equipped)
The cruise control buttons are
located on left side of the steering
wheel.
I(On/Off): Press to turn the
system on or off. The indicator light
is on when cruise control is on and
turns off when cruise control is off.
+ RES (Resume/Accelerate):
Press briefly to make the vehicle
resume to a previously set speed,
or press and hold to accelerate.
SET −(Set/Coast): Press to set
the speed and activate cruise
control or make the vehicle
decelerate.
[(Cancel): Press to disengage
cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If the cruise button is on when not in
use, it could get bumped and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep the
cruise control switch off when cruise
is not being used. The cruise control light on the
instrument panel cluster comes on
after the cruise control has been set
to the desired speed.
1. Press the
Ibutton.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press the SET− button located
on the steering wheel and
release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator.
Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a
desired speed and then the brakes
are applied, the cruise control is
disengaged without erasing the set
speed from memory.
Once the vehicle speed reaches
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more,
press the +RES button on the
steering wheel. The vehicle returns
to the previous set speed and stays
there.

Black plate (51,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-51
Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated,
.Press and hold the +RES button
on the steering wheel until the
desired speed is reached, then
release it.
.To increase vehicle speed in
small amounts, press the +RES
button. Each time this is done,
the vehicle goes about 1.6 km/h
(1 mph) faster.
Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated,
.Press and hold the SET– button
on the steering wheel until the
desired lower speed is reached,
then release it.
.To slow down in small amounts,
press the SET– button on the
steering wheel briefly. Each time
this is done, the vehicle goes
about 1.6 km/h (1 mph) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal,
the vehicle will slow down to the
previous set cruise speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control will work
on hills depends upon the vehicle
speed, load, and the steepness of
the hills. When going up steep hills,
you might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain the
vehicle speed. When going
downhill, you might have to brake
or shift to a lower gear to keep the
vehicle speed down. When the
brakes are applied the cruise control
is disengaged. Ending Cruise Control
There are three ways to end cruise
control:
.To disengage cruise control,
step lightly on the brake pedal.
.Press[on the steering wheel.
.To turn off the cruise control,
press
Ion the steering wheel.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory by pressing
the
Ibutton or if the ignition is
turned off.

Black plate (53,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-53
The system can be disabled by
pressing the rear park aid disable
button located next to the radio.
The indicator light comes on and
PARK ASSIST OFF displays on the
Driver Information Center (DIC) to
indicate that URPA is off; seeObject
Detection System Messages on
page 5‑32.
Notice: If you use URPA while the
tailgate is lowered, it may not
detect an object behind your
vehicle, and you might back into
the object and damage your
vehicle. Always verify the tailgate
is closed when using URPA or
turn off URPA when driving with
the tailgate lowered.
When the System Does Not
Seem to Work Properly
The following messages may be
displayed on the DIC:
SERVICE PARK ASSIST: If this
message occurs, take the vehicle to
your dealer to repair the system.
PARK ASSIST OFF: This message
occurs if the driver disables the
system.
PARK ASST BLOCKED SEE
OWNERS MANUAL: This
message can occur under the
following conditions:
.The ultrasonic sensors are not
clean. Keep the vehicle's rear
bumper free of mud, dirt, snow,
ice, and slush. For cleaning
instructions, see “Washing the
Vehicle” underExterior Care on
page 10‑91.
.The park assist sensors are
covered by frost or ice. Frost or
ice can form around and behind
the sensors and may not always
be seen; this can occur after washing the vehicle in cold
weather. The message may not
clear until the frost or ice has
melted.
.A trailer was attached to the
vehicle, or a bicycle or an object
was hanging out of the tailgate
during the last drive cycle. Once
the attached object is removed
and the tailgate is raised, URPA
will return to normal operation.
.A tow bar is attached to the
vehicle.
.The vehicle's bumper is
damaged. Take the vehicle to
your dealer to repair the system.
.Other conditions are affecting
system performance. Examples
of this are vibrations from a
jackhammer or the compression
of air brakes on a very large
truck.
If the system is still disabled after
driving forward at least 40 km/h
(25 mph), take the vehicle to your
dealer.

Black plate (73,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-73
Trailer Brakes
A loaded trailer that weighs more
than 900 kg (2,000 lbs) needs to
have its own brake system that is
adequate for the weight of the
trailer. Be sure to read and follow
the instructions for the trailer brakes
so they are installed, adjusted and
maintained properly.
Since the vehicle is equipped with
StabiliTrak, the trailer brakes cannot
tap into the vehicle's hydraulic
system.
Trailer Wiring Harness
Heavy-Duty Trailer Wiring Harness
Package
The vehicle has a seven-pin
universal heavy-duty trailer
connector attached to the rear
bumper beam next to the integrated
trailer hitch.The seven-wire harness contains
the following trailer circuits:
.Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
.Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn
Signal
.Brown: Taillamps
.White: Ground
.Light Green: Back-up Lamps
.Red w/ Black Stripe:
Battery Feed*
.Dark Blue: Trailer Brake*
*The fuses for these two circuits
are installed in the underhood
electrical center, but the wires are
not connected. They should be
connected by your dealer or a
qualified service center.

Black plate (74,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
9-74 Driving and Operating
If charging a remote (non-vehicle)
battery, press the tow/haul mode
button located at the end of the shift
lever. This will boost the vehicle
system voltage and properly charge
the battery. If the trailer is too light
for tow/haul mode, turn on the
headlamps as a second way to
boost the vehicle system and
charge the battery.
Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions
These wiring provisions are
included with the vehicle as part of
the trailer wiring package. These
provisions are for an electric brake
controller. The instrument panel
contains blunt cut wires near the
data link connector for the trailer
brake controller. The harness
contains the following wires:
.Dark Blue: Brake Signal to
Trailer Connector
.Red/Black: Battery
.Light Blue/White: Brake Switch
.White: Ground
It should be installed by your dealer
or a qualified service center.
Tow/Haul Mode
Pressing this button at the end of
the shift lever turns on and off the
tow/haul mode.
This indicator light on the instrument
panel cluster comes on when the
tow/haul mode is on. Tow/Haul is a feature that assists
when pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load. See
Tow/Haul
Mode on page 9‑42 for more
information.
Tow/Haul is designed to be most
effective when the vehicle and
trailer combined weight is at least
75 percent of the vehicle's Gross
Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
See “Weight of the Trailer” inTrailer
Towing on page 9‑68. Tow/Haul is
most useful under the following
driving conditions:
.When pulling a heavy trailer or
a large or heavy load through
rolling terrain.
.When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load in stop and
go traffic.
.When pulling a heavy trailer or
a large or heavy load in busy
parking lots where improved low
speed control of the vehicle is
desired.