2011 CADILLAC ESCALADE steering wheel

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.
{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. 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 (13,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-13
.Are there obstructions on the hill
that can block your path, such
as boulders, trees, logs, or ruts?
.What is beyond the hill? Is
there a cliff, an embankment, a
drop-off, a fence? Get out and
walk the hill if you do not know.
It is the smart way to find out.
.Is the hill simply too rough?
Steep hills often have ruts,
gullies, troughs, and exposed
rocks because they are more
susceptible to the effects of
erosion.
Driving Uphill
Once you decide it is safe to drive
up the hill:
.Use a low gear and get a firm
grip on the steering wheel.
.Get a smooth start up the
hill and try to maintain speed.
Not using more power than
needed can avoid spinning
the wheels or sliding.
{WARNING
Turning or driving across steep
hills can be dangerous. You could
lose traction, slide sideways, and
possibly roll over. You could be
seriously injured or killed. When
driving up hills, always try to go
straight up.
.Try to drive straight up the hill if
at all possible. If the path twists
and turns, you might want to find
another route.
.Ease up on the speed as you
approach the top of the hill.
.Attach a flag to the vehicle to
be more visible to approaching
traffic on trails or hills.
.Sound the horn as you approach
the top of the hill to let opposing
traffic know you are there.
.Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible to oncoming traffic.
{WARNING
Driving to the top (crest) of a
hill at full speed can cause an
accident. There could be a
drop-off, embankment, cliff,
or even another vehicle. You
could be seriously injured or
killed. As you near the top of a
hill, slow down and stay alert.
If the vehicle stalls, or is about to
stall, and you cannot make it up
the hill:
.Push the brake pedal to stop the
vehicle and keep it from rolling
backwards and apply the
parking brake.
.If the engine is still running, shift
the transmission to R (Reverse),
release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill in
R (Reverse).

Black plate (14,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
9-14 Driving and Operating
.If the engine has stopped
running, you need to restart it.
With the brake pedal pressed
and the parking brake still
applied, shift the transmission to
P (Park) and restart the engine.
Then, shift to R (Reverse),
release the parking brake,
and slowly back down the
hill as straight as possible
in R (Reverse).
.While backing down the hill, put
your left hand on the steering
wheel at the 12 o'clock position
so you can tell if the wheels are
straight and can maneuver as
you back down. It is best to back
down the hill with the wheels
straight rather than in the left or
right direction. Turning the wheel
too far to the left or right will
increase the possibility of a
rollover.Things not to do if the vehicle stalls,
or is about to stall, when going up
a hill:
.Never attempt to prevent a stall
by shifting into N (Neutral) to
rev-up the engine and regain
forward momentum. This will
not work. The vehicle can roll
backward very quickly and
could go out of control.
.Never try to turn around if about
to stall when going up a hill.
If the hill is steep enough to
stall the vehicle, it is steep
enough to cause it to roll over.
If you cannot make it up the hill,
back straight down the hill.
If, after stalling, you try to back
down the hill and decide you just
cannot do it, set the parking brake,
put your transmission in P (Park),
and turn off the engine. Leave the
vehicle and go get some help. Exit
on the uphill side and stay clear of
the path the vehicle would take if it
rolled downhill.
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you
downhill, consider:
.How steep is the downhill?
Will I be able to maintain vehicle
control?
.What is the surface like?
Smooth? Rough? Slippery?
Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
.Are there hidden surface
obstacles? Ruts? Logs?
Boulders?
.What is at the bottom of the hill?
Is there a hidden creek bank or
even a river bottom with large
rocks?

Black plate (17,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-17
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.
Driving in Water
{WARNING
Driving 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.
{WARNING
Wet 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 (23,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-23
To save fuel, run the engine for only
short periods as needed to warm
the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of
the way to save heat. Repeat this
until help arrives but only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the
cold. Moving about to keep warm
also helps.
If it takes some time for help to
arrive, now and then when you run
the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine
runs faster than the idle speed.
This keeps the battery charged to
restart the vehicle and to signal for
help with the headlamps. Do this
as little as possible to save fuel.
If the Vehicle is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
See“Rocking Your Vehicle to Get
It Out” later in this section. If the vehicle has a traction
system, it can often help to free a
stuck vehicle. Refer to the vehicle's
traction system in the Index. If stuck
too severely for the traction system
to free the vehicle, turn the traction
system off and use the rocking
method.
{WARNING
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and
you or others could be injured.
The vehicle can overheat,
causing an engine compartment
fire or other damage. Spin the
wheels as little as possible and
avoid going above 55 km/h
(35 mph) as shown on the
speedometer.
For information about using tire
chains on the vehicle, see Tire
Chains on page 10‑72.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get
It Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction
or stability system. Shift back and
forth between R (Reverse) and a
forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
Slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not
get the vehicle out after a few tries,
it might need to be towed out.
Recovery hooks can be used, if the
vehicle has them. If the vehicle does
need to be towed out, see Towing
the Vehicle on page 10‑94.

Black plate (32,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
9-32 Driving and Operating
Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has four different
positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the
ignition must be in ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY and the regular
brake pedal must be applied.A (STOPPING THE ENGINE/
LOCK/OFF):
When the vehicle is
stopped, turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF to turn the engine off.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9‑35
This position locks the ignition.
It may also lock the steering
wheel and automatic transmission.
The key can be removed in
LOCK/OFF.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause
a loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags. In an emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady
pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to neutral. This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to neutral, firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle
to a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF. On vehicles with
an automatic transmission, the
shift lever must be in P (Park) to
turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK/OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on page 9‑46