2012 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV heater

Black plate (7,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Seats and Restraints 3-7
Heated and Ventilated
Front Seats
{ WARNINGIf you cannot feel temperature
change or pain to the skin, the
seat heater may cause burns
even at low temperatures. To
reduce the risk of burns, people
with such a condition should use
care when using the seat heater,
especially for long periods of
time. Do not place anything on
the seat that insulates against
heat, such as a blanket, cushion,
cover, or similar item. This may
cause the seat heater to
overheat. An overheated seat
heater may cause a burn or may
damage the seat. The buttons are on the climate
control panel.
{ (Cooled Seat): Press to cool
the seat.
+ (Heated Seatback): Press to
heat the seatback.
z (Heated Seat and Seatback):
Press to heat the seat and
seatback. Press the desired button once for
the highest setting. With each press
of the button, the seat will change to
the next lower setting, and then to
the off setting. Indicator bars next to
the symbol on the climate control
display show the selected
setting: three for high, two for
medium, and one for low.
The heated and cooled seats
are canceled when the ignition is
turned off. To use this feature after
restarting the vehicle, press the
desired button again.

Black plate (8,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
3-8 Seats and Restraints
Rear Seats Heated Rear Seats
{ WARNINGIf you cannot feel temperature
change or pain to the skin, the
seat heater may cause burns
even at low temperatures. See
the Warning under Heated and
Ventilated Front Seats on
page 3 ‑ 7 . The buttons are on the Rear Seat
Audio (RSA) panel on the rear of the
center console.
Press
M or
L to heat the left
outboard or right outboard seat
cushion. An indicator on the RSA
display appears when this feature
is on.
Press the button once for the
highest setting. With each press of
the button, the heated seat changes
to the next lower setting, and then
the off setting. Indicator bars next to
the symbol show the setting: three
for high, two for medium, and one
for low.
The heated seats are canceled
ten seconds after the ignition is
turned off. To use this feature after
the vehicle is restarted, press the
desired button.
Second Row Seats The second row seats can be folded
for additional cargo space or folded
and tumbled for easy entry and exit to the third row seat, if equipped.
The seat has either the manual fold
and tumble feature or the automatic
seat release fold and tumble
feature.
Reclining Seatbacks (Bucket
Seats Only) On vehicles with second row bucket
seats, the seatbacks can be
reclined.
To recline the seatback:
1. Lift the lever on the outboard
side of the seat.

Black plate (36,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
3-36 Seats and Restraints If the On Indicator is Lit for a
Child Restraint If a child restraint has been installed
and the on indicator is lit:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove the child restraint from
the vehicle.
3. Remove any additional items
from the seat such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.
4. Reinstall the child restraint
following the directions provided
by the child restraint
manufacturer and refer to
Securing Child Restraints (Rear
Seat Position) on page 3 ‑ 56 or
Securing Child Restraints (Right
Front Seat Position) on
page 3 ‑ 60 or Securing Child
Restraints (Center Front Seat
Position) on page 3 ‑ 59 . 5. If, after reinstalling the child
restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is still lit,
turn the vehicle off. Then slightly
recline the vehicle seatback and
adjust the seat cushion, if
adjustable, to make sure that the
vehicle seatback is not pushing
the child restraint into the seat
cushion.
Also make sure the child
restraint is not trapped under the
vehicle head restraint. If this
happens, adjust the head
restraint. See Head Restraints
on page 3 ‑ 2 .
6. Restart the vehicle.
The passenger sensing system
may or may not turn off the
airbag for a child in a child
restraint depending upon the
child ’ s seating posture and body
build. It is better to secure the
child restraint in a rear seat. If the Off Indicator is Lit for an
Adult-Size Occupant
If a person of adult size is sitting in
the right front passenger seat, but
the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting
properly in the seat. If this happens,
use the following steps to allow the
system to detect that person and
enable the right front passenger
frontal airbag:
1. Turn the vehicle off.

Black plate (37,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Seats and Restraints 3-372. Remove any additional material
from the seat, such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.
3. Place the seatback in the fully
upright position.
4. Have the person sit upright in
the seat, centered on the seat
cushion, with legs comfortably
extended.
5. Restart the vehicle and have the
person remain in this position for
two to three minutes after the on
indicator is lit.
Additional Factors Affecting
System Operation Safety belts help keep the
passenger in position on the seat
during vehicle maneuvers and
braking, which helps the passenger
sensing system maintain the
passenger airbag status. See
“ Safety Belts ” and “ Child Restraints ” in the Index for additional
information about the importance of
proper restraint use.
If the shoulder portion of the belt is
pulled out all the way, the child
restraint locking feature will be
engaged. This may unintentionally
cause the passenger sensing
system to turn the airbag off for
some adult ‐ size occupants. If this
happens, let the belt go back all the
way and start again.
A thick layer of additional material,
such as a blanket or cushion,
or aftermarket equipment such as
seat covers, seat heaters, and seat
massagers, can affect how well the
passenger sensing system
operates. We recommend that you
not use seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment except when
approved by GM for your specific vehicle. See Adding Equipment to
the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3 ‑ 38 for more information
about modifications that can affect
how the system operates.
The on indicator may be lit if an
object, such as a briefcase,
handbag, grocery bag, laptop,
or other electronic device, is put on
an unoccupied seat. If this is not
desired, remove the object from
the seat.
{ WARNINGStowing of articles under the
passenger seat or between the
passenger seat cushion and
seatback may interfere with the
proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.

Black plate (39,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Seats and Restraints 3-39In addition, the vehicle may have
a passenger sensing system for
the right front passenger
position, which includes sensors
that are part of the passenger
seat. The passenger sensing
system may not operate properly
if the original seat trim is
replaced with non-GM covers,
upholstery or trim, or with GM
covers, upholstery or trim
designed for a different vehicle.
Any object, such as an
aftermarket seat heater or a
comfort enhancing pad or
device, installed under or on top
of the seat fabric, could also
interfere with the operation of
the passenger sensing system.
This could either prevent proper
deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the
passenger sensing system from properly turning off the
passenger airbag(s). See
Passenger Sensing System on
page 3 ‑ 33 .
If you have any questions, call
Customer Assistance. The
phone numbers and addresses
for Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this
manual. See Customer
Satisfaction Procedure (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13 ‑ 1 or
Customer Satisfaction
Procedure (Mexico) on
page 13 ‑ 3 .
If the vehicle has rollover
roof-rail airbags, see Different
Size Tires and Wheels on
page 10 ‑ 62 for additional
important information. Q: Because I have a disability,
I have to get my vehicle
modified. How can I find out
whether this will affect my
airbag system?
A: If you have questions, call
Customer Assistance. The
phone numbers and addresses
for Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this
manual. See Customer
Satisfaction Procedure (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13 ‑ 1 or
Customer Satisfaction
Procedure (Mexico) on
page 13 ‑ 3 .
In addition, your dealer and the
service manual have information
about the location of the airbag
sensors, sensing and diagnostic
module and airbag wiring.

Black plate (7,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Climate Controls 8-7Automatic Operation, If
Equipped AUTO: Press the air delivery mode
button until this setting is selected to
control the inside temperature, air
delivery, and fan speed. AUTO
appears in the display when
automatic operation is active.
+ or − (Increase/Decrease
Temperature): Press the + or −
buttons to increase or decrease the
cabin temperature. The rear control
temperature display will show the
temperature setting increasing or
decreasing.
The display only indicates climate
control functions when the system
is in rear independent mode. Manual Operation
D C (Fan Control): Press these
buttons on the rear seat audio
control panel to increase or
decrease the airflow. Pressing the
fan up button when the system is off
will turn the system on. The air
delivery mode will remain under
automatic control.
+ or − (Temperature Control):
Press these buttons to adjust the
temperature of the air flowing into
the passenger area. Press the
+ button for warmer air and press
the − button for cooler air.
N (Air Delivery Mode Control):
Press the mode button to change
the direction of the airflow in the
vehicle. Repeatedly press the
button until the desired mode
appears on the display. Multiple
presses will cycle through the
delivery selections. Air Vents Use the air outlets located in the
center and on the side of the
instrument panel to direct the
airflow.
Operation Tips .
Keep the hood and front air
inlets free of ice, snow, or any
other obstruction (such as
leaves). The heater and
defroster will work far better,
reducing the chance of fogging
the inside of the windows. .
When you enter a vehicle in
cold weather, press the fan up
button to the maximum fan level
before driving. This helps clear
the intake ducts of snow and
moisture, and reduces the
chance of fogging the inside of
the window.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating Driving Information Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 9-11
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-12
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-15
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-16 Starting and Operating New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-21
Adjustable Throttle and Brake
Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Active Fuel Management ®
. . . 9-28
Engine Exhaust Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Running the Vehicle While
Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Automatic Transmission Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-30
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34 Brakes Antilock Brake
System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-36
Ride Control Systems StabiliTrak ®
System . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Road Sensing Suspension . . . 9-40
Continuous Damping
Control (CDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Automatic Level Control . . . . . 9-40
Cruise Control Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Object Detection Systems Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-44
Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48

Black plate (25,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Driving and Operating 9-25prevent possible vehicle
component damage. When this
happens, hold the ignition switch
in the START position to
continue engine cranking.
Notice: Cranking the engine for
long periods of time, by returning
the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after
5-10 seconds, especially in very
cold weather (below − 18°C or
0°F), it could be flooded with too
much gasoline. Try pushing the
accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and holding it there as
you hold the key in START for
up to a maximum of 15 seconds. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to allow the
cranking motor to cool down.
When the engine starts, let go of
the key and accelerator. If the
vehicle starts briefly but then
stops again, repeat these steps.
This clears the extra gasoline
from the engine. Do not race the
engine immediately after starting
it. Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Notice: If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
See Add-On Electrical Equipment
on page 9 ‑ 69 . Engine Heater The engine coolant heater can
provide easier starting and better
fuel economy during engine
warm-up in cold weather conditions
at or below − 18°C (0°F). Vehicles
with an engine heater should be
plugged in at least four hours before
starting. An internal thermostat in
the plug-end of the cord may exist
which will prevent engine coolant
heater operation at temperatures
above − 18°C (0°F).
To Use the Engine Coolant
Heater 1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the
electrical cord. The cord is
secured to the engine
compartment fuse block with a
clip. Carefully remove the wire
tie which secures the electrical
cord. Do not cut the
electrical cord.