
Black plate (2,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
2-2 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Keys and Locks
Keys
{WARNING
Leaving children in a vehicle with
the ignition key is dangerous for
many reasons. Children or others
could be badly injured or even
killed. They could operate the
power windows or other controls
or even make the vehicle move.
The windows will function with the
keys in the ignition and children
could be seriously injured or killed
if caught in the path of a closing
window. Do not leave the keys in
a vehicle with children.
The key can be used for the ignition,
door locks, tailgate, and side
storage boxes.
See your dealer if a replacement
key or additional key is needed.
Notice:If the keys get locked in
the vehicle, it may have to be
damaged to get them out. Always
carry a spare key. If locked out of your vehicle, contact
Roadside Service. See
Roadside
Service (U.S. and Canada) on
page 13‑7 orRoadside Service
(Mexico) on page 13‑9 for more
information.
With an active OnStar subscription,
an OnStar Advisor may remotely
unlock the vehicle. See OnStar
Overview on page 14‑1.
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System
See Radio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑21 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-GEN/210/220/310.
If there is a decrease in the RKE
operating range:
.Check the distance. The
transmitter may be too far from
the vehicle.

Black plate (3,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-3
.Check the location. Other
vehicles or objects may be
blocking the signal.
.Check the transmitter's battery.
See“Battery Replacement” later
in this section.
.If the transmitter is still not
working correctly, see your
dealer or a qualified technician
for service.
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter functions work up to
60 m (195 ft) away from the vehicle.
There are other conditions which
can affect the performance of the
transmitter. See Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System on page 2‑2.
/(Remote Vehicle Start): Press
to start the engine from outside the
vehicle using the RKE transmitter.
See Remote Vehicle Start on
page 2‑5 for additional information.
Q(Lock):Press to lock all the
doors, including the tailgate.
If enabled through the Driver
Information Center (DIC), the turn
signal lamps flash once to indicate
locking has occurred. If enabled
through the DIC, the horn chirps when
Qis pressed again within
three seconds. See Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑36 for
additional information.
Pressing
Qarms the content
theft‐deterrent system. See
Anti-theft Alarm System on
page 2‑16.
K(Unlock): Press once to unlock
only the driver door. If
Kis pressed
again within three seconds, all
remaining doors, including the
tailgate unlock.
The interior lamps come on and
stay on for 20 seconds or until the
ignition is turned on. If enabled
through the DIC, the turn signal
lamps flash twice to indicate
unlocking has occurred. See Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑36.
If enabled through the DIC, the
exterior lamps turn on briefly if it is
dark enough outside. See
“Approach Lighting” underVehicle
Personalization on page 5‑36.

Black plate (4,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
2-4 Keys, Doors, and Windows
PressingKon the RKE transmitter
disarms the content theft‐deterrent
system. See Anti-theft Alarm
System on page 2‑16.
L(Vehicle Locator/Panic
Alarm): Press and release to
locate the vehicle. The turn signal
lamps flash and the horn sounds
three times.
Press and hold
Lfor
three seconds to activate the panic
alarm. The turn signal lamps flash
and the horn sounds repeatedly for
30 seconds. The alarm turns off
when the ignition is moved to ON/
RUN or
Lis pressed again. The
ignition must be in LOCK/OFF for
the panic alarm to work.
The vehicle comes with
two transmitters. Each transmitter
will have a number on top of it,
“1” or“2”. These numbers
correspond to the driver of the vehicle. For example, the memory
seat position for driver 1 will be
recalled when using the transmitter
labeled
“1”, if enabled through the
DIC. See Memory Seats on
page 3‑5 for more information.
Programming Transmitters to
the Vehicle
Only RKE transmitters programmed
to this vehicle will work. If a
transmitter is lost or stolen, a
replacement can be purchased and
programmed through your dealer.
When the replacement transmitter is
programmed to this vehicle, all
remaining transmitters must also be
reprogrammed. Any lost or stolen
transmitters will no longer work
once the new transmitter is
programmed. Each vehicle can
have up to eight transmitters
programmed to it. See your dealer
to have transmitters programmed to
your vehicle.
Battery Replacement
Replace the battery if the REPLACE
BATTERY IN REMOTE KEY
message displays in the DIC. See
“REPLACE BATTERY IN REMOTE
KEY”under Key and Lock
Messages on page 5‑32 for
additional information.
Notice: When replacing the
battery, do not touch any of the
circuitry on the transmitter. Static
from your body could damage the
transmitter.

Black plate (6,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
2-6 Keys, Doors, and Windows
To start the vehicle using the remote
start feature:
1. Aim the transmitter at thevehicle.
2. Press and release
Q.
3. Immediately press and hold
/
until the turn signal lamps flash.
If you cannot see the vehicle's
lamps, press and hold
/for
two to four seconds.
When the vehicle starts, the
parking lamps will turn on and
remain on while the vehicle is
running. The doors will be
locked and the climate control
system may come on.
The engine will continue to run
for 10 minutes. Repeat the steps
for a 10-minute time extension.
Remote start can be extended
only once.
After entering the vehicle during a
remote start, insert and turn the key
to ON/RUN to drive the vehicle. To cancel a remote start, do any of
the following:
.Aim the RKE transmitter at the
vehicle and
/until the parking
lamps turn off.
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Turn the ignition on and then
back off.
The vehicle can be remote started
two separate times between driving
sequences. The engine will run for
10 minutes after each remote start.
Or, you can extend the engine run
time by another 10 minutes within
the first 10 minute remote start time
frame, and before the engine stops.
For example, if
Qand then/are
pressed again after the vehicle has
been running for five minutes,
10 minutes are added, allowing the
engine to run for 15 minutes. The additional 10 minutes are
considered a second remote vehicle
start.
After the vehicle's engine has been
started two times using
/, or a
single remote start with one time
extension, the vehicle must be
started with the key.
After the key is removed from the
ignition, the vehicle can be remote
started again.
The vehicle cannot be remote
started if the key is in the ignition,
the hood is not closed, or if there is
an emission control system
malfunction and the malfunction
indicator lamp is on.
Also, the engine will turn off during a
remote vehicle start if the coolant
temperature gets too high or if the
oil pressure gets low.

Black plate (7,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-7
Door Locks
{WARNING
Unlocked doors can be
dangerous.
.Passengers, especially
children, can easily open the
doors and fall out of a moving
vehicle. When a door is
locked, the handle will not
open it. The chance of being
thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash is increased if the
doors are not locked. So, all
passengers should wear
safety belts properly and the
doors should be locked
whenever the vehicle is
driven.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Young children who get into
unlocked vehicles may be
unable to get out. A child can
be overcome by extreme heat
and can suffer permanent
injuries or even death from
heat stroke. Always lock the
vehicle whenever leaving it.
.Outsiders can easily enter
through an unlocked door
when you slow down or stop
the vehicle. Locking the doors
can help prevent this from
happening.
There are several ways to lock and
unlock the vehicle.
From outside, use the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter or
the key in the driver door. From inside, use the power door
locks or manual door locks. To lock
or unlock the door with the manual
locks, push down or pull up on the
manual lock knob.
Power Door Locks
With power door locks, the switches
on the front doors can be used to
lock and unlock the vehicle.
If available, the switches are on the
front doors.
K(Unlock):
Press to unlock the
doors.
Q(Lock): Press to lock the doors.

Black plate (8,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
2-8 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Delayed Locking
When locking the doors with
the power lock switch and a
door is open, the doors will lock
five seconds after the last door is
closed. You will hear three chimes to
signal that the delayed locking
feature is in use.
Pressing the power lock switch will
override the delayed locking feature
and immediately lock all the doors.
This feature will not operate if the
key is in the ignition.
You can also program this feature
using the Driver Information
Center (DIC). See“Delay Door
Lock” under Vehicle Personalization
on page 5‑36.
Automatic Door Locks
The vehicle may have an automatic
lock/unlock feature. This feature can
be programmed using the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑36 for more information on
DIC programming.
Lockout Protection
If the driver side power door lock
switch is pressed when the driver
door is open and the key is in the
ignition, all of the doors will lock and
then the driver door will unlock.
If the passenger side power door
lock switch is pressed when the
front passenger door is open and
the key is in the ignition, all of the
doors will lock and then the front
passenger door will unlock.
Safety Locks
The vehicle has rear door security
locks to prevent passengers from
opening the rear doors from the
inside.
Open the rear doors to access the
security locks on the inside edge of
each door.
To set the locks, insert a key into
the slot and turn it to the horizontal
position. The door can only be
opened from the outside with the
door unlocked. To return the door to
normal operation, turn the slot to the
vertical position.

Black plate (9,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-9
Doors
Midgate®
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to drive with
the cargo area covered and the
tailgate and the Midgate
®open
because carbon monoxide (CO)
gas can come into your vehicle.
You can not see or smell CO.
It can cause unconsciousness
and even death. If you must drive
with the cargo covers on and the
tailgate and Midgate open or if
electrical wiring or other cable
connections must pass through
the seal between the body and
the Midgate:
.Make sure all windows
are shut.
.Turn the fan on your heating
or cooling system to its
highest speed on the setting
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
that brings in outside air. This
will force outside air into your
vehicle. SeeDual Automatic
Climate Control System on
page 8‑1.
.If you have air outlets on or
under the instrument panel,
open them all the way. See
Engine Exhaust on
page 9‑30.
Midgate Operation
This vehicle is equipped with a
Midgate and a removable rear glass
panel. The Midgate allows you to
extend the length of the vehicle's
cargo area.
The following are the main
components of the Midgate system:
A. Latch Levers
B. Grab Handles
C. Glass-Catch Release Button
D. Glass Lock Knobs
E. Glass Retaining Tabs
F. Midgate Release Handle
G. Glass Alignment Arrows

Black plate (11,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-11
4. With the rear glass tilted towardyou, lift it out from the lower
window frame channel. Use the
grab handles (B) to assist you in
removing the rear glass.5. Load the rear glass into thestorage pocket in the Midgate,
guiding the lower edge of the
rear glass behind the three rear
glass retaining tabs (E).
Hold the rear glass flat against
the storage pocket, with grab
handles facing you, until the
next step.6. Turn both glass lock knobs (D),located at both top corners of
the storage pocket, to the locked
position. Push in on the corner
of the rear glass to allow the
lock knob to engage more easily.