2012 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT tow

Black plate (28,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
9-28 Driving and Operating
Shifting Into Park
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow. If you are pulling a
trailer, seeDriving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑57.
1. Hold the brake pedal down, then set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into the P (Park) position by pulling the
shift lever toward you and
moving it up as far as it will go. 3. Turn the ignition key to
LOCK/OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave the vehicle
with the ignition key in your
hand, the vehicle is in P (Park).
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
The vehicle could move suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it
could overheat and even catch
fire. You or others could be
injured. Do not leave the vehicle
with the engine running.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the parking brake is firmly set. After the
shift lever is moved into P (Park),
hold the regular brake pedal down.
Then, see if you can move the shift
lever away from P (Park) without
first pulling it toward you. If you can,
it means that the shift lever was not
fully locked into P (Park).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you
do not shift the transmission into
P (Park) properly, the weight of
the vehicle can put too much
force on the parking pawl in the
transmission. It might be difficult to
pull the shift lever out of P (Park).
This is called torque lock. To
prevent torque lock, set the parking
brake and then shift into P (Park)
properly before you leave the driver
seat. To find out how, see
Shifting
Into Park on page 9‑28.
When you are ready to drive, move
the shift lever out of P (Park) before
releasing the parking brake.

Black plate (31,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-31
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running. But if you ever have
to, here are some things to know.
{WARNING
Idling a vehicle in an enclosed
area with poor ventilation is
dangerous. Engine exhaust may
enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust
contains carbon monoxide (CO)
which cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness
and even death. Never run the
engine in an enclosed area that
has no fresh air ventilation. For
more information, seeEngine
Exhaust on page 9‑30.
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the automatic
transmission shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll. Do
not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
Follow the proper steps to be sure
the vehicle will not move. See
Shifting Into Park on page 9‑28.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑57.
Automatic
Transmission
The vehicle has a
Hydra-Matic®6L80 automatic
transmission, and has an electronic
shift position indicator within the
instrument panel cluster. The
electronic shift position indicator
displays when the shift lever is
moved out of P (Park).
There are several different positions
for the shift lever.
P (Park): This position locks the
rear wheels. It is the best position to
use when you start the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily.

Black plate (32,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
9-32 Driving and Operating
When parked on a hill, especially
when the vehicle has a heavy load,
you may notice an increase in the
effort to shift out of P (Park). See
“Torque Lock”underShifting Into
Park on page 9‑28 for more
information.
{WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
SeeShifting Into Park on
page 9‑28. If you are pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑57.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to
back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only
after the vehicle is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck on page 9‑15. N (Neutral):
In this position, the
engine does not connect with the
wheels. To restart when you are
already moving, use N (Neutral)
only. Also, use N (Neutral) when the
vehicle is being towed.
{WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.

Black plate (33,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-33
Notice:Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
D (Drive): This position is for
normal driving. It provides the best
fuel economy. If you need more
power for passing, and you are:
.Going less than about 55 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 55 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
By doing this, the vehicle shifts
down to the next gear and has more
power. D (Drive) can be used when towing
a trailer, carrying a heavy load,
driving on steep hills, or for off-road
driving. You may want to shift the
transmission to a lower gear
selection if the transmission shifts
too often.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding. See
“Skidding”under
Loss of Control on page 9‑5.
M (Manual Mode): This position
lets drivers select the range of gears
appropriate for current driving
conditions. See “Driver Shift
Control (DSC)” underManual Mode
on page 9‑34. Notice:
Spinning the tires or
holding the vehicle in one
place on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage
the transmission. The repair will
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. If you are stuck, do not
spin the tires. When stopping on
a hill, use the brakes to hold the
vehicle in place.
The vehicle has a shift stabilization
feature that adjusts the transmission
shifting to the current driving
conditions in order to reduce rapid
upshifts and downshifts. This shift
stabilization feature is designed to
determine, before making an
upshift, if the engine will be able to
maintain vehicle speed by analyzing
things such as vehicle speed,
throttle position and vehicle load.
If the shift stabilization feature
determines that a current vehicle
speed cannot be maintained, the
transmission does not upshift and
instead holds the current gear.

Black plate (34,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
9-34 Driving and Operating
In some cases, this may appear to
be a delayed shift, however the
transmission is operating normally.
The vehicle's transmission uses
adaptive shift controls that
compares key shift parameters to
pre-programmed ideal shifts stored
in the transmissions computer. The
transmission constantly makes
adjustments to improve vehicle
performance according to how the
vehicle is being used, such as with
a heavy load or when temperature
changes. During this adaptive shift
controls process, shifting may feel
different as the transmission
determines the best settings.
When temperatures are very cold,
the Hydra-Matic
®6L80 automatic
transmission's gear shifting may be
delayed providing more stable shifts
until the engine warms up. Shifts
may be more noticeable with a cold
transmission. This difference in
shifting is normal.
Manual Mode
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
The vehicle has Driver Shift
Control (DSC). DSC controls the
vehicle's transmission and vehicle
speed while driving down hill or
towing a trailer by allowing you to
select a desired range of gears.
To use this feature, do the following:
1. Move the shift lever to the
M (Manual Mode).
2. Press the plus/minus button, to upshift or downshift selecting the
desired range of gears for
current driving conditions. The DIC display will show the
message MANUAL SHIFT on the
first line and the current gear will be
displayed on the second line. The
number displayed in the DIC is the
highest gear that can be used.
However, the vehicle can
automatically shift to lower gears as
it adjusts to driving conditions. This
means that all gears below that
number are available. When 5 (Fifth)
is selected, 1 (First) through 5 (Fifth)
gears are automatically shifted by
the vehicle, but 6 (Sixth) cannot be
used until the plus/minus button
located on the steering column lever
is used to change to the gear.
Grade Braking is not available when
the Driver Shift Control is active.
See
Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑35
for more information.
While using the DSC, Cruise
Control and the Tow/Haul Mode can
be used.

Black plate (35,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-35
Tow/Haul Mode
The vehicle has a Tow/Haul Mode.
The Tow/Haul Mode adjusts the
transmission shift pattern to reduce
shift cycling, providing increased
performance, vehicle control, and
transmission cooling when driving
down steep hills and mountain
grades, towing, or hauling heavy
loads.
Press the button located on the end
of the shift lever to turn the tow/haul
on or off. When the tow/haul is on, a
light on the instrument panel cluster
will come on.See
Tow/Haul Mode Light on
page 5‑19 andHill and Mountain
Roads on page 9‑12 for more
information.
Also see “Tow/Haul Mode” under
Towing Equipment on page 9‑64 for
more information.
The Tow/Haul Mode works with the
Autoride®feature, if the vehicle has
this, to enhance the ride when
trailering or with a loaded vehicle.
See Continuous Damping Control
(CDC) on page 9‑42.
Grade Braking
The Grade Braking shift modes can
be activated by pressing the button
on the end of the shift control lever.
While in Range Selection Mode,
Grade Braking is deactivated
allowing the driver to select a
desired range of gears. Grade Braking is only active while
the Tow/Haul Mode is selected and
you are not in the Range Selection
Mode. See
“Tow/Haul Mode” listed
previously and Manual Mode on
page 9‑34 for more information on
the Range Selection Mode. Grade
Braking assists in maintaining
desired vehicle speeds when driving
on downhill grades by automatically
implementing a shift schedule that
utilizes the engine and transmission
to slow the vehicle. This reduces
wear on the braking system and
increases control of the vehicle.
Grade Braking monitors vehicle
speed, acceleration, engine torque
and brake pedal usage. Using this
information, it detects when the
vehicle is on a downhill grade and
the driver desires to slow the vehicle
by pressing the brake.
Also see Towing Equipment on
page 9‑64 for more information.

Black plate (37,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-37
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.
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 9‑57.

Black plate (42,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
9-42 Driving and Operating
Continuous Damping
Control (CDC)
This vehicle may have a continuous
damping control system called
Autoride
®or MagneRide™. With
this feature, improved vehicle ride
and handling is provided under a
variety of passenger and loading
conditions.
Autoride and MagneRide are fully
automatic and use a computer
controller to continuously monitor
vehicle speed, wheel to body
position, lift/dive and steering
position of the vehicle. The
controller then sends signals to
each shock absorber to
independently adjust the damping
level to provide the optimum
vehicle ride. Autoride and MagneRide also
interact with the tow/haul mode that,
when activated, will provide
additional control of the shock
absorbers. This additional control
results in better ride and handling
characteristics when the vehicle is
loaded or towing a trailer. See
“Tow/
Haul Mode” underTrailer Towing on
page 9‑61 for more information.
Automatic Level Control
The automatic level control rear
suspension is available on light‐duty
vehicles and comes as a part of the
Continuous Damping Control (CDC)
suspension, if equipped.
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.