2012 CADILLAC ESCALADE HYBRID light

Black plate (6,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
5-6 Instruments and Controls
Battery Voltage and
Charging Messages SERVICE BATTERY
CHARGING SYSTEM If the 12-volt battery system faults or
fails this message will appear on the
DIC. The battery/charging system
light will appear in the instrument
panel cluster. See “ Battery Warning
Light ” in the owner manual. Driving
with this message on could drain
the battery. Have the electrical
system checked as soon as
possible. Brake System Messages SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM This message may be displayed if
there is a problem with the brake
system. You will still be able to
brake, but it will be noticeably more
difficult. Pull off the road to a safe
location and have your vehicle
towed to the nearest dealer for
service. See “ Brakes, ” “ Brake
System Warning Light, ” and “ ABS
Brake System Warning Light ” in the
owner manual.
This message may also come on
when you are towing a trailer. See
“ Trailer Brakes ” under Trailer Towing
on page 9 ‑ 16 for more information. Door Ajar Messages HOOD OPEN If the hood is not fully closed or
there is a problem with the hood
switch, this message will be
displayed. Close the hood to clear
the message. If the HOOD OPEN
message continues to be displayed
after verifying the hood is closed,
you should have the hood switch
serviced. Failure to service the hood
switch properly can result in an Auto
Start condition.
Auto Stops will be disabled when
this message is displayed. If the
vehicle is in Auto Stop mode when
this message appears, the engine
will instantly start.

Black plate (3,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-3When the tachometer needle
indicates AUTO STOP, the hybrid
system is on, the engine is not
running, but may Auto Start at any
time without notice. See Tachometer
on page 5 ‑ 3 for more information.
A chime will sound if the driver door
is opened while in Auto Stop as a
reminder that the ignition switch is
not in the LOCK/OFF position.
Always turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF and remove the key
from the ignition switch when exiting
the vehicle.
Auto Start The vehicle also has an Auto Start
feature. The engine will remain off
while in Auto Stop mode until
vehicle conditions require the
engine to run. The near-instant
starting of the engine from Auto
Stop mode is called Auto Start. Some of the vehicle conditions
that may cause the engine to
Auto Start are: .
The hood is opened. .
The gear selector is in
M (Manual Mode). .
The hybrid battery state of
charge is too low. .
The hybrid battery voltage,
temperature or power limits are
exceeded. .
A remote vehicle start has been
requested. .
The engine is not at operating
temperature. .
Acceleration demands require
the use of the engine. EV Mode The vehicle also has an Electric
Vehicle (EV) mode which uses
only the electric motor to move the
vehicle. With light acceleration, the
vehicle will drive in EV mode. EV
mode is unavailable when the
vehicle is out of fuel.
If increased acceleration is
required, or the vehicle reaches
approximately 40 km/h (30 mph), the
engine will start automatically. The
engine shuts off at speeds below
40 km/h (25 mph) unless the
transmission is in M (Manual Mode)
or Auto Stop is disabled.
During heavy acceleration, both the
engine and hybrid electric motors
supply power. A sensation similar to
a transmission gear change can be
felt as the transmission changes
modes. Engine RPM may remain
above 4,000 RPM for a longer
period during hard acceleration.

Black plate (11,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-11
Drive Systems Four-Wheel Drive If the vehicle has four-wheel drive,
you can send the engine's driving
power to all four wheels for extra
traction. Read the following before
using four-wheel drive.
Notice: Driving on clean, dry
pavement in Four-Wheel Drive
High or Four-Wheel Drive Low for
an extended period of time may
cause premature wear on the
vehicle's powertrain. Do not
drive on clean, dry pavement
in Four-Wheel Drive High or
Four-Wheel Drive Low for
extended periods of time. While driving on clean dry pavement
and during tight turns, you may
experience a vibration in the
steering system.
The vehicle has StabiliTrak. Shifting
into Four-Wheel Drive Low will turn
Traction Control and StabiliTrak off.
See “ StabiliTrak System ” in the
owner manual.
Front Axle The front axle engages and
disengages automatically when you
shift the transfer case. Some delay
for the axle to engage or disengage
is normal. Automatic Transfer Case
The transfer case knob is located
to the left of the instrument panel
cluster.
Use this dial to shift into and out of
four-wheel drive.
You can choose among five driving
settings:
Indicator lights in the switches show
you which setting you are in. The
indicator lights will come on briefly
when you turn on the ignition and
the last chosen setting will stay on.

Black plate (12,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
9-12 Driving and Operating If the lights do not come on, you
should take the vehicle to your
dealer for service. An indicator light
will flash while shifting. It will stay on
when the shift is completed. If for
some reason the transfer case
cannot make a requested shift, it will
return to the last chosen setting.
2
m (Two-Wheel Drive High): This
setting is used for driving in most
street and highway situations.
The front axle is not engaged in
two-wheel drive. This setting also
provides the best fuel economy.
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel
Drive): This setting is ideal for
use when road surface traction
conditions are variable. When
driving your vehicle in AUTO, the
front axle is engaged, but the
vehicle's power is primarily sent to
the rear wheels. When the vehicle's
software determines a need for
more traction, the system will
transfer more power to the front wheels. Driving in this mode results
in slightly lower fuel economy than
Two-Wheel Drive High.
4
m (Four-Wheel Drive High): Use
the four-wheel high position when
you need extra traction, such as
on snowy or icy roads or in most
off-road situations. This setting also
engages the front axle to help drive
the vehicle. This is the best setting
to use when plowing snow.
4
n (Four-Wheel Drive Low): This
setting also engages the front axle
and delivers extra torque. You may
never need this setting. It sends
maximum power to all four wheels.
You might choose Four-Wheel Drive
Low if you are driving off-road in
deep sand, deep mud, deep snow,
and while climbing or descending
steep hills.
The vehicle has StabiliTrak. Shifting
into Four-Wheel-Drive Low will turn
Traction Control and StabiliTrak off.
See “ StabiliTrak System ” in the
owner manual. { WARNINGShifting the transfer case to
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the transmission is
in P (Park). You or someone else
could be seriously injured. Be
sure to set the parking brake
before placing the transfer case in
N (Neutral). See “ Parking Brake ”
in the owner manual for more
information.
N (Neutral): Shift the vehicle's
transfer case to N (Neutral) only
when towing the vehicle. See
“ Recreational Vehicle Towing ” or
“ Towing Your Vehicle ” in the owner
manual.
If the SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE
message stays on, you should
take the vehicle to your dealer
for service. See Transmission
Messages on page 5 ‑ 7 .

Black plate (13,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-13Shifting Into Four-Wheel Drive
High or AUTO (Automatic
Four-Wheel Drive)
Turn the knob to the Four-Wheel
High or AUTO position. This can be
done at any speed, except when
shifting from Four-Wheel Drive Low.
The indicator light will flash while
shifting. It will remain on when the
shift is completed.
Shifting Into Two-Wheel
Drive High
Turn the knob to the Two-Wheel
High position. This can be done at
any speed, except when shifting
from Four-Wheel Drive Low.
See “ Shifting Out of Four-Wheel
Drive Low ” in this section for more
information.
Shifting Into Four-Wheel
Drive Low
When Four-Wheel Low is engaged,
vehicle speed should be kept below
64 km/h (40 mph). Extended high-speed operation in 4L may
damage or shorten the life of the
drivetrain.
To shift to the Four-Wheel Drive
Low position, the ignition must be in
ON/RUN and the vehicle must be
stopped or moving less than 5 km/h
(3 mph) with the transmission in
N (Neutral). The preferred method
for shifting into Four-Wheel Drive
Low is to have the vehicle moving
1.6 to 3.2 km/h (1 to 2 mph). Turn
the knob to the Four-Wheel Drive
Low position. You must wait for the
Four-Wheel Drive Low indicator
light to stop flashing and remain on
before shifting the transmission
into gear.
Notice: Shifting the transmission
into gear before the requested
mode indicator light has stopped
flashing could damage the
transfer case. To help avoid
damaging the vehicle, always wait
for the mode indicator lights to
stop flashing before shifting the
transmission into gear. The vehicle may have significant
engagement noise and bump when
shifting between Four-Wheel Drive
Low and Four-Wheel Drive High
ranges or from N (Neutral) while the
engine is running.
If the knob is turned to the
Four-Wheel Drive Low position
when the vehicle is in gear and/or
moving more than 5 km/h (3 mph),
the Four-Wheel Drive Low indicator
light will flash for 30 seconds
and not complete the shift. After
30 seconds the transfer case
will shift to Four-Wheel Drive
High mode.
Shifting Out of Four-Wheel
Drive Low
To shift from Four-Wheel Drive
Low to Four-Wheel Drive High,
AUTO, or Two-Wheel Drive High,
the vehicle must be stopped or
moving less than 5 km/h (3 mph)
with the transmission in N (Neutral)
and the ignition in ON/RUN.

Black plate (14,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
9-14 Driving and Operating The preferred method for shifting
out of Four-Wheel Drive Low is to
have your vehicle moving 1.6 to
3.2 km/h (1 to 2 mph). Turn the knob
to the Four-Wheel Drive High,
AUTO, or Two-Wheel Drive High
position. You must wait for the
Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO,
or Two-Wheel Drive High indicator
light to stop flashing and remain on
before shifting the transmission
into gear.
Notice: Shifting the transmission
into gear before the requested
mode indicator light has stopped
flashing could damage the
transfer case. To help avoid
damaging the vehicle, always wait
for the mode indicator lights to
stop flashing before shifting the
transmission into gear.
The vehicle may have significant
engagement noise and bump when
shifting between Four-Wheel Drive
Low and Four-Wheel Drive High
ranges or from N (Neutral) while the
engine is running. If the knob is turned to the
Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO,
or Two-Wheel Drive High switch
position when the vehicle is in gear
and/or moving more than 5 km/h
(3 mph), the Four-Wheel Drive
High, AUTO or Two-Wheel Drive
High indicator light will flash for
30 seconds but will not complete the
shift.
Shifting into Neutral
To shift the transfer case into
N (Neutral):
1. Make sure the vehicle is parked
so that it will not roll.
2. Set the parking brake and apply
the regular brake pedal. See
“ Parking Brake ” in the owner
manual.
3. Start the vehicle or turn the
ignition to ON/RUN.
4. Put the transmission in
N (Neutral).
5. Shift the transfer case to
Two-Wheel Drive High. 6. Turn the transfer case dial
clockwise to N (Neutral) until
it stops and hold it there until
the N (Neutral) light starts
blinking. This will take at least
10 seconds. Then slowly release
the dial to the Four ‐ Wheel Drive
Low position. The N (Neutral)
light will come on when the
transfer case shift to N (Neutral)
is complete.
7. If the engine is running, verify
that the transfer case is in
N (Neutral) by shifting the
transmission to R (Reverse)
for one second, then shift the
transmission to D (Drive) for
one second.
8. Turn the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY, which will turn
the engine off.
9. Place the transmission shift
lever in P (Park).
10. Release the parking brake prior
to moving the vehicle.
11. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.

Black plate (15,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-15Shifting Out of Neutral
To shift the transfer case out of
N (Neutral):
1. Set the parking brake and apply
the regular brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with
the engine off, and shift the
transmission to N (Neutral).
3. Turn the transfer case dial to the
desired transfer case shift
position (Two-Wheel Drive High,
Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO).
After the transfer case has
shifted out of N (Neutral), the
N (Neutral) light will go out.
4. Release the parking brake prior
to moving the vehicle. Notice: Shifting the transmission
into gear before the Four-Wheel
Drive Low indicator light has
stopped flashing could damage
the transfer case. To help avoid
damaging the vehicle, always wait
for the Four-Wheel Drive Low
indicator light to stop flashing
before shifting the transmission
into gear.
5. Start the engine and shift the
transmission to the desired
position.
Excessively shifting the transfer
case into or out of the different
modes may cause the transfer case
to enter the shift protection mode.
This will protect the transfer case
from possible damage and will only
allow the transfer case to respond
to one shift per 10 seconds. The
transfer case may stay in this mode
for up to three minutes. Brakes Regenerative Braking Regenerative braking is a hybrid
technology that enables the electric
drive motor to operate as a
generator when coasting or braking.
Energy from the moving vehicle
recharges the hybrid battery.
The hydraulic disc brakes work with
the regenerative braking to insure
effective braking, such as when a
high braking demand is requested.
The braking system is computer
controlled and blends the
regenerative braking with the
conventional hydraulic disc brakes
to meet any requirements for
deceleration. The controller
interprets the braking request
and uses regenerative braking,
conventional hydraulic braking or a
combination of both as necessary.

Black plate (13,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-13When to Change Lubricant
See “ Scheduled Maintenance ” in the
owner manual to determine how
often to change the lubricant.
What to Use
Refer to the Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 11 ‑ 2 to
determine what kind of lubricant
to use.
Electrical System High Voltage Devices and
Wiring
{ WARNINGExposure to high voltage can
cause shock, burns, and even
death. The high voltage
components in the vehicle can
only be serviced by technicians
with special training.
High voltage components are
identified by labels. Do not
remove, open, take apart,
or modify these components.
High voltage cable or wiring has
orange covering. Do not probe,
tamper with, cut, or modify high
voltage cable or wiring. Fuses and Circuit
Breakers The wiring circuits in the vehicle
are protected from short circuits
by a combination of fuses, circuit
breakers and fusible thermal links.
This greatly reduces the chance of
fires caused by electrical problems.
Be sure you replace a bad fuse with
a new one of the identical size and
rating.
If you ever have a problem on the
road and do not have a spare fuse,
you can borrow one that has the
same amperage. Just pick some
feature of the vehicle that you can
get along without, like the radio or
cigarette lighter, and use its fuse,
if it is the correct amperage.
Replace it as soon as you can.