Black plate (2,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
1-2 In Brief Automatic Transfer Case
The transfer case knob is located
to the left of the instrument panel
cluster. You can choose among
five driving settings:
2
m (Two-Wheel Drive High): This
setting is used for driving in most
street and highway situations.
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel
Drive): This setting is ideal for
use when road surface traction
conditions are variable. 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.
4
n (Four-Wheel Drive Low): This
setting delivers extra torque. 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.
N (Neutral): Shift the vehicle's
transfer case to N (Neutral) only
when towing the vehicle. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing on
page 10 ‑ 33 and “ Towing the
Vehicle ” in the owner manual.
See Four-Wheel Drive on
page 9 ‑ 11 .Hybrid Features High Voltage Safety
Information This vehicle has a standard
12-volt battery and a high voltage
hybrid battery. Only a trained
service technician with the proper
knowledge and tools should inspect,
test, or replace the hybrid battery.
See your dealer if the hybrid battery
needs service.
The 12-volt battery cables, in the
engine compartment, are clearly
labeled. In emergency situations,
first responders can cut those
cables to disable the high voltage
hybrid battery system.
Black plate (6,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
9-6 Driving and Operating Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running
{ WARNINGIt 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.
If you have four-wheel drive and
the transfer case is in N (Neutral),
the vehicle will be free to roll,
even if the shift lever is in
P (Park). So be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear — not in
N (Neutral).
(Continued) WARNING (Continued) 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 unless you have to.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure your
vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you move the shift
lever 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 parking on a hill and the
transmission not shifted into
P (Park) properly, the weight
of the vehicle may put too much
force on the parking pawl in the
transmission. You may find it
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 ‑ 5 .
When you are ready to drive, move
the shift lever out of P (Park) before
you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may
need to have another vehicle push
yours a little uphill to take some of
the pressure from the parking pawl
in the transmission, then you will be
able to pull the shift lever out of
P (Park).
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 (20,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
10-20 Vehicle Care
Tire Rotation Tires should be rotated every
12 000 km (7,500 mi).
Any time unusual wear is
noticed, rotate the tires as
soon as possible and check the
wheel alignment. Also check for
damaged tires or wheels. See
“ When It Is Time for New Tires ”
and “ Wheel Replacement ” in
the owner manual for more
information.
The purpose of regular rotation
is to achieve more uniform
wear for all tires on the vehicle.
The first rotation is the most
important. See “ Maintenance
Schedule ” in the owner manual. Use this rotation pattern when
rotating the tires.
Adjust the front and rear tires
to the recommended inflation
pressure on the Tire and
Loading Information label after
the tires have been rotated. See
“ Vehicle Load Limits ” in the
owner manual for an example of
the label and its location on your
vehicle. Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS). See Tire
Pressure Monitor Operation on
page 10 ‑ 17 .
Check that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “ Wheel
Nut Torque ” under “ Capacities
and Specifications ” in the owner
manual.
Lightly coat the center of the
wheel hub with wheel bearing
grease after a wheel change or
tire rotation to prevent corrosion
or rust build-up. Do not get
grease on the flat wheel
mounting surface or on the
wheel nuts or bolts.
If a Tire Goes Flat This vehicle has a tire inflator kit.
There is no spare tire, no tire
changing equipment, and no place
to store a tire.