2013 CADILLAC ESCALADE cruise control

Black plate (23,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
Instruments and Controls 5-23
Front Fog Lamp Light
The front fog lamp light comes on
when the fog lamps are in use.
The light goes out when the fog
lamps are turned off. SeeFog
Lamps on page 6‑8 for more
information.
Lamps On Reminder
This light comes on whenever the
parking lamps are on. See
Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1 for more information.
Cruise Control Light
The cruise control light comes on
whenever the cruise control is set.
The light goes out when the cruise
control is turned off. See Cruise
Control on page 9‑41 for more
information.
Information Displays
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
Your vehicle has a Driver
Information Center (DIC).
The DIC displays information about
your vehicle. It also displays
warning messages if a system
problem is detected. The DIC also
allows some features to be
customized. See Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑37 for
more information.
All messages will appear in the DIC
display located in the center of the
instrument panel cluster.
The DIC comes on when the ignition
is on. After a short delay, the DIC
will display the information that was
last displayed before the engine
was turned off.

Black plate (36,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
5-36 Instruments and Controls
than one tire pressure message at a
time. To read the other messages
that may have been sent at the
same time, press the set/reset
button or the trip odometer reset
stem. If a tire pressure message
appears on the DIC, stop as soon
as you can. Have the tire pressures
checked and set to those shown on
the Tire Loading Information label.
SeeTires on page 10‑40, Vehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑15, and Tire
Pressure on page 10‑47. The DIC
also shows the tire pressure values.
See Driver Information Center (DIC)
on page 5‑23.
Transmission Messages
GRADE BRAKING DISABLED
This message displays when the
grade braking has been disabled
with the tow/haul mode button on
the end of the shift lever. See Tow/
Haul Mode on page 9‑33, Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑29, and
Cruise Control on page 9‑41.
GRADE BRAKING ENABLED
This message displays when the
grade braking has been enabled
with the tow/haul mode button on
the end of the shift lever. See Tow/
Haul Mode on page 9‑33, Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑29, and
Cruise Control on page 9‑41.
GRADE BRAKING ON
This message displays when the
grade braking has been activated
while driving on downhill grades.
This message will only appear the
first time the feature is activated in
an ignition cycle. See Tow/Haul
Mode on page 9‑33, Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑29, and
Cruise Control on page 9‑41.
MANUAL SHIFT
This message displays when the
automatic transmission is in manual
mode. See Manual Mode on
page 9‑32 for more information.
TRANSMISSION HOT IDLE
ENGINE
Notice:Do not drive the vehicle
while the transmission fluid is
overheating and the transmission
temperature warning is displayed
on the instrument cluster and/or
DIC, or the transmission can be
damaged. This could lead to
costly repairs that would not be
covered by the warranty.
This message displays along with
four chimes if the transmission fluid
in the vehicle gets hot. Driving with
the transmission fluid temperature
high can cause damage to the
vehicle. Stop the vehicle and let it
idle to allow the transmission to
cool. This message clears and the
chime stops when the fluid
temperature reaches a safe level.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
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 . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
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 . . . . . . . 9-10
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-12
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-14
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-15
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-21
Adjustable Throttle and BrakePedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-29
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-36
Ride Control Systems
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
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) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . 9-51
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-52
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 9-53
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56

Black plate (11,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
Driving and Operating 9-11
{WARNING
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
.Have good tires with proper
tread depth. SeeTires on
page 10‑40.
.Turn off cruise control.
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to
your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find a
safe place to park the vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep the interior
temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving —scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.

Black plate (13,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
Driving and Operating 9-13
Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
improves vehicle stability during
hard stops on slippery roads, but
apply the brakes sooner than when
on dry pavement.
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road and watch for
slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in
shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain icy
when the surrounding roads are
clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
SeeAntilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 9‑34.
Turn off cruise control, on slippery
surfaces.Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside Service.
See Roadside Service (Mexico) on
page 13‑7 orRoadside Service
(U.S. and Canada) on page 13‑10.
To get help and keep everyone in
the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{WARNING
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO) which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
.Clear away snow from around
the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe.
.Check again from time to
time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
.Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the
wind to bring in fresh air.
(Continued)

Black plate (22,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
9-22 Driving and Operating
Adjustable Throttle and
Brake Pedal
The vehicle has adjustable throttle
and brake pedals that allow you to
change their positions.
The feature will not operate when
the vehicle is in R (Reverse) or
while using the cruise control.
The switch used to adjust the
pedals is located on the center
console below the climate control
system.
Press the right and left arrows to
move the pedals either closer or
further from your body.Before you start driving, fully press
the brake pedal to confirm the
adjustment is right for you. While
driving, make only small
adjustments.
The vehicle has a memory function
which allows the pedal positions to
be saved and recalled. See
Memory
Seats on page 3‑5.
Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has four different
positions. To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular brake
pedal must be applied.
A (STOPPING THE ENGINE/
LOCK/OFF):
When the vehicle is
stopped, turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF to turn the engine off.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9‑26.
This position locks the ignition.
It may also lock the steering wheel
and automatic transmission. The
key can be removed in LOCK/OFF.
The steering may bind with the
wheels turned off center. If this
happens, move the steering wheel
from right to left while turning the
key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
doesn't work, then the vehicle needs
service.

Black plate (32,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
9-32 Driving and Operating
spin the tires. When stopping on
a hill, use the brakes to hold the
vehicle in place.
Normal Mode Grade Braking
Normal Mode Grade Braking is
enabled when the vehicle is started,
but is not enabled in Range
Selection Mode. It assists in
maintaining desired vehicle speeds
when driving on downhill grades by
using the engine and transmission
to slow the vehicle. The first time
the system engages for each
ignition key cycle, a DIC message
will be displayed. SeeTransmission
Messages on page 5‑36.
To disable or enable Normal Mode
Grade Braking within the current
ignition key cycle, press and hold
the Tow/Haul button for
three seconds. A DIC message
displays. See Transmission
Messages on page 5‑36.
For other forms of grade braking,
see Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑33
and Cruise Control on page 9‑41.
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:
1. Move the shift lever to
M (Manual Mode).
2. Press the plus/minus buttons, 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 9‑33.
While using the DSC, Cruise
Control and the Tow/Haul Mode can
be used.

Black plate (33,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
Driving and Operating 9-33
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.
SeeTow/Haul Mode Light on
page 5‑20 andHill and Mountain
Roads on page 9‑12 for more
information. Also see
“Tow/Haul Mode” under
Towing Equipment on page 9‑63 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 9‑40.
Tow/Haul Mode Grade Braking
(6-Speed Automatic
Transmission)
This feature is only enabled while
the Tow/Haul Mode is selected and
the vehicle is not in the Range
Selection Mode. See “Tow/Haul
Mode” listed previously and Manual
Mode on page 9‑32. Tow/Haul Mode
Grade Braking assists in
maintaining desired vehicle speeds
when driving on downhill grades by
using the engine and transmission
to slow the vehicle. To disable or enable Tow/Haul
Grade Braking within the current
ignition key cycle, press and hold
the Tow/Haul button for
three seconds. A DIC message will
be displayed. See
Transmission
Messages on page 5‑36.
See Towing Equipment on
page 9‑63 for more information.
For other forms of grade braking,
see Automatic Transmission on
page 9‑29 andCruise Control on
page 9‑41.