Black plate (3,1)Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7063683) - 2015 - crc - 2/24/14
Lighting 6-3
.The vehicle's speed drops below
24 km/h (15 mph).
.The turn signal lever is moved
forward to the high-beam
position or the Flash-to-Pass
feature is used. SeeHeadlamp
High/Low-Beam Changer on
page 6-4 andFlash-to-Pass on
page 6-4.
.The IntelliBeam system is
disabled by the high/low-beam
changer or the Flash-to-Pass
feature. If this happens, the high/
low-beam changer must be
activated two times within
five seconds to reactivate the
IntelliBeam system. The
instrument cluster light will come
on to indicate the IntelliBeam is
reactivated. See Headlamp
High/Low-Beam Changer on
page 6-4 andFlash-to-Pass on
page 6-4. The high beams may not turn off
automatically if the system cannot
detect other vehicle's lamps
because of any of the following:
.The other vehicle's lamps are
missing, damaged, obstructed
from view, or otherwise
undetected.
.The other vehicle's lamps are
covered with dirt, snow, and/or
road spray.
.The other vehicle's lamps cannot
be detected due to dense
exhaust, smoke, fog, snow, road
spray, mist, or other airborne
obstructions.
.The vehicle's windshield is dirty,
cracked, or obstructed by
something that blocks the view
of the light sensor.
.The vehicle is loaded such that
the front end points upward,
causing the light sensor to aim
high and not detect headlamps
and taillamps.
.The vehicle is being driven on
winding or hilly roads.
The automatic high-beam
headlamps may need to be disabled
if any of the above conditions exist.
This feature can be turned on or off
in vehicle personalization. See
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5-45.
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder
If a door is open, a reminder chime
sounds when the headlamps or
parking lamps are manually turned
on and the ignition is off. To turn off
the chime, turn the exterior lamp
control to off or AUTO and then
back on, or close and re-open the
door. In the AUTO mode, the
headlamps turn off once the ignition
is off or remain on until the
headlamp delay ends (if enabled in
the DIC). See “Exit Lighting” under
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5-45.
Black plate (6,1)Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7063683) - 2015 - crc - 2/24/14
6-6 Lighting
Hazard Warning Flashers
|(Hazard Warning Flashers):
Press this button to make the front
and rear turn signal lamps flash on
and off. Press again to turn the
flashers off.
When the hazard warning flashers
are on, the vehicle's turn signals will
not work.
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals
An arrow on the instrument cluster
flashes in the direction of the turn or
lane change.
Move the turn signal lever all the
way up or down to signal a turn.
Raise or lower the lever for less
than one second until the arrow
starts to flash to signal a lane
change. This causes the turn
signals to automatically flash three
times. It will flash six times if Tow/
Haul Mode is active. Holding the
turn signal lever for more than one second will cause the turn
signals to flash until the lever is
released.
The lever returns to its starting
position whenever it is released.
If after signaling a turn or a lane
change the arrows flash rapidly or
do not come on, a signal bulb could
be burned out.
Replace any burned out bulbs. If a
bulb is not burned out, check the
fuse. See
Fuses on page 10-31.
Turn Signal On Chime
If the turn signal is left on for more
than 1.2 km (0.75 mi), a chime
sounds at each flash of the turn
signal. The message TURN
SIGNAL ON will also appear in the
Driver Information Center (DIC). To
turn the chime and message off,
move the turn signal lever to the off
position.
Black plate (6,1)Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7063683) - 2015 - crc - 2/24/14
8-6 Climate Controls
Rear Climate Control
System
If equipped with a rear climate
control system, the settings can be
adjusted with the rear climate
control buttons and the touch
screen on the center stack.
Rear Climate Control Buttons
1. Heated Rear Seats
2. AUTO (Automatic Operation)
3. Air Delivery Mode Control
4. Fan Control 5.
O(On/Off)
6. Temperature Control
Rear Climate Touch Screen Controls
1. Outside Temperature Display
2. Rear Climate Temperature Control
3. Fan Control
4. SYNC (Synchronized Temperatures)
5. REAR
O(On/Off) 6. Rear AUTO (Automatic
Operation)
7. Front (Front Climate Control Touch Screen)
8. Rear Control Lockout
9. Air Delivery Mode Control
Rear: Press this button on the front
climate control touch screen to open
the rear climate control screen. The
rear climate control settings can
now be adjusted from the front
passenger area.
O(On/Off): PressOor REAROto
turn the rear climate control on or
off. If the rear climate control is
turned off using REAR
Oon the
touch screen, the
Obutton and the
temperature or air delivery mode
buttons on the rear climate control
faceplate must be pressed within
five seconds.
SYNC: Press SYNC on the touch
screen to match the rear climate
control temperature to the front
climate control driver temperature.
Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7063683) - 2015 - crc - 2/24/14
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . 9-10
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-10
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-13
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-19
Adjustable Throttle and BrakePedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Active Fuel Management
®. . . 9-26
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-27
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . 9-36
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-38
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Magnetic Ride Control . . . . . . . 9-40
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Automatic Level Control . . . . . 9-40
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . 9-44
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-57
Active Emergency Braking System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-59
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-61
Lane Change Alert . . . . . . . . . . . 9-61
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-63
Black plate (21,1)Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7063683) - 2015 - crc - 2/24/14
Driving and Operating 9-21
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steadypressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to a
safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the ignition
to OFF. On vehicles with an
automatic transmission, the shift
lever must be in P (Park) to turn
the ignition switch to the OFF
position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on page 9-35.{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
press and hold the ENGINE START/
STOP button for longer than
two seconds, or press twice in
five seconds.
ACC/ACCESSORY (Amber
Indicator Light): This mode allows
some electrical accessories to be
used when the engine is off.
With the ignition off, pressing the
button one time without the brake
pedal applied will place the ignition
system in ACC/ACCESSORY. The ignition will switch from ACC/
ACCESSORY to OFF after
five minutes to prevent battery
rundown.
ON/RUN/START (Green Indicator
Light):
This mode is for driving and
starting. With the ignition off, and
the brake pedal applied, pressing
the button once will place the
ignition system in ON/RUN/START.
Once engine cranking begins,
release the button. Engine cranking
will continue until the engine starts.
See Starting the Engine on
page 9-22. The ignition will then
remain in ON/RUN.
Service Only Mode
This power mode is available for
service and diagnostics, and to
verify the proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp as may
be required for emission inspection
purposes. With the vehicle off, and
the brake pedal not applied,
pressing and holding the button for
more than five seconds will place
the vehicle in Service Only Mode.
Black plate (22,1)Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7063683) - 2015 - crc - 2/24/14
9-22 Driving and Operating
The instruments and audio systems
will operate as they do in ON/RUN,
but the vehicle will not be able to be
driven. The engine will not start in
Service Only Mode. Press the
button again to turn the vehicle off.
Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
{Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission.
Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.
{Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
SeeAdd-On Electrical Equipment
on page 9-80.
Starting Procedure (Keyless
Access)
1. With the Keyless Access system, the RKE transmitter
must be in the vehicle. Press the
ENGINE START/STOP button
with the brake pedal applied.
When the engine begins
cranking, let go of the button.
The idle speed will go down as
the engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it.
If the RKE transmitter is not in
the vehicle, if there is
interference, or the RKE battery is low, the Driver Information
Center (DIC) will display a
message. See
Key and Lock
Messages on page 5-37.
{Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by returning the
ignition to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after five to 10 seconds, especially in
very cold weather (below −18°C
or 0°F), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing
the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and holding it there
as you press the ENGINE
START/STOP button, for up to a
maximum of 15 seconds. Wait at
least 15 seconds between each
Black plate (26,1)Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7063683) - 2015 - crc - 2/24/14
9-26 Driving and Operating
Active Fuel Management®
This system allows the engine to
operate on either all or half of its
cylinders, depending on the driving
conditions.
When less power is required, such
as cruising at a constant vehicle
speed, the system will operate in
the half cylinder mode, allowing the
vehicle to achieve better fuel
economy. When greater power
demands are required, such as
accelerating from a stop, passing,
or merging onto a freeway, the
system will maintain full-cylinder
operation.
Engine Exhaust
{Warning
Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and
even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:
.The vehicle idles in areas
with poor ventilation (parking
garages, tunnels, deep snow
that may block underbody
airflow or tail pipes).
.The exhaust smells or
sounds strange or different.
.The exhaust system leaks
due to corrosion or damage.
.The vehicle exhaust system
has been modified, damaged,
or improperly repaired.(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.There are holes or openings
in the vehicle body from
damage or aftermarket
modifications that are not
completely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or
if it is suspected that exhaust is
coming into the vehicle:
.Drive it only with the windows
completely down.
.Have the vehicle repaired
immediately.
Never park the vehicle with the
engine running in an enclosed
area such as a garage or a
building that has no fresh air
ventilation.
Black plate (28,1)Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7063683) - 2015 - crc - 2/24/14
9-28 Driving and Operating
{Caution
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 9-13.
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.
{Caution
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.
Use D (Drive) and Tow/Haul Mode
when towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, driving on steep hills,
or driving off-road. 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.