
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
2016 - crc - 6/19/15
Keys, Doors, and Windows 41
the power function will deactivate.
After removing the obstructions,
manually close the liftgate. This will
allow normal power operation
functions to resume.
If the vehicle is locked while the
liftgate is closing, and an obstacle
prevents the liftgate from completely
closing, the horn will sound as an
alert that the liftgate did not close.
Pinch sensors are on the side
edges of the liftgate. If an object is
caught between the liftgate and the
vehicle and presses against a
sensor, the liftgate will reverse
direction and open fully. The liftgate
will remain open until it is activated
again or closed manually.
Setting the 3/4 Mode
To change the position the liftgate
stops at when opening:1. Select MAX or 3/4 mode and open the liftgate.
2. Stop the liftgate movement at the desired height by pressing
any liftgate button. Manually
adjust the liftgate position if
needed. 3. Press and hold
lnext to the
latch on the outside of the
liftgate until the turn signals
flash and a beep sounds. This
indicates the setting has been
recorded.
The liftgate cannot be set below a
minimum programmable height.
If there is no light flash or sound,
then the height adjustment may be
too low.
Manual Operation
Select OFF to manually operate the
liftgate. See “Manual Liftgate” at the
beginning of this section.
Caution
Do not use too much force when
closing the liftgate to avoid
damage.
Hands-Free Operation
If equipped with Hands-Free Vehicle
Access, the liftgate may be
operated with a kicking motion
under the rear bumper. The liftgate will not operate if the
RKE transmitter is not within
1 m (3 ft).
The hands-free feature will not work
while the liftgate is moving. To stop
the liftgate while in motion use one
of the liftgate switches.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
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42 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Length of Kick Zone
To operate, kick your foot straight up
in one swift motion under the center
of the rear bumper, then pull it back.
Caution
Splashing water may cause the
liftgate to open. Keep the RKE
transmitter away from the rear
bumper detection area or turn the
liftgate mode to OFF when
cleaning or working near the rear
bumper to avoid accidental
opening.
. Do not sweep your foot side
to side.
. Do not keep your foot under the
bumper; the liftgate will not
activate.
. Do not touch the liftgate until it
has stopped moving.
. This feature may be temporarily
disabled under some conditions.
If the liftgate does not respond to
the kick, open or close the
liftgate by another method or
start the vehicle. The feature will
be re-enabled. When closing the liftgate using this
feature, there will be a short delay.
The rear lights will flash and a
chime will sound. Step away from
the gate before it starts moving.
Power Assist Steps
If equipped, the power assist steps
will deploy when the door is opened
and automatically retract
three seconds after the door is
closed. The power assist steps will
retract immediately if the vehicle
starts moving.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
2016 - crc - 6/19/15
Keys, Doors, and Windows 43
Keep hands, children, pets, objects,
and clothing clear of the power
assist steps when in motion. The
steps will reverse direction if they
encounter an obstruction when
opening or closing. Remove the
obstruction, then open and close the
door on the same side to complete
the motion of the assist steps. If the
obstruction is not cleared, the assist
steps remain extended while driving.
There are two other modes of
operation:
Deploy Mode: To extend both power
assist steps for cleaning, press
j
while the vehicle is in P (Park) or
N (Neutral). Press
jagain to
retract them. The DIC will display a
message.
Lock Mode: Press and hold
jfor
four seconds to lock and disable the
power assist steps. Press and
hold
jfor four seconds again to
enable them. The DIC will display a
message.
Vehicle Security
This vehicle has theft-deterrent
features; however, they do not make
the vehicle impossible to steal.
Vehicle Alarm System
The indicator light, on the
instrument panel near the
windshield, indicates the status of
the system.
Off : Alarm system is disarmed.
On Solid : Vehicle is secured
during the delay to arm the system. Fast Flash :
Vehicle is unsecured.
A door, the liftgate, or the hood
is open.
Slow Flash : Alarm system is
armed.
Arming the Alarm System
1. Turn off the vehicle.
2. Lock the vehicle in one of three ways:
.Use the RKE transmitter.
. Use the Keyless Access
system.
. With a door open, press
Q
on the interior of the door.
3. After 30 seconds, the alarm system will arm and the
indicator light will begin to
slowly flash. Pressing
Qon the
RKE transmitter a second time
will bypass the 30-second
delay and immediately arm the
alarm system.
The vehicle alarm system will not
arm if the doors are locked with
the key.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
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50 Keys, Doors, and Windows
holding the switch. Press the
window switch fully and release it to
activate the express-down feature.
The express mode can be canceled
at any time by briefly pressing or
pulling the switch.
Express-Up Window
If equipped, the window express-up
feature allows the window to be
raised without holding the switch.
Pull the window switch up fully and
release it to activate the express-up
feature. The express-up feature can
be canceled at any time by briefly
pressing or pulling the switch.
Programming the Power
Windows
If the battery on the vehicle has
been recharged or disconnected,
or is not working, the driver power
window will need to be
reprogrammed for the express-up
feature to work.
To reprogram the power windows:1. Close all doors. 2. Place the ignition in ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN/
START.
3. From any open position, pull the power window switch up
until the window is fully closed.
4. Hold the switch up for approximately two seconds
after the window is fully closed.
The window is now reprogrammed.
Express Window Anti-Pinch
Feature
If any object is in the path of the
window when express-up is active,
the window stops at the obstacle
and auto-reverses to a preset
factory position. Weather conditions
such as severe icing also cause the
window to auto-reverse. The
window returns to normal operation
once the obstacle or condition is
removed.
Express Window Anti-Pinch
Override
{Warning
If express override is activated,
the window will not reverse
automatically. You or others could
be injured and the window could
be damaged. Before you use
express override, make sure that
all people and obstructions are
clear of the window path.
The anti-pinch feature can be
overridden in a supervised mode.
Hold the window switch in the
partially or fully pulled up position.
The window rises for as long as the
switch is held. Once the switch is
released, the express mode is
reactivated.
In this mode, the window can still
close on an object in its path. Use
care when using the override mode.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
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Seats and Restraints 73
release it. If the webbing is still
locked in the retractor, see your
dealer.
Before a door is closed, be sure the
safety belt is out of the way. If a
door is slammed against a safety
belt, damage can occur to both the
belt and the vehicle.
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
The vehicle has a shoulder belt
height adjuster for the driver and
front outboard passenger positions.
Adjust the height so the shoulder
portion of the belt is on the shoulder
and not falling off of it. The belt
should be close to, but not
contacting, the neck. Improper
shoulder belt height adjustment
could reduce the effectiveness of
the safety belt in a crash. SeeHow
to Wear Safety Belts Properly 070.
Push down on the release button to
move the height adjuster to the
desired position.
Move the adjuster up by pushing up
on the shoulder belt guide.
After the adjuster is set to the
desired position, try to move it down
without pushing the release button
to make sure it has locked into
position.
Automatic Safety Belt
Tightening System
The vehicle may have the Automatic
Safety Belt Tightening System. The system activates during
emergency braking and/or sudden
driving maneuvers and releases
when driving conditions return to
normal.
The system will not activate if the
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control system is not functioning
properly. See
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0220.
If there is a problem with the
Automatic Safety Belt Tightening
System, a message displays on the
Driver Information Center (DIC). See
Safety Belt Messages 0153. Other
safety belt functions are not affected
by the Automatic Safety Belt
Tightening System.
Safety Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has safety belt
pretensioners for front outboard
occupants. Although the safety belt
pretensioners cannot be seen, they
are part of the safety belt assembly.
They can help tighten the safety
belts during the early stages of a
moderate to severe frontal, near
frontal, or rear crash if the threshold
conditions for pretensioner

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
2016 - crc - 6/19/15
80 Seats and Restraints
Driver Side Shown, PassengerSide Similar
The roof-rail airbags for the driver,
front outboard passenger, and
second and third row outboard
passengers are in the ceiling above
the side windows.
{Warning
If something is between an
occupant and an airbag, the
airbag might not inflate properly
or it might force the object into
that person causing severe injury
or even death. The path of an (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
inflating airbag must be kept
clear. Do not put anything
between an occupant and an
airbag, and do not attach or put
anything on the steering wheel
hub or on or near any other
airbag covering.
Do not use seat or console
accessories that block the
inflation path of a seat-mounted
side impact airbag or the front
center airbag.
Never secure anything to the roof
of a vehicle with roof-rail airbags
by routing a rope or tie-down
through any door or window
opening. If you do, the path of an
inflating roof-rail airbag will be
blocked.
When Should an Airbag
Inflate?
This vehicle is equipped with
airbags. SeeAirbag System 077.
Airbags are designed to inflate if the impact exceeds the specific airbag
system's deployment threshold.
Deployment thresholds are used to
predict how severe a crash is likely
to be in time for the airbags to
inflate and help restrain the
occupants. The vehicle has
electronic sensors that help the
airbag system determine the
severity of the impact. Deployment
thresholds can vary with specific
vehicle design.
Frontal airbags are designed to
inflate in moderate to severe frontal
or near frontal crashes to help
reduce the potential for severe
injuries, mainly to the driver's or
front outboard passenger's head
and chest.
Whether the frontal airbags will or
should inflate is not based primarily
on how fast the vehicle is traveling.
It depends on what is hit, the
direction of the impact, and how
quickly the vehicle slows down.
Frontal airbags may inflate at
different crash speeds depending on
whether the vehicle hits an object
straight on or at an angle, and

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
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Seats and Restraints 81
whether the object is fixed or
moving, rigid or deformable, narrow
or wide.
Frontal airbags are not intended to
inflate during vehicle rollovers, rear
impacts, or many side impacts.
In addition, the vehicle has
advanced technology frontal
airbags. Advanced technology
frontal airbags adjust the restraint
according to crash severity.
The vehicle also has a seat position
sensor that enables the sensing
system to monitor the position of the
driver seat. The seat position sensor
provides information that is used to
adjust the deployment of the driver
frontal airbag.
The front center airbag is designed
to inflate in moderate to severe side
crashes depending upon the
location of the impact, when either
side of the vehicle is struck. In
addition, the front center airbag is
designed to inflate when the
sensing system predicts that the
vehicle is about to roll over on its
side. The front center airbag is notdesigned to inflate in frontal
impacts, near frontal impacts,
or rear impacts.
Seat-mounted side impact airbags
are designed to inflate in moderate
to severe side crashes depending
on the location of the impact.
Seat-mounted side impact airbags
are not designed to inflate in frontal
impacts, near frontal impacts,
rollovers, or rear impacts.
A seat-mounted side impact airbag
is designed to inflate on the side of
the vehicle that is struck.
Roof-rail airbags are designed to
inflate in moderate to severe side
crashes depending on the location
of the impact. In addition, these
roof-rail airbags are designed to
inflate during a rollover or in a
severe frontal impact. Roof-rail
airbags are not designed to inflate in
rear impacts. Both roof-rail airbags
will inflate when either side of the
vehicle is struck, if the sensing
system predicts that the vehicle is
about to roll over on its side, or in a
severe frontal impact.
In any particular crash, no one can
say whether an airbag should have
inflated simply because of the
vehicle damage or the repair costs.
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing
system sends an electrical signal
triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the
airbag causing the bag to break out
of the cover. The inflator, the airbag,
and related hardware are all part of
the airbag module.
For airbag locations, see
Where Are
the Airbags? 079.
How Does an Airbag
Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or
near frontal collisions, even belted
occupants can contact the steering
wheel or the instrument panel. In
moderate to severe side collisions,
even belted occupants can contact
the inside of the vehicle.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
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Seats and Restraints 83
and turn off the interior lamps and
hazard warning flashers by using
the controls for those features.
{Warning
A crash severe enough to inflate
the airbags may have also
damaged important functions in
the vehicle, such as the fuel
system, brake and steering
systems, etc. Even if the vehicle
appears to be drivable after a
moderate crash, there may be
concealed damage that could
make it difficult to safely operate
the vehicle.
Use caution if you should attempt
to restart the engine after a crash
has occurred.
In many crashes severe enough to
inflate the airbag, windshields are
broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may
also occur from the front outboard
passenger airbag. .
Airbags are designed to inflate
only once. After an airbag
inflates, you will need some new
parts for the airbag system.
If you do not get them, the
airbag system will not be there
to help protect you in another
crash. A new system will include
airbag modules and possibly
other parts. The service manual
for the vehicle covers the need
to replace other parts.
. The vehicle has a crash sensing
and diagnostic module which
records information after a
crash. See Vehicle Data
Recording and Privacy 0345
and Event Data Recorders
0 345.
. Let only qualified technicians
work on the airbag systems.
Improper service can mean that
an airbag system will not work
properly. See your dealer for
service.
Passenger Sensing
System
The vehicle has a passenger
sensing system for the front
outboard passenger position. The
passenger airbag status indicator
will light on the overhead console
when the vehicle is started.
The symbols for on and off will be
visible during the system check.
When the system check is
complete, either the symbol for on
or off will be visible. See Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator 0129.
The passenger sensing system
turns off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag under
certain conditions. No other airbag
is affected by the passenger
sensing system.