Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566588) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
LIGHTING 151
To turn off the DRL, turn the exterior
lamp control to
Oand then release.
For vehicles first sold in Canada, off
will only work when the vehicle is
parked.
Automatic Headlamp
System
When it is dark enough outside, the
automatic headlamp system turns on
the headlamps at the normal
brightness, along with the taillamps,
sidemarker, parking lamps, and the
instrument panel lights. The radio
lights will also be dim.
To turn off the automatic headlamp
system, turn the exterior lamp control
to
Pand then release it.
The vehicle has a light sensor on the
top of the instrument panel that
controls the automatic headlamp
system. Do not cover the sensor,
otherwise the headlamps may come
on when they are not needed.
The system may also turn on the
headlamps when driving through a
parking garage, heavy overcast
weather, or a tunnel. This is normal.
There is a delay in the transition
between the daytime and nighttime
operation of the automatic headlamp
system so that driving under bridges
or bright overhead street lights does
not affect the system. The automatic
headlamp system is only affected when the light sensor detects a
change in lighting lasting longer than
the delay.
If the vehicle is started in a dark
garage, the automatic headlamp
system will come on immediately.
Once the vehicle leaves the garage, it
takes approximately one minute for
the automatic headlamp system to
change if it is bright enough outside.
During that delay, the instrument
cluster may not be as bright as usual.
Make sure the instrument panel
brightness control is in the full bright
position. See
Instrument Panel
Illumination Control 0153.
To idle the vehicle with the automatic
headlamp system off, turn the control
to the off position.
The headlamps will also stay on after
you exit the vehicle.
The regular headlamp system can be
turned on when needed.
Lights On with Wipers
If the windshield wipers are activated
in daylight with the engine on, and
the exterior lamp control is in AUTO,
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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152 LIGHTING
the headlamps, parking lamps, and
other exterior lamps come on. The
transition time for the lamps coming
on varies based on wiper speed. When
the wipers are not operating, these
lamps turn off. Move the exterior
lamp control to
Por;to disable
this feature.
Hazard Warning Flashers
|: Press 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 and Circuit Breakers 0280.
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.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566588) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
LIGHTING 153
Cornering Lamps
If equipped with cornering lamps, they
automatically come on when all of the
following occur:
.The low-beam headlamps are on.
. The turn signals are activated or
the steering wheel is at a turning
angle.
. The vehicle speed is below 40 Km/
h or (25 mph).
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel
Illumination Control
This feature controls the brightness of
the instrument panel lights and is
next to the exterior lamp control.
D:Move the thumbwheel up or
down to brighten or dim the lights.
The brightness of the displays
automatically adjusts based on
outdoor lighting. The instrument
panel illumination control will set the
lowest level to which the displays will
be automatically adjusted.
Dome Lamps
There are dome lamps in the overhead
console and the headliner, if equipped.
To change the dome lamp settings,
press the following:
OFF : Turns the lamps off, even when
a door is open.
DOOR : The lamps come on
automatically when a door is opened.
ON : Turns all dome lamps on.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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LIGHTING 155
interior lamps remain on for a set
amount of time, then automatically
turn off.
The exterior lamps turn off
immediately by turning the exterior
lamp control off.
This feature can be changed. See
Vehicle Personalization0136.
Battery Load Management
The vehicle has Electric Power
Management (EPM), which estimates
the battery's temperature and state of
charge. It then adjusts the voltage for
best performance and extended life of
the battery.
When the battery's state of charge is
low, the voltage is raised slightly to
quickly bring the charge back up.
When the state of charge is high, the
voltage is lowered slightly to prevent
overcharging. The voltmeter gauge or
the voltage display on the Driver
Information Center (DIC), if equipped,
may show the voltage moving up or
down. This is normal. If there is a
problem, an alert will be displayed. The battery can be discharged at idle
if the electrical loads are very high.
This is true for all vehicles. This is
because the generator (alternator)
may not be spinning fast enough at
idle to produce all the power that is
needed for very high electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when
several of the following are on, such
as: headlamps, high beams, fog lamps,
rear window defogger, climate control
fan at high speed, heated seats, engine
cooling fans, trailer loads, and loads
plugged into accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive
discharge of the battery. It does this
by balancing the generator's output
and the vehicle's electrical needs.
It can increase engine idle speed to
generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce the
power demands of some accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in steps
or levels, without being noticeable. In
rare cases at the highest levels of
corrective action, this action may be
noticeable to the driver. If so, a DIC
message might be displayed and it isrecommended that the driver reduce
the electrical loads as much as
possible.
Battery Power Protection
This feature shuts off the dome and
reading lamps if they are left on for
more than 10 minutes when the
ignition is off. This will keep the
battery from running down.
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver
The exterior lamps turn off about
10 minutes after the ignition is turned
off, if the parking lamps or headlamps
have been manually left on. This
protects against draining the battery.
To restart the 10-minute timer, turn
the exterior lamp control to the
O
position and then back to the;
or2position.
To keep the lamps on for more than
10 minutes, the ignition must be on or
in ACC/ACCESSORY.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566588) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
172 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Loading the Vehicle for Off-Road
Driving
{Warning
.Unsecured cargo on the load
floor can be tossed about
when driving over rough
terrain. You or your
passengers can be struck by
flying objects. Secure the
cargo properly.
. Keep cargo in the cargo area
as far forward and as low as
possible. The heaviest things
should be on the floor,
forward of the rear axle.
. Heavy loads on the roof raise
the vehicle's center of gravity,
making it more likely to roll
over. You can be seriously or
fatally injured if the vehicle
rolls over. Put heavy loads
inside the cargo area, not on
the roof. For more information about
loading the vehicle, see
Vehicle Load
Limits 0178 and
Tires 0291.Environmental Concerns
.
Always use established trails,
roads, and areas that have been
set aside for public off-road
recreational driving and obey all
posted regulations.
. Do not damage shrubs, flowers,
trees, or grasses or disturb wildlife.
. Do not park over things that burn.
See Parking over Things That Burn
0 190.
Driving on Hills
Driving safely on hills requires good
judgment and an understanding of
what the vehicle can and cannot do.
{Warning
Many hills are simply too steep for
any vehicle. Driving up hills can
cause the vehicle to stall. Driving
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
down hills can cause loss of control.
Driving across hills can cause a
rollover. You could be injured or
killed. Do not drive on steep hills.
Before driving on a hill, assess the
steepness, traction, and obstructions.
If the terrain ahead cannot be seen,
get out of the vehicle and walk the hill
before driving further.
When driving on hills:
. Use a low gear and keep a firm
grip on the steering wheel.
. Maintain a slow speed.
. When possible, drive straight up
or down the hill.
. Slow down when approaching the
top of the hill.
. Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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178 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Warning (Continued)
fan speed to the highest
setting. See“Climate Control
Systems.”
For more information about CO, see
Engine Exhaust 0190.
To save fuel, run the engine for short
periods to warm the vehicle and then
shut the engine off and partially close
the window. Moving about to keep
warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle speed.
This keeps the battery charged to
restart the vehicle and to signal for
help with the headlamps. Do this as
little as possible, to save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels
to free the vehicle when stuck in sand,
mud, ice, or snow. If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. See
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0203.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you or
others could be injured. The vehicle
can overheat, causing an engine
compartment fire or other damage.
Spin the wheels as little as possible
and avoid going above 56 km/h
(35 mph).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and right
to clear the area around the front
wheels. Turn off any traction system.
Shift back and forth between
R (Reverse) and a low forward gear,
spinning the wheels as little as
possible. To prevent transmission
wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears. Release
the accelerator pedal while shifting,
and press lightly on the accelerator pedal when the transmission is in
gear. Slowly spinning the wheels in
the forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not get
the vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out, see
Towing the Vehicle
0325.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can carry.
This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the
weight of all occupants, cargo, and
all nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle may
show how much weight it was
designed to carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and the
Certification/Tire label.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 219
Audible or Safety Alert Seat
Some driver assistance features alert
the driver of obstacles by beeping. To
change the volume of the warning
chime, see“Comfort and Convenience ”
under Vehicle Personalization 0136.
If equipped with the Safety Alert Seat,
the driver seat cushion may provide a
vibrating pulse alert instead of
beeping. To change this, see
“Collision/Detection Systems” under
Vehicle Personalization 0136.
Cleaning
Depending on vehicle options, keep
these areas of the vehicle clean to
ensure the best driver assistance
feature performance. Driver
Information Center (DIC) messages
may display when the systems are
unavailable or blocked.
. Front and rear bumpers and the
area below the bumpers
. Front grille and headlamps .
Front camera lens in the front
grille or near the front emblem
. Front side and rear side panels
. Outside of the windshield in front
of the rearview mirror
. Side camera lens on the bottom of
the outside mirrors
. Rear side corner bumpers
. Rear Vision Camera above the
license plate
Assistance Systems for
Parking or Backing
If equipped, the Rear Vision Camera
(RVC), Rear Park Assist (RPA), Front
Park Assist (FPA), Surround Vision,
Front Vision Camera, Reverse
Automatic Braking (RAB) and Backing
Warning System, Rear Cross Traffic
Alert (RCTA), and Automatic Parking
Assist (APA) may help the driver park
or avoid objects. Always check around
the vehicle when parking or backing.
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 227
Warning (Continued)
the windshield is damaged. It may
also not detect a vehicle on winding
or hilly roads, or in conditions that
can limit visibility such as fog, rain,
or snow, or if the headlamps or
windshield are not cleaned or in
proper condition. Keep the
windshield, headlamps, and FCA
sensors clean and in good repair.
Collision Alert
When your vehicle approaches
another detected vehicle too rapidly,
the red FCA display will flash on the
windshield. Also, eight rapid
high-pitched beeps will sound from
the front, or both sides of the Safety
Alert Seat will pulse five times. When
this Collision Alert occurs, the brake system may prepare for driver braking
to occur more rapidly which can cause
a brief, mild deceleration. Continue to
apply the brake pedal as needed.
Cruise control may be disengaged
when the Collision Alert occurs.
Tailgating Alert
The vehicle ahead indicator will
display amber when you are following
a vehicle ahead much too closely.
Selecting the Alert Timing
The Collision Alert control is on the
steering wheel. Press
[to set the
FCA timing to Far, Medium, Near,
or on some vehicles, Off. The first
button press shows the current setting
on the Driver Information Center
(DIC). Additional button presses will
change this setting. The chosen
setting will remain until it is changed
and will affect the timing of both the
Collision Alert and the Tailgating
Alert features. The timing of both
alerts will vary based on vehicle speed.
The faster the vehicle speed, the
farther away the alert will occur.