
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566588) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
106 INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS
Clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before using them. If frozen to
the windshield, carefully loosen or
thaw them. Damaged wiper blades
should be replaced. SeeWiper Blade
Replacement 0276.
Heavy snow or ice can overload the
wiper motor. An internal circuit
breaker to the motor will stop the
motor until it cools down.
{Warning
In freezing weather, do not use the
washer until the windshield is
warmed. Otherwise the washer fluid
can form ice on the windshield,
blocking your vision.
{Warning
Before driving the vehicle, always
clear snow and ice from the hood,
windshield, roof, and rear of the
vehicle, including all lamps and (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
windows. Reduced visibility from
snow and ice buildup could lead to
a crash.
Wiper Parking
If the ignition is turned off while the
wipers are on
w,1, or3INT,
they will immediately stop.
If
zFRONT is then moved to OFF
before the driver door is opened or
within 10 minutes, the wipers will
restart and move to the base of the
windshield.
If the ignition is turned off while the
wipers are performing wipes due to
windshield washing or Rainsense, the
wipers continue to run until they
reach the base of the windshield.
Rainsense
With Rainsense, a sensor near the top
center of the windshield detects the
amount of water on the windshield
and controls the frequency of the
windshield wiper. Keep this area of the windshield clear
of debris to allow for best system
performance.
3INT :
Turn thezFRONT band
on the wiper lever to adjust the
sensitivity when Rainsense is
turned on.
. Turn the band up for more
sensitivity to moisture.
. Turn the band down to lower INT
setting for less sensitivity to
moisture.
Move the band out of the
3INT
position to deactivate Rainsense.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS 107
zAUTO :Press to turn Rainsense
on or off. When turned on
and
zFRONT is in one of the
Rainsense wipe sensitivity positions
the wipers can be adjusted for more or
less sensitivity to moisture. When
turned off, the wipers operate as
timed intermittent wipers and can be
adjusted for more or less frequent
wipes.
If
zAUTO is turned on when the
ignition is turned on, or if the ignition
is on and the
zFRONT band is in
one of the sensitivity settings when
zAUTO is turned on or off, a
message may display indicating if
Rainsense was turned on or off. If the ignition is on and
zFRONT
is not in one of the sensitivity settings
when
zAUTO is turned on, a
message may display indicating that
the wiper band must be in one of the
sensitivity settings for Rainsense to
operate.
Wiper Arm Assembly Protection
When using an automatic car wash,
move the windshield wiper lever to
OFF. This disables the automatic
Rainsense windshield wipers.
With Rainsense, if the transmission is
in N (Neutral) and the vehicle speed is
very slow, the wipers will
automatically stop at the base of the
windshield.
The wiper operations return to normal
when the transmission is no longer in
N (Neutral) or the vehicle speed has
increased.
Windshield Washer
L m:Push the paddle marked with
the windshield washer symbol at the
top of the turn signal lever to spray washer fluid and activate the wipers.
The wipers will continue until the
paddle is released or the maximum
wash time is reached. When the
paddle is released, additional wipes
may occur depending on how long the
windshield washer had been activated.
See
Washer Fluid 0271 for
information on filling the windshield
washer fluid reservoir.
Rear Window Wiper/
Washer
The rear wiper control is on the turn
signal lever.
To turn the rear wiper on, slide the
lever to a wiper position.
OFF : Turns the wiper off.
INT : Turns on the rear wiper with a
delay between wipes.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566588) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
108 INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS
ON :Turns on the rear wiper.
=REAR : Press this button on the
end of the lever to spray washer fluid
on the rear window. The wipers will
clear the rear window and either stop
or return to your preset speed. For
more washer cycles, press and hold
the button.
The rear window wiper/washer will
not operate if the liftgate or liftglass is
open or ajar. If the liftgate or liftglass
is opened while the rear wiper is on,
the wiper returns to the parked
position and stops.
Rear Camera Mirror Washer :
If equipped, press
=REAR on the end
of the lever to spray washer fluid on
the rear mirror camera lens. See Rear
Camera Mirror 034. Rear Wiper Arm Assembly
Protection
When using an automatic car wash,
move the rear wiper control to OFF to
disable the rear wiper. In some
vehicles, if the transmission is in
N (Neutral) and the vehicle speed is
very slow, the rear wiper will
automatically park under the rear
spoiler.
The wiper operations return to normal
when the transmission is no longer in
N (Neutral) or the vehicle speed has
increased.
Reverse Gear Wipes
If the rear wiper control is off, the rear
wiper will automatically operate
continuously when the shift lever is in
R (Reverse), and the front windshield
wiper is performing low or high speed
wipes. If the rear wiper control is off,
the shift lever is in R (Reverse), and
the front windshield wiper is
performing interval wipes, then the
rear wiper automatically performs
interval wipes.
This feature can be turned on or off.
See
Vehicle Personalization 0136. The windshield washer reservoir is
used for the windshield and the rear
window. Check the fluid level in the
reservoir if either washer is not
working. See
Washer Fluid 0271.
Compass
The vehicle may have a compass
display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC). The compass receives its
heading and other information from
the Global Positioning System (GPS)
antenna, StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC), and vehicle
speed information.
The compass system is designed to
operate for a certain number of miles
or degrees of turn before needing a
signal from the GPS satellites. When
the compass display shows CAL, drive
the vehicle for a short distance in an
open area where it can receive a GPS
signal. The compass system will
automatically determine when a GPS
signal is restored and provide a
heading again.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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132 INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS
addition to the engine oil life system
monitoring the oil life, additional
maintenance is recommended. See
Maintenance Schedule0339.
The Oil Life display must be reset
after each oil change. It will not reset
itself. Do not reset the Oil Life display
accidentally at any time other than
when the oil has just been changed.
It cannot be reset accurately until the
next oil change. To reset the engine
oil life system, press and hold SEL for
several seconds while the Oil Life
display is active. See Engine Oil Life
System 0263.
Oil Pressure : Shows the engine oil
pressure in kPa (kilopascals)
or psi (pounds per square inch).
Engine Hours : Shows the total
number of hours the engine has run.
Transmission Fluid Temperature :
Shows the temperature of the
automatic transmission fluid in either
degrees Celsius (°C) or degrees
Fahrenheit (°F). Tire Pressure :
Shows the
approximate pressures of all four tires.
Tire pressure is displayed in either
kilopascal (kPa) or in pounds per
square inch (psi). If the pressure is
low, the value for that tire is shown in
amber. See Tire Pressure Monitor
System 0299 and
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation 0300.
Blank Page : Allows for no
information to be displayed in the
cluster info display areas.
Head-Up Display (HUD)
{Warning
If the HUD image is too bright or
too high in your field of view, it
may take you more time to see
things you need to see when it is
dark outside. Be sure to keep the
HUD image dim and placed low in
your field of view.
If equipped with HUD, some
information concerning the operation
of the vehicle is projected onto the windshield. The image is projected
through the HUD lens on top of the
instrument panel. The information
appears as an image focused out
toward the front of the vehicle.
Caution
If you try to use the HUD image as
a parking aid, you may misjudge
the distance and damage your
vehicle. Do not use the HUD image
as a parking aid.
The HUD information can be
displayed in various languages. The
speedometer reading and other
numerical values can be displayed in
either English or metric units.
The language selection is changed
through the radio and the units of
measurement is changed through the
instrument cluster. See Vehicle
Personalization 0136 and “Options”
under Instrument Cluster 0115.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS 135
vehicles. The compass heading is
displayed when navigation routing is
not active.
Navigation Turn-by-Turn Alerts
shown in the instrument cluster may
also be displayed in any HUD view.
Metric
English
Performance View : This displays
digital speed, indicators from speed
view along with rpm reading,
transmission positions, and gear shift
indicator (if equipped).
Care of the HUD
Clean the inside of the windshield to
remove any dirt or film that could
reduce the sharpness or clarity of the
HUD image.
Clean the HUD lens with a soft cloth
sprayed with glass cleaner. Wipe the
lens gently, then dry it.
HUD Troubleshooting
If you cannot see the HUD image
when the ignition is on, check that:
. Nothing is covering the HUD lens.
. The HUD brightness setting is not
too dim or too bright.
. The HUD is adjusted to the proper
height.
. Polarized sunglasses are not worn.
. The windshield and HUD lens are
clean.
If the HUD image is not correct,
contact your dealer.
The windshield is part of the HUD
system. See Windshield Replacement
0 277.
Vehicle Messages
Messages displayed on the DIC
indicate the status of the vehicle or
some action that may be needed to
correct a condition. Multiple messages
may appear one after another.
The messages that do not require
immediate action can be
acknowledged and cleared by pressing
SEL. The messages that require
immediate action cannot be cleared
until that action is performed.
All messages should be taken
seriously; clearing the message does
not correct the problem.
If a SERVICE message appears, see
your dealer.
Follow the instructions given in the
messages. The system displays
messages regarding the following
topics:
.
Service Messages
. Fluid Levels
. Vehicle Security
. Brakes

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 169
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is about
three-quarters of a second. In that
time, a vehicle moving at 100 km/h
(60 mph) travels 20 m (66 ft), which
could be a lot of distance in an
emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
. Avoid needless heavy braking.
. Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake normally
but do not pump the brakes. Doing so
could make the pedal harder to push
down. If the engine stops, there will
be some power brake assist but it will
be used when the brake is applied. Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the brake
pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Caution
To avoid damage to the steering
system, do not drive over curbs,
parking barriers, or similar objects
at speeds greater than 3 km/h
(1 mph). Use care when driving over
other objects such as lane dividers
and speed bumps. Damage caused
by misuse of the vehicle is not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Electric Power Steering
This vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance is
not required.
If power steering assist is lost due to a
system malfunction, the vehicle can
be steered, but may require increased
effort.
See your dealer if there is a problem.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time while the
vehicle is not moving, power assist
may be reduced.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 171
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by
taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
.Ease your foot off the accelerator
pedal and steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. The vehicle may
straighten out. Be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
. Slow down and adjust your driving
according to weather conditions.
Stopping distance can be longer
and vehicle control can be affected
when traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other material
on the road. Learn to recognize
warning clues —such as enough
water, ice, or packed snow on the
road to make a mirrored surface
— and slow down when you have
any doubt.
. Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking, including
reducing vehicle speed by shifting to a lower gear. Any sudden
changes could cause the tires to
slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help avoid
only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
Four-wheel-drive vehicles can be used
for off-road driving. Vehicles without
four-wheel drive and vehicles not
equipped with All Terrain (AT) or
On-Off Road (OOR) tires must not be
driven off-road except on a level, solid
surface. For contact information about
the original equipment tires, see the
warranty manual.
One of the best ways for successful
off-road driving is to control the
speed.
{Warning
When driving off-road, bouncing
and quick changes in direction can
easily throw you out of position.
This could cause you to lose control
and crash. You and your passengers
should always wear seat belts.
Before Driving Off-Road
. Have all necessary maintenance
and service work completed.
. Fuel the vehicle, fill fluid levels,
and check inflation pressure in all
tires, including the spare,
if equipped.
. Read all the information about
four-wheel-drive vehicles in this
manual.
. Know the local laws that apply to
off-road driving.
To gain more ground clearance if
needed, it may be necessary to remove
the front fascia lower air dam,
if equipped. However, driving without
the air dam reduces fuel economy.
Caution
Operating the vehicle for extended
periods without the front fascia
lower air dam installed can cause
improper airf low to the engine.
Reattach the front fascia air dam
after off-road driving.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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176 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Warning (Continued)
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. See Tires0291.
. Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving on
flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
. Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
. Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the vehicle
on a long downhill slope can cause
brake overheating, can reduce brake
performance, and could result in a
loss of braking. Shift the
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
transmission to a lower gear to let
the engine assist the brakes on a
steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or
with the ignition off is dangerous.
This can cause overheating of the
brakes and loss of steering assist.
Always have the engine running
and the vehicle in gear.
. Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line.
. Be alert on top of hills; something
could be in your lane (e.g., stalled
car, crash).