Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566588) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
6 INTRODUCTION
1.Air Vents 0163.
2. Head-Up Display (HUD) 0132 (If
Equipped).
3. Turn Signal Lever. See Turn and
Lane-Change Signals 0152.
Windshield Wiper/Washer 0105.
Rear Window Wiper/Washer
0 107.
4. Hazard Warning Flashers 0152.
5. Instrument Cluster 0115.
6. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission 0191.
Tow/Haul Mode Selector Button.
See Tow/Haul Mode 0195.
Range Selection Mode Buttons (If
Equipped). See Manual Mode
0 194.
7. Magnetic Ride Control Button. See Magnetic Ride Control 0206.
Pedal Adjust Switch (If
Equipped). See Adjustable Throttle
and Brake Pedal 0183.
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0203. 8. Light Sensor. See
Automatic
Headlamp System 0151.
9. Infotainment 0156.
10. Glove Box Button. See Glove Box
0 100.
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) 0232 (If
Equipped).
Park Assist Button. See
Assistance Systems for Parking or
Backing 0219.
11. Dual Automatic Climate Control
System 0157.
Instrument Panel Storage 0100.
12. CD Player. See the infotainment manual.
13. ENGINE START/STOP Button. SeeIgnition Positions 0184.
14. Steering Wheel Controls 0105.
Driver Information Center (DIC)
Controls. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) 0130.
15. Horn 0105.
16. Steering Wheel Adjustment 0105.
17. Hood Release. See Hood0258. 18.
Cruise Control 0207 (If
Equipped).
Adaptive Cruise Control 0210 (If
Equipped).
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System 0226 (If Equipped).
Heated Steering Wheel 0105 (If
Equipped).
Phone Button. See the
infotainment manual.
19. Automatic Transfer Case Knob (If Equipped). See Four-Wheel Drive
0 196.
20. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp (Check Engine
Light) 0121.
21. Electric Parking Brake 0201 (If
Equipped).
22. Exterior Lamp Controls 0148.
23. Instrument Panel Illumination
Control 0153.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566588) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
14 KEYS, DOORS, AND WINDOWS
When all additional transmitters
are programmed, press and hold
ENGINE START/STOP for
approximately 12 seconds to exit
programming mode.
8. Return the key back into the transmitter.
9. Replace the key lock cylinder cap. See Door Locks 016.
Starting the Vehicle with a Low
Transmitter Battery
If the transmitter battery is weak or if
there is interference with the signal,
the DIC may display NO REMOTE
DETECTED or NO REMOTE KEY WAS
DETECTED PLACE KEY IN
TRANSMITTER POCKET THEN
START YOUR VEHICLE when starting
the vehicle.
To start the vehicle:
1. Open the center console storage area and the storage tray.2. Place the transmitter in thetransmitter pocket/insert.
3. With the vehicle in P (Park) or N (Neutral) press the brake pedal
and ENGINE START/STOP.
Replace the transmitter battery
as soon as possible.
Battery Replacement
Caution
When replacing the battery, do not
touch any of the circuitry on the
transmitter. Static from your body
could damage the transmitter. Replace the battery if the DIC displays
REPLACE BATTERY IN REMOTE KEY.
1. Press the button on the side of
the RKE transmitter near the
bottom to remove the key. Never
pull the key out without pressing
the button.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566588) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
30 KEYS, DOORS, AND WINDOWS
The power sounder provides an
audible alarm which is distinct from
the vehicle’s horn. It has its own
power source, and can sound an alarm
if the vehicle’s battery is
compromised.
The inclination sensor can set off the
alarm if it senses movement of the
vehicle, such as a change in vehicle
orientation.
The intrusion sensor monitors the
vehicle interior, and can activate the
alarm if it senses unauthorized entry
into the vehicle’s interior. Do not
allow passengers or pets to remain in
the vehicle when the intrusion sensor
is activated.
Before arming the theft-deterrent
system and activating the intrusion
sensor:
.Make sure all doors and windows
are completely closed.
. Secure any loose items such as
sunshades.
. Make sure there are no
obstructions blocking the sensors
in the front overhead console. .
Close DVD screens before leaving
the vehicle.
Inclination and Intrusion
Sensors Disable Switch
It is recommended that the intrusion
and inclination sensors be deactivated
if pets are left in the vehicle or the
vehicle is being transported.
With the vehicle turned off, press
o
in the front overhead console. The
indicator light will come on
momentarily, indicating that these
sensors have been disabled for the
next alarm system arming cycle.
Steering Column Lock
If equipped, the steering column lock
is a theft-deterrent device. This
feature locks the steering column
when the vehicle is turned off and the
driver door is opened, or when the
driver door is opened and then the
vehicle is turned off. The steering
column unlocks when the vehicle is
turned on.
The Driver Information Center (DIC)
may display one of these messages:
.A message to service the steering
column lock indicates that an
issue has been detected with the
column lock feature and the
vehicle should be serviced.
. A message that the steering
column is locked indicates that
the engine is running, but the
steering column is still locked. It is
normal for the column to be
locked during a remote start, but
the column should unlock after
the brake pedal is pressed and the
vehicle is started. No message will
display during a remote start.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566588) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS 123
The DLC is under the instrument
panel to the left of the steering wheel.
Connecting devices that are not used
to perform an Emissions Inspection/
Maintenance test or to service the
vehicle may affect vehicle operation.
SeeAdd-On Electrical Equipment 0253.
See your dealer if assistance is needed.
The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
. The light is on when the engine is
running.
. The light does not come on when
the ignition is in Service Mode.
. Critical emission control systems
have not been completely
diagnosed. If this happens, the
vehicle would not be ready for
inspection and might require
several days of routine driving
before the system is ready for
inspection. This can happen if the 12-volt battery has recently been
replaced or run down, or if the
vehicle has been recently serviced.
See your dealer if the vehicle will not
pass or cannot be made ready for
the test.Brake System Warning
Light
MetricEnglish
This light should come on briefly
when the vehicle is turned on. If it
does not come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there
is a problem.
When the vehicle is on, the brake
system warning light also comes on
when the manual parking brake is set.
The light stays on if the parking brake
does not fully release. If it stays on
after the parking brake is fully
released, there is a brake problem. Have the brake system inspected right
away. If equipped with an Electric
Parking Brake, see
Electric Parking
Brake 0201.
If the light comes on while driving,
pull off the road and stop carefully.
The pedal might be harder to push,
or the brake pedal may go closer to
the floor. It could take longer to stop.
If the light is still on, have the vehicle
towed for service. See Towing the
Vehicle 0325.
{Warning
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light
on can lead to a crash. If the light is
still on after the vehicle has been
pulled off the road and carefully
stopped, have the vehicle towed for
service.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566588) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
166 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 176
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Active Fuel Management . . . . . . . . 190
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . 191
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Brakes
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . 200
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/ElectronicStability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Magnetic Ride Control . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Automatic Level Control . . . . . . . . . 207
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . 210
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . 218
Assistance Systems for Parking
or Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . 230
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . 230
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . 232
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . 235
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566588) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
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-
13566588) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
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-
13566588) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
DRIVING AND OPERATING 175
Driving in Water
{Warning
Driving through rushing water can
be dangerous. Deep water can
sweep your vehicle downstream and
you and your passengers could
drown. If it is only shallow water, it
can still wash away the ground
from under your tires. Traction
could be lost, and the vehicle could
roll over. Do not drive through
rushing water.
Caution
Do not drive through standing
water if it is deep enough to cover
the wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust
pipe. Deep water can damage the
axle and other vehicle parts.
If the standing water is not too deep,
drive through it slowly. At faster
speeds, water can get into the engine
and cause it to stall. Stalling can occur if the exhaust pipe is under
water. Do not turn off the ignition
when driving through water. If the
exhaust pipe is under water, the
engine will not start. When going
through water, the brakes get wet and
it may take longer to stop. See
“Driving on Wet Roads
”later in this
section.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has
collected on the underbody or chassis,
or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have
the brake linings cleaned and checked.
These substances can cause glazing
and uneven braking. Check the body
structure, driveline, steering,
suspension, wheels, tires, and exhaust
system for damage and check the fuel
lines and cooling system for any
leakage.
More frequent maintenance service is
required. See the Maintenance Schedule
0 339.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle
traction and affect your ability to stop
and accelerate. Always drive slower in
these types of driving conditions and
avoid driving through large puddles
and deep-standing or flowing water.
{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
(Continued)