Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
DRIVING AND OPERATING 265
disabled,gcomes on, and the
appropriate message will appear on
the Driver Information Center (DIC).
The indicator light for both systems is
to the right of the center stack and
below the screen. This light will:
.Flash when TCS is limiting
wheel spin
.Flash when StabiliTrak/ESC is
activated
.Turn on and stay on when either
system is not working
See Traction Control System (TCS)/
StabiliTrak Light 0127.
If either system fails to turn on or to
activate, a message displays in the
Driver Information Center (DIC), and
dcomes on and stays on to indicate
that the system is inactive and is not
assisting the driver in maintaining
control. Adjust driving accordingly. If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
Drive the vehicle. If
dcomes on and
stays on, see your dealer as soon as
possible.
Turning the Systems Off and On
Caution
Do not repeatedly brake or
accelerate heavily when TCS is off.
The vehicle driveline could be
damaged.
To turn Traction (TSC) or Stability
(ESC) off and on, access the Traction
and Stability screen from the Vehicle
Information main screen in the
infotainment system. See Vehicle
Information 0134 for instructions on
navigating and selecting items.
Traction and Stability Screen
The current status of each system is
displayed next to the Traction and
Stability icons. To turn either system
off or on, select or touch the Traction
and Stability screen to access the
Traction and Stability menu screen.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
266 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Traction and Stability Menu
To turn off TCS, select or touch the
Traction virtual button on the screen.
The traction off light
idisplays in
the instrument cluster. See Traction
Off Light 0127.
If TCS is limiting wheel spin when
disabled, the system will not turn off
until the wheels stop spinning.
To turn TCS back on, select or touch
the Traction virtual button on the
screen. The traction off light
i
displayed in the instrument cluster
will turn off. To turn StabiliTrak/ESC off, first turn
off TCS to enable the Stability virtual
button on the screen, then select or
touch the Stability virtual button. The
StabiliTrak/ESC off light
gwill display
in the instrument cluster. See
StabiliTrak OFF Light 0127.
To turn StabiliTrak/ESC back on,
select or touch the Stability virtual
button on the screen. StabiliTrak/ESC
will turn on, but TCS will remain off.
TCS cannot be on when StabiliTrak/
ESC is off. If both systems are turned
off, selecting or touching the Traction
virtual button will turn both systems
back on.
StabiliTrak/ESC will automatically
turn on if the vehicle exceeds 56 km/h
(35 mph) and cannot be turned off
again until speed is reduced. Traction
control will remain off. Vehicles
equipped with the four corner air
suspension re-enable StabiliTrak/ESC
at 32 km/h (20 mph). The vehicle has a Trailer Sway Control
(TSC) feature and a Hill Start Assist
(HSA) feature. See
Trailer Sway Control
(TSC) 0347 or
Hill Start Assist (HSA) 0263.
Adding accessories can affect the
vehicle performance. See Accessories
and Modifications 0364.
Driver Mode Control
Driver Mode Control (DMC) allows the
driver to adjust the overall driving
experience to better suit preference by
adjusting multiple sub-system
simultaneously. Drive mode
availability and affected vehicle
subsystems are dependent upon
vehicle trim level, region, and optional
features.
Tour will be the default mode at every
ignition cycle. A unique and persistent
indicator will be displayed in the
instrument cluster for each mode.
Depending on trim level, Tour, Sport,
Snow/Ice, Off-Road, Tow/Haul, and
Terrain modes may be available.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
268 DRIVING AND OPERATING
for better control at lower speeds and
over rough terrain. This mode
modifies accelerator pedal mapping,
transmission shift pattern, ride height,
suspension, steering, AWD, Electronic
Limited-Slip Differential (eSLD), ESC
performance and TCS performance.
When the vehicle comes to a stop on
an upward grade, Automatic Vehicle
Hold is engaged until the driver
presses the accelerator pedal. Stop/
Start and cruise control are disabled
in Terrain Mode.
Active Braking during lift throttle will
be engaged. This feature automatically
applies light braking to simulate
heavy engine braking of
four-wheel-dive low. It also applies
light braking in D (Drive) until the
vehicle is at idle speeds. In M1 and
M2 light braking will typically bring
the vehicle to a stop. Active Braking
during lift throttle will also reduce
trailer braking.
Terrain Mode will automatically exit
to Tour Mode if the brake
temperatures become too hot,electronic parking brake becomes
inoperable or the vehicle cannot
perform braking or vehicle hold.
For more information on off-road
driving, see
Off-Road Driving 0234 and
Hill and Mountain Roads 0238.
Magnetic Ride Control
This vehicle may have a semi-active
damping system called Magnetic Ride
Control. With this feature, improved
vehicle ride and handling is provided
under a variety of passenger and
loading conditions.
Locking Rear Axle
Vehicles with a locking rear axle can
give more traction on snow, mud, ice,
sand, or gravel. It works like a
standard axle most of the time, but
when traction is low, this feature will
allow the rear wheel with the most
traction to move the vehicle.
Four Corner Air Suspension
System
The Four Corner Air Suspension
feature provides full time load leveling
capability along with the benefit of
adjusting ride height for increased
convenience and capability.
{Warning
To help avoid personal injury or
death, make sure the area
underneath the vehicle and inside
the wheel wells is clear when
lowering the vehicle.
{Warning
To help avoid personal injury or
death, always select the lowest ride
height for the current driving
conditions. Higher ride heights raise
the vehicle's center of gravity,
increasing the chance of a rollover
during extreme maneuvers.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
DRIVING AND OPERATING 273
.To increase vehicle speed in small
increments, press RES+ up briefly to
the first detent. For each press, the
vehicle goes about 1 km/h (1 mph)
faster.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Instrument Cluster 0114.
The increment value used depends on
the units displayed.
Reducing Speed While Cruise
Control is at a Set Speed
If the cruise control system is already
activated:
.Press and hold SET− down until the
desired lower speed is reached, then
release it.
.To decrease the vehicle speed in
small increments, press SET− down
briefly. For each press, the vehicle
goes about 1 km/h (1 mph) slower.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Instrument Cluster 0114.
The increment value used depends on
the units displayed. Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase
the vehicle speed. When you take your
foot off the pedal, the vehicle will slow
down to the previous set cruise speed.
While pressing the accelerator pedal
or shortly following the release to
override cruise, briefly applying the
SET−
control will result in cruise set
to the current vehicle speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control works on
hills depends on the vehicle speed, the
load, and the steepness of the hills.
When going up steep hills, pressing
the accelerator pedal may be
necessary to maintain vehicle speed.
When going downhill, Cruise Grade
Braking helps maintain the driver
selected speed.
Cruise Grade Braking is enabled when
the vehicle is started and cruise
control is active. It is not enabled in
Range Selection Mode. It assists in
maintaining driver selected speed when driving on downhill grades by
using the engine and transmission to
slow the vehicle.
To disable and enable Cruise Grade
Braking for the current ignition cycle,
press and hold the Tow/Haul button
for five seconds. A Driver Information
Center (DIC) message displays.
For other forms of Grade Braking, see
Automatic Transmission
0251 and
Tow/Haul Mode 0256.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise
control:
.Step lightly on the brake pedal.
.Press*.
.Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
.To turn off cruise control, pressJ.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is erased
from memory if
Jis pressed or if the
ignition is turned off.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
280 DRIVING AND OPERATING
In some cases, when ACC is
temporarily unavailable, regular cruise
control may be used. See“Switching
Between ACC and Regular Cruise
Control ”previously in this section.
Always consider driving conditions
before using either cruise control
system.
Notification to Resume ACC
ACC will maintain a following gap
behind a detected vehicle and slow
your vehicle to a stop behind that
vehicle.
If the stopped vehicle ahead has
driven away and ACC has not
resumed, the vehicle ahead indicator
will flash as a reminder to check
traffic ahead before proceeding. In
addition, the left and right sides of the
Safety Alert Seat will pulse three
times, or three beeps will sound. See
“Alert Type ”and “Adaptive Cruise Go
Notifier” in“Collision/Detection
Systems” underVehicle Personalization
0 138.
When the vehicle ahead drives away,
ACC resumes automatically if the stop
was brief. If necessary, press RES+ or
the accelerator pedal to resume ACC. If stopped for more than two minutes
or if the driver door is opened and the
driver seat belt is unbuckled, the ACC
automatically applies the Electric
Parking Brake (EPB) to hold the
vehicle. The EPB status light will turn
on. See
Electric Parking Brake 0261.
To release the EPB, press the
accelerator pedal.
A DIC warning message may display
indicating to shift to P (Park) before
exiting the vehicle. See Vehicle
Messages 0138.
{Warning
If ACC has stopped the vehicle, and
if ACC is disengaged, turned off,
or canceled, the vehicle will no
longer be held at a stop. The vehicle
can move. When ACC is holding the
vehicle at a stop, always be
prepared to manually apply the
brakes.
{Warning
Leaving the vehicle without placing
it in P (Park) can be dangerous. Do
not leave the vehicle while it is
being held at a stop by ACC. Always
place the vehicle in P (Park) and
turn off the ignition before leaving
the vehicle.
ACC Override
If using the accelerator pedal while
ACC is active, the ACC indicator turns
blue on the instrument cluster and in
the HUD (if equipped) indicating ACC
braking will not occur. ACC will
resume operation when the
accelerator pedal is not being pressed.
{Warning
The ACC will not automatically
apply the brakes if your foot is
resting on the accelerator pedal.
You could crash into a vehicle
ahead of you.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
282 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Other Vehicle Lane Changes
ACC will not detect a vehicle ahead
until it is completely in the lane. The
brakes may need to be manually
applied.
Objects Not Directly in Front of Your
Vehicle
The detection of objects in front of
the vehicle may not be possible if:
.The vehicle or object ahead is not
within your lane.
.The vehicle ahead is shifted, not
centered, or is shifted to one side of
the lane.Driving in Narrow Lanes
Vehicles in adjacent traffic lanes or
roadside objects may be incorrectly
detected when located along the
roadway.
Do Not Use ACC on Hills and When
Towing a Trailer
Do not use ACC when driving on steep
hills or when towing a trailer. ACC will
not detect a vehicle in the lane while
driving on steep hills. If the brakes are
applied, the ACC disengages.
Disengaging ACC
There are three ways to
disengage ACC:
.Step lightly on the brake pedal.
.Press*.
.Press5.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is erased
from memory if
5is pressed or if the
ignition is turned off.
Weather Conditions Affecting ACC
System operation may be limited
under snow, heavy rain, or road spray
conditions.
Accessory Installations and Vehicle
Modifications
Do not install or place any object
around the front camera windshield
area that would obstruct the front
camera view.
Do not install objects on top of the
vehicle that overhang and obstruct the
front camera, such as a canoe, kayak,
or other items that can be transported
on a roof rack system. See Roof Rack
System 0101.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
284 DRIVING AND OPERATING
An active Super Cruise service plan is
required to use Super Cruise.
{Warning
Super Cruise does not perform all
aspects of driving, nor does it do
everything a driver can do. Super
Cruise only steers to maintain
vehicle position in the current lane
or, under some circumstances, to
change lanes. Super Cruise can only
be used with Adaptive Cruise
Control.
Super Cruise does:
.Not prevent crashes or warn of
possible crashes.
.Not steer to avoid stopped or
slow-moving vehicles,
cross-traffic, construction
barriers or cones, motorcycles,
children, pedestrians, animals,
or other objects on the road.
.Not steer in response to vehicles
or objects next to your vehicle,
including vehicles attempting to
enter your lane.(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Not respond to traffic lights, stop
signs, or other traffic control
devices.
.Not respond to crossing traffic.
.Not make turns.
.Not steer to merge onto or to
exit highways.
.Not detect, steer to avoid,
or steer through construction
zones.
.Not function on surface streets.
.Not respond to crossing or
oncoming traffic.
.Not function in city driving
conditions.
{Warning
Some state and local laws may
require hands to be kept on the
steering wheel at all times. Only
remove your hands from the
steering wheel if Super Cruise is
engaged, it is safe to do so, and it is
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
permitted by state and local laws.
Failure to do so may result in a
crash involving serious injury or
death.
{Warning
Failure to supervise the driving task
and to respond appropriately, even
while Super Cruise is operating, can
cause a crash. Super Cruise may not
respond as you would to all driving
situations and may not maintain
lane position under all conditions.
It is extremely important to pay
attention to the operation of the
vehicle, even while using Super
Cruise. Do not use a hand-held
device while driving, even with
Super Cruise engaged. To prevent
serious injury or death:
.Always remain properly seated in
the driver seat with your seat
belt fastened.(Continued)
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
DRIVING AND OPERATING 285
Warning (Continued)
.Never remove your hands from
the steering wheel when Super
Cruise is not operating.
.Always make sure traffic
conditions are safe before using
Super Cruise.
.Always keep the entire vehicle
and the sensors clean. Sensors
are on the front, sides, and rear
of the vehicle.
.Always observe posted speed
limits. Only use Super Cruise at
or below the posted speed limit.
Super Cruise should not be used in
complex or uncertain driving
conditions, including:
.Not in construction zones.
.Not when approaching or exiting
toll plazas.
.Not when approaching an
intersection that is controlled
with a traffic light, stop sign,
or other traffic control device. (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Not when lane markings are not
present or cannot be detected.
For example, there is too much
glare, weather conditions are
poor, or lanes are poorly marked.
.Not on slippery or icy roads.
.Not in adverse weather
conditions, including rain, sleet,
fog, ice, or snow.
.Not on winding or hilly roads.
.Not for city driving.
.Not during heavy or emergency
braking.
.Not on surface streets.
.Not on a road shoulder, service
drive, or under an elevated
freeway.
.Not when towing a trailer.
.Not in a highway exit lane. When Super Cruise is Available
Super Cruise Indicator
Super Cruise is designed to operate
only when:
.ACC is on. See Adaptive Cruise
Control (Advanced) 0274.
.Teen Driver is not active.
.The GPS detects the vehicle is on a
compatible highway.
.Both the camera and the radar
sensors are functioning and not
covered, obstructed, or damaged.
.The Driver Attention System (DAS)
detects the driver's head and eyes
are directed toward the road.
.The lane markings are clearly visible
and able to be detected by the
system.