2021 CADILLAC ESCALADE stop start

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
DRIVING AND OPERATING 253
2. Press and hold shift lock releasebutton on the side of the shift
lever.
3. From the center position, move the shift lever forward through the first
detent to the end of travel. R is
illuminated in red.
4. After releasing the shift lever, it will return to the center position.
To shift out of R (Reverse): 1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Shift to the desired gear.
3. After releasing the shift lever, it will return to the center position.
At low vehicle speeds, R (Reverse) can
be used to rock the vehicle back and
forth to get out of snow, ice, or sand
without damaging the transmission.
See If the Vehicle Is Stuck 0240.
N : In this position, the engine does
not connect with the wheels. To
restart the engine when the vehicle is
already moving, use N (Neutral) only.{Warning
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift into
a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed.
Caution
Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine running
at high speed may damage the
transmission. The repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle warranty.
Be sure the engine is not running at
high speed when shifting the
vehicle.
The vehicle is not designed to stay in
N (Neutral) for more than
five minutes. It may automatically
shift into P (Park). N (Neutral) is not intended for towing. If the vehicle
needs to be towed, see
Towing the
Vehicle 0428.
To shift into N (Neutral): 1. Move the shift lever forward to the first detent from the center
position.
If the vehicle is in P (Park), apply
the brake pedal and press the shift
lock release button while moving
the shift lever forward. N will
illuminate in red.
2. After releasing the shift lever, it will return to the center position.
To shift out of N (Neutral): 1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Shift to the desired gear. If shifting from N (Neutral) to R (Reverse),
press the shift lock release button.
3. After releasing the shift lever, it will return to the center position.
Car Wash Mode
This vehicle includes a Car Wash
Mode that allows the vehicle to
remain in N (Neutral) for use in
automatic car washes.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
DRIVING AND OPERATING 259
20 seconds, the transfer case will
remain in its original state. This will
be indicated in the instrument cluster.
With the vehicle moving less than
5 km/h (3 mph) and the transmission
in N (Neutral), attempt the shift again.
Shifting Out of 4
n
1. The vehicle must be stopped ormoving less than 5 km/h (3 mph)
with the transmission in
N (Neutral) and the ignition on.
It is best for the vehicle to be
moving 1.6 to 3.2 km/h (1 to 2 mph).
2. Press 4
m, AUTO, or 2m. The actual
4x4 shift request is only made after
the button is released. The 4x4
graphic will remain flashing until
the shift request has completed.
A DIC message displays to indicate
the state of the request.
Once the 4x4 shift has completed,
the DIC message disappears, the
4x4 graphic stops flashing, and the
current setting is indicated.
If vehicle speed is higher when
shift request occurs, a DIC message
displays. Reduce vehicle speed. If the transmission is not in
N (Neutral) when the shift request
occurs, DIC messages will display. The
vehicle will allow 20 seconds for this
shift to occur. After this time, a
graphic in the instrument cluster will
indicate that the transfer case is in 4
n.
Caution
Shifting the transmission into gear
before the requested mode indicator
light has stopped flashing could
damage the transfer case.
If the transmission is not shifted into
N (Neutral) or the vehicle has not
slowed to 5 km/h (3 mph) within
20 seconds, the transfer case will
remain in its original state. This will
be indicated in the instrument cluster.
With the vehicle moving less than
5 km/h (3 mph), and the transmission
in N (Neutral), attempt the shift again.
Shifting Into N (Neutral)
To shift into N (Neutral): 1. Start the vehicle.
2. Shift the transmission to N (Neutral). 3. Shift the transfer case to 2
m.
4. Apply the parking brake and/or brake pedal.
5. Press 2
mfive times in 10 seconds
until the N (Neutral) symbol starts
flashing in the instrument cluster.
When the shift is complete, the
graphic stops flashing. If the
parking brake and/or brake pedal is
not applied within 20 seconds, the
transfer case will remain in the
original state.
6. If the transmission is not shifted into N (Neutral) or the vehicle has
not slowed to 5 km/h (3 mph)
within 20 seconds, the transfer case
will remain in its original state.
This will be indicated in the
instrument cluster.
Shifting Out of N (Neutral)
To shift out of N (Neutral): 1. Turn the ignition on with the engine off. See Ignition Positions
0 245.
2. Set the parking brake. See Electric
Parking Brake 0261.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
DRIVING AND OPERATING 263
Brake Assist
Brake Assist detects rapid brake pedal
applications due to emergency braking
situations and provides additional
braking to activate the Antilock Brake
System (ABS) if the brake pedal is not
pushed hard enough to activate ABS
normally. Minor noise, brake pedal
pulsation, and/or pedal movement
during this time may occur. Continue
to apply the brake pedal as the driving
situation dictates. Brake Assist
disengages when the brake pedal is
released.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
{Warning
Do not rely on the HSA feature.
HSA does not replace the need to
pay attention and drive safely. You
may not hear or feel alerts or
warnings provided by this system.
Failure to use proper care when
driving may result in injury, death,
or vehicle damage. SeeDefensive
Driving 0231. When the vehicle is stopped on a
grade, Hill Start Assist (HSA)
temporarily prevents the vehicle from
rolling in an unintended direction
during the transition from brake pedal
release to accelerator pedal apply. The
brakes release when the accelerator
pedal is applied or automatically
release after a few seconds. The brakes
may also release under other
conditions. Do not rely on HSA to
hold the vehicle.
HSA is available when the vehicle is
facing uphill in a forward gear,
or when facing downhill in
R (Reverse). The vehicle must come to
a complete stop on a grade for HSA to
activate.
Automatic Vehicle
Hold (AVH)
{Warning
Do not rely on this feature. It does
not replace the need to pay
attention and drive safely. You may
not hear or feel alerts or warnings
provided by this system. Failure to
use proper care when driving may
result in injury, death, or vehicle
damage.
When Automatic Vehicle Hold (AVH)
is turned on and the vehicle is braked
to a stop, AVH prevents the vehicle

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 311
After completely passing an eligible
parking spot, a beep sounds and a red
stop symbol is displayed in the driver
information center. Generally, APA
selects the nearest empty parking spot
behind the vehicle, but under some
conditions may select a space that is
further back. Slow down and bring the
vehicle to a complete stop to begin.
Follow the displayed instructions.
When instructed to drive in reverse,
shift to R (Reverse) while holding the
brakes. The steering wheel will vibrate
briefly as a reminder to remove hands
from the steering wheel. Release the
brakes slowly when the vibration
stops to begin automatic parking. As
the vehicle automatically steers,
brakes, accelerates, and shifts gearsinto the parking spot, check
surroundings. Be prepared to stop to
avoid vehicles, pedestrians, or objects.
A progress arrow displays the status
of the parking maneuver. Once
automatic parking is finished and the
vehicle has come to a full stop, FINAL
POSITION - PRESS BRAKES message
will be displayed. Press and hold the
brakes, and APA will beep and display
a PARKING COMPLETE message. Shift
the vehicle to P (Park) and apply the
parking brake.
How to Activate Automatic Parallel
Spot Unparking Assist
To activate parallel spot unparking
assist, press the soft-touch button or
hard switch
Oafter turning on the
vehicle while leaving it in P (Park) and the parking brake is off. If the system
is able to determine a path out of the
parking spot, a screen will be
displayed for unparking options.
Similar to automatic parking, follow
the displayed instructions and check
surroundings as the vehicle unparks.
Once automatic unparking is finished
and the vehicle has come to a full
stop, FINAL POSITION - PRESS
BRAKES message will be displayed.
Press and hold the brakes, and APA
will beep and display a TAKE
CONTROL message. The vehicle is
now positioned such that the path to
exit the parking spot is free of
obstructions. Shift into D (Drive) to
start driving away.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
DRIVING AND OPERATING 323
Warning (Continued)
bicyclists, or animals. It may not
provide alerts when changing lanes
under all driving conditions. Failure
to use proper care when changing
lanes may result in injury, death,
or vehicle damage. Before making a
lane change, always check mirrors,
glance over your shoulder, and use
the turn signals.
ESBZA Detection Zones
1. SBZA Detection Zone
2. ESBZA Detection Zone
3. LCA Detection Zone
The Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
warning area starts at approximately
the middle of the vehicle and goes
back 5 m (16 ft). The Extended Side
Blind Zone Alert (ESBZA) warning
area starts at approximately 3 m (10 ft) to the trailing edge of the
vehicle and goes back up to 21 m
(69 ft) behind the vehicle. The
maximum trailer length is 12 m (39 ft).
How the System Works
The LCA/ESBZA symbol lights up in
the side mirrors when the system
detects a moving vehicle in the next
lane over that is in the extended side
blind zone. This indicates it may be
unsafe to change lanes. Before making
a lane change, check the SBZA
display, check mirrors, glance over
your shoulder, and use the turn
signals.
Left Side Mirror
DisplayRight Side Mirror Display
When the vehicle is started, both
outside mirror LCA/ESBZA displays
will briefly come on to indicate the
system is operating. When the vehicle
is in a forward gear, the left- or right-side mirror display will light up
if a moving vehicle is detected in that
blind zone. If the turn signal is
activated in the same direction as a
detected vehicle, this display will flash
as an extra warning not to change
lanes.
LCA/ESBZA displays may not come on
when passing a vehicle quickly,
or when passing a stopped vehicle.
LCA/ESBZA may alert to objects
attached to the vehicle, such as a
bicycle, or object extending out to
either side of the vehicle or trailer.
This is normal system operation; the
vehicle does not need service.
LCA/ESBZA can be disabled through
vehicle personalization. See
“Collision/
Detection Systems” underVehicle
Personalization 0138. If SBZA is
disabled by the driver, the ESBZA
mirror displays will not light up.
When the System Does Not
Seem to Work Properly
LCA/ESBZA displays may not come on
when passing a vehicle quickly,
or when passing a stopped vehicle.
The LCA/ESBZA detection zones that