2022 CADILLAC ESCALADE brake

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15567102) - 2022 - CRC - 11/17/21
DRIVING AND OPERATING 341
The following information has many
time-tested, important trailering tips
and safety rules. Many of these are
important for your safety and that of
your passengers. Read this section
carefully before pulling a trailer.
Trailer Weight
{Warning
Never exceed the towing capacity
for your vehicle.
Safe trailering requires monitoring the
weight, speed, altitude, road grades,
outside temperature, dimensions of
the front of the trailer, and how
frequently the vehicle is used to tow a
trailer.
Trailering Weight Ratings
When towing a trailer, the combined
weight of the vehicle, vehicle contents,
trailer, and trailer contents must be
below all of the maximum weight
ratings for the vehicle, including:
.GCWR: Gross Combined Weight
Rating
.GVWR: Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
.Maximum Trailer Weight Rating
.GAWR-RR: Gross Axle Weight
Rating-Rear
.Maximum Trailer Tongue Weight
Rating
See “Weight-Distributing Hitch
Adjustment ”under Towing Equipment
0 344 to determine if equalizer bars
are required to obtain the maximum
trailer weight rating.
See “Trailer Brakes ”under Towing
Equipment 0344 to determine if
brakes are required based on your
trailer's weight.
The only way to be sure the weight is
not exceeding any of these ratings is
to weigh the tow vehicle and trailer
combination, fully loaded for the trip,
getting individual weights for each of
these items.
A trailering information label on the
driver's side door B-pillar shows tow
rating information for your vehicle.
{Warning
You and others could be seriously
injured or killed if the trailer is too
heavy or the trailer brakes are
inadequate for the load. The vehicle
may be damaged, and the repairs
would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty.
Only tow a trailer if all the steps in
this section have been followed. Ask
your dealer for advice and
information about towing a trailer.
Gross Combined Weight
Rating (GCWR)
GCWR is the total allowable weight of
the completely loaded vehicle and
trailer including any fuel, passengers,
cargo, equipment, and accessories. Do
not exceed the GCWR for your vehicle.
The GCWR for the vehicle is on the
Trailering Information Label.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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348 DRIVING AND OPERATING
MeasurementHeight Example 1500 (mm)
H1 1 000
H2 1 060
H2−H1 60
(H2−H1)/3 20
H2−[(H2−H1)/3] 1 040
Tires
.Do not tow a trailer while using a
compact spare tire on the vehicle.
.Tires must be properly inflated to
support loads while towing a trailer.
SeeTires 0402 for instructions on
proper tire inflation.
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer, and attach the
chains to the holes on the trailer hitch
platform. Instructions about safety
chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer
manufacturer. If the trailer being towed weighs up to
2 271 kg (5,000 lb) with a
factory-installed step bumper, safety
chains may be attached to the
attaching points on the bumper;
otherwise, safety chains should be
attached to holes on the trailer hitch.
Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer to help prevent
the tongue from contacting the road if
it becomes separated from the hitch.
Always leave just enough slack so the
combination can turn. Never allow
safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Loaded trailers over 900 kg (2,000 lb)
must be equipped with brake systems
and with brakes for each axle. Trailer
braking equipment conforming to
Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
requirement CAN3-D313, or its
equivalent, is recommended.
State or local regulations may require
trailers to have their own braking
system if the loaded weight of the
trailer exceeds certain minimums that
can vary from state to state. Read and
follow the instructions for the trailer
brakes so they are installed, adjusted,
and maintained properly. Never
attempt to tap into your vehicle's
hydraulic brake system. If you do,

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15567102) - 2022 - CRC - 11/17/21
DRIVING AND OPERATING 349
both the vehicle anti-lock brakes and
the trailer brakes may not function,
which could result in a crash.
Trailer Wiring Harness
The seven-pin trailer connector is
mounted in the bumper. This
connector can be plugged into a
seven-pin universal heavy-duty trailer
connector available through your
dealer.
Use only a round, seven-wire
connector with flat blade terminals
meeting SAE J2863 specifications for
proper electrical connectivity.
The seven-wire harness contains the
following trailer circuits:
.Yellow/Grey: Left Stop/Turn Signal
.Green/Violet: Right Stop/Turn
Signal
.Grey/Brown: Taillamps
.White: Ground
.White/Green: Back-up Lamps
.Red/Green: Battery Feed
.Dark Blue: Trailer BrakeTo help charge a remote (non-vehicle)
battery, change drive mode to Tow
Haul. If the trailer is too light for
Tow/Haul Mode, turn on the
headlamps to help charge the battery.
Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions
These wiring provisions are included
with the vehicle as part of the trailer
wiring package. These provisions are
for an electric brake controller.
The harness should be installed by
your dealer or a qualified service
center.
Refer to the aftermarket electric trailer
brake controller owner's manual to
determine wire color coding of the
electric trailer brake controller. The
wire colors on the brake controller
may be different from the vehicle.
Trailer Lamps
Always check all trailer lamps are
working at the beginning of each trip,
and periodically on longer trips.
If equipped, the Trailering App will
monitor the RH turn/brake lamp
circuit, LH turn/brake lamp circuit,
running lamp circuit, and reverse
lamp circuits on the trailer. DIC
messages and Trailering App alerts
may be displayed if lighting circuit
issues are detected on the trailer.
Pressing START LIGHT TEST in the
Trailering App automatically activates
trailer lamps. The Trailering App is
not a substitute for manually
inspecting your trailer lamps. See
Trailering App
0355.
Trailer Connection and Lamp
Messages
When a trailer is properly connected
and working, no trailer connection or
lamp messages appear on the Driver
Information Center (DIC). However; if
the vehicle detects an issue with a
trailer connection or lamp, you may
see the following DIC message(s):
.TRAILER DISCONNECTED CHECK
CONNECTION appears when a
connected trailer is disconnected.
It appears immediately when the
vehicle is on, or upon the next

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15567102) - 2022 - CRC - 11/17/21
350 DRIVING AND OPERATING
start-up if the trailer was
disconnected while the vehicle was
off. Check the trailer connection as
appropriate.
.CHECK TRAILER XXX LAMP
appears when there is a detected
lamp or wiring fault on the trailer.
Check the trailer wiring and lamps.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
When properly connected, the trailer
turn signals should will illuminate to
indicate the vehicle is turning,
changing lanes, or stopping. When
towing a trailer, the arrows on the
instrument cluster will illuminate
even if the trailer is not properly
connected or the bulbs are
burned out.
Tow/Haul Mode
For instructions on how to enter
Tow/Haul mode, seeDriver Mode
Control 0267.
Tow/Haul assists when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy load. Tow/Haul Mode is designed to be
most effective when the vehicle and
trailer combined weight is at least
75% of the vehicle's Gross Combined
Weight Rating (GCWR). See
“Maximum Trailer Weight
”under
Trailer Towing 0340.
Tow/Haul Mode is most useful when
towing a heavy trailer or carrying a
large or heavy load:
.through rolling terrain
.in stop-and-go traffic
.in busy parking lots
Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul
Mode when lightly loaded or not
towing will not cause damage;
however, it is not recommended and
may result in unpleasant engine and
transmission driving characteristics
and reduced fuel economy.
Integrated Trailer Brake Control
System
The vehicle may have an Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system
for use with electric trailer brakes or
most electric over hydraulic trailer brake systems. These instructions
apply to both types of electric trailer
brakes.
This symbol is on the Trailer Brake
Control Panel on vehicles with an
ITBC system. The power output to the
trailer brakes is proportional to the
amount of vehicle braking. This
available power output to the trailer
brakes can be adjusted to a wide
range of trailering situations.
The ITBC system is integrated with
the vehicle’s brake, anti-lock brake,
and StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) systems. In trailering
conditions that cause the vehicle’s
anti-lock brake or StabiliTrak/ESC
systems to activate, power sent to the
trailer's brakes will be automatically
adjusted to minimize trailer wheel
lock-up. This does not imply that the
trailer has StabiliTrak/ESC.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15567102) - 2022 - CRC - 11/17/21
DRIVING AND OPERATING 351
If the vehicle’s brake, anti-lock brake,
or StabiliTrak systems are not
functioning properly, the ITBC system
may not function fully or at all. Make
sure all of these systems are fully
operational to allow the ITBC system
to function properly.
The ITBC system is powered through
the vehicle's electrical system. Turning
the ignition off will also turn off the
ITBC system. The ITBC system is fully
functional only when the ignition is in
ON/RUN.
{Warning
Connecting a trailer that has an air
brake system may result in reduced
or complete loss of trailer braking,
including increased stopping
distance or trailer instability which
could result in serious injury, death,
or property damage. Only use the
ITBC system with electric or electric
over hydraulic trailer brake systems.Trailer Brake Control Panel
1. Manual Trailer Brake Apply Lever
2. Trailer Symbol
3. Trailer Gain Adjustment Buttons
The ITBC control panel is on the
instrument panel to the left of the
steering column. The control panel
allows adjustment to the amount of
output, referred to as Trailer Gain,
available to the trailer brakes and
allows manual application of the
trailer brakes. Use the ITBC control
panel and the DIC trailer brake display
page to adjust and display power
output to the trailer brakes. Trailer Brake DIC Display Page
The ITBC display page indicates:
.Trailer Gain setting
.Output to the trailer brakes
.Trailer connection
.System operational status.
To display:
.Scroll through the DIC menu pages
.Press a Trailer Gain (+) or (−) button
.Activate the Manual Trailer Brake
Apply Lever
TRAILER GAIN:
Press a Trailer Gain button to recall
the current Trailer Gain setting. Each
press and release of the gain buttons
will then change the Trailer Gain
setting. Press the Trailer Gain (+) or
(−) to adjust. Press and hold to
continuously adjust the Trailer Gain.
To turn the output to the trailer off,
adjust the Trailer Gain setting to 0.0.
This setting can be adjusted from 0.0
to 10.0 with a trailer connected or
disconnected.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15567102) - 2022 - CRC - 11/17/21
352 DRIVING AND OPERATING
TRAILER OUTPUT: This displays
anytime a trailer with electric brakes
is connected. Output to the trailer
brakes is based on the amount of
vehicle braking present and relative to
the Trailer Gain setting. Output is
displayed from 0 to 100% for each
gain setting.
The Trailer Output will indicate
“- - - - - -”on the Trailer Brake Display
Page whenever the following occur:
.No trailer is connected.
.A trailer without electric brakes is
connected, no DIC message will
display
.A trailer with electric brakes has
become disconnected, a CHECK
TRAILER WIRING message displays
on the DIC
.There is a fault present in the
wiring to the trailer brakes, a
CHECK TRAILER WIRING message
displays on the DIC
.The ITBC system is not working due
to a fault, a SERVICE TRAILER
BRAKE SYSTEM message displays
in the DIC Manual Trailer Brake Apply Lever
Slide this lever right to apply the
trailer’s electric brakes independent of
the vehicle’s brakes. Use this lever to
adjust Trailer Gain to achieve the
proper power output to the trailer
brakes. The trailer's and the vehicle's
brake lamps will come on when either
vehicle brakes or manual trailer brakes
are applied and properly connected.
Trailer Gain Adjustment Procedure
Trailer Gain should be set for a
specific trailering condition and it
must be readjusted anytime vehicle
loading, trailer loading, or road surface
conditions change.
{Warning
Trailer brakes that are over-gained
or under-gained may not stop the
vehicle and the trailer as intended
and can result in a crash. Always
follow the instructions to set the
Trailer Gain for the proper trailer
stopping performance.
To adjust Trailer Gain for each towing
condition:
1. Drive the vehicle with the trailer attached on a level road surface
representative of the towing
condition and free of traffic at
about 32 to 40 km/h (20 to 25 mph)
and fully apply the Manual Trailer
Brake apply lever.
Note
Adjusting Trailer Gain at speeds lower
than 32 to 40 km/h (20 to 25 mph)
may result in an incorrect gain
setting. 2. Adjust the Trailer Gain, using the Trailer Gain adjustment buttons, to
just below the point of trailer
wheel lock-up, indicated by trailer
wheel squeal or tire smoke when a
trailer wheel locks.
Note
Trailer wheel lock-up may not occur if
towing a heavily loaded trailer. In this
case, adjust the Trailer Gain to the
highest allowable setting for the
towing condition.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15567102) - 2022 - CRC - 11/17/21
DRIVING AND OPERATING 353
3. Readjust Trailer Gain any timevehicle loading, trailer loading,
or road surface conditions change
or if trailer wheel lock-up is
noticed at any time while towing.
Other ITBC-Related DIC Messages
TRAILER BRAKES CONNECTED: This
message will briefly display when a
trailer with electric brakes is first
connected to the vehicle. This
message will automatically turn off in
about 10 seconds. This message can
be acknowledged before it
automatically turns off.
CHECK TRAILER WIRING: This
message will display if:
.The ITBC system first determines
connection to a trailer with electric
brakes and then the trailer harness
becomes disconnected the vehicle.
If the disconnect occurs while the
vehicle is stationary, this message
will automatically turn off in about
30 seconds. This message will also
turn off if it is acknowledged or if
the trailer harness is reconnected. If the disconnect occurs while the
vehicle is moving, this message will
continue until the ignition is turned
off. This message will also turn off if
it is acknowledged or if the trailer
harness is reconnected.
.There is an electrical fault in the
wiring to the trailer brakes. This
message will continue as long as
there is an electrical fault in the
trailer wiring. This message will also
turn off if it is acknowledged.
To determine whether the electrical
fault is on the vehicle side or trailer
side of the trailer wiring harness
connection: 1. Disconnect the trailer wiring harness from the vehicle.
2. Turn the ignition off.
3. Wait 10 seconds, then turn the ignition back to RUN.
4. If the CHECK TRAILER WIRING message reappears, the electrical
fault is on the vehicle side. If the CHECK TRAILER WIRING
message only reappears when
connecting the trailer wiring
harness to the vehicle, the
electrical fault is on the trailer side.
SERVICE TRAILER BRAKE SYSTEM:
This message will display when there
is a problem with the ITBC system.
If this message continues over
multiple ignition cycles, there is a
problem with the ITBC system. Have
the vehicle serviced.
If either the CHECK TRAILER WIRING
or SERVICE TRAILER BRAKE SYSTEM
message displays while driving, the
ITBC system may not be fully
functional or may not function at all.
When traffic conditions allow,
carefully pull the vehicle over to the
side of the road and turn the ignition
off. Check the wiring connection to
the trailer and turn the ignition back
on. If either of these messages
continues, either the vehicle or trailer
needs service.
A GM dealer may be able to diagnose
and repair problems with the trailer.
However, any diagnosis and repair of
the trailer is not covered under the

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15567102) - 2022 - CRC - 11/17/21
354 DRIVING AND OPERATING
vehicle warranty. Contact your trailer
dealer for assistance with trailer
repairs and trailer warranty
information.
Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
Vehicles with StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) have a Trailer
Sway Control (TSC) feature. Trailer
sway is unintended side-to-side
motion of a trailer while towing. If the
vehicle is towing a trailer and the TSC
detects that sway is increasing, the
vehicle brakes are selectively applied
at each wheel, to help reduce
excessive trailer sway. If equipped with
the Integrated Trailer Brake Control
(ITBC) system, and the trailer has an
electric brake system, StabiliTrak may
also apply the trailer brakes.If TSC is enabled, the Traction Control
System (TCS)/StabiliTrak warning
light will flash on the instrument
cluster. Reduce vehicle speed by
gradually removing your foot from the
accelerator. If trailer sway continues,
StabiliTrak can help slow the vehicle
down. TSC will not function if
StabiliTrak is turned off. SeeTraction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
0 265.
{Warning
Trailer sway can result in a crash
and in serious injury or death, even
if the vehicle is equipped with TSC.
If the trailer begins to sway, reduce
vehicle speed by gradually removing
your foot from the accelerator. Then
pull over to check the trailer and
vehicle to help correct possible
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
causes, including an improperly or
overloaded trailer, unrestrained
cargo, improper trailer hitch
configuration, or improperly
inflated or incorrect vehicle or
trailer tires. SeeTowing Equipment
0 344 for trailer ratings and hitch
setup recommendations.
Aftermarket Electronic Trailer
Sway Control Devices
Some trailers may come equipped
with an electronic device designed to
reduce or control trailer sway.
Aftermarket equipment manufacturers
also offer similar devices that connect
to the wiring between the trailer and
the vehicle. These devices may
interfere with the vehicle’s trailer
brake systems or other systems,
including integrated anti-sway
systems, if equipped. Messages related
to trailer connections or trailer brakes
could appear on the DIC. The effects
of these aftermarket devices on
vehicle handling or trailer brake
performance is not known.