2022 CADILLAC ESCALADE traction control

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15567102) - 2022 - CRC - 11/17/21
240 DRIVING AND OPERATING
.Pay attention to special road signs
(e.g., falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or IceCaution
To avoid damage to the wheels and
brake components, always clear
snow and ice from inside the
wheels and underneath the vehicle
before driving.
Snow or ice between the tires and the
road creates less traction or grip, so
drive carefully. Wet ice can occur at
about 0 °C (32 °F) when freezing rain
begins to fall. Avoid driving on wet ice
or in freezing rain until roads can be
treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick.
.Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0265.
.The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
improves vehicle stability during
hard stops, but the brakes should be
applied sooner than when on dry
pavement. See Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0262.
.Allow greater following distance and
watch for slippery spots. Icy patches
can occur on otherwise clear roads
in shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain icy
when the surrounding roads are
clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
.Turn off cruise control.
Cold Weather Mode
In very low temperatures, a cold
weather message may display on the
Driver Information Center (DIC). The
engine speed, transmission shift
patterns, and cabin fan speed may
operate differently to enable the
vehicle to warm up quicker. You can
manually override the cabin fan speed
in cold weather mode.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. Stay with the vehicle
unless there is help nearby. If possible,
use Roadside Service. See Roadside
Service 0475. To get help and keep
everyone in the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside mirror.
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may cause
exhaust gases to get inside. Engine
exhaust contains carbon monoxide
(CO), which cannot be seen or
smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
.Clear snow from the base of the
vehicle, especially any blocking
the exhaust pipe.
(Continued)

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 241
Warning (Continued)
.Open a window about 5 cm (2 in)
on the vehicle side that is away
from the wind, to bring in
fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets on or
under the instrument panel.
.Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air inside
the vehicle and set the fan speed
to the highest setting. See
“Climate Control Systems.”
For more information about CO, see
Engine Exhaust 0252.
To save fuel, run the engine for short
periods to warm the vehicle and then
shut the engine off and partially close
the window. Moving about to keep
warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle speed.
This keeps the battery charged to
restart the vehicle and to signal for
help with the headlamps. Do this as
little as possible, to save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels
to free the vehicle when stuck in sand,
mud, ice, or snow.
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0265.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you or
others could be injured. The vehicle
can overheat, causing an engine
compartment fire or other damage.
Spin the wheels as little as possible
and avoid going above 56 km/h
(35 mph).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and right
to clear the area around the front
wheels. Turn off any traction system.
Shift back and forth between
R (Reverse) and a low forward gear,
spinning the wheels as little as
possible. To prevent transmission wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears. Release
the accelerator pedal while shifting,
and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transmission is in
gear. Slowly spinning the wheels in
the forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not get
the vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out, see
Towing the Vehicle
0439.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can carry.
This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the
weight of all occupants, cargo, and
all nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle may
show how much weight it was
designed to carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and the
Certification/Tire label.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 257
Electronic Range Select (ERS),
or Manual Mode, allows manual
selection of gear positions. Use this
mode when driving downhill or
towing a trailer to limit the top gear
and vehicle speed. The shift position
indicator within the Driver
Information Center (DIC) displays a
number next to the L indicating the
highest available gear.
To enter ERS/Manual Mode:1. With the vehicle in D (Drive), pull back the shift lever to activate
L (Low). The L will illuminate red,
and the D will turn white. 2. Tap the left steering wheel control
to reduce the highest gear
available, or the right control to
increase the highest gear available.
3. To exit, pull back the shift lever a second time. The D will illuminate
red, and the L will turn white.
When shifting to L (Low), the
transmission shifts to a preset lower
gear range. The highest gear available
while in this range will be displayed
next to the L (Low) in the DIC. See
Driver Information Center (DIC) 0133.
All gears below are available to use.
For example, when 4 (Fourth) is
shown next to the L, 1 (First) through
4 (Fourth) gears are shifted
automatically. To shift to 5 (Fifth)
gear, tap the right steering wheel
control or shift into D (Drive).
L (Low) prevents shifting to a lower
gear range if the engine speed is too
high. If the vehicle speed is not
reduced within the allotted time, the
lower gear range shift will not
complete. Slow the vehicle, then tap
the left steering wheel control to the
desired lower gear range. Cruise control can be used while
in ERS.
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive
If equipped, four-wheel drive engages
the front axle for extra traction.
Four-wheel drive engages the front
axle for extra traction.
Caution
Do not drive on clean, dry
pavement in 4
mand 4n(if
equipped) for an extended period
of time. These conditions may
cause premature wear on the
vehicle’s powertrain.
Driving on clean, dry pavement in 4
m
or 4nmay:
.Cause a vibration to be felt in the
steering system.
.Cause tires to wear faster.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15567102) - 2022 - CRC - 11/17/21
258 DRIVING AND OPERATING
{Warning
With four-wheel drive, the vehicle
will be free to roll if the transfer
case is in N (Neutral), even when
the shift lever is in P (Park). Be
sure the transfer case is in a drive
gear—2
m, 4m, or 4n—not in
N (Neutral). See Shifting Into Park
0 250.
Caution
Extended high-speed operation in
4
nmay damage or shorten the life
of the drivetrain.
An engagement noise and bump is
normal when shifting between 4
nand
4
mor N (Neutral), with the engine
running.
Shifting into 4
nwill turn Traction
Control and StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) off. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0265.
Automatic Transfer Case
Two-Speed Transfer Case
If equipped, the transfer case controls
are used to shift into and out of
four-wheel drive.
To shift the transfer case, press the
desired button. The graphic in the
instrument cluster will flash while a
shift is in progress. The graphic
displayed will change to indicate the
setting requested.
When the shift is complete the
graphic will stop flashing. The DIC
message turns off once the shift is complete. If the transfer case cannot
complete a shift request, it will go
back to its last chosen setting.
The settings are:
N (Neutral) :
Use only when the
vehicle needs to be towed. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing 0440. See
Towing the Vehicle 0439.
2
m(Two-Wheel Drive High) : Use for
driving on most streets and highways.
The front axle is not engaged. This
setting provides the best fuel
economy.
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel
Drive) : Use when road surface
conditions are variable. When driving
in AUTO, the front axle is engaged,
and the vehicle's power is sent to the
front and rear wheels automatically
based on driving conditions. This
setting provides slightly lower fuel
economy than 2
m.
4
m(Four-Wheel Drive High) : Use
this position when extra traction is
needed, such as when driving on
snowy or icy roads, when off-roading,
or when plowing snow.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 259
4n(Four-Wheel Drive Low) :This
setting engages the front axle and
delivers extra torque. Choose 4
nwhen
driving off-road in deep sand, deep
mud, or deep snow, and while
climbing or descending steep hills.
While driving in 4
n, keep vehicle
speed below 72 km/h (45 mph).
Shifting into 4
nwill turn Traction
Control and StabiliTrak/ESC off. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0265.
Shifts between 2
m, 4m, and AUTO
Any of these shifts can be made at
normal driving speed.
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 that the
4x4 transfer case has been requested
to shift to the new desired state.
Once the 4x4 shift has completed, the
DIC message disappears, the 4x4
graphic stops flashing, and the current
setting is indicated. When a shift to 2
mis completed
successfully while in P (Park), the
parking brake will engage. To resume
driving, shift the transmission to the
desired gear and manually release the
parking bake or press the accelerator
pedal to begin driving. See Electric
Parking Brake 0262.
If equipped, use 4
n, AUTO, or 4mto
provide additional traction when
parking on a steep grade with poor
traction such as ice, snow, mud,
or gravel.
Shifting Into 4
n
1. The ignition must be on and the vehicle must be stopped or moving
less than 5 km/h (3 mph) with the
transmission in N (Neutral). It is
best for the vehicle to be moving
1.6 to 3.2 km/h (1 to 2 mph).
2. Press 4
n. 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 that the 4x4 transfer case has been
requested to shift to the new
desired state.
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 shift request occurs,
a DIC message displays. The vehicle
will allow 20 seconds for the 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

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 261
3. Shift the transmission toN (Neutral).
4. Shift the transfer case to 2
m.
Transfer case shifts out of
N (Neutral) can only be made into
2
m. When the shift to 2mis
complete, the graphic in the
instrument cluster will stop
flashing. If the transfer case cannot
complete a shift, the graphic will
return to the previously selected
setting.
Single Speed Transfer Case
If equipped, the transfer case controls
are used to shift into and out of
four-wheel drive. To shift the transfer case, press the
desired button. The graphic in the
instrument cluster will flash while a
shift is in progress. The graphic
displayed will change to indicate the
setting requested.
When the shift is complete the
graphic will stop flashing. The DIC
message turns off once the shift is
complete. If the transfer case cannot
complete a shift request, it will go
back to its last chosen setting.
The settings are:
2
m(Two-Wheel Drive High) :
Use for
driving on most streets and highways.
The front axle is not engaged. This
setting provides the best fuel
economy.
4
m(Four-Wheel Drive High) : Use
this setting when extra traction is
needed, such as when driving on
snowy or icy roads, when off-roading,
or when plowing snow.
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel Drive)
Use when road surface conditions are
variable. When driving in AUTO, the
front axle is engaged, and the vehicle's power is sent to the front and rear
wheels automatically based on driving
conditions. This setting provides
slightly lower fuel economy than 2
m.
Shifts between 2
m, 4m, and AUTO
Any of these shifts can be made at
normal driving speed.
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.
Once the 4x4 shift has completed, the
DIC message disappears, the 4x4
graphic stops flashing, and the current
setting is indicated.
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. Once the 4x4
shift has completed, the DIC message
disappears, the 4x4 graphic stops
flashing, and the current setting is
indicated.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 265
When Automatic Vehicle Hold (AVH)
is turned on and the vehicle is braked
to a stop, AVH prevents the vehicle
from moving during the transition
from brake pedal release to accelerator
pedal apply. The brakes release when
the accelerator pedal is applied. The
brakes may also release under other
conditions. Do not rely on AVH to
hold the vehicle.
If the accelerator pedal is not applied
within a few minutes, the Electric
Parking Brake will apply. The parking
brake will also apply if the driver door
is opened or the driver seat belt is
unfastened while AVH is holding the
vehicle.
AVH can be turned on by pressing
AUTO HOLD. The indicator light on
the switch will come on. The AVH
light on the instrument panel will
come on while AVH is actively holding
the vehicle. SeeAutomatic Vehicle Hold
(AVH) Light 0126.Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) and StabiliTrak/
Electronic Stability Control (ESC).
These systems help limit wheel spin
and assist the driver in maintaining
control, especially on slippery road
conditions.
TCS activates if it senses any of the
drive wheels are spinning or beginning
to lose traction. When this happens,
TCS applies the brakes to the spinning
wheels and reduces engine power to
limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak/ESC activates when the
vehicle senses a difference between
the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling.
StabiliTrak/ESC selectively applies
braking pressure to one or more of the
vehicle wheel brakes to assist the
driver in keeping the vehicle on the
intended path. Trailer Sway Control (TSC) is also on automatically when
the vehicle is started. See
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) 0354.
If cruise control is being used and
traction control or StabiliTrak/ESC
begins to limit wheel spin, cruise
control will disengage. Cruise control
may be turned back on when road
conditions allow.
Both systems come on automatically
when the vehicle is started and begins
to move. The systems may be heard or
felt while they are operating or while
performing diagnostic checks. This is
normal and does not mean there is a
problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both
systems on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary to
turn TCS off if the vehicle gets stuck
in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See If the
Vehicle Is Stuck 0241 and “Turning
the Systems Off and On ”later in this
section.
When the transfer case (if equipped)
is in Four-Wheel Drive Low, the TCS
and StabiliTrak/ESC are automatically

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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266 DRIVING AND OPERATING
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 0128.
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 0136 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.