Cadillac 1999 Escalade User manual

yellowblue
i
The 1999 Cadillac Escalade Owner’s Manual
1-1 Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the air bag system.
2-1 Features and Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle.
3-1 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system.
4-1 Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.
5-1 Problems on the Road
This section tells you what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.
6-1 Service and Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good.
7-1 Customer Assistance Information
This section tells you how to contact Cadillac for assistance and how to get service and owner publications.
It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page 7-10.
8-1 Index
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find
something you want to read.

yellowblue
ii
GENERAL MOTORS, GM and the GM Emblem,
CADILLAC, the CADILLAC Crest & Wreath are
registered trademarks and the name ESCALADE is a
trademark of General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes in the
product after that time without further notice. For
vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute the name
“General Motors of Canada Limited” for Cadillac Motor
Car Division whenever it appears in this manual.
Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will be
there if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you
sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the new
owner can use it.
We support voluntary
technician certification.
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Aux propriétaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer un exemplaire de ce guide en français chez
votre concessionaire ou au:
DGN Marketing Services Ltd.
1577 Meyerside Dr.
Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1B9
Litho in U.S.A.
E
Copyright General Motors Corporation 1998
Part No. 25691027 A First Edition All Rights Reserved

yellowblue
iii
How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you
do this, it will help you learn about the features and
controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find
that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.
Index
A good place to look for what you need is the Index in
back of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list of what’s in
the manual, and the page number where you’ll find it.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will find a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you
about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore
the warning.
CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then
we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, you or
others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Don’t,”
“Don’t do this” or “Don’t
let this happen.”

yellowblue
iv
Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
NOTICE:
These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
In the notice area, we tell you about something that can
damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would
not be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly.
But the notice will tell you what to do to help avoid
the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION
and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in
different words.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.

yellowblue
v
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
CAUTION
POSSIBLE
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BATTERY
ACID COULD
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS OR
FLAMES
SPARK OR
FLAME
COULD
EXPLODE
BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
AIR BAG
These symbols
have to do with
your lamps:
MASTER
LIGHTING
SWITCH
TURN
SIGNALS
PARKING
LAMPS
HAZARD
WARNING
FLASHER
DAYTIME
RUNNING
LAMPS
FOG LAMPS
These symbols
are on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD
WASHER
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
REAR
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
ENGINE
COOLANT
TEMP
BATTERY
CHARGING
SYSTEM
BRAKE
COOLANT
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
HORN
SPEAKER
FUEL
Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.

yellowblue
vi
✍NOTES

1-
yellowblue
1-1
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
Here you’ll find information about the seats in your vehicle and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also
learn about some things you should not do with air bags and safety belts.
1-2 Seats and Seat Controls
1-8 Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
1-13 Here Are Questions Many People Ask About
Safety Belts -- and the Answers
1-14 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
1-14 Driver Position
1-22 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
1-23 Right Front Passenger Position
1-23 Air Bag System
1-30 Rear Seat Passengers
1-34 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children
and Small Adults
1-37 Center Passenger Position
1-38 Children
1-41 Child Restraints
1-53 Larger Children
1-56 Safety Belt Extender
1-56 Checking Your Restraint Systems
1-56 Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash

yellowblue
1-2
Seats and Seat Controls
This section tells you about the seats -- how to adjust
them and fold them up and down. It also tells you about
reclining front seatbacks and head restraints.
Power Seats
You can adjust the front seats with the controls located
on the side of the seat, next to the door.
You can use the round center knob to move the seat to
where you want it. To raise the seat, move the knob up.
To lower the seat, move the knob down. To move the
seat forward or rearward, move the knob toward the
front of the vehicle or toward the rear.
You can also raise and lower the front and rear of the
seat. To raise or lower the front of the seat, move the
front lever up or down. To raise or lower the rear of the
seat, move the rear lever up or down.
The switches located at the front of this control
panel are for the heated front seat and the power
lumbar adjustment.

yellowblue
1-3
Power Lumbar Control
Your vehicle has a power lumbar control. You can
increase or decrease lumbar support in an area of the
lower seatback.
To increase support, press and hold the front of the
rocker switch. Let go of the switch when the lower
seatback reaches the desired level of support.
To decrease support, press and hold the rear of the
rocker switch. Let go of the switch when the lower
seatback reaches the desired level of support.
Heated Front Seats
The control for the driver’s side heated seat is located on
the left side of the seat. The control for the right front
passenger is located on the right side of the passenger
seat. Move the switch forward to MED or HIGH
temperature to turn on the heating elements in the seat.
The right front passenger’s safety belt must be buckled
before the heating elements in that seat will operate. To
turn the heated seats off, move the switch rearward to
OFF. For information on heated rear seats, see “Heated
Rear Seats” in the Index.

yellowblue
1-4
Reclining Front Seatbacks
To adjust the seatback,
move the lever rearward.
Release the lever to lock the seatback where you want it.
Move the lever again rearward and the seatback will go
to an upright position. But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.

yellowblue
1-5
CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle
up, your safety belts can’t do their job when
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do its job because it
won’t be against your body. Instead, it will be in
front of you. In a crash you could go into it,
receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt can’t do its job either. In a crash the
belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones.
This could cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well
back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly.
Head Restraints
Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the
restraint is closest to the top of your ears. This position
reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
The head restraints tilt forward and rearward also.
Pull the head restraint forward to one of the preset positions.
To return the head restraint to its original position, pull the
head restraint forward all the way and release.
Rear Seats
CAUTION:
If a head restraint is not installed on the seatback
or stored in the vehicle properly, it could be
thrown about the vehicle in a crash or sudden
maneuver. People in the vehicle could be injured.
Remove the head restraints only when you need
to fold the seat, and be sure that the head
restraints are stored securely in the appropriate
holes at the rear of the lower seat cushion. When
the seat is returned to the passenger position, be
sure the head restraints are installed properly.

yellowblue
1-6
Folding the Rear Seat
Your vehicle has a 60/40 rear seat, either side may be
folded down to give you more cargo space.
Before folding, place the latch portion of the center
safety belt in the center armrest. That way, the center
safety belt will be out of the way when the seat is folded
and also will be easily available for passengers to use
when the seat is returned to the passenger position. Also,
make sure that nothing is under or in front of the seat.
When the seat is folded, it will lay flat on the floor.
To fold the seat, use the following procedure.
1. Pull up on the strap
loop at the rear of the
seat cushion.
2. Then, pull the seat cushion up and fold it forward.
3. Fold the seatback
forward enough to
allow removal of the
head restraints.
4. Push and hold the release buttons at the bottom of
each head restraint height-adjust post and slide the
head restraint out of the height-adjust tubes. Set the
head restraints aside for now. You will stow them in
their proper position after you are done folding
the seat.

yellowblue
1-7
5. Pull the seatback forward and fold the seatback
down until it is flat.
6. Then, stow the head
restraints by sliding
them into the rear of the
seat cushion. Make sure
the posts go in all
the way.
To return the seat to the passenger position, use the
following procedure.
1. Remove the head restraints by sliding them out of
the seat cushion.
2. Lift the seatback up enough to install the
head restraints.
3. Push the seatback rearward all the way.
4. Lower the seat cushion until it latches in position.
5. After returning the seat to the passenger position,
return the head restraints to the top of the seatback.
6. Pull forward on the seatback and up on the seat
cushion to make sure that the seat is securely
in place.
If the latch plate portion of the center safety belt was put
in the center armrest when the seat was folded, take the
latch plate portion out and place it on the seat. That way,
the center position safety belt will be available for the
center rear seat passenger to use.

yellowblue
1-8
Heated Rear Seats
The controls for the heated
rear seats are located on the
rear of the center floor
console, below the rear seat
audio controls.
Press the top of the switch to HI or the bottom of the
switch to LO to turn on the heating elements in the
outside rear seat positions. The text HI or LO on the
switch will illuminate to indicate that the heated seat
elements are operating. The switch on the left side
operates the left seat and the switch on the right side
operates the right seat. The rear seat outside passenger’s
safety belt must be attached before the heating element
in that seat will operate. To turn the heated seats off,
move the switch to the center. For more information on
heated front seats, see “Heated Front Seats” in
the Index.
Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly. It also tells you some things you should not do
with safety belts.
And it explains the air bag system.
CAUTION:
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear
a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and
you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries
can be much worse. You can hit things inside the
vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously
injured or killed. In the same crash, you might
not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts
are fastened properly too.

yellowblue
1-9
CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to
ride in any area of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure
everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has a light that
comes on as a reminder to
buckle up. (See “Safety Belt
Reminder Light” in
the Index.)
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here’s why: They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.
After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter ... a lot!

yellowblue
1-10
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s just a seat
on wheels.
Put someone on it.

yellowblue
1-11
Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn’t stop. The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...

yellowblue
1-12
or the instrument panel ... or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That’s why
safety belts make such good sense.

yellowblue
1-13
Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts -- and the Answers
Q: Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be -- whether you’re wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt,
even if you’re upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident, so
you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if
you are belted.
Q: If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A: Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be in
most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only; so they work with
safety belts -- not instead of them. Every air bag
system ever offered for sale has required the use of
safety belts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that has air
bags, you still have to buckle up to get the most
protection. That’s true not only in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and other collisions.
Q: If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
accident -- even one that isn’t your fault -- you and
your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver
doesn’t protect you from things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km)
of home. And the greatest number of serious
injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than
40 mph (65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.

yellowblue
1-14
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Adults
This part is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about
safety belts and children. And there are different rules
for smaller children and babies. If a child will be riding
in your vehicle, see the part of this manual called
“Children.” Follow those rules for
everyone’s protection.
First, you’ll want to know which restraint systems your
vehicle has.
We’ll start with the driver position.
Driver Position
This part describes the driver’s restraint system.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to wear
it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see “Seats” in the Index)
so you can sit up straight.
3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let it get twisted.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If the belt isn’t long enough, see “Safety Belt
Extender” at the end of this section.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly
if you ever had to.