2013 Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual - Page 331

Driving and Operating D (Drive): This position is for normal driving. It provides the best fuel economy. If you need more power for passing, and you are: . 9-31 Going less than about 55 km/h (35 mph), push the accelerator pedal about halfway down. Going about 55 km/h (35 mph) or more, push the accelerator all the way down. . By doing this, the vehicle shifts down to the next gear and has more power. D (Drive) can be used when towing a trailer, carrying a heavy load, driving on steep hills, or for off-road driving. You may want to shift the transmission to a lower gear selection if the transmission shifts too often. Downshifting the transmission in slippery road conditions could result in skidding, see "Skidding" under Loss of Control on page 9‑5. The vehicle has a shift stabilization feature that adjusts the transmission shifting to the current driving conditions in order to reduce rapid upshifts and downshifts. This shift stabilization feature is designed to determine, before making an upshift, if the engine will be able to maintain vehicle speed by analyzing things such as vehicle speed, throttle position and vehicle load. If the shift stabilization feature determines that a current vehicle speed cannot be maintained, the transmission does not upshift and instead holds the current gear. In some cases, this may appear to be a delayed shift, however the transmission is operating normally. The vehicle's transmission uses adaptive shift controls that compares key shift parameters to pre-programmed ideal shifts stored in the transmissions computer. The transmission constantly makes adjustments to improve vehicle performance according to how the vehicle is being used, such as with a heavy load or when temperature changes. During this adaptive shift controls process, shifting may feel different as the transmission determines the best settings. When temperatures are very cold, the Hydra-Matic® 6L80 automatic transmission's gear shifting may be delayed providing more stable shifts until the engine warms up. Shifts may be more noticeable with a cold transmission. This difference in shifting is normal. M (Manual Mode): This position lets drivers select the range of gears appropriate for current driving conditions. See "Driver Shift Control (DSC)" under Manual Mode on page 9‑32. Notice: Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal may damage the transmission. The repair will not be covered by the vehicle warranty. If you are stuck, do not