Cadillac Escalade 2003 Owner's Manual page 282

Q:
What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is
about to stall, and I can't make it up the hill?
A:
If this happens, there are some things you should
do, and there are some things you must not do?
First, here's what you should do:
•
Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep
it from rolling backwards. Also, apply the parking
brake.
•
If your engine is still running, shift the transmission
to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill in REVERSE (R).
•
If your engine has stopped running, you'll need to
restart it. With the brake pedal pressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to
PARK (P) and restart the engine. Then shift to
REVERSE (R), release the parking brake,
and slowly back down the hill as straight as possible
in REVERSE (R).
•
As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand
on the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position.
This way you'll be able to tell if your wheels
are straight and maneuver as you back down. It's
best that you back down the hill with your
wheels straight rather than in the left or right
direction. Turning the wheel too far to the left or
right will increase the possibility of a rollover.
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Here are some things you must not do if you stall, or
are about to stall, when going up a hill.
•
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
NEUTRAL (N) to "rev-up" the engine and regain
forward momentum. This won't work. Your vehicle
will roll backwards very quickly and you could
go out of control.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the vehicle.
Then apply the parking brake. Shift to
REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back straight down.
•
Never attempt to turn around if you are about to
stall when going up a hill. If the hill is steep
enough to stall your vehicle, it's steep enough to
cause you to roll over if you turn around. If you can't
make it up the hill you must back straight down
the hill.
Q:
Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down the hill
and decide I just can't do it. What should I do?
A:
Set the parking brake, put your transmission in
PARK (P) and turn off the engine. Leave the
vehicle and go get some help. Exit on the uphill
side and stay clear of the path the vehicle
would take if it rolled downhill.