Cadillac 2003 Escalade Owner's Manual page 118

Notice: Damage to your transmission caused by
shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with
the engine racing isn't covered by your warranty.
DRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving. If
you need more power for passing, and you're:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
0
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
You'll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
DRIVE (D) 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 THIRD (3)
or, if necessary, a lower gear selection if the
transmission shifts too often.
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
accelerator all the way down.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal driving,
however, it offers more power and lower fuel economy
than DRIVE (D).
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2)
on
hills.
It
can help control your speed as you go down
steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to
use your brakes off and on.
If you manually select SECOND (2) the transmission will
drive in second gear. You may use this feature for
reducing the speed of the rear wheels when you are
trying to start your vehicle from a stop on slippery road
surfaces.
FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power,
but lower fuel economy than SECOND (2). You can use
it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
shift lever is put in FIRST (1) while the vehicle is moving
forward, the transmission won't shift into first gear
until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice: If your wheels won't turn, don't try to drive.
This might happen if you were stuck in very deep
sand or mud or were up against a solid object. You
could damage your transmission. Also, if you
stop when going uphill, don't hold your vehicle there
with only the accelerator pedal. This could overheat
and damage the transmission. Use your brakes
or shift into PARK (P) to hold your vehicle in
position on a hill.
On cold days, approximately 32°F (0°C) or colder, your
transmission is designed to shift differently until the
engine reaches normal operating temperature. This is
intended to improve heater performance.
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