2002 CADILLAC ESCALADE brake

5-20
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
CAUTION:
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine.
4. Put the wheel blocks at the front and
rear of the tire farthest away from the
one being changed. That would be the
tire on the other side of the vehicle,
at the opposite end.The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.

5-31
NOTICE:
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead to
brake pulsation and rotor damage. To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the
wheel nuts in the proper sequence and to the
proper torque specification.
When you reinstall the full-size wheel and tire, you
must also reinstall the center cap. Place the cap on the
wheel and tap it into place until it seats flush with the
wheel. The cap can only go on one way. Be sure to
line up the tab on the center cap with the indentation
on the wheel.
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools
CAUTION:
Storing a jack, a tire or other equipment in the
passenger compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or collision, loose
equipment could strike someone. Store all these
in the proper place.
Store the flat tire where the spare tire was stored.

6-
6-1
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6
-2 Service
6
-3 Fuel
6
-5 Fuels in Foreign Countries
6
-6 Filling Your Tank
6
-8 Filling a Portable Fuel Container
6
-8 Checking Things Under the Hood
6
-11 Engine Oil
6
-17 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-19 Passenger Compartment Air Filter
6
-20 Automatic Transmission Fluid
6
-24 Rear Axle
6
-24 All-Wheel Drive
6
-27 Engine Coolant
6
-30 Power Steering Fluid
6
-31 Windshield Washer Fluid6
-33 Brakes
6
-36 Battery
6
-37 Bulb Replacement
6
-48 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
6
-49 Tires
6
-58 Appearance Care
6
-58 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
6
-61 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-65 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
6
-66 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-67 Electrical System
6
-75 Replacement Bulbs
6
-76 Capacities and Specifications
6
-77 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts

6-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
CAUTION:
Never fill a portable fuel container while it is in
your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the gasoline vapor. You can
be badly burned and your vehicle damaged if this
occurs. To help avoid injury to you and others:

Dispense gasoline only into
approved containers.

Do not fill a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle's trunk, pickup bed or
on any surface other than the ground.

Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the
inside of the fill opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the filling is complete.

Don't smoke while pumping gasoline.
Checking Things Under the Hood
CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like fuel, oil,
coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and other
fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others could
be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill things
that will burn onto a hot engine.

6-11
A. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
B. Coolant Surge Tank
C. Air Filter Restriction Indicator
D. Engine Oil Fill
E. Engine Oil Dipstick
F. Automatic Transmission Dipstick
G. Fan
H. Remote Negative (
-) Terminal (GND)
I. Remote Positive (+) Terminal
J. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (Out of View)
K. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir
L. Underhood Fuse Block
M. Battery
N. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir
Engine Oil
If the CHECK ENG OIL
LEVEL appears on the
message center, it means
you need to check your
engine oil level right away.
For more information, see CHECK ENG OIL LEVEL in
the Index.
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.

6-21
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission fluid level if you have been driving:

When outside temperatures are above 90F (32C).

At high speed for quite a while.

In heavy traffic
-- especially in hot weather.

While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is 180F to 200F
(82C to 93C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50F
(10C). If it's colder than 50F (10C), drive the
vehicle in THIRD (3) until the engine temperature gage
moves and then remains steady for 10 minutes.
A cold fluid check can be made after the vehicle has
been sitting for eight hours or more with the engine off,
but this is used only as a reference. Let the engine run at
idle for five minutes if outside temperatures are 50F
(10C) or more. If it's colder than 50F (10C), you
may have to idle the engine longer. Should the fluid
level be low during this cold check, you must check the
fluid hot before adding fluid. Checking the fluid hot will
give you a more accurate reading of the fluid level.Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare your vehicle as follows:

Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the
engine running.

With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK (P).

With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in PARK (P).

Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more.

6-33
Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master
cylinder reservoir is
filled with DOT
-3
brake fluid. See
ªEngine Compartment
Overviewº in the
Index for the location
of the reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in the
reservoir might go down. The first is that the brake fluid
goes down to an acceptable level during normal brake
lining wear. When new linings are put in, the fluid level
goes back up. The other reason is that fluid is leaking out
of the brake system. If it is, you should have your brake
system fixed, since a leak means that sooner or later your
brakes won't work well, or won't work at all.So, it isn't a good idea to ªtop offº your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won't correct a leak. If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you'll have too much
fluid when you get new brake linings. You should add
(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
CAUTION:
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on
the engine. The fluid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
fluid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system. See ªChecking Brake Fluidº in
this section.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
check your brake fluid. See ªPeriodic Maintenance
Inspectionsº in the Index.

6-34
Checking Brake Fluid
You can check the brake fluid without taking off the cap.
Just look at the brake fluid reservoir. The fluid level
should be above MIN. If it isn't, have your brake system
checked to see if there is a leak.
After work is done on the brake hydraulic system,
make sure the level is above the MIN but not over the
MAX mark.What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT
-3 brake
fluid. Refer to ªRecommended Fluids and Lubricantsº
in the Index. Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help keep
dirt from entering the reservoir.
CAUTION:
With the wrong kind of fluid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work at all. This could cause a
crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.