2003 CADILLAC ESCALADE Heater

What to Use
Use a mixture of one-halfclean, drinkable waterand
one-half DEX-COOLžcoolant which won't damage
aluminum parts. If you use this coolant mixture,
you don't need to add anything else.
{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mixture will. Your
vehicle's coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain water or the
wrong mixture, your engine could get too hot
but you wouldn't get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch ®re and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
žcoolant.
Notice:If you use an improper coolant mixture,
your engine could overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost wouldn't be covered by your
warranty. Too much water in the mixture can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core and
other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
Notice:If you use the proper coolant, you don't
have to add extra inhibitors or additives which claim
to improve the system. These can be harmful.
5-25

If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
2. If you're in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving ± DRIVE (D).
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning doesn't come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there's still no sign of steam, push down the
accelerator until the engine speed is about twice as fast
as normal idle speed for at least three minutes while
you're parked. If you still have the warning,
turn off the
engine and get everyone out of the vehicleuntil it
cools down. Also, see ªOverheated Engine Protection
Operating Modeº listed previously in this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
Cooling System
When you decide it's safe to lift the hood, here's what
you'll see:
A. Coolant Surge Tank
B. Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
C. Engine Fan
If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank is boiling,
don't do anything else until it cools down. The vehicle
should be parked on a level surface.
5-30

The coolant level should
be at or above the FULL
COLD mark. If it isn't,
you may have a leak at the
pressure cap or in the
radiator hoses, heater
hoses, radiator, water
pump or somewhere else
in the cooling system.
{CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don't touch them. If you
do, you can be burned.
Don't run the engine if there is a leak. If you
run the engine, it could lose all coolant. That
could cause an engine ®re, and you could be
burned. Get any leak ®xed before you drive the
vehicle.If there seems to be no leak, start the engine again.
The engine cooling fan speed should increase when idle
speed is doubled by pushing the accelerator pedal
down. If it doesn't, your vehicle needs service. Turn off
the engine.
Notice:Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn't covered by your warranty.
See ªOverheated Engine Protection Operating
Modeº in the Index for information on driving to a
safe place in an emergency.
Notice:When adding coolant, it is important that
you use only DEX-COOLž(silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOLžis added to
the system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the engine
coolant will require change sooner Ð at 30,000 miles
(50 000 km) or 24 months, whichever occurs ®rst.
Damage caused by the use of coolant other
than DEX-COOL
žis not covered by your new vehicle
warranty.
5-31

{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mixture will. Your
vehicle's coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain water or the
wrong mixture, your engine could get too hot
but you wouldn't get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch ®re and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
žcoolant.
Notice:In cold weather, water can freeze and crack
the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mixture.
{CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don't spill coolant on a hot engine.
5-33

Cleaning the Speaker Covers...........................5-96
Cleaning the Top of the Instrument Panel...........5-95
Cleaning the Windshield, Backglass and Wiper
Blades.......................................................5-98
Cleaning Tires................................................5-99
Cleaning Vinyl................................................5-95
Cleaning Wood Panels....................................5-96
Cleaning........................................................5-94
Inside of Your Vehicle..................................5-94
Outside of Your Vehicle................................5-97
Underbody Maintenance.............................5-100
Video Screen............................................3-105
Weatherstrips..............................................5-96
Climate Control System...................................3-24
Automatic...................................................3-24
Climate Controls Personalization....................3-33
Outlet Adjustment........................................3-31
Rear..........................................................3-31
Clock............................................................3-24
Compact Disc Changer Errors.........................3-101
Compact Disc Messages..................................3-84
Compass Calibration.......................................2-35
Compass Variance..........................................2-34
Content Theft-Deferrent....................................2-18
Control of a Vehicle.......................................... 4-5Convenience Net............................................2-47
Coolant.........................................................3-43
Engine Temperature Gage............................3-43
Heater, Engine............................................2-23
Surge Tank Pressure Cap.............................5-27
Cooling System..............................................5-30
Cruise Control Light........................................3-49
Cruise Control................................................3-11
Cupholder(s)..................................................2-44
Current and Past Model Order Forms................7-12
Customer Assistance Information........................ 7-7
Courtesy Transportation.................................. 7-7
Customer Assistance for Text Telephone (TTY)
Users....................................................... 7-4
Customer Assistance Offices........................... 7-4
Customer Satisfaction Procedure..................... 7-2
GM Mobility Program for Persons with
Disabilities................................................ 7-5
Reporting Safety Defects to General Motors....7-10
Reporting Safety Defects to the Canadian
Government............................................7-10
Reporting Safety Defects to the United States
Government............................................7-10
Roadside Service.......................................... 7-6
Service Publications Ordering Information........7-11
4

Engine Oil and Chassis Lubrication Scheduled
Maintenance................................................. 6-5
Engine Oil Level Check...................................6-11
ENGINE OVERHEATED..................................3-63
Engine..........................................................5-19
Air Cleaner/Filter.........................................5-19
Battery.......................................................5-43
Check and Service Engine Soon Light............3-44
Compartment Overview................................5-12
Coolant Heater............................................2-23
Coolant Temperature Gage...........................3-43
Coolant......................................................5-24
Cooling System Inspection............................6-17
Exhaust.....................................................2-31
Fan Noise..................................................5-36
Oil .............................................................5-14
Overheating................................................5-28
Starting......................................................2-21
Entering or Exiting the Third Row Seats.............. 1-8
Entertainment System....................................3-105
Cleaning the Video Screen..........................3-105
DVD Distortion..........................................3-102
Entry Lighting.................................................3-18
Environmental Concerns..................................4-21
Erasing HomeLink
žButtons..............................2-43
Exit Lighting...................................................3-19
Extender, Safety Belt.......................................1-50
Exterior Lamps...............................................3-15
F
Filter.............................................................5-19
Engine Air Cleaner......................................5-19
Finding a PTY Station (RDS and XMŸ).............3-75
Finding a Station............................................3-73
Finish Care....................................................5-97
Finish Damage.............................................5-100
Flash-to-Pass................................................... 3-9
Flat Tire, Changing.........................................5-76
Flat Tire........................................................5-75
Fluid.............................................................5-21
Automatic Transmission................................5-21
Power Steering...........................................5-36
Windshield Washer......................................5-38
FM Stereo....................................................3-103
Fog Lamps....................................................3-17
Folding the Seatback.......................................1-20
Folding the Seatbacks (60/40 Split Bench Seat).....1-10
Folding the Seatbacks.............................1-13, 1-25
Following Distance..........................................4-61
Footnotes........................................................ 6-5
Front Axle......................................................5-52
Fuel Information Button....................................3-54
FUEL LEVEL LOW.........................................3-65
Fuel............................................................... 5-4
Additives...................................................... 5-6
California Fuel.............................................. 5-5
6

T
Tachometer....................................................3-36
Taillamps.......................................................5-63
Temperature and Compass Display....................2-33
Testing the Alarm............................................2-19
Theft-Deterrent, Radio....................................3-101
Theft-Deterrent Systems...................................2-18
Content Theft-Deterrent................................2-18
Passlock
ž...................................................2-19
Third Row ± Lap Belt......................................1-43
Third Row......................................................1-70
Throttle, Adjustable..........................................2-22
TIGHTEN FUEL CAP......................................3-65
Tilt Wheel........................................................ 3-7
Tilting the 50/50 Split Bench Seat.....................1-15
Tilting the Full Bench Seat...............................1-21
Tire In¯ation Check.........................................6-11
Tires.............................................................5-66
Buying New Tires........................................5-70
Chains.......................................................5-74
Changing a Flat Tire....................................5-76
If a Tire Goes Flat.......................................5-75
In¯ation -- Tire Pressure...............................5-67
Inspection and Rotation................................5-68
Spare Tire..................................................5-93
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.........................5-71
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance.................5-72
Wheel Replacement.....................................5-73
When It Is Time for New Tires......................5-69Tires (cont.)
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater....................2-23
Top Strap Anchor Location...............................1-63
Top Strap......................................................1-61
Torque Lock...................................................2-30
Total Weight on Your Vehicle's Tires..................4-59
Tow/Haul Mode Light.......................................3-49
Tow/Haul Mode Selector Button........................2-26
Towing..........................................................4-50
Recreational Vehicle.....................................4-50
Towing a Trailer..........................................4-54
Your Vehicle...............................................4-50
TRACTION ACTIVE........................................3-68
Traction Control Operation................................4-12
TRACTION SYS LIMITED................................3-68
Traction.........................................................3-42
Off Light.....................................................3-42
Road Sensing Suspension.............................. 4-9
Stabilitrak
žSystem......................................4-10
Trailer Brakes.................................................4-59
Trailer Wiring Harness.....................................4-64
Trailer...........................................................4-53
Recommendations.......................................4-53
TRANS HOT IDLE ENGINE.............................3-66
Transfer Case................................................5-50
TRANSMISSION HOT.....................................3-66
Transmission Operation, Automatic....................2-24
Transmission, Transaxle, Transfer Case Unit
Repair Manual............................................7-11
16