2004 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT stop start

Q:Are there some things I should not do when
driving down a hill?
A:Yes! These are important because if you ignore
them you could lose control and have a serious
accident.
·When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across the incline of the hill. A hill that is not too
steep to drive down may be too steep to drive
across. You could roll over if you do not drive
straight down.
·Never go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N). This is called ªfree-wheeling.º Your
brakes will have to do all the work and could
overheat and fade.
Q:Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A:It is much more likely to happen going uphill. But if
it happens going downhill, here is what to do.
·Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes.
Apply the parking brake.
·Shift to PARK (P) and, while still braking, restart the
engine.
·Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake,
and drive straight down.
·If the engine will not start, get out and get help.
4-26

Stalling on an Incline
If your vehicle stalls when you are crossing an incline,
be sure you (and your passengers) get out on the uphill
side, even if the door there is harder to open. If you
get out on the downhill side and the vehicle starts to roll
over, you will be right in its path.
If you have to walk down the slope, stay out of the path
the vehicle will take if it does roll over.{CAUTION:
Getting out on the downhill (low) side of a
vehicle stopped across an incline is
dangerous. If the vehicle rolls over, you could
be crushed or killed. Always get out on the
uphill (high) side of the vehicle and stay well
clear of the rollover path.
4-28

Driving in Water
Heavy rain can mean ¯ash ¯ooding, and ¯ood waters
demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before you drive through
it. If it is deep enough to cover your wheel hubs,
axles or exhaust pipe, do not try it Ð you probably will
not get through. Also, water that deep can damage
your axle and other vehicle parts.
If the water is not too deep, drive slowly through it. At
faster speeds, water splashes on your ignition
system and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also
occur if you get your tailpipe under water. And, as long
as your tailpipe is under water, you will never be
able to start your engine. When you go through water,
remember that when your brakes get wet, it may
take you longer to stop.
{CAUTION:
Driving through rushing water can be
dangerous. Deep water can sweep your vehicle
downstream and you and your passengers
could drown. If it is only shallow water, it can
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
still wash away the ground from under your
tires, and you could lose traction and roll
the vehicle over. Do not drive through
rushing water.
See
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads on page 4-32for
more information on driving through water.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the
underbody, chassis or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a ®re hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings
cleaned and checked. These substances can cause
glazing and uneven braking. Check the body structure,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires and exhaust
system for damage. Also, check the fuel lines and
cooling system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due to
off-road use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule
for additional information.
4-30

You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to re-adjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver
who does not lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean Ð inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a ®lm caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and ¯ash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep
your eyes moving; that way, it is easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from
night blindness Ð the inability to see in dim light Ð and
are not even aware of it.Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road, you can not stop, accelerate or turn as well
because your tire-to-road traction is not as good as on
dry roads. And, if your tires do not have much tread
left, you will get even less traction. It is always wise to
go slower and be cautious if rain starts to fall while
you are driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when
your re¯exes are tuned for driving on dry pavement.
4-32

The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your
windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy
rain can make it harder to see road signs and
traffic signals, pavement markings, the edge of the road
and even people walking.
It is wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape
and keep your windshield washer tank ®lled with
washer ¯uid. Replace your windshield wiper inserts
when they show signs of streaking or missing areas on
the windshield, or when strips of rubber start to
separate from the inserts.Driving too fast through large water puddles or even
going through some car washes can cause problems,
too. The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid
puddles. But if you can not, try to slow down before you
hit them.
{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They will not
work as well in a quick stop and may cause
pulling to one side. You could lose control of
the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water
or a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly
until your brakes work normally.
4-33

If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
·There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live
but also where you'll be driving. A good source for
this information can be state or provincial police.
·Consider using a sway control. See ªHitchesº later
in this section.
·Don't tow a trailer at all during the ®rst 500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
·Then, during the ®rst 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don't drive over 50 mph (80 km/h)
and don't make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at
the heavier loads.
·You can tow in DRIVE (D). You may want to shift
the transmission to THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a
lower gear selection if the transmission shifts
too often (e.g., under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions). See ªTow/Haul Modeº following.Three important considerations have to do with weight:
·the weight of the trailer,
·the weight of the trailer tongue
·and the weight on your vehicle's tires.
Tow/Haul Mode
Tow/haul is designed to assist while your vehicle is
pulling a large or heavy load or trailer. Tow/haul is most
useful while pulling such a load in rolling terrain, in
stop-and-go traffic, or when you need improved
low-speed control, such as when parking. The purpose
of the tow/haul mode is to do the following:
·Reduce the frequency and improve the predictability
of transmission shifts when pulling a heavy trailer or
a large or heavy load.
·Provide the same solid shift feel when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy load as when
the vehicle is unloaded.
·Improve control of vehicle speed while requiring
less throttle pedal activity when pulling a heavy
trailer or a large or heavy load.
Tow/haul is designed to be most effective when the
vehicle and trailer combined weight is at least 75% of the
vehicle's Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR).
See ªWeight of the Trailerº later in this section.
4-56

When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
·start your engine,
·shift into a gear, and
·release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you're
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission ¯uid (don't over®ll),
engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling system and
brake system. Each of these is covered in this manual,
and the Index will help you ®nd them quickly. If
you're trailering, it's a good idea to review these sections
before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Trailer Wiring Harness
Heavy-Duty Trailer Wiring Package
Your vehicle is equipped with the seven-wire trailer
towing harness. This harness with a seven-pin universal
heavy-duty trailer connector is attached to a bracket
on the hitch platform.
The Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) wire is
tied next to the trailer wiring harness for use with a
trailer.
4-64

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle......................................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-4
Gasoline Octane............................................5-4
Gasoline Speci®cations....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-5
Additives.......................................................5-5
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-6
Filling Your Tank............................................5-6
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.......................5-8
Checking Things Under the Hood.....................5-8
Hood Release................................................5-9
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-10
Engine Oil...................................................5-11
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-16
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-19
Engine Coolant.............................................5-22
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-25
Engine Overheating.......................................5-26
Cooling System............................................5-28
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-34Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-35
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-36
Brakes........................................................5-38
Battery........................................................5-41
Jump Starting...............................................5-42
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-48
Rear Axle.......................................................5-49
Front Axle......................................................5-50
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-51
Headlamp Horizontal Aiming...........................5-52
Headlamp Vertical Aiming..............................5-53
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-55
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting............5-55
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-55
Headlamps..................................................5-56
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and Daytime
Running Lamps.........................................5-60
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL).........5-61
Taillamps.....................................................5-61
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-62
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-62
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1