2007 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV engine overheat

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 “free wheeling.”
The 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.
1. Stop your vehicle by applying the regular
brakes. Apply the parking brake.
2. Shift to PARK (P) and, while still braking,
restart the engine.
3. Shift back to a low gear, release the parking
brake, and drive straight down.
4. If the engine will not start, get out and get help.
349

If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you
will need to spin the wheels, but you do not
want to spin your wheels too fast. The method
known as rocking can help you get out when you
are stuck, but you must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed,
they can explode, and you or others could
be injured. And, the transmission or other
parts of the vehicle can overheat. That
could cause an engine compartment re
or other damage. When you are stuck,
spin the wheels as little as possible. Do
not spin the wheels above 35 mph
(55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer.Notice:Spinning your wheels can destroy
parts of your vehicle as well as the tires. If you
spin the wheels too fast while shifting your
transmission back and forth, you can destroy
your transmission.
For more information about using tire chains on
your vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 475.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That
will clear the area around your front wheels. If your
vehicle has the StabiliTrak
®System, turn the
system off by pressing the StabiliTrak®button so
that the STABILITY SYS DISABLED message
and the traction off light are illuminated on the
instrument panel cluster. Then shift back and
forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward gear,
spinning the wheels as little as possible.
Release the accelerator pedal while you shift,
and press lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
368

Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
The arrows on your instrument panel will
ash whenever you signal a turn or lane change.
Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps will also
ash, telling other drivers you’re about to
turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your
instrument panel will ash for turns even if the bulbs
on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think
drivers behind you are seeing your signal when
they are not. It’s important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbefore
you start down a long or steep downgrade. If you
don’t shift down, you might have to use your
brakes so much that they would get hot and no
longer work well.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).
You may also want to activate the tow/haul
mode if the transmission shifts too often.
See “Tow/Haul Mode” earlier.
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill
grades, consider the following: Engine coolant at
or near sea level will boil at a lower temperature
than at higher altitudes. If you turn your engine
off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show
signs similar to engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run while parked (preferably on
level ground) with the automatic transmission
in PARK (P) for at least ve minutes before
turning the engine off. If you do get the overheat
warning, seeEngine Overheating on page 422.
389

Service........................................................ 396
Accessories and Modications................... 396
California Proposition 65 Warning.............. 397
Doing Your Own Service Work.................. 397
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle................................................... 398
Fuel............................................................. 398
Gasoline Octane........................................ 398
Gasoline Specications.............................. 398
California Fuel........................................... 399
Additives................................................... 399
Fuels in Foreign Countries........................ 400
Filling the Tank......................................... 401
Filling a Portable Fuel Container............... 403
Checking Things Under the Hood.............. 404
Hood Release........................................... 405
Engine Compartment Overview.................. 406
Engine Oil................................................. 407
Engine Oil Life System.............................. 410
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter............................ 412
Automatic Transmission Fluid.................... 415
Engine Coolant.......................................... 419Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap............ 422
Engine Overheating................................... 422
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode..................................... 424
Cooling System......................................... 425
Engine Fan Noise..................................... 430
Power Steering Fluid ................................. 430
Windshield Washer Fluid........................... 431
Brakes...................................................... 433
Battery...................................................... 436
Jump Starting............................................ 437
All-Wheel Drive........................................... 443
Rear Axle.................................................... 444
Front Axle................................................... 445
Headlamp Aiming........................................ 446
Bulb Replacement....................................... 449
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting..... 449
Back-Up Lamps......................................... 449
License Plate Lamp................................... 451
Replacement Bulbs................................... 451
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
393

Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change Automatic
Transmission Fluid
It is usually not necessary to check the
transmission uid level. A transmission uid leak is
the only reason for uid loss. If you suspect a
small leak, then use the following checking
procedures to check the uid level. However, if
there is a large leak, then it may be necessary to
have the vehicle towed to a dealership service
department and have it repaired before driving the
vehicle further.
Notice:Use of the incorrect automatic
transmission uid may damage your vehicle,
and the damages may not be covered by
your warranty. Always use the automatic
transmission uid listed inRecommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page 531.
Change the uid and lter at the intervals listed in
the Maintenance Schedule. SeeScheduled
Maintenance on page 521. Be sure to use the
transmission uid listed inRecommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 531.
How to Check Automatic Transmission
Fluid
Notice:Too much or too little uid can
damage your transmission. Too much can
mean that some of the uid could come out
and fall on hot engine parts or exhaust system
parts, starting a re. Too little uid could
cause the transmission to overheat. Be sure to
get an accurate reading if you check your
transmission uid.
Before checking the uid level, prepare your
vehicle as follows:
1. Start the engine and park your vehicle on a
level surface. Keep the engine running.
2. Apply the parking brake and place the shift
lever in PARK (P).
3. With your foot on the brake pedal, move the
shift lever through each gear range, pausing
for about three seconds in each range.
Then, move the shift lever back to PARK (P).
415

Consistency of Readings
Always check the uid level at least twice using
the procedures described. Consistency (repeatable
readings) is important to maintaining proper uid
level. If uid is added, it may take 15 minutes
or longer to obtain an accurate reading because of
residual uid draining down the dipstick tube.
If inconsistent readings persist, check the
transmission breather to be sure it is clean and
not clogged. If readings are still inconsistent,
contact your dealer.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is lled with
DEX-COOL®engine coolant. This coolant is
designed to remain in your vehicle for ve years or
150,000 miles (240 000 km), whichever occurs
rst, if you add only DEX-COOL
®extended
life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and
how to add coolant when it is low. If you have
a problem with engine overheating, seeEngine
Overheating on page 422.A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
®coolant will:
Give freezing protection down to
−34°F (−37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as they
should.
Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®
may cause premature engine, heater core,
or radiator corrosion. In addition, the engine
coolant may require changing sooner, at
the rst maintenance service after each
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs rst. Any repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant in your
vehicle.
419

What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable water
and one-half DEX-COOL®coolant which will
not damage aluminum parts. If you use this coolant
mixture, you do not 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 would
not 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
®coolant.Notice:If you use an improper coolant
mixture, your engine could overheat and be
badly damaged. The repair cost would not 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 extra inhibitors and/or
additives in your vehicle’s cooling system, you
could damage your vehicle. Use only the
proper mixture of the engine coolant listed in
this manual for the cooling system. See
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on
page 531for more information.
420

Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
Notice:If the pressure cap is not tightly
installed, coolant loss and possible engine
damage may occur. Be sure the cap is properly
and tightly secured.
The coolant surge tank pressure cap must be fully
installed on the coolant surge tank. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on page 406for more
information on location.
Engine Overheating
You will nd a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle’s instrument panel. SeeEngine Coolant
Temperature Gage on page 238.
In addition, the messages ENGINE OVERHEATED
STOP ENGINE, ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE
ENGINE, or ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED could
appear in the Driver Information Center (DIC) on
the instrument panel. SeeDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 250.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
{CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can
burn you badly, even if you just open the
hood. Stay away from the engine if you
see or hear steam coming from it. Just
turn it off and get everyone away from the
vehicle until it cools down. Wait until
there is no sign of steam or coolant
before you open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch re.
You or others could be badly burned.
Stop your engine if it overheats, and get
out of the vehicle until the engine is cool.
SeeOverheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode on page 424for
information on driving to a safe place in
an emergency.
422