2007 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT tires

What is the worst time for this? Wet ice. Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on.
But wet ice can be even more trouble because it
may offer the least traction of all. You can get
wet ice when it is about freezing, 32°F (0°C), and
freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving
on wet ice until salt and sand crews can get there.
Whatever the condition — smooth ice, packed,
blowing, or loose snow — drive with caution.Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile
traction. If you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels
will spin and polish the surface under the tires
even more.
The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) improves your
vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop
on a slippery road. Even though you have ABS,
you will want to begin stopping sooner than
you would on dry pavement. SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System (ABS) on page 327.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be
ne until you hit a spot that is covered with
ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches
may appear in shaded areas where the
sun cannot reach, such as around clumps of
trees, behind buildings, or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an
overpass may remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. If you see a
patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it. Try not to brake while you are
actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering
maneuvers.
367

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 vehicle’s 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 the wheels can destroy parts
of your vehicle as well as the tires. If you
spin the wheels too fast while shifting
the transmission back and forth, you can
destroy the transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 476.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left and right.
That will clear the area around the front wheels. If
your vehicle has the StabiliTrak
®System, turn
the system off. SeeStabiliTrak®System on
page 330. 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.
370

The Tire and Loading Information label also shows
the size of the original equipment tires (C) and
the recommended cold tire ination pressures (D).
For more information on tires and ination see
Tires on page 454andInation - Tire Pressure on
page 460.
There is also important loading information on the
vehicle Certication/Tire label. It tells you the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and
the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for the
front and rear axles. See “Certication/Tire Label”
later in this section.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should never
exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs” on your
vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver
and passengers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.4. The resulting gure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX” amount equals
1400 lbs and there will be ve 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400−750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated
in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, the load
from your trailer will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how
this reduces the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle. SeeTowing
a Trailer on page 380for important information
on towing a trailer, towing safety rules and
trailering tips.
373

Item Description Total
AVehicle Capacity Weight
for Example 3=1,000 lbs (453 kg)
BSubtract Occupant
Weight 200 lbs
(91 kg)×5=1,000 lbs (453 kg)
CAvailable Cargo
Weight=0 lbs (0 kg)
Refer to your vehicle’s tire and loading information
label for specic information about your vehicle’s
capacity weight and seating positions. The
combined weight of the driver, passengers and
cargo should never exceed your vehicle’s capacity
weight.
Certication/Tire Label
A vehicle specic Certication/Tire label is
attached to the rear edge of the driver’s door. The
label shows the size of your vehicle’s original
tires and the ination pressures needed to obtain
the gross weight capacity of your vehicle. This
is called Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).
The GVWR includes the weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, fuel, and cargo.
The Certication/Tire label also tells you the
maximum weights for the front and rear axles,
called Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
Example 3
375

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 “Hitches”
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 “Tow/Haul
Mode” 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.
381

Your vehicle now weighs:
Weight is still below 7,200 lbs (3 266 kg) and you
may think that you should subtract 700 additional
pounds (318 kg) from your trailering capacity
to stay within GCWR limits. Your maximum trailer
would only be 7,800 lbs (3 538 kg). You may
go further and think you must limit tongue weight
to less than 1,000 lbs (454 kg) to avoid
exceeding GVWR. But, you must still consider the
effect on the rear axle. Because your rear axle
now weighs 3,100 lbs (1 406 kg), you can only put
900 lbs (408 kg) on the rear axle without
exceeding RGAWR. The effect of tongue weight is
about 1.5 times the actual weight. Dividing the
900 lbs (408 kg) by 1.5 leaves you with being
able to handle only 600 lbs (272 kg) of tongue
weight. Since tongue weight is usually at least
10 percent of total loaded trailer weight, you can
expect that the largest trailer your vehicle can
properly handle is 6,000 lbs (2 721 kg).It is important that you make sure your vehicle
does not exceed any of its ratings — GCWR,
GVWR, RGAWR, Maximum Trailer Rating
or Tongue Weight. The only way to be sure you
are not exceeding any of these ratings is to weigh
your vehicle and trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inated to the
upper limit for cold tires. You’ll nd these numbers
on the Certication label at the rear edge of the
driver’s door or seeLoading Your Vehicle on
page 372. Then be sure you do not go over the
GVW limit for your vehicle, or the GAWR, including
the weight of the trailer tongue. If you use a
weight distributing hitch, make sure you don’t go
over the rear axle limit before you apply the weight
distribution spring bars.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads
are a few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch.
386

Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of
experience. Before setting out for the open road,
you’ll want to get to know your rig. Acquaint
yourself with the feel of handling and braking with
the added weight of the trailer. And always
keep in mind that the vehicle you are driving is
now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check all trailer hitch parts and
attachments, safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer
moving and then apply the trailer brake controller
by hand to be sure the brakes are working.
This lets you check your electrical connection at
the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure
that the load is secure, and that the lamps and any
trailer brakes are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead
as you would when driving your vehicle without
a trailer. This can help you avoid situations
that require heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a
good deal longer, you’ll need to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before you can
return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one
hand. Then, to move the trailer to the left,
just move that hand to the left. To move the trailer
to the right, move your hand to the right. Always
back up slowly and, if possible, have someone
guide you.
388

Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 453
Tires............................................................ 454
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 455
Tire Terminology and Denitions............... 457
Ination - Tire Pressure............................. 460
High-Speed Operation............................... 462
Tire Pressure Monitor System................... 462
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 467
When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 469
Buying New Tires...................................... 470
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 472
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 473
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 474
Wheel Replacement.................................. 474
Tire Chains............................................... 476
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 476
Changing a Flat Tire................................. 477
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.......... 478
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire....................................... 482
Secondary Latch System........................... 489
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools...... 492
Spare Tire................................................. 495Appearance Care........................................ 496
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 496
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 498
Leather...................................................... 499
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces..................................... 499
Wood Panels............................................. 500
Speaker Covers........................................ 500
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 500
Weatherstrips............................................ 501
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 501
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 502
Finish Care............................................... 502
Windshield and Wiper Blades.................... 503
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels......... 504
Tires......................................................... 505
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 505
Finish Damage.......................................... 505
Underbody Maintenance............................ 506
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 506
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials............ 507
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
394