2008 CADILLAC ESCALADE battery

A. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-17.
B. Air Filter Restriction Indicator (If Equipped). See
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 5-17.
C. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. SeeCooling
System on page 5-28andCoolant Surge Tank
Pressure Cap on page 5-26.
D. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting on
page 5-39.
E. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-38.
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-14.
G. Automatic Transmission Dipstick (Out of View). See
“Checking the Fluid Level” underAutomatic
Transmission Fluid on page 5-20.H. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (GND) (Out of View).
SeeJump Starting on page 5-39.
I. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See “Checking
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil on page 5-14.
J. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). SeeCooling
System on page 5-28.
K. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (Out of View). See
Power Steering Fluid on page 5-33.
L. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
underBrakes on page 5-35.
M. Underhood Fuse Block. SeeUnderhood Fuse Block
on page 5-109.
N. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-34.
5-13

Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your vehicle
was designed and tested with top-quality brake parts.
When you replace parts of the braking system — for
example, when the brake linings wear down and you
need new ones put in — be sure you get new approved
replacement parts. If you do not, the brakes might not
work properly. For example, if someone puts in brake
linings that are wrong for your vehicle, the balance
between the front and rear brakes can change — for the
worse. The braking performance you have come to
expect can change in many other ways if someone puts
in the wrong replacement brake parts.
Battery
Your vehicle has a maintenance free battery. When it is
time for a new battery, see your dealer/retailer for
one that has the replacement number shown on the
original battery’s label. SeeEngine Compartment
Overview on page 5-12for battery location.
Warning:Battery posts, terminals, and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling.
Vehicle Storage
{CAUTION:
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
are not careful. SeeJump Starting on page 5-39
for tips on working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: If you drive your vehicle infrequently,
remove the black, negative (−) cable from the battery.
This will help keep the battery from running down.
Extended Storage: For extended storage of your vehicle,
remove the black, negative (−) cable from the battery
or use a battery trickle charger. This will help maintain
the charge of the battery over an extended period
of time.
5-38

Jump Starting
If your vehicle’s battery (or batteries) has run down,
you may want to use another vehicle and some jumper
cables to start your vehicle. Be sure to use the
following steps to do it safely.
{CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous
because:
They contain acid that can burn you.
They contain gas that can explode or
ignite.
They contain enough electricity to
burn you.
If you do not follow these steps exactly, some
or all of these things can hurt you.Notice:Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that would not be covered
by your warranty.
Trying to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling it
will not work, and it could damage your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
Notice:If the other vehicle’s system is not a 12-volt
system with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged. Only use vehicles with 12-volt systems
with negative grounds to jump start your vehicle.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles are not touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you do not want. You would not be able
to start your vehicle, and the bad grounding
could damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake rmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Put the automatic
transmission in P (PARK) or a manual transmission
in NEUTRAL before setting the parking brake.
If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, be sure the
transfer case is in a drive gear, not in NEUTRAL.
5-39

Notice:If you leave your radio or other accessories
on during the jump starting procedure, they could
be damaged. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Always turn off your radio and
other accessories when jump starting your vehicle.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or the accessory power outlets. Turn off
the radio and all the lamps that are not needed.
This avoids sparks and helps save both batteries.
And it could save the radio!
4. Open the hood on the other vehicle and locate the
positive (+) and negative (−) terminal locations on
that vehicle.
Your vehicle has a remote positive (+) jump starting
terminal and a remote negative (−) jump starting
terminal. You should always use these remote
terminals instead of the terminals on the battery.
If the vehicle has a remote positive (+) terminal, it is
located under a red plastic cover at the positive
battery post. To uncover the remote positive (+)
terminal, open the red plastic cover.The remote negative (–) terminal is a stud located
on the right front of the engine, where the negative
battery cable attaches.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-12
for more information on the location of the remote
positive (+) and remote negative (–) terminals.
5-40

{CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the
engine is not running and can injure you.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing
this, and some have been blinded. Use a
ashlight if you need more light.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Be sure the battery has enough water. You do
not need to add water to the battery installed
in your new vehicle. But if a battery has ller
caps, be sure the right amount of uid is there.
If it is low, add water to take care of that rst.
If you do not, explosive gas could be present.
Battery uid contains acid that can burn you.
Do not get it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, ush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
{CAUTION:
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure
you badly. Keep your hands away from moving
parts once the engine is running.
5-41

5. Check that the jumper cables do not have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a
shock. The vehicles could be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some
basic things you should know. Positive (+) will go to
positive (+) or to a remote positive (+) terminal if
the vehicle has one. Negative (−) will go to a heavy,
unpainted metal engine part or to a remote
negative (−) terminal if the vehicle has one.
Do not connect positive (+) to negative (−)oryou
will get a short that would damage the battery
and maybe other parts too. And do not connect the
negative (−) cable to the negative (−) terminal on
the dead battery because this can cause sparks.
6. Connect the red
positive (+) cable to the
positive (+) terminal
of the vehicle with the
dead battery. Use a
remote positive (+)
terminal if the vehicle
has one.7. Do not let the other end touch metal. Connect it to
the positive (+) terminal of the good battery. Use a
remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
8. Now connect the black negative (−) cable to the
negative (−) terminal of the good battery. Use a
remote negative (−) terminal if the vehicle has one.
Do not let the other end touch anything until the
next step. The other end of the negative (−) cable
does not go to the dead battery. It goes to a
heavy, unpainted metal engine part or to the
remote negative (−) terminal on the vehicle with
the dead battery.
9. Connect the other end of the negative (−) cable to
the remote negative (−) terminal, on the vehicle with
the dead battery.
10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while.
11. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery.
If it will not start after a few tries, it probably
needs service.
5-42

Notice:If the jumper cables are connected or
removed in the wrong order, electrical shorting may
occur and damage the vehicle. The repairs would
not be covered by your warranty. Always connect
and remove the jumper cables in the correct
order, making sure that the cables do not touch
each other or other metal.
A. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine Part or Remote
Negative (−) Terminal
B. Good Battery or Remote Positive (+) and Remote
Negative (−) Terminals
C. Dead Battery or Remote Positive (+) TerminalTo disconnect the jumper cables from both vehicles
do the following:
1. Disconnect the black negative (−) cable from the
vehicle that had the bad battery.
2. Disconnect the black negative (−) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
3. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
4. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the
other vehicle.
5. Return the remote positive (+) terminal cover,
if the vehicle has one, to its original position.
Jumper Cable Removal
5-43

Electrical System
Add-On Electrical Equipment
Notice:Do not add anything electrical to your
vehicle unless you check with your dealer/retailer
rst. Some electrical equipment can damage your
vehicle and the damage would not be covered by
your warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment can
keep other components from working as they should.
Add-on equipment can drain your vehicle’s battery, even
if your vehicle is not operating.
Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting to
add anything electrical to your vehicle, seeServicing
Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-88.
Windshield Wiper Fuses
The windshield wiper motor is protected by a circuit
breaker and a fuse. If the motor overheats due to heavy
snow, etc., the wiper will stop until the motor cools.
If the overload is caused by some electrical problem,
have it xed.
Power Windows and Other
Power Options
Circuit breakers protect the power windows and other
power accessories. If the current load is too heavy,
the circuit breaker opens and then closes after a cool
down period, protecting the circuit until the problem
is xed or goes away.
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected from
short circuits by a combination of fuses, circuit breakers
and fusible thermal links. This greatly reduces the
chance of res caused by electrical problems.
Look at the silver-colored band inside the fuse. If the
band is broken or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure you
replace a bad fuse with a new one of the identical
size and rating.
Fuses of the same amperage can be temporarily
borrowed from another fuse location, if a fuse goes out.
Replace the fuse as soon as you can.
5-106