2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV maintenance

Tire Inspection and Rotation We recommend that you regularly inspect your
vehicle’s tires, including the spare tire, for signs of
wear or damage. See When It Is Time for New
Tires on page 6-70 for more information.
Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 to 13 000 km). See Scheduled Maintenance
on page 7-4 .
The purpose of a regular tire rotation is to achieve
a uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. This
will ensure that your vehicle continues to perform
most like it did when the tires were new.
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your
tires as soon as possible and check wheel
alignment. Also check for damaged tires or wheels.
See When It Is Time for New Tires on page 6-70
and Wheel Replacement on page 6-75 . When rotating your vehicle’s tires, always use the
correct rotation pattern shown here.
Do not include the spare tire in the tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front
and rear ination pressures as shown on the Tire
and Loading Information label. See Inflation - Tire
Pressure on page 6-62 and Loading the Vehicle on
page 5-33 .
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Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor System. See Tire
Pressure Monitor Operation on page 6-65 .
Make certain that all wheel nuts are properly
tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and Specifications on page 6-113 .
{ CAUTION:Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make wheel nuts
become loose after time. The wheel could
come off and cause an accident. When you
change a wheel, remove any rust or dirt from
places where the wheel attaches to the
vehicle. In an emergency, you can use a
cloth or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use a scraper or wire brush later,
if needed, to get all the rust or dirt off.
See Changing a Flat Tire on page 6-78 .
Make sure the spare tire is stored securely.
Push, pull, and then try to rotate or turn the tire.
If it moves, tighten the cable. See Storing a Flat
or Spare Tire and Tools on page 6-92 . When It Is Time for New Tires Various factors, such as maintenance, temperatures,
driving speeds, vehicle loading, and road conditions,
inuence when you need new tires.
One way to tell when it
is time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which appear
when your tires have only
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or less
of tread remaining. Some
commercial truck tires
may not have treadwear
indicators.
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You need new tires if any of the following statements
are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut, or snagged
deep enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge, or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut, or other damage that
cannot be repaired well because of the size or
location of the damage.
The rubber in tires degrades over time, even if they are
not being used. This is also true for the spare tire, if
your vehicle has one. Multiple conditions affect how fast
this aging takes place, including temperatures, loading
conditions, and ination pressure maintenance. With
proper care and maintenance tires will typically wear out
before they degrade due to age. If you are unsure
about the need to replace your tires as they get older,
consult the tire manufacturer for more information. Buying New Tires GM has developed and matched specic tires for your
vehicle. The original equipment tires installed on
your vehicle, when it was new, were designed to meet
General Motors Tire Performance Criteria Specication
(TPC spec) system rating. If you need replacement
tires, GM strongly recommends that you get tires with
the same TPC Spec rating. This way, your vehicle
will continue to have tires that are designed to give the
same performance and vehicle safety, during normal
use, as the original tires.
GM’s exclusive TPC Spec system considers over a
dozen critical specications that impact the overall
performance of your vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling, traction control, and
tire pressure monitoring performance. GM’s TPC Spec
number is molded onto the tire’s sidewall near the
tire size. If the tires have an all-season tread design, the
TPC spec number will be followed by an MS for mud
and snow. See Tire Sidewall Labeling on page 6-57 for
additional information.
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If a Tire Goes Flat It is unusual for a tire to blowout while you are driving,
especially if you maintain your vehicle’s tires properly.
If air goes out of a tire, it is much more likely to leak out
slowly. But if you should ever have a blowout, here
are a few tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the at tire creates a drag that pulls
the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel rmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you would
use in a skid. In any rear blowout remove your foot from
the accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control
by steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may
be very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop, well off the road if possible. { CAUTION: Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment and training. If a jack
is provided with the vehicle, it is designed only for
changing a at tire. If it is used for anything else,
you or others could be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, only use it for changing a at tire.
If a tire goes at, the next part shows how to use the
jacking equipment to change a at tire safely.
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Underbody Maintenance Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect on the underbody. If these are not
removed, corrosion and rust can develop on the
underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, oor pan,
and exhaust system even though they have corrosion
protection.
At least every spring, ush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and debris can collect. Dirt packed in close areas of the
frame should be loosened before being ushed. Your
dealer/retailer or an underbody car washing system can
do this.
Chemical Paint Spotting Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on the vehicle. This damage can
take two forms: blotchy, ring-shaped discolorations, and
small, irregular dark spots etched into the paint surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes this, we will
repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces of
new vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of purchase,
whichever occurs rst. Vehicle Identication Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)
This is the legal identier for the vehicle. It appears on a
plate in the front corner of the instrument panel, on
the driver side. It can be seen through the windshield
from outside the vehicle. The VIN also appears on
the Certication/Tire and Service Parts labels and the
certicates of title and registration.
Engine Identication The eighth character in the VIN is the engine code. This
code helps identify the vehicle’s engine, specications,
and replacement parts. See “Engine Specications”
under Capacities and Specifications on page 6-113 for
the vehicle’s engine code.
6-104

Maintenance Schedule ..................................... .7-2
Introduction .................................................. .7-2
Maintenance Requirements ............................. .7-2
Your Vehicle and the Environment ................... .7-2
Using the Maintenance Schedule ..................... .7-3
Scheduled Maintenance .................................. .7-4
Additional Required Services ........................... .7-6
Maintenance Footnotes .................................. .7-8 Owner Checks and Services ......................... .7-10
At Each Fuel Fill ......................................... .7-10
At Least Once a Month ................................ .7-10
At Least Once a Year .................................. .7-11
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants .............. .7-13
Maintenance Replacement Parts .................... .7-15
Engine Drive Belt Routing ............................. .7-16
Maintenance Record .................................... .7-17
Section 7 Maintenance Schedule
7-1

Maintenance Schedule Introduction Important: Keep engine oil at the proper level and
change as recommended.
Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan
supplements the vehicle warranties. See the Warranty
and Owner Assistance booklet or your dealer/retailer
for details. Maintenance Requirements Notice: Maintenance intervals, checks, inspections,
replacement parts, and recommended uids and
lubricants as prescribed in this manual are necessary
to keep this vehicle in good working condition.
Any damage caused by failure to follow scheduled
maintenance might not be covered by the vehicle
warranty.
Your Vehicle and the Environment Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep
the vehicle in good working condition, but also helps
the environment. All recommended maintenance is
important. Improper vehicle maintenance can even affect
the quality of the air we breathe. Improper uid levels or
the wrong tire ination can increase the level of emissions
from the vehicle. To help protect the environment, and to
keep the vehicle in good condition, be sure to maintain
the vehicle properly.
7-2

Using the Maintenance Schedule We want to help keep this vehicle in good working
condition. But we do not know exactly how you will drive
it. You might drive very short distances only a few times
a week. Or you might drive long distances all the time in
very hot, dusty weather. You might use the vehicle in
making deliveries. Or you might drive it to work, to do
errands, or in many other ways.
Because of all the different ways people use their
vehicles, maintenance needs vary. You might need
more frequent checks and replacements. So please read
the following and note how you drive. If you have any
questions on how to keep the vehicle in good condition,
see your dealer/retailer.
This schedule is for vehicles that:
carry passengers and cargo within recommended
limits on the Tire and Loading Information label.
See Loading the Vehicle on page 5-33 .
are driven on reasonable road surfaces within legal
driving limits.
are driven off-road in the recommended manner.
See Off-Road Driving on page 5-13 .
use the recommended fuel. See Gasoline Octane
on page 6-5 . The services in Scheduled Maintenance on page 7-4
should be performed when indicated. See Additional
Required Services on page 7-6 and Maintenance
Footnotes on page 7-8 for further information.
{ CAUTION: Performing maintenance work on a vehicle can be
dangerous. In trying to do some jobs, you can be
seriously injured. Do your own maintenance work
only if you have the required know-how and the
proper tools and equipment for the job. If you
have any doubt, see your dealer/retailer to have a
qualied technician do the work. See Doing Your
Own Service Work on page 6-4 .
Some maintenance services can be complex.
So, unless you are technically qualied and have
the necessary equipment, have your dealer/retailer
do these jobs.
When you go to your dealer/retailer for service, trained
and supported service technicians will perform the
work using genuine parts.
To purchase service information, see Service
Publications Ordering Information on page 8-15 .
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