2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV oil additives

Service ........................................................... .6-3
Accessories and Modications ......................... .6-3
California Proposition 65 Warning .................... .6-4
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements .... .6-4
Doing Your Own Service Work ........................ .6-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
the Vehicle ................................................ .6-5
Fuel ............................................................... .6-5
Gasoline Octane ........................................... .6-5
Gasoline Specications ................................... .6-6
California Fuel .............................................. .6-6
Additives ...................................................... .6-6
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) ................................. .6-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries .............................. .6-8
Filling the Tank ............................................. .6-9
Filling a Portable Fuel Container .................... .6-11
Checking Things Under the Hood ................... .6-12
Hood Release ............................................. .6-13
Engine Compartment Overview ...................... .6-14
Engine Oil .................................................. .6-15
Engine Oil Life System ................................. .6-18
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter ............................... .6-19
Automatic Transmission Fluid ........................ .6-20
Cooling System ........................................... .6-24
Engine Coolant ............................................ .6-25
Engine Overheating ...................................... .6-30 Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode ........................................ .6-33
Engine Fan Noise ........................................ .6-33
Power Steering Fluid .................................... .6-33
Windshield Washer Fluid ............................... .6-34
Brakes ....................................................... .6-36
Battery ....................................................... .6-39
Jump Starting .............................................. .6-40
All-Wheel Drive ............................................. .6-45
Rear Axle ...................................................... .6-46
Front
Axle ..................................................... .6-47
Headlamp Aiming .......................................... .6-48
Bulb Replacement ......................................... .6-51
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting ........... .6-51
LED Lighting ............................................... .6-51
Back-Up Lamps ........................................... .6-51
License Plate Lamp ..................................... .6-53
Replacement Bulbs ...................................... .6-53
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ............. .6-54
Tires ............................................................. .6-56
Tire Sidewall Labeling .................................. .6-57
Tire Terminology and Denitions .................... .6-59
Ination - Tire Pressure ................................ .6-62
High-Speed Operation .................................. .6-63Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
6-1

Gasoline Specications At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM specication
D 4814 in the United States or CAN/CGSB-3.5 or 3.511 in
Canada. Some gasolines contain an octane-enhancing
additive called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT). We recommend against the use of
gasolines containing MMT. See Additives on page 6-6 for
additional information.
California Fuel If the vehicle is certied to meet California Emissions
Standards, it is designed to operate on fuels that meet
California specications. See the underhood emission
control label. If this fuel is not available in states adopting
California emissions standards, the vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal specications, but
emission control system performance might be affected.
The malfunction indicator lamp could turn on and the
vehicle might fail a smog-check test. See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 3-42 . If this occurs, return to your
authorized dealer/retailer for diagnosis. If it is determined
that the condition is caused by the type of fuel used,
repairs might not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Additives To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that help prevent
engine and fuel system deposits from forming, allowing
the emission control system to work properly. In most
cases, you should not have to add anything to the fuel.
However, some gasolines contain only the minimum
amount of additive required to meet U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency regulations. To help keep fuel injectors
and intake valves clean, or if the vehicle experiences
problems due to dirty injectors or valves, look for gasoline
that is advertised as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.
For customers who do not use TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline regularly, one bottle of GM Fuel System
Treatment PLUS, added to the fuel tank at every engine
oil change, can help clean deposits from fuel injectors
and intake valves. GM Fuel System Treatment PLUS is
the only gasoline additive recommended by General
Motors.
Also, your dealer/retailer has additives that will help
correct and prevent most deposit-related problems.
Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers and
ethanol, and reformulated gasolines might be available in
your area. We recommend that you use these gasolines,
if they comply with the specications described earlier.
6-6

At a minimum, E85 should meet ASTM Specication
D 5798. By denition, this means that fuel labeled E85
will have an ethanol content between 70% and 85%.
Filling the fuel tank with fuel mixtures that do not meet
ASTM specications can affect driveability and could
cause the malfunction indicator lamp to come on.
To ensure quick starts in the wintertime, the E85 fuel
must be formulated properly for your climate according to
ASTM specication D 5798. If you have trouble starting
on E85, it could be because the E85 fuel is not properly
formulated for your climate. If this happens, switching to
gasoline or adding gasoline to the fuel tank can improve
starting. For good starting and heater efficiency below
32°F (0°C), the fuel mix in the fuel tank should contain
no more than 70% ethanol. It is best not to alternate
repeatedly between gasoline and E85. If you do switch
fuels, it is recommended that you add as much fuel as
possible — do not add less than three gallons (11 L)
when refueling. You should drive the vehicle immediately
after refueling for at least seven miles (11 km) to allow the
vehicle to adapt to the change in ethanol concentration.
E85 has less energy per gallon than gasoline, so you will
need to rell the fuel tank more often when using E85
than when you are using gasoline. See Filling the Tank
on page 6-9 . Notice: Some additives are not compatible with
E85 fuel and can harm the vehicle’s fuel system.
Do not add anything to E85. Damage caused by
additives would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty.
Notice: This vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in the fuel
system and also damage plastic and rubber parts.
That damage would not be covered under the vehicle
warranty.
Fuels in Foreign Countries If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel might be hard
to nd. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel not
recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly repairs
caused by use of improper fuel would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you will be driving.
6-8

Engine Oil Additives / Engine Oil
Flushes Do not add anything to the oil. The recommended oils
with the starburst symbol that meet GM standards are
all that is needed for good performance and engine
protection.
Engine oil system ushes are not recommended and
could cause engine damage not covered by the vehicle
warranty.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil This vehicle has a computer system that indicates when
to change the engine oil and lter. This is based on
engine revolutions and engine temperature, and not on
mileage. Based on driving conditions, the mileage at
which an oil change is indicated can vary considerably.
For the oil life system to work properly, the system
must be reset every time the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, it indicates that an oil change is necessary.
A CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message comes on.
See DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-56 .
Change the oil as soon as possible within the next
600 miles (1 000 km). It is possible that, if driving under
the best conditions, the oil life system might not
indicate that an oil change is necessary for over a year. However, the engine oil and lter must be changed at
least once a year and at this time the system must
be reset. Your dealer/retailer has trained service people
who will perform this work using genuine parts and
reset the system. It is also important to check the oil
regularly and keep it at the proper level.
If the system is ever reset accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 3,000 miles (5 000 km) since the last oil
change. Remember to reset the oil life system whenever
the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Engine Oil Life
System The Engine Oil Life System calculates when to change
the engine oil and lter based on vehicle use. Whenever
the oil is changed, reset the system so it can calculate
when the next oil change is required. If a situation occurs
where the oil is changed prior to a CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message being turned on, reset the system.
Always reset the engine oil life to 100% after every oil
change. It will not reset itself. To reset the Engine
Oil Life System:
1. Display the OIL LIFE REMAINING on the DIC.
2. Press and hold the SET/RESET button on the DIC
for more than ve seconds. The oil life will change
to 100%.
6-18

What to Use
{ CAUTION: Adding only plain water to the cooling system can
be dangerous. Plain water, or some other liquid
such as alcohol, can boil before the proper coolant
mixture will. The vehicle’s coolant warning system
is set for the proper coolant mixture. With plain
water or the wrong mixture, the engine could get
too hot but you would not get the overheat
warning. The engine could catch re and you or
others could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of
clean, drinkable water and DEX-COOL ®
coolant. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL ®
coolant. If using this mixture, nothing else
needs to be added. This mixture:
Gives freezing protection down to − 34°F ( − 37°C),
outside temperature.
Gives boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C),
engine temperature.
Protects against rust and corrosion.
Will not damage aluminum parts.
Helps keep the proper engine temperature.
Notice: If an improper coolant mixture is used,
the engine could overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Too much water in the mixture can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core, and other
parts.
Notice: If extra inhibitors and/or additives are used
in the vehicle’s cooling system, the vehicle could
be damaged. Use only the proper mixture of
the engine coolant listed in this manual for the
cooling system. See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 7-13 for more information.
6-26

Engine (cont.)
Cooling System ........................................... 6-24
Drive Belt Routing ....................................... 7-16
Exhaust ..................................................... 2-38
Fan Noise .................................................. 6-33
Oil ............................................................. 6-15
Overheated Protection Operating Mode ........... 6-33
Overheating ................................................ 6-30
Starting ...................................................... 2-26
Engine Oil
Life System ................................................ 6-18
Entry Lighting ................................................. 3-23
Event Data Recorders ..................................... 8-17
Exit Lighting ................................................... 3-23
Extender, Safety Belt ....................................... 1-51
Exterior Lamps ............................................... 3-16
FFeatures
Memory ....................................................... 1-7
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner ...................................... 6-19
Finish Damage ............................................. 6-103
Flashers, Hazard Warning .................................. 3-6
Flash-to-Pass ................................................... 3-9
Flat Tire ........................................................ 6-77 Flat Tire, Changing ......................................... 6-78
Flat Tire, Storing ............................................. 6-92
Fluid
Automatic Transmission ................................ 6-20
Power Steering ........................................... 6-33
Windshield Washer ...................................... 6-34
Fog Lamps
Bulb Replacement ....................................... 3-22
Light .......................................................... 3-45
Front Axle ...................................................... 6-47
Fuel ............................................................... 6-5
Additives ...................................................... 6-6
California Fuel .............................................. 6-6
E85 (85% Ethanol) ........................................ 6-7
Economy Driving ........................................... 5-2
Filling a Portable Fuel Container .................... 6-11
Filling the Tank ............................................. 6-9
Fuels in Foreign Countries .............................. 6-8
Gage ......................................................... 3-46
Gasoline Octane ........................................... 6-5
Gasoline Specications .................................. 6-6
Fuses
Center Instrument Panel Fuse Block ............. 6-108
Fuses and Circuit Breakers ......................... 6-106
Instrument Panel Fuse Block ....................... 6-106
Underhood Fuse Block ............................... 6-109
Windshield Wiper ....................................... 6-105
6