2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV oil level

OIL PRESSURE LOW STOP ENGINE Notice: If you drive your vehicle while the engine
oil pressure is low, severe engine damage may
occur. If a low oil pressure warning appears on the
Driver Information Center (DIC), stop the vehicle
as soon as possible. Do not drive the vehicle until
the cause of the low oil pressure is corrected.
See Engine Oil on page 6-15 for more information.
This message displays if low oil pressure levels
occur. Stop the vehicle as soon as safely possible and
do not operate it until the cause of the low oil pressure
has been corrected. Check the oil as soon as possible
and have your vehicle serviced by your dealer/retailer.
See Engine Oil on page 6-15 .
PARKING ASSIST OFF After the vehicle has been started, this message
displays to remind the driver that the Ultrasonic
Rear Parking Assist (URPA) system has been turned
off. Press the set/reset button to acknowledge this
message and clear it from the DIC display. To turn
the URPA system back on, see Ultrasonic Rear
Parking Assist (URPA) on page 2-42 . PASSENGER DOOR OPEN This message displays and a chime sounds if the front
passenger door is not fully closed and the vehicle is
shifted out of P (Park). Stop and turn off the vehicle,
check the door for obstructions, and close the door
again. Check to see if the message still appears on
the DIC.
REAR ACCESS OPEN This message displays and a chime sounds if the
liftgate or liftglass is open while the ignition is in
ON/RUN. Turn off the vehicle and check the liftgate
and liftglass. Restart the vehicle and check for the
message on the DIC display.
REMOTE KEY LEARNING ACTIVE This message displays while you are matching a
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter to your vehicle.
See “Matching Transmitter(s) to Your Vehicle” under
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation
on page 2-5 and DIC Operation and Displays on
page 3-48 for more information.
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Before Leaving on a Long Trip To prepare your vehicle for a long trip, consider having
it serviced by your dealer/retailer before departing.
Things to check on your own include:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Reservoir full? Windows
clean — inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: In good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: All levels checked?
Lamps: Do they all work and are lenses clean?
Tires: Are treads good? Are tires inated to
recommended pressure?
Weather and Maps: Safe to travel? Have
up-to-date maps? Highway Hypnosis Always be alert and pay attention to your surroundings
while driving. If you become tired or sleepy, nd a
safe place to park your vehicle and rest.
Other driving tips include:
Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
Keep interior temperature cool.
Keep your eyes moving — scan the road ahead
and to the sides.
Check the rearview mirror and vehicle instruments
often.
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Driving On Grades Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before starting
down a long or steep downgrade. If the transmission is
not shifted down, the brakes might have to be used so
much that they would get hot and no longer work well.
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift the transmission to
a lower gear if the transmission shifts too often under
heavy loads and/or hilly conditions.
The tow/haul mode may be used if the transmission
shifts too often. See Tow/Haul Mode Light on page 3-46 .
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than at normal altitudes. If the engine is
turned off immediately after towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, the vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this, let the engine run while
parked, preferably on level ground, with the transmission
in P (Park) for a few minutes before turning the engine
off. If the overheat warning comes on, see Engine
Overheating on page 6-30 . Parking on Hills
{ CAUTION: Parking the vehicle on a hill with the trailer
attached can be dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move. People can be
injured, and both the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always park the rig on a
at surface.
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park)
yet. Turn the wheels into the curb if facing downhill
or into traffic if facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer
wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking
brake and shift into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
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A. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 6-19 .
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System on page 6-24 .
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting on
page 6-40 .
D. Battery on page 6-39 .
E. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
under Engine Oil on page 6-15 .
F. Automatic Transmission Dipstick (Out of View).
See “Checking the Fluid Level” under Automatic
Transmission Fluid on page 6-20 .
G. Remote Negative ( − ) Terminal (GND) (Out of View).
See Jump Starting on page 6-40 .
H. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See “Checking
Engine Oil” under Engine Oil on page 6-15 .
I. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling
System on page 6-24 .
J. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (Out of View).
See Power Steering Fluid on page 6-33 .
K. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
under Brakes on page 6-36 . L. Underhood Fuse Block on page 6-109 .
M. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” under Windshield Washer Fluid
on page 6-34 .
Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil It is a good idea to check the engine oil level at each
fuel ll. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop.
See Engine Compartment Overview on page 6-14
for the location of the engine oil dipstick.
1. Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes
to drain back into the oil pan. If this is not done, the
oil dipstick might not show the actual level.
2. Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel
or cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it
again, keeping the tip down, and check the level.
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When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched area at the tip of the
dipstick, add at least one quart/liter of the recommended
oil. This section explains what kind of oil to use. For
engine oil crankcase capacity, see Capacities and
Specifications on page 6-113 .
Notice: Do not add too much oil. If the engine
has so much oil that the oil level gets above the
cross-hatched area that shows the proper operating
range, the engine could be damaged. See Engine Compartment
Overview on page 6-14
for the location of the
engine oil ll cap.
Add enough oil to put the level somewhere in the proper
operating range. Push the dipstick all the way back in
when through.
6-16

What Kind of Engine Oil to Use Look for three things:
GM4718M
This vehicle’s engine requires a special oil meeting
GM Standard GM4718M. Oils meeting this
standard may be identied as synthetic. However,
not all synthetic oils will meet this GM standard.
Use only an oil that meets GM Standard GM4718M. Notice: Using oils that do not have the GM4718M
Standard designation can cause engine damage not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
SAE 5W-30
SAE 5W-30 is best for the vehicle. These numbers
on an oil container show its viscosity, or thickness.
Do not use other viscosity oils such as SAE 20W-50.
American Petroleum Institute (API) starburst symbol
Oils meeting these
requirements should have
the starburst symbol on
the container. This symbol
indicates that the oil
has been certied by the
American Petroleum
Institute (API).
This vehicle’s engine was lled at the factory with a
Mobil 1 ®
synthetic oil meeting all requirements for this
vehicle.
Substitute Engine Oil: When adding oil to maintain
engine oil level, oil meeting GM Standard GM4718M
might not be available. You can add substitute oil
designated SAE 5W-30 with the starburst symbol at all
temperatures. Substitute oil not meeting GM Standard
GM4718M should not be used for an oil change.
6-17

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

Checking Coolant The vehicle must be on a level surface when checking
the coolant level.
Check to see if coolant is visible in the coolant surge
tank. If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank is
boiling, do not do anything else until it cools down.
If coolant is visible but the coolant level is not at
or above the FULL COLD mark, add a 50/50 mixture
of clean, drinkable water and DEX-COOL ®
coolant at the
coolant surge tank, but be sure the cooling system is
cool before this is done.
The coolant surge tank is located in the engine
compartment on the passenger side of the vehicle.
See Engine Compartment Overview on page 6-14 for
more information on location.
The coolant level should be at or above the FULL
COLD mark. If it is not, you may have a leak in the
cooling system.
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