2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT automatic transmission

The main components of the instrument panel are the following:
A.Outlet Adjustment on page 3-26.
B.Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-6.
C.Hazard Warning Flashers on page 3-5.
D.Instrument Panel Cluster on page 3-28.
E. Shift Lever/Tow/Haul Selector Button. SeeAutomatic
Transmission Operation on page 2-36andTow/Haul
Mode on page 2-39.
F.Analog Clock on page 3-22.
G.Audio System(s) on page 3-66.Navigation Audio
System on page 4-57(If Equipped).
H.Exterior Lamps on page 3-13.
I.Dome Lamp Override on page 3-19.
J.Cruise Control on page 3-10.
K.Tilt Wheel on page 3-6.
L.Horn on page 3-5.
M.Audio Steering Wheel Controls on page 3-88.
N.Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-41.
O. Pedal Adjust Button. SeeAdjustable Throttle and
Brake Pedal on page 2-34. Heated Windshield
Washer Fluid Button (If Equipped). SeeWindshield
Washer on page 3-9. Power Running Boards
Disable Button (If Equipped). SeePower Assist
Steps on page 2-22.P.Dual Automatic Climate Control System on
page 3-22.Heated Seats on page 1-5(If Equipped).
Heated and Cooled Seats on page 1-6
(If Equipped).
Q.StabiliTrak
®System on page 5-6.Ultrasonic Rear
Parking Assist (URPA) on page 2-50.
R.Glove Box on page 2-66.
Hazard Warning Flashers
|(Hazard Warning Flasher):Press this button
located on top of the steering column, to make the front
and rear turn signal lamps ash on and off. This
warns others that you are having trouble. Press again to
turn the ashers off.
When the hazard warning ashers are on, the vehicle’s
turn signals will not work.
Horn
To sound the horn, press the center pad on the steering
wheel.
3-5

up to 20 seconds for each of the remaining cycles to
begin. Press the button again to turn off the heated
windshield washer uid system or it will automatically
turn off after four wipe cycles have been completed.
When the heated windshield washer uid system
is activated under certain outside temperature
conditions, steam may ow out of the washer nozzles
for a short period of time before washer uid is sprayed.
This is a normal condition.
HEATING WASH FLUID WASH WIPES PENDING is
displayed on the DIC when the washer system is heating
the uid. WASHER FLUID LOW ADD FLUID is
displayed when the washer uid is low. SeeDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 3-48.
Cruise Control
{CAUTION:
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
cannot drive safely at a steady speed. So, do not
use the cruise control on winding roads or in
heavy traffic.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Cruise control can be dangerous on slippery roads.
On such roads, fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and you could lose
control. Do not use cruise control on slippery roads.
With cruise control, a speed of about 25 mph (40 km/h)
or more can be maintained without keeping your foot
on the accelerator. Cruise control does not work
at speeds below about 25 mph (40 km/h).
When the brakes are applied, cruise control is turned off.
For vehicles with an Allison
®or Hydra-Matic 6-speed
automatic transmission, see “Grade Braking and Cruise
Grade Braking (Allison Transmission) underTow/Haul
Mode on page 2-39for an explanation of how cruise
control interacts with the Range Selection Mode,
tow/haul and grade braking systems.
If the vehicle has StabiliTrak
®, and the system begins to
limit wheel spin, cruise control will automatically
disengage. SeeStabiliTrak
®System on page 5-6. When
road conditions allow the cruise control to be safely
used again, it can be turned back on.
3-10

Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
Fully functional daytime running lamps are required on
all vehicles rst sold in Canada.
The DRL system will come on when the following
conditions are met:
The ignition is on.
The exterior lamps control is in AUTO.
The transmission is not in P (Park).
The light sensor determines it is daytime.
When the DRL are on, only the DRL lamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarker, instrument panel lights,
and other lamps will not be on.
When it begins to get dark, the automatic headlamp
system will switch from DRL to the headlamps.
To turn off the DRL lamps, turn the exterior lamps
control to the OFF position and then release. For
vehicles rst sold in Canada, the transmission must be
in the P (Park) position, before the DRL lamps can
be turned off.
Automatic Headlamp System
When it is dark enough outside and the headlamp
switch is in AUTO, the automatic headlamp system
will turn on the headlamps at the normal brightness
along with other lamps such as the taillamps,
sidemarker, parking lamps, roof marker lamps, and
the instrument panel lights. The radio lights will also
be dim.
To turn off the automatic headlamp system, turn the
exterior lamps switch to the off position and then
release. For vehicles rst sold in Canada, the
transmission must be in the P (Park) position, before
the automatic headlamp system can be turned off.
The vehicle has a light sensor located on the top of the
instrument panel. Do not cover this sensor or the
system will come on whenever the ignition is on.
The system may also turn on the headlamps when
driving through a parking garage, heavy overcast
weather, or a tunnel. This is normal.
There is a delay in the transition between the daytime
and nighttime operation of the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) and the automatic headlamp systems so
that driving under bridges or bright overhead street
lights does not affect the system. The DRL and
automatic headlamp system will only be affected when
the light sensor sees a change in lighting lasting
longer than the delay.
3-17

Fuel Used
Press the trip/fuel button until FUEL USED displays.
This display shows the number of gallons (gal) or
liters (L) of fuel used since the last reset of this menu
item. To reset the fuel used information, press and hold
the set/reset button while FUEL USED is displayed.
Timer
Press the trip/fuel button until TIMER displays. This
display can be used as a timer.
To start the timer, press the set/reset button while
TIMER is displayed. The display will show the amount
of time that has passed since the timer was last
reset, not including time the ignition is off. Time will
continue to be counted as long as the ignition is
on, even if another display is being shown on the DIC.
The timer will record up to 99 hours, 59 minutes
and 59 seconds (99:59:59) after which the display will
return to zero.
To stop the timer, press the set/reset button briey while
TIMER is displayed.
To reset the timer to zero, press and hold the set/reset
button while TIMER is displayed.
Transmission Temperature
Press the trip/fuel button until TRANS TEMP displays.
This display shows the temperature of the automatic
transmission uid in either degrees Fahrenheit (°F) or
degrees Celsius (°C).
Average Vehicle Speed
Press the trip/fuel button until AVERAGE SPEED
displays. This display shows the average speed in
miles per hour (MPH) or kilometers per hour (km/h).
Blank Display
This display shows no information.
Vehicle Information Menu Items
T
(Vehicle Information):Press this button to scroll
through the following menu items:
Oil Life
Press the vehicle information button until OIL LIFE
REMAINING displays. This display shows an estimate
of the oil’s remaining useful life. If you see 99% OIL LIFE
REMAINING on the display, that means 99% of the
current oil life remains. The engine oil life system
will alert you to change the oil on a schedule consistent
with your driving conditions.
3-44

It is recommended to leave the system on for normal
driving conditions, but it may be necessary to turn
the system off if the vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice or
snow, and you want to “rock” the vehicle to attempt to
free it. It may also be necessary to turn off the
system when driving in extreme off-road conditions
where high wheel spin is required. SeeIf Your Vehicle
is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 5-29
Traction Control Operation
The traction control system is part of the StabiliTrak
system. Traction control limits wheel spin by reducing
engine power to the wheels (engine speed
management) and by applying brakes to each individual
wheel (brake-traction control) as necessary.
The traction control system is enabled automatically
when the vehicle is started. It will activate and the
StabiliTrak light will ash if it senses that any of the
wheels are spinning or beginning to lose traction while
driving. If traction control is turned off, only the
brake-traction control portion of traction control will
work. The engine speed management will be disabled.
In this mode, engine power is not reduced automatically
and the driven wheels can spin more freely. This can
cause the brake-traction control to activate constantly.Notice:If the wheel(s) of one axle is allowed to
spin excessively while the StabiliTrak, ABS
and brake warning lights and any relevant DIC
messages are displayed, the transfer case could be
damaged. The repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Reduce engine power and do
not spin the wheel(s) excessively while these
lights and messages are displayed.
The traction control system may activate on dry or
rough roads or under conditions such as heavy
acceleration while turning or abrupt upshifts/downshifts
of the transmission. When this happens, a reduction
in acceleration may be noticed, or a noise or vibration
may be heard. This is normal.
If cruise control is being used when the system
activates, the StabiliTrak light will ash and cruise
control will automatically disengage. Cruise control may
be reengaged when road conditions allow. See
Cruise Control on page 3-10
StabiliTrak may also turn off automatically if it
determines that a problem exists with the system. If the
problem does not clear itself after restarting the
vehicle, see your dealer/retailer for service.
5-8

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.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal while you:
Start the engine
Shift into a gear
Release the parking brake
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
The vehicle needs service more often when pulling a
trailer. See this manual’s Maintenance Schedule
or Index for more information. Things that are especially
important in trailer operation are automatic transmission
uid, engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling system
and brake system. It is a good idea to inspect
these before and during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
5-50

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.......................................................6-7
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)..................................6-8
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................6-9
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.........................6-21
Cooling System............................................6-25
Engine Coolant.............................................6-26
Engine Overheating.......................................6-30Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode........................................6-33
Engine Fan Noise.........................................6-33
Power Steering Fluid.....................................6-33
Windshield Washer Fluid................................6-34
Brakes........................................................6-35
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
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker, Stoplamps
and Back-up Lamps...................................6-51
License Plate Lamp......................................6-52
Replacement Bulbs.......................................6-53
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............6-53
Tires..............................................................6-54
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................6-55
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................6-57
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................6-60
High-Speed Operation...................................6-61
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
6-1

A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 6-19.
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. SeeCooling
System on page 6-25.
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting on
page 6-40.
D.Battery on page 6-39.
E. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 6-15.
F. Automatic Transmission Dipstick (Out of View). See
“Checking the Fluid Level” underAutomatic
Transmission Fluid on page 6-21.
G. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (GND) (Out of View).
SeeJump Starting on page 6-40.
H. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See “Checking
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil on page 6-15.
I. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). SeeCooling
System on page 6-25.
J. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (Out of View). See
Power Steering Fluid on page 6-33.
K. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
underBrakes on page 6-35.
L.Underhood Fuse Block on page 6-107.
M. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 6-34.Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine oil every time you
get fuel. 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 6-14for
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 you do not do this,
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.
6-15