2010 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV engine

Black plate (34,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start
the engine and let it run until you can feel the
upper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the
engine cooling fan.
By this time, the coolant level inside the coolant
surge tank may be lower. If the level is lower, add
more of the proper mixture to the coolant surge
tank until the level reaches the FULL COLD mark. 5. Replace the pressure cap. Be sure the pressure
cap is hand-tight and fully seated.
6. Verify coolant level after engine is shut off and the
coolant is cold. If necessary, repeat coolant fill
procedure Steps 1 through 6.
Notice: If the pressure cap is not tightly installed,
coolant loss and possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly and tightly
secured.
Engine Overheating The vehicle has several indicators to warn of engine
overheating.
There is a coolant temperature gauge on your vehicle's
instrument panel. See Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge on page 4 ‑ 35 .
In addition, ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE,
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE, and a ENGINE
POWER IS REDUCED message comes on in the Driver
Information Center (DIC) on the instrument panel. See
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 4 ‑ 49 .
You may decide not to lift the hood when this warning
appears, but instead get service help right away. See
Roadside Service on page 9 ‑ 8 .
7-34

Black plate (35,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
If you do decide to lift the hood , make sure the vehicle
is parked on a level surface.
Then check to see if the engine cooling fans are
running. If the engine is overheating, both fans should
be running. If they are not, do not continue to run the
engine and have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant is not covered by the vehicle
warranty. See Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode for information on driving to
a safe place in an emergency.
Notice: If the engine catches fire while driving with
no coolant, the vehicle can be badly damaged.
The costly repairs would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. See Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
on page 7 ‑ 37 for information on
driving to a safe place in an emergency. If Steam Is Coming From The Engine
Compartment
{ WARNING: Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam coming
from it. Turn it off and get everyone away from the
vehicle until it cools down. Wait until there is no
sign of steam or coolant before you open
the hood.
If you keep driving when the vehicles engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop the engine if it
overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
See Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode
on page 7 ‑ 37 for information on driving to
a safe place in an emergency.
7-35

Black plate (36,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
If No Steam Is Coming From The
Engine Compartment The ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE or the
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE message, along
with a low coolant condition, can indicate a serious
problem.
If you get an engine overheat warning, but see or
hear no steam, the problem may not be too serious.
Sometimes the engine can get a little too hot when you: .
Climb a long hill on a hot day. .
Stop after high-speed driving. .
Idle for long periods in traffic. .
Tow a trailer. See Towing a Trailer on page 6 ‑ 42 .
If you get the ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE
or the ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE message
with no sign of steam, try this for a minute or so:
If the overheat warning is displayed with no sign of
steam:
1. Turn the air conditioning off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest temperature and
to the highest fan speed. Open the windows as
necessary. 3. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in N (Neutral)
while stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the
road, shift to P (Park) or N (Neutral) and let the
engine idle.
If the temperature overheat gauge is no longer in
the overheat zone or an overheat warning no longer
displays, the vehicle can be driven. Continue to drive
the vehicle slow for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle distance from the car in front of you. If the
warning does not come back on, continue to drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park
the vehicle right away.
If there is no sign of steam, idle the engine for
five minutes while parked. If the warning is still
displayed, turn off the engine until it cools down.
Also, see “ Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode ” later in this section.
7-36

Black plate (37,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode If an overheated engine condition exists and the
ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED message is displayed,
an overheat protection mode which alternates firing
groups of cylinders helps prevent engine damage. In
this mode, you will notice a loss in power and engine
performance. This operating mode allows the vehicle to
be driven to a safe place in an emergency. Driving
extended miles (km) and/or towing a trailer in the
overheat protection mode should be avoided.
Notice: After driving in the overheated engine
protection operating mode, to avoid engine damage,
allow the engine to cool before attempting any
repair. The engine oil will be severely degraded.
Repair the cause of coolant loss, change the oil
and reset the oil life system. See Engine Oil
on
page 7 ‑ 17 . Engine Fan Noise The vehicle has electric cooling fans. You might hear
the fans spinning at low speed during most everyday
driving. The fans can turn off if no cooling is required.
Under heavy vehicle loading, trailer towing, and/or high
outside temperatures, or if you are operating the air
conditioning system, the fans can change to high speed
and you might hear an increase in fan noise. This is
normal and indicates that the cooling system is
functioning properly. The fans change to low speed
when additional cooling is no longer required.
7-37

Black plate (38,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Power Steering Fluid See Engine Compartment
Overview on page 7 ‑ 16
for reservoir location.
When to Check Power Steering Fluid It is not necessary to regularly check power steering
fluid unless you suspect there is a leak in the system or
you hear an unusual noise. A fluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the system inspected
and repaired. How to Check Power Steering Fluid To check the power steering fluid:
1. Turn the key off and let the engine compartment
cool down.
2. Wipe the cap and the top of the reservoir clean.
3. Unscrew the cap and wipe the dipstick with a
clean rag.
4. Replace the cap and completely tighten it.
5. Remove the cap again and look at the fluid level
on the dipstick.
The level should be at the FULL COLD mark.
If necessary, add only enough fluid to bring the level up
to the mark.
What to Use To determine what kind of fluid to use, see
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 8 ‑ 10 .
Always use the proper fluid.
Notice: Use of the incorrect fluid may damage the
vehicle and the damages may not be covered by the
vehicle's warranty. Always use the correct fluid
listed in Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
on
page 8 ‑ 10 .
7-38

Black plate (39,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Windshield Washer Fluid What to Use When windshield washer fluid needs to be added, be
sure to read the manufacturer's instructions before use.
Use a fluid that has sufficient protection against freezing
in an area where the temperature may fall below
freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid The vehicle has a low washer fluid message in the DIC
that comes on when the washer fluid is low. The
message is displayed for 15 seconds at the start of
each ignition cycle. When the WASHER FLUID LOW
ADD FLUID message displays, you will need to add
washer fluid to the windshield washer fluid reservoir.
Open the cap with the
washer symbol on it. Add
washer fluid until the tank
is full. See Engine
Compartment Overview
on page 7 ‑ 16 for
reservoir location. Notice: .
When using concentrated washer fluid,
follow the manufacturer's instructions for
adding water. .
Do not mix water with ready-to-use washer
fluid. Water can cause the solution to freeze
and damage the washer fluid tank and other
parts of the washer system. Also, water does
not clean as well as washer fluid. .
Fill the washer fluid tank only three-quarters
full when it is very cold. This allows for fluid
expansion if freezing occurs, which could
damage the tank if it is completely full. .
Do not use engine coolant (antifreeze) in the
windshield washer. It can damage the
windshield washer system and paint.
7-39

Black plate (40,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Brakes Brake Fluid The brake master cylinder
reservoir is filled with
DOT 3 brake fluid. See
Engine Compartment
Overview
on page 7 ‑ 16
for the location of the
reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in
the reservoir might go down: .
The brake fluid level goes down because of normal
brake lining wear. When new linings are installed,
the fluid level goes back up. .
A fluid leak in the brake hydraulic system can also
cause a low fluid level. Have the brake hydraulic
system fixed, since a leak means that sooner or
later the brakes will not work well. Do not top off the brake fluid. Adding fluid does not
correct a leak. If fluid is added when the linings are
worn, there will be too much fluid when new brake
linings are installed. Add or remove brake fluid, as
necessary, only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
{ WARNING: If too much brake fluid is added, it can spill on the
engine and burn, if the engine is hot enough. You
or others could be burned, and the vehicle could
be damaged. Add brake fluid only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system. See
“ Checking Brake Fluid ” in this section.
When the brake fluid falls to a low level, the brake
warning light comes on. See Brake System Warning
Light on page 4 ‑ 33 .
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when
to check the brake fluid. See Scheduled Maintenance
on page 8 ‑ 3 .
7-40

Black plate (41,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Checking Brake Fluid Check brake fluid by looking at the brake fluid reservoir.
See Engine Compartment Overview on page 7 ‑ 16 .
The fluid level should be
above MIN. If it is not,
have the brake hydraulic
system checked to see if
there is a leak.
After work is done on the brake hydraulic system, make
sure the level is above the MIN but not over the
MAX mark.
What to Add Use only new DOT 3 brake fluid from a sealed
container. See Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
on
page 8 ‑ 10 . Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This helps keep dirt
from entering the reservoir.
{ WARNING: With the wrong kind of fluid in the brake hydraulic
system, the brakes might not work well. This could
cause a crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.
Notice: .
Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake hydraulic system parts. For example,
just a few drops of mineral-based oil, such
as engine oil, in the brake hydraulic system
can damage brake hydraulic system parts so
badly that they will have to be replaced. Do
not let someone put in the wrong kind of
fluid. .
If brake fluid is spilled on the vehicle's
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake fluid
on the vehicle. If you do, wash it off
immediately. See Washing Your Vehicle
on
page 7 ‑ 103
.
7-41