
Black plate (30,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels to free the
vehicle when stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 6 ‑ 30 .
If the vehicle has a traction system, it can often help to
free a stuck vehicle. Refer to the vehicle's traction
system in the Index. If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the traction system off
and use the rocking method.
{ WARNING: If the vehicle's tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured.
The vehicle can overheat, causing an engine
compartment fire or other damage. Spin the
wheels as little as possible and avoid going above
55 km/h (35 mph) as shown on the speedometer.
For information about using tire chains on the vehicle,
see Tire Chains on page 7 ‑ 78 . Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out Turn the steering wheel left and right to clear the area
around the front wheels. Turn off any traction or stability
system. Shift back and forth between R (Reverse) and a
forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible.
To prevent transmission wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transmission is in gear. Slowly spinning
the wheels in the forward and reverse directions causes
a rocking motion that could free the vehicle. If that does
not get the vehicle out after a few tries, it might need to
be towed out. Recovery hooks can be used, if the
vehicle has them. If the vehicle does need to be towed
out, see Towing Your Vehicle on page 6 ‑ 38 .
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Black plate (52,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
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 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 on page 3 ‑ 36 .
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
automatic transmission in P (Park) for a few minutes
before turning the engine off. If the overheat warning
comes on, see Engine Overheating on page 7 ‑ 34 .Parking on Hills
{ WARNING: 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 flat 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.
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Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Section 7 Service and Appearance CareService . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4
California Proposition 65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
California Perchlorate Materials
Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
Adding Equipment to the Outside of the
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Gasoline Octane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
California Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13
Checking Things Under the Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Hood Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-17
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-22 Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-24
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-27
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-29
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-34
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-37
Engine Fan Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-37
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-38
Windshield Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-39
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-40
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-43
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-44
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-49
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-50
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-51
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-52
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-54
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . 7-54
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-55
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-55
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-56
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-56
7-1

Black plate (24,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Automatic Transmission Fluid When to Check and Change Automatic
Transmission Fluid It is usually not necessary to check the transmission
fluid level. The only reason for fluid loss is a
transmission leak or overheating the transmission.
If you suspect a small leak, then use the following
checking procedures to check the fluid level. However,
if there is a large leak, then it may be necessary to have
the vehicle towed to a dealer service department and
have it repaired before driving the vehicle further.
Notice: Use of the incorrect automatic transmission
fluid may damage the vehicle, and the damages may
not be covered by the vehicle's warranty. Always
use the automatic transmission fluid listed in
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 8 ‑ 10 .
Change the fluid and filter at the intervals listed in the
Maintenance Schedule. See Scheduled Maintenance
on page 8 ‑ 3 . Be sure to use the transmission fluid
listed in Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on
page 8 ‑ 10
. How to Check Automatic Transmission
Fluid Notice: Too much or too little fluid can damage the
transmission. Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on hot engine parts or
exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Too little fluid
could cause the transmission to overheat. Be sure
to get an accurate reading if checking the
transmission fluid.
Before checking the fluid level, prepare the vehicle as
follows:
1. Start the engine and park the vehicle on a level
surface. Keep the engine running.
2. Apply the parking brake and place the shift lever in
P (Park).
3. With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, move the shift
lever back to P (Park).
7-24

Black plate (29,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
{ WARNING: Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Do not touch them. If you
do, you can be burned.
Do not run the engine if there is a leak. If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
Notice: Using coolant other than DEX-COOL ®
can
cause premature engine, heater core, or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine coolant could
require changing sooner, at 50 000 km (30,000 miles)
or 24 months, whichever occurs first. Any repairs
would not be covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always use DEX-COOL (silicate-free) coolant in the
vehicle. Engine Coolant The cooling system in the vehicle is filled with
DEX-COOL ®
engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in the vehicle for five years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs first.
The following explains the cooling system and how to
check and add coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating, see Engine
Overheating on page 7 ‑ 34 .
7-29

Black plate (30,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
What to Use
{ WARNING: Adding only plain water or some other liquid to the
cooling system can be dangerous. Plain water
and other liquids, 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 fire 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 8 ‑ 10
for more information.
7-30

Black plate (32,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
How to Add Coolant to the Surge Tank
{ WARNING: You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot enough.
Do not spill coolant on a hot engine.
Notice: This vehicle has a specific coolant fill
procedure. Failure to follow this procedure could
cause the engine to overheat and be severely
damaged.
{ WARNING: An electric engine cooling fan under the hood can
start up even when the engine is not running and
can cause injury. Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood electric fan. { WARNING: Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling
system can blow out and burn you badly. They are
under pressure, and if you turn the surge tank
pressure cap — even a little — they can come out
at high speed. Never turn the cap when the
cooling system, including the surge tank pressure
cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling system and surge
tank pressure cap to cool if you ever have to turn
the pressure cap.
7-32

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