Page 520 of 620

Black plate (72,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your
tires as soon as possible and check wheel
alignment. Also check for damaged tires or
wheels. See When It Is Time for New Tires
on
page 7 ‑ 73
and Wheel Replacement on page 7 ‑ 77 .
When rotating your vehicle's tires, always use the
correct rotation pattern shown here.
Do not include the spare tire in the tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front
and rear inflation pressures as shown on the Tire
and Loading Information label. See Inflation - Tire
Pressure
on page 7 ‑ 65 and Loading the Vehicle on
page 6 ‑ 32
. Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor System. See Tire
Pressure Monitor Operation
on page 7 ‑ 68 .
Make certain that all wheel nuts are properly
tightened. See “ Wheel Nut Torque ” under
Capacities and Specifications
on page 7 ‑ 117 .
{ WARNING: Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make wheel nuts
become loose after time. The wheel could
come off and cause an accident. When you
change a wheel, remove any rust or dirt
from places where the wheel attaches to
the vehicle. In an emergency, you can use
a cloth or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use a scraper or wire brush later,
if needed, to get all the rust or dirt off. See
Changing a Flat Tire
on page 7 ‑ 80 .
Make sure the spare tire is stored securely. Push,
pull, and then try to rotate or turn the tire. If it
moves, tighten the cable. See Storing a Flat or
Spare Tire and Tools
on page 7 ‑ 94 .
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Page 521 of 620

Black plate (73,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
When It Is Time for New Tires Various factors, such as maintenance, temperatures,
driving speeds, vehicle loading, and road conditions,
influence when you need new tires.
One way to tell when it is
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which appear
when your tires have only
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or less
of tread remaining. Some
commercial truck tires
may not have treadwear
indicators.
You need new tires if any of the following statements
are true: .
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire. .
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire's rubber. .
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut, or snagged
deep enough to show cord or fabric. .
The tire has a bump, bulge, or split. .
The tire has a puncture, cut, or other damage that
cannot be repaired well because of the size or
location of the damage.
The rubber in tires degrades over time, even if they are
not being used. This is also true for the spare tire,
if your vehicle has one. Multiple conditions affect how
fast this aging takes place, including temperatures,
loading conditions, and inflation pressure maintenance.
With proper care and maintenance tires will typically
wear out before they degrade due to age. If you are
unsure about the need to replace your tires as they get
older, consult the tire manufacturer for more information.
Buying New Tires GM has developed and matched specific tires for your
vehicle. The original equipment tires installed on your
vehicle, when it was new, were designed to meet
General Motors Tire Performance Criteria Specification
(TPC spec) system rating. If you need replacement
tires, GM strongly recommends that you get tires with
the same TPC Spec rating. This way, your vehicle will
continue to have tires that are designed to give the
same performance and vehicle safety, during normal
use, as the original tires.
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Black plate (74,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
GM's exclusive TPC Spec system considers over a
dozen critical specifications that impact the overall
performance of your vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling, traction control, and tire
pressure monitoring performance. GM's TPC Spec
number is molded onto the tire's sidewall near the tire
size. If the tires have an all ‐ season tread design, the
TPC spec number will be followed by an MS for mud
and snow. See Tire Sidewall Labeling
on page 7 ‑ 60 for
additional information.
GM recommends replacing tires in sets of four. This is
because uniform tread depth on all tires will help keep
your vehicle performing most like it did when the tires
were new. Replacing less than a full set of tires can
affect the braking and handling performance of your
vehicle. See Tire Inspection and Rotation on page 7 ‑ 71
for information on proper tire rotation.
{ WARNING: Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving. If you mix tires of different sizes, brands,
or types (radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle
might not handle properly, and you could have a
crash. Using tires of different sizes, brands,
or types could also cause damage to your vehicle.
Be sure to use the same size, brand, and type of
tires on all wheels.
Your vehicle may have a different size spare than
the road tires (those originally installed on your
vehicle). When new, your vehicle included a spare
tire and wheel assembly with a similar overall
diameter as your vehicle's road tires and wheels,
so it is all right to drive on it. Because this spare
was developed for use on your vehicle, it will not
affect vehicle handling.
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Page 524 of 620

Black plate (76,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which
grades tires by treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This applies only to
vehicles sold in the United States. The grades are
molded on the sidewalls of most passenger car
tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG)
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver, or temporary use spare
tires, tires with nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors
passenger cars and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they must also conform
to federal safety requirements and additional
General Motors Tire Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards. All Passenger Car Tires Must Conform to Federal
Safety Requirements In Addition To These
Grades.
Treadwear The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and a half (1½) times
as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road characteristics
and climate.
Traction – AA, A, B, CThe traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C. Those grades represent the tire's
ability to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
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Page 529 of 620
Black plate (81,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
A. Wheel Block
B. Flat Tire
The following information explains how to use the jack
and change a tire. Removing the Spare Tire and Tools The equipment you will need is stored under the
storage tray, which is located on the driver's side trim
panel (over the rear wheelhouse).
Regular Wheelbase shown, Extended Wheelbase
similar.
1. Remove the tray to access the tools by pulling up
on the finger depression under the jack symbol.
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Page 531 of 620
Black plate (83,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
To access the spare tire:
A. Hoist Assembly
B. Hoist Shaft
C. Hoist Shaft Access
Cover/Hole
D. Jack Handle
Extensions
E. Wheel Wrench
F. Hoist Cable G. Tire/Wheel Retainer
H. Spare Tire (Valve Stem
Pointed Down)
I. Hoist Shaft Access Hole
J. Hoist End of
Extension Tool
K. Spare Tire Lock 1. To reach the hoist shaft access cover (C), you will
first need to remove the hitch cover. Remove it by
turning the two fasteners located at the bottom of
the cover counterclockwise and then pull the cover
down and rotate towards you.
2. Open the hoist shaft access cover (C) on the
bumper to access the spare tire lock (K).
3. To remove the spare tire lock insert the ignition
key, turn it clockwise and then pull the lock out.
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Black plate (84,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
4. Assemble the two jack handle extensions (D) and
wheel wrench (E) as shown.
5. Insert the open end of
the extension (J)
through the hole in the
rear bumper (I) (hoist
shaft access hole). Be sure the hoist end (J) of the extension (D)
connects to the hoist shaft (B). The ribbed square
end of the extension is used to lower the spare tire.
6. Turn the wheel wrench (E) counterclockwise to
lower the spare tire (H) to the ground. Continue to
turn the wheel wrench until the spare tire can be
pulled out from under the vehicle.
If the spare tire does not lower to the ground, the
secondary latch is engaged causing the tire not to
lower. See Secondary Latch System on page 7 ‑ 91
for more information.
7. Use the wheel wrench
hook that allows you to
pull the hoist cable
towards you, to assist
in reaching the
spare tire.
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Page 533 of 620
Black plate (85,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
8. Tilt the tire toward the vehicle with some slack in
the cable to access the tire/wheel retainer (G).
Separate the retainer from the guide pin by sliding
the retainer up the pin while pressing down on the
latch. Once the retainer is separated from the pin, tilt the
retainer and pull it through the center of the wheel
along with the cable and latch.
9. Put the spare tire near the flat tire.
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