2010 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV maintenance

Black plate (6,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Doing Your Own Service Work If this vehicle is a Two ‐ mode Hybrid, see the Two ‐ mode
Hybrid manual for more information.
{ WARNING: You can be injured and the vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a vehicle
without knowing enough about it. .
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts,
and tools before attempting any vehicle
maintenance task. .
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts, and
other fasteners. English and metric fasteners
can be easily confused. If the wrong fasteners
are used, parts can later break or fall off. You
could be hurt. If doing some of your own service work, use the proper
service manual. It tells you much more about how to
service the vehicle than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see Service Publications
Ordering Information on page 9 ‑ 18 .
This vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, see Servicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 2 ‑ 89 .
Keep a record with all parts receipts and list the mileage
and the date of any service work performed. See
Maintenance Record on page 8 ‑ 14 .
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
the Vehicle Things added to the outside of the vehicle can affect the
airflow around it. This can cause wind noise and can
affect fuel economy and windshield washer
performance. Check with your dealer before adding
equipment to the outside of the vehicle.
7-6

Black plate (7,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Fuel Use of the recommended fuel is an important part
of the proper maintenance of this vehicle. To help
keep the engine clean and maintain optimum vehicle
performance, we recommend the use of gasoline
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.
Look for the TOP TIER label on the fuel pump to ensure
gasoline meets enhanced detergency standards
developed by auto companies. A list of marketers
providing TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline can be found
at www.toptiergas.com.
Vehicles that have a FlexFuel badge and a yellow fuel
cap can use either unleaded gasoline or ethanol fuel
containing up to 85% ethanol (E85). See Fuel E85
(85% Ethanol) on page 7 ‑ 9 . For all other vehicles, use
only the unleaded gasoline described under Gasoline
Octane on page 7 ‑ 8 .
7-7

Black plate (22,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter See Engine Compartment Overview on page 7 ‑ 16 for
the location of the engine air cleaner/filter.
Inspect the air cleaner/filter every other oil change and
replace it at the first oil change after each 50,000 mile
(80 000 km) interval. See Scheduled Maintenance on
page 8 ‑ 3 for more information. If driving on dusty/dirty
conditions, inspect the filter at each engine oil change.
How to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter To inspect the air cleaner/filter, remove the engine air
cleaner/filter from the vehicle by following Steps 1
through 6. When the engine air cleaner/filter is
removed, lightly shake it to release loose dust and dirt.
If the engine air cleaner/filter remains caked with dirt, a
new filter is required. Never use compressed air to
clean the filter. Replacing the Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 1. Locate the air cleaner/
filter assembly . See
Engine Compartment
Overview
on
page 7 ‑ 16 .
2. Loosen the four screws on the cover of the
housing and lift up the cover.
7-22

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 (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 (49,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
3. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
4. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the other
vehicle.
5. Return the remote positive (+) terminal cover, if the
vehicle has one, to its original position.
All-Wheel Drive Transfer Case If your vehicle is equipped with All-Wheel Drive, be
sure to perform the lubricant checks described in this
section. There are two additional systems that need
lubrication.
When to Check Lubricant Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine
how often to check the lubricant. See Scheduled
Maintenance on page 8 ‑ 3 . How to Check Lubricant
(A) Drain Plug (B) Filler Plug
To get an accurate reading, the vehicle should be on a
level surface.
If the level is below the bottom of the filler plug hole,
located on the transfer case, you'll need to add some
lubricant. Add enough lubricant to raise the level to
the bottom of the filler plug hole. Use care not to
overtighten the plug.
7-49

Black plate (50,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
What to Use Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of lubricant to use. See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 8 ‑ 10 .
Rear Axle When to Check Lubricant It is not necessary to regularly check rear axle fluid
unless you suspect there is a leak or you hear an
unusual noise. A fluid loss could indicate a problem.
Have it inspected and repaired.
All axle assemblies are filled by volume of fluid during
production. They are not filled to reach a certain level.
When checking the fluid level on any axle, variations in
the readings can be caused by factory fill differences
between the minimum and the maximum fluid volume.
Also, if a vehicle has just been driven before checking
the fluid level, it may appear lower than normal because
fluid has traveled out along the axle tubes and has not
drained back to the sump area. Therefore, a reading
taken five minutes after the vehicle has been driven will
appear to have a lower fluid level than a vehicle that
has been stationary for an hour or two. Remember that
the rear axle assembly must be supported to get a true
reading. How to Check Lubricant
To get an accurate reading, the vehicle should be on a
level surface. .
For Two-Wheel-Drive vehicles, the proper level is
from 0.6 inch to 1.6 inches (15 mm to 40 mm) below
the bottom of the filler plug hole, located on the
rear axle. Add only enough fluid to reach the
proper level. .
For All-Wheel-Drive vehicles, the proper level is
from 0.04 inch to 0.75 inch (1.0 mm to 19.0 mm)
below the bottom of the filler plug hole, located on
the rear axle. Add only enough fluid to reach the
proper level.
7-50

Black plate (51,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
What to Use Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of lubricant to use. See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 8 ‑ 10 .
Front Axle When to Check and Change Lubricant It is not necessary to regularly check front axle fluid
unless you suspect there is a leak or you hear an
unusual noise. A fluid loss could indicate a problem.
Have it inspected and repaired.
How to Check Lubricant To get an accurate reading, the vehicle should be on a
level surface. A: Fill Plug
B: Drain Plug .
When the differential is cold, add enough lubricant
to raise the level from 0 (0 mm) to 1/8 inch
(3.2 mm) below the filler plug hole. .
When the differential is at operating temperature
(warm), add enough lubricant to raise the level to
the bottom of the filler plug hole.
What to Use Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of lubricant to use. See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 8 ‑ 10 .
7-51