2010 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV tires

Black plate (23,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Stalling on an Incline
{ WARNING: Getting out on the downhill (low) side of a vehicle
stopped across an incline is dangerous. If the
vehicle rolls over, you could be crushed or killed.
Always get out on the uphill (high) side of the
vehicle and stay well clear of the rollover path.
If the vehicle stalls when crossing an incline, be sure
you, and any passengers, get out on the uphill side,
even if the door there is harder to open. If you get out
on the downhill side and the vehicle starts to roll over,
you will be right in its path.
If you have to walk down the slope, stay out of the path
the vehicle will take if it does roll over.
Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow, or Ice When you drive in mud, snow, or sand, the wheels do
not get good traction. Acceleration is not as quick,
turning is more difficult, and braking distances are
longer.
It is best to use a low gear when in mud — the deeper
the mud, the lower the gear. In really deep mud, keep
the vehicle moving so it does not get stuck. When driving on sand, wheel traction changes. On
loosely packed sand, such as on beaches or sand
dunes, the tires will tend to sink into the sand. This
affects steering, accelerating, and braking. Drive at a
reduced speed and avoid sharp turns or abrupt
maneuvers.
Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction.
On these surfaces, it is very easy to lose control. On
wet ice, for example, the traction is so poor that you will
have difficulty accelerating. And, if the vehicle does get
moving, poor steering and difficult braking can cause it
to slide out of control.
{ WARNING: Driving on frozen lakes, ponds, or rivers can be
dangerous. Underwater springs, currents under
the ice, or sudden thaws can weaken the ice. Your
vehicle could fall through the ice and you and your
passengers could drown. Drive your vehicle on
safe surfaces only.
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Black plate (24,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Driving in Water
{ WARNING: Driving through rushing water can be dangerous.
Deep water can sweep your vehicle downstream
and you and your passengers could drown. If it is
only shallow water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires, and you could lose
traction and roll the vehicle over. Do not drive
through rushing water.
Heavy rain can mean flash flooding, and flood waters
demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before driving through it.
Do not try it if it is deep enough to cover the wheel
hubs, axles, or exhaust pipe — you probably will not get
through. Deep water can damage the axle and other
vehicle parts.
If the water is not too deep, drive slowly through it. At
faster speeds, water splashes on the ignition system
and the vehicle can stall. Stalling can also occur if you
get the tailpipe under water. If the tailpipe is under
water, you will never be able to start the engine. When
going through water, remember that when the brakes
get wet, it might take longer to stop. See Driving in Rain
and on Wet Roads on page 6 ‑ 25 . After Off-Road Driving Remove any brush or debris that has collected
on the underbody, chassis, or under the hood.
These accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings
cleaned and checked. These substances can cause
glazing and uneven braking. Check the body structure,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires, and exhaust system
for damage and check the fuel lines and cooling system
for any leakage.
The vehicle requires more frequent service due to
off-road use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule for
additional information.
Driving at Night Night driving is more dangerous than day driving
because some drivers are likely to be impaired — by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by
fatigue.
Night driving tips include: .
Drive defensively. .
Do not drink and drive. .
Reduce headlamp glare by adjusting the inside
rearview mirror.
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Black plate (25,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010 .
Slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles because headlamps can only light
up so much road ahead. .
Watch for animals. .
When tired, pull off the road. .
Do not wear sunglasses. .
Avoid staring directly into approaching headlamps. .
Keep the windshield and all glass on your vehicle
clean — inside and out..
Keep your eyes moving, especially during turns or
curves.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But, as we get older, these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver might need at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle traction and
affect your ability to stop and accelerate. Always drive
slower in these types of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and deep ‐ standing or
flowing water. { WARNING: Wet brakes can cause crashes. They might not
work as well in a quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could lose control of the
vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water or a
car/vehicle wash, lightly apply the brake pedal
until the brakes work normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces.
Driving through flowing water could cause your
vehicle to be carried away. If this happens, you
and other vehicle occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be very cautious about
trying to drive through flowing water.
Hydroplaning Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water can build up under
your vehicle's tires so they actually ride on the water.
This can happen if the road is wet enough and you are
going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning, it
has little or no contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about hydroplaning.
The best advice is to slow down when the road is wet.
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Black plate (26,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Other Rainy Weather Tips Besides slowing down, other wet weather driving tips
include: .
Allow extra following distance. .
Pass with caution. .
Keep windshield wiping equipment in good shape. .
Keep the windshield washer fluid reservoir filled. .
Have good tires with proper tread depth. See Tires
on page 7 ‑ 58 ..
Turn off cruise control.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip To prepare your vehicle for a long trip, consider having
it serviced by your dealer before departing.
Things to check on your own include: .
Windshield Washer Fluid: Reservoir full? Windows
clean — inside and outside?.
Wiper Blades: In good shape?.
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: All levels checked?.
Lamps: Do they all work and are lenses clean? .
Tires: Are treads good? Are tires inflated to
recommended pressure? .
Weather and Maps: Safe to travel? Have
up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis Always be alert and pay attention to your surroundings
while driving. If you become tired or sleepy, find a safe
place to park your vehicle and rest.
Other driving tips include: .
Keep the vehicle well ventilated. .
Keep interior temperature cool. .
Keep your eyes moving — scan the road ahead
and to the sides. .
Check the rearview mirror and vehicle instruments
often.
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Black plate (27,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Hill and Mountain Roads Driving on steep hills or through mountains is different
than driving on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for driving in
these conditions include: .
Keep the vehicle serviced and in good shape. .
Check all fluid levels and brakes, tires, cooling
system, and transmission. .
Going down steep or long hills, shift to a
lower gear.
{ WARNING: If you do not shift down, the brakes could get so
hot that they would not work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep downhill slope. { WARNING: Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. The brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down and they could
get so hot that they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none going
down a hill. You could crash. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle in gear when
going downhill. .
Stay in your own lane. Do not swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that
let you stay in your own lane. .
Top of hills: Be alert — something could be in your
lane (stalled car, accident). .
Pay attention to special road signs (falling rocks
area, winding roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take appropriate action.
See Off-Road Driving
on page 6 ‑ 13 for information
about driving off-road.
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Black plate (28,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Winter Driving Driving on Snow or Ice Drive carefully when there is snow or ice between the
tires and the road, creating less traction or grip. Wet ice
can occur at about 0°C (32°F) when freezing rain
begins to fall, resulting in even less traction. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the condition. Accelerate
gently so traction is not lost. Accelerating too quickly
causes the wheels to spin and makes the surface under
the tires slick, so there is even less traction.
Try not to break the fragile traction. If you accelerate too
fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface
under the tires even more.
The StabiliTrak ®
System on page 6 ‑ 6 improves the
ability to accelerate on slippery roads, but slow down
and adjust your driving to the road conditions. When
driving through deep snow, turn off the traction control
part of the StabiliTrak ®
System to help maintain vehicle
motion at lower speeds. The Antilock Brake System (ABS) on page 6 ‑ 5
improves vehicle stability during hard stops on a
slippery roads, but apply the brakes sooner than when
on dry pavement.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road
and watch for slippery spots. Icy patches can occur on
otherwise clear roads in shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while on ice.
Turn off cruise control, if equipped, on slippery surfaces.
Blizzard Conditions Being stuck in snow can be in a serious situation. Stay
with the vehicle unless there is help nearby. If possible,
use the Roadside Service
on page 9 ‑ 8 . To get help
and keep everyone in the vehicle safe: .
Turn on the Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 4 ‑ 3
. .
Tie a red cloth to an outside mirror.
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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 (33,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
The Tire and Loading Information label also
shows the size of the original equipment tires (C)
and the recommended cold tire inflation
pressures (D). For more information on tires and
inflation see Tires
on page 7 ‑ 58 and Inflation - Tire
Pressure
on page 7 ‑ 65 .
There is also important loading information on the
vehicle Certification/Tire label. It tells you the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for the front
and rear axles. See “ Certification/Tire Label ” later
in this section.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit 1.
Locate the statement “ The combined weight
of occupants and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or XXX lbs ” on your vehicle's placard.2.
Determine the combined weight of the driver
and passengers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
3.
Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs. 4.
The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the “ XXX ” amount equals
1400 lbs and there will be five 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400 − 750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).5.
Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated in
Step 4. 6.
If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, the load
from your trailer will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual to determine
how this reduces the available cargo and
luggage load capacity of your vehicle. See
Towing a Trailer
on page 6 ‑ 42 for important
information on towing a trailer, towing safety
rules and trailering tips.
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