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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
.
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Black plate (42,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Brake Wear This vehicle has disc brakes. Disc brake pads have
built-in wear indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads are worn and new
pads are needed. The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time the vehicle is moving, except when
applying the brake pedal firmly.
{ WARNING: The brake wear warning sound means that soon
the brakes will not work well. That could lead to a
crash. When the brake wear warning sound is
heard, have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates can cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
the brakes. Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to torque specifications in
Capacities and Specifications on page 7 ‑ 117 .
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign that brake service might be
required.
Brake Adjustment Every brake stop, the disc brakes adjust for wear.
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Black plate (43,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Replacing Brake System Parts The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. The vehicle
was designed and tested with top-quality brake parts.
When parts of the braking system are replaced — for
example, when the brake linings wear down and new
ones are installed — be sure to get new approved
replacement parts. If this is not done, the brakes might
not work properly. For example, if someone puts in
brake linings that are wrong for the vehicle, the balance
between the front and rear brakes can change — for the
worse. The braking performance expected can change
in many other ways if the wrong replacement brake
parts are installed. Battery If the vehicle is a Two ‐ mode Hybrid, see the Two ‐ mode
Hybrid manual for more information.
Refer to the replacement number on the original battery
label when a new battery is needed. See Engine
Compartment Overview on page 7 ‑ 16 for battery
location.
{ DANGER: Battery posts, terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds, chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer
and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling.
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Black plate (44,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Vehicle Storage
{ WARNING: Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
are not careful. See Jump Starting
on page 7 ‑ 44
for tips on working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: Remove the black, negative ( − ) cable
from the battery to keep the battery from running down.
Extended Storage: Remove the black, negative ( − )
cable from the battery or use a battery trickle charger. Jump Starting If the vehicle is a Two-mode Hybrid, see the Two-mode
Hybrid manual for more information.
If the vehicle's battery (or batteries) has run down, you
may want to use another vehicle and some jumper
cables to start your vehicle. Be sure to use the following
steps to do it safely.
{ WARNING: Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous
because: .
They contain acid that can burn you. .
They contain gas that can explode or ignite. .
They contain enough electricity to burn you.
If you do not follow these steps exactly, some or
all of these things can hurt you.
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Black plate (45,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Notice: Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to the vehicle that would not be covered by
the warranty.
Trying to start the vehicle by pushing or pulling it
will not work, and it could damage the vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
Notice: If the other vehicle's system is not a 12-volt
system with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged. Only use vehicles with 12-volt systems
with negative grounds to jump start your vehicle.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper
cables can reach, but be sure the vehicles are not
touching each other. If they are, it could cause a
ground connection you do not want. You would
not be able to start your vehicle, and the bad
grounding could damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake firmly on both vehicles involved
in the jump start procedure. Put the automatic
transmission in P (Park) or a manual transmission
in Neutral before setting the parking brake. If you
have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, be sure the
transfer case is in a drive gear, not in Neutral. Notice: If you leave the radio or other accessories
on during the jump starting procedure, they could
be damaged. The repairs would not be covered by
the warranty. Always turn off the radio and other
accessories when jump starting the vehicle.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the
cigarette lighter or the accessory power outlets.
Turn off the radio and all the lamps that are not
needed. This avoids sparks and helps save both
batteries. And it could save the radio!
4. Open the hood on the other vehicle and locate the
positive (+) and negative ( − ) terminal locations on
that vehicle.
Your vehicle has a remote positive (+) jump starting
terminal and a remote negative ( − ) jump starting
terminal. You should always use these remote
terminals instead of the terminals on the battery.
If the vehicle has a remote positive (+) terminal, it
is located under a red plastic cover at the positive
battery post. To uncover the remote positive (+)
terminal, open the red plastic cover.
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Black plate (46,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
The remote negative ( − ) terminal is a stud located
on the right front of the engine, where the negative
battery cable attaches.
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 7 ‑ 16
for more information on the location of the remote
positive (+) and remote negative ( − ) terminals.{ WARNING: An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
{ WARNING: Using an open flame near a battery can cause
battery gas to explode. People have been hurt
doing this, and some have been blinded. Use a
flashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You do not
need to add water to the battery installed in your
new vehicle. But if a battery has filler caps, be
sure the right amount of fluid is there. If it is low,
add water to take care of that first. If you do not,
explosive gas could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you. Do
not get it on you. If you accidentally get it in your
eyes or on your skin, flush the place with water
and get medical help immediately.
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Black plate (47,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
{ WARNING: Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engine is running.
5. Check that the jumper cables do not have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a
shock. The vehicles could be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some
basic things you should know. Positive (+) will go to
positive (+) or to a remote positive (+) terminal if
the vehicle has one. Negative ( − ) will go to a
heavy, unpainted metal engine part or to a remote
negative ( − ) terminal if the vehicle has one.
Do not connect positive (+) to negative ( − ) or you
will get a short that would damage the battery and
maybe other parts too. And do not connect the
negative ( − ) cable to the negative ( − ) terminal on
the dead battery because this can cause sparks. 6. Connect the red
positive (+) cable to the
positive (+) terminal of
the vehicle with the
dead battery. Use a
remote positive (+)
terminal if the vehicle
has one.
7. Do not let the other end touch metal. Connect it to
the positive (+) terminal of the good battery. Use a
remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
8. Now connect the black negative ( − ) cable to the
negative ( − ) terminal of the good battery. Use a
remote negative ( − ) terminal if the vehicle has one.
Do not let the other end touch anything until the
next step. The other end of the negative ( − ) cable
does not go to the dead battery. It goes to a heavy,
unpainted metal engine part or to the remote
negative ( − ) terminal on the vehicle with the dead
battery.
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Black plate (48,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
9. Connect the other end of the negative ( − ) cable to
the remote negative ( − ) terminal, on the vehicle
with the dead battery.
10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while.
11. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery.
If it will not start after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
Notice: If the jumper cables are connected or
removed in the wrong order, electrical shorting may
occur and damage the vehicle. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Always
connect and remove the jumper cables in the
correct order, making sure that the cables do not
touch each other or other metal.
Jumper Cable Removal
A. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine Part or Remote
Negative ( − ) Terminal
B. Good Battery or Remote Positive (+) and Remote
Negative ( − ) Terminals
C. Dead Battery or Remote Positive (+) Terminal
To disconnect the jumper cables from both vehicles do
the following:
1. Disconnect the black negative ( − ) cable from the
vehicle that had the bad battery.
2. Disconnect the black negative ( − ) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
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