2010 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT engine

{WARNING:
Heavy braking when going down a hill can cause
your brakes to overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and a serious accident.
Apply the brakes lightly when descending a hill
and use a low gear to keep vehicle speed
under control.
Things not to do when driving down a hill:
.When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across the incline of the hill. A hill that is not too
steep to drive down might be too steep to drive
across. The vehicle could roll over.
.Never go downhill with the transmission in
N (Neutral), called free-wheeling. The brakes will
have to do all the work and could overheat
and fade. Vehicles are much more likely to stall when going uphill,
but if it happens when going downhill:
1. Stop the vehicle by applying the regular brakes and apply the parking brake.
2. Shift to P (Park) and, while still braking, restart the engine.
3. Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake, and drive straight down.
4. If the engine will not start, get out and get help.
6-21

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.
6-24

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.
SeeTires on page 7‑57.
.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/retailer 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.
6-26

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 6‑13for information
about driving off-road.
6-27

{WARNING:
Snow can trap engine exhaust under the vehicle.
This may cause exhaust gases to get inside.
Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide (CO)
which cannot be seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
.Clear away snow from around the base of
your vehicle, especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe.
.Check again from time to time to be sure
snow does not collect there.
.Open a window about 5 cm (two inches) on
the side of the vehicle that is away from the
wind to bring in fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets on or under the
instrument panel.
.Adjust the Climate Control system to a setting
that circulates the air inside the vehicle and
set the fan speed to the highest setting.
See Climate Control System in the Index.(Continued)
WARNING: (Continued)
For more information about carbon monoxide, see
Engine Exhaust on page 3‑44.
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill you.
You cannot see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking the exhaust.
Run the engine for short periods only as needed to
keep warm, but be careful.
To save fuel, run the engine for only short periods as
needed to warm the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of the way to save heat.
Repeat this until help arrives but only when you feel
really uncomfortable from the cold. Moving about to
keep warm also helps.
If it takes some time for help to arrive, now and then
when you run the engine, push the accelerator pedal
slightly so the engine runs faster than the idle speed.
This keeps the battery charged to restart the vehicle
and to signal for help with the headlamps. Do this as
little as possible to save fuel.
6-29

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 7‑77.
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 6‑39.
6-30

Pulling A Trailer
Here are some important points:
.There are many different laws, including speed
limit restrictions, having to do with trailering.
Make sure the rig will be legal, not only where you
live but also where you will be driving. A good
source for this information can be state or
provincial police.
.Consider using a sway control. See“Hitches”later
in this section.
.Do not tow a trailer at all during the first 500 miles
(800 km) the new vehicle is driven. The engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
.Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that a
trailer is towed, do not drive over 50 mph (80 km/h)
and do not make starts at full throttle. This helps
the engine and other parts of the vehicle wear in at
the heavier loads.
.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.
Important considerations that have to do with weight:
.The weight of the trailer
.The weight of the trailer tongue
.The weight on the vehicle's tires
.And the weight of the trailering combination
6-43

Tow/Haul is designed to be most effective when the
vehicle and trailer combined weight is at least
75 percent of the vehicle's Gross Combined Weight
Rating (GCWR). See“Weight of the Trailer” earlier in
the section. Tow/Haul is most useful under the following
driving conditions:
.When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy
load through rolling terrain.
.When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy
load in stop and go traffic.
.When pulling a heavy trailer or a large or heavy
load in busy parking lots where improved low
speed control of the vehicle is desired. Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul when lightly loaded
or with no trailer at all will not cause damage. However,
there is no benefit to the selection of Tow/Haul when the
vehicle is unloaded. Such a selection when unloaded
may result in unpleasant engine and transmission
driving characteristics and reduced fuel economy.
Tow/Haul is recommended only when pulling a heavy
trailer or a large or heavy load.
Trailer Brakes
A loaded trailer that weighs more than 2,000 lbs
(900 kg) needs to have its own brake system that is
adequate for the weight of the trailer. Be sure to read
and follow the instructions for the trailer brakes so they
are installed, adjusted and maintained properly.
Since the vehicle is equipped with StabiliTrak
®, the
trailer brakes cannot tap into the vehicle's hydraulic
system.
6-49