2011 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV service

Black plate (81,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-81If the trailer is too light for tow/haul
mode, turn on the headlamps as a
second way to boost the vehicle
system and charge the battery.
Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions These wiring provisions are
included with the vehicle as part of
the trailer wiring package. These
provisions are for an electric brake
controller. The instrument panel
contains blunt cut wires near the
data link connector for the trailer
brake controller. The harness
contains the following wires: .
Dark Blue: Brake Signal to
Trailer Connector .
Red/Black: Battery .
Light Blue/White: Brake Switch .
White: Ground
It should be installed by your dealer
or a qualified service center. Tow/Haul Mode
Pressing this button at the end of
the shift lever turns on and off the
tow/haul mode.
This indicator light on the instrument
panel cluster comes on when the
tow/haul mode is on.
Tow/Haul is a feature that assists
when pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load. See Tow/Haul
Mode on page 9 ‑ 43 for more
information. 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 ” in Trailer
Towing on page 9 ‑ 74 . 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.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care General Information General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition
65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and
Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks Doing Your Own
Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Compartment
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-10
Automatic Transmission
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-14
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-20
Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22 Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-23
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-30
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Ignition Transmission Lock
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-32
Wiper Blade
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-33
Headlamp Aiming Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
High Intensity Discharge
(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36 Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-37
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Electrical System Electrical System
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Wheels and Tires Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Pressure Monitor
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59

Black plate (2,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-2 Vehicle Care When It Is Time for New
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Different Size Tires and
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-65
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-66
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-66
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Secondary Latch System . . . 10-79
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-81
Jump Starting Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Towing Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-87
Recreational Vehicle
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-87
Appearance Care Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-90
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-94
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-98 General Information For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California
Proposition 65 Warning Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems,
many fluids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.

Black plate (3,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-3
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate. Accessories and
Modifications Adding non ‐ dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride
and handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or
the installation or use of non ‐ GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is
not covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts. GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. Your GM
dealer can accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories.
When you go to your GM dealer
and ask for GM Accessories, you
will know that GM-trained and
supported service technicians will
perform the work using genuine GM
Accessories.
Also, see Adding Equipment to
the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3 ‑ 49 .

Black plate (4,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-4 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Checks Doing Your Own
Service Work If the vehicle is a hybrid, see
the hybrid supplement for more
information.
{ WARNINGYou 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.
(Continued) WARNING (Continued) .
Be sure to use the proper
nuts, bolts, and other
fasteners. Metric and English
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 13 ‑ 15 . This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see Airbag System
Check on page 3 ‑ 50 .
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date
of any service work performed.
See Maintenance Records on
page 11 ‑ 10 .

Black plate (8,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-8 Vehicle Care Checking Engine Oil It is a good idea to check the engine
oil level at each fuel fill. In order to
get an accurate reading, the vehicle
must be on level ground. The
engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow
loop. See Engine Compartment
Overview on page 10 ‑ 6 for the
location of the engine oil dipstick.
Obtaining an accurate oil level
reading is essential:
1. If the engine has been running
recently, turn off the engine and
allow several minutes for the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Checking the oil level too soon
after engine shutoff will not
provide an accurate oil level
reading.
2. Pull out the dipstick and clean
it with a paper towel or cloth,
then push it back in all the way.
Remove it again, keeping the tip
down, and check the level. When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick, add
1 L (1 qt) of the recommended oil
and then recheck the level. See
“ Selecting the Right Engine Oil ”
in this section for an explanation
of what kind of oil to use. For
engine oil crankcase capacity, see
Capacities and Specifications on
page 12 ‑ 2 .
Notice: Do not add too much oil.
Oil levels above or below the
acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful
to the engine. If you find that
you have an oil level above the
operating range, i.e., the engine
has so much oil that the oil level
gets above the cross-hatched area that shows the proper
operating range, the engine
could be damaged. You should
drain out the excess oil or limit
driving of the vehicle and seek a
service professional to remove
the excess amount of oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10 ‑ 6 for the location of the
engine oil fill cap.
Add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when through.
Selecting the Right Engine Oil Selecting the right engine oil
depends on both the proper oil
specification and viscosity grade:
Specification
Use and ask for engine oils with
the dexos ™ certification mark. Oils
meeting the requirements of the
vehicle should have the dexos
certification mark on the container.

Black plate (9,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-9This certification mark indicates that
the oil has been approved to the
dexos specification.
This vehicle was filled at the factory
with dexos ‐ approved engine oil.
Notice: Use only engine oil
that is approved to the dexos
specification or an equivalent
engine oil of the appropriate
viscosity grade. Engine oils
approved to the dexos
specification will show the
dexos symbol on the container.
Failure to use the recommended
engine oil or equivalent can
result in engine damage not
covered by the vehicle warranty. If you are unsure whether the
oil is approved to the dexos
specification, ask your service
provider.
Use of Substitute Engine Oils if
dexos is unavailable: In the event
that dexos ‐ approved engine oil is
not available at an oil change or
for maintaining proper oil level,
you may use substitute engine oil
displaying the API Starburst symbol
and of SAE 5W-30 viscosity grade.
Use of oils that do not meet the
dexos specification, however, may
result in reduced performance under
certain circumstances.
Viscosity Grade
SAE 5W-30 is the best viscosity
grade for the vehicle. Do not
use other viscosity oils such as
SAE 10W ‐ 30, 10W ‐ 40, or 20W-50.
Cold Temperature Operation:
In an area of extreme cold,
where the temperature falls
below − 29°C ( − 20°F), an
SAE 0W-30 oil should be used.

Black plate (10,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-10 Vehicle Care An oil of this viscosity grade will
provide easier cold starting for
the engine at extremely low
temperatures. When selecting an oil
of the appropriate viscosity grade,
be sure to always select an oil that
meets the required specification,
dexos. See “ Specification ” earlier in
this section for more information.
Engine Oil Additives/Engine
Oil Flushes Do not add anything to the oil. The
recommended oils with the dexos
specification and displaying the
dexos certification mark are all that
is needed for good performance and
engine protection.
Engine oil system flushes are not
recommended and could cause
engine damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain
elements that can be unhealthy for
your skin and could even cause
cancer. Do not let used oil stay on your skin for very long. Clean your
skin and nails with soap and water,
or a good hand cleaner. Wash or
properly dispose of clothing or rags
containing used engine oil. See the
manufacturer's warnings about the
use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the
environment. If you change your
own oil, be sure to drain all the oil
from the filter before disposal. Never
dispose of oil by putting it in the
trash or pouring it on the ground,
into sewers, or into streams or
bodies of water. Recycle it by taking
it to a place that collects used oil.
Engine Oil Life System When to Change Engine Oil
This vehicle has a computer system
that indicates when to change the
engine oil and filter. This is based
on engine revolutions and engine
temperature, and not on mileage.
Based on driving conditions, the
mileage at which an oil change is
indicated can vary considerably. For the oil life system to work
properly, the system must be reset
every time the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated
that oil life has been diminished, it
indicates that an oil change is
necessary. A CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message comes on. See
Engine Oil Messages on page 5 ‑ 34 .
Change the oil as soon as possible
within the next 1 000 km (600 mi).
It is possible that, if driving under
the best conditions, the oil life
system might indicate that an oil
change is not necessary for up to a
year. The engine oil and filter must
be changed at least once a year
and, at this time, the system must
be reset. Your dealer has trained
service people who will perform this
work and reset the system. It is also
important to check the oil regularly
over the course of an oil drain
interval and keep it at the proper
level.