2011 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV maintenance

Black plate (19,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-19If the malfunction indicator lamp
comes on and stays on while the
engine is running, this indicates that
there is an OBD II problem and
service is required.
Malfunctions often are indicated by
the system before any problem is
apparent. Being aware of the light
can prevent more serious damage
to the vehicle. This system assists
the service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.
Notice: If the vehicle is
continually driven with this light
on the emission controls might
not work as well, the vehicle fuel
economy might not be as good,
and the engine might not run as
smoothly. This could lead to
costly repairs that might not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. Notice: Modifications made to the
engine, transmission, exhaust,
intake, or fuel system of the
vehicle or the replacement of
the original tires with other
than those of the same Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) can
affect the vehicle's emission
controls and can cause this light
to come on. Modifications to
these systems could lead to
costly repairs not covered by
the vehicle warranty. This
could also result in a failure to
pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test.
See Accessories and
Modifications on page 10 ‑ 3 .
This light comes on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing: A misfire condition
has been detected. A misfire
increases vehicle emissions and
could damage the emission control
system on the vehicle. Diagnosis
and service might be required. To prevent more serious damage to
the vehicle: .
Reduce vehicle speed. .
Avoid hard accelerations. .
Avoid steep uphill grades. .
If towing a trailer, reduce the
amount of cargo being hauled as
soon as it is possible.
If the light continues to flash, when
it is safe to do so, stop the vehicle.
Find a safe place to park the
vehicle. Turn the vehicle off, wait at
least 10 seconds, and restart the
engine. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps and see
your dealer for service as soon as
possible.
Light On Steady: An emission
control system malfunction has
been detected on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be
required.

Black plate (20,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
5-20 Instruments and Controls The following may correct an
emissions system malfunction: .
Make sure the fuel cap is fully
installed. See Filling the Tank on
page 9 ‑ 68 . The diagnostic
system can determine if the
fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap allows fuel to
evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap
properly installed should turn the
light off. .
Make sure the electrical system
is not wet. The system could be
wet if the vehicle was driven
through a deep puddle of
water. The condition is usually
corrected when the electrical
system dries out. A few driving
trips should turn the light off. .
Make sure to fuel the vehicle
with quality fuel. Poor fuel quality
causes the engine not to run as
efficiently as designed and can
cause: stalling after start-up,
stalling when the vehicle is
changed into gear, misfiring,
hesitation on acceleration,
or stumbling on acceleration.
These conditions might go away
once the engine is warmed up.
If one or more of these conditions
occurs, change the fuel brand used.
It will require at least one full tank of
the proper fuel to turn the light off.
See Recommended Fuel on
page 9 ‑ 64 .
If none of the above have made
the light turn off, your dealer can
check the vehicle. The dealer
has the proper test equipment
and diagnostic tools to fix any
mechanical or electrical problems
that might have developed. Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs Some state/provincial and local
governments may have programs
to inspect the on-vehicle emission
control equipment. For the
inspection, the emission system
test equipment is connected
to the vehicle ’ s Data Link
Connector (DLC).
The DLC is under the instrument
panel to the left of the steering
wheel. See your dealer if
assistance is needed.

Black plate (24,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
5-24 Instruments and Controls When the Light is On Steady
This indicates that one or more of
the tires are significantly
underinflated.
A tire pressure message can
accompany the light. See Tire
Messages on page 5 ‑ 39 for more
information. Stop as soon as
possible, and inflate the tires to the
pressure value shown on the Tire
and Loading Information label. See
Tire Pressure on page 10 ‑ 52 for
more information.
When the Light Flashes First and
Then is On Steady
This indicates that there may be a
problem with the TPMS. The light
flashes for about a minute and stays
on steady for the remainder of the
ignition cycle. This sequence
repeats with every ignition cycle.
See Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation on page 10 ‑ 56 for
more information. Engine Oil Pressure Light
{ WARNINGDo not keep driving if the oil
pressure is low. The engine can
become so hot that it catches fire.
Someone could be burned. Check
the oil as soon as possible and
have the vehicle serviced. Notice: Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always follow the maintenance
schedule for changing engine oil.
This light comes on briefly while
starting the engine. If it does not,
have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer. If the system is working
normally the indicator light then
goes off.
If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and it might
have some other system problem.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.

Black plate (29,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-29Average Vehicle Speed
Press the trip/fuel button until
AVERAGE SPEED displays. This
display shows the average speed in
kilometers per hour (km/h) or miles
per hour (MPH).
Blank Display
This display shows no information.
Vehicle Information Menu
Items
T (Vehicle Information): Press
to scroll through the following menu
items:
Oil Life
Press the vehicle information
button until OIL LIFE REMAINING
displays. This display shows an
estimate of the oil's remaining useful
life. If you see 99% OIL LIFE
REMAINING on the display, that
means 99% of the current oil life
remains. The engine oil life system
will alert you to change the oil on a
schedule consistent with your
driving conditions. When the remaining oil life is low,
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the display.
See “ CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON ”
under Engine Oil Messages on
page 5 ‑ 34 . You should change the
oil as soon as you can. See Engine
Oil on page 10 ‑ 7 . In addition to the
engine oil life system monitoring the
oil life, additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance
Schedule in this manual. See
Scheduled Maintenance on
page 11 ‑ 2 for more information.
Remember, you must reset the OIL
LIFE display yourself after each oil
change. It will not reset itself. Also,
be careful not to reset the OIL LIFE
display accidentally at any time
other than when the oil has just
been changed. It cannot be reset
accurately until the next oil change.
To reset the engine oil life system,
see Engine Oil Life System on
page 10 ‑ 10 . Side Blind Zone Alert
If your vehicle has the Side Blind
Zone Alert (SBZA) system, this
display allows the system to be
turned on or off. Once in this
display, press the set/reset button to
select between ON or OFF. If you
choose ON, the system will be
turned on. If you choose OFF, the
system will be turned off. When the
SBZA system is turned off, the DIC
will display the SIDE BLIND ZONE
ALERT SYSTEM OFF message as
a reminder that the system has
been turned off. See Object
Detection System Messages on
page 5 ‑ 36 and Side Blind Zone Alert
(SBZA) on page 9 ‑ 56 for more
information.

Black plate (34,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
5-34 Instruments and Controls
Engine Oil Messages CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON This message displays when the
engine oil needs to be changed.
When you change the engine oil, be
sure to reset the CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message. See Engine
Oil Life System on page 10 ‑ 10 for
information on how to reset the
message. See Engine Oil on
page 10 ‑ 7 and Scheduled
Maintenance on page 11 ‑ 2 for
more information.
ENGINE OIL HOT
IDLE ENGINE This message displays when the
engine oil becomes hotter than the
normal operating temperature. Stop
and allow the vehicle to idle until it
cools down. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge on page 5 ‑ 14 . OIL PRESSURE LOW
STOP ENGINE Notice: If you drive the vehicle
while the engine oil pressure is
low, severe engine damage may
occur. If a low oil pressure
warning appears on the Driver
Information Center (DIC), stop the
vehicle as soon as possible. Do
not drive the vehicle until the
cause of the low oil pressure is
corrected. See Engine Oil on
page 10 ‑ 7 for more information.
This message displays if low oil
pressure levels occur. Stop the
vehicle as soon as safely possible
and do not operate it until the cause
of the low oil pressure has been
corrected. Check the oil as soon
as possible and have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. See Engine
Oil on page 10 ‑ 7 .Engine Power Messages ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED This message displays and a chime
sounds when the cooling system
temperature gets too hot and the
engine further enters the engine
coolant protection mode. See
Engine Overheating on page 10 ‑ 20
for further information.
This message also displays when
the engine power is reduced.
Reduced engine power can affect
the vehicle's ability to accelerate.
If this message is on, but there is
no reduction in performance,
proceed to your destination. The
performance may be reduced the
next time the vehicle is driven. The
vehicle may be driven at a reduced
speed while this message is on, but
acceleration and speed may be
reduced. Anytime this message
stays on, the vehicle should be
taken to your dealer for service as
soon as possible.

Black plate (8,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
9-8 Driving and Operating Off-roading involves some new
skills. That is why it is very
important that you read these
driving tips and suggestions to
help make off-road driving safer
and more enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading .
Have all necessary maintenance
and service work done. .
Make sure there is enough fuel,
that fluid levels are where they
should be, and that the spare
tire, if the vehicle has one, is
fully inflated. .
Be sure to read all the
information about all-wheel-drive
vehicles in this manual. .
Make sure all underbody
shields, if the vehicle has
them, are properly attached. .
Know the local laws that apply
to off-roading where you will
be driving or check with law
enforcement people in the area. .
Be sure to get the necessary
permission if you will be on
private land.
If you think you will need some
more ground clearance at the front
of your vehicle, you can remove the
front fascia lower air dam. The air
dam is held in place by two bolts
and 10 snaps accessible from
underneath the front fascia.
To remove the air dam:
1. Remove the two outboard air
dam bolts.
2. With a flat ‐ blade tool, disengage
the snaps. 3. After the bolts are removed and
the snaps are disengaged, push
forward on the air dam until it
is free.
Notice: Operating your vehicle
for extended periods without
the front fascia lower air dam
installed can cause improper air
flow to the engine. Always be
sure to replace the front fascia air
dam when you are finished
off-road driving.
After off-roading, be sure to reinstall
the air dam:
1. Line up the snaps and push the
air dam rearward to engage the
snaps.
2. Install the two outboard bolts.

Black plate (18,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
9-18 Driving and Operating 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 on Wet
Roads on page 9 ‑ 18 . 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 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.
{ WARNINGWet 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.
(Continued)

Black plate (63,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-63When the System Does Not
Seem To Work Properly The rear vision camera system
might not work properly or display
a clear image if: .
The RVC is turned off. See
“ Turning the Rear Camera
System On or Off ” earlier in
this section. .
It is dark. .
The sun or the beam of
headlights is shining directly
into the camera lens. .
Ice, snow, mud, or anything else
builds up on the camera lens.
Clean the lens, rinse it with
water, and wipe it with a soft
cloth. .
The back of the vehicle is in an
accident, the position and
mounting angle of the camera
can change or the camera can
be affected. Be sure to have
the camera and its position and
mounting angle checked at your
dealer. 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 9 ‑ 66 . For all other vehicles,
use only the unleaded gasoline
described under Recommended
Fuel on page 9 ‑ 64 .