2011 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV check engine

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 (20,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
9-20 Driving and Operating
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 the 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. 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. .
Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{ 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. { WARNINGCoasting 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.

Black plate (22,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
9-22 Driving and Operating Blizzard Conditions Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use the Roadside
Service (U.S. and Canada) on
page 13 ‑ 7 or Roadside Service
(Mexico) on page 13 ‑ 10 . To get
help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe: .
Turn on the hazard warning
flashers. .
Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{ 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.
(Continued) WARNING (Continued) 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
(2 in) 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 9 ‑ 38 .
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.

Black plate (34,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
9-34 Driving and Operating The vehicle has a
Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in
starting the engine and protects
components. If the ignition key
is turned to the START position,
and then released when the
engine begins cranking, the
engine will continue cranking
for a few seconds or until the
vehicle starts. If the engine does
not start and the key is held in
START, cranking will be stopped
after 15 seconds to prevent
cranking motor damage. To
prevent gear damage, this
system also prevents cranking if
the engine is already running.
Engine cranking can be stopped
by turning the ignition switch to
the ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF position.
When the Low Fuel warning
lamp is on and the FUEL LEVEL
LOW message is displayed in the Driver Information Center
(DIC), the Computer ‐ Controlled
Cranking System is disabled
to prevent possible vehicle
component damage. When
this happens, hold the ignition
switch in the START position to
continue engine cranking.
Notice: Cranking the engine for
long periods of time, by returning
the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start
after 5 ‐ 10 seconds, especially in
very cold weather (below − 18°C
or 0°F), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing
the accelerator pedal all the
way to the floor and holding it
there as you hold the key in
START for up to a maximum of 15 seconds. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try, to
allow the cranking motor to cool
down. When the engine starts,
let go of the key and accelerator.
If the vehicle starts briefly but
then stops again, repeat these
steps. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine. Do
not race the engine immediately
after starting it. Operate the
engine and transmission gently
until the oil warms up and
lubricates all moving parts.
Notice: The engine is designed
to work with the electronics in
the vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could
change the way the engine
operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your
dealer. If you do not, the engine
might not perform properly. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.

Black plate (45,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-45
Drive Systems All-Wheel Drive If the vehicle has this feature,
engine power is sent to all four
wheels when extra traction is
needed. This is like four-wheel
drive, but there is no separate lever
or switch to engage or disengage
the front axle. It is fully automatic,
and adjusts itself as needed for road
conditions.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see
“ Four-Wheel Drive ” in the hybrid
supplement. Brakes Antilock Brake
System (ABS) This vehicle has the Antilock
Brake System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the engine is started and the
vehicle begins to drive away, ABS
checks itself. A momentary motor or
clicking noise might be heard while
this test is going on, and it might
even be noticed that the brake
pedal moves a little. This is normal. If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5 ‑ 22 .
If driving safely on a wet road
and it becomes necessary to slam
on the brakes and continue braking
to avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.

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 .

Black plate (64,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
9-64 Driving and Operating
Recommended Fuel If the vehicles has the 6.0L
V8 engine (VIN Code J), use regular
unleaded gasoline with a posted
octane rating of 87 or higher. If the
octane rating is less than 87, an
audible knocking noise, commonly
referred to as spark knock, might be
heard when driving. If this occurs,
use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher as soon as possible. If heavy
knocking is heard when using
gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher, the engine needs service.
If the vehicle has the 6.2L V8 engine
(VIN Code F), use premium
unleaded gasoline with a posted
octane rating of 91 or higher. You
can also use regular unleaded
gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher, but the vehicle's acceleration
could be slightly reduced, and a
slight audible knocking noise,
commonly referred to as spark
knock, might be heard. If the octane is less than 87, you might
notice a heavy knocking noise
when you drive. If this occurs,
use a gasoline rated at 87 octane
or higher as soon as possible.
Otherwise, you could damage the
engine. If heavy knocking is heard
when using gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher, the engine
needs service.
Gasoline Specifications
(U.S. and Canada Only) At a minimum, gasoline should
meet ASTM specification
D 4814 in the United States or
CAN/CGSB ‐ 3.5 or 3.511 in Canada.
Some gasolines contain an
octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT). We recommend
against the use of gasolines
containing MMT. See Fuel Additives
on page 9 ‑ 65 for additional
information. California Fuel
Requirements If the vehicle is certified to meet
California Emissions Standards, it is
designed to operate on fuels that
meet California specifications. See
the underhood emission control
label. If this fuel is not available in
states adopting California Emissions
Standards, the vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal specifications, but emission
control system performance might
be affected. The malfunction
indicator lamp could turn on and the
vehicle might fail a smog ‐ check test.
See Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 5 ‑ 18 . If this occurs, return to
your authorized dealer for diagnosis.
If it is determined that the condition
is caused by the type of fuel used,
repairs might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.

Black plate (65,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-65
Fuels in Foreign
Countries Never use leaded gasoline or any
other fuel not recommended in the
previous text on fuel. Costly repairs
caused by use of improper fuel
would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask an
auto club, or contact a major oil
company that does business in the
country where you will be driving. Fuel Additives To provide cleaner air, all gasolines
in the United States are now
required to contain additives that
help prevent engine and fuel system
deposits from forming, allowing the
emission control system to work
properly. In most cases, nothing
should have to be added to the fuel.
However, some gasolines contain
only the minimum amount of
additive required to meet U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
regulations. To help keep fuel
injectors and intake valves clean
and avoid problems due to dirty
injectors or valves, look for gasoline
that is 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 the auto companies. A list of
marketers providing TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline can be found at
www.toptiergas.com.
For customers who do not use TOP
TIER Detergent Gasoline regularly,
one bottle of GM Fuel System
Treatment PLUS, added to the fuel
tank at every engine oil change,
can help clean deposits from fuel
injectors and intake valves. GM Fuel
System Treatment PLUS is the only
gasoline additive recommended by
General Motors. It is available at
your dealer.
Gasolines containing oxygenates,
such as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines might
be available in your area. We
recommend that you use these
gasolines, if they comply with the
specifications described earlier.