Page 497 of 548

Black plate (95,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-95Products that remove odors from
the upholstery and clean the glass
can be obtained from your dealer.
Do not clean the vehicle using: .
A knife or any other sharp object
to remove a soil from any interior
surface. .
A stiff brush. It can cause
damage to the interior surfaces. .
Heavy pressure or aggressive
rubbing with a cleaning cloth.
Use of heavy pressure can
damage the interior and does
not improve the effectiveness of
soil removal. .
Laundry detergents or
dishwashing soaps with
degreasers can leave residue
that streaks and attracts dirt. For
liquid cleaners, about 20 drops
per gallon (3.78 L) of water is
a good guide. Use only mild,
neutral-pH soaps. .
Too much cleaner that saturates
the upholstery. .
Cleaners that contain solvents
can damage the interior.
Fabric/Carpet Use a vacuum cleaner with a
soft brush attachment frequently
to remove dust and loose dirt.
A canister vacuum with a beater bar
in the nozzle may only be used on
floor carpet and carpeted floor mats.
For any soil, always try to remove it
first with plain water or club soda.
Before cleaning, gently remove as
much of the soil as possible using
one of the following techniques: .
For liquids: gently blot the
remaining soil with a paper
towel. Allow the soil to absorb
into the paper towel until no
more can be removed. .
For solid dry soils: remove as
much as possible and then
vacuum. To clean:
1. Saturate a lint-free, clean white
cloth with water or club soda.
2. Wring the cloth to remove
excess moisture.
3. Start on the outside edge of the
soil and gently rub toward the
center. Continue cleaning, using
a clean area of the cloth each
time it becomes soiled.
4. Continue to gently rub the soiled
area until the cleaning cloth
remains clean.
5. If the soil is not completely
removed, use a mild soap
solution and repeat the cleaning
process that was used with plain
water.
If any of the soil remains, a
commercial fabric cleaner or spot
lifter may be necessary. When a
commercial upholstery cleaner or
spot lifter is to be used, test a small
hidden area for colorfastness first.
Page 498 of 548

Black plate (96,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-96 Vehicle Care If the locally cleaned area gives any
impression that a ring formation may
result, clean the entire surface.
After the cleaning process has been
completed, a paper towel can be
used to blot excess moisture from
the fabric or carpet.
Leather Leather, and lighter colored leather
in particular, will need more frequent
cleaning to prevent the buildup of
dust, dirt, and colors transferred
from other items so that these do
not become permanent stains.
To remove dust, a soft cloth
dampened with water can be used.
If a more thorough cleaning is
necessary, a soft cloth dampened
with a mild soap solution can be
used. Your dealer has a GM
approved leather cleaner available
that provides superior cleaning
performance when used regularly
on finished automotive leathers.
Allow the leather to dry naturally. Do not use heat, steam, spot lifters
or spot removers, or shoe polish on
leather. Many commercial leather
cleaners and coatings that are
sold to preserve and protect leather
may permanently change the
appearance and feel of the leather
and are not recommended. Do not
use silicone or wax-based products,
or those containing organic solvents
to clean the interior because they
can alter the appearance by
increasing the gloss in a
non-uniform manner.
TEHAMA ™ LeatherThe leather surface on the seat was
not designed to be aggressively
cleaned using any commercial
product. Use a well wrung cloth
dampened with water to remove
dust. Do not use a wet cloth or
saturated the leather surface with
water. Allow the leather to dry
naturally. If a soil occurs that cannot be completely removed, allow
it to become part of the natural
markings of the leather. The leather
is designed to have a natural
appearance and develop a more
vintage appearance with use.
Do not use heat to dry. Never
use steam to clean leather.
Never use spot lifters or spot
removers on leather. It is very
important not to use any commercial
leather cleaners and coatings
that are sold to preserve and
protect leather. Not only are those
products not necessary, they will
permanently and adversely change
the appearance and feel of the
leather. Never use silicone or
wax-based products, or those
containing organic solvents to clean
the interior. Never use shoe polish
on leather.
Page 499 of 548

Black plate (97,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-97Instrument Panel, Vinyl and
other Plastic Surfaces A soft cloth dampened with water
may be used to remove dust.
If a more thorough cleaning is
necessary, a clean soft cloth
dampened with a mild soap
solution can be used to gently
remove dust and dirt. Never use
spot lifters or removers on plastic
surfaces. Many commercial
cleaners and coatings that are sold
to preserve and protect soft plastic
surfaces may permanently change
the appearance and feel of the
interior and are not recommended.
Do not use silicone or wax-based
products, or those containing
organic solvents to clean the
interior because they can alter the
appearance by increasing the gloss
in a non-uniform manner. Some commercial products may
increase gloss on the instrument
panel. The increase in gloss may
cause annoying reflections in the
windshield and even make it difficult
to see through the windshield under
certain conditions.
Notice: Air fresheners contain
solvents that may cause damage
to plastics and painted surfaces.
Follow the manufacturer ’ s
instructions when using air
fresheners in the vehicle. If air
freshener comes in contact with
paint or a plastic surface, blot
immediately with a soft cloth.
Damage caused by using air
fresheners would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Speaker Covers Vacuum around a speaker cover
gently, so that the speaker will not
be damaged. Clean spots with just
water and mild soap.
Wood Panels Use a clean cloth moistened in
warm, soapy water (use mild dish
washing soap). Dry the wood
immediately with a clean cloth.
Keep belts clean and dry.
{ WARNINGDo not bleach or dye safety belts.
It may severely weaken them. In
a crash, they might not be able
to provide adequate protection.
Clean safety belts only with mild
soap and lukewarm water.
Page 500 of 548

Black plate (98,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-98 Vehicle Care
Floor Mats
{ WARNINGIf a floor mat is the wrong size or
is not properly installed, it can
interfere with the accelerator
pedal and/or brake pedal.
Interference with the pedals can
cause unintended acceleration
and/or increased stopping
distance which can cause a crash
and injury. Make sure the floor
mat does not interfere with the
accelerator or brake pedal. Use the following guidelines for
proper floor mat usage. .
The original equipment floor
mats were designed for the
vehicle. If the floor mats need
replacing, it is recommended
that GM certified floor mats be
purchased. Non-GM floor mats
may not fit properly and may
interfere with the accelerator or
brake pedal. Always check that
the floor mats do not interfere
with the pedals. .
Use the floor mat with the
correct side up. Do not turn
it over. .
Do not place anything on top of
the driver side floor mat. .
Use only a single floor mat on
the driver side. .
Do not place one floor mat on
top of another.
Page 501 of 548

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Service and Maintenance 11-1
Service and
Maintenance General Information General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Scheduled Maintenance Scheduled Maintenance . . . . . 11-2
Recommended Fluids,
Lubricants, and Parts Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7
Maintenance Replacement
Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Maintenance Records Maintenance Records . . . . . . 11-10 General Information Notice: Maintenance
intervals, checks, inspections,
recommended fluids, and
lubricants are necessary to
keep this vehicle in good working
condition. Damage caused by
failure to follow scheduled
maintenance might not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
As the vehicle owner, you are
responsible for the scheduled
maintenance in this section. We
recommend having your dealer
perform these services. Proper
vehicle maintenance helps to
keep the vehicle in good working
condition, improves fuel economy,
and reduces vehicle emissions for
better air quality. Because of all the different ways
people use vehicles, maintenance
needs vary. The vehicle might need
more frequent checks and services.
Please read the information under
Scheduled Maintenance. To keep
the vehicle in good condition, see
your dealer.
The maintenance schedule is for
vehicles that: .
Carry passengers and cargo
within recommended limits on
the Tire and Loading Information
label. See Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9 ‑ 24 . .
Are driven on reasonable road
surfaces within legal driving
limits. .
Are driven off-road in the
recommended manner. See
Off-Road Driving on page 9 ‑ 7 . .
Use the recommended fuel. See
Recommended Fuel on
page 9 ‑ 64 .
Page 502 of 548

Black plate (2,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
11-2 Service and Maintenance
{ WARNINGPerforming maintenance work can
be dangerous. Some jobs can
cause serious injury. Perform
maintenance work only if you
have the required know-how and
the proper tools and equipment.
If in doubt, see your dealer to
have a qualified technician do the
work. See Doing Your Own
Service Work on page 10 ‑ 4 .
At your dealer, you can be
certain that you will receive the
highest level of service available.
Your dealer has specially trained
service technicians, uses genuine
replacement parts, as well as,
up ‐ to ‐ date tools and equipment
to ensure fast and accurate
diagnostics. The proper replacement parts,
fluids, and lubricants to use are
listed in Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11 ‑ 7 and
Maintenance Replacement Parts on
page 11 ‑ 9 . We recommend the use
of genuine parts from your dealer.
Rotation of New Tires
To maintain ride, handling, and
performance of the vehicle, it is
important that the first rotation
service for new tires be performed.
Tires should be rotated every
12 000 km/7,500 miles. See Tire
Rotation on page 10 ‑ 59 .Scheduled
Maintenance When the Change Engine Oil
Soon Message Displays Change engine oil and filter. See
Engine Oil on page 10 ‑ 7 . An
Emission Control Service.
When the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message displays, service is
required for the vehicle as soon as
possible, within the next 1 000 km/
600 miles. If driving under the best
conditions, the engine oil life system
might not indicate the need for
vehicle service for more than a year.
The engine oil and filter must be
changed at least once a year and
the oil life system must be reset.
Your dealer has trained service
technicians who will perform this
work and reset the system.
Page 503 of 548

Black plate (3,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Service and Maintenance 11-3If the engine oil life system is reset
accidentally, service the vehicle
within 5 000 km/3,000 miles since
the last service. Reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.
See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10 ‑ 10 .
When the Change Engine Oil Soon
message displays, certain services,
checks, and inspections are
required.
Every Engine Oil Change .
Change engine oil and filter.
See Engine Oil on page 10 ‑ 7 .
An Emission Control Service. .
Engine coolant level check. See
Engine Coolant on page 10 ‑ 16 . .
Engine cooling system
inspection. Visual inspection
of hoses, pipes, fittings, and
clamps and replacement,
if needed. .
Windshield washer fluid level
check. See Washer Fluid on
page 10 ‑ 24 . .
Windshield wiper blade
inspection for wear, cracking,
or contamination and windshield
and wiper blade cleaning,
if contaminated. See Exterior
Care on page 10 ‑ 90 . Worn or
damaged wiper blade
replacement. See Wiper Blade
Replacement on page 10 ‑ 32 ..
Tire inflation pressures check.
See Tire Pressure on
page 10 ‑ 52 . .
Tire wear inspection. See Tire
Inspection on page 10 ‑ 58 . .
Rotate tires if necessary. See
Tire Rotation on page 10 ‑ 59 . .
Fluids visual leak check (or
every 12 months, whichever
occurs first). A leak in any
system must be repaired and
the fluid level checked. .
Engine air cleaner filter
inspection. See Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 10 ‑ 14 . .
Brake system inspection (or
every 12 months, whichever
occurs first). .
Lubricate the front suspension,
steering linkage, and parking
brake cable guides. Control arm
ball joints are maintenance ‐ free.
Page 504 of 548

Black plate (4,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
11-4 Service and Maintenance .
Steering and suspension
inspection. Visual inspection
for damaged, loose, or missing
parts or signs of wear. .
Body hinges and latches, key
lock cylinders, rear compartment
hinges, outer tailgate handle
pivot points, and folding seat
hardware lubrication. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11 ‑ 7 . More
frequent lubrication may be
required when the vehicle is
exposed to a corrosive
environment. Applying silicone
grease on weatherstrips with a
clean cloth makes them last
longer, seal better, and not
stick or squeak. .
Restraint system component
check. See Safety System
Check on page 3 ‑ 34 . .
Fuel system inspection for
damage or leaks. .
Exhaust system and nearby heat
shields inspection for loose or
damaged components.
Additional Required Services Every 12 000 km/7,500 Miles .
Rotate tires. Tires should be
rotated every 12 000 km/
7,500 miles. See Tire Rotation
on page 10 ‑ 59 . At Each Fuel Stop .
Engine oil level check. See
Engine Oil on page 10 ‑ 7 . .
Engine coolant level check. See
Engine Coolant on page 10 ‑ 16 . .
Windshield washer fluid level
check. See Washer Fluid on
page 10 ‑ 24 .
Once a Month .
Tire inflation pressures check.
See Tire Pressure on
page 10 ‑ 52 . .
Tire wear inspection. See Tire
Inspection on page 10 ‑ 58 . .
Sunroof track and seal
inspection, if equipped. See
Sunroof on page 2 ‑ 22 .