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 (74,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
9-74 Driving and Operating 2. Have someone place chocks
under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in
place, release the regular brakes
until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then
apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
{ WARNINGIt can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle
can roll.
(Continued) WARNING (Continued) If the engine has been left
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when on fairly
level ground, always put the shift
lever fully in P (Park) with the
parking brake firmly set.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill 1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is
clear of the chocks.
7. Stop and have someone pick up
and store the chocks. Maintenance When Trailer
Towing The vehicle needs service
more often when pulling a trailer.
See the Maintenance Schedule
for more information. Things
that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system and
brake system. It is a good idea to
inspect these before and during
the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Trailer Towing If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.
Do not tow a trailer during break ‐ in.
See New Vehicle Break-In on
page 9 ‑ 30 for more information.
Black plate (60,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-60 Vehicle Care Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor
System. See Tire Pressure
Monitor Operation on
page 10 ‑ 56 .
Make certain that all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See
“ Wheel Nut Torque ” under
Capacities and Specifications on
page 12 ‑ 2 .
{ WARNINGRust or dirt on a wheel, or on the
parts to which it is fastened, can
make wheel nuts become loose
after time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When
changing a wheel, remove any
rust or dirt from places where the
wheel attaches to the vehicle. In
an emergency, use a cloth or a
paper towel to do this; but be sure
to use a scraper or wire brush
later, if needed, to get all the rust
or dirt off. See If a Tire Goes Flat
on page 10 ‑ 66 . Lightly coat the center of the
wheel hub with wheel bearing
grease after a wheel change or
tire rotation to prevent corrosion
or rust build-up. Do not get
grease on the flat wheel
mounting surface or on the
wheel nuts or bolts.
When It Is Time for New
Tires Various factors, such as
maintenance, temperatures,
driving speeds, vehicle loading,
and road conditions influence
when you need new tires. One way to tell when it is time for
new tires is to check the treadwear
indicators, which appear when the
tires have only 1.6 mm (1/16 in)
or less of tread remaining. Some
commercial truck tires may not have
treadwear indicators. See Tire
Inspection on page 10 ‑ 58 and
Tire Rotation on page 10 ‑ 59 for
additional information.
The rubber in tires ages over time.
This is also true for the spare tire,
if the vehicle has one, even if it is
not being used. Multiple conditions
affect how fast this aging takes
place, including temperatures,
Black plate (65,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-65
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance The tires and wheels were aligned
and balanced at the factory to
provide the longest tire life and best
overall performance. Adjustments to
wheel alignment and tire balancing
will not be necessary on a regular
basis. However, check the
alignment if there is unusual tire
wear or if the vehicle is pulling to
one side or the other. If the vehicle
vibrates when driving on a smooth
road, the tires and wheels might
need to be rebalanced. See your
dealer for proper diagnosis.
Wheel Replacement Replace any wheel that is bent,
cracked, or badly rusted or
corroded. If wheel nuts keep
coming loose, the wheel, wheel
bolts, and wheel nuts should be
replaced. If the wheel leaks air,
replace it. Some aluminum wheels
can be repaired. See your dealer if
any of these conditions exist. Your dealer will know the kind of
wheel that is needed.
Each new wheel should have the
same load-carrying capacity,
diameter, width, offset, and be
mounted the same way as the
one it replaces.
Replace wheels, wheel bolts, wheel
nuts, or Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS) sensors with new
GM original equipment parts.
{ WARNINGUsing the wrong replacement
wheels, wheel bolts, or wheel
nuts can be dangerous. It could
affect the braking and handling of
the vehicle. Tires can lose air,
and cause loss of control, causing
a crash. Always use the correct
wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel
nuts for replacement. Notice: The wrong wheel can
also cause problems with
bearing life, brake cooling,
speedometer or odometer
calibration, headlamp aim,
bumper height, vehicle ground
clearance, and tire or tire chain
clearance to the body and
chassis.
See If a Tire Goes Flat on
page 10 ‑ 66 for more information.
Used Replacement Wheels
{ WARNINGReplacing a wheel with a used
one is dangerous. How it has
been used or how far it has been
driven may be unknown. It could
fail suddenly and cause a crash.
When replacing wheels, use a
new GM original equipment
wheel.
Black plate (74,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-74 Vehicle Care
5. Remove all of the wheel nuts.
6. Take off the flat tire.
{ WARNING
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the
parts to which it is fastened, can
make wheel nuts become loose
after time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When
changing a wheel, remove any
rust or dirt from places where the
wheel attaches to the vehicle. In
(Continued) WARNING (Continued) an emergency, use a cloth or a
paper towel to do this; but be sure
to use a scraper or wire brush
later, if needed, to get all the rust
or dirt off. See If a Tire Goes Flat
on page 10 ‑ 66 .
7. Remove any rust or dirt from the
wheel bolts, mounting surfaces,
and spare wheel. { WARNINGNever use oil or grease on bolts
or nuts because the nuts might
come loose. The vehicle's wheel
could fall off, causing a crash.
8. Put the wheel nuts back on with
the rounded end of the nuts
toward the wheel after mounting
the spare tire.
9. Tighten each wheel nut by hand.
Then use the wheel wrench to
tighten the nuts until the wheel is
held against the hub.
10. Turn the wheel wrench
counterclockwise to lower
the vehicle. Lower the jack
completely.