
Black plate (69,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-69
{WARNING
Fuel can spray out on you if you
open the fuel cap too quickly.
If you spill fuel and then
something ignites it, you could
be badly burned. This spray can
happen if the tank is nearly full,
and is more likely in hot weather.
Open the fuel cap slowly and
wait for any hiss noise to stop.
Then unscrew the cap all the way.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Do not
top off or overfill the tank and wait
a few seconds after you have
finished pumping before removing
the nozzle. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon as possible.
See “Washing the Vehicle” in
Exterior Care . When replacing the fuel cap,
insert the tether in its hole before
tightening the cap. Turn the fuel cap
clockwise until it clicks. It will require
more effort to turn the fuel cap on
the last turn as you tighten it. Make
sure the cap is fully installed. The
diagnostic system can determine if
the fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. This would
allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. See
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑18.
If the vehicle has a Driver
Information Center (DIC), the
TIGHTEN GAS CAP message
displays if the fuel cap is not
properly installed.
{WARNING
If a fire starts while you are
refueling, do not remove the
nozzle. Shut off the flow of fuel
by shutting off the pump or by
notifying the station attendant.
Leave the area immediately.
Notice: If you need a new fuel
cap, be sure to get the right type.
Your dealer can get one for you.
If you get the wrong type, it may
not fit properly. This may cause
the malfunction indicator lamp to
light and may damage the fuel
tank and emissions system. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 5‑18.

Black plate (75,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-75
{WARNING
The driver can lose control when
pulling a trailer if the correct
equipment is not used or the
vehicle is not driven properly.
For example, if the trailer is
too heavy, the brakes may
not work well—or even at all.
The driver and passengers could
be seriously injured. The vehicle
may also be damaged; the
resulting repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Pull a trailer only if all the steps in
this section have been followed.
Ask your dealer for advice and
information about towing a trailer
with the vehicle.
Notice: Pulling a trailer
improperly can damage the
vehicle and result in costly
repairs not covered by the vehicle warranty. To pull a trailer
correctly, follow the advice in
this section and see your dealer
for important information about
towing a trailer with the vehicle.
To identify the trailering capacity of
the vehicle, read the information in
“Weight of the Trailer”
that appears
later in this section.
Trailering is different than just
driving the vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in
handling, acceleration, braking,
durability and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering takes
correct equipment, and it has to
be used properly.
The following information has many
time-tested, important trailering tips
and safety rules. Many of these are
important for your safety and that of
your passengers. So please read
this section carefully before pulling
a trailer.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how the rig is used.
Speed, altitude, road grades,
outside temperature and how much
the vehicle is used to pull a trailer
are all important. It can depend
on any special equipment on the
vehicle, and the amount of tongue
weight the vehicle can carry. See
“Weight of the Trailer Tongue” later
in this section for more information.
Trailer weight rating (TWR) is
calculated assuming the tow vehicle
has only the driver but all required
trailering equipment. Weight of
additional optional equipment,
passengers and cargo in the tow
vehicle must be subtracted from
the trailer weight rating.
Use the following chart to determine
how much the vehicle can weigh,
based upon the vehicle model and
options.

Black plate (8,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-8 Vehicle Care
.Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. SeeEngine Oil
Life System on page 10‑11.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do With
Used Oil.”
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 your oil level too soon
after engine shut off 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
one liter/quart of the recommended
oil and then recheck the level.
See “Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
for an explanation of what kind of
oil to use. For engine oil crankcase
capacity, see Capacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2.

Black plate (54,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-54 Vehicle Care
(F) Service Description:These
characters represent the load
index and speed rating of the
tire. The load index represents
the load carrying capacity a tire
is certified to carry. The speed
rating is the maximum speed a
tire is certified to carry a load.
Tire Terminology and
Definitions
Air Pressure:The amount
of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch
of the tire. Air pressure is
expressed in psi (pounds per
square inch) or kPa (kilopascal). Accessory Weight
:This
means the combined weight
of optional accessories.
Some examples of optional
accessories are, automatic
transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows,
power seats, and air
conditioning.
Aspect Ratio
:The relationship
of a tire's height to its width.
Belt
:A rubber coated layer of
cords that is located between
the plies and the tread. Cords
may be made from steel or other
reinforcing materials.
Bead
:The tire bead contains
steel wires wrapped by steel
cords that hold the tire onto
the rim. Bias Ply Tire
:A pneumatic
tire in which the plies are laid
at alternate angles less than
90 degrees to the centerline
of the tread.
Cold Tire Pressure
:The
amount of air pressure in a tire,
measured in psi (pounds per
square inch) or kPa (kilopascal)
before a tire has built up heat
from driving. See Tire Pressure
on page 10‑57.
Curb Weight
:The weight of a
motor vehicle with standard and
optional equipment including
the maximum capacity of fuel,
oil, and coolant, but without
passengers and cargo.

Black plate (57,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-57
Vehicle Placard:A label
permanently attached to a
vehicle showing the vehicle's
capacity weight and the
original equipment tire size
and recommended inflation
pressure. See “Tire and Loading
Information Label” underVehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑24.
Tire Pressure
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see
the hybrid supplement for more
information.
Tires need the correct amount
of air pressure to operate
effectively. Notice:
Do not let anyone tell
you that under‐inflation or
over‐inflation is all right. It is
not. If your tires do not have
enough air (under‐inflation),
you can get the following:
.Tire overloading and
over-heating which could
lead to a blowout.
.Premature or
irregular wear.
.Poor handling.
.Reduced fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air
(over‐inflation), you can get
the following:
.Unusual wear.
.Poor handling.
.Rough ride.
.Needless damage from
road hazards. A vehicle specific Tire and
Loading Information label
is attached to your vehicle.
This label shows your vehicle's
original equipment tires and the
correct inflation pressures for
your tires when they are cold.
The recommended cold tire
inflation pressure, shown on the
label, is the minimum amount of
air pressure needed to support
your vehicle's maximum load
carrying capacity.
For additional information
regarding how much weight
your vehicle can carry, and an
example of the Tire and Loading
Information label, see
Vehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑24.
How you load your vehicle
affects vehicle handling and
ride comfort. Never load your
vehicle with more weight than
it was designed to carry.

Black plate (2,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
12-2 Technical Data
Vehicle Data
Capacities and Specifications
The following approximate capacities are given in metric and English conversions. SeeRecommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑7 for more information.
Application Capacities
Metric English
Air Conditioning Refrigerant For the air conditioning system refrigerant charge
amount, see the refrigerant label located under the hood. See your dealer for more information.
Cooling System 16.7 L 17.6 qt
Engine Oil with Filter 5.7 L† 6.0 qt†
Fuel Tank Regular 98.4 L 26.0 gal
Extended 119.2 L 31.5 gal
Transmission Fluid (Pan Removal and Replacement) 5.7 L 6.0 qt
Transfer Case Fluid 1.4 L 1.5 qt
Wheel Nut Torque 190 Y140 lb ft
All capacities are approximate. When adding, be sure to fill to the approximate level, as recommended in this
manual. Recheck fluid after filling.
†Oil filter should be changed at every oil change.

Black plate (2,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
i-2 INDEX
B
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-89
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12
Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . 10-35
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-102
Brake Pedal and Adjustable
Throttle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27 Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41 Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37 Bulb Replacement (cont.)
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
High Intensity Discharge
(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . 10-41
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-66
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 9-64
Perchlorate Materials
Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Camera, Rear Vision . . . . . . . . . . 9-59
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . iii
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9, 2-10
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Cautions, Danger, and Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv CD
DVD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . 4-3
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . 5-18
Check Engine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Ignition
Transmission Lock . . . . . . . . 10-34
Child Restraints Infants and Young
Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-57
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . 3-63
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-55
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-72, 3-75
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-60
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Cleaning Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-97
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-101
Climate Control Systems Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6