2011 CADILLAC ESCALADE tires

Black plate (68,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-68 Vehicle Care
{WARNING
If you use bias-ply tires on the
vehicle, the wheel rim flanges
could develop cracks after
many miles of driving. A tire
and/or wheel could fail
suddenly, causing a crash.
Use only radial-ply tires with
the wheels on the vehicle.
If you must replace your vehicle's
tires with those that do not have a
TPC Spec number, make sure they
are the same size, load range,
speed rating, and construction type
(radial and bias‐belted tires) as your
vehicle's original tires. Vehicles that have a tire pressure
monitoring system may give an
inaccurate low‐pressure warning
if non‐TPC Spec-rated tires are
installed on your vehicle. Non‐TPC
Spec-rated tires may give a
low‐pressure warning that is higher
or lower than the proper warning
level you would get with TPC
Spec-rated tires. See
Tire Pressure
Monitor System on page 10‑59.
Your vehicle's original equipment
tires are listed on the Tire
and Loading Information label.
See Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑24 for more information
about the Tire and Loading
Information label and its location
on your vehicle.
Different Size Tires and
Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are
a different size than your original
equipment wheels and tires, this
could affect the way your vehicle
performs, including its braking,
ride and handling characteristics,
stability, and resistance to rollover.
Additionally, if your vehicle has
electronic systems such as antilock
brakes, rollover airbags, traction
control, and electronic stability
control, the performance of these
systems can be affected.

Black plate (69,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-69
{WARNING
If you add different sized wheels,
your vehicle may not provide
an acceptable level of
performance and safety if tires
not recommended for those
wheels are selected. You may
increase the chance that you will
crash and suffer serious injury.
Only use GM specific wheel and
tire systems developed for your
vehicle, and have them properly
installed by a GM certified
technician.
See Buying New Tires on
page 10‑66 andAccessories and
Modifications on page 10‑3 for
additional information.
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width.
For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires
by treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance.
This applies only to vehicles
sold in the United States.
The grades are molded on the
sidewalls of most passenger car
tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG) system
does not apply to deep
tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver, or temporary use
spare tires, tires with nominal
rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.

Black plate (70,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-70 Vehicle Care
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based
on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified
government test course.
For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and a
half (1½) times as well on
the government course as
a tire graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in
driving habits, service practices
and differences in road
characteristics and climate.Traction
–AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on
wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions
on specified government
test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based
on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics. Temperature
–A, B, C
The temperature grades
are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and
its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause
the material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature
can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B
and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum

Black plate (71,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-71
required by law. Warning: The
temperature grade for this tire
is established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance
The tires and wheels on the vehicle
were aligned and balanced carefully
at the factory to give the longest tire
life and best overall performance.
Adjustments to wheel alignment and
tire balancing will not be necessary
on a regular basis. However, if there
is unusual tire wear or the vehicle
pulls to one side or the other, the
alignment should be checked. 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,
except some aluminum wheels,
which can sometimes be repaired.
See your dealer if any of these
conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of
wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have
the same load-carrying capacity,
diameter, width, offset, and be
mounted the same way as the
one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of the
wheels, wheel bolts, wheel nuts,
or Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) sensors, replace them only
with new GM original equipment
parts. This way, you will be sure to
have the right wheel, wheel bolts,
wheel nuts, and TPMS sensors for
the vehicle.{WARNING
Using the wrong replacement
wheels, wheel bolts, or wheel
nuts on your vehicle can be
dangerous. It could affect the
braking and handling of your
vehicle, make your tires lose
air and make you lose control.
You could have a collision in
which you or others could be
injured. 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 10‑73 for more information.

Black plate (72,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-72 Vehicle Care
Used Replacement Wheels
{WARNING
Putting a used wheel on the
vehicle is dangerous. You cannot
know how it has been used
or how far it has been driven.
It could fail suddenly and cause
a crash. If you have to replace a
wheel, use a new GM original
equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
{WARNING
Do not use tire chains. There is
not enough clearance. Tire chains
used on a vehicle without the
proper amount of clearance can
cause damage to the brakes,
suspension, or other vehicle
parts. The area damaged by the
tire chains could cause you to
lose control of the vehicle and
you or others may be injured
in a crash. Use another type of(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
traction device only if its
manufacturer recommends it for
use on the vehicle and tire size
combination and road conditions.
Follow that manufacturer's
instructions. To help avoid
damage to the vehicle, drive
slowly, re‐adjust or remove the
device if it is contacting the
vehicle, and do not spin the
wheels. If you do find traction
devices that will fit, install them
on the rear tires.

Black plate (73,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-73
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blowout
while you are driving, especially if
you maintain your vehicle's tires
properly. If air goes out of a tire,
it is much more likely to leak out
slowly. But if you should ever have
a blowout, here are a few tips about
what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire
creates a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot
off the accelerator pedal and grip
the steering wheel firmly. Steer to
maintain lane position, and then
gently brake to a stop, well off the
road, if possible.
A rear blowout, particularly on a
curve, acts much like a skid and
may require the same correction
you would use in a skid. In any rear
blowout remove your foot from theaccelerator pedal. Get the vehicle
under control by steering the way
you want the vehicle to go. It may
be very bumpy and noisy, but you
can still steer. Gently brake to a
stop, well off the road, if possible.
{WARNING
Driving on a flat tire will cause
permanent damage to the tire.
Re-inflating a tire after it has
been driven on while severely
under-inflated or flat may cause
a blowout and a serious crash.
Never attempt to re-inflate a tire
that has been driven on while
severely under-inflated or flat.
Have your dealer or an authorized
tire service center repair or
replace the flat tire as soon
as possible.
{WARNING
Lifting a vehicle and getting
under it to do maintenance or
repairs is dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment and
training. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, it is designed only for
changing a flat tire. If it is used for
anything else, you or others could
be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. If a jack
is provided with the vehicle, only
use it for changing a flat tire.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see
the hybrid supplement for more
information.

Black plate (89,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-89
After installing the spare tire on
your vehicle, you should stop as
soon as possible and make sure
the spare is correctly inflated. The
spare tire is made to perform well
at speeds up to 70 mph (112 km/h)
at the recommended inflation
pressure, so you can finish your trip.
Have the damaged or flat road tire
repaired or replaced as soon as you
can and installed back onto your
vehicle. This way, a spare tire will
be available in case you need it
again. Do not mix tires and wheels
of different sizes, because they will
not fit. Keep your spare tire and its
wheel together.Jump Starting
For more information about the
vehicle battery, seeBattery on
page 10‑30.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see
the hybrid supplement for more
information.
If the vehicle's battery has run
down, you may want to use another
vehicle and some jumper cables to
start your vehicle. Be sure to use
the following steps to do it safely.
{WARNING
Batteries can hurt you. They can
be dangerous because:
.They contain acid that can
burn you.
.They contain gas that can
explode or ignite.
.They contain enough
electricity to burn you.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
If you do not follow these steps
exactly, some or all of these
things can hurt you.
Notice: Ignoring these steps
could result in costly damage
to the vehicle that would not be
covered by the warranty.
Trying to start the vehicle by
pushing or pulling it will not
work, and it could damage the
vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt battery with a
negative ground system.

Black plate (100,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-100 Vehicle Care
cleaning brushes on them because
they could damage the surface.
Do not use chrome polish on
aluminum wheels.
Notice:Using chrome polish on
aluminum wheels could damage
the wheels. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Use chrome polish on
chrome wheels only.
Use chrome polish only on
chrome-plated wheels, but avoid
any painted surface of the wheel,
and buff off immediately after
application.
Notice: Driving the vehicle
through an automatic car wash
that has silicone carbide tire
cleaning brushes, could damage
the aluminum or chrome-plated
wheels. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Never drive a vehicle that has
aluminum or chrome-plated
wheels through an automatic
car wash that uses silicone
carbide tire cleaning brushes.Tires
To clean the tires, use a stiff brush
with tire cleaner.
Notice: Using petroleum-based
tire dressing products on the
vehicle may damage the paint
finish and/or tires. When applying
a tire dressing, always wipe off
any overspray from all painted
surfaces on the vehicle.
Sheet Metal Damage
If the vehicle is damaged and
requires sheet metal repair or
replacement, make sure the body
repair shop applies anti-corrosion
material to parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion
protection.
Original manufacturer replacement
parts will provide the corrosion
protection while maintaining the
vehicle warranty.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep
scratches in the finish should be
repaired right away. Bare metal will
corrode quickly and may develop
into major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be
repaired with touch-up materials
available from your dealer. Larger
areas of finish damage can be
corrected in your dealer's body
and paint shop.
Chemicals used for ice and snow
removal and dust control can collect
on the underbody. If these are not
removed, corrosion and rust can
develop on the underbody parts
such as fuel lines, frame, floor pan,
and exhaust system even though
they have corrosion protection.