2011 CADILLAC ESCALADE ethanol

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-1
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Second Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Third Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Heated and Ventilated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9 Head Restraint
Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Sensing System for Passenger Airbag . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Throttle and Brake Pedal Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 1-14
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Vehicle Features
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . 1-16
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . 1-17 Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 1-20
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Universal Remote System . . . 1-21
Performance and Maintenance
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . 1-22
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 1-22
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 1-23
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Roadside Service . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24

Black plate (23,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-23
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)
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).
SeeFuel E85 (85% Ethanol) on
page 9‑66. For all other vehicles,
use only the unleaded gasoline
described under Recommended
Fuel on page 9‑64.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving
tips to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate,
use cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Roadside Service
U.S. or Canada: 1-800-882-1112
TTY Users (U.S. or Canada):
1-888-889-2438
Mexico: 01-800-466-0805
As the owner of a new Cadillac,
you are automatically enrolled in
the Roadside Service program
which is available 24 hours a day,
365 days a year to give minor
repair information or make towing
arrangements.
For more information see Roadside
Service (U.S. and Canada) on
page 13‑7 orRoadside Service
(Mexico) on page 13‑10.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . 9-18
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-20
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-23
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-30
Adjustable Throttle and BrakePedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Shifting Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Parking Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Active Fuel Management™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Running the Vehicle While
Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-40
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Ride Control Systems
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Road Sensing Suspension . . . 9-50
Continuous Damping Control (CDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Automatic Level Control . . . . . 9-50
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-54
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-59
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-63
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-64
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . 9-64
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-64
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-65
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-65
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 9-66
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-68
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-70

Black plate (63,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-63
When 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

Black plate (64,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
9-64 Driving and Operating
containing up to 85% ethanol (E85).
SeeFuel E85 (85% Ethanol) on
page 9‑66. For all other vehicles,
use only the unleaded gasoline
described under Recommended
Fuel on page 9‑64.
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
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
If you plan on driving in another
country outside the United States
or Canada, the proper fuel might
be hard to find. 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, or if the vehicle
experiences 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 bythe 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.

Black plate (66,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
9-66 Driving and Operating
However, E85 (85% ethanol) and
other fuels containing more than
10% ethanol must not be used in
vehicles that were not designed for
those fuels.
Notice:This vehicle was not
designed for fuel that contains
methanol. Do not use fuel
containing methanol. It can
corrode metal parts in the fuel
system and also damage plastic
and rubber parts. That damage
would not be covered under the
vehicle warranty. Some gasolines that are
not reformulated for low
emissions can contain an
octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl
manganese tricarbonyl (MMT);
ask the attendant where you buy
gasoline whether the fuel contains
MMT. We recommend against
the use of such gasolines. Fuels
containing MMT can reduce the life
of spark plugs and the performance
of the emission control system
could be affected. The malfunction
indicator lamp might turn on. If this
occurs, return to your dealer for
service.Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)
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).
For all other vehicles, use only the
unleaded gasoline described under
Recommended Fuel on page 9‑64.
We encourage the use of E85 in
vehicles that are designed to use it.
The ethanol in E85 is a
“renewable”
fuel, meaning it is made from
renewable sources such as corn
and other crops.

Black plate (67,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-67
Many service stations will not have
an 85% ethanol fuel (E85) pump
available. The U.S. Department
of Energy has an alternative fuels
website (www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/
locator/stations/) that can help you
find E85 fuel. Those stations that
do have E85 should have a label
indicating ethanol content. Do not
use the fuel if the ethanol content is
greater than 85%.
At a minimum, E85 should meet
ASTM Specification D 5798.
By definition, this means that fuel
labeled E85 will have an ethanol
content between 70% and 85%.
Filling the fuel tank with fuel
mixtures that do not meet ASTM
specifications can affect driveability
and could cause the malfunction
indicator lamp to come on.To ensure quick starts in the
wintertime, the E85 fuel must be
formulated properly for your climate
according to ASTM specification
D 5798. If you have trouble starting
on E85, it could be because the
E85 fuel is not properly formulated
for your climate. If this happens,
switching to gasoline or adding
gasoline to the fuel tank can
improve starting. For good starting
and heater efficiency below 0°C
(32°F), the fuel mix in the fuel tank
should contain no more than 70%
ethanol. It is best not to alternate
repeatedly between gasoline and
E85. If you do switch fuels, it is
recommended that you add as
much fuel as possible
—do not
add less than 11 L (three gallons)
when refueling. You should drive the
vehicle immediately after refueling
for at least 11 km (seven miles) to
allow the vehicle to adapt to the
change in ethanol concentration. E85 has less energy per liter
(gallon) than gasoline, so you will
need to refill the fuel tank more
often when using E85 than when
you are using gasoline. See
Filling
the Tank on page 9‑68.
Notice: Some additives are not
compatible with E85 fuel and can
harm the vehicle's fuel system.
Do not add anything to E85.
Damage caused by additives
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Notice: This vehicle was not
designed for fuel that contains
methanol. Do not use fuel
containing methanol. It can
corrode metal parts in the fuel
system and also damage plastic
and rubber parts. That damage
would not be covered under the
vehicle warranty.