
Black plate (14,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
5-14 Instruments and Controls
Here are some situations owners
may experience with the fuel gauge.
None of these indicate a problem
with the fuel gauge.
.At the gas station, the fuel pump
shuts off before the gauge
reads full.
.It takes a little more or less fuel
to fill up than the fuel gauge
indicated. For example, the
gauge may have indicated the
tank was half full, but it actually
took a little more or less than
half the tank's capacity to fill
the tank.
.The gauge goes back to empty
when the ignition is turned off.
Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge
This gauge shows the engine
coolant temperature.If the indicator on the gauge moves
towards the shaded area on the
thermostat, it means that the engine
coolant has overheated. If the
vehicle has been operating under
normal driving conditions, pull off
the road, stop the vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
See
Engine Overheating on
page 10‑22. 

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 (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 (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. 

Black plate (68,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
9-68 Driving and Operating
Filling the Tank
{WARNING
Fuel vapor burns violently and a
fuel fire can cause bad injuries.
To help avoid injuries to you and
others, read and follow all the
instructions on the fuel pump
island. Turn off the engine when
refueling. Do not smoke near fuel
or when refueling the vehicle.
Do not use cellular phones. Keep
sparks, flames, and smoking
materials away from fuel. Do not
leave the fuel pump unattended
when refueling the vehicle. This is
against the law in some places.
Do not re-enter the vehicle while
pumping fuel. Keep children away
from the fuel pump; never let
children pump fuel.
The tethered fuel cap is located
behind a hinged fuel door on the
driver side of the vehicle. If the
vehicle has E85 fuel capability, the
fuel cap will be yellow and state
that E85 or gasoline can be used.
SeeFuel E85 (85% Ethanol) on
page 9‑66.To open the fuel door, push the
rearward center edge in and release
and it will open.
To remove the fuel cap, turn it
slowly counterclockwise. The fuel
cap has a spring in it; if the cap is
released too soon, it will spring back
to the right.
While refueling, hang the tethered
fuel cap from the hook on the
fuel door. 

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 (70,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
9-70 Driving and Operating
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container
{WARNING
Never fill a portable fuel container
while it is in the vehicle. Static
electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the fuel
vapor. You can be badly burned
and the vehicle damaged if this
occurs. To help avoid injury to
you and others:
.Dispense fuel only into
approved containers.
.Do not fill a container while
it is inside a vehicle, in a
vehicle's trunk, pickup bed,
or on any surface other than
the ground.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Bring the fill nozzle in contact
with the inside of the fill
opening before operating the
nozzle. Contact should be
maintained until the filling is
complete.
.Do not smoke while
pumping fuel.
.Do not use a cellular phone
while pumping fuel.
Towing
General Towing
Information
Only use towing equipment that
has been designed for the vehicle.
Contact your dealer or trailering
dealer for assistance with preparing
the vehicle for towing a trailer.
See the following trailer towing
information in this section:
.For information on driving
while towing a trailer, see
“Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips.”
.For maximum vehicle and trailer
weights, see“Trailer Towing.”
.For information on equipment
to tow a trailer, see “Towing
Equipment.” 

Black plate (45,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-45
The vehicle may not be equipped
with all of the fuses, relays, and
features shown.Fuses Usage
1 Right Trailer
Stop/Turn Lamp
2 Electronic Stability
Suspension Control,
Automatic Level
Control Exhaust
3 Left Trailer
Stop/Turn Lamp
4 Engine Controls
5 Engine Control
Module, Throttle
Control
6 Trailer Brake
Controller
7 Front Washer
8 Oxygen Sensors
9 Antilock Brakes
System 2 Fuses Usage
10 Trailer Back-up
Lamps
11 Driver Side
Low-Beam Headlamp
12 Engine Control
Module (Battery)
13 Fuel Injectors, Ignition
Coils (Right Side)
14 Transmission Control
Module (Battery)
15 Vehicle Back-up
Lamps
16 Passenger Side
Low-Beam Headlamp
17 Air Conditioning
Compressor
18 Oxygen Sensors
19 Transmission Controls
(Ignition)
20 Fuel Pump Fuses Usage
21 Fuel System Control
Module
22 Headlamp Washer
23 Rear Windshield
Washer
24 Fuel Injectors, Ignition
Coils (Left Side)
25 Trailer Park Lamps
26 Driver Side Park
Lamps
27 Passenger Side Park
Lamps
28 Fog Lamps
29 Horn
30 Passenger Side
High-Beam Headlamp
31 Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
(If Equipped)
32 Driver Side
High-Beam Headlamp