2012 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV check engine

Black plate (17,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Instruments and Controls 5-17Notice: Modifications made to the
engine, transmission, exhaust,
intake, or fuel system of the
vehicle or the replacement of
the original tires with other
than those of the same Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) can
affect the vehicle's emission
controls and can cause this light
to come on. Modifications to
these systems could lead to
costly repairs not covered
by the vehicle warranty.
This could also result in a failure
to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test.
See Accessories and
Modifications on page 10 ‑ 3 .
This light comes on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing: A misfire condition
has been detected. A misfire
increases vehicle emissions and
could damage the emission control
system on the vehicle. Diagnosis
and service might be required. To prevent more serious damage to
the vehicle: .
Reduce vehicle speed. .
Avoid hard accelerations. .
Avoid steep uphill grades. .
If towing a trailer, reduce the
amount of cargo being hauled
as soon as it is possible.
If the light continues to flash, stop
and park the vehicle. Turn the
vehicle off, wait at least 10 seconds,
and restart the engine. If the light is
still flashing, follow the previous
steps and see your dealer for
service as soon as possible.
Light On Steady: An emission
control system malfunction has
been detected on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be
required. The following may correct an
emission system malfunction: .
Check that the fuel cap is fully
installed. See Filling the Tank on
page 9 ‑ 55 . The diagnostic
system can determine if the
fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap allows fuel to
evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap
properly installed should turn the
light off. .
Check that good quality fuel is
used. Poor fuel quality causes
the engine not to run as
efficiently as designed and may
cause stalling after start-up,
stalling when the vehicle is
changed into gear, misfiring,
hesitation on acceleration,
or stumbling on acceleration.
These conditions might go away
once the engine is warmed up.

Black plate (18,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
5-18 Instruments and Controls If one or more of these conditions
occurs, change the fuel brand used.
It will require at least one full tank of
the proper fuel to turn the light off.
See Recommended Fuel on
page 9 ‑ 52 .
If none of the above have made the
light turn off, your dealer can check
the vehicle. The dealer has the
proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any
mechanical or electrical problems
that might have developed.
Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs Some local governments may
have programs to inspect the
on-vehicle emission control
equipment. For the inspection,
the emission system test equipment
is connected to the vehicle ’ s Data
Link Connector (DLC). The DLC is under the instrument
panel to the left of the steering
wheel. See your dealer if assistance
is needed.
The vehicle may not pass
inspection if: .
The malfunction indicator lamp
is on with the engine running,
or if the light does not come on
when the ignition is turned to
ON/RUN while the engine is off.
See your dealer for assistance in
verifying proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp. .
The OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics) system determines
that critical emission control
systems have not been
completely diagnosed.
The vehicle would be considered
not ready for inspection. This
can happen if the 12-volt battery
has recently been replaced or
run down. The diagnostic system
is designed to evaluate critical
emission control systems during
normal driving. This can take
several days of routine driving.
If this has been done and the
vehicle still does not pass the
inspection for lack of OBD II
system readiness, your dealer
can prepare the vehicle for
inspection.

Black plate (22,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
5-22 Instruments and Controls
Engine Oil Pressure Light Notice: Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. Driving with the engine
oil low can also damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Check the oil level as soon as
possible. Add oil if required, but
if the oil level is within the
operating range and the oil
pressure is still low, have the
vehicle serviced. Always follow
the maintenance schedule for
changing engine oil.
This light comes on briefly while
starting the engine. If it does not,
have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer. If the system is working
normally the indicator light then
goes off. If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and it might
have some other system problem.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.
Security Light
The security light should come on
briefly as the engine is started. If the
system is working normally, the
indicator light turns off. If it does not
come on, have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer.
If the light stays on and the engine
does not start, there could be a
problem with the theft-deterrent
system. This light is also used to indicate
the status of the anti-theft alarm
system when the ignition is turned
off. The light will flash rapidly if the
alarm system is arming and one or
more of the monitored entry points
is not closed. The light will stay on if
the alarm is arming and all entry
points are closed.
For information regarding this light
and the vehicle's security system,
see Anti-theft Alarm System on
page 2 ‑ 13 .
High-Beam On Light
This light comes on when the
high-beam headlamps are in use.
See Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer on page 6 ‑ 5 for more
information.

Black plate (30,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
5-30 Instruments and Controls HOOD OPEN This message displays and a chime
sounds if the hood is not fully
closed. Stop and turn off the
vehicle, check the hood for
obstructions, and close the hood
again. Check to see if the message
still appears on the DIC.
LEFT REAR DOOR OPEN This message displays and a chime
sounds if the driver side rear door is
not fully closed and the vehicle is
shifted out of P (Park). Stop and turn
off the vehicle, check the door for
obstructions, and close the door
again. Check to see if the message
still appears on the DIC.
PASSENGER DOOR OPEN
This message displays and a chime
sounds if the front passenger door
is not fully closed and the vehicle is
shifted out of P (Park). Stop and turn
off the vehicle, check the door for obstructions, and close the door
again. Check to see if the message
still appears on the DIC.
REAR ACCESS OPEN This message displays and a
chime sounds if the liftgate or
liftglass is open while the ignition is
in ON/RUN. Turn off the vehicle and
check the liftgate and liftglass.
Restart the vehicle and check for
the message on the DIC display.
RIGHT REAR DOOR OPEN This message displays and a chime
sounds if the passenger side rear
door is not fully closed and the
vehicle is shifted out of P (Park).
Stop and turn off the vehicle,
check the door for obstructions,
and close the door again. Check to
see if the message still appears on
the DIC. Engine Cooling System
Messages Notice: If you drive the vehicle
while the engine is overheating,
severe engine damage may
occur. If an overheat warning
appears on the instrument panel
cluster and/or DIC, stop the
vehicle as soon as possible.
See Engine Overheating on
page 10 ‑ 19 for more information.
ENGINE HOT A/C (Air
Conditioning) TURNED OFF This message displays when the
engine coolant becomes hotter than
the normal operating temperature.
See Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge on page 5 ‑ 13 . To avoid
added strain on a hot engine,
the air conditioning compressor
automatically turns off. When the
coolant temperature returns to
normal, the air conditioning
compressor turns back on. You can
continue to drive your vehicle.

Black plate (31,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Instruments and Controls 5-31If this message continues to appear,
have the system repaired by your
dealer as soon as possible to avoid
damage to the engine.
ENGINE OVERHEATED
IDLE ENGINE This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is too
hot. Stop and allow the vehicle to
idle until it cools down. See Engine
Coolant Temperature Gauge on
page 5 ‑ 13 .
See Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode on page 10 ‑ 22 for
information on driving to a safe
place in an emergency.
ENGINE OVERHEATED
STOP ENGINE
This message displays and a chime
sounds if the engine cooling system
reaches unsafe temperatures for
operation. Stop and turn off the
vehicle as soon as it is safe to
do so to avoid severe damage. This message clears when the
engine has cooled to a safe
operating temperature.
Engine Oil Messages CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON This message displays when the
engine oil needs to be changed.
When you change the engine oil, be
sure to reset the CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message. See Engine
Oil Life System on page 10 ‑ 9 for
information on how to reset the
message. See Engine Oil on
page 10 ‑ 7 and Maintenance
Schedule on page 11 ‑ 3 for more
information.
ENGINE OIL HOT IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays when the
engine oil becomes hotter than the
normal operating temperature. Stop
and allow the vehicle to idle until it
cools down. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge on page 5 ‑ 13 .OIL PRESSURE LOW
STOP ENGINE Notice: If you drive the vehicle
while the engine oil pressure is
low, severe engine damage
may occur. If a low oil pressure
warning appears on the Driver
Information Center (DIC), stop
the vehicle as soon as possible.
Do not drive the vehicle until the
cause of the low oil pressure is
corrected. See Engine Oil on
page 10 ‑ 7 for more information.
This message displays if low oil
pressure levels occur. Stop the
vehicle as soon as safely possible
and do not operate it until the cause
of the low oil pressure has been
corrected. Check the oil as soon
as possible and have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. See Engine
Oil on page 10 ‑ 7 .

Black plate (32,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
5-32 Instruments and Controls
Engine Power Messages ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED This message displays and a chime
sounds when the cooling system
temperature gets too hot and the
engine further enters the engine
coolant protection mode. See
Engine Overheating on page 10 ‑ 19
for further information.
This message also displays when
the engine power is reduced.
Reduced engine power can affect
the vehicle's ability to accelerate.
If this message is on, but there is
no reduction in performance,
proceed to your destination.
The performance may be reduced
the next time the vehicle is driven.
The vehicle may be driven at a
reduced speed while this message
is on, but acceleration and speed
may be reduced. Anytime this
message stays on, the vehicle
should be taken to your dealer for
service as soon as possible. Fuel System Messages FUEL LEVEL LOW This message displays and a
chime sounds if the fuel level is low.
Refuel as soon as possible. See
Fuel Gauge on page 5 ‑ 12 and Fuel
on page 9 ‑ 51 for more information.
TIGHTEN GAS CAP This message may display along
with the check engine light on the
instrument panel cluster if the fuel
cap is not tightened properly.
See Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 5 ‑ 16 . Reinstall the fuel cap
fully. See Filling the Tank on
page 9 ‑ 55 . The diagnostic system
can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed.
A loose or missing fuel cap
allows fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. A few driving trips with
the cap properly installed should
turn this light and message off. Key and Lock Messages REPLACE BATTERY IN
REMOTE KEY This message displays if a Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter
battery is low. The battery needs to
be replaced in the transmitter.
See “ Battery Replacement ” under
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2 ‑ 3 .
Lamp Messages SERVICE LEFT HEADLAMP
ASSEMBLY On some models, this message
will be displayed when the left
headlamp is out and needs to be
serviced. See “ LED Lighting ” in
LED Lighting on page 10 ‑ 36 for
more information.

Black plate (35,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Instruments and Controls 5-35TRACTION XX
STABILITRAK XX This message displays when the
traction control and/or StabiliTrak
systems have been turned on or off.
Adjust your driving accordingly.
To limit wheel spin and realize
the full benefits of the stability
enhancement system, you should
normally leave StabiliTrak on.
However, you should turn
StabiliTrak off if the vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow
and you want to rock the vehicle
to attempt to free it, or if you
are driving in extreme off-road
conditions and require more wheel
spin. See If the Vehicle Is Stuck on
page 9 ‑ 15 . To turn the StabiliTrak
system on or off, see StabiliTrak ®
System on page 9 ‑ 37 . STABILITRAK OFF may also
display when the stability control
has been automatically disabled.
There are several conditions that
can cause this message to appear. .
One condition is overheating,
which could occur if StabiliTrak
activates continuously for an
extended period of time. .
The message also displays if the
brake system warning light is on.
See Brake System Warning
Light on page 5 ‑ 19 . .
The message could display if the
stability system takes longer
than usual to complete its
diagnostic checks due to driving
conditions. .
The message displays if an
engine or vehicle related
problem has been detected
and the vehicle needs service.
See your dealer. The message turns off as soon as
the conditions that caused the
message to be displayed are no
longer present.
Airbag System Messages SERVICE AIR BAG This message displays if there is a
problem with the airbag system.
Have your dealer inspect the
system for problems. See Airbag
Readiness Light on page 5 ‑ 14 and
Airbag System on page 3 ‑ 25 for
more information.

Black plate (36,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
5-36 Instruments and Controls
Anti-theft Alarm System
Messages SERVICE THEFT DETERRENT
SYSTEM This message displays when there
is a problem with the theft-deterrent
system. The vehicle may or may not
restart so you may want to take the
vehicle to your dealer before turning
off the engine. See Immobilizer
Operation on page 2 ‑ 14 for more
information.
Tire Messages SERVICE TIRE MONITOR
SYSTEM On vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this
message displays if a part on the
TPMS is not working properly. The tire pressure light also flashes
and then remains on during the
same ignition cycle. See Tire
Pressure Light on page 5 ‑ 21 .
Several conditions may cause this
message to appear. See Tire
Pressure Monitor Operation on
page 10 ‑ 55 for more information.
If the warning comes on and stays
on, there may be a problem with the
TPMS. See your dealer.
TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE On vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this
message displays when the TPMS
is re-learning the tire positions on
your vehicle. The tire positions must
be re-learned after rotating the tires
or after replacing a tire or sensor.
See Tire Inspection on page 10 ‑ 57 ,
Tire Rotation on page 10 ‑ 58 , Tire
Pressure Monitor System on
page 10 ‑ 53 , and Tire Pressure on
page 10 ‑ 52 for more information. TIRE LOW ADD AIR TO TIRE On vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this
message displays when the
pressure in one or more of the
vehicle's tires needs to be checked.
This message also displays
LEFT FRT (left front), RIGHT FRT
(right front), LEFT RR (left rear),
or RIGHT RR (right rear) to indicate
the location of the low tire. The low
tire pressure warning light will also
come on. See Tire Pressure Light
on page 5 ‑ 21 . You can receive more
than one tire pressure message at a
time. To read the other messages
that may have been sent at the
same time, press the set/reset
button or the trip odometer reset
stem. If a tire pressure message
appears on the DIC, stop as soon
as you can. Have the tire pressures
checked and set to those shown on
the Tire Loading Information label.