2012 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV coolant

Black plate (19,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Vehicle Care 10-19
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with
the proper mixture to the FULL
COLD mark. 4. With the coolant surge tank
pressure cap off, start the
engine and let it run until the
upper radiator hose can be felt
getting hot. Watch out for the
engine cooling fan.
By this time, the coolant level
inside the coolant surge tank
may be lower. If the level is
lower, add more of the proper
mixture to the coolant surge tank
until the level reaches the FULL
COLD mark. 5. Replace the pressure cap. Be
sure the pressure cap is
hand-tight and fully seated.
6. Verify coolant level after engine
is shut off and the coolant is
cold. If necessary, repeat coolant
fill procedure Steps 1 through 6.
Notice: If the pressure cap is not
tightly installed, coolant loss and
possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly
and tightly secured.
Engine Overheating The vehicle has several indicators
to warn of engine overheating.
There is a coolant temperature
gauge on your vehicle's instrument
panel. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge on page 5 ‑ 13 .
In addition, ENGINE OVERHEATED
STOP ENGINE, ENGINE
OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE, and
a ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
message comes on in the Driver
Information Center (DIC) on the

Black plate (20,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
10-20 Vehicle Care instrument panel. See Engine
Cooling System Messages on
page 5 ‑ 30 and Engine Power
Messages on page 5 ‑ 32 .
If the decision is made not to lift the
hood when this warning appears,
but instead get service help right
away. See Roadside Service (U.S.
and Canada) on page 13 ‑ 7 or
Roadside Service (Mexico) on
page 13 ‑ 9 .
If the decision is made to lift the
hood, make sure the vehicle is
parked on a level surface.
Then check to see if the engine
cooling fans are running. If the
engine is overheating, both fans
should be running. If they are not,
do not continue to run the engine
and have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Engine damage from
running the engine without
coolant is not covered by the
vehicle warranty. See Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode on page 10 ‑ 22 for
information on driving to a safe
place in an emergency.
Notice: If the engine catches fire
while driving with no coolant, the
vehicle can be badly damaged.
The costly repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
See Overheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode on
page 10 ‑ 22 for information on
driving to a safe place in an
emergency.
If Steam Is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
{ WARNING
Steam from an overheated engine
can burn you badly, even if you
just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear
steam coming from it. Turn it off
and get everyone away from the
vehicle until it cools down. Wait
(Continued) WARNING (Continued) until there is no sign of steam or
coolant before you open
the hood.
If you keep driving when the
vehicles engine is overheated,
the liquids in it can catch fire. You
or others could be badly burned.
Stop the engine if it overheats,
and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
See Overheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode on
page 10 ‑ 22 for information on
driving to a safe place in an
emergency.

Black plate (21,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Vehicle Care 10-21If No Steam Is Coming from
the Engine Compartment The ENGINE OVERHEATED
STOP ENGINE or the ENGINE
OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE
message, along with a low coolant
condition, can indicate a serious
problem.
If there is an engine overheat
warning, but see or hear no steam,
the problem may not be too serious.
Sometimes the engine can get a
little too hot when the vehicle: .
Climbs a long hill on a hot day. .
Stops after high-speed driving. .
Idles for long periods in traffic. .
Tows a trailer. See Trailer
Towing on page 9 ‑ 61 . If the ENGINE OVERHEATED
STOP ENGINE or the ENGINE
OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE
message appears with no sign of
steam, try this for a minute or so:
If the overheat warning is displayed
with no sign of steam:
1. Turn the air conditioning off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest
temperature and to the highest
fan speed. Open the windows as
necessary.
3. In heavy traffic, let the engine
idle in N (Neutral) while stopped.
If it is safe to do so, pull off the
road, shift to P (Park) or
N (Neutral) and let the
engine idle. If the temperature overheat gauge is
no longer in the overheat zone or an
overheat warning no longer
displays, the vehicle can be driven.
Continue to drive the vehicle slowly
for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle distance from the vehicle in
front. If the warning does not come
back on, continue to drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over,
stop, and park the vehicle
right away.
If there is no sign of steam, idle the
engine for five minutes while
parked. If the warning is still
displayed, turn off the engine until it
cools down. Also, see “ Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode ”
later in this section.

Black plate (22,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
10-22 Vehicle Care
Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode If an overheated engine condition
exists and the ENGINE POWER IS
REDUCED message is displayed,
an overheat protection mode which
alternates firing groups of cylinders
helps prevent engine damage. In
this mode, a loss in power and
engine performance will be noticed.
This operating mode allows the
vehicle to be driven to a safe place
in an emergency. Driving extended
distances and/or towing a trailer in
the overheat protection mode
should be avoided.
Notice: After driving in the
overheated engine protection
operating mode, to avoid engine
damage, allow the engine to cool
before attempting any repair. The
engine oil will be severely
degraded. Repair the cause of
coolant loss, change the oil and
reset the oil life system. See
Engine Oil on page 10 ‑ 7 . Engine Fan The vehicle has electric cooling
fans. The fans spinning at low
speed during most everyday driving
might be heard. The fans can turn
off if no cooling is required. Under
heavy vehicle loading, trailer towing,
and/or high outside temperatures,
or if operating the air conditioning
system, the fans can change to high
speed and an increase in fan noise
might be heard. This is normal and
indicates that the cooling system is
functioning properly. The fans
change to low speed when
additional cooling is no longer
required. Power Steering Fluid
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10 ‑ 6 for reservoir location.
When to Check Power Steering
Fluid It is not necessary to regularly
check power steering fluid unless
there is a leak suspected in the
system or an unusual noise is
heard. A fluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the
system inspected and repaired.

Black plate (24,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
10-24 Vehicle Care Notice .
When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer's instructions
for adding water. .
Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the solution
to freeze and damage the
washer fluid tank and other
parts of the washer system. .
Fill the washer fluid tank only
three-quarters full when it is
very cold. This allows for
fluid expansion if freezing
occurs, which could damage
the tank if it is
completely full. .
Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the windshield
washer. It can damage the
windshield washer system
and paint. Brakes This vehicle has disc brakes. Disc
brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time the vehicle is
moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.
{ WARNINGThe brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Notice: Continuing to drive with
worn-out brake pads could result
in costly brake repair. Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications in Capacities and
Specifications on page 12 ‑ 2 .
Brake linings should always be
replaced as complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service might be
required.
Brake Adjustment
Every time the brakes are applied,
with or without the vehicle moving,
the brakes adjust for wear.

Black plate (50,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
10-50 Vehicle Care maximum capacity of fuel, oil,
and coolant, but without
passengers and cargo.
DOT Markings :
A code molded
into the sidewall of a tire
signifying that the tire is in
compliance with the U.S.
Department of Transportation
(DOT) Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards. The DOT code
includes the Tire Identification
Number (TIN), an alphanumeric
designator which can also
identify the tire manufacturer,
production plant, brand, and
date of production.
GVWR :
Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating. See Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9 ‑ 16 .
GAWR FRT :
Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the front axle. See
Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9 ‑ 16 . GAWR RR :
Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the rear axle. See
Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9 ‑ 16 .
Intended Outboard Sidewall :
The side of an asymmetrical tire,
that must always face outward
when mounted on a vehicle.
Kilopascal (kPa) :
The metric
unit for air pressure.
Light Truck (LT ‐ Metric) Tire :
A
tire used on light duty trucks and
some multipurpose passenger
vehicles.
Load Index :
An assigned
number ranging from 1 to 279
that corresponds to the load
carrying capacity of a tire.
Maximum Inflation Pressure :
The maximum air pressure to
which a cold tire can be inflated.
The maximum air pressure is
molded onto the sidewall. Maximum Load Rating :
The
load rating for a tire at the
maximum permissible inflation
pressure for that tire.
Maximum Loaded Vehicle
Weight :
The sum of curb
weight, accessory weight,
vehicle capacity weight, and
production options weight.
Normal Occupant Weight :
The
number of occupants a vehicle
is designed to seat multiplied by
68 kg (150 lbs). See Vehicle
Load Limits on page 9 ‑ 16 .
Occupant Distribution :
Designated seating positions.
Outward Facing Sidewall :
The
side of an asymmetrical tire that
has a particular side that faces
outward when mounted on a
vehicle. The side of the tire that
contains a whitewall, bears
white lettering, or bears
manufacturer, brand, and/or

Black plate (4,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
11-4 Service and Maintenance Engine Oil Change When the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message displays, have the
engine oil and filter changed within
the next 1 000 km/600 mi. If driven
under the best conditions, the
engine oil life system might not
indicate the need for vehicle service
for more than a year. The engine oil
and filter must be changed at least
once a year and the oil life system
must be reset. Your trained dealer
technician can perform this work.
If the engine oil life system is reset
accidentally, service the vehicle
within 5 000 km/3,000 mi since the
last service. Reset the oil life
system when the oil is changed.
See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10 ‑ 9 . Tire Rotation and Required
Services Every 12 000 km/
7,500 mi Rotate the tires, if recommended for
the vehicle, and perform the
following services. See Tire
Rotation on page 10 ‑ 58 . .
Check engine oil level and oil
life percentage. If needed,
change engine oil and filter, and
reset oil life system. See Engine
Oil on page 10 ‑ 7 and Engine Oil
Life System on page 10 ‑ 9 ..
Check engine coolant level. See
Engine Coolant on page 10 ‑ 16 ..
Check windshield washer fluid
level. See Washer Fluid on
page 10 ‑ 23 . .
Visually inspect windshield wiper
blades for wear, cracking,
or contamination. See Exterior
Care on page 10 ‑ 96 . Replace
worn or damaged wiper blades.
See Wiper Blade Replacement
on page 10 ‑ 32 . .
Check tire inflation pressures.
See Tire Pressure on
page 10 ‑ 52 . .
Inspect tire wear. See Tire
Inspection on page 10 ‑ 57 . .
Visually check for fluid leaks. .
Inspect engine air cleaner filter.
See Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10 ‑ 13 . .
Inspect brake system.

Black plate (5,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Service and Maintenance 11-5.
Visually inspect steering,
suspension, and chassis
components for damaged, loose,
or missing parts or signs of
wear. See Exterior Care on
page 10 ‑ 96 ..
Check restraint system
components. See Safety System
Check on page 3 ‑ 24 ..
Visually inspect fuel system for
damage or leaks. .
Visually inspect exhaust system
and nearby heat shields for
loose or damaged parts. .
Lubricate body components. See
Exterior Care on page 10 ‑ 96 . .
Check starter switch. See Starter
Switch Check on page 10 ‑ 30 ..
Check automatic transmission
shift lock control function. See
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function Check on
page 10 ‑ 30 . .
Check ignition transmission lock.
See Ignition Transmission Lock
Check on page 10 ‑ 31 . .
Check parking brake and
automatic transmission park
mechanism. See Park Brake and
P (Park) Mechanism Check on
page 10 ‑ 31 . .
Check accelerator pedal for
damage, high effort, or binding.
Replace if needed. .
Visually inspect gas strut for
signs of wear, cracks, or other
damage. Check the hold open
ability of the strut. See your
dealer if service is required. .
Check tire sealant expiration
date, if equipped. See Tire
Sealant and Compressor Kit on
page 10 ‑ 67 . .
Inspect sunroof track and seal,
if equipped. See Sunroof on
page 2 ‑ 21 . .
Check hybrid low pressure
coolant level, if equipped.