Black plate (69,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Driving and Operating 9-69Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul
when lightly loaded or with no trailer
at all will not cause damage.
However, there is no benefit to the
selection of Tow/Haul when the
vehicle is unloaded. Such a
selection when unloaded may result
in unpleasant engine and
transmission driving characteristics
and reduced fuel economy. Tow/
Haul is recommended only when
pulling a heavy trailer or a large or
heavy load. Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) Non-hybrid vehicles with StabiliTrak
have a Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
feature. If the vehicle is towing a
trailer and the system detects that
the trailer is swaying, the vehicle
brakes are applied without the driver
pressing the brake pedal. The TCS/
StabiliTrak warning light will flash on
the instrument panel cluster to notify
the driver to reduce speed. If the
trailer continues to sway, StabiliTrak
will reduce engine torque to help
slow the vehicle. See StabiliTrak ®
System on page 9 ‑ 37 for more
information.
Adding non ‐ dealer accessories can
affect the vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10 ‑ 3 for more information.Conversions and
Add-Ons Add-On Electrical
Equipment Notice: Do not add anything
electrical to the vehicle unless
you check with your dealer first.
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle and the
damage would not be covered by
the vehicle's warranty. Some
add-on electrical equipment can
keep other components from
working as they should.
Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12 ‐ volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 3 ‑ 38 and Adding
Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 3 ‑ 38 .
Black plate (42,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
10-42 Vehicle Care Fuses Usage
33 Daytime Running
Lamps 2 (If Equipped)
34 Sunroof
35 Key Ignition System,
Theft Deterrent
System
36 Windshield Wiper
37 SEO B2 Upfitter
Usage (Battery)
38 Electric Adjustable
Pedals
39 Climate Controls
(Battery)
40 Airbag System
(Ignition)
41 Amplifier
42 Audio System
43 Miscellaneous
(Ignition), Cruise
Control
44 Liftgate Release Fuses Usage
45 Airbag System
(Battery)
46 Instrument Panel
Cluster
47 Not Used
48 Auxiliary Climate
Control (Ignition)
49 Center High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL)
50 Rear Defogger
51 Heated Mirrors
52 SEO B1 Upfitter
Usage (Battery)
53 Accessory Power
Outlet, Cigarette
Lighter (If Equipped)
54 Automatic Level
Control Compressor
Relay
55 Climate Controls
(Ignition) Fuses Usage
56 Engine Control
Module, Secondary
Fuel Pump (Ignition)
J-Case
Fuses Usage
57 Cooling Fan 1
58 Automatic Level
Control Compressor
59 Heavy Duty Antilock
Braking System
60 Cooling Fan 2
61 Antilock Brake
System 1
62 Starter
63 Stud 2 (Trailer
Brakes)
64 Left Bussed Electrical
Center 1
65 Electric Running
Boards
Black plate (55,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Vehicle Care 10-55
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation This vehicle may have a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).
The TPMS is designed to warn the
driver when a low tire pressure
condition exists. TPMS sensors are
mounted onto each tire and wheel
assembly, excluding the spare tire
and wheel assembly. The TPMS
sensors monitor the air pressure in
the tires and transmit the tire
pressure readings to a receiver
located in the vehicle.
When a low tire pressure condition
is detected, the TPMS illuminates
the low tire pressure warning light
located on the instrument cluster.
If the warning light comes on, stop
as soon as possible and inflate the tires to the recommended pressure
shown on the tire loading
information label. See Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9 ‑ 16 .
A message to check the pressure in
a specific tire displays in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). The low
tire pressure warning light and the
DIC warning message come on at
each ignition cycle until the tires are
inflated to the correct inflation
pressure. Using the DIC, tire
pressure levels can be viewed. For
additional information and details
about the DIC operation and
displays see Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5 ‑ 23 and Tire
Messages on page 5 ‑ 36 .
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather when
the vehicle is first started, and then
turn off as the vehicle is driven. This
could be an early indicator that the
air pressure is getting low and
needs to be inflated to the proper
pressure. A Tire and Loading Information label
shows the size of the original
equipment tires and the correct
inflation pressure for the tires when
they are cold. See Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9 ‑ 16 , for an example
of the Tire and Loading Information
label and its location. Also see Tire
Pressure on page 10 ‑ 52 .
The TPMS can warn about a low
tire pressure condition but it does
not replace normal tire
maintenance. See Tire Inspection
on page 10 ‑ 57 , Tire Rotation on
page 10 ‑ 58 and Tires on
page 10 ‑ 46 .
Notice: Tire sealant materials are
not all the same. A non-approved
tire sealant could damage the
TPMS sensors. TPMS sensor
damage caused by using an
incorrect tire sealant is not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always use only the
GM-approved tire sealant
available through your dealer or
included in the vehicle.
Black plate (99,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Vehicle Care 10-99Underbody Maintenance Use plain water to flush dirt and
debris from the vehicle's underbody.
Your dealer or an underbody car
washing system can do this. If not
removed, rust and corrosion can
develop.
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 Quickly repair minor chips and
scratches with touch-up materials
available from your dealer to avoid
corrosion. Larger areas of finish
damage can be corrected in your
dealer's body and paint shop.
Chemical Paint Spotting Airborne pollutants can fall upon
and attack painted vehicle surfaces
causing blotchy, ring-shaped
discolorations, and small, irregular
dark spots etched into the paint
surface.
Interior Care To prevent dirt particle abrasions,
regularly clean the vehicle's interior.
Immediately remove any soils. Note
that newspapers or dark garments
that can transfer color to home
furnishings can also permanently
transfer color to the vehicle's
interior. Use a soft bristle brush to remove
dust from knobs and crevices on the
instrument cluster. Using a mild
soap solution, immediately remove
hand lotions, sunscreen, and insect
repellant from all interior surfaces or
permanent damage may result.
Your dealer may have products for
cleaning the interior. Use cleaners
specifically designed for the
surfaces being cleaned to prevent
permanent damage. To prevent
overspray, apply all cleaners directly
to the cleaning cloth. Cleaners
should be removed quickly. Never
allow cleaners to remain on the
surface being cleaned for extended
periods of time.
Cleaners may contain solvents that
can become concentrated in the
interior. Before using cleaners, read
and adhere to all safety instructions
on the label. While cleaning the
interior, maintain adequate
ventilation by opening the doors and
windows.
Black plate (10,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
11-10 Service and Maintenance Battery
The battery supplies power to start
the engine and operate any
additional electrical accessories. .
To avoid break ‐ down or failure to
start the vehicle, maintain a
battery with full cranking power. .
Trained dealer technicians have
the diagnostic equipment to test
the battery and ensure that the
connections and cables are
corrosion ‐ free.
Belts .
Belts may need replacing if they
squeak or show signs of
cracking or splitting. .
Trained dealer technicians can
inspect the belts and
recommend replacement when
necessary. Brakes
Brakes stop the vehicle and are
crucial to safe driving. .
Signs of brake wear may include
chirping, grinding, or squealing
noises, or difficulty stopping. .
Trained dealer technicians have
access to tools and equipment
to inspect the brakes and
recommend quality parts
engineered for the vehicle.
Fluids
Proper fluid levels and approved
fluids protect the vehicle ’ s systems
and components. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11 ‑ 13 for GM
approved fluids. .
Engine oil and windshield
washer fluid levels should be
checked at every fuel fill. .
Instrument cluster lights may
come on to indicate that fluids
may be low and need to be
filled. Hoses
Hoses transport fluids and should
be regularly inspected to ensure
that there are no cracks or leaks.
With a multi ‐ point inspection, your
dealer can inspect the hoses and
advise if replacement is needed.
Lamps
Properly working headlamps,
taillamps, and brake lamps are
important to see and be seen on
the road. .
Signs that the headlamps need
attention include dimming, failure
to light, cracking, or damage.
The brake lamps need to be
checked periodically to ensure
that they light when braking. .
With a multi ‐ point inspection,
your dealer can check the lamps
and note any concerns.
Black plate (3,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
INDEX i-3Child Restraints
Infants and Young
Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43
Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . 3-49
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
Securing . . . . . . . . . . 3-56, 3-59, 3-60
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-45
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Cleaning
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-96
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-99
Climate Control Systems
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . 13-14
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Compressor Kit, Tire
Sealant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Configure Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-84
Connections, OnStar ®
. . . . . . . . . 14-4 Continuous Damping
Control (CDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Coolant
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Courtesy Transportation
Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-4, 13-5
Text Telephone (TTY)
Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
Customer Information
Service Publications
Ordering Information . . . . . . 13-17
Customer Satisfaction
Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1, 13-3 D Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . 13-14
Danger, Warnings, and
Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . 13-19
Database Coverage
Explanations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-99
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Destination, Navigation . . . . . . . . 7-70
Devices, Auxiliary . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-30
Diagnostics, OnStar ®
. . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Door
Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . 12-3
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . 10-27, 9-34
Black plate (6,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
i-6 INDEX
HHazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . 6-7
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Headlamps
Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
High Intensity Discharge
(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-5
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Heated
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Heated and Ventilated Front
Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Heater
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22 High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . 10-53
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . 9-12
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16
I Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Ignition Transmission Lock
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Infants and Young Children,
Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
J Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-88 K Key and Lock Messages . . . . . . . 5-32
Keyless Entry
Remote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . 2-3
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
L Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . 10-47
Lamps
Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . 6-5
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Lap Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17