2012 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV instrument panel

Black plate (68,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
9-68 Driving and Operating headlamps as a second way to
boost the vehicle system and
charge the battery.
Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions These wiring provisions are
included with the vehicle as part of
the trailer wiring package. These
provisions are for an electric brake
controller. The instrument panel
contains blunt cut wires near the
data link connector for the trailer
brake controller. The harness
contains the following wires: .
Dark Blue: Brake Signal to
Trailer Connector .
Red/Black: Battery .
Light Blue/White: Brake Switch .
White: Ground
It should be installed by your dealer
or a qualified service center. Tow/Haul Mode
Pressing this button at the end of
the shift lever turns on and off the
tow/haul mode.
This indicator light on the instrument
panel cluster comes on when the
tow/haul mode is on.
Tow/Haul is a feature that assists
when pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load. See Tow/Haul
Mode on page 9 ‑ 33 for more
information. Tow/Haul is designed to be most
effective when the vehicle and
trailer combined weight is at least
75 percent of the vehicle's Gross
Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
See “ Weight of the Trailer ” in Trailer
Towing on page 9 ‑ 61 . Tow/Haul is
most useful under the following
driving conditions: .
When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load through
rolling terrain. .
When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load in stop and
go traffic. .
When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load in busy
parking lots where improved low
speed control of the vehicle is
desired.

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 (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care General Information General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition 65
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and
Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks Doing Your Own
Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Compartment
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 10-9
Automatic Transmission
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-13
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15 Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-19
Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-22
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-30
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Ignition Transmission Lock
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-31
Wiper Blade
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-33 Headlamp Aiming Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Bulb Replacement Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
High Intensity Discharge
(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-37
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Electrical System Electrical System
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43

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 (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 (43,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
Vehicle Care 10-43J-Case
Fuses Usage
66 Not Used
67 Transfer Case
68 Stud 1 (Trailer
Connector Battery
Power)
69 Mid-Bussed Electrical
Center 1
70 Climate Control
Blower
71 Power Liftgate
Module
72 Left Bussed Electrical
Center 2
Relays Usage
FAN HI Cooling Fan High
Speed
FAN LO Cooling Fan Low
Speed Relays Usage
FAN
CNTRL Cooling Fan Control
HDLP
LO/HID Low-Beam Headlamp
FOG
LAMP Front Fog Lamps
A/C
CMPRSR Air Conditioning
Compressor
STRTR Starter
PWR/TRN Powertrain
FUEL
PMP Fuel Pump
PRK
LAMP Parking Lamps
REAR
DEFOG Rear Defogger
RUN/
CRNK Switched Power Instrument Panel Fuse
Block
The instrument panel fuse block
access door is located on the driver
side edge of the instrument panel.
Pull off the cover to access the fuse
block.

Black plate (44,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd CRC - 11/29/11
10-44 Vehicle Care
The vehicle may not be equipped
with all of the fuses, relays, and
features shown.
Fuses Usage
1 Rear Seats
2 Rear Accessory
Power Outlet Fuses Usage
3 Steering Wheel
Controls Backlight
4 Driver Door Module
5 Dome Lamps, Driver
Side Turn Signal Fuses Usage
6 Driver Side Turn
Signal, Stoplamp
7 Instrument Panel
Back Lighting
8 Passenger Side Turn
Signal, Stoplamp
9 Passenger Door
Module, Driver Unlock
10 Power Door Lock 2
(Unlock Feature)
11 Power Door Lock 2
(Lock Feature)
12 Stoplamps, Center
High ‐ Mounted
Stoplamp
13 Rear Climate Controls
14 Power Mirror
15 Body Control
Module (BCM)
16 Accessory Power
Outlets