2012 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT engine

Black plate (59,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-59
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. The
combination will not accelerate as
quickly and is longer so it is
necessary to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before
returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. Then, to move
the trailer to the left, move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering. When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this
so the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
If the trailer turn signal bulbs burn
out, the arrows on the instrument
panel will still flash for turns. It is
important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear
before starting down a
long or steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, the
brakes might get hot and no longer
work well. Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift
the transmission to a lower gear if
the transmission shifts too often
under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
The tow/haul mode may be used if
the transmission shifts too often.
See
Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑35.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: Engine coolant will boil at
a lower temperature than at normal
altitudes. If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the
vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run while parked,
preferably on level ground, with the
automatic transmission in P (Park)
for a few minutes before turning the
engine off. If the overheat warning
comes on, see Engine Overheating
on page 10‑20.

Black plate (60,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
9-60 Driving and Operating
Parking on Hills
{WARNING
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if facing
downhill or into traffic if facing
uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes
until the chocks absorb the load. 4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then
apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle
can roll.
If the engine has been left
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when on fairly
level ground, always put the shift
lever fully in P (Park) with the
parking brake firmly set.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear. 4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is
clear of the chocks.
7. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See this
manual's Maintenance Schedule or
Index for more information. Things
that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system and
brake system. It is a good idea to
inspect these before and during
the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.

Black plate (67,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-67
Operating 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)
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's 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. SeeStabiliTrak
®
System on page 9‑39 for more
information.
Adding non‐dealer accessories can
affect the vehicle's performance.
See Accessories and Modifications
on page 10‑2 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 3‑30 andAdding
Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 3‑30.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-2
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-10
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-14
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-20
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22 Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-23
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-29
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-30
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-31
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34 Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Sidemarker, Stoplamps,
and Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . 10-34
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-35
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-45
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52

Black plate (2,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
10-2 Vehicle Care
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
When It Is Time for NewTires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Different Size Tires and
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-61
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Secondary Latch System . . . 10-73
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-75
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-76
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-80
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-81
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-85
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-88
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems,
many fluids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non‐dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride and

Black plate (6,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
10-6 Vehicle Care
Engine Compartment Overview
6.2L V8 Engine

Black plate (7,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-7
A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑14.
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System on page 10‑16.
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting on
page 10‑76.
D. Battery on page 10‑27.
E. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (GND) (Out of View). See Jump
Starting on page 10‑76. F. Automatic Transmission
Dipstick (Out of View). See
“Checking the Fluid Level”
under Automatic Transmission
Fluid on page 10‑11.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑8.
H. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See “Checking Engine
Oil” under Engine Oil on
page 10‑8.
I. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System on
page 10‑16. J. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
(Out of View). See Power
Steering Fluid on page 10‑23.
K. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
under Brake Fluid on
page 10‑25.
L. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑36.
M. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid on
page 10‑23.

Black plate (8,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
10-8 Vehicle Care
Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.Always use engine oil approved
to the proper specification and of
the proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.
.Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See“Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System on page 10‑10.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine
oil level at each fuel fill. In order to
get an accurate reading, the vehicle
must be on level ground. The
engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow
loop. See Engine Compartment
Overview on page 10‑6 for the
location of the engine oil dipstick.
Obtaining an accurate oil level
reading is essential:
1. If the engine has been running recently, turn off the engine and
allow several minutes for the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Checking the oil level too soon
after engine shutoff will not
provide an accurate oil level
reading.
2. Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or cloth, then
push it back in all the way.
Remove it again, keeping the
tip down, and check the level.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick, add
1 L (1 qt) of the recommended oil
and then recheck the level. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil” in
this section for an explanation of
what kind of oil to use. For engine
oil crankcase capacity, see
Capacities and Specifications on
page 12‑2.
Notice: Do not add too much oil.
Oil levels above or below the
acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful
to the engine. If you find that you
have an oil level above the
operating range, i.e., the engine
has so much oil that the oil level
gets above the cross-hatched