2012 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT light

Black plate (66,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
9-66 Driving and Operating
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 9‑35 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” inTrailer
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 (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 (14,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
10-14 Vehicle Care
5. Safe operating level is within theHOT cross hatch band on the
dipstick. If the fluid level is not
within the HOT band, and the
transmission temperature is
between 71°C and 93°C (160°F
and 200°F), add or drain fluid as
necessary to bring the level into
the HOT band. If the fluid level is
low, add only enough fluid to
bring the level into the HOT
band. It does not take much
fluid, generally less than 0.5 L
(1 pint). Do not overfill.
6. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way, then
flip the handle down to lock the
dipstick in place.
Consistency of Readings
Always check the fluid level at
least twice using the procedures
described. Consistency (repeatable
readings) is important to maintaining
proper fluid level. If fluid is added, it
may take 15 minutes or longer to
obtain an accurate reading because
of residual fluid draining down
the dipstick tube. If inconsistent
readings persist, check the
transmission breather to be sure it is
clean and not clogged. If readings
are still inconsistent, contact your
dealer.
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑6 for the location of the
engine air cleaner/filter.
Inspect the air cleaner/filter at the
scheduled maintenance intervals
and replace it at the first oil change
after each 80 000 km (50,000 mile)
interval. See Maintenance Schedule
on page 11‑3 for more information.
If driving on dusty/dirty conditions,
inspect the filter at each engine oil
change.
How to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
To inspect the air cleaner/filter,
remove the engine air cleaner/filter
from the vehicle by following
Steps 1 through 6. When the engine
air cleaner/filter is removed, lightly
shake it to release loose dust and
dirt. If the engine air cleaner/filter
remains covered with dirt, a new
filter is required. Never use
compressed air to clean the filter.

Black plate (25,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-25
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 inCapacities 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.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is
complex. Its many parts have to be
of top quality and work well together
if the vehicle is to have really good
braking. The vehicle was designed
and tested with top-quality brake
parts. When parts of the braking
system are replaced, be sure to get
new, approved replacement parts.
If this is not done, the brakes might
not work properly. For example,
installing disc brake pads that are
wrong for the vehicle, can change
the balance between the front and
rear brakes —for the worse. The
braking performance expected can
change in many other ways if the
wrong replacement brake parts are
installed.
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder reservoir
is filled with DOT 3 brake fluid. See
Engine Compartment Overview on
page 10‑6 for the location of the
reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in the reservoir
might go down:
.The brake fluid level goes down
because of normal brake lining
wear. When new linings are
installed, the fluid level goes
back up.
.A fluid leak in the brake
hydraulic system can also cause
a low fluid level. Have the brake
hydraulic system fixed, since a
leak means that sooner or later
the brakes will not work well.

Black plate (26,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
10-26 Vehicle Care
Do not top off the brake fluid.
Adding fluid does not correct a leak.
If fluid is added when the linings
are worn, there will be too much
fluid when new brake linings are
installed. Add or remove brake fluid,
as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
{WARNING
If too much brake fluid is added, it
can spill on the engine and burn,
if the engine is hot enough. You
or others could be burned, and
the vehicle could be damaged.
Add brake fluid only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic
system. See“Checking Brake
Fluid” in this section.
When the brake fluid falls to a low
level, the brake warning light comes
on. See Brake System Warning
Light on page 5‑18. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule
to determine when to check the
brake fluid. See
Maintenance
Schedule on page 11‑3.
Checking Brake Fluid
Check brake fluid by looking at the
brake fluid reservoir. See Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 10‑6.
The fluid level should be above
MIN. If it is not, have the brake
hydraulic system checked to see if
there is a leak. After work is done on the brake
hydraulic system, make sure the
level is above the MIN but not over
the MAX mark.
What to Add
Use only new DOT 3 brake fluid
from a sealed container. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑12.
Always clean the brake fluid
reservoir cap and the area around
the cap before removing it. This
helps keep dirt from entering the
reservoir.
{WARNING
With the wrong kind of fluid in the
brake hydraulic system, the
brakes might not work well. This
could cause a crash. Always use
the proper brake fluid.

Black plate (32,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
10-32 Vehicle Care
Headlamp Aiming
The vehicle has a visual optical
headlamp aiming system. The aim
of the headlamps have been preset
at the factory and should need no
further adjustment.
However, if the vehicle is damaged
in a crash, the aim of the headlamps
may be affected and adjustment
may be necessary.
If oncoming vehicles flash their high
beams at you, this may mean the
vertical aim of the headlamps needs
to be adjusted.
It is recommended that the vehicle
is taken to your dealer for service if
the headlamps need to be adjusted.
It is possible however, to re-aim the
headlamps as described.
The vehicle should:
.Be placed so the headlamps are
7.6 m (25 ft.) from a light colored
wall or other flat surface.
.Have all four tires on a level
surface which is level all the way
to the wall or other flat surface.
.Be placed so it is perpendicular
to the wall or other flat surface.
.Not have any snow, ice, or mud
on it.
.Be fully assembled and all other
work stopped while headlamp
aiming is being performed.
.Be normally loaded with a full
tank of fuel and one person or
75 kg (160 lbs) sitting on the
driver seat.
.Have the tires properly inflated.
.Have the spare tire is in its
proper location in the vehicle.
Headlamp aiming is done with the
vehicle's low-beam headlamps. The
high-beam headlamps will be
correctly aimed if the low-beam
headlamps are aimed properly. To adjust the vertical aim:
1. Open the hood. See
Hood on
page 10‑4 for more information.2. Locate the center of the
projector lens of the low‐beam
headlamp.
3. Record the distance from the ground to the center of the
projector lens of the low‐beam
headlamp.

Black plate (33,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-33
4. At a wall, measure from theground upward (A) to the
recorded distance from
Step 3 and mark it.
5. Draw or tape a horizontal line (B) on the wall the width of the
vehicle at the height of the mark
in Step 4.
Notice: Do not cover a headlamp
to improve beam cut-off when
aiming. Covering a headlamp may
cause excessive heat build-up
which may cause damage to the
headlamp. 6. Turn on the low-beam
headlamps and place a piece of
cardboard or equivalent in front
of the headlamp not being
adjusted. This allows only the
beam of light from the headlamp
being adjusted to be seen on the
flat surface.
7. Locate the vertical headlamp
aiming screws, which are under
the hood near each headlamp
assembly. 8. Turn the vertical aiming screw
until the headlamp beam is
aimed to the horizontal tape line.
Turn it clockwise or
counterclockwise to raise or
lower the angle of the beam.
9. Make sure that the light from theheadlamp is positioned at the
bottom edge of the horizontal
tape line. The lamp on the
left (A) shows the correct
headlamp aim. The lamp on the
right (B) shows the incorrect
headlamp aim.
10. Repeat Steps 7 through 9 for the opposite headlamp.