2012 CADILLAC ESCALADE light

Black plate (60,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
10-60 Vehicle Care
The rubber in tires ages over time.
This also applies to the spare tire,
if the vehicle has one, even if it is
never used. Multiple conditions
including temperatures, loading
conditions, and inflation pressure
maintenance affect how fast aging
takes place. Tires will typically need
to be replaced due to wear before
they may need to be replaced
due to age. Consult the tire
manufacturer for more information
on when tires should be replaced.
Vehicle Storage
Tires age when stored normally
mounted on a parked vehicle. Park
a vehicle that will be stored for at
least a month in a cool, dry, clean
area away from direct sunlight to
slow aging. This area should be
free of grease, gasoline or other
substances that can deteriorate
rubber.
Parking for an extended period can
cause flat spots on the tires that
may result in vibrations while
driving. When storing a vehicle forat least a month, remove the tires
or raise the vehicle to reduce the
weight from the tires.
Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched
specific tires for the vehicle. The
original equipment tires installed
were designed to meet General
Motors Tire Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec) system
rating. When replacement tires are
needed, GM strongly recommends
buying tires with the same TPC
Spec rating.
GM's exclusive TPC Spec system
considers over a dozen critical
specifications that impact the
overall performance of the
vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire pressure
monitoring performance. GM's TPC
Spec number is molded onto the
tire's sidewall near the tire size.
If the tires have an all‐season tread
design, the TPC Spec number will
be followed by MS for mud and
snow. See
Tire Sidewall Labeling on
page 10‑47 for additional
information.
GM recommends replacing all the
tires at the same time. Uniform
tread depth on all tires will help to
maintain the performance of the
vehicle. Braking and handling
performance may be adversely
affected if all the tires are not
replaced at the same time. See
Tire Inspection on page 10‑58 and
Tire Rotation on page 10‑58 for
information on proper tire rotation.
{WARNING
Tires could explode during
improper service. Attempting
to mount or dismount a tire
could cause injury or death.
Only your dealer or authorized
tire service center should
mount or dismount the tires.

Black plate (62,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
10-62 Vehicle Care
Different Size Tires and
Wheels
If wheels or tires are installed that
are a different size than the original
equipment wheels and tires, vehicle
performance, including its braking,
ride and handling characteristics,
stability, and resistance to rollover
may be affected. If the vehicle has
electronic systems such as antilock
brakes, rollover airbags, traction
control, and electronic stability
control, the performance of these
systems can also be affected.
{WARNING
If different sized wheels are used,
there may not be an acceptable
level of performance and safety if
tires not recommended for those
wheels are selected. This
increases the chance of a crash
and serious injury. Only use GM
specific wheel and tire systems(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
developed for the vehicle, and
have them properly installed by a
GM certified technician.
See Buying New Tires on
page 10‑60 andAccessories and
Modifications on page 10‑3 for
additional information.
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which grades tires
by treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This
applies only to vehicles sold in
the United States. The grades
are molded on the sidewalls of
most passenger car tires. The
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
(UTQG) system does not apply
to deep tread, winter-type snow
tires, space-saver, or temporary
use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production
tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.

Black plate (69,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-69
Using the Tire Sealant
and Compressor Kit to
Temporarily Seal and Inflate
a Punctured Tire
Follow the directions closely for
correct sealant usage.
When using the tire sealant
and compressor kit during cold
temperatures, warm the kit in a
heated environment for five minutes.
This will help to inflate the tire
faster.If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire
and wheel damage by driving slowly
to a level place. Turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
See
If a Tire Goes Flat on
page 10‑65 for other important
safety warnings.
Do not remove any objects that
have penetrated the tire.
1. Remove the tire sealant and compressor kit from its storage
location. See Storing the Tire
Sealant and Compressor Kit on
page 10‑74.
Make sure the on/off button (D)
is in the off (O) position.
2. Unwrap the sealant/air hose (G) and the power plug (C).
3. Place the kit on the ground. Make sure the tire valve stem is
positioned close to the ground
so the hose will reach it.
4. Remove the valve stem cap from the flat tire by turning it
counterclockwise. 5. Attach the sealant/air hose (G)
onto the tire valve stem. Turn it
clockwise until it is tight.
6. Plug the power plug (C) into the accessory power outlet in the
vehicle. Unplug all items from
other accessory power outlets.
See Power Outlets on page 5‑8
in the owner manual.
If the vehicle has an accessory
power outlet, do not use the
cigarette lighter.
If the vehicle only has a cigarette
lighter, use the cigarette lighter.
Do not pinch the power plug
cord in the door or window.
7. Start the vehicle. The vehicle must be running while using the
air compressor.
8. Press the on/off (D) button to turn the tire sealant and
compressor kit on.
The compressor will inject
sealant and air into the tire.

Black plate (72,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
10-72 Vehicle Care
SeeIf a Tire Goes Flat on
page 10‑65 for other important
safety warnings.
1. Remove the tire sealant and compressor kit from its storage
location. See Storing the Tire
Sealant and Compressor Kit on
page 10‑74.
2. Unlock the air only hose (F) from the tire sealant canister (B) by
pulling up on the lever.
3. Pull the air only hose (F) from the tire sealant canister (B).
4. Remove the power plug (C) from the air compressor (A).
5. Place the kit on the ground. Make sure the tire valve stem is
positioned close to the ground
so the hose will reach it.
6. Remove the tire valve stem cap by turning it counterclockwise.
7. Attach the air only hose (F) onto the tire valve stem and press the
lever down to secure it. 8. Plug the power plug (C) into the
accessory power outlet in the
vehicle. Unplug all items from
other accessory power outlets.
See Power Outlets on page 5‑8
in the owner manual.
If the vehicle has an accessory
power outlet, do not use the
cigarette lighter.
If the vehicle only has a cigarette
lighter, use the cigarette lighter.
Do not pinch the power plug
cord in the door or window.
9. Start the vehicle. The vehicle must be running while using the
air compressor.
10. Press the on/off (D) button to turn the compressor on.
The compressor will inflate the
tire with air only.
11. Inflate the tire to the recommended inflation
pressure using the pressure
gauge (E). The recommended
inflation pressure can be found on the Tire and Loading
Information label. See
Tire
Pressure on page 10‑52.
The pressure gauge (E) may
read higher than the actual tire
pressure while the compressor
is on. Turn the compressor off
to get an accurate reading. The
compressor may be turned on/
off until the correct pressure is
reached.
12. Press the on/off button (D) to turn the tire sealant and
compressor kit off.
Be careful while handling the
tire sealant and compressor
kit as it could be warm after
usage.
13. Unplug the power plug (C) from the accessory power outlet in
the vehicle.
14. Disconnect the air only hose (F) from the tire
valve stem, by turning it
counterclockwise, and replace
the tire valve stem cap.

Black plate (89,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-89
2. Get the vehicles close enoughso the jumper cables can reach,
but be sure the vehicles are
not touching each other. If they
are, it could cause a ground
connection you do not want. You
would not be able to start your
vehicle, and the bad grounding
could damage the electrical
systems.
To avoid the possibility of the
vehicles rolling, set the parking
brake firmly on both vehicles
involved in the jump start
procedure. Put the automatic
transmission in P (Park) or
a manual transmission in
N (Neutral) before setting the
parking brake. If you have a
four-wheel-drive vehicle, be sure
that the transfer case is in a
drive gear, not in N (Neutral). Notice:
If any accessories are left
on or plugged in during the jump
starting procedure, they could
be damaged. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Whenever possible,
turn off or unplug all accessories
on either vehicle when jump
starting the vehicle.
3. Turn off the ignition on both
vehicles. Unplug unnecessary
accessories plugged into the
cigarette lighter or the accessory
power outlets. Turn off the radio
and all the lamps that are not
needed. This avoids sparks and
helps save both batteries. And it
could save the radio! 4. Open the hood on the other
vehicle and locate the
positive (+) and negative (−)
terminal locations on that
vehicle.
Your vehicle has a remote
positive (+) jump starting
terminal and a remote
negative (−) jump starting
terminal. You should always
use these remote terminals
instead of the terminals on the
battery.
If the vehicle has a remote
positive (+) terminal, it is located
under a red plastic cover at the
positive battery post. To uncover
the remote positive (+) terminal,
open the red plastic cover.

Black plate (90,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
10-90 Vehicle Care
The remote negative (−) terminal
is a stud located on the right
front of the engine, where the
negative battery cable attaches.
SeeEngine Compartment
Overview on page 10‑6 for more
information on the location of the
remote positive (+) and remote
negative (−) terminals.
{WARNING
An electric fan can start up even
when the engine is not running
and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
{WARNING
Using an open flame near a
battery can cause battery gas to
explode. People have been hurt
doing this, and some have been
blinded. Use a flashlight if you
need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough
water. You do not need to add
water to the battery installed in
your new vehicle. But if a battery
has filler caps, be sure the right
amount of fluid is there. If it is low,
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
add water to take care of that
first. If you do not, explosive gas
could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that
can burn you. Do not get it on
you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush
the place with water and get
medical help immediately.
{WARNING
Fans or other moving engine
parts can injure you badly. Keep
your hands away from moving
parts once the engine is running.
5. Check that the jumper cables do not have loose or missing
insulation. If they do, you could
get a shock. The vehicles could
be damaged too.

Black plate (96,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
10-96 Vehicle Care
3. Firmly set the parking brake.See Parking Brake on
page 9‑35.
4. Put the transmission in P (Park).
5. Secure the vehicle to the dolly following the manufacturer's
instructions.
6. Use an adequate clamping device designed for towing to
ensure that the front wheels are
locked into the straight position.
7. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.Appearance Care
Exterior Care
Washing the Vehicle
To preserve the vehicle's finish,
wash it often and out of direct
sunlight.
Notice: Do not use petroleum
based, acidic, or abrasive
cleaning agents as they can
damage the vehicle's paint,
metal, or plastic parts. If damage
occurs, it would not be covered
by the vehicle's warranty.
Approved cleaning products
can be obtained from your
dealer. Follow all manufacturer
directions regarding correct
product usage, necessary safety
precautions, and appropriate
disposal of any vehicle care
product. Notice:
Avoid using high
pressure washes closer than
30 cm (12 in) to the surface of the
vehicle. Use of power washers
exceeding 8,274 kPa (1,200 psi)
can result in damage or removal
of paint and decals.
Rinse the vehicle well, before
washing and after, to remove all
cleaning agents completely. If they
are allowed to dry on the surface,
they could stain.
Dry the finish with a soft, clean
chamois or an all-cotton towel to
avoid surface scratches and water
spotting.
Finish Care
Application of aftermarket clearcoat
sealant/wax materials is not
recommended. If painted surfaces
are damaged, see your dealer to
have the damage assessed and
repaired. Foreign materials such
as calcium chloride and other salts,
ice melting agents, road oil and tar,
tree sap, bird droppings, chemicals
from industrial chimneys, etc., can

Black plate (10,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
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.