
Black plate (102,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
10-102 Vehicle Care
Instrument Panel, Leather,
Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces
Use a soft microfiber cloth
dampened with water to remove
dust and loose dirt. For a more
thorough cleaning, use a soft
microfiber cloth dampened with a
mild soap solution.
Notice:Soaking or saturating
leather, especially perforated
leather, as well as other interior
surfaces, may cause permanent
damage. Wipe excess moisture
from these surfaces after
cleaning and allow them to dry
naturally. Never use heat, steam,
spot lifters or spot removers. Do
not use cleaners that contain
silicone or wax-based products.
Cleaners containing these
solvents can permanently change
the appearance and feel of leather
or soft trim and are not
recommended. Do not use cleaners that increase
gloss, especially on the instrument
panel. Reflected glare can decrease
visibility through the windshield
under certain conditions.
Notice:
Use of air fresheners
may cause permanent damage
to plastics and painted surfaces.
If an air freshener comes in
contact with any plastic or
painted surface in the vehicle,
blot immediately and clean with a
soft cloth dampened with a mild
soap solution. Damage caused
by air fresheners would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Speaker Covers
Vacuum around a speaker cover
gently, so that the speaker will not
be damaged. Clean spots with just
water and mild soap.
Wood Panels
Use a clean cloth moistened in
warm, soapy water (use mild dish
washing soap). Dry the wood
immediately with a clean cloth.
Keep belts clean and dry.
{WARNING
Do not bleach or dye safety belts.
It may severely weaken them. In
a crash, they might not be able
to provide adequate protection.
Clean safety belts only with mild
soap and lukewarm water.

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.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
Technical Data 12-1
Technical Data
Vehicle Identification
Vehicle IdentificationNumber (VIN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Service Parts Identification Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Data
Capacities andSpecifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Engine Drive Belt Routing . . . 12-3
Vehicle Identification
Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN)
This legal identifier is in the front
corner of the instrument panel, on
the left side of the vehicle. It can be
seen through the windshield from
outside. The VIN also appears on
the Vehicle Certification and Service
Parts labels and certificates of title
and registration.
Engine Identification
The eighth character in the VIN
is the engine code. This code
identifies the vehicle's engine,
specifications, and replacement
parts. See “Engine Specifications”
under Capacities and Specifications
on page 12‑2 for the vehicle's
engine code.
Service Parts
Identification Label
This label, on the inside of the glove
box, has the following information:
.Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN).
.Model designation.
.Paint information.
.Production options and special
equipment.
Do not remove this label from the
vehicle.

Black plate (3,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
Technical Data 12-3
Engine Specifications
EngineVIN CodeTransmission Spark Plug Gap
6.2L V8 FAutomatic 1.02 mm (0.040 in)
Engine Drive Belt Routing
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.

Black plate (20,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
13-20 Customer Information
Reporting Safety Defects
to General Motors
In addition to notifying NHTSA (or
Transport Canada) in a situation like
this, notify General Motors.
Call 1-800-458-8006, or write:
Cadillac Customer Assistance
Center
Cadillac Motor Car Division
P.O. Box 33169
Detroit, MI 48232-5169
In Canada, call 1‐888‐446‐2000,
or write:
Canadian Cadillac Customer Care
Centre, Mail Code: CA1-163-005
General Motors of Canada Limited
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7
Vehicle Data
Recording and
Privacy
This GM vehicle has a number of
sophisticated computers that record
information about the vehicle’s
performance and how it is driven.
For example, the vehicle uses
computer modules to monitor and
control engine and transmission
performance, to monitor the
conditions for airbag deployment
and deploy airbags in a crash, and,
if so equipped, to provide antilock
braking to help the driver control the
vehicle. These modules may store
data to help your dealer technician
service the vehicle. Some modules
may also store data about how you
operate the vehicle, such as rate of
fuel consumption or average speed.
These modules may also retain the
owner’s personal preferences, such
as radio presets, seat positions, and
temperature settings.
Event Data Recorders
This vehicle has an Event Data
Recorder (EDR). The main purpose
of an EDR is to record, in certain
crash or near crash-like situations,
such as an airbag deployment or
hitting a road obstacle, data that
will assist in understanding how a
vehicle's systems performed. The
EDR is designed to record data
related to vehicle dynamics and
safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less.
The EDR in this vehicle is designed
to record such data as:
.How various systems in the
vehicle were operating.
.Whether or not the driver and
passenger safety belts were
buckled/fastened.
.How far, if at all, the driver was
pressing the accelerator and/or
brake pedal.
.How fast the vehicle was
traveling.

Black plate (3,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
INDEX i-3
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . 13-15
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Compressor Kit, TireSealant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Configure Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-81
Connections, OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . 14-4
Continuous Damping Control (CDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Coolant
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine TemperatureGauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15 Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-14
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1 Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5, 13-6
Text Telephone (TTY)
Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
Customer Information Service PublicationsOrdering Information . . . . . . 13-18
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1, 13-3
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . 13-15
Danger, Warnings, andCautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . 13-20
Database Coverage Explanations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-97
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Destination, Navigation . . . . . . . . 7-66
Devices, Auxiliary . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-30
Diagnostics, OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9 Door
Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . 12-3
Drive Systems All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . 9-34, 10-27
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Driving
Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-57
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . 1-22
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-12
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 9-15
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12

Black plate (4,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
i-4 INDEX
Dual Automatic ClimateControl System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
DVD Rear SeatEntertainment
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-32, 7-42
DVD/CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18
E
E85 Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Electrical Equipment,
Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-68
Electrical System
Engine CompartmentFuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Emergency, OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Check and Service Engine
Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 10-6 Engine (cont'd)
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Cooling System Messages . . . 5-31
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-3
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Overheated Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 9-29
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Engine Oil
Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-64
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . 13-20
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 6-5
F
Fan Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Features Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 6-7
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-103
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . .10-11
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Fog Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Front Fog Lamp
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Front Seats Heated and Ventilated . . . . . . . . . 3-7

Black plate (6,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
i-6 INDEX
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . 9-12
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
How to Wear Safety BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Ignition Transmission Lock
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Infants and Young Children,
Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-45
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-88
K
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . . . 5-33
Keyless Entry Remote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . 2-3
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . 10-47
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Lamps Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . 6-5
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-16
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Lap Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
LATCH System Replacing Parts after a
Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-58 LATCH, Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . 3-51
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Level Control Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Liftgate Carbon Monoxide . . . . . . . . 2-9, 2-12
Light StabiliTrak®OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Lighter, Cigarette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Lighting Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Lights
Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Antilock Brake System(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 5-18
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Front Fog Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23