2013 CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT checking oil

Black plate (6,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 4/5/12
10-6 Vehicle Care
A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑12.
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System on page 10‑13.
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting on
page 10‑73.
D. Battery on page 10‑24.
E. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (GND) (Out of View). See Jump
Starting on page 10‑73.
F. Automatic Transmission Dipstick (Out of View). See
“Checking the Fluid Level”
under Automatic Transmission
Fluid on page 10‑9.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑6.
H. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See “Checking Engine
Oil” under Engine Oil on
page 10‑6. I. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of
View). See Cooling System on
page 10‑13.
J. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (Out of View). See Power
Steering Fluid on page 10‑20.
K. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
under Brake Fluid on
page 10‑22.
L. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑32.
M. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid on
page 10‑20.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 10‑9.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.

Black plate (7,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 4/5/12
Vehicle Care 10-7
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 loop.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑5 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.
{WARNING
The engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle. 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
area that shows the proper
operating range, the engine could
be damaged. You should drain
out the excess oil or limit driving
of the vehicle and seek a service
professional to remove the
excess amount of oil.
See
Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑5 for the location of the
engine oil fill cap.
Add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when through.
Selecting the Right Engine Oil
Selecting the right engine oil
depends on both the proper oil
specification and viscosity grade.
See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑12.

Black plate (9,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 4/5/12
Vehicle Care 10-9
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
This vehicle has a computer system
that indicates when to change the
engine oil and filter. This is based
on a combination of factors which
include engine revolutions, engine
temperature, and miles driven.
Based on driving conditions, the
mileage at which an oil change is
indicated can vary considerably. For
the oil life system to work properly,
the system must be reset every time
the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated
that oil life has been diminished, it
indicates that an oil change is
necessary. A CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message comes on. See
Engine Oil Messages on page 5‑29.
Change the oil as soon as possible
within the next 1 000 km (600 mi).
It is possible that, if driving under
the best conditions, the oil life
system might indicate that an oil
change is not necessary for up to a
year. The engine oil and filter mustbe changed at least once a year
and, at this time, the system must
be reset. Your dealer has trained
service people who will perform this
work and reset the system. It is also
important to check the oil regularly
over the course of an oil drain
interval and keep it at the proper
level.
If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System
Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. Always reset the
engine oil life to 100% after every oil
change. It will not reset itself. To
reset the system:
1. Display OIL LIFE REMAINING
on the DIC. 2. Press and hold the SET/RESET
button on the DIC for more than
five seconds. The oil life will
change to 100%.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message comes back on when the
vehicle is started, the engine oil life
system has not reset. Repeat the
procedure.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
When to Check and Change
Automatic Transmission Fluid
It is usually not necessary to check
the transmission fluid level. The only
reason for fluid loss is a
transmission leak or overheating the
transmission. If a small leak is
suspected, then use the following
checking procedures to check the
fluid level. However, if there is a
large leak, then it may be necessary
to have the vehicle towed to a
dealer and have it repaired before
driving the vehicle further.

Black plate (15,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 4/5/12
Vehicle Care 10-15
WARNING (Continued)
mixture, the engine could get too
hot but you would not get the
overheat warning. The engine
could catch fire and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/
50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant. If using this mixture,
nothing else needs to be added.
This mixture:
.Gives freezing protection down
to −37°C (−34°F), outside
temperature.
.Gives boiling protection up to
129°C (265°F), engine
temperature.
.Protects against rust and
corrosion.
.Will not damage aluminum parts.
.Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.
Notice: If improper coolant
mixture, inhibitors, or additives
are used in the vehicle cooling
system, the engine could
overheat and be damaged. Too
much water in the mixture can
freeze and crack engine cooling
parts. The repairs would not be
covered by the warranty. Use only
the proper mixture of engine
coolant for the cooling system.
See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑12.
Never dispose of engine coolant by
putting it in the trash, pouring it on
the ground, or into sewers, streams,
or bodies of water. Have the coolant
changed by an authorized service
center, familiar with legal
requirements regarding used
coolant disposal. This will help
protect the environment and your
health.Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level
surface when checking the coolant
level.
Check to see if coolant is visible in
the coolant surge tank. If the coolant
inside the coolant surge tank is
boiling, do not do anything else until
it cools down. If coolant is visible
but the coolant level is not at or
above the FULL COLD mark, add a
50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant at the
coolant surge tank, but be sure the
cooling system is cool before this
is done.

Black plate (23,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 4/5/12
Vehicle Care 10-23
{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 5‑17.
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 10‑5.
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.
Notice
.Using the wrong fluid can
badly damage brake
hydraulic system parts. For
example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as
engine oil, in the brake
hydraulic system can
damage brake hydraulic
system parts so badly that
they will have to be replaced.
Do not let someone put in
the wrong kind of fluid.