
Black plate (9,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
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 5‑31.
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/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
Vehicle Care 10-15
Notice:Using coolant other than
DEX-COOL®can cause premature
engine, heater core, or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine
coolant could require changing
sooner, at 50 000 km (30,000 mi)
or 24 months, whichever occurs
first. Any repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always use DEX-COOL
(silicate-free) coolant in the
vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is
filled with DEX-COOL engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to
remain in the vehicle for 5 years or
240 000 km (150,000 mi), whichever
occurs first.
The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
see Engine Overheating on
page 10‑18.
What to Use
{WARNING
Adding only plain water or some
other liquid to the cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water
and other liquids, can boil before
the proper coolant mixture will.
The coolant warning system is set
for the proper coolant mixture.
With plain water or the wrong
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

Black plate (18,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
10-18 Vehicle Care
6. Verify coolant level after engineis shut off and the coolant is
cold. If necessary, repeat coolant
fill procedure Steps 1–6.
Notice: If the pressure cap is not
tightly installed, coolant loss and
possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly
and tightly secured.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has several indicators
to warn of engine overheating.
There is a coolant temperature
gauge on your vehicle's instrument
panel. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge on page 5‑13.
In addition, ENGINE OVERHEATED
STOP ENGINE, ENGINE
OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE, and
a ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
message comes on in the Driver
Information Center (DIC) on the
instrument panel. See Engine
Cooling System Messages on
page 5‑30 andEngine Power
Messages on page 5‑31. If the decision is made not to lift the
hood when this warning appears,
but instead get service help right
away. See
Roadside Service
(Mexico) on page 13‑7 orRoadside
Service (U.S. and Canada) on
page 13‑10.
If the decision is made to lift the
hood, make sure the vehicle is
parked on a level surface.
Then check to see if the engine
cooling fans are running. If the
engine is overheating, both fans
should be running. If they are not,
do not continue to run the engine
and have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Running the engine
without coolant may cause
damage or a fire. Vehicle damage
would not be covered by the
warranty. See Overheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode on
page 10‑20 for information on
driving to a safe place in an
emergency.
If Steam Is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
{WARNING
Steam from an overheated engine
can burn you badly, even if you
just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear
steam coming from it. Turn it off
and get everyone away from the
vehicle until it cools down. Wait
until there is no sign of steam or
coolant before you open
the hood.
If you keep driving when the
vehicles engine is overheated,
the liquids in it can catch fire. You
or others could be badly burned.
Stop the engine if it overheats,
and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
(Continued)

Black plate (40,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
10-40 Vehicle Care
Harness
Connector Usage
HEADLINER 2 Headliner Harness
Connector 2
HEADLINER 1 Headliner Harness
Connector 1
SEO/
UPFITTER Special Equipment
Option Upfitter
Harness Connector
Circuit
Breaker Usage
CB1 Passenger Side Power Window Circuit
Breaker
CB2 Passenger Seat Circuit Breaker
CB3 Driver Seat Circuit Breaker
CB4 Rear Sliding WindowWheels and Tires
Tires
Every new GM vehicle has
high-quality tires made by a
leading tire manufacturer. See
the warranty manual for
information regarding the tire
warranty and where to get
service. For additional
information refer to the tire
manufacturer.
{WARNING
.Poorly maintained and
improperly used tires are
dangerous.
.Overloading the tires can
cause overheating as a
result of too much flexing.
There could be a blowout
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
and a serious crash. See
Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑15.
.Underinflated tires pose
the same danger as
overloaded tires. The
resulting crash could
cause serious injury.
Check all tires frequently
to maintain the
recommended pressure.
Tire pressure should be
checked when the tires
are cold.
.Overinflated tires are more
likely to be cut, punctured,
or broken by a sudden
impact— such as when
hitting a pothole. Keep
tires at the recommended
pressure.
(Continued)

Black plate (47,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
Vehicle Care 10-47
UTQGS (Uniform Tire Quality
Grading Standards)
:A tire
information system that provides
consumers with ratings for a
tire's traction, temperature, and
treadwear. Ratings are
determined by tire
manufacturers using
government testing procedures.
The ratings are molded into the
sidewall of the tire. See Uniform
Tire Quality Grading on
page 10‑58.
Vehicle Capacity Weight
:The
number of designated seating
positions multiplied by
68 kg (150 lbs) plus the rated
cargo load. See Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑15.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the
Tire
:Load on an individual tire
due to curb weight, accessory
weight, occupant weight, and
cargo weight. Vehicle Placard
:A label
permanently attached to a
vehicle showing the vehicle
capacity weight and the original
equipment tire size and
recommended inflation pressure.
See “Tire and Loading
Information Label” underVehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑15.
Tire Pressure
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.
Tires need the correct amount of
air pressure to operate
effectively. Notice:
Neither tire
underinflation nor
overinflation is good.
Underinflated tires, or tires
that do not have enough air,
can result in:
.Tire overloading and
overheating which could
lead to a blowout.
.Premature or
irregular wear.
.Poor handling.
.Reduced fuel economy.
Overinflated tires, or tires that
have too much air, can
result in:
.Unusual wear.
.Poor handling.
.Rough ride.
.Needless damage from
road hazards.

Black plate (4,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
i-4 INDEX
Dual Automatic ClimateControl System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
DVD Rear SeatEntertainment
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-31, 7-50
DVD/CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18
E
E85 Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Electrical Equipment,
Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-67
Electrical System
Engine CompartmentFuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Emergency OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2 Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Check and Service Engine
Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 10-5
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Cooling System Messages . . . 5-30
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-4
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Overheated Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 9-29
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-63
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . 13-19 Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 6-4
F
Fan
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Features
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 6-7
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-70
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-97
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 10-9
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Fog Lamps
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25

Black plate (8,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
i-8 INDEX
N
NavigationDestination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-70
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-65
Using the System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-62
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-20
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
O
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Object Detection, Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12 Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Oil Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 10-9
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Older Children, Restraints . . . . . 3-41 Online Owner Center . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
OnStar
®
System, In Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
OnStar®Additional
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
OnStar
®Connections . . . . . . . . . . 14-4
OnStar®Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
OnStar®Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
OnStar®Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
OnStar®Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar®Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Ordering Service Publications . . . . . . . . 13-17
Outlets Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Overview, Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4
P
Park
Shifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Parking Assist, Ultrasonic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-28
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . 9-28
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Passenger Sensing System . . . 3-34
Perchlorate Materials Requirements, California . . . . . 10-3
Personalization Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Phone Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-103
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . 9-26