Black plate (24,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-6081529) - 2014 - CRC 1st Edition - 4/23/13
9-24 Driving and Operating
2. If the engine does not start after5-10 seconds, especially in very
cold weather (below −18°C or 0°
F), it could be flooded with too
much gasoline. Try pushing the
accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and holding it there as
you hold the key in START for
up to a maximum of 15 seconds.
Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to allow the
cranking motor to cool down.
When the engine starts, let go of
the key and accelerator. If the
vehicle starts briefly but then
stops again, repeat these steps.
This clears the extra gasoline
from the engine. Do not race the
engine immediately after starting
it. Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Notice: If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be covered by the vehicle warranty.
See
Add-On Electrical Equipment
on page 9-65.
Engine Heater
The engine coolant heater can
provide easier starting and better
fuel economy during engine
warm-up in cold weather conditions
at or below −18°C (0°F). Vehicles
with an engine heater should be
plugged in at least four hours before
starting. An internal thermostat in
the plug-end of the cord may exist
which will prevent engine coolant
heater operation at temperatures
above −18°C (0°F).
To Use the Engine Coolant
Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the
electrical cord. The cord is
secured to the engine
compartment fuse block with a
clip. Carefully remove the wire tie which secures the electrical
cord. Do not cut the
electrical cord.
3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{Warning
Plugging the cord into an
ungrounded outlet could cause an
electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could
overheat and cause a fire. You
could be seriously injured. Plug
the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet.
If the cord will not reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension
cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine parts.
If you do not, it could be
damaged.
Black plate (55,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-6081529) - 2014 - CRC 1st Edition - 4/23/13
Driving and Operating 9-55
the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
If the trailer turn signal bulbs burn
out, the arrows on the instrument
cluster will still flash for turns. It is
important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear before starting down a long or
steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, the
brakes might get hot and no longer
work well.
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift
the transmission to a lower gear if
the transmission shifts too often
under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
The Tow/Haul Mode may be used if
the transmission shifts too often.
See Tow/Haul Mode on page 9-32.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: Engine coolant will boil at
a lower temperature than at normal
altitudes. If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the
vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run while parked,
preferably on level ground, with the
automatic transmission in P (Park) for a few minutes before turning the
engine off. If the overheat warning
comes on, see
Engine Overheating
on page 10-17.
Parking on Hills
{Warning
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if facing
downhill or into traffic if facing
uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
Black plate (14,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-6081529) - 2014 - CRC 1st Edition - 4/23/13
10-14 Vehicle Care
{Warning
Operating the engine with the air
cleaner/filter off can cause you or
others to be burned. The air
cleaner not only cleans the air; it
helps to stop flames if the engine
backfires. Use caution when
working on the engine and do not
drive with the air cleaner/filter off.
Cooling System
The cooling system allows the
engine to maintain the correct
working temperature.
A. Coolant Surge Tank
B. Coolant Surge TankPressure Cap
C. Engine Cooling Fan(s) (Out of View)
{Warning
An electric engine cooling fan
under the hood can start up even
when the engine is not running
and can cause injury. Keep
hands, clothing, and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
{Warning
Heater and radiator hoses, and
other engine parts, can be very
hot. Do not touch them. If you do,
you can be burned.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak. If you run the engine, it
could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you
could be burned. Get any leak
fixed before you drive the vehicle.
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
Black plate (15,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-6081529) - 2014 - CRC 1st Edition - 4/23/13
Vehicle Care 10-15
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,
seeEngine Overheating on
page 10-17.
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
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 11-11.
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
Black plate (17,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-6081529) - 2014 - CRC 1st Edition - 4/23/13
Vehicle Care 10-17
1. Remove the coolant surge tankpressure cap when the cooling
system, including the coolant
surge tank pressure cap and
upper radiator hose, is no
longer hot.
Turn the pressure cap slowly
counterclockwise about one full
turn. If a hiss is heard, wait for
that to stop. A hiss means there
is still some pressure left.
2. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly and remove it.3. Fill the coolant surge tank withthe proper mixture to the FULL
COLD mark.
4. With the coolant surge tank
pressure cap off, start the
engine and let it run until the
upper radiator hose can be felt
getting hot. Watch out for the
engine cooling fan.
By this time, the coolant level
inside the coolant surge tank
may be lower. If the level is
lower, add more of the proper mixture to the coolant surge tank
until the level reaches the FULL
COLD mark.
5. Replace the pressure cap tightly.
6. Verify coolant level after engine is 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 5-12.
In addition, ENGINE OVERHEATED
STOP ENGINE, ENGINE
OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE, and
a ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
message comes on in the Driver
Black plate (19,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-6081529) - 2014 - CRC 1st Edition - 4/23/13
Vehicle Care 10-19
.Stops after high-speed driving.
.Idles for long periods in traffic.
.Tows a trailer. SeeTrailer
Towing on page 9-56.
If the ENGINE OVERHEATED
STOP ENGINE or the ENGINE
OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE
message appears with no sign of
steam, try this for a minute or so:
If the overheat warning is displayed
with no sign of steam:
1. Turn the air conditioning off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest temperature and to the highest
fan speed. Open the windows as
necessary.
3. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in N (Neutral) while stopped.
If it is safe to do so, pull off the
road, shift to P (Park) or
N (Neutral) and let the
engine idle.
If the temperature overheat gauge is
no longer in the overheat zone or an
overheat warning no longer displays, the vehicle can be driven.
Continue to drive the vehicle slowly
for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle distance from the vehicle in
front. If the warning does not come
back on, continue to drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over,
stop, and park the vehicle
right away.
If there is no sign of steam, idle the
engine for five minutes while
parked. If the warning is still
displayed, turn off the engine until it
cools down. Also, see
“Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode”
later in this section.
Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode
If an overheated engine condition
exists and the ENGINE POWER IS
REDUCED message is displayed,
an overheat protection mode which
alternates firing groups of cylinders
helps prevent engine damage. In this mode, a loss in power and
engine performance will be noticed.
This operating mode allows the
vehicle to be driven to a safe place
in an emergency. Driving extended
distances and/or towing a trailer in
the overheat protection mode
should be avoided.
Notice:
After driving in the
overheated engine protection
operating mode, to avoid engine
damage, allow the engine to cool
before attempting any repair. The
engine oil will be severely
degraded. Repair the cause of
coolant loss, change the oil and
reset the oil life system. See
Engine Oil on page 10-6.
Engine Fan
The vehicle has electric cooling
fans. The fans spinning at low
speed during most everyday driving
might be heard. The fans can turn
off if no cooling is required. Under
heavy vehicle loading, trailer towing,
and/or high outside temperatures,
Black plate (3,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-6081529) - 2014 - CRC 1st Edition - 4/24/13
INDEX i-3
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . 13-9
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Compressor Kit, TireSealant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Configure Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-82
Connections
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-3
Continuous Damping Control (CDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Coolant Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Engine TemperatureGauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14 Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-8
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1 Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . 13-4
Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-3
Text Telephone (TTY)
Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-4
Customer Information Service PublicationsOrdering Information . . . . . . .13-11
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . 13-9
Danger, Warnings, andCautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . 13-14
Database Coverage Explanations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-97
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Destination, Navigation . . . . . . . . 7-69
Devices Auxiliary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-29
Diagnostics OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5 Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Door
Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . 12-3
Drive Systems All-Wheel Drive . . . 10-24, 9-33
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Driving Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . 1-21
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-11
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 9-13
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Black plate (4,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-6081529) - 2014 - CRC 1st Edition - 4/24/13
i-4 INDEX
Driving (cont'd)Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
DVD Rear SeatEntertainment
System . . . . . . . . . . 7-30, 7-49
DVD/CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18
E
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-65
Electrical System Engine CompartmentFuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Emergency
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2 Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Check and Service Engine
Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 10-5
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Cooling System Messages . . . 5-28
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-3
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Overheated Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 9-28
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . 13-14 Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 6-4
F
Fan
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Features
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 6-7
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-69
FlexFuel E85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-96
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 10-9
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Fog Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7