Page 257 of 357

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
2016 - crc - 6/19/15
256 Driving and Operating
Tow/Haul is a feature that assists
when pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load. SeeTow/Haul
Mode 0212.
Tow/Haul is designed to be most
effective when the vehicle and
trailer combined weight is at least
75 percent of the vehicle's Gross
Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
See “Weight of the Trailer” under
Trailer Towing 0251. Tow/Haul is
most useful under the following
driving conditions:
. When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load through
rolling terrain.
. When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load in
stop-and-go traffic.
. When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load in busy
parking lots where improved low
speed control of the vehicle is
desired.
Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul
when lightly loaded or with no trailer
at all will not cause damage.
However, there is no benefit to the selection of Tow/Haul when the
vehicle is unloaded. Such a
selection when unloaded may result
in unpleasant engine and
transmission driving characteristics
and reduced fuel economy. Tow/
Haul is recommended only when
pulling a heavy trailer or a large or
heavy load.
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC)
Vehicles with StabiliTrak have a
TSC feature. Trailer sway is
unintended side-to-side motion of a
trailer while being towed. If the
vehicle is towing a trailer and the
TSC detects that sway is increasing,
the vehicle brakes are selectively
applied at each wheel, to help
reduce excessive trailer sway.
If TSC is enabled, the Traction
Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
warning light will flash on the
instrument cluster. Vehicle speed
must be reduced. If trailer sway
continues, StabiliTrak can reduce
engine torque to help slow the
vehicle. See
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0220.
{Warning
Even if the vehicle is equipped
with TSC, trailer sway could result
in loss of control and the vehicle
could crash. If excessive trailer
sway is detected, slow down to a
safe speed. Check the trailer and
vehicle to help correct possible
causes. These could include an
improperly or overloaded trailer,
unrestrained cargo, improper
trailer hitch configuration,
excessive vehicle-trailer speed,
or improperly inflated or incorrect
vehicle or trailer tires. See Towing
Equipment 0254 for trailer ratings
and hitch setup
recommendations.
Adding non-dealer accessories can
affect the vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications
0 259.
Page 258 of 357

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
2016 - crc - 6/19/15
Driving and Operating 257
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is
used for vehicle service and
Emission Inspection/Maintenance
testing. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp (Check Engine Light)
0 130. A device connected to the
DLC —such as an aftermarket
fleet or driver-behavior tracking
device —may interfere with
vehicle systems. This could affect
vehicle operation and cause a
crash. Such devices may also
access information stored in the
vehicle’s systems.
Caution
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle or cause
components to not work and
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always check
with your dealer before adding
electrical equipment.
Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12-volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle 087 and Adding Equipment
to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
0 88.
Page 259 of 357

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
2016 - crc - 6/19/15
258 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 259
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 264
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 266
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 270
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 277 Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 278
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 278
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 279
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 279Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 280
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 281
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Left) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 303
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 314
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Page 260 of 357

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
2016 - crc - 6/19/15
Vehicle Care 259
Recreational VehicleTowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine parts and trained and
supported service people.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non-dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride and
handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non-GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is
not covered under the terms of the vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 088.
Page 261 of 357

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
2016 - crc - 6/19/15
260 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
{Warning
It can be dangerous to work on
your vehicle if you do not have
the proper knowledge, service
manual, tools, or parts. Always
follow owner manual procedures
and consult the service manual
for your vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service
manual. It tells you much more
about how to service the vehicle
than this manual can.
This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 087.
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of
any service work performed.
Caution
Even small amounts of
contamination can cause damage
to vehicle systems. Do not allow
contaminants to contact the fluids,
reservoir caps, or dipsticks.
Hood
To open the hood:
1. Pull the handle with this symbol on it. It is inside the vehicle
under the steering wheel.
2. Go to the front of the vehicle tofind the secondary hood
release. The handle is under
the front edge of the hood near
the center. Push the handle to
the right and at the same time
raise the hood.
Before closing the hood, be sure all
the filler caps are on properly. Then
bring the hood from full open to
within 15 cm (6 in) from the closed
position, pause, and push the front
center of the hood with a swift, firm
motion to fully close the hood.
Page 262 of 357
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
2016 - crc - 6/19/15
Vehicle Care 261
Engine Compartment Overview
Page 263 of 357

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
2016 - crc - 6/19/15
262 Vehicle Care
1. Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting 0315.
2. Battery 0275.
3. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System 0267.
4. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0266.
5. Remote Negative (-) Location. See Jump Starting 0315.
6. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 267.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0262.
8. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0262.
9. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid
0 272.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0274.
11. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0282.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 0264.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
If equipped, the ENGINE OIL LOW
ADD OIL message displays when
the engine oil level may be too low. See
Engine Oil Messages 0148.
Check the oil level before filling to
the recommended level. If the oil is
not low and this message remains
on, see your dealer.
It is also 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. See Engine Compartment
Overview 0261 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.
Page 264 of 357

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
2016 - crc - 6/19/15
Vehicle Care 263
{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 wipe it with a clean 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 0342.
Caution
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
0 261 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 0338.
Specification
Ask for and use engine oils that
meet the dexos1™ specification.
Engine oils that have been
approved by GM as meeting the
dexos1 specification are marked
with the dexos1 approved logo.