
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
248 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Warning (Continued)
vehicle is not driven properly. For
example, if the trailer is too heavy
or the trailer brakes are inadequate
for the load, the vehicle may not
stop as expected. The driver and
passengers could be seriously
injured. The vehicle may also be
damaged; the resulting repairs
would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Pull a trailer only if all the
steps in this section have been
followed. Ask your dealer for advice
and information about towing a
trailer with the vehicle.
Caution
Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage the vehicle and result in
costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. To pull a trailer
correctly, follow the advice in this
section and see your dealer for
important information about
towing a trailer with the vehicle.To identify the trailering capacity of
the vehicle, see
“Weight of the Trailer”
following.
Trailering is different than just driving
the vehicle by itself. Trailering means
changes in handling, acceleration,
braking, durability and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used
properly.
The following information has many
time-tested, important trailering tips
and safety rules. Many of these are
important for your safety and that of
your passengers. Read this section
carefully before pulling a trailer.
Weight of the Trailer
Safe trailering requires monitoring the
weight, speed, altitude, road grades,
outside temperature, and how
frequently the vehicle is used to pull a
trailer. Take into consideration any
special equipment on the vehicle, and
the amount of tongue weight the
vehicle can carry. See “Weight of the
Trailer Tongue ”later in this section
for more information. Trailer Weight Rating (TWR) is
calculated assuming the tow vehicle
has not only the driver, but all
required trailering equipment. Weight
of additional optional equipment,
passengers, and cargo in the tow
vehicle must be subtracted from
the TWR.
Ask your dealer for trailering
information or advice.
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load of any trailer is very
important because it is also part of
the vehicle weight. The Gross Vehicle
Weight (GVW) includes the curb
weight of the vehicle, any cargo
carried in it, and the people who will
be riding in the vehicle as well as
trailer tongue weight. Vehicle options,
equipment, passengers, and cargo in
the vehicle reduce the amount of
tongue weight the vehicle can carry,
which will also reduce the trailer
weight the vehicle can tow. See
Vehicle
Load Limits 0192 for more
information about the vehicle's
maximum load capacity.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
250 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Weight-Distributing Hitch
Adjustment
1. Front of Vehicle
2. Body to Ground Distance
When using a weight-distributing
hitch, the spring bars should be
adjusted so the distance (2) is the
same after coupling the trailer to the
tow vehicle and adjusting the hitch.
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer. Cross the safety
chains under the tongue of the trailer
to help prevent the tongue from
contacting the road if it becomesseparated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided
by the hitch manufacturer or by the
trailer manufacturer. If the trailer
being towed weighs up to 2 271 kg
(5,000 lb) with a factory-installed step
bumper, safety chains may be
attached to the attaching points on
the bumper, otherwise, safety chains
should be attached to holes on the
trailer hitch platform. Always leave
just enough slack so the combination
can turn. Never allow safety chains to
drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
A loaded trailer that weighs more than
900 kg (2,000 lb) must be equipped
with its own brake system, with
brakes working on all axles. Trailer
braking equipment conforming to
Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
requirement CAN3-D313, or its
equivalent, is recommended.
State and local regulations may also
require the trailer to have its own
braking system if loaded above a
certain threshold.
Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes so
they are installed, adjusted, and
maintained properly.
Since the vehicle is equipped with
StabiliTrak, the trailer brakes cannot
tap into the vehicle's hydraulic
system.
Trailer Wiring Harness
The seven-pin trailer connector is
mounted in the bumper. This
connector can be plugged into a
seven-pin universal heavy-duty trailer
connector available through your
dealer.
The seven-wire harness contains the
following trailer circuits:
.
Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
. Green/Violet: Right Stop/Turn
Signal
. Brown: Taillamps
. White: Ground
. Light Green: Back-up Lamps
. Red/Green: Battery Feed
. Dark Blue: Trailer Brake

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
252 DRIVING AND OPERATING
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
Trailer Sway Control (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. SeeTraction
Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0216.
{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
0 249 for trailer ratings and hitch
setup recommendations.
Adding non-dealer accessories can
affect the vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications 0255.
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is
used for vehicle service and
Emission Inspection/Maintenance
testing. See Malfunction Indicator
Lamp (Check Engine Light) 0130.
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.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
254 VEHICLE CARE
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 262
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273 Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 274
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 275Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 278
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Left) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289 All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 293
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . 316

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
VEHICLE CARE 255
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327General 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 suspension components
caused by modifying vehicle height
outside of factory settings will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non-GM certifiedparts, 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.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
VEHICLE CARE 269
Caution (Continued)
occurs, which could damage
the tank if it is
completely full.
Brakes
Disc brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or can be
heard all the time when the vehicle is
moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.
{Warning
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will not
work well. That could lead to a
crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Caution
Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly
brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications. See Capacities and
Specifications 0340.
Brake pads should be replaced as
complete sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does
not return to normal height, or if
there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign that brake
service may be required.
Replacing Brake System Parts
Always replace brake system parts
with new, approved replacement parts.
If this is not done, the brakes may not
work properly. The braking
performance expected can change in
many other ways if the wrong
replacement brake parts are installed
or if parts are improperly installed.
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder reservoir is
filled with DOT 3 brake fluid. See
Engine Compartment Overview 0257
for the location of the reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in the reservoir may
go down:
. Normal brake lining wear. When
new linings are installed, the fluid
level goes back up.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
270 VEHICLE CARE
.A fluid leak in the brake hydraulic
system. Have the brake hydraulic
system fixed. With a leak, the
brakes will not work well.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir
cap and the area around the cap
before removing it.
Do not top off the brake fluid. Adding
fluid does not correct a leak. If fluid is
added when the linings are worn,
there will be too much fluid when
new brake linings are installed. Add or
remove fluid, as necessary, only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic
system.
{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. When the brake fluid falls to a low
level, the brake warning light comes
on. See
Brake System Warning
Light 0132.
Brake fluid absorbs water over time.
Replace brake fluid at the specified
intervals to prevent increased
stopping distance. See Maintenance
Schedule 0329.
Checking Brake Fluid
Check brake fluid by looking at the
brake fluid reservoir. See Engine
Compartment Overview 0257.
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 MIN but not over the
MAX mark.
What to Add
Use only GM approved DOT 3 brake
fluid from a clean, sealed container.
See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0336.
{Warning
The wrong or contaminated brake
fluid could result in damage to the
brake system. This could result in
the loss of braking leading to a
possible injury. Always use the
proper GM approved brake fluid.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
VEHICLE CARE 281
ItemUsage
5 Suspension leveling compressor
6 4WD transfer case electronic control
7 –
8 –
9 –
10 Electric parking brake
11 –
12 –
13 Interior BEC LT2
14 Rear BEC 1
15 –
16 –
17 Driver motorized safety belt
18 –
19 –
20 –
21 ALC exhaust solenoid Item
Usage
23 Integrated chassis control module
24 Real time dampening
25 Fuel pump power module
26 –/Battery regulated
voltage control
27 –
28 Upfitter 2
29 Upfitter 2 relay
30 Wiper
31 TIM
32 –
33 –
34 Reverse lamps
35 ABS valve
36 Trailer brakes
37 Upfitter 3 relay
38 – Item
Usage
39 Right trailer stoplamp/Turn
signal lamp
40 Left trailer stoplamp/turn
signal lamp
41 Trailer parking lamps
42 Right parking lamps
43 Left parking lamps
44 Upfitter 3
45 Automatic level control/Run/Crank
46 –
47 Upfitter 4
48 Upfitter 4 relay
49 Reverse lamps
50 –
51 Parking lamp relay
52 –
53 –
54 –