Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 251
Filling the Tank With a Portable
Gas Can
If the vehicle runs out of fuel and
must be filled from a portable gas can:
1. Locate the capless funneladapter from inside the vehicle.
2. Insert and latch the funnel into the capless fuel system.
{Warning
Attempting to refuel without using
the funnel adapter may cause fuel
spillage and damage the capless
fuel system. This could cause a fire
and you or others could be badly
burned and the vehicle could be
damaged. 3. Remove and clean the funnel
adapter and return to the storage
location.
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container
{Warning
Filling a portable fuel container
while it is in the vehicle can cause
fuel vapors that can ignite either by
static electricity or other means.
You or others could be badly
burned and the vehicle could be
damaged. Always:
. Use approved fuel containers.
. Remove the container from
the vehicle, trunk, or pickup
bed before filling.
. Place the container on the
ground.
. Place the nozzle inside the fill
opening of the container
before dispensing fuel, and
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
keep it in contact with the fill
opening until filling is
complete.
. Fill the container no more
than 95% full to allow for
expansion.
. Do not smoke, light matches,
or use lighters while
pumping fuel.
. Avoid using cell phones or
other electronic devices.
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260 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes so
they are installed, adjusted, and
maintained properly.
Do not tap into the vehicle's hydraulic
system.
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.
Use only a round, seven-wire
connector with flat blade terminals
meeting SAE J2863 specifications for
proper electrical connectivity.
The seven-wire harness contains the
following trailer circuits:
.Yellow/Grey: Left Stop/Turn Signal
. Green/Violet: Right Stop/Turn
Signal .
Grey/Brown: Taillamps
. White: Ground
. White/Green: Back-up Lamps
. Red/Green: Battery Feed
. Dark Blue: Trailer Brake
To help charge a remote (non-vehicle)
battery, press the Tow/Haul Mode
button at the end of the shift lever.
If the trailer is too light for Tow/Haul
Mode, turn on the headlamps to help
charge the battery.Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions
These wiring provisions are included
with the vehicle as part of the trailer
wiring package. These provisions are
for an electric brake controller.
The harness should be installed by
your dealer or a qualified service
center.
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. See
Traction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
0 218.
{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
(Continued)
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262 DRIVING AND OPERATING
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) 0137.
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 094 and
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 094.
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VEHICLE CARE 263
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 272
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . 280 Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 284
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 285
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 288
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 288
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Left) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296 Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 307
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 316
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
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VEHICLE CARE 279
{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 0359.
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 GM approved DOT 3 brake
fluid as indicated on the reservoir cap.
See Engine Compartment Overview
0 267 for the location of the reservoir.
Checking Brake Fluid
With the vehicle in P (Park) on a level
surface, the brake fluid level should be
between the minimum and maximum
marks on the brake fluid 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.
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280 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
0 138.
Brake fluid absorbs water over time
which degrades the effectiveness of
the brake fluid. Replace brake fluid at
the specified intervals to prevent
increased stopping distance. See
Maintenance Schedule 0347.
What to Add
Use only GM approved DOT 3 brake
fluid from a clean, sealed container.
See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0355.
{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.
Caution
If brake fluid is spilled on the
vehicle's painted surfaces, the paint
finish can be damaged. Immediately
wash off any painted surface.
Battery - North America
The original equipment battery is
maintenance free. Do not remove the
cap and do not add fluid.
Refer to the replacement number
shown on the original battery label
when a new battery is needed. See
Engine Compartment Overview 0267
for battery location.
{Warning
WARNING: Battery posts,
terminals, and related accessories
contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth
defects or other reproductive harm.
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308 VEHICLE CARE
with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then
remain continuously illuminated. This
sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long
as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is
illuminated, the system may not be
able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation
of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the
TPMS from functioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or
alternate tires and wheels allow the
TPMS to continue to function
properly.
SeeTire Pressure Monitor Operation
0 308.
See Radio Frequency Statement 0372.Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation
This vehicle may have a Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS). The TPMS is
designed to warn the driver when a
low tire pressure condition exists.
TPMS sensors are mounted onto each
tire and wheel assembly, excluding the
spare tire and wheel assembly. The
TPMS sensors monitor the air
pressure in the tires and transmit the
tire pressure readings to a receiver
located in the vehicle.
When a low tire pressure condition is
detected, the TPMS illuminates the
low tire pressure warning light on the
instrument cluster. If the warning
light comes on, stop as soon as
possible and inflate the tires to the
recommended pressure shown on the
Tire and Loading Information label.
See Vehicle Load Limits 0193. A message to check the pressure in a
specific tire displays in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). The low tire
pressure warning light and the DIC
warning message come on at each
ignition cycle until the tires are
inflated to the correct inflation
pressure. Using the DIC, tire pressure
levels can be viewed. For additional
information and details about the DIC
operation and displays see
Driver
Information Center (DIC) 0145.
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather when
the vehicle is first started, and then
turn off as the vehicle is driven. This
could be an early indicator that the air
pressure is getting low and needs to
be inflated to the proper pressure.
A Tire and Loading Information label,
attached to your vehicle, shows the
size of the original equipment tires
and the correct inflation pressure for
the tires when they are cold. See
Vehicle Load Limits 0193 for an
example of the Tire and Loading
Information label and its location.
Also see Tire Pressure 0305.
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VEHICLE CARE 309
The TPMS can warn about a low tire
pressure condition but it does not
replace normal tire maintenance. See
Tire Inspection0312, Tire Rotation
0 312, and Tires0299.
Caution
Tire sealant materials are not all
the same. A non-approved tire
sealant could damage the TPMS
sensors. TPMS sensor damage
caused by using an incorrect tire
sealant is not covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always use only
the GM approved tire sealant
available through your dealer or
included in the vehicle.
TPMS Malfunction Light and
Message
The TPMS will not function properly if
one or more of the TPMS sensors are
missing or inoperable. When the
system detects a malfunction, the low
tire pressure warning light flashes for
about one minute and then stays on
for the remainder of the ignition cycle. A DIC warning message also displays.
The malfunction light and DIC
warning message come on at each
ignition cycle until the problem is
corrected. Some of the conditions that
can cause these to come on are:
.
One of the road tires has been
replaced with the spare tire. The
spare tire does not have a TPMS
sensor. The malfunction light and
DIC message should go off after
the road tire is replaced and the
sensor matching process is
performed successfully. See “TPMS
Sensor Matching Process ”later in
this section.
. The TPMS sensor matching
process was not done or not
completed successfully after
rotating the tires. The malfunction
light and the DIC message should
go off after successfully
completing the sensor matching
process. See "TPMS Sensor
Matching Process" later in this
section.
. One or more TPMS sensors are
missing or damaged. The
malfunction light and the DIC message should go off when the
TPMS sensors are installed and
the sensor matching process is
performed successfully. See your
dealer for service.
. Replacement tires or wheels do
not match the original equipment
tires or wheels. Tires and wheels
other than those recommended
could prevent the TPMS from
functioning properly. See Buying
New Tires 0314.
. Operating electronic devices or
being near facilities using radio
wave frequencies similar to the
TPMS could cause the TPMS
sensors to malfunction.
If the TPMS is not functioning
properly, it cannot detect or signal a
low tire pressure condition. See your
dealer for service if the TPMS
malfunction light and DIC message
come on and stay on.