Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349344) - 2018 - crc - 11/7/17
204 DRIVING AND OPERATING
brake is firmly set before you leave it.
After you move the shift lever into
P (Park), hold the regular brake pedal
down. Then, see if you can move the
shift lever away from P (Park) without
first pulling it toward you. If you can,
it means that the shift lever was not
fully locked into P (Park).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do
not shift the transmission into
P (Park) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on
the parking pawl in the transmission.
You may find it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of P (Park). This is
called torque lock. To prevent torque
lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into P (Park) properly before you
leave the driver seat.
When you are ready to drive, move
the shift lever out of P (Park) before
you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may
need to have another vehicle push
yours a little uphill to take some of
the pressure from the parking pawl inthe transmission. You will then be
able to pull the shift lever out of
P (Park).
Shifting out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with an
electronic shift lock release system.
The shift lock release system is
designed to prevent movement of the
shift lever out of P (Park), unless the
ignition is on and the brake pedal is
applied.
The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9 volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See
Jump Starting - North
America 0329. To shift out of P (Park):
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still are unable to shift out of
P (Park): 1. Ease the pressure on the shift lever.
2. While holding down the brake pedal, push the shift lever all the
way into P (Park).
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you are still having a problem
shifting, then have the vehicle
serviced soon.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349344) - 2018 - crc - 11/7/17
264 VEHICLE CARE
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - NorthAmerica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . 333
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit your
dealer. You will receive genuine GM
parts and GM-trained and supported
service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of these
marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
{Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, as well as many of its service
parts and fluids, contain and/or
emit chemicals known to the State
of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive
harm. Engine exhaust, many parts
and systems, many fluids, and
some component wear by-products
contain and/or emit these
chemicals. For more information go
to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See Battery - North America 0280 and
Jump Starting - North America 0329
and the back cover.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349344) - 2018 - crc - 11/7/17
268 VEHICLE CARE
1. Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump
Starting - North America 0329.
2. Battery - North America 0280.
3. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System 0273.
4. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0272.
5. Remote Negative (–) Location (Out of View). See Jump Starting -
North America 0329.
6. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System 0273.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to
Add Engine Oil” underEngine Oil
0 268.
8. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0268.
9. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid ”under Washer Fluid 0278.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0279.
11. Engine Compartment Fuse Block
0289.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:
.
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 0270.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly,
every 650 km (400 mi), especially prior
to a long trip. The engine oil dipstick handle is a loop. See
Engine
Compartment Overview 0267 for the
location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle may
be hot; it could burn you. Use a
towel or glove to touch the dipstick
handle.
If a low oil Driver Information Center
(DIC) message displays, check the oil
level.
Follow these guidelines:
. To get an accurate reading, park
the vehicle on level ground. Check
the engine oil level after the
engine has been off for at least
two hours. Checking the engine oil
level on steep grades or too soon
after engine shutoff can result in
incorrect readings. Accuracy
improves when checking a cold
engine prior to starting. Remove
the dipstick and check the level.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349344) - 2018 - crc - 11/7/17
VEHICLE CARE 281
Warning (Continued)
Batteries also contain other
chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer.WASH
HANDS AFTER HANDLING. For
more information go to
www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See California Proposition 65 Warning
0 264 and the back cover.
Vehicle Storage
{Warning
Batteries have acid that can burn
you and gas that can explode. You
can be badly hurt if you are not
careful. See Jump Starting - North
America 0329 for tips on working
around a battery without
getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: Remove the black,
negative (−) cable from the battery to
keep the battery from running down. Extended Storage: Remove the black,
negative (−) cable from the battery or
use a battery trickle charger.
Four-Wheel Drive
Transfer Case
If the vehicle is equipped with
Four-Wheel Drive, be sure to perform
the lubricant checks described in this
section.
When to Check Lubricant
Refer to
Maintenance Schedule 0347
to determine how often to check the
lubricant.
How to Check Lubricant
To get an accurate reading, the vehicle
should be on a level surface.
1. Fill Plug
2. Drain Plug
If the level is below the bottom of the
fill plug (1) hole, located on the
transfer case, some lubricant will need
to be added. Add enough lubricant to
raise the level to the bottom of the fill
plug (1) hole. Use care not to
overtighten the plug.
What to Use
Refer to Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0355 to determine what
kind of lubricant to use.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349344) - 2018 - crc - 11/7/17
VEHICLE CARE 329
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North
America
For more information about the
vehicle battery, seeBattery - North
America 0280.
If the vehicle's battery has run down,
you may want to use another vehicle
and some jumper cables to start your
vehicle. Be sure to use the following
steps to do it safely.
{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.
Batteries also contain other
chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer. WASH
HANDS AFTER HANDLING. For
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
more information go to
www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See California Proposition 65 Warning
0 264 and the back cover.
{Warning
Batteries can hurt you. They can be
dangerous because:
. They contain acid that can
burn you.
. They contain gas that can
explode or ignite.
. They contain enough
electricity to burn you.
If you do not follow these steps
exactly, some or all of these things
can hurt you.
Caution
Ignoring these steps could result in
costly damage to the vehicle that
would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Trying to start the vehicle
by pushing or pulling it will not
work, and it could damage the
vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt battery with a
negative ground system.
Caution
If the other vehicle does not have a
12-volt system with a negative
ground, both vehicles can be
damaged. Only use a vehicle that
has a 12-volt system with a
negative ground for jump starting.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables can reach, but
be sure the vehicles are not
touching each other. If they are,
it could cause an unwanted
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349344) - 2018 - crc - 11/7/17
330 VEHICLE CARE
ground connection. You would
not be able to start your vehicle,
and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the
vehicles rolling, set the parking
brake firmly on both vehicles
involved in the jump start
procedure. Put the automatic
transmission in P (Park) or a
manual transmission in Neutral
before setting the parking brake.
For vehicles with
four-wheel-drive with a
N (Neutral) transfer case
position, be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear—not
N (Neutral).
Caution
If any accessories are left on or
plugged in during the jump starting
procedure, they could be damaged.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Whenever
possible, turn off or unplug all
accessories on either vehicle when
jump starting. 3. Turn the ignition off on both
vehicles. Unplug unnecessary
accessories plugged into the
accessory power outlets. Turn off
the radio and all the lamps that
are not needed. This will avoid
sparks and help save both
batteries. And it could save the
radio!
4. Open the hood on the other vehicle and locate the positive (+)
and negative (−) terminal
locations on that vehicle.
The positive (+) terminal is under
a red plastic cover at the positive
battery post. To uncover the
positive (+) terminal, open the
red plastic cover.
For more information on the
location of the remote
positive (+) and remote negative
(−) terminals, see Engine
Compartment Overview 0267.
{Warning
An electric fan can start up even
when the engine is not running and
can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing, and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
{Warning
Using a match near a battery can
cause battery gas to explode. People
have been hurt doing this, and
some have been blinded. Use a
flashlight if you need more light.
Battery fluid contains acid that can
burn you. Do not get it on you.
If you accidentally get it in your
eyes or on your skin, flush the place
with water and get medical help
immediately.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349344) - 2018 - crc - 11/7/17
VEHICLE CARE 331
{Warning
Fans or other moving engine parts
can injure you badly. Keep your
hands away from moving parts
once the engine is running.
5. Check that the jumper cables do not have loose or missing
insulation. If they do, you could
get a shock. The vehicles could
be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables,
here are some basic things you
should know. Positive (+) will go
to positive (+) or to a remote
positive (+) terminal if the
vehicle has one. Negative (−) will
go to a heavy, unpainted metal
engine part or to a remote
negative (−) terminal if the
vehicle has one.
Do not connect positive (+) to
negative (−) or you will get a
short that would damage the
battery and maybe other parts
too. And do not connect the negative (−) cable to the negative
(−) terminal on the dead battery
because this can cause sparks.
6. Connect the red positive (+) cable
to the positive (+) terminal of the
vehicle with the dead battery.
7. Do not let the other end touch metal. Connect it to the
positive (+) terminal of the good
battery. Use a remote positive (+)
terminal if the vehicle has one.
8. Connect the black negative (−) cable to the negative (−) terminal
of the good battery. Use a remote
negative (−) terminal if the
vehicle has one. Do not let the other end touch
anything until the next step.9. Connect the other end of the
negative (−) cable to the metal
bracket that is bolted to the
engine and supports the
resonator, on the vehicle with
the dead battery.
10. Start the vehicle with the good battery and run the engine for a
while.
11. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery. If it will not
start after a few tries, it probably
needs service.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349344) - 2018 - crc - 11/7/17
332 VEHICLE CARE
Caution
If the jumper cables are connected
or removed in the wrong order,
electrical shorting may occur and
damage the vehicle. The repairs
would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Always connect and
remove the jumper cables in the
correct order, making sure that the
cables do not touch each other or
other metal.
Jumper Cable Removal
Reverse the sequence exactly when
removing the jumper cables.
After starting the disabled vehicle and
removing the jumper cables, allow it
to idle for several minutes.
Towing the Vehicle
Caution
Incorrectly towing a disabled
vehicle may cause damage. The
damage would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty.
Do not lash or hook to suspension
components. Use the proper straps
around the tires to secure the
vehicle.
Use only a flatbed tow truck for
towing a disabled vehicle. Never use a
sling type lift or damage will occur.
Use ramps to help reduce approach
angles if necessary. A towed vehicle
should have its drive wheels off the
ground.
Consult a professional towing service
if the disabled vehicle must be towed.
Front Attachment Points
The vehicle is equipped with specific
attachment points to be used to pull
the vehicle onto a flatbed car carrier
from a flat road surface. Do not use
these attachment points to pull the
vehicle from snow, mud or sand.