
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349344) - 2018 - crc - 11/7/17
IN BRIEF 5
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Second Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Third Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Heated and Cooled Front Seats . . . 14
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . . . . 14
Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . 15
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . 16
Throttle and Brake Pedal Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . 18
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Vehicle Features
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . 21
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Forward Automatic Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . . . 22
Surround Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . 23
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Automatic Parking Assist (APA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Reverse Automatic Braking (RAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . . 24
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Performance and Maintenance
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Roadside Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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124 INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS
Rear Wiper Arm Assembly
Protection
When using an automatic car wash,
move the rear wiper control to OFF to
disable the rear wiper. In some
vehicles, if the transmission is in
N (Neutral) and the vehicle speed is
very slow, the rear wiper will
automatically park under the rear
spoiler.
The wiper operations return to normal
when the transmission is no longer in
N (Neutral) or the vehicle speed has
increased.
Reverse Gear Wipes
If the rear wiper control is off, the rear
wiper will automatically operate
continuously when the shift lever is in
R (Reverse), and the front windshield
wiper is performing low or high speed
wipes. If the rear wiper control is off,
the shift lever is in R (Reverse), and
the front windshield wiper is
performing interval wipes, then the
rear wiper automatically performs
interval wipes.
This feature can be turned on or off.
SeeVehicle Personalization 0152. The windshield washer reservoir is
used for the windshield and the rear
window. Check the fluid level in the
reservoir if either washer is not
working. See
Washer Fluid 0278.
Compass
The vehicle may have a compass
display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC). The compass receives its
heading and other information from
the Global Positioning System (GPS)
antenna, StabiliTrak, and vehicle
speed information.
The compass system is designed to
operate for a certain number of miles
or degrees of turn before needing a
signal from the GPS satellites. When
the compass display shows CAL, drive
the vehicle for a short distance in an
open area where it can receive a GPS
signal. The compass system will
automatically determine when a GPS
signal is restored and provide a
heading again.
Clock
The infotainment system controls are
used to access the time and date
settings through the menu system.
See “Home Page ”in the infotainment
manual for information about how to
use the menu system.
Setting the Clock
Time
To set the time:
1. From the Home Page, touch SETTINGS, then touch Time
and Date.
2. Touch Set Time, then touch + or −to increase or decrease hours
or minutes, and change AM
or PM.
3. Touch 12-24 Hr for a 12 or 24 hour clock.
4. Touch
[Back to go back to the
previous menu.
Date
To set the date:

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS 147
speed limit is exceeded, a pop-up
warning is displayed and a chime may
sound.
Cruise Set Speed :Shows the speed
the cruise control or Adaptive Cruise
Control is set to.
Follow Distance Indicator : When
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is not
engaged, the current follow time to
the vehicle ahead is displayed as a
time value on this page. When ACC
has been engaged, the display
switches to the gap setting page. This
page shows the current gap setting
along with the vehicle ahead indicator.
Battery Voltage : Shows the current
battery voltage.
Oil Life : Shows an estimate of the
oil's remaining useful life.
If REMAINING OIL LIFE 99% is
displayed, that means 99% of the
current oil life remains.
When the remaining oil life is low, the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message
will appear on the display. The oil
should be changed as soon as
possible. See Engine Oil0268. In
addition to the engine oil life system monitoring the oil life, additional
maintenance is recommended. See
Maintenance Schedule
0347.
The Oil Life display must be reset
after each oil change. It will not reset
itself. Do not reset the Oil Life display
accidentally at any time other than
when the oil has just been changed.
It cannot be reset accurately until the
next oil change. To reset the engine
oil life system, press and hold SEL for
several seconds while the Oil Life
display is active. See Engine Oil Life
System 0270.
Oil Pressure : Shows the engine oil
pressure in kPa (kilopascals)
or psi (pounds per square inch).
Engine Hours : Shows the total
number of hours the engine has run.
Transmission Fluid Temperature :
Shows the temperature of the
automatic transmission fluid in either
degrees Celsius (°C) or degrees
Fahrenheit (°F).
Tire Pressure : Shows the
approximate pressures of all four tires.
Tire pressure is displayed in either
kilopascal (kPa) or in pounds per square inch (psi). If the pressure is
low, the value for that tire is shown in
amber.
See
Tire Pressure Monitor System 0307
and Tire Pressure Monitor Operation
0 308.
Blank Page : Allows for no
information to be displayed in the
cluster info display areas.
Head-Up Display (HUD)
{Warning
If the HUD image is too bright or
too high in your field of view, it
may take you more time to see
things you need to see when it is
dark outside. Be sure to keep the
HUD image dim and placed low in
your field of view.
If equipped with HUD, some
information concerning the operation
of the vehicle is projected onto the
windshield. The image is projected
through the HUD lens on top of the

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 201
Starting Procedure
1. With the Keyless Access system,the RKE transmitter must be in
the vehicle. Press ENGINE
START/STOP with the brake
pedal applied. When the engine
begins cranking, let go of the
button.
The idle speed will go down as
the engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it.
If the RKE transmitter is not in
the vehicle, if there is
interference, or if the RKE
battery is low, the Driver
Information Center (DIC) will
display a message.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by returning the
ignition to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after five to 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 press ENGINE START/
STOP, 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 button, and the
accelerator. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do
the same thing. 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.
Engine Heater
{Warning
Do not plug in the engine block
heater while the vehicle is parked in
a garage or under a carport.
Property damage or personal injury
may result. Always park the vehicle
in a clear open area away from
buildings or structures.
If equipped, the engine 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. There may
be an internal thermostat in the plug
end of the cord, which will prevent
engine heater operation at
temperatures above −18 °C (0 °F).

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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254 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
beforestarting 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.
When towing, use the Tow/Haul Mode
to prevent damage to the engine or
transmission. See Tow/Haul Mode
0 210.
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 transmission in P (Park) for a
few minutes before turning the engine
off. If the overheat warning comes on,
see Engine Overheating 0276.
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.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes
until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park). 5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is
clear of the chocks.
7. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance when Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more often
when pulling a trailer. See
Maintenance Schedule 0347. Things
that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission
fluid, engine oil, axle lubricant, belts,
cooling system, and brake system. It is
a good idea to inspect these before
and during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch
nuts and bolts are tight.

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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 271
If the system is ever reset accidentally,
the oil must be changed at 5 000 km
(3,000 mi) since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life system
whenever the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Engine Oil Life
System
Reset the system whenever the engine
oil is changed so that the system can
calculate the next engine oil change.
To reset the system:1. Using the DIC controls on the right side of the steering wheel,
display OIL LIFE on the DIC. See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
0145. When remaining oil life is
low, the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message will appear on
the display.
2. Press and hold SEL on the DIC controls for a few seconds to
clear the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message and reset the oil
life at 100%. Be careful not to reset the oil life
display accidentally at any time
other than after the oil is
changed. It cannot be reset
accurately until the next oil
change.
The oil life system can also be reset as
follows: 1. Display OIL LIFE on the DIC. See Driver Information Center (DIC)
0145.
2. Fully press and release the accelerator pedal three times
within five seconds.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message is not on, the
system is reset.
The system is reset when the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message
is off.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message comes back on when the
vehicle is started, the engine oil life
system has not been reset. Repeat the
procedure.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
When to Check and Change
Automatic Transmission Fluid
It is usually not necessary to check
the transmission fluid level. The only
reason for fluid loss is a transmission
leak or overheated transmission. This
vehicle is not equipped with a
transmission fluid level dipstick.
There is a special procedure for
checking and changing the
transmission fluid in these vehicles.
Because this procedure is difficult,
this should be done at the dealer.
Contact the dealer for additional
information or the procedure can be
found in the service manual. See
Service Publications Ordering
Information 0371.

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VEHICLE CARE 303
vehicle tire engineered to
standards set by the U.S. Tire and
Rim Association.
(2) Tire Width
:The three-digit
number indicates the tire section
width in millimeters from sidewall
to sidewall.
(3) Aspect Ratio
:A two-digit
number that indicates the tire
height-to-width measurements.
For example, if the tire size aspect
ratio is 75, as shown in item C of
the tire illustration, it would mean
that the tire's sidewall is
75 percent as high as it is wide.
(4) Construction Code
:A letter
code is used to indicate the type
of ply construction in the tire. The
letter R means radial ply
construction; the letter D means
diagonal or bias ply construction;
and the letter B means belted-bias
ply construction.
(5) Rim Diameter
:Diameter of
the wheel in inches. (6) Service Description
:These
characters represent the load
index and speed rating of the tire.
The load index represents the load
carrying capacity a tire is certified
to carry. The speed rating is the
maximum speed a tire is certified
to carry a load.
Tire Terminology and
Definitions
Air Pressure:The amount of air
inside the tire pressing outward
on each square inch of the tire.
Air pressure is expressed in kPa
(kilopascal) or psi (pounds per
square inch).
Accessory Weight
:The combined
weight of optional accessories.
Some examples of optional
accessories are automatic
transmission, power windows,
power seats, and air conditioning.
Aspect Ratio
:The relationship of
a tire's height to its width. Belt
:A rubber coated layer of
cords between the plies and the
tread. Cords may be made from
steel or other reinforcing
materials.
Bead
:The tire bead contains steel
wires wrapped by steel cords that
hold the tire onto the rim.
Bias Ply Tire
:A pneumatic tire in
which the plies are laid at
alternate angles less than
90 degrees to the centerline of the
tread.
Cold Tire Pressure
:The amount
of air pressure in a tire, measured
in kPa (kilopascal) or psi (pounds
per square inch) before a tire has
built up heat from driving. See
Tire Pressure 0305.
Curb Weight
:The weight of a
motor vehicle with standard and
optional equipment including the
maximum capacity of fuel, oil, and
coolant, but without passengers
and cargo.