Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566588) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
LIGHTING 155
interior lamps remain on for a set
amount of time, then automatically
turn off.
The exterior lamps turn off
immediately by turning the exterior
lamp control off.
This feature can be changed. See
Vehicle Personalization0136.
Battery Load Management
The vehicle has Electric Power
Management (EPM), which estimates
the battery's temperature and state of
charge. It then adjusts the voltage for
best performance and extended life of
the battery.
When the battery's state of charge is
low, the voltage is raised slightly to
quickly bring the charge back up.
When the state of charge is high, the
voltage is lowered slightly to prevent
overcharging. The voltmeter gauge or
the voltage display on the Driver
Information Center (DIC), if equipped,
may show the voltage moving up or
down. This is normal. If there is a
problem, an alert will be displayed. The battery can be discharged at idle
if the electrical loads are very high.
This is true for all vehicles. This is
because the generator (alternator)
may not be spinning fast enough at
idle to produce all the power that is
needed for very high electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when
several of the following are on, such
as: headlamps, high beams, fog lamps,
rear window defogger, climate control
fan at high speed, heated seats, engine
cooling fans, trailer loads, and loads
plugged into accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive
discharge of the battery. It does this
by balancing the generator's output
and the vehicle's electrical needs.
It can increase engine idle speed to
generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce the
power demands of some accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in steps
or levels, without being noticeable. In
rare cases at the highest levels of
corrective action, this action may be
noticeable to the driver. If so, a DIC
message might be displayed and it isrecommended that the driver reduce
the electrical loads as much as
possible.
Battery Power Protection
This feature shuts off the dome and
reading lamps if they are left on for
more than 10 minutes when the
ignition is off. This will keep the
battery from running down.
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver
The exterior lamps turn off about
10 minutes after the ignition is turned
off, if the parking lamps or headlamps
have been manually left on. This
protects against draining the battery.
To restart the 10-minute timer, turn
the exterior lamp control to the
O
position and then back to the;
or2position.
To keep the lamps on for more than
10 minutes, the ignition must be on or
in ACC/ACCESSORY.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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178 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Warning (Continued)
fan speed to the highest
setting. See“Climate Control
Systems.”
For more information about CO, see
Engine Exhaust 0190.
To save fuel, run the engine for short
periods to warm the vehicle and then
shut the engine off and partially close
the window. Moving about to keep
warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle speed.
This keeps the battery charged to
restart the vehicle and to signal for
help with the headlamps. Do this as
little as possible, to save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels
to free the vehicle when stuck in sand,
mud, ice, or snow. If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. See
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0203.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you or
others could be injured. The vehicle
can overheat, causing an engine
compartment fire or other damage.
Spin the wheels as little as possible
and avoid going above 56 km/h
(35 mph).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and right
to clear the area around the front
wheels. Turn off any traction system.
Shift back and forth between
R (Reverse) and a low forward gear,
spinning the wheels as little as
possible. To prevent transmission
wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears. Release
the accelerator pedal while shifting,
and press lightly on the accelerator pedal when the transmission is in
gear. Slowly spinning the wheels in
the forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not get
the vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out, see
Towing the Vehicle
0325.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can carry.
This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the
weight of all occupants, cargo, and
all nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle may
show how much weight it was
designed to carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and the
Certification/Tire label.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 185
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the vehicle
off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
press and hold ENGINE START/STOP
for longer than two seconds, or press
twice in five seconds.
ACC/ACCESSORY (Amber Indicator
Light) : This mode allows some
electrical accessories to be used when
the engine is off.
With the ignition off, pressing the
button one time without the brake
pedal applied will place the ignition
system in ACC/ACCESSORY.
The ignition will switch from ACC/
ACCESSORY to off after five minutes
to prevent battery rundown. ON/RUN/START (Green Indicator
Light) :
This mode is for driving and
starting. With the ignition off, and the
brake pedal applied, pressing the
button once will turn the ignition on.
Once engine cranking begins, release
the button. Engine cranking will
continue until the engine starts. See
Starting the Engine 0185. The ignition
will then remain on.
Service Mode
This power mode is available for
service and diagnostics, and to verify
the proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp as may be
required for emission inspection
purposes. With the vehicle off, and the
brake pedal not applied, pressing and
holding the button for more than
five seconds will place the vehicle in
Service Mode. The instruments and
audio systems will operate as they do
when the ignition is on, but the
vehicle will not be able to be driven.
The engine will not start in Service
Mode. Press the button again to turn
the ignition off.
Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission.
Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change the
way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. See
Add-On Electrical Equipment 0253.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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186 DRIVING AND OPERATING
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 trying to start
the engine immediately after
cranking has ended, can overheat
and damage the cranking motor,
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
and drain the 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).
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 189
Warning (Continued)
if the shift lever is in P (Park). So be
sure the transfer case is in a drive
gear–not in N (Neutral).
And, if you leave the vehicle with
the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You or
others could be injured. Do not
leave the vehicle with the engine
running unless you have to.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the parking
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 in
the 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 0322.
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-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 201
Caution
Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system and
cause premature wear or damage to
brake system parts. Make sure that
the parking brake is fully released
and the brake warning light is off
before driving.
To release the parking brake, hold the
regular brake pedal down, then push
down momentarily on the parking
brake pedal until you feel the pedal
release. Slowly pull your foot up off
the parking brake pedal. If the parking
brake is not released when you begin
to drive, a DIC message will appear
and a chime will sound warning you
that the parking brake is still on.
Electric Parking Brake
This vehicle may have an Electric
Parking Brake (EPB). The EPB can
always be activated, even if the
ignition is off. To prevent draining the
battery, avoid repeated cycles of the
EPB system when the engine is not
running.
The system has a
Yor PARK
Electric Parking Brake light, and a
8
Service Parking Brake light. See
Electric Parking Brake Light 0124 and
Service Electric Parking Brake Light
0 124. Before leaving the vehicle, check for
the
Yor PARK light to ensure that
the parking brake is applied.
EPB Apply
To apply the EPB:
1. Be sure the vehicle is at a complete stop.
2. Lift up the EPB switch momentarily.
The
Yor PARK light will flash and
then stay on once the EPB is fully
applied. If the
Yor PARK light
flashes continuously, then the EPB is
only partially applied or there is a
problem with the EPB. A DIC message
will display. Release the EPB and try
to apply it again. If the light does not
come on, or keeps flashing, have the
vehicle serviced. Do not drive the
vehicle if the
Yor PARK light is
flashing. See your dealer. See Electric
Parking Brake Light 0124.
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VEHICLE CARE 255
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 265
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . 273 Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 276
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 277
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 280
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 280
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Left) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287 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 Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 299
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 308
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
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256 VEHICLE CARE
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - NorthAmerica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . 326
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
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 0273 and
Jump Starting - North America 0322
and the back cover.