2021 CADILLAC ESCALADE service

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
DRIVING AND OPERATING 323
Warning (Continued)
bicyclists, or animals. It may not
provide alerts when changing lanes
under all driving conditions. Failure
to use proper care when changing
lanes may result in injury, death,
or vehicle damage. Before making a
lane change, always check mirrors,
glance over your shoulder, and use
the turn signals.
ESBZA Detection Zones
1. SBZA Detection Zone
2. ESBZA Detection Zone
3. LCA Detection Zone
The Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
warning area starts at approximately
the middle of the vehicle and goes
back 5 m (16 ft). The Extended Side
Blind Zone Alert (ESBZA) warning
area starts at approximately 3 m (10 ft) to the trailing edge of the
vehicle and goes back up to 21 m
(69 ft) behind the vehicle. The
maximum trailer length is 12 m (39 ft).
How the System Works
The LCA/ESBZA symbol lights up in
the side mirrors when the system
detects a moving vehicle in the next
lane over that is in the extended side
blind zone. This indicates it may be
unsafe to change lanes. Before making
a lane change, check the SBZA
display, check mirrors, glance over
your shoulder, and use the turn
signals.
Left Side Mirror
DisplayRight Side Mirror Display
When the vehicle is started, both
outside mirror LCA/ESBZA displays
will briefly come on to indicate the
system is operating. When the vehicle
is in a forward gear, the left- or right-side mirror display will light up
if a moving vehicle is detected in that
blind zone. If the turn signal is
activated in the same direction as a
detected vehicle, this display will flash
as an extra warning not to change
lanes.
LCA/ESBZA displays may not come on
when passing a vehicle quickly,
or when passing a stopped vehicle.
LCA/ESBZA may alert to objects
attached to the vehicle, such as a
bicycle, or object extending out to
either side of the vehicle or trailer.
This is normal system operation; the
vehicle does not need service.
LCA/ESBZA can be disabled through
vehicle personalization. See
“Collision/
Detection Systems” underVehicle
Personalization 0138. If SBZA is
disabled by the driver, the ESBZA
mirror displays will not light up.
When the System Does Not
Seem to Work Properly
LCA/ESBZA displays may not come on
when passing a vehicle quickly,
or when passing a stopped vehicle.
The LCA/ESBZA detection zones that

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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324 DRIVING AND OPERATING
extend back from the side of the
vehicle do not move further back
when a trailer is towed. Use caution
while changing lanes when towing a
trailer. LCA/ESBZA may alert to
objects attached to the vehicle, such
as a trailer, bicycle, or object
extending out to either side of the
vehicle or trailer. This is normal
system operation; the vehicle does not
need service.
LCA/ESBZA may not always alert the
driver to vehicles in the side blind
zone, especially in wet conditions. The
system does not need to be serviced.
The system may light up due to
guardrails, signs, trees, shrubs, and
other non-moving objects. This is
normal system operation; the vehicle
does not need service.
LCA/ESBZA may not operate when the
LCA/ESBZA sensors in the left or right
corners of the rear bumper are
covered with mud, dirt, snow, ice,
or slush, or in heavy rainstorms. For
cleaning instructions, see "Washing
the Vehicle" underExterior Care0432.
If the DIC displays the system
unavailable message after cleaning both sides of the vehicle toward the
rear corners of the vehicle, see your
dealer.
If the DIC displays the system
unavailable message after cleaning
both sides of the vehicle toward the
rear corners of the vehicle, see your
dealer
If the LCA/ESBZA displays do not
light up when vehicles are in the blind
zone and the system is clean, the
system may need service. Take the
vehicle to your dealer.
When ESBZA is disabled for any
reason other than the driver turning it
off, the Extended Side Blind Zone
Alert On option will not be available
on the personalization menu.
Driving with a Trailer
Although this system is intended to
help drivers avoid lane change
crashes, it does not replace driver
vision and therefore should be
considered a lane change aid. Even
with the ESBZA system, the driver
must check carefully for objects
outside of the reporting zone (e.g., a
fast approaching vehicle) or vehicle
along the side of the trailer before
changing lanes.
Use caution while changing lanes
when towing a trailer.
Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
If equipped, LKA may help avoid
crashes due to unintentional lane
departures. This system uses a camera
to detect lane markings between
60 km/h (37 mph) and 180 km/h
(112 mph). It may assist by gently
turning the steering wheel if the
vehicle approaches a detected lane
marking. It may also provide a Lane
Departure Warning (LDW) alert if the
vehicle crosses a detected lane
marking. LKA can be overridden by
turning the steering wheel. This
system is not intended to keep the
vehicle centered in the lane. LKA will
not assist and alert if the turn signal
is active in the direction of lane
departure, or if it detects that you are
accelerating, braking or actively
steering.

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326 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Take Steering
The LKA system does not
continuously steer the vehicle. If LKA
does not detect active driver steering,
an alert and chime may be provided.
Steer the vehicle to dismiss. LKA may
become temporarily unavailable after
repeated take steering alerts.
When the System Does Not
Seem to Work Properly
The system performance may be
affected by:
.Close vehicles ahead.
.Sudden lighting changes, such as
when driving through tunnels.
.Banked roads.
.Roads with poor lane markings,
such as two-lane roads.
If the LKA system is not functioning
properly when lane markings are
clearly visible, cleaning the windshield
may help.
A camera blocked message may
display if the camera is blocked. Some
driver assistance systems may have
reduced performance or not work at
all. An LKA or LDW unavailable message may display if the systems
are temporarily unavailable. This
message could be due to a blocked
camera. The LKA system does not
need service. Clean the outside of the
windshield behind the rearview mirror.
LKA assistance and/or LDW alerts
may occur due to tar marks, shadows,
cracks in the road, temporary or
construction lane markings, or other
road imperfections. This is normal
system operation; the vehicle does not
need service. Turn LKA off if these
conditions continue.
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel
GM recommends the use of TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline to keep the engine
clean, reduce engine deposits, and
maintain optimal vehicle performance.
Look for the TOP TIER Logo or see
www.toptiergas.com for a list of TOP
TIER Detergent Gasoline marketers
and applicable countries.
Recommended Fuel
For diesel engine vehicles, see
“Fuel
for Diesel Engines” in the Duramax
diesel supplement.
Premium unleaded gasoline meeting
ASTM specification D4814 with a
posted octane rating of 93 —(R+M)/2
— is highly recommended for best
performance and fuel economy.
Unleaded gasoline with an octane

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 327
rated as low as 87 can be used. Using
unleaded gasoline rated below
93 octane, however, will lead to
reduced acceleration and fuel
economy. If knocking occurs, use a
gasoline rated at 93 octane as soon as
possible, otherwise, the engine could
be damaged. If heavy knocking is
heard when using gasoline with a
93 octane rating, the engine needs
service.
Do not use any fuel labeled E85 or
FlexFuel. Do not use gasoline with
ethanol levels greater than 15% by
volume.
Prohibited Fuels
Caution
Do not use fuels with any of the
following conditions; doing so may
damage the vehicle and void its
warranty:
.For vehicles that are not
FlexFuel, fuel labeled greater
than 15% ethanol by volume,(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
such as mid-level ethanol blends
(16–50% ethanol), E85,
or FlexFuel.
.Fuel with any amount of
methanol, methylal, ferrocene,
and aniline. These fuels can
corrode metal fuel system parts
or damage plastic and rubber
parts.
.Fuel containing metals such as
methylcyclopentadienyl
manganese tricarbonyl (MMT),
which can damage the emissions
control system and spark plugs.
.Fuel with a posted octane rating
of less than the recommended
fuel. Using this fuel will lower
fuel economy and performance,
and may decrease the life of the
emissions catalyst.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
The U.S., Canada, and Mexico post
fuel octane ratings in anti-knock index
(AKI). For fuel not to use in a foreign
country, seeProhibited Fuels 0327.
Fuel Additives
TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline is highly
recommended for use with your
vehicle. If your country does not have
TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline, add
ACDelco Fuel System Treatment Plus
−Gasoline to the vehicle’s gasoline fuel
tank at every oil change or 15 000 km
(9,000 mi), whichever occurs first. TOP
TIER Detergent Gasoline and ACDelco
Fuel System Treatment Plus−Gasoline
will help keep your vehicle’s engine
fuel deposit free and performing
optimally.
Filling the Tank
If the vehicle has a diesel engine, see
the Duramax diesel supplement.
An arrow on the fuel gauge indicates
which side of the vehicle the fuel door
is on. See Fuel Gauge 0116.
{Warning
Fuel vapors and fuel fires burn
violently and can cause injury or
death.
(Continued)

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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334 DRIVING AND OPERATING
5. Gradually release the brake pedalto allow the chocks to absorb the
load of the trailer.
6. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park).
7. Release the brake pedal.
Pulling the Trailer from the Water 1. Press and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine and shift into a gear.
3. Release the parking brake.
4. Let up on the brake pedal.
5. Drive slowly until the tires are clear of the chocks.
6. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
7. Slowly pull the trailer from the water.
8. Once the vehicle and trailer have been driven from the sloped part of
the boat ramp, the vehicle can be
shifted from four-wheel-drive high.
Shift into the drive mode that is
appropriate for the road conditions.Caution
If the vehicle tires begin to spin and
the vehicle begins to slide toward
the water, remove your foot from
the accelerator pedal and apply the
brake pedal. Seek help to have the
vehicle towed up the ramp.
Maintenance when Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more often
when used to tow trailers. See
Maintenance Schedule 0442. It is
especially important to check the
engine oil, axle lubricant, belts,
cooling system, and brake system
before and during each trip.
Check periodically that all nuts and
bolts on the trailer hitch are tight.
Engine Cooling when Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. See Engine Overheating
0 375.
Trailer Towing
Caution
Towing a trailer improperly can
damage the vehicle and result in
costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. To tow a trailer
correctly, follow the directions in
this section and see your dealer for
important information about
towing a trailer with the vehicle.
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.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 341
MeasurementHeight Example 1500 (mm)
H1 1000
H2 1050
H2-H1 50
(H2-H1)/2 25
H2- [(H2-H1)/2] 1025
Towing with the Four Corner Air
Suspension System 1. Adjust the vehicle air suspension to "Normal Ground Clearance Height."
2. Position the truck so that the trailer is ready to connect (Keep
trailer detached).
3. Enable air suspension ‘Service
Mode’ in the center infotainment
screen under Settings/Vehicle/
Suspension.
4. Measure the height of the top of the front wheel opening at the
fender to the ground (H1). 5. Attach the vehicle to the trailer, do
not attach weight distribution bars
at this time.
6. Measure the height of the top of the front wheel opening on the
fender to the ground (H2).
7. Install and adjust the tension in the weight distributing bars per the
manufacturers’ recommendations
so that the height of the front
fender is approximately H2-
[(H2-H1)/3] (1/3 between the two
measured ride heights, below the
secondary ride height {H2}). 8. Disable air suspension air
suspension "Service Mode."
9. Air suspension will automatically adjust ride height following step 8.
10. Visually inspect the trailer and weight-distributing hitch to ensure
that the manufacturers’
recommendations have been met.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 343
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, change drive mode to Tow
Haul. 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.
Refer to the aftermarket electric trailer
brake controller owner's manual to
determine wire color coding of the
electric trailer brake controller. The
wire colors on the brake controller
may be different from the vehicle.
Trailer Lamps
Always check all trailer lamps are
working at the beginning of each trip,
and periodically on longer trips.
If equipped, the Trailering App will
monitor the RH turn/brake lamp
circuit, LH turn/brake lamp circuit,
running lamp circuit, and reverse
lamp circuits on the trailer. DIC
messages and Trailering App alerts
may be displayed if lighting circuit
issues are detected on the trailer. Pressing START LIGHT TEST in the
Trailering App automatically activates
trailer lamps. The Trailering App is
not a substitute for manually
inspecting your trailer lamps. See
Trailering App
0349.
Trailer Connection and Lamp
Messages
When a trailer is properly connected
and working, no trailer connection or
lamp messages appear on the Driver
Information Center (DIC). However; if
the vehicle detects an issue with a
trailer connection or lamp, you may
see the following DIC message(s):
.TRAILER DISCONNECTED CHECK
CONNECTION appears when a
connected trailer is disconnected.
It appears immediately when the
vehicle is on, or upon the next
start-up if the trailer was
disconnected while the vehicle was
off. Check the trailer connection as
appropriate.
.CHECK TRAILER XXX LAMP
appears when there is a detected
lamp or wiring fault on the trailer.
Check the trailer wiring and lamps.

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346 DRIVING AND OPERATING
.There is a fault present in the
wiring to the trailer brakes, a
CHECK TRAILER WIRING message
displays on the DIC
.The ITBC system is not working due
to a fault, a SERVICE TRAILER
BRAKE SYSTEM message displays
in the DIC
Manual Trailer Brake Apply Lever
Slide this lever right to apply the
trailer’s electric brakes independent of
the vehicle’s brakes. Use this lever to
adjust Trailer Gain to achieve the
proper power output to the trailer
brakes. The trailer's and the vehicle's
brake lamps will come on when either
vehicle brakes or manual trailer brakes
are applied and properly connected.
Trailer Gain Adjustment Procedure
Trailer Gain should be set for a
specific trailering condition and it
must be readjusted anytime vehicle
loading, trailer loading, or road surface
conditions change.
{Warning
Trailer brakes that are over-gained
or under-gained may not stop the
vehicle and the trailer as intended
and can result in a crash. Always
follow the instructions to set the
Trailer Gain for the proper trailer
stopping performance.
To adjust Trailer Gain for each towing
condition: 1. Drive the vehicle with the trailer attached on a level road surface
representative of the towing
condition and free of traffic at
about 32 to 40 km/h (20 to 25 mph)
and fully apply the Manual Trailer
Brake apply lever.
Note
Adjusting Trailer Gain at speeds lower
than 32 to 40 km/h (20 to 25 mph)
may result in an incorrect gain
setting. 2. Adjust the Trailer Gain, using the Trailer Gain adjustment buttons, to
just below the point of trailer wheel lock-up, indicated by trailer
wheel squeal or tire smoke when a
trailer wheel locks.
Note
Trailer wheel lock-up may not occur if
towing a heavily loaded trailer. In this
case, adjust the Trailer Gain to the
highest allowable setting for the
towing condition. 3. Readjust Trailer Gain any time vehicle loading, trailer loading,
or road surface conditions change
or if trailer wheel lock-up is
noticed at any time while towing.
Other ITBC-Related DIC Messages
TRAILER BRAKES CONNECTED: This
message will briefly display when a
trailer with electric brakes is first
connected to the vehicle. This
message will automatically turn off in
about 10 seconds. This message can
be acknowledged before it
automatically turns off.
CHECK TRAILER WIRING: This
message will display if: