2021 CADILLAC ESCALADE light

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
354 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Light Test
Touch Start Light Test to cycle the
trailer lights on and off to determine if
they are working. The test follows this
sequence:1. The running lights turn on first and remain on throughout the
sequence.
2. The brake lights turn on for about two seconds.
3. The left turn signal light flashes three times.
4. The right turn signal light flashes three times.
5. The reverse lights turn on for about two seconds.
6. Steps 2–5 repeat for approximately one minute and 45 seconds,
or until the test deactivates.
Touch Stop to stop the test. The test
will automatically end after
one minute and 45 seconds.
The sequence also deactivates when
any of the following occur:
.The ignition is turned off.
.The transmission is shifted out of
P (Park).
.The brake pedal is pressed.
.The turn signal is activated.
.The hazard warning lights are
activated.
Tires
1. Trailer Tire Pressure/Temperature
Tire Pressure and Temperature
If the TTPMS sensor-to-vehicle learn
process was completed, the status
view will display the current tire
pressure and temperature of the
trailer tires related to the active
Trailer Profile. If a tire’s pressure is
low or high, the color of the pressure
value will be amber. If a sensor
malfunctions, the values are dashed
lines. If the screen displays “ServiceTire Pressure Monitoring System
”, the
vehicle needs to be taken to a dealer
for service.
Maintenance
1. List of Maintenance Reminders
2. Add a New Maintenance Reminder
The Maintenance Status view displays
reminders. Touch a reminder to edit.
Touch + New Maintenance Reminder
to go to the Select New
Reminder view.
The progress bar turns yellow when
the maintenance item reaches 90%
complete.
The progress bar turns red when the
maintenance item reaches 100%
complete.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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360 DRIVING AND OPERATING
If the setting is turned off for a given
Trailer Profile, the smartphone will
not receive this security notification
even if the Trailer Profile is active.
Tow/Haul Mode Reminder
This is a reminder to turn on the Tow/
Haul Mode when towing a trailer. See
Tow/Haul Mode0256.
Touch Tow/Haul Mode Reminder in
Settings to view the Tow/Haul Mode
Reminder settings page. These alerts
are based on the Trailer Profile, so the
settings for each Trailer Profile must
be turned on or off. Touch a profile to
view more information or to adjust
the setting for that profile.
This setting will default to OFF for
each Trailer Profile, including the
Guest Trailer Profile.
If Tow/Haul Mode is off and this
setting is on for a Trailer Profile, each
time the ignition is turned on a
reminder will appear to turn on Tow/
Haul Mode when the Trailer Profile is
active. If Tow/Haul Mode is on and this
setting is on for a Trailer Profile, the
reminder will not appear when the
Trailer Profile is active.
Trailer Length Indicator
Touch Trailer Length Indicator to view
the Trailer Length Indicator settings
page. If this setting is ON a guideline
is displayed in the side mirror camera
view to indicate the rear of the
attached trailer. If this setting is OFF
the guideline will not be displayed.
This setting will default to OFF if the
trailer length indicator feature is not
set up. See "Towing Assistance" for
details on the setup.
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is
used for vehicle service and
Emission Inspection/Maintenance
testing. See
Malfunction Indicator
Lamp (Check Engine Light) 0122.
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 (Continued)

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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362 VEHICLE CARE
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . 371
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 371
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379 Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . 380
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 382
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 383
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . 384
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 385
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 385
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . 389
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395 All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 395
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 402
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 410
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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VEHICLE CARE 375
1. Remove the coolant surge tankpressure cap when the cooling
system, including the coolant surge
tank pressure cap and upper
radiator hose, is no longer hot.
Turn the pressure cap slowly
counterclockwise about one full
turn. If a hiss is heard, wait for that
to stop. A hiss means there is still
some pressure left.
2. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly, and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with the proper mixture to the full
cold mark.
4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start the engine
and let it run until the engine
coolant temperature gauge
indicates approximately 90 °C
(195 °F). By this time, the coolant level
inside the coolant surge tank may
be lower. If the level is lower, add
more of the proper mixture to the
coolant surge tank until the level
reaches the indicated mark.
5. Replace the pressure cap tightly.
6. Verify coolant level after the engine is shut off and the coolant is cold.
If necessary, repeat coolant fill
procedure Steps 1–6.
Caution
If the pressure cap is not tightly
installed, coolant loss and engine
damage may occur. Be sure the cap
is properly and tightly secured.
Engine Overheating
If the vehicle has a diesel engine, see
the Duramax diesel supplement.
Caution
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak in the engine cooling system.
This can cause a loss of all coolant
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
and can damage the system and
vehicle. Have any leaks fixed
right away.
The vehicle has several indicators to
warn of engine overheating.
There is a coolant temperature gauge
and an engine coolant temperature
warning light in the vehicle's
instrument cluster. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge 0117 and
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning
Light 0128.
In addition, there are ENGINE
OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE,
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE,
and ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
messages in the Driver Information
Center (DIC).
If the decision is made not to lift the
hood when this warning appears, get
service help right away. See Roadside
Service 0462.
If the decision is made to lift the
hood, make sure the vehicle is parked
on a level surface.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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378 VEHICLE CARE
heard all the time when the vehicle is
moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.
{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 0455.
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 Pad Life System
When to Change Brake Pads
If equipped, this system estimates the
remaining life of the front and rear
brake pads. Brake pad life is displayed
in the vehicle information screen, along with a percentage for each axle.
The system must be reset every time
the brake pads are changed.
When the system has determined that
the brake pads need to be replaced, a
message will display, which may
include mileage remaining.
Brake pads should always be replaced
as complete axle sets.
How to Reset the Brake Pad Life
System
The system will automatically detect
when significantly worn brake pads
are replaced. When the ignition is
turned on after new pads and wear
sensors are installed, a message will
display. Follow the prompts to reset
the system.
The brake pad life system can also be
manually reset:
1. Using the vehicle information screen controls on the right side of
the instrument cluster, display
Brake Pad Life on the screen. See
Vehicle Information 0134.
2. Touch RESET on the screen. Select front or rear pads as appropriate.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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VEHICLE CARE 379
3. Select YES on the confirmationmessage. Repeat for pads on the
other axle if they were also
replaced.
How to Disable the Brake Pad
Life System
The brake pad life system can be
turned off. This may be necessary if
aftermarket brake pads without wear
sensors are installed. When the
system is turned off, the front and
rear brake pad life percentages will
not display. However, the built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn can still determine when the
pads should be replaced. See Brakes
0 377.
To turn off the brake pad life system: 1. Using the vehicle information screen controls on the right side of
the instrument cluster, display
Brake Pad Life on the screen. See
Vehicle Information 0134.
2. Select DISABLE.
To turn the brake pad life system back
on, follow the above steps but select
ENABLE in Step 2.
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder reservoir is
filled with GM approved DOT 4 brake
fluid as indicated on the reservoir cap.
See Engine Compartment Overview
0 366 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.
.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
0 124.
Brake fluid absorbs water over time
which degrades the effectiveness of
the brake fluid. Replace brake fluid at

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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384 VEHICLE CARE
Caution
Do not apply tape or hang any
objects from gas struts. Also do not
push down or pull on gas struts.
This may cause damage to the
vehicle.
See Maintenance Schedule 0442.
Hood
Trunk
Liftgate
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp aim has been preset and
should need no further adjustment.
If the vehicle is damaged in a crash,
the headlamp aim may be affected.
If adjustment to the headlamps is
necessary, see your dealer.
Bulb Replacement
For the proper type of replacement
bulbs, or any bulb changing procedure
not listed in this section, contact your
dealer.
Caution
Do not replace incandescent bulbs
with aftermarket LED replacement
bulbs. This can cause damage to
the vehicle electrical system.
LED Lighting
This vehicle has several LED lamps.
For replacement of any LED lighting
assembly, contact your dealer.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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398 VEHICLE CARE
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 0400.
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.
DOT Markings
:A code molded
into the sidewall of a tire
signifying that the tire is in
compliance with the U.S.
Department of Transportation
(DOT) Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. The DOT code includes
the Tire Identification Number
(TIN), an alphanumeric designator
which can also identify the tire
manufacturer, production plant,
brand, and date of production.
GVWR
:Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating. See Vehicle Load Limits
0 240.
GAWR FRT
:Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the front axle. See
Vehicle Load Limits 0240.
GAWR RR
:Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the rear axle. See
Vehicle Load Limits 0240.
Intended Outboard Sidewall
:
The side of an asymmetrical tire
that must always face outward
when mounted on a vehicle.
Kilopascal (kPa)
:The metric unit
for air pressure.
Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire
:A
tire used on light duty trucks and
some multipurpose passenger
vehicles. Load Index
:An assigned number
ranging from 1 to 279 that
corresponds to the load carrying
capacity of a tire.
Maximum Inf lation Pressure
:
The maximum air pressure to
which a cold tire can be inflated.
The maximum air pressure is
molded onto the sidewall.
Maximum Load Rating
:The load
rating for a tire at the maximum
permissible inflation pressure for
that tire.
Maximum Loaded Vehicle
Weight
:The sum of curb weight,
accessory weight, vehicle capacity
weight, and production options
weight.
Normal Occupant Weight
:The
number of occupants a vehicle is
designed to seat multiplied by
68 kg (150 lb). See Vehicle Load
Limits 0240.