2021 CADILLAC ESCALADE winter tires

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
DRIVING AND OPERATING 239
.Pay attention to special road signs
(e.g., falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and the
road creates less traction or grip, so
drive carefully. Wet ice can occur at
about 0 °C (32 °F) when freezing rain
begins to fall. Avoid driving on wet ice
or in freezing rain until roads can be
treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick.
.Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control0264.
.Antilock Brake System (ABS)
improves vehicle stability during
hard stops, but the brakes should be applied sooner than when on dry
pavement. See
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0261.
.Allow greater following distance and
watch for slippery spots. Icy patches
can occur on otherwise clear roads
in shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain icy
when the surrounding roads are
clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
.Turn off cruise control.
Blizzard Conditions
Stay with the vehicle unless there is
help nearby. If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside Service 0462.
To get help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside mirror.
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may cause
exhaust gases to get inside. Engine
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
exhaust contains carbon monoxide
(CO), which cannot be seen or
smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
.Clear snow from the base of the
vehicle, especially any blocking
the exhaust pipe.
.Open a window about 5 cm (2 in)
on the vehicle side that is away
from the wind, to bring in
fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets on or
under the instrument panel.
.Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air inside
the vehicle and set the fan speed
to the highest setting. See
“Climate Control Systems.”
For more information about CO, see
Engine Exhaust 0250.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
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-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
394 VEHICLE CARE
Warning (Continued)
.Replace any tires that have
been damaged by impacts
with potholes, curbs, etc.
.Improperly repaired tires can
cause a crash. Only your
dealer or an authorized tire
service center should repair,
replace, dismount, and mount
the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in
excess of 56 km/h (35 mph)
on slippery surfaces such as
snow, mud, ice, etc. Excessive
spinning may cause the tires
to explode.
See Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation 0401 for inflation
pressure adjustment for
high-speed driving.
All-Season Tires
This vehicle may come with all-season
tires. These tires are designed to
provide good overall performance on
most road surfaces and weather
conditions. Original equipment tires
designed to GM's specific tire
performance criteria have a TPC
specification code molded onto the
sidewall. Original equipment
all-season tires can be identified by
the last two characters of this TPC
code, which will be “MS.”
Consider installing winter tires on the
vehicle if frequent driving on snow or
ice-covered roads is expected.
All-season tires provide adequate
performance for most winter driving
conditions, but they may not offer the
same level of traction or performance
as winter tires on snow or ice-covered
roads. See Winter Tires 0394.
Winter Tires
This vehicle was not originally
equipped with winter tires. Winter
tires are designed for increased
traction on snow and ice-covered
roads. Consider installing winter tires
on the vehicle if frequent driving on
ice or snow covered roads is expected.
See your dealer for details regarding
winter tire availability and proper tire
selection. Also, see Buying New Tires
0 408.
With winter tires, there may be
decreased dry road traction, increased
road noise, and shorter tread life.
After changing to winter tires, be alert
for changes in vehicle handling and
braking.
If using winter tires:
.Use tires of the same brand and
tread type on all four wheel
positions.
.Use only radial ply tires of the same
size, load range, and speed rating as
the original equipment tires.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
VEHICLE CARE 395
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment tires
may not be available for H, V, W, Y,
and ZR speed rated tires. If winter
tires with a lower speed rating are
chosen, never exceed the tire's
maximum speed capability.
Low-Profile Tires
If the vehicle has 275/55R20 or
275/50R22 size tires, they are
classified as low-profile tires.Caution
Low-profile tires are more
susceptible to damage from road
hazards or curb impact than
standard profile tires. Tire and/or
wheel assembly damage can occur
when coming into contact with
road hazards like potholes, or sharp
edged objects, or when sliding into
a curb. The warranty does not cover
this type of damage. Keep tires set
to the correct inflation pressure and
when possible, avoid contact with
curbs, potholes, and other road
hazards.
All-Terrain Tires
This vehicle may have all-terrain or
mud-terrain tires. These tires provide
good performance on most road
surfaces, weather conditions, and for
off-road driving. See Off-Road Driving
0 234.
The tread pattern on these tires may
wear more unevenly than other tires.
Consider rotating the tires more
frequently than at 12 000 km
(7,500 mi) intervals if irregular wear is
noted when the tires are inspected.
See Tire Inspection 0406.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is
molded into the sidewall. The
example shows a typical passenger
vehicle tire sidewall.
Passenger (P-Metric)/Spare Tire
(1) Tire Size:The tire size is a
combination of letters and
numbers used to define a
particular tire's width, height,
aspect ratio, construction type,
and service description. See the
"Tire Size" illustration in this
section.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
VEHICLE CARE 409
Warning (Continued)
dealer or authorized tire service
center should mount or
dismount the tires.
{Warning
Mixing tires of different sizes
(other than those originally
installed on the vehicle), brands,
tread patterns, or types may
cause loss of vehicle control,
resulting in a crash or other
vehicle damage. Use the correct
size, brand, and type of tire on
all wheels.
{Warning
Using bias-ply tires on the
vehicle may cause the wheel rim
flanges to develop cracks after
many miles of driving. A tire
and/or wheel could fail suddenly
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
and cause a crash. Use only
radial-ply tires with the wheels
on the vehicle.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment
tires may not be available for H, V,
W, Y and ZR speed rated tires.
Never exceed the winter tires’
maximum speed capability when
using winter tires with a lower
speed rating.
If the vehicle tires must be
replaced with a tire that does not
have a TPC Spec number, make
sure they are the same size, load
range, speed rating, and
construction (radial) as the
original tires.
The Tire and Loading Information
label indicates the original
equipment tires on the vehicle.
See Vehicle Load Limits 0240.Different Size Tires and
Wheels
If wheels or tires are installed that are
a different size than the original
equipment wheels and tires, vehicle
performance, including its braking,
ride and handling characteristics,
stability, and resistance to rollover
may be affected. If the vehicle has
electronic systems such as antilock
brakes, rollover airbags, traction
control, electronic stability control,
or All-Wheel Drive, the performance
of these systems can also be affected.
{Warning
If different sized wheels are used,
there may not be an acceptable
level of performance and safety if
tires not recommended for those
wheels are selected. This increases
the chance of a crash and serious
injury. Only use GM specific wheel
and tire systems developed for the
vehicle, and have them properly
installed by a GM certified
technician.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
410 VEHICLE CARE
SeeBuying New Tires 0408 and
Accessories and Modifications 0364.
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires by
treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This
applies only to vehicles sold in the
United States. The grades are
molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform
Tire Quality Grading (UTQG)
system does not apply to deep
tread, winter tires, compact spare
tires, tires with nominal rim
diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they must also conform to federal safety
requirements and additional
General Motors Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) standards.
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half
(1½) times as well on the
government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences
in road characteristics and
climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest
to lowest, are AA, A, B, and C.
Those grades represent the tire's
ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled
conditions on specified
government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance. Warning: The
traction grade assigned to this tire
is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
CUSTOMER INFORMATION 463
Cadillac Technician Roadside
Service (U.S. Only)
Cadillac's exceptional Roadside Service
is more than an auto club or towing
service. It provides every Cadillac
owner in the United States with the
advantage of contacting a Cadillac
advisor and, where available, a
Cadillac trained dealer technician who
can provide on-site service.
A dealer technician will travel to your
location within a 30-mile radius of a
participating Cadillac dealership.
If beyond this radius, we will arrange
to have your car towed to the nearest
Cadillac dealership. Each technician
travels with a specially equipped
service vehicle complete with the
necessary Cadillac parts and tools
required to handle most roadside
repairs.
Services Not Included in
Roadside Service
.Impound towing caused by violation
of any laws
.Legal fines
.Mounting, dismounting, or changing
of snow tires, chains, or other
traction devices
Service is not provided if a vehicle is
in an area that is not accessible to the
service vehicle or is not a regularly
traveled or maintained public road,
which includes ice and winter roads.
Off-road use is not covered.
Services Specific to
Canadian-Purchased Vehicles
.Fuel delivery: Reimbursement is up
to 7 liters. Diesel fuel delivery may
be restricted. Propane and other
fuels are not provided through this
service.
.Lock-Out Service: Vehicle
registration is required.
.Trip Interruption Benefits and
Service: Pre-authorization, original
detailed receipts, and a copy of the
repair orders are required. Once
authorization has been received, the
Roadside Service advisor will help
you make arrangements and explain
how to receive payment. Items
considered are hotel, meals, and rental car or a vehicle being
delivered back to the customer, up
to 800 km.
.Alternative Service:
If assistance
cannot be provided right away, the
Roadside Service advisor may give
you permission to get local
emergency road service. You will
receive payment, up to $100, after
sending the original receipt to
Roadside Service. Mechanical
failures may be covered, however
any cost for parts and labor for
repairs not covered by the warranty
are the owner responsibility.
Scheduling Service
Appointments
When the vehicle requires warranty
service, contact your dealer and
request an appointment. By
scheduling a service appointment and
advising the service consultant of
your transportation needs, your dealer
can help minimize your
inconvenience.
If the vehicle cannot be scheduled
into the service department
immediately, keep driving it until it

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
480 INDEX
Appearance CareExterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Armrest Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . 313
Assistance Systems for Parking and Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Audio Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Auto Stop Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Automatic Dimming Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . 315
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Vehicle Hold Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Automatic Transmission Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Automatic Vehicle Hold (AVH) . . . . 263
Avoiding Untrusted Media Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Axle, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Axle, Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381B
Battery Exterior Lighting BatterySaver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Battery - North America . . . . . .380, 425
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . . . . . . . 382
Bluetooth Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196, 197
Bluetooth Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Brake Electric Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Parking, Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377 Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Pad Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 Automatic Emergency (AEB) . . . . . 315
Braking System
Front Pedestrian (FPB) . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Bulb Replacement Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384 Bulb Replacement (cont'd)
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
California Perchlorate Materials
Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
California Proposition 65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . .363, 380, 425, Back Cover
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . 455
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Cargo Tie-Downs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Caution, Danger, and Warning . . . . . . . . 2
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412
Charging Wireless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122