Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15567102) - 2022 - CRC - 11/17/21
VEHICLE CARE 407
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
0 241.
GAWR FRT
:Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the front axle. See
Vehicle Load Limits 0241.
GAWR RR
:Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the rear axle. See
Vehicle Load Limits 0241. 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 0241.
Occupant Distribution
:
Designated seating positions.
Outward Facing Sidewall
:The
side of an asymmetrical tire that
has a particular side that faces
outward when mounted on a
vehicle. The side of the tire that
contains a whitewall, bears white
lettering, or bears manufacturer,
brand, and/or model name
molding that is higher or deeper
than the same moldings on the
other sidewall of the tire.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15567102) - 2022 - CRC - 11/17/21
408 VEHICLE CARE
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire:A tire
used on passenger cars and some
light duty trucks and
multipurpose vehicles.
Recommended Inf lation
Pressure
:Vehicle manufacturer's
recommended tire inflation
pressure as shown on the tire
placard. See Tire Pressure 0409
and
Vehicle Load Limits 0241.
Radial Ply Tire
:A pneumatic tire
in which the ply cords that extend
to the beads are laid at 90 degrees
to the centerline of the tread.
Rim
:A metal support for a tire
and upon which the tire beads are
seated.
Sidewall
:The portion of a tire
between the tread and the bead.
Speed Rating
:An alphanumeric
code assigned to a tire indicating
the maximum speed at which a
tire can operate. Traction
:The friction between
the tire and the road surface. The
amount of grip provided.
Tread
:The portion of a tire that
comes into contact with the road.
Treadwear Indicators
:Narrow
bands, sometimes called wear
bars, that show across the tread of
a tire when only 1.6 mm (1/16 in)
of tread remains. See When It Is
Time for New Tires 0418.
UTQGS (Uniform Tire Quality
Grading Standards)
:A tire
information system that provides
consumers with ratings for a tire's
traction, temperature, and
treadwear. Ratings are determined
by tire manufacturers using
government testing procedures.
The ratings are molded into the
sidewall of the tire. See Uniform
Tire Quality Grading 0420. Vehicle Capacity Weight
:The
number of designated seating
positions multiplied by
68 kg (150 lb) plus the rated cargo
load. See Vehicle Load Limits 0241.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the
Tire
:Load on an individual tire
due to curb weight, accessory
weight, occupant weight, and
cargo weight.
Vehicle Placard
:A label
permanently attached to a vehicle
showing the vehicle capacity
weight and the original equipment
tire size and recommended
inflation pressure. See “Tire and
Loading Information Label” under
Vehicle Load Limits 0241.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15567102) - 2022 - CRC - 11/17/21
VEHICLE CARE 409
Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of
air pressure to operate effectively.
{Warning
Neither tire underinflation nor
overinflation is good.
Underinflated tires, or tires that
do not have enough air, can
result in:
.Tire overloading and
overheating, which could lead
to a blowout.
.Premature or irregular wear.
.Poor handling.
.Reduced fuel economy.
Overinflated tires, or tires that
have too much air, can result in:
.Unusual wear.
.Poor handling.
.Rough ride.
.Needless damage from road
hazards. The Tire and Loading Information
label on the vehicle indicates the
original equipment tires and the
correct cold tire inflation
pressures. The recommended
pressure is the minimum air
pressure needed to support the
vehicle's maximum load carrying
capacity.
For additional information
regarding how much weight the
vehicle can carry, and an example
of the Tire and Loading
Information label, see
Vehicle Load
Limits 0241. How the vehicle is
loaded affects vehicle handling
and ride comfort. Never load the
vehicle with more weight than it
was designed to carry. When to Check
Check the pressure of the tires
once a month or more.
Do not forget the spare tire, if the
vehicle has one. See
Full-Size Spare
Tire 0435 for additional
information.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type
gauge to check tire pressure.
Proper tire inflation cannot be
determined by looking at the tire.
Check the tire inflation pressure
when the tires are cold, meaning
the vehicle has not been driven for
at least three hours or no more
than 1.6 km (1 mi).
Remove the valve cap from the
tire valve stem. Press the tire
gauge firmly onto the valve to get
a pressure measurement. If the
cold tire inflation pressure
matches the recommended
pressure on the Tire and Loading
Information label, no further
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15567102) - 2022 - CRC - 11/17/21
422 VEHICLE CARE
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance
The tires and wheels were aligned and
balanced at the factory to provide the
longest tire life and best overall
performance. Adjustments to wheel
alignment and tire balancing are not
necessary on a regular basis. Consider
an alignment check if there is unusual
tire wear or the vehicle is significantly
pulling to one side or the other. Some
slight pull to the left or right,
depending on the crown of the road
and/or other road surface variations
such as troughs or ruts, is normal.
If the vehicle is vibrating when driving
on a smooth road, the tires and
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
See your dealer for proper diagnosis.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent,
cracked, or badly rusted or corroded.
If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the
wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel nutsshould be replaced. If the wheel leaks
air, replace it. Some aluminum wheels
can be repaired. See your dealer if any
of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of
wheel that is needed.
Each new wheel should have the same
load-carrying capacity, diameter,
width, offset, and be mounted the
same way as the one it replaces.
Replace wheels, wheel bolts, wheel
nuts, or Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) sensors with new GM original
equipment parts.
{Warning
Using the wrong replacement
wheels, wheel bolts, or wheel nuts
can be dangerous. It could affect
the braking and handling of the
vehicle. Tires can lose air, and
cause loss of control, causing a
crash. Always use the correct wheel,
wheel bolts, and wheel nuts for
replacement.
Caution
The wrong wheel can also cause
problems with bearing life, brake
cooling, speedometer or odometer
calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance,
and tire or tire chain clearance to
the body and chassis.
Used Replacement Wheels
{Warning
Replacing a wheel with a used one
is dangerous. How it has been used
or how far it has been driven may
be unknown. It could fail suddenly
and cause a crash. When replacing
wheels, use a new GM original
equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
{Warning
Do not use tire chains. There is not
enough clearance. Tire chains used
on a vehicle without the proper
(Continued)
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15567102) - 2022 - CRC - 11/17/21
440 VEHICLE CARE
Contact a professional towing service
if the disabled vehicle must be
transported. GM recommends a
flatbed tow truck to transport a
disabled vehicle. Use ramps to help
reduce approach angles, if necessary.
If equipped, a tow eye may be located
near the spare tire or emergency jack.
Do not use the tow eye to pull the
vehicle from the snow, mud, sand,
or ditch. Tow eye threads may have
right or left-hand threads. Use caution
when installing or removing the
tow eye.
The vehicle must be in N (Neutral)
and the electric parking brake must be
released when loading the vehicle
onto a flatbed tow truck.
.If the vehicle is equipped with car
wash mode and has 12-volt battery
power, refer to“Car Wash Mode ”
under Automatic Transmission 0252
to place the vehicle in N (Neutral).
.If the 12-volt battery is dead and/or
the engine will not start, the vehicle
will not move. Try to jump start the vehicle. Refer to
Jump Starting -
North America 0436 and if the
jump start is successful, retry the
“Car Wash Mode ”procedure.
.If jump starting is unsuccessful, the
vehicle will not move. Tire skates or
dollies must be used under the
non-rolling tires to prevent vehicle
damage.
Front Attachment Points
The vehicle is equipped with specific
attachment points to be used to pull
the vehicle onto a flatbed car carrier
from a flat road surface. Do not use
these attachment points to pull the
vehicle from snow, mud or sand.
Recreational Vehicle
Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means
towing the vehicle behind another
vehicle, such as a motor home. The
two most common types of
recreational vehicle towing are dinghy
and dolly towing. Dinghy towing is
towing the vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground. Dolly towing is towing
the vehicle with two wheels on the
ground and two wheels on a dolly.
Follow the tow vehicle manufacturer’s
instructions. See your dealer or
trailering professional for additional
advice and equipment
recommendations.
Here are some important things to
consider before recreational vehicle
towing:
.Before towing the vehicle, become
familiar with the local laws that
apply to recreational vehicle towing.
These laws may vary by region.
.What is the towing capacity of the
towing vehicle? Be sure to read the
tow vehicle manufacturer's
recommendations.