Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15567102) - 2022 - CRC - 11/17/21
DRIVING AND OPERATING 265
When Automatic Vehicle Hold (AVH)
is turned on and the vehicle is braked
to a stop, AVH prevents the vehicle
from moving during the transition
from brake pedal release to accelerator
pedal apply. The brakes release when
the accelerator pedal is applied. The
brakes may also release under other
conditions. Do not rely on AVH to
hold the vehicle.
If the accelerator pedal is not applied
within a few minutes, the Electric
Parking Brake will apply. The parking
brake will also apply if the driver door
is opened or the driver seat belt is
unfastened while AVH is holding the
vehicle.
AVH can be turned on by pressing
AUTO HOLD. The indicator light on
the switch will come on. The AVH
light on the instrument panel will
come on while AVH is actively holding
the vehicle. SeeAutomatic Vehicle Hold
(AVH) Light 0126.Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) and StabiliTrak/
Electronic Stability Control (ESC).
These systems help limit wheel spin
and assist the driver in maintaining
control, especially on slippery road
conditions.
TCS activates if it senses any of the
drive wheels are spinning or beginning
to lose traction. When this happens,
TCS applies the brakes to the spinning
wheels and reduces engine power to
limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak/ESC activates when the
vehicle senses a difference between
the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling.
StabiliTrak/ESC selectively applies
braking pressure to one or more of the
vehicle wheel brakes to assist the
driver in keeping the vehicle on the
intended path. Trailer Sway Control (TSC) is also on automatically when
the vehicle is started. See
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) 0354.
If cruise control is being used and
traction control or StabiliTrak/ESC
begins to limit wheel spin, cruise
control will disengage. Cruise control
may be turned back on when road
conditions allow.
Both systems come on automatically
when the vehicle is started and begins
to move. The systems may be heard or
felt while they are operating or while
performing diagnostic checks. This is
normal and does not mean there is a
problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both
systems on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary to
turn TCS off if the vehicle gets stuck
in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See If the
Vehicle Is Stuck 0241 and “Turning
the Systems Off and On ”later in this
section.
When the transfer case (if equipped)
is in Four-Wheel Drive Low, the TCS
and StabiliTrak/ESC are automatically
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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338 DRIVING AND OPERATING
trailer brake controller to check the
trailer brakes work. During the trip,
occasionally check that the cargo and
trailer are secure and that the lamps
and any trailer brakes are working.
Towing with a Stability Control
System
When towing, the stability control
system might be heard. The system
reacts to vehicle movement caused by
the trailer, which mainly occurs
during cornering. This is normal when
towing heavier trailers.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving without a trailer. This can help
to avoid heavy braking and sudden
turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed when
towing a trailer. The combination of
the vehicle and trailer will not
accelerate as quickly and is much
longer than the vehicle alone. It is
necessary to go much farther beyondthe passed vehicle before returning to
the lane. Pass on level roadways.
Avoid passing on hills if possible.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. To move the trailer to
the left, move that hand to the left. To
move the trailer to the right, move
that hand to the right. Always back up
slowly and, if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Caution
Turn more slowly and make wider
arcs when towing a trailer to
prevent damage to your vehicle.
Making very sharp turns could
cause the trailer to contact the
vehicle.
Make wider turns than normal when
towing, so trailer will not go over soft
shoulders, over curbs, or strike road
signs, trees, or other objects. Always
signal turns well in advance. Do not
steer or brake suddenly.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before starting down a long or steep
downhill grade. If the transmission is
not shifted down, the brakes may
overheat and result in reduced braking
efficiency.
The vehicle can tow in D (Drive). Shift
the transmission to a lower gear if the
transmission shifts too often under
heavy loads and/or hilly conditions.
When towing at higher altitudes,
engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than at lower altitudes.
If the engine is turned off immediately
after towing at high altitude on steep
uphill grades, the vehicle could show
signs similar to engine overheating. To
avoid this, let the engine run,
preferably on level ground, with the
transmission in P (Park) for a few
minutes before turning the engine off.
If the overheat warning comes on, see
Engine Overheating 0381.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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340 DRIVING AND OPERATING
To back the trailer into the water:1. If equipped, place the vehicle in four-wheel-drive high.
2. Slowly back down the boat ramp until the boat is floating, but no
further than necessary.
3. Press and hold the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet.
4. Have someone place chocks under the front wheels of the vehicle.
5. Gradually release the brake pedal to 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 0455. 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
0 381.
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.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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350 DRIVING AND OPERATING
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.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
When properly connected, the trailer
turn signals should will illuminate to
indicate the vehicle is turning,
changing lanes, or stopping. When
towing a trailer, the arrows on the
instrument cluster will illuminate
even if the trailer is not properly
connected or the bulbs are
burned out.
Tow/Haul Mode
For instructions on how to enter
Tow/Haul mode, seeDriver Mode
Control 0267.
Tow/Haul assists when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy load. Tow/Haul Mode is designed to be
most effective when the vehicle and
trailer combined weight is at least
75% of the vehicle's Gross Combined
Weight Rating (GCWR). See
“Maximum Trailer Weight
”under
Trailer Towing 0340.
Tow/Haul Mode is most useful when
towing a heavy trailer or carrying a
large or heavy load:
.through rolling terrain
.in stop-and-go traffic
.in busy parking lots
Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul
Mode when lightly loaded or not
towing will not cause damage;
however, it is not recommended and
may result in unpleasant engine and
transmission driving characteristics
and reduced fuel economy.
Integrated Trailer Brake Control
System
The vehicle may have an Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system
for use with electric trailer brakes or
most electric over hydraulic trailer brake systems. These instructions
apply to both types of electric trailer
brakes.
This symbol is on the Trailer Brake
Control Panel on vehicles with an
ITBC system. The power output to the
trailer brakes is proportional to the
amount of vehicle braking. This
available power output to the trailer
brakes can be adjusted to a wide
range of trailering situations.
The ITBC system is integrated with
the vehicle’s brake, anti-lock brake,
and StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) systems. In trailering
conditions that cause the vehicle’s
anti-lock brake or StabiliTrak/ESC
systems to activate, power sent to the
trailer's brakes will be automatically
adjusted to minimize trailer wheel
lock-up. This does not imply that the
trailer has StabiliTrak/ESC.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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DRIVING AND OPERATING 367
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is
used for vehicle service and
Emission Inspection/Maintenance
testing. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp (Check Engine Light) 0123.
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
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Always check with your
dealer before adding electrical
equipment.
{Warning
Certain mobile radio equipment,
like amplifiers and antennas used
for two-way communication, can
interfere with some vehicle systems.
Always ensure this equipment is
supplied with proper local
grounding. Follow all of the
instructions that came with the
equipment and see your GM dealer
for additional mobile radio
installation instructions. Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12-volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see
Servicing
the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 076 and
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 076.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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368 VEHICLE CARE
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . 377
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 377
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 384
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . 386 Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 388
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 389
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . 390
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 390
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 392
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . 397
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403 Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 404
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 411
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 420
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435
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VEHICLE CARE 371
Hood
{Warning
For vehicles with auto engine stop/
start, turn the vehicle off before
opening the hood. If the vehicle is
on, the engine will start when the
hood is opened. You or others could
be injured.
{Warning
Components under the hood can
get hot from running the engine. To
help avoid the risk of burning
unprotected skin, never touch these
components until they have cooled,
and always use a glove or towel to
avoid direct skin contact.
Clear any snow from the hood before
opening. To open the hood:
1. Pull the hood release lever with the
isymbol. It is on the lower left
side of the instrument panel.
2. Go to the front of the vehicle and locate the secondary release lever
under the front center of the hood.
Push the secondary hood release
lever to the right to release.
3. After you have partially lifted the hood, the gas strut system will
automatically lift the hood and
hold it in the fully open position. To close the hood:
1. Before closing the hood, be sure all filler caps are on properly, and all
tools are removed.
2. Pull the hood down until the strut system is no longer holding up
the hood.
3. Allow the hood to fall. Check to make sure the hood is latched
completely. Repeat this process
with additional force if necessary.
{Warning
Do not drive the vehicle if the hood
is not latched completely. The hood
could open fully, block your vision,
and cause a crash. You or others
could be injured. Always close the
hood completely before driving.
The Driver Information Center (DIC)
will display a message if the hood is
not fully closed, and the vehicle is
moving. Stop and turn off the vehicle,
check the hood for obstructions, and
close the hood again. Check to see if
the message still appears on the DIC.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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VEHICLE CARE 373
1. Remote Negative (–) Location. SeeJump Starting - North America
0436.
2. Positive (+) Terminal (Under Cover). See Jump Starting - North America
0 436.
3. Battery - North America 0386.
4. Engine Compartment Fuse Block
0393.
5. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil 0373.
6. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System 0378.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to
Add Engine Oil” underEngine Oil
0 373.
8. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System 0378.
9. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0377.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0385.
11. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer Fluid” under
Washer Fluid 0383.Engine Oil
For diesel engine vehicles, see “Engine
Oil” in the Duramax diesel
supplement.
To ensure proper engine performance
and long life, careful attention must
be paid to engine oil. Following these
simple, but important steps will help
protect your investment:
.Use engine oil approved to the
proper specification and of the
proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil” in
this section.
.Check the engine oil level regularly
and maintain the proper oil level.
See “Checking Engine Oil” and
“When to Add Engine Oil” in this
section.
.Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil Life
System 0375.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with Used
Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly,
every 650 km (400 mi), especially prior
to a long trip. The engine oil dipstick
handle is a loop. See Engine
Compartment Overview 0372 for the
location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle may
be hot; it could burn you. Use a
towel or glove to touch the dipstick
handle.
If a low oil Driver Information Center
(DIC) message displays, check the oil
level.
Follow these guidelines:
.To get an accurate reading, park the
vehicle on level ground. Check the
engine oil level after the engine has
been off for at least two hours.
Checking the engine oil level on
steep grades or too soon after
engine shutoff can result in
incorrect readings. Accuracy