2023 CADILLAC ESCALADE brakes

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16417396) - 2023 - CRC - 5/11/22
320 Driving and Operating
Trailer Brake Control Panel
1. Manual Trailer Brake Apply Lever
2. Trailer Symbol
3. Trailer Gain Adjustment Buttons
The ITBC control panel is on the instrument
panel to the left of the steering column. The
control panel allows adjustment to the
amount of output, referred to as Trailer
Gain, available to the trailer brakes and
allows manual application of the trailer
brakes. Use the ITBC control panel and the
DIC trailer brake display page to adjust and
display power output to the trailer brakes.Trailer Brake DIC Display Page
The ITBC display page indicates:
.Trailer Gain setting
.Output to the trailer brakes
.Trailer connection
.System operational status.
To display:
.Scroll through the DIC menu pages
.Press a Trailer Gain (+) or (−) button
.Activate the Manual Trailer Brake Apply
Lever
TRAILER GAIN: Press the Trailer Gain button
to recall the current Trailer Gain setting.
Each press and release of the gain buttons
will then change the Trailer Gain setting.
Press the Trailer Gain (+) or (−) to adjust.
Press and hold to continuously adjust the
Trailer Gain. To turn the output to the
trailer off, adjust the Trailer Gain setting to
0.0. This setting can be adjusted from 0.0 to
10.0 with a trailer connected or
disconnected.
TRAILER OUTPUT: This displays anytime a
trailer with electric brakes is connected.
Output to the trailer brakes is based on the
amount of vehicle braking present and relative to the Trailer Gain setting. Output is
displayed from 0 to 100% for each gain
setting.
The Trailer Output will indicate
“- - - - - -”on
the Trailer Brake Display Page whenever the
following occur:
.No trailer is connected.
.A trailer without electric brakes is
connected, no DIC message will display
.A trailer with electric brakes has become
disconnected, a CHECK TRAILER WIRING
message displays on the DIC
.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 left to apply the trailer
electric brakes independent of the vehicle
brakes. Use this lever to adjust Trailer Gain
to achieve the proper power output to the
trailer brakes. This lever may also be used
to request additional trailer braking at any
time. The trailer and the vehicle brake lamps

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 321
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. 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.
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:
.The ITBC system first determines
connection to a trailer with electric brakes
and then the trailer harness becomes
disconnected from the vehicle.
If the disconnect occurs while the vehicle
is stationary, this message will
automatically turn off in about
30 seconds. This message will also turn
off if it is acknowledged or if the trailer
harness is reconnected.
If the disconnect occurs while the vehicle
is moving, this message will continue
until the vehicle is turned off. This
message will also turn off if it is
acknowledged or if the trailer harness is
reconnected.
.There is an electrical fault in the wiring to
the trailer brakes. This message will
continue as long as there is an electrical
fault in the trailer wiring. This message
will also turn off if it is acknowledged.
To determine whether the electrical fault is
on the vehicle side or trailer side of the
trailer wiring harness connection: 1. Disconnect the trailer wiring harness from the vehicle.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16417396) - 2023 - CRC - 5/11/22
322 Driving and Operating
2. Turn the vehicle off.
3. Wait 10 seconds, then turn the vehicleback to RUN.
4. If the CHECK TRAILER WIRING message reappears, the electrical fault is on the
vehicle side.
If the CHECK TRAILER WIRING message only
reappears when connecting the trailer wiring
harness to the vehicle, the electrical fault is
on the trailer side.
TRAILER BRAKES DISABLED SERVICE
REQUIRED: This message will display when
there is a problem with the ITBC system.
If this message continues over multiple
restarts, have the vehicle serviced.
If either the CHECK TRAILER WIRING, TRAILER
BRAKES DISABLED SERVICE REQUIRED,
SERVICE TRAILER BRAKES, HOLD LAST KNOWN
GAIN, or REDUCED TRAILER BRAKING
message displays while driving, the ITBC
system may not be fully functional or may
not function at all. When traffic conditions
allow, carefully pull the vehicle over to the
side of the road and turn the vehicle off.
Check the wiring connection to the trailer
and turn the vehicle back on. If either of
these messages continues, either the vehicle
or trailer needs service. A GM dealer may be able to diagnose and
repair problems with the trailer. However,
any diagnosis and repair of the trailer is not
covered under the vehicle warranty. Contact
your trailer dealer for assistance with trailer
repairs and trailer warranty information.
Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
Vehicles with StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) have a Trailer Sway Control
(TSC) feature. Trailer sway is unintended
side-to-side motion of a trailer while towing.
If the vehicle is towing a trailer and the TSC
detects that sway is increasing, the vehicle
brakes are selectively applied at each wheel,
to help reduce excessive trailer sway.
If equipped with the Integrated Trailer Brake
Control (ITBC) system, and the trailer has an
electric brake system, StabiliTrak may also
apply the trailer brakes.
If TSC is enabled, the Traction Control
System (TCS)/StabiliTrak warning light will
flash on the instrument cluster. Reduce
vehicle speed by gradually removing your
foot from the accelerator. If trailer sway
continues, StabiliTrak can help slow the
vehicle down. TSC will not function if
StabiliTrak is turned off. See
Traction
Control/Electronic Stability Control 0238.
{Warning
Trailer sway can result in a crash and in
serious injury or death, even if the
vehicle is equipped with TSC.
If the trailer begins to sway, reduce
vehicle speed by gradually removing your
foot from the accelerator. Then pull over
to check the trailer and vehicle to help
correct possible causes, including an
improperly or overloaded trailer,
unrestrained cargo, improper trailer hitch
(Continued)

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Driving and Operating 323
Warning (Continued)
configuration, or improperly inflated or
incorrect vehicle or trailer tires. See
Towing Equipment0313 for trailer
ratings and hitch setup recommendations.
Aftermarket Electronic Trailer Sway
Control Devices
Some trailers may come equipped with an
electronic device designed to reduce or
control trailer sway. Aftermarket equipment
manufacturers also offer similar devices that
connect to the wiring between the trailer
and the vehicle. These devices may interfere
with the vehicle’s trailer brake systems or
other systems, including integrated
anti-sway systems, if equipped. Messages
related to trailer connections or trailer
brakes could appear on the DIC. The effects
of these aftermarket devices on vehicle
handling or trailer brake performance is not
known.
{Warning
Use of aftermarket electronic trailer sway
control devices could result in reduced
trailer brake performance, loss of trailer (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
brakes, or other malfunctions, and result
in a crash. You or others could be
seriously injured or killed. Before using
one of these devices:
.Ask the device or trailer manufacturer
if the device has been thoroughly
tested for compatibility with the
make, model, and year of your vehicle
and any optional equipment installed
on your vehicle.
.Before driving, check the trailer brakes
are working properly, if equipped.
Drive the vehicle with the trailer
attached on a level road surface that
is free of traffic at about 32-40 km/h
(20-25 mph) and fully apply the
manual trailer brake apply lever. Also,
check the trailer brake lamps and
other lamps are functioning correctly.
.If the trailer brakes are not operating
properly at any time, or if a DIC
message indicates problems with the
trailer connections or trailer brakes,
carefully pull the vehicle over to the
side of the road when traffic
conditions allow.
Trailer Tires
Special Trailer (ST) tires differ from vehicle
tires. Trailer tires are designed with stiff
sidewalls to help prevent sway and to
support heavy loads. These features can
make it difficult to determine if the trailer
tire pressures are low only based on a visual
inspection.
Always check all trailer tire pressures before
each trip when the tires are cool. Low trailer
tire pressure is a leading cause of trailer tire
blow-outs.
If the vehicle is equipped with a trailer tire
pressure monitoring system, see the trailer
tire pressure monitoring system description
and the trailering app.
Trailer tires deteriorate over time. The trailer
tire sidewall will show the week and year
the tire was manufactured. Many trailer tire
manufacturers recommend replacing tires
more than six years old.
Overloading is another leading cause of
trailer tire blow-outs. Never load your trailer
with more weight than the tires are
designed to support. The load rating is
located on the trailer tire sidewall.

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Vehicle Care 335
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . 336
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . 336
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . 339
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . 345
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . 345
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356 Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . 361
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . 365
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . 367
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . 372
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . 376
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . 377 Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . 382
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . 384
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . 384
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . 385
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 398
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . 398
Towing the Vehicle
Transporting a Disabled Vehicle . . . . . . . 401
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . 402
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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336 Vehicle Care
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit your
dealer. You will receive genuine GM parts
and GM-trained and supported service
people.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
California Perchlorate Materials
Requirements
Certain types of automotive applications,
such as airbag initiators, seat belt
pretensioners, and lithium batteries
contained in electronic keys, may contain
perchlorate materials. Perchlorate Material–special handling may apply. See
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and Modifications
Adding non-dealer accessories or making
modifications to the vehicle can affect
vehicle performance and safety, including
such things as airbags, braking, stability,
ride and handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, Driver Assistance
Systems, and electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability control.
These accessories or modifications could
even cause malfunction or damage not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to suspension components caused
by modifying vehicle height outside of
factory settings will not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components resulting
from modifications or the installation or use
of non-GM certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is not
covered under the terms of the vehicle
warranty and may affect remaining
warranty coverage for affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to complement
and function with other systems on the
vehicle. See your dealer to accessorize the
vehicle using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 072.
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work
{Warning
It can be dangerous to work on your
vehicle if you do not have the proper
knowledge, service manual, tools,
or parts. Always follow owner’s manual
procedures and consult the service
manual for your vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service work, use
the proper service manual. It tells you much
more about how to service the vehicle than
this manual can. To order the proper service
manual, see Publication Ordering
Information 0435.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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352 Vehicle Care
Open the cap with the washer symbol on it.
Add washer fluid until the tank is full. See
Engine Compartment Overview0339 for
reservoir location.
Caution
.Do not use washer fluid that contains
any type of water repellent coating.
This can cause the wiper blades to
chatter or skip.
.Do not use engine coolant (antifreeze)
in the windshield washer. It can
damage the windshield washer system
and paint.
.Do not mix water with ready-to-use
washer fluid. Water can cause the
solution to freeze and damage the
washer fluid tank and other parts of
the washer system.
.When using concentrated washer fluid,
follow the manufacturer instructions
for adding water.
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
.Fill the washer fluid tank only
three-quarters full when it is very cold.
This allows for fluid expansion if
freezing occurs, which could damage
the tank if it is completely full.
Brakes
Disc brake linings have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched warning
sound when the brake linings are worn and
new linings are needed. The sound can come
and go or can be 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
linings could result in costly brake
repairs.
Some driving conditions or climates can
cause a brake squeal when the brakes are
first applied, clearing up following several
applications. 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 linings for wear
and evenly tighten wheel nuts in the proper
sequence to torque specifications. See
Capacities and Specifications 0424.
Brake pads should be replaced as complete
axle 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.

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Vehicle Care 353
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 can
change in many ways if the wrong brake
parts are installed or if parts are improperly
installed.
Brake Pad Life System
When to Change Brake Pads
This vehicle has a system that estimates the
remaining life of the front and rear brake
pads. Brake pad life is displayed in the
Driver Information Center (DIC), 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. Display Brake Pad Life on the DIC. See Driver Information Center (DIC) 0124.
2. Select the Brake Pad Life menu.
3. Select front or rear pads as appropriate.
4. Select YES on the confirmation message. 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
Brakes0352.
To turn off the brake pad life system: 1. Display Brake Pad Life on the DIC. See Driver Information Center (DIC) 0124.
2. Select the Brake Pad Life menu.
3. 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 0339 for the
location of the reservoir.