CADILLAC ESCALADE 2018 Owner's Manual

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349344) - 2018 - crc - 11/7/17
260 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes so
they are installed, adjusted, and
maintained properly.
Do not tap into the vehicle's hydraulic
system.
Since the vehicle is equipped with
StabiliTrak, the trailer brakes cannot
tap into the vehicle's hydraulic
system.
Trailer Wiring Harness
The seven-pin trailer connector is
mounted in the bumper. This
connector can be plugged into a
seven-pin universal heavy-duty trailer
connector available through your
dealer.
Use only a round, seven-wire
connector with flat blade terminals
meeting SAE J2863 specifications for
proper electrical connectivity.
The seven-wire harness contains the
following trailer circuits:
.Yellow/Grey: Left Stop/Turn Signal
. Green/Violet: Right Stop/Turn
Signal .
Grey/Brown: Taillamps
. White: Ground
. White/Green: Back-up Lamps
. Red/Green: Battery Feed
. Dark Blue: Trailer Brake
To help charge a remote (non-vehicle)
battery, press the Tow/Haul Mode
button at the end of the shift lever.
If the trailer is too light for Tow/Haul
Mode, turn on the headlamps to help
charge the battery.Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions
These wiring provisions are included
with the vehicle as part of the trailer
wiring package. These provisions are
for an electric brake controller.
The harness should be installed by
your dealer or a qualified service
center.
Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
Vehicles with StabiliTrak have a
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) feature.
Trailer sway is unintended side-to-side
motion of a trailer while being towed. 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 TSC is enabled, the Traction Control
System (TCS)/StabiliTrak warning
light will flash on the instrument
cluster. Vehicle speed must be
reduced. If trailer sway continues,
StabiliTrak can reduce engine torque
to help slow the vehicle. See
Traction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
0 218.
{Warning
Even if the vehicle is equipped with
TSC, trailer sway could result in
loss of control and the vehicle could
crash. If excessive trailer sway is
detected, slow down to a safe speed.
Check the trailer and vehicle to help
correct possible causes. These could
include an improperly or overloaded
trailer, unrestrained cargo, improper
trailer hitch configuration, excessive
(Continued)

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DRIVING AND OPERATING 261
Warning (Continued)
vehicle-trailer speed, or improperly
inflated or incorrect vehicle or
trailer tires. SeeTowing Equipment
0 258 for trailer ratings and hitch
setup recommendations.
Adding non-dealer accessories can
affect the vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications 0265.
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 or other systems, including
integrated anti-sway systems,
if equipped. Messages related to trailer
connections or trailer brakes could
appear on the Driver Information
Center (DIC). The effect that these devices may have on vehicle handling
or trailer brake performance is
unknown.
{Warning
Use of electronic trailer sway
control devices could result in
reduced trailer brake performance,
loss of trailer brakes, or other
malfunctions, and could cause a
crash. You or others could be
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 the
vehicle as well as optional
equipment installed on the
vehicle.
. Before driving on the open
roads, check that the trailer
brakes are working properly.
Drive the vehicle with the
trailer attached on a level
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 that 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.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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262 DRIVING AND OPERATING
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) 0137.
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.
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 094 and
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 094.

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Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . 272
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . 280 Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . 284
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . 285
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . 288
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . 288
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Left) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296 Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . 307
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 316
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318

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If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - NorthAmerica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . 333
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
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 Proposition
65 Warning
{Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, as well as many of its service
parts and fluids, contain and/or
emit chemicals known to the State
of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive
harm. Engine exhaust, many parts
and systems, many fluids, and
some component wear by-products
contain and/or emit these
chemicals. For more information go
to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See Battery - North America 0280 and
Jump Starting - North America 0329
and the back cover.

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California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag initiators,
seat belt pretensioners, and lithium
batteries contained in Remote Keyless
Entry transmitters, may contain
perchlorate materials. Special
handling may be necessary. For
additional information, 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, 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 094.
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 Service Publications
Ordering Information 0371.
This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 094.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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266 VEHICLE CARE
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of
any service work performed. See
Maintenance Records0357.
Caution
Even small amounts of
contamination can cause damage to
vehicle systems. Do not allow
contaminants to contact the fluids,
reservoir caps, or dipsticks.
Hood
To open the hood:
1. Pull the handle with this symbol
on it. It is inside the vehicle
under the steering wheel.
2. Go to the front of the vehicle tofind the secondary hood release.
The handle is under the front
edge of the hood near the center.
Push the handle to the right and
at the same time raise the hood.
Before closing the hood, be sure all
the filler caps are on properly. Then
bring the hood from full open to
within 15 cm (6 in) from the closed
position, pause, and push the front
center of the hood with a swift, firm
motion to fully close the hood.

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Engine Compartment Overview

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268 VEHICLE CARE
1. Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump
Starting - North America 0329.
2. Battery - North America 0280.
3. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System 0273.
4. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0272.
5. Remote Negative (–) Location (Out of View). See Jump Starting -
North America 0329.
6. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System 0273.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to
Add Engine Oil” underEngine Oil
0 268.
8. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0268.
9. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid ”under Washer Fluid 0278.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0279.
11. Engine Compartment Fuse Block
0289.Engine Oil
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 0270.
. 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 0267 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
improves when checking a cold
engine prior to starting. Remove
the dipstick and check the level.

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.If unable to wait two hours, the
engine must be off for at least
15 minutes if the engine is warm,
or at least 30 minutes if the
engine is not warm. Pull out the
dipstick, wipe it with a clean paper
towel or cloth, then push it back
in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check
the level.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick and the
engine has been off for at least
15 minutes, add 1 L (1 qt) of the
recommended oil and then recheck
the level. See “Selecting the Right
Engine Oil” later in this section for an explanation of what kind of oil to use.
For engine oil crankcase capacity, see
Capacities and Specifications
0359.
Caution
Do not add too much oil. Oil levels
above or below the acceptable
operating range shown on the
dipstick are harmful to the engine.
If you find that you have an oil
level above the operating range, i.e.,
the engine has so much oil that the
oil level gets above the
cross-hatched area that shows the
proper operating range, the engine
could be damaged. You should
drain out the excess oil or limit
driving of the vehicle and seek a
service professional to remove the
excess amount of oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview
0 267 for the location of the engine oil
fill cap. Add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when through.
Selecting the Right Engine Oil
Selecting the right engine oil depends
on both the proper oil specification
and viscosity grade. See
Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants 0355.
Specification
Ask for and use engine oils that meet
the dexos1™ specification. Engine oils
that have been approved by GM as
meeting the dexos1 specification are
marked with the dexos1 approved
logo. See www.gmdexos.com.