climate control CADILLAC ESCALADE 2021 Owner's Guide

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
248 DRIVING AND OPERATING
To maintain vehicle performance,
other conditions may cause the engine
to automatically restart before the
brake pedal is released.
Auto Stops may not occur and/or Auto
Starts may occur because:
.The climate control settings require
the engine to be running to cool or
heat the vehicle interior.
.The vehicle battery charge is low.
.The vehicle battery has recently
been disconnected.
.Minimum vehicle speed has not
been reached since the last
Auto Stop.
.The accelerator pedal is pressed.
.The engine or transmission is not at
the required operating temperature.
.The outside temperature is not in
the required operating range.
.The vehicle is shifted out of D
(Drive) to any gear other than
P (Park).
.Certain driver modes have been
selected. SeeDriver Mode Control
0 266 and
Four-Wheel Drive 0256.
.The vehicle is on a steep hill or
grade.
.The driver door has been opened or
the driver seat belt has been
unbuckled.
.The hood has been opened.
.The Auto Stop has reached the
maximum allowed time.
Auto Stop Disable Switch
Uplevel Shown, Others Similar
The automatic engine Stop/Start
feature can be disabled and enabled
by pressing
h. Auto Stop is enabled
each time you start the vehicle. When
his illuminated, the system is
enabled.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
When the ignition is turned from on
to off, the following features (if
equipped) will continue to function
for up to 10 minutes, or until the
driver door is opened. These features
will also work when the ignition is in
RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY:
.Infotainment System
.Power Windows (during RAP this
functionality will be lost when any
door is opened)
.Sunroof (during RAP this
functionality will be lost when any
door is opened)
.Auxiliary Power Outlet
.Audio System
.OnStar System
Shifting Into Park
To shift into P (Park):
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking brake. See Electric
Parking Brake 0261.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
DRIVING AND OPERATING 331
.Reverse Automatic Braking (RAB)
If equipped, the following driver
assistance features should be turned
to alert or off when towing a trailer:
.Automatic Emergency
Braking (AEB)
.Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA)
.Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB)
If equipped with Lane Change Alert
(LCA), the LCA detection zones that
extend back from the side of the
vehicle do not move further back
when a trailer is towed. Use caution
while changing lanes when towing a
trailer.
If equipped with Rear Cross Traffic
Alert (RCTA), use caution while
backing up when towing a trailer, as
the RCTA detection zones that extend
out from the back of the vehicle do
not move further back when a trailer
is towed.
{Warning
When towing a trailer, exhaust
gases may collect at the rear of the
vehicle and enter if the liftgate,
trunk/hatch, or rear-most window
is open.
When towing a trailer:
.Do not drive with the liftgate,
trunk/hatch, or rear-most
window open.
.Fully open the air outlets on or
under the instrument panel.
.Also adjust the climate control
system to a setting that brings in
only outside air. See “Climate
Control Systems” in the Index.
For more information about carbon
monoxide, see Engine Exhaust
0 250.
Towing a trailer requires experience.
The combination of the vehicle and
trailer is longer and not as responsive
as the vehicle itself. Get used to the
handling and braking of the
combination by driving on a level road
surface before driving on public roads. The trailer structure, the tires, and the
brakes must be all be rated to carry
the intended cargo. Inadequate trailer
equipment can cause the combination
to operate in an unexpected or unsafe
manner. Before driving, inspect all
trailer hitch parts and attachments,
safety chains, electrical connectors,
lamps, tires, and mirrors. See
Towing
Equipment 0338. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start the combination
moving and then manually apply the
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.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
378 VEHICLE CARE
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 pads could result in costly
brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. 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 pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the proper sequence to torque
specifications. See
Capacities and
Specifications 0455.
Brake pads should be replaced as
complete 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.
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 expected can change in
many other ways if the wrong
replacement brake parts are installed
or if parts are improperly installed.
Brake Pad Life System
When to Change Brake Pads
If equipped, this system estimates the
remaining life of the front and rear
brake pads. Brake pad life is displayed
in the vehicle information screen, 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. Using the vehicle information screen controls on the right side of
the instrument cluster, display
Brake Pad Life on the screen. See
Vehicle Information 0134.
2. Touch RESET on the screen. Select front or rear pads as appropriate.

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
INDEX 481
CheckEngine Light (Malfunction
Indicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Child Restraints Infants and Young Children . . . . . . . 78
Lower Anchors and Tethersfor Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91, 94
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Cleaning
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437
Climate Control Systems Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . . . . . 465
Compartments Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Connected Services Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 477
Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478
Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476 Connections
Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 477
Control Traction and ElectronicStability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Controls Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Coolant Engine Temperature Gauge . . . . . . 117
Engine Temperature WarningLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220, 224
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Cornering Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 464
Coverage Explanations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Cruise Control, Adaptive . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Cruise Control, Super . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460 Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . . . 460 Customer Information
Publications Ordering
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458
Cybersecurity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 469
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . . . . . . 465
Danger, Warning, and Caution . . . . . . . . 2
Data Collection Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 470
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 470
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 469
Database Coverage Explanations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . 151
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Diagnostics
Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
482 INDEX
Door (cont'd)Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . . . . 457
Driver Teen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . 298
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Driver Mode Control Light . . . . . . . . . 128
Driving Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Characteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 238
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Impaired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Dual Automatic Climate
Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Dynamic Fuel Management . . . . . . . . 250E
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . 124
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . 360
Electrical System Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . 385
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . 389
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Emergency
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Check Light (MalfunctionIndicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . 366
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . 117
Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369 Engine (cont'd)
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . 371
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 469
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . . . . 151
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . 156
F
Fan Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Filter,
Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . . . . . 153
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
INDEX 487
ProgramCourtesy Transportation . . . . . . . . . 464
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Proposition 65 Warning,
California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .363, 380, 425, Back Cover
Publication Ordering Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467
R
RadioHD Radio Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Radio Data System (RDS) . . . . . . . . . . 166
Radio Frequency Statement . . . . . . . . 467
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Radios AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Satellite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381 Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Rear Camera Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Rear Climate Control System . . . . . . 224
Rear Pedestrian Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Rear Seat Infotainment (RSI) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Rear Seats (cont'd)
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Rear Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . 299
Rear Window Washer/Wiper . . . . . . . 107
Rearview Mirrors Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Recognition Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451
Records Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . 429
Reimbursement Program, GM Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Replacement Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Replacement Parts Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 452
Replacing Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Replacing LATCH System Parts
after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Replacing Seat Belt System Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Reporting Safety Defects Canadian Government . . . . . . . . . . . . 468
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468
Restraints Where to Put . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Reverse Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Ride Control Systems Magnetic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Roads
Driving, Wet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Roadside Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 462
Roof Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Rotation, Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406
Routing, Engine Drive Belt . . . . . . . . . 457
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251