CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV 2009 Owners Manual

{ CAUTION: It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake rmly set. The vehicle can roll.
If the engine has been left running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure the vehicle will not move, even when
on fairly level ground, always put the shift lever
fully in P (Park) with the parking brake rmly set. Leaving After Parking on a Hill 1. Apply and hold the brake pedal while you:
Start the engine
Shift into a gear
Release the parking brake
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
5-55

Maintenance When Trailer Towing The vehicle needs service more often when pulling a
trailer. See this manual’s Maintenance Schedule or Index
for more information. Things that are especially important
in trailer operation are automatic transmission uid,
engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling system and brake
system. It is a good idea to inspect these before and
during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Trailer Wiring Harness Heavy-Duty Trailer Wiring Package
The vehicle is equipped with the seven-wire trailer
towing harness. This harness with a seven-pin universal
heavy-duty trailer connector is attached to the rear
bumper beam. It is located next to the integrated trailer
hitch. The seven-wire harness contains the following trailer
circuits:
Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn Signal
Brown: Taillamps
White: Ground
Light Green: Back-up Lamps
Red w/ Black Stripe: Battery Feed*
Dark Blue: Trailer Brake*
*The fuses for these two circuits are installed in the
underhood electrical center, but the circuits are
not connected. They should be installed by your dealer
or a qualied service center.
If charging a remote (non-vehicle) battery, press the
Tow/Haul mode button, if equipped, located at the end of
the shift lever. This will boost the vehicle system voltage
and properly charge the battery. If the trailer is too light
for Tow/Haul mode, or the vehicle is not equipped with
Tow/Haul, turn on the headlamps as a second way to
boost the vehicle system and charge the battery.
5-56

Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions These wiring provisions are included with the vehicle
as part of the heavy-duty trailer wiring package.
These provisions are for an electric brake controller.
The red/black stripe power feed will not be connected
to the battery until the ring terminal is unstowed and
connected to the underhood electrical center. The
instrument panel contains blunt cut wires near the data
link connector for the trailer brake controller. The harness
contains the following wires:
Dark Blue: Auxiliary
Red/Black: Battery
Light Blue/White: Brake Switch
White: Ground
The trailer brake controller should be installed by your
dealer/retailer or a qualied service center. Trailer Recommendations Subtract the hitch loads from the Cargo Weight Rating
(CWR). CWR is the maximum weight of the load
the vehicle can carry. It does not include the weight of
the people inside, but you can gure about 150 lbs.
(68 kg) for each passenger. The total cargo load must
not be more than the vehicles CWR.
Weigh the vehicle with the trailer attached, so the
GVWR or GAWR are not exceeded. If using a
weight-distributing hitch, weigh the vehicle without
the spring bars in place.
The best performance is obtained by correctly spreading
out the weight of the load and choosing the correct
hitch and trailer brakes.
For more information see Towing a Trailer on page 5-44 .
5-57

✍ NOTES
5-58

Service ........................................................... .6-3
Accessories and Modications ......................... .6-3
California Proposition 65 Warning .................... .6-4
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements .... .6-4
Doing Your Own Service Work ........................ .6-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
the Vehicle ................................................ .6-5
Fuel ............................................................... .6-5
Gasoline Octane ........................................... .6-5
Gasoline Specications ................................... .6-6
California Fuel .............................................. .6-6
Additives ...................................................... .6-6
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) ................................. .6-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries .............................. .6-8
Filling the Tank ............................................. .6-9
Filling a Portable Fuel Container .................... .6-11
Checking Things Under the Hood ................... .6-12
Hood Release ............................................. .6-13
Engine Compartment Overview ...................... .6-14
Engine Oil .................................................. .6-15
Engine Oil Life System ................................. .6-18
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter ............................... .6-19
Automatic Transmission Fluid ........................ .6-20
Cooling System ........................................... .6-24
Engine Coolant ............................................ .6-25
Engine Overheating ...................................... .6-30 Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode ........................................ .6-33
Engine Fan Noise ........................................ .6-33
Power Steering Fluid .................................... .6-33
Windshield Washer Fluid ............................... .6-34
Brakes ....................................................... .6-36
Battery ....................................................... .6-39
Jump Starting .............................................. .6-40
All-Wheel Drive ............................................. .6-45
Rear Axle ...................................................... .6-46
Front
Axle ..................................................... .6-47
Headlamp Aiming .......................................... .6-48
Bulb Replacement ......................................... .6-51
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting ........... .6-51
LED Lighting ............................................... .6-51
Back-Up Lamps ........................................... .6-51
License Plate Lamp ..................................... .6-53
Replacement Bulbs ...................................... .6-53
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ............. .6-54
Tires ............................................................. .6-56
Tire Sidewall Labeling .................................. .6-57
Tire Terminology and Denitions .................... .6-59
Ination - Tire Pressure ................................ .6-62
High-Speed Operation .................................. .6-63Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
6-1

Tire Pressure Monitor System ........................ .6-64
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation .................... .6-65
Tire Inspection and Rotation .......................... .6-69
When It Is Time for New Tires ...................... .6-70
Buying New Tires ........................................ .6-71
Different Size Tires and Wheels ..................... .6-73
Uniform Tire Quality Grading ......................... .6-73
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance ................. .6-75
Wheel Replacement ..................................... .6-75
Tire Chains ................................................. .6-76
If a Tire Goes Flat ....................................... .6-77
Changing a Flat Tire .................................... .6-78
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools ............... .6-79
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire ............................................... .6-84
Secondary Latch System .............................. .6-89
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools ........... .6-92
Spare Tire .................................................. .6-96
Appearance Care ........................................... .6-96
Interior Cleaning .......................................... .6-96
Fabric/Carpet .............................................. .6-98
Leather ...................................................... .6-98
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces ....................................... .6-99
Wood Panels ............................................. .6-100
Speaker Covers ......................................... .6-100 Care of Safety Belts ................................... .6-100
Weatherstrips ............................................ .6-100
Washing Your Vehicle ................................. .6-100
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses ................... .6-101
Finish Care ............................................... .6-101
Windshield, Backglass, and Wiper Blades ...... .6-102
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels
and Trim ............................................... .6-102
Tires ........................................................ .6-103
Sheet Metal Damage .................................. .6-103
Finish
Damage .......................................... .6-103
Underbody Maintenance .............................. .6-104
Chemical Paint Spotting .............................. .6-104
Vehicle Identication .................................... .6-104
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN) ............... .6-104
Service Parts Identication Label .................. .6-105
Electrical System ......................................... .6-105
Add-On Electrical Equipment ........................ .6-105
Windshield Wiper Fuses .............................. .6-105
Power Windows and Other Power Options ..... .6-105
Fuses and Circuit Breakers ......................... .6-106
Instrument Panel Fuse Block ....................... .6-106
Center Instrument Panel Fuse Block ............. .6-108
Underhood Fuse Block ............................... .6-109
Capacities and Specications ....................... .6-113Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
6-2

Service For service and parts needs, visit your dealer/retailer.
You will receive genuine GM parts and GM-trained and
supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
Accessories and Modications When non-dealer/non-retailer accessories are added to
the vehicle, they 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. Some of these
accessories could even cause malfunction or damage
not covered by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components resulting from the
installation or use of non-GM certied parts, including
control module modications, are 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. Your GM
dealer/retailer can accessorize the vehicle using genuine
GM Accessories. When you go to your GM dealer/retailer
and ask for GM Accessories, you will know that
GM-trained and supported service technicians will
perform the work using genuine GM Accessories.
Also, see Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 1-94 .
6-3

California Proposition 65 Warning Most motor vehicles, including this one, 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
(including some inside the vehicle), many uids, and
some component wear by-products contain and/or emit
these chemicals.
California Perchlorate Materials
Requirements Certain types of automotive applications, such as
airbag initiators, seat belt pretensioners, and lithium
batteries contained in remote keyless transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials. Special handling
may be necessary. For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate. Doing Your Own Service Work If this vehicle is a Two-mode Hybrid, see the Two-mode
Hybrid manual for more information.
{ CAUTION: You can be injured and the vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a vehicle
without knowing enough about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts,
and tools before attempting any vehicle
maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts, and
other fasteners. English and metric fasteners
can be easily confused. If the wrong fasteners
are used, parts can later break or fall off.
You could be hurt.
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 on page 8-15 .
6-4

This vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting
to do your own service work, see Servicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-93 .
Keep a record with all parts receipts and list the
mileage and the date of any service work performed.
See Maintenance Record on page 7-17 .
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
the Vehicle Things added to the outside of the vehicle can affect the
airow around it. This can cause wind noise and can
affect fuel economy and windshield washer performance.
Check with your dealer/retailer before adding equipment
to the outside of the vehicle.
Fuel Use of the recommended fuel is an important part of
the proper maintenance of this vehicle. To help keep the
engine clean and maintain optimum vehicle performance,
we recommend the use of gasoline advertised as
TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.
The 8th digit of the Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)
shows the code letter or number that identies the
vehicle’s engine. The VIN is at the top left of the
instrument panel. See Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) on page 6-104 . If the vehicle has the 6.2L V8 engine (VIN Code 2),
you can use either unleaded gasoline or ethanol fuel
containing up to 85% ethanol (E85); also see Fuel E85
(85% Ethanol) on page 6-7 . In all other engines, use only
unleaded gasoline. See Gasoline Octane on page 6-5 .
Gasoline Octane If the vehicle has the 6.0L V8 engine (VIN Code 5),
use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 87 or higher. If the octane rating is less than 87,
you might notice an audible knocking noise when you
drive, commonly referred to as spark knock. If this occurs,
use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as
possible. If you are using gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher and you hear heavy knocking, the engine needs
service.
If the vehicle has the 6.2L V8 engine (VIN Code 2),
use premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 91 or higher. You can also use regular unleaded
gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but the vehicle’s
acceleration could be slightly reduced, and you might
notice a slight audible knocking noise, commonly referred
to as spark knock. If the octane is less than 87, you might
notice a heavy knocking noise when you drive. If this
occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as
soon as possible. Otherwise, you could damage the
engine. If you are using gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher and you hear heavy knocking, the engine needs
service.
6-5

Gasoline Specications At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM specication
D 4814 in the United States or CAN/CGSB-3.5 or 3.511 in
Canada. Some gasolines contain an octane-enhancing
additive called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT). We recommend against the use of
gasolines containing MMT. See Additives on page 6-6 for
additional information.
California Fuel If the vehicle is certied to meet California Emissions
Standards, it is designed to operate on fuels that meet
California specications. See the underhood emission
control label. If this fuel is not available in states adopting
California emissions standards, the vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal specications, but
emission control system performance might be affected.
The malfunction indicator lamp could turn on and the
vehicle might fail a smog-check test. See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 3-42 . If this occurs, return to your
authorized dealer/retailer for diagnosis. If it is determined
that the condition is caused by the type of fuel used,
repairs might not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Additives To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that help prevent
engine and fuel system deposits from forming, allowing
the emission control system to work properly. In most
cases, you should not have to add anything to the fuel.
However, some gasolines contain only the minimum
amount of additive required to meet U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency regulations. To help keep fuel injectors
and intake valves clean, or if the vehicle experiences
problems due to dirty injectors or valves, look for gasoline
that is advertised as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.
For customers who do not use TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline regularly, one bottle of GM Fuel System
Treatment PLUS, added to the fuel tank at every engine
oil change, can help clean deposits from fuel injectors
and intake valves. GM Fuel System Treatment PLUS is
the only gasoline additive recommended by General
Motors.
Also, your dealer/retailer has additives that will help
correct and prevent most deposit-related problems.
Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers and
ethanol, and reformulated gasolines might be available in
your area. We recommend that you use these gasolines,
if they comply with the specications described earlier.
6-6