check engine CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV 2010 User Guide
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Black plate (36,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
When the Light Flashes First and Then is
On Steady This indicates that there may be a problem with the Tire
Pressure Monitor System. The light flashes for about a
minute and stays on steady for the remainder of the
ignition cycle. This sequence repeats with every ignition
cycle. See Tire Pressure Monitor Operation
on
page 7 ‑ 68 for more information.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp A computer system called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) monitors operation
of the fuel, ignition, and emission control systems.
It ensures that emissions are at acceptable levels for
the life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment.
This light should come on
when the ignition is on,
but the engine is not
running, as a check to
show it is working. If it
does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the check engine light comes on and stays on, while
the engine is running, this indicates that there is an
OBD II problem and service is required.
Malfunctions often are indicated by the system before
any problem is apparent. Being aware of the light can
prevent more serious damage to the vehicle. This
system assists the service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.
Notice: If the vehicle is continually driven with this
light on, after a while, the emission controls might
not work as well, the vehicle fuel economy might
not be as good, and the engine might not run as
smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs that
might not be covered by the vehicle warranty.
Notice: Modifications made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake, or fuel system of the
vehicle or the replacement of the original tires with
other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect the vehicle's emission
controls and can cause this light to come on.
Modifications to these systems could lead to costly
repairs not covered by the vehicle warranty. This
could also result in a failure to pass a required
Emission Inspection/Maintenance test. See
Accessories and Modifications on page 7 ‑ 4 .
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Black plate (37,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
This light comes on during a malfunction in one of
two ways:
Light Flashing: A misfire condition has been detected.
A misfire increases vehicle emissions and could
damage the emission control system on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be required.
To prevent more serious damage to the vehicle: .
Reduce vehicle speed. .
Avoid hard accelerations. .
Avoid steep uphill grades. .
If towing a trailer, reduce the amount of cargo
being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park the vehicle.
Turn the vehicle off, wait at least 10 seconds, and
restart the engine. If the light is still flashing, follow the
previous steps and see your dealer for service as soon
as possible.
Light On Steady: An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be required.
An emission system malfunction might be corrected by
doing the following: .
Make sure the fuel cap is fully installed. See Filling
the Tank on page 7 ‑ 11 . The diagnostic system
can determine if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel cap
allows fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. A few
driving trips with the cap properly installed should
turn the light off. .
If the vehicle has been driven through a deep
puddle of water, the vehicle's electrical system
might be wet. The condition is usually corrected
when the electrical system dries out. A few driving
trips should turn the light off. .
Make sure to fuel the vehicle with quality fuel. Poor
fuel quality causes the engine not to run as
efficiently as designed and can cause: stalling after
start-up, stalling when the vehicle is changed into
gear, misfiring, hesitation on acceleration,
or stumbling on acceleration. These conditions
might go away once the engine is warmed up.
If one or more of these conditions occurs, change
the fuel brand used. It will require at least one full
tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
See Gasoline Octane on page 7 ‑ 8 .
If none of the above have made the light turn off, your
dealer can check the vehicle. The dealer has the proper
test equipment and diagnostic tools to fix any
mechanical or electrical problems that might have
developed.
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Black plate (39,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Oil Pressure Light
{ WARNING: Do not keep driving if the oil pressure is low. The
engine can become so hot that it catches fire.
Someone could be burned. Check the oil as soon
as possible and have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Lack of proper engine oil maintenance can
damage the engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. Always follow the
maintenance schedule for changing engine oil.
This light comes on briefly while starting the engine. If it
does not, have the vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the system is working normally the indicator light then
goes off. If the light comes on and stays on, it means that oil is
not flowing through the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and it might have some other
system problem.
Security Light For information regarding
this light and the vehicle's
security system, see
Content Theft-Deterrent
on page 3 ‑ 22 .
Front Fog Lamp Light The fog lamp light comes
on when the fog lamps
are in use.
The light goes out when the fog lamps are turned off.
See Fog Lamps
on page 4 ‑ 16 for more information.
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Black plate (50,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
You should take any messages that appear on the
display seriously and remember that clearing the
messages will only make the messages disappear, not
correct the problem.
The following are the possible messages that can be
displayed and some information about them.
BATTERY LOW START VEHICLE When the vehicle ’ s battery is severely discharged, this
message will display and four chimes will sound. Start
the vehicle immediately. If the vehicle is not started and
the battery continues to discharge, the climate controls,
heated seats, and audio systems will shut off and the
vehicle may require a jump start. These systems will
function again after the vehicle is started.
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON This message displays when the engine oil needs to be
changed. When you change the engine oil, be sure to
reset the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message.
See Engine Oil Life System
on page 7 ‑ 20 for
information on how to reset the message. See Engine
Oil on page 7 ‑ 17 and Scheduled Maintenance on
page 8 ‑ 3
for more information. DRIVER DOOR OPEN This message displays and a chime sounds if the driver
door is not fully closed and the vehicle is shifted out of
P (Park). Stop and turn off the vehicle, check the door
for obstructions, and close the door again. Check to see
if the message still appears on the DIC.
ENGINE HOT A/C (Air Conditioning)
TURNED OFF This message displays when the engine coolant
becomes hotter than the normal operating temperature.
See Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge
on
page 4 ‑ 35 . To avoid added strain on a hot engine,
the air conditioning compressor automatically turns off.
When the coolant temperature returns to normal, the air
conditioning compressor turns back on. You can
continue to drive your vehicle.
If this message continues to appear, have the system
repaired by your dealer as soon as possible to avoid
damage to the engine.
ENGINE OIL HOT IDLE ENGINE This message displays when the engine oil becomes
hotter than the normal operating temperature. Stop and
allow the vehicle to idle until it cools down. See Engine
Coolant Temperature Gauge
on page 4 ‑ 35 .
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Black plate (51,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE ENGINE Notice: If you drive your vehicle while the engine is
overheating, severe engine damage may occur. If an
overheat warning appears on the instrument panel
cluster and/or DIC, stop the vehicle as soon as
possible. See Engine Overheating on page 7 ‑ 34 for
more information.
This message displays when the engine coolant
temperature is too hot. Stop and allow the vehicle to
idle until it cools down. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge on page 4 ‑ 35 .
See Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode on
page 7 ‑ 37 for information on driving to a safe place in
an emergency.
ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE Notice: If you drive your vehicle while the engine is
overheating, severe engine damage may occur. If an
overheat warning appears on the instrument panel
cluster and/or DIC, stop the vehicle as soon as
possible. See Engine Overheating
on page 7 ‑ 34 for
more information.
This message displays and a chime sounds if the
engine cooling system reaches unsafe temperatures for
operation. Stop and turn off the vehicle as soon as it is
safe to do so to avoid severe damage. This message
clears when the engine has cooled to a safe operating
temperature. ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED This message displays and a chime sounds when the
cooling system temperature gets too hot and the engine
further enters the engine coolant protection mode. See
Engine Overheating
on page 7 ‑ 34 for further
information.
This message also displays when the vehicle's engine
power is reduced. Reduced engine power can affect the
vehicle's ability to accelerate. If this message is on, but
there is no reduction in performance, proceed to your
destination. The performance may be reduced the next
time the vehicle is driven. The vehicle may be driven at
a reduced speed while this message is on, but
acceleration and speed may be reduced. Anytime this
message stays on, the vehicle should be taken to your
dealer for service as soon as possible.
FUEL LEVEL LOW This message displays and a chime sounds if the fuel
level is low. Refuel as soon as possible. See Fuel
Gauge
on page 4 ‑ 41 and Fuel on page 7 ‑ 7 for more
information.
HOOD OPEN This message displays and a chime sounds if the hood
is not fully closed. 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.
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Black plate (52,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
ICE POSSIBLE DRIVE WITH CARE This message displays when ice conditions are
possible.
LEFT REAR DOOR OPEN This message displays and a chime sounds if the driver
side rear door is not fully closed and the vehicle is
shifted out of P (Park). Stop and turn off the vehicle,
check the door for obstructions, and close the door
again. Check to see if the message still appears on
the DIC.
OIL PRESSURE LOW STOP ENGINE Notice: If you drive your vehicle while the engine oil
pressure is low, severe engine damage may occur.
If a low oil pressure warning appears on the Driver
Information Center (DIC), stop the vehicle as soon
as possible. Do not drive the vehicle until the cause
of the low oil pressure is corrected. See Engine Oil
on page 7 ‑ 17 for more information.
This message displays if low oil pressure levels occur.
Stop the vehicle as soon as safely possible and do not
operate it until the cause of the low oil pressure has
been corrected. Check the oil as soon as possible and
have your vehicle serviced by your dealer. See Engine
Oil on page 7 ‑ 17 . PARKING ASSIST BLOCKED SEE
OWNERS MANUAL If your vehicle has the Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist
(URPA) system, this message displays if there is
something interfering with the park assist system. See
Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist (URPA)
on page 3 ‑ 46
for more information.
PARKING ASSIST OFF After the vehicle has been started, this message
displays to remind the driver that the Ultrasonic Rear
Parking Assist (URPA) system has been turned off.
Press the set/reset button to acknowledge this message
and clear it from the DIC display. To turn the URPA
system back on, see Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist
(URPA) on page 3 ‑ 46 .
PASSENGER DOOR OPEN This message displays and a chime sounds if the front
passenger door is not fully closed and the vehicle is
shifted out of P (Park). Stop and turn off the vehicle,
check the door for obstructions, and close the door
again. Check to see if the message still appears on
the DIC.
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Black plate (56,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
SIDE BLIND ZONE SYSTEM
UNAVAILABLE If your vehicle has the Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
system, this message displays when the SBZA system
is disabled because the sensor is blocked and cannot
detect vehicles in your blind zone. The sensor may be
blocked by mud, dirt, snow, ice, or slush. This message
may also display during heavy rain or due to road spray.
It may also come on when driving in isolated areas with
no guardrails, trees, or road signs and light traffic.
Your vehicle does not need service. For cleaning
instructions, see Washing Your Vehicle
on page 7 ‑ 103 .
See Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) on page 3 ‑ 48 for
more information.
STABILITRAK OFF If your vehicle has StabiliTrak, this message displays
when you turn off StabiliTrak, or when the stability
control has been automatically disabled. To limit wheel
spin and realize the full benefits of the stability
enhancement system, you should normally leave
StabiliTrak on. However, you should turn StabiliTrak off
if your vehicle gets stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow and
you want to rock your vehicle to attempt to free it, or if you are driving in extreme off-road conditions and
require more wheel spin. See If Your Vehicle is Stuck in
Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow
on page 6 ‑ 30 . To turn the
StabiliTrak system on or off, see StabiliTrak ®
System
on page 6 ‑ 6 .
There are several conditions that can cause this
message to appear. .
One condition is overheating, which could occur if
StabiliTrak activates continuously for an extended
period of time. .
The message also displays if the brake system
warning light is on. See Brake System Warning
Light on page 4 ‑ 33 . .
The message could display if the stability system
takes longer than usual to complete its diagnostic
checks due to driving conditions. .
The message displays if an engine or vehicle
related problem has been detected and the vehicle
needs service. See your dealer.
The message turns off as soon as the conditions that
caused the message to be displayed are no longer
present.
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Black plate (57,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
TIGHTEN GAS CAP This message may display along with the check engine
light on the instrument panel cluster if the vehicle's fuel
cap is not tightened properly. See Malfunction Indicator
Lamp
on page 4 ‑ 36 . Reinstall the fuel cap fully. See
Filling the Tank on page 7 ‑ 11 . The diagnostic system
can determine if the fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel cap allows
fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. A few driving
trips with the cap properly installed should turn this light
and message off.
TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE On vehicles with the Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS), this message displays when the TPMS is
re-learning the tire positions on your vehicle. The tire
positions must be re-learned after rotating the tires or
after replacing a tire or sensor. See Tire Inspection and
Rotation on page 7 ‑ 71 , Tire Pressure Monitor System
on page 7 ‑ 67 , and Inflation - Tire Pressure on
page 7 ‑ 65
for more information. TIRE LOW ADD AIR TO TIRE On vehicles with the Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS), this message displays when the pressure in
one or more of the vehicle's tires is low. This message
also displays LEFT FRONT, RIGHT FRONT, LEFT
REAR, or RIGHT REAR to indicate which tire needs to
be checked. The low tire pressure warning light will also
come on. See Tire Pressure Light
on page 4 ‑ 35 . You
can receive more than one tire pressure message at a
time. To read the other messages that may have been
sent at the same time, press the set/reset button. If a
tire pressure message appears on the DIC, stop as
soon as you can. Have the tire pressures checked and
set to those shown on the Tire Loading Information
label. See Tires
on page 7 ‑ 58 , Loading the Vehicle on
page 6 ‑ 32 , and Inflation - Tire Pressure on page 7 ‑ 65 .
The DIC also shows the tire pressure values. See DIC
Operation and Displays on page 4 ‑ 42 .
TRACTION CONTROL OFF If your vehicle has StabiliTrak, this message displays
when the Traction Control System (TCS) is turned off.
Adjust your driving accordingly. See StabiliTrak ®
System on page 6 ‑ 6 for more information.
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Black plate (60,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Navigation Audio System Notice: Before adding any sound equipment to the
vehicle, such as an audio system, CD player, CB
radio, mobile telephone, or two-way radio, make
sure that it can be added by checking with your
dealer. Also, check federal rules covering mobile
radio and telephone units. If sound equipment can
be added, it is very important to do it properly.
Added sound equipment can interfere with the
operation of the vehicle's engine, radio, or other
systems, and even damage them. The vehicle's
systems can interfere with the operation of sound
equipment that has been added.
Notice: The chime signals related to safety belts,
parking brake, and other functions of the vehicle
operate through the navigation system. If that
equipment is replaced or additional equipment is
added to the vehicle, the chimes may not work.
Make sure that replacement or additional equipment
is compatible with the vehicle before installing it.
See “ Accessories and Modifications ” in the
vehicle's owner manual. Playing the Radio
O /
n (Power/Volume): Press to turn the audio
system on and off. Turn to increase or to decrease the
volume.
Press and hold for more than two seconds to turn off
the navigation system, the Rear Seat Entertainment
(RSE) video screen, and Rear Seat Audio (RSA). If the
vehicle has not been turned off, press this knob to turn
RSE and RSA back on and to continue playback of the
last active source.
w (Tuning Knob): Turn to go to the next or previous
frequency or disc track or chapter. See CD Player
on
page 5 ‑ 68 or DVD Player on page 5 ‑ 75 for more
information.
AUDIO: Press to display the audio screen. Press to
switch between AM, FM, or XM, if equipped, DISC,
or AUX (Auxiliary), or touch the screen button. See CD
Player on page 5 ‑ 68 , DVD Player on page 5 ‑ 75 , and
Auxiliary Devices
on page 5 ‑ 85 for more information.
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Black plate (5,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Antilock Brake System (ABS) This vehicle has the Antilock Brake System (ABS), an
advanced electronic braking system that helps prevent
a braking skid.
When the engine is started and the vehicle begins to
drive away, ABS checks itself. A momentary motor or
clicking noise might be heard while this test is going on.
This is normal.
If there is a problem with
ABS, this warning light
stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light on
page 4 ‑ 34 .
Along with ABS, the vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system. If there is a DRP problem,
both the brake and ABS warning lights come on
accompanied by a 10 ‐ second chime. The lights and
chime will come on each time the ignition is turned on
until the problem is repaired. See your dealer for
service. Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that the wheels are slowing down.
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the brakes at each front
wheel and at both rear wheels.
ABS can change the brake pressure to each wheel, as
required, faster than any driver could. This can help the
driver steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the computer keeps
receiving updates on wheel speed and controls braking
pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change the time needed to
get a foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, there will not be enough time to apply the
brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to stop, even with ABS.
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