tow CADILLAC ESCALADE 2012 3.G Owners Manual

Black plate (2,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
2012 Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner ManualM
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-43
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-57
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-68
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-88
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-93
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . 10-96 Service and Maintenance
. . . 11-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Cadillac Premium Care Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-3
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . 11-4
Special Application Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Additional Maintenance
and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts . . . . . . 11-13
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . 11-16
Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2 Customer Information
. . . . . . . 13-1
Customer Information . . . . . . . . 13-1
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . 13-19
Vehicle Data Recording and
Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-20
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
OnStar Additional
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1

Black plate (5,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
Introduction v
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the Index.
0:Adjustable Pedals
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
%:Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar®
$: Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.: Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
(: Heated Steering Wheel
j:LATCH System Child
Restraints
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
g:Outside Power Foldaway
Mirrors
}: Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
_: Tow/Haul Mode
d:Traction Control/StabiliTrak®
M:Windshield Washer Fluid

Black plate (3,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-3
A.Air Vents on page 8‑7.
B. Turn and Lane‐Change Lever. See Turn and Lane-Change
Signals on page 6‑7.
Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑4.
C. Instrument Cluster on
page 5‑11.
D. Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6‑7.
E. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑29.
Driver Shift Control (DSC). See
Manual Mode on page 9‑32.
F. Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑33.
G. Driver Information Center (DIC) Buttons. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑24.
H. Clock on page 5‑7. I.
Infotainment on page 7‑2.
J. StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑37.
Rear Park Aid Disable Button.
See Ultrasonic Parking Assist
on page 9‑43.
K. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5‑2.
L. Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
M. Dome Lamp Override. See Dome Lamps on page 6‑9.
Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6‑8.
Fog Lamps on page 6‑8.
N. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑16. O. Automatic Transfer Case
Control (Hybrid only). See the
hybrid supplement for more
information.
P. Cruise Control on page 9‑41.
Heated Steering Wheel on
page 5‑4 (If Equipped).
Q. Horn on page 5‑4.
R. Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑2.
S. Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑1.
T. Pedal Adjust Button. See Adjustable Throttle and Brake
Pedal on page 9‑21.
Power Assist Steps on
page 2‑13 (If Equipped).

Black plate (16,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
1-16 In Brief
This is the highest attainable
range with all lower gears
accessible. As an example,
when 5 (Fifth) gear is selected,
1 (First) through 5 (Fifth) gears
are available.
2. Press the plus/minus buttons, located on the steering column
shift lever, to select the desired
range of gears for current driving
conditions. See Manual Mode on
page 9‑32.
While using DSC, cruise control and
the tow/haul mode can be used.
Grade Braking is not available when
DSC is active. See Tow/Haul Mode
on page 9‑33.Vehicle Features
Radio(s)
This vehicle's radio is part of the
navigation system. See Infotainment
on page 7‑2.
Satellite Radio
XM is a satellite radio service
that is based in the 48 contiguous
United States and 10 Canadian
provinces. XM satellite radio has a
wide variety of programming and
commercial-free music, coast to
coast, and in digital-quality sound.
A fee is required to receive the XM
service.
For more information, refer to:
.www.xmradio.com or call
1-800-929-2100 (U.S.)
.www.xmradio.ca or call
1-877-438-9677 (Canada)
Also, see Satellite Radio on
page 7‑15.
Portable Audio Devices
This vehicle has an auxiliary input,
located on the audio faceplate,
and a USB port located on the
instrument panel and in the center
console. External devices such
as iPod
®, laptop computers,
MP3 players, CD changers, USB
storage device, etc. can be
connected to the auxiliary port using
a 3.5 mm (1/8 in) input jack or the
USB port depending on the audio
system.
See Auxiliary Devices on page 7‑30
or CD/DVD Player on page 7‑18 for
further information.
Bluetooth®
For vehicles with a Bluetooth
system, it allows users with a
Bluetooth‐enabled cell phone to
make and receive hands-free calls
using the vehicle’ s audio system
and controls.

Black plate (19,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-19
Vehicles with OnStar®have three
additional control buttons located at
the bottom of the mirror. See your
dealer for more information about
OnStar and how to subscribe to it.
See OnStar Overview on page 14‑1.
Cleaning the Mirror
Do not spray glass cleaner directly
on the mirror. Use a soft towel
dampened with water.
Windows
{WARNING
Leaving children, helpless adults,
or pets in a vehicle with the
windows closed is dangerous.
They can be overcome by
the extreme heat and suffer
permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Never leave a
child, a helpless adult, or a pet
alone in a vehicle, especially with
the windows closed in warm or
hot weather.
The vehicle aerodynamics are
designed to improve fuel economy
performance. This may result in a
pulsing sound when either rear
window is down and the front
windows are up. To reduce the
sound, open either a front window
or the sunroof (if equipped).

Black plate (10,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
3-10 Seats and Restraints
Manual Fold and Tumble
Feature
Folding and Tumbling the Seat
To fold and tumble the seat:
1. Make sure that there is nothingunder, in front of, or on the seat.
Notice: Folding a rear seat with
the safety belts still fastened may
cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the
safety belts and return them to
their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat.
2. Lift the lever, on the outboard side of the seat, to release the
seatback.The seatback will fold forward to
create a flat load floor.
If the seatback cannot fold flat,
try moving the front seat forward
and/or put the front seatback in
the upright position.

Black plate (11,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-11
3. Lift the lever again to release therear of the seat from the floor.
The seat will tumble forward.
Folding and Tumbling the Seat
from the Third Row Seat
{WARNING
Using the third row seating
position while the second row is
folded, or folded and tumbled,
could cause injury in a sudden
stop or crash. Be sure to return (Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
the seat to the passenger seating
position. Push and pull on the
seat to make sure it is locked into
place.
To fold and tumble the seat from the
third row seat, if equipped:
1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of, or on the seat.
Notice: Folding a rear seat with
the safety belts still fastened may
cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the
safety belts and return them to
their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat.
60/40 Split-Bench Seat Shown,
Bucket Seat Similar
2. Lift the lever, on the bottom rear of the second row seat on the
inboard side, to release the
seatback. The seatback will fold
forward.
3. Lift the same lever again to release the rear of the seat from
the floor. The seat will tumble
forward.

Black plate (12,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
3-12 Seats and Restraints
Automatic Fold and Tumble
Feature
The transmission must be in
P (Park) for this feature to work.
{WARNING
Automatically folding and
tumbling the seat when someone
is sitting in the seat, could cause
injury to the person sitting there.
Always make sure there is no one
sitting in the seat before pressing
the automatic seat release button.Folding and Tumbling the Second
Row Seat from the Third Row Seat
or Outside the Vehicle
{WARNING
Using the third row seating
position while the second row is
folded, or folded and tumbled,
could cause injury in a sudden
stop or crash. Be sure to return
the seat to the passenger seating
position. Push and pull on the
seat to make sure it is locked into
place.To fold and tumble the seat from the
third row seat, if equipped:
1. Make sure that there is nothing
under, in front of, or on the seat.
Notice: Folding a rear seat with
the safety belts still fastened may
cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the
safety belts and return them to
their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat.

Black plate (14,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
3-14 Seats and Restraints
Third Row Seats
If the vehicle has a third row seat,
the seatback can be folded, and
the entire seat can be tumbled or
removed from the vehicle.
Folding the Seatback
To fold the seatback:
1. Open the liftgate to access thecontrols for the seat.
2. Remove all items on the seat cushion.
Notice: Folding a rear seat with
the safety belts still fastened may
cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the
safety belts and return them to
their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat.
3. Lift the release lever “1,”on the
bottom rear of the seatback on
the outboard side of the seat,
and the seatback folds forward.
Returning the Seatback to the
Upright Position
To return the seatback to the upright
position:
1. Open the liftgate to access the controls for the seat.
2. Raise the seatback to the upright position.
{WARNING
If either seatback is not locked, it
could move forward in a sudden
stop or crash. That could cause
injury to the person sitting there.
Always push and pull on the
seatbacks to be sure they are
locked.
3. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.
Tumbling the Third Row Seat
To tumble the seat:
1. Open the liftgate to access thecontrols for the seat.
2. Make sure the headrests are completely lowered and there is
nothing under, in front of, or on
the seat.
3. Fold the seatbacks forward using lever “1”and the
instructions listed previously
under “Folding the Seatback.”

Black plate (16,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
3-16 Seats and Restraints
3. Unlatch the seat from the floorby pulling the handle at the rear
of the seat “3 Removal Only”
toward the rear of the vehicle.
4. Roll the seat out of the vehicle. There is a track in the floor to
guide the seat wheels out of the
vehicle.
Installing the Third Row Seat
To install the seat:
1. Open the liftgate to access therear of the vehicle.
2. Slide the front outboard seat wheels into the track on the floor
and roll the seat forward. The
front latches should lock into
place. If the latches do not lock,
try tilting the rear of the seat
upward slightly.
3. Lower the rear of the seat and push down on the seat to
engage the rear floor latches.
{WARNING
A seat that is not locked into
place properly can move around
in a collision or sudden stop.
People in the vehicle could be
injured. Be sure to lock the
seat into place properly when
installing it. 4. Push and pull on the seat to
make sure it is locked into place.
The seatback cannot be raised
to the upright position unless the
seat is latched to the floor.
5. Raise the seatback to the upright position.
{WARNING
If either seatback is not locked, it
could move forward in a sudden
stop or crash. That could cause
injury to the person sitting there.
Always push and pull on the
seatbacks to be sure they are
locked.
6. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.