tires CADILLAC ESCALADE 2013 3.G Owner's Manual

Black plate (18,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
9-18 Driving and Operating
Example 2
A. Vehicle Capacity Weight for Example 2 = 453 kg (1,000 lbs)
B. Subtract Occupant Weight @ 68 kg (150 lbs) × 5 = 136 kg
(750 lbs)
C. Available Cargo Weight = 113 kg (250 lbs)Example 3
A. Maximum Vehicle Capacity Weight for Example 3 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs)
B. Subtract Occupant Weight @ 91 kg (200 lbs) × 5 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs)
C. Available Cargo Weight = 0 kg (0 lbs)
Refer to your vehicle's tire and
loading information label for
specific information about your
vehicle's capacity weight and
seating positions. The combined weight of the driver, passengers,
and cargo should never exceed
your vehicle's capacity weight.
Certification/Tire Label
A vehicle specific Certification/
Tire label is attached to the rear
edge of the driver door. The
label shows the size of your
vehicle's original tires and the
inflation pressures needed to
obtain the gross weight capacity
of your vehicle. This is called
Gross Vehicle Weight

Black plate (31,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
Driving and Operating 9-31
D (Drive):This position is for
normal driving. It provides the best
fuel economy. If you need more
power for passing, and you are:
.Going less than about 55 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 55 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
By doing this, the vehicle shifts
down to the next gear and has more
power.
D (Drive) can be used when towing
a trailer, carrying a heavy load,
driving on steep hills, or for off-road
driving. You may want to shift the
transmission to a lower gear
selection if the transmission shifts
too often.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding, see “Skidding”under
Loss of Control on page 9‑5. The vehicle has a shift stabilization
feature that adjusts the transmission
shifting to the current driving
conditions in order to reduce rapid
upshifts and downshifts. This shift
stabilization feature is designed to
determine, before making an
upshift, if the engine will be able to
maintain vehicle speed by analyzing
things such as vehicle speed,
throttle position and vehicle load.
If the shift stabilization feature
determines that a current vehicle
speed cannot be maintained, the
transmission does not upshift and
instead holds the current gear. In
some cases, this may appear to be
a delayed shift, however the
transmission is operating normally.
The vehicle's transmission uses
adaptive shift controls that
compares key shift parameters to
pre-programmed ideal shifts stored
in the transmissions computer. The
transmission constantly makes
adjustments to improve vehicle
performance according to how the
vehicle is being used, such as witha heavy load or when temperature
changes. During this adaptive shift
controls process, shifting may feel
different as the transmission
determines the best settings.
When temperatures are very cold,
the Hydra-Matic
®6L80 automatic
transmission's gear shifting may be
delayed providing more stable shifts
until the engine warms up. Shifts
may be more noticeable with a cold
transmission. This difference in
shifting is normal.
M (Manual Mode): This position
lets drivers select the range of gears
appropriate for current driving
conditions. See “Driver Shift Control
(DSC)” underManual Mode on
page 9‑32.
Notice: Spinning the tires or
holding the vehicle in one place
on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage
the transmission. The repair will
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. If you are stuck, do not

Black plate (32,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
9-32 Driving and Operating
spin the tires. When stopping on
a hill, use the brakes to hold the
vehicle in place.
Normal Mode Grade Braking
Normal Mode Grade Braking is
enabled when the vehicle is started,
but is not enabled in Range
Selection Mode. It assists in
maintaining desired vehicle speeds
when driving on downhill grades by
using the engine and transmission
to slow the vehicle. The first time
the system engages for each
ignition key cycle, a DIC message
will be displayed. SeeTransmission
Messages on page 5‑36.
To disable or enable Normal Mode
Grade Braking within the current
ignition key cycle, press and hold
the Tow/Haul button for
three seconds. A DIC message
displays. See Transmission
Messages on page 5‑36.
For other forms of grade braking,
see Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑33
and Cruise Control on page 9‑41.
Manual Mode
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
The vehicle has Driver Shift
Control (DSC). DSC controls the
vehicle's transmission and vehicle
speed while driving down hill or
towing a trailer by allowing you to
select a desired range of gears.
To use this feature:
1. Move the shift lever to
M (Manual Mode).
2. Press the plus/minus buttons, to upshift or downshift selecting the
desired range of gears for
current driving conditions.
The DIC display will show the
message MANUAL SHIFT on the
first line and the current gear will be displayed on the second line. The
number displayed in the DIC is the
highest gear that can be used.
However, the vehicle can
automatically shift to lower gears as
it adjusts to driving conditions. This
means that all gears below that
number are available. When 5 (Fifth)
is selected, 1 (First) through 5 (Fifth)
gears are automatically shifted by
the vehicle, but 6 (Sixth) cannot be
used until the plus/minus button
located on the steering column lever
is used to change to the gear.
Grade Braking is not available when
the Driver Shift Control is active.
See
Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑33.
While using the DSC, Cruise
Control and the Tow/Haul Mode can
be used.

Black plate (57,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
Driving and Operating 9-57
Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips
Driving with a Trailer
When towing a trailer:
.Become familiar with the state
and local laws that apply to
trailer towing.
.Do not tow a trailer during the
first 800 km (500 mi) to prevent
damage to the engine, axle,
or other parts.
.Then during the first 800 km
(500 mi) of trailer towing, do not
drive over 80 km/h (50 mph) and
do not make starts at full throttle.
.Vehicles can tow in D (Drive).
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear if the transmission shifts
too often under heavy loads and/
or hilly conditions.
{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 System”
in the Index.
For more information about
Carbon Monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑28. Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. The
combination you are driving is
longer and not as responsive as the
vehicle itself. Get acquainted with
the handling and braking of the rig
before setting out for the open road.
Before starting, check all trailer hitch
parts and attachments, safety
chains, electrical connectors, lamps,
tires, and mirrors. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start the
combination moving and then apply
the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure the brakes work.
During the trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure
and the lamps and any trailer
brakes still work.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid heavy
braking and sudden turns.

Black plate (62,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
9-62 Driving and Operating
Trailer tongue weight (A) should be
10 percent to 15 percent and fifth
wheel or gooseneck kingpin weight
should be 15 to 25 percent of the
loaded trailer weight (B) up to the
maximums for vehicle series and
hitch type.Vehicle Series
Hitch Type Maximum Tongue
Weight
1500 Weight Carrying 272 kg (600 lbs)
1500 Weight Distributing 453 kg (1,000 lbs)
Do not exceed the maximum
allowable tongue weight for the
vehicle. Choose the shortest hitch
extension that will position the hitch
ball closest to the vehicle. This will
help reduce the effect of trailer
tongue weight on the rear axle.
Trailer rating may be limited by the
vehicle's ability to carry tongue
weight. Tongue or kingpin weight
cannot cause the vehicle to exceed
the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating) or the RGAWR (Rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating). See “Total
Weight on the Vehicle's Tires” later
in this section for more information.
After loading the trailer, weigh the
trailer and then the tongue,
separately, to see if the weights are proper. If they are not, adjustments
might be made by moving some
items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on the Vehicle's
Tires
Be sure the vehicle's tires are
inflated to the inflation pressures
found on the Certification label on
the driver door or see
Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑15 for more
information. Make sure not to
exceed the GVWR limit for the
vehicle, or the RGAWR, with the tow
vehicle and trailer fully loaded for
the trip including the weight of the
trailer tongue. If using a weight
distributing hitch, make sure not to
exceed the RGAWR before applying
the weight distribution spring bars.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 10-9
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-12
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-18
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20 Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-20
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-27
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-28
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-30
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31 Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-32
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Electrical System
Electrical System
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-42
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49

Black plate (2,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
10-2 Vehicle Care
Tire Pressure MonitorOperation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-53
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-53
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-59
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-69
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-70
Secondary Latch System . . . 10-79
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-82
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-83
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-87
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-87
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-90
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-93
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-97
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
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to

Black plate (22,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
10-22 Vehicle Care
Brakes
This vehicle has disc brakes. Disc
brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time 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.
Notice: 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 in
Capacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2.
Brake linings should always be
replaced as complete axle 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 might be
required.
Brake Adjustment
Every time the brakes are applied,
with or without the vehicle moving,
the brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is
complex. Its many parts have to be
of top quality and work well together
if the vehicle is to have really good
braking. The vehicle was designed
and tested with top-quality brake
parts. When parts of the braking
system are replaced, be sure to get
new, approved replacement parts.
If this is not done, the brakes might
not work properly. For example,
installing disc brake pads that are
wrong for the vehicle, can change
the balance between the front and
rear brakes —for the worse. The
braking performance expected can
change in many other ways if the
wrong replacement brake parts are
installed.

Black plate (40,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
10-40 Vehicle Care
Harness
Connector Usage
HEADLINER 2 Headliner Harness
Connector 2
HEADLINER 1 Headliner Harness
Connector 1
SEO/
UPFITTER Special Equipment
Option Upfitter
Harness Connector
Circuit
Breaker Usage
CB1 Passenger Side Power Window Circuit
Breaker
CB2 Passenger Seat Circuit Breaker
CB3 Driver Seat Circuit Breaker
CB4 Rear Sliding WindowWheels and Tires
Tires
Every new GM vehicle has
high-quality tires made by a
leading tire manufacturer. See
the warranty manual for
information regarding the tire
warranty and where to get
service. For additional
information refer to the tire
manufacturer.
{WARNING
.Poorly maintained and
improperly used tires are
dangerous.
.Overloading the tires can
cause overheating as a
result of too much flexing.
There could be a blowout
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
and a serious crash. See
Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑15.
.Underinflated tires pose
the same danger as
overloaded tires. The
resulting crash could
cause serious injury.
Check all tires frequently
to maintain the
recommended pressure.
Tire pressure should be
checked when the tires
are cold.
.Overinflated tires are more
likely to be cut, punctured,
or broken by a sudden
impact— such as when
hitting a pothole. Keep
tires at the recommended
pressure.
(Continued)

Black plate (41,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 10/
9/12
Vehicle Care 10-41
WARNING (Continued)
.Worn or old tires can
cause a crash. If the tread
is badly worn,
replace them.
.Replace any tires that
have been damaged by
impacts with potholes,
curbs, etc.
.Improperly repaired tires
can cause a crash. Only
the dealer or an
authorized tire service
center should repair,
replace, dismount, and
mount the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in
excess of 56 km/h
(35 mph) on slippery
surfaces such as snow,
mud, ice, etc. Excessive
spinning may cause the
tires to explode.See
Tire Pressure for
High-Speed Operation on
page 10‑48 for inflation pressure
adjustment for high speed
driving.
22‐Inch Tires
If the vehicle has 22‐inch P285/
45R22 size tires, they are
classified as touring tires and
are designed for on‐road use.
The low‐profile, wide tread
design is not recommended for
off‐road driving. See Off-Road
Driving on page 9‑6, for
additional information.
Notice: Low‐profile tires are
more susceptible to damage
from road hazards or curb
impact than standard profile
tires. Tire and/or wheel
assembly damage can occur
when coming into contact
with road hazards like,
potholes, or sharp edged
objects, or when sliding into a curb. The warranty does not
cover this type of damage.
Keep tires set to the correct
inflation pressure and, when
possible, avoid contact with
curbs, potholes, and other
road hazards.
All-Season Tires
This vehicle may come with
all-season tires. These tires are
designed to provide good overall
performance on most road surfaces
and weather conditions. Original
equipment tires designed to GM's
specific tire performance criteria
have a TPC specification code
molded onto the sidewall. Original
equipment all-season tires can be
identified by the last two characters
of this TPC code, which will
be
“MS.”
Consider installing winter tires on
the vehicle if frequent driving on
snow or ice-covered roads is
expected. All-season tires provide
adequate performance for most