maintenance CADILLAC ESCALADE 2021 Owner's Manual

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/11/21
Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Keys, Doors, and Windows . . . . . . . . . . 6
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Instruments and Controls . . . . . . . . 103
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Service and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . 441
Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454
Customer Information . . . . . . . . . . . . 458
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . . . . . . 468
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471
Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 479
Introduction
The names, logos, emblems, slogans,
vehicle model names, and vehicle
body designs appearing in this manual
including, but not limited to, GM, the
GM logo, CADILLAC, the CADILLAC
Emblem, and ESCALADE are
trademarks and/or service marks of
General Motors LLC, its subsidiaries,
affiliates, or licensors.
For vehicles first sold in Canada,
substitute the name“General Motors
of Canada Company ”for Cadillac
Motor Car Division wherever it
appears in this manual.
This manual describes features that
may or may not be on the vehicle
because of optional equipment that
was not purchased on the vehicle, model variants, country specifications,
features/applications that may not be
available in your region, or changes
subsequent to the printing of this
owner’s manual, including changes in
standard or optional content.
If the vehicle has the Duramax diesel
engine, see the Duramax diesel
supplement for additional and specific
information on this engine.
Refer to the purchase documentation
relating to your specific vehicle to
confirm the features.
Keep this manual in the vehicle for
quick reference.
Canadian Vehicle Owners
A French language manual can be
obtained from your dealer, at
www.helminc.com, or from:
Propriétaires Canadiens
On peut obtenir un exemplaire de ce
guide en français auprès du
concessionnaire ou à l'adresse
suivante:
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 84266974 C Third Printing©2021 General Motors LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13690472) - 2021 - CRC - 8/10/21
76 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
sensing and diagnostic module, and
airbag wiring along with the proper
replacement procedures.
In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the front
outboard passenger position, which
includes sensors that are part of the
passenger's seat. The passenger
sensing system may not operate
properly if the original seat trim is
replaced with non-GM covers,
upholstery, or trim, or with GM
covers, upholstery, or trim designed
for a different vehicle. Any object,
such as an aftermarket seat heater or
a comfort enhancing pad or device,
installed under or on top of the seat
fabric, could also interfere with the
operation of the passenger sensing
system. This could either prevent
proper deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the passenger
sensing system from properly turning
off the passenger airbag(s). See
Passenger Sensing System071.
If the vehicle has rollover roof-rail
airbags, see Different Size Tires and
Wheels 0409 for additional important
information. If the vehicle must be modified
because you have a disability and you
have questions about whether the
modifications will affect the vehicle's
airbag system, or if you have
questions about whether the airbag
system will be affected if the vehicle is
modified for any other reason, call
Customer Assistance. See
Customer
Assistance Offices 0460.
Airbag System Check
The airbag system does not need
regularly scheduled maintenance or
replacement. Make sure the airbag
readiness light is working. See Airbag
Readiness Light 0120.
Caution
If an airbag covering is damaged,
opened, or broken, the airbag may
not work properly. Do not open or
break the airbag coverings. If there
are any opened or broken airbag
coverings, have the airbag covering
and/or airbag module replaced. For
the location of the airbags, see
Where Are the Airbags? 067. See
your dealer for service.
Replacing Airbag System
Parts after a Crash
{Warning
A crash can damage the airbag
systems in the vehicle. A damaged
airbag system may not properly
protect you and your passenger(s)
in a crash, resulting in serious
injury or even death. To help make
sure the airbag systems are working
properly after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as
possible.
If an airbag inflates, you will need to
replace airbag system parts. See your
dealer for service.
If the airbag readiness light stays on
after the vehicle is started or comes
on when you are driving, the airbag
system may not work properly. Have
the vehicle serviced right away. See
Airbag Readiness Light 0120.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS 117
The engine oil pressure gauge shows
the engine oil pressure
in kPa (kilopascals) or psi (pounds per
square inch) when the engine is
running.
This gauge displays on the
infotainment display. If show in
cluster is selected a digital value is
shown on the instrument cluster in
zone 2.
Oil pressure can vary with engine
speed, outside temperature, coolant
temperature, and oil viscosity.
On some models, the oil pump will
vary engine oil pressure according to
engine needs. Oil pressure may change
quickly as the engine speed or load
varies. This is normal. If the oil
pressure warning light or Driver
Information Center (DIC) message
indicates oil pressure outside the
normal operating range, check the
vehicle's oil as soon as possible.
SeeEngine Oil 0367.Caution
Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. Driving with the engine oil
low can also damage the engine.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Check the
oil level as soon as possible. Add oil
if required, but if the oil level is
within the operating range and the
oil pressure is still low, have the
vehicle serviced. Always follow the
maintenance schedule for changing
engine oil.
Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge
Metric
English

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS 123
Caution (Continued)
the original tire specifications, can
cause this light to come on. This
could lead to costly repairs not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
This could also affect the vehicle’s
ability to pass an Emissions
Inspection/Maintenance test. See
Accessories and Modifications0364.
If the light is f lashing : A
malfunction has been detected that
could damage the emission control
system and increase vehicle
emissions. Diagnosis and service may
be required.
To help prevent damage, reduce
vehicle speed and avoid hard
accelerations and uphill grades.
If towing a trailer, reduce the amount
of cargo being hauled as soon as
possible.
If the light continues to flash, find a
safe place to park. Turn the vehicle off
and wait at least 10 seconds before
restarting the engine. If the light is still flashing, follow the previous
guidelines and see your dealer for
service as soon as possible.
If the light is on steady :
A
malfunction has been detected.
Diagnosis and service may be
required.
Check the following:
.If fuel has been added to the vehicle
using the capless fuel funnel
adapter, make sure that it has been
removed. See “Filling the Tank with
a Portable Gas Can ”under Filling the
Tank 0327. The diagnostic system
can detect if the adapter has been
left installed in the vehicle, allowing
fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. A few driving trips with
the adapter removed may turn off
the light.
.Poor fuel quality can cause
inefficient engine operation and
poor driveability, which may go
away once the engine is warmed up.
If this occurs, change the fuel
brand. It may require at least one
full tank of the proper fuel to turn
the light off. See Recommended Fuel
0 326. If the light remains on, see your
dealer.
Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs
If the vehicle requires an Emissions
Inspection/Maintenance test, the test
equipment will likely connect to the
vehicle's Data Link Connector (DLC).
The DLC is under the instrument
panel to the left of the steering wheel.
Connecting devices that are not used
to perform an Emissions Inspection/
Maintenance test or to service the
vehicle may affect vehicle operation.
See
Add-On Electrical Equipment 0360.
See your dealer if assistance is needed.
The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
.The light is on when the engine is
running.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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130 INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS
Engine Oil Pressure Light
Caution
Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. Driving with the engine oil
low can also damage the engine.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Check the
oil level as soon as possible. Add oil
if required, but if the oil level is
within the operating range and the
oil pressure is still low, have the
vehicle serviced. Always follow the
maintenance schedule for changing
engine oil.
This light should come on briefly as
the engine is started. If it does not
come on, have the vehicle serviced by
your dealer.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 might have some
other system problem. See your dealer.
Low Fuel Warning Light
A Low Fuel Warning Light near the
fuel gauge comes on briefly when the
ignition is turned on as a check to
show it is working.
It also comes on when the fuel gauge
indicator nears empty. The light turns
off when fuel is added. If it does not,
have the vehicle serviced.
Security Light
The security light should come on
briefly as the engine is started. If it
does not come on, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the system
is working normally, the indicator
light turns off.
If the light stays on and the engine
does not start, there could be a
problem with the theft-deterrent
system. See
Immobilizer Operation
0 31.
High-Beam On Light

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS 133
last time this menu item was reset.
This number reflects only the
approximate average fuel economy
that the vehicle has right now, and
will change as driving conditions
change. The Average Fuel Economy
can be reset along with the trip
odometer by touching and holding the
touchscreen display when trip
odometer is displayed.
Zone 2
Time/Date :Displays current date and
time information.
Auto Lane Change : Displays the
status of a driver-requested lane
change when Super Cruise is active.
See Super Cruise 0283.
Average Speed : Shows the average
speed of the vehicle in kilometers per
hour (km/h) or miles per hour (mph).
This average is calculated based on
the various vehicle speeds recorded
since the last reset of this value. The
average speed can be reset by
touching reset in vehicle information
screen. Timer :
This display can be used as a
timer. To start the timer, touch Start
while this display is active. The
display will show the amount of time
that has passed since the timer was
last reset. To stop the timer, touch
Stop briefly while this display is active
and the timer is running. To reset the
timer to zero, touch and hold Reset
while this display is active.
Off Road : Displays vehicle pitch and
roll information, road wheel angle,
and four-wheel drive (4WD) status.
Battery Voltage : Shows the current
battery voltage.
Trailer Brake : On vehicles with the
Integrated Trailer Brake Control
(ITBC) system, the trailer brake
display appears in the DIC.
TRAILER GAIN shows the trailer gain
setting. This setting can be adjusted
from 0.0 to 10.0 with either a trailer
connected or disconnected.
TRAILER OUTPUT shows the power
output to the trailer any time a trailer
with electric brakes is connected.
Output is displayed as a bar graph. Dotted lines may appear in the
OUTPUT display if a trailer is not
connected.
Oil Life :
Shows an estimate of the
oil's remaining useful life.
If REMAINING OIL LIFE 99% is
displayed, that means 99% of the
current oil life remains.
When the remaining oil life is low, the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message
will appear on the display. The oil
should be changed as soon as
possible. See Engine Oil0367. In
addition to the engine oil life system
monitoring the oil life, additional
maintenance is recommended. See
Maintenance Schedule 0442.
The Oil Life display must be reset
after each oil change. It will not reset
itself. Do not reset the Oil Life display
accidentally at any time other than
when the oil has just been changed.
It cannot be reset accurately until the
next oil change. To reset, see Engine
Oil Life System 0369.
Fuel Economy : Displays information
about current and average fuel
economy.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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220 CLIMATE CONTROLS
Climate Controls
Climate Control Systems
Dual Automatic Climate ControlSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Rear Climate Control System . . . . 224
Air Vents
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Climate Control Systems
Dual Automatic Climate Control System
The climate control buttons on the center stack and on the climate control
display are used to adjust the heating, cooling, and ventilation.
Center Stack Climate Controls
1. ON/OFF
2. AUTO (Automatic Operation)
3. Air distribution
4. Driver temperature
5. Fan Control
6. Passenger Temperature
7. Max Defrost 8. Rear Window Defogger
9. Air Conditioning
10. Recirculation
11. Sync

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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226 CLIMATE CONTROLS
Operation Tips
.Clear away any ice, snow, or leaves
from the air inlets at the base of the
windshield that could block the
flow of air into the vehicle.
.Clear snow off the hood to improve
visibility and help decrease moisture
drawn into the vehicle.
.When you enter a vehicle in cold
weather, press the fan up button to
the maximum fan level before
driving. This helps clear the intake
ducts of snow and moisture, and
reduces the chance of fogging the
inside of the window.
.Keep the air path under the front
seats clear of objects to help
circulate the air inside of the vehicle
more effectively.
.Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect the
performance of the system. Check
with your dealer before adding
equipment to the outside of the
vehicle.Rear System Air Vents
This vehicle has four round or
rectangular air vents in the headliner
above the second and third row seats.
Press on the center vane rear edge to
open the round outlet. Use the center
vane to rotate the outlet and change
the direction of the airf low. Press on
the center vane leading edge to shut
off the air flow.
Move the slider knob and rotate the
outlet barrel left to right to change the
direction of the air flow and to shut
off the air flow.
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The filter reduces the dust, pollen, and
other airborne irritants from outside
air that is pulled into the vehicle.
The filter should be replaced as part
of routine scheduled maintenance. To
find out what type of filter to use, see
Maintenance Replacement Parts
0452.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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228 CLIMATE CONTROLS
certified technicians. The air
conditioning evaporator should never
be repaired or replaced by one from a
salvage vehicle. It should only be
replaced by a new evaporator to
ensure proper and safe operation.
During service, all refrigerants should
be reclaimed with proper equipment.
Venting refrigerants directly to the
atmosphere is harmful to the
environment and may also create
unsafe conditions based on inhalation,
combustion, frostbite, or other
health-based concerns.
The air conditioning system requires
periodic maintenance. See
Maintenance Schedule0442.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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230 DRIVING AND OPERATING
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . 327
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . . 329
Driving Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . . . . 347
Trailering App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . 360
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel mileage.
Here are some driving tips to get the
best fuel economy possible:
.Set the climate controls to the
desired temperature after the engine
is started, or turn them off when
not required.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid abrupt
stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.When road and weather conditions
are appropriate, use cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed limits or
drive more slowly when conditions
require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with the
same TPC Spec number molded into
the tire's sidewall near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms and
can take your focus from the task of
driving. Exercise good judgment and
do not let other activities divert your
attention away from the road. Many
local governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep your
eyes on the road, keep your hands on
the steering wheel, and focus your
attention on driving.
.Do not use a phone in demanding
driving situations. Use a hands-free
method to place or receive
necessary phone calls.
.Watch the road. Do not read, take
notes, or look up information on
phones or other electronic devices.
.Designate a front seat passenger to
handle potential distractions.