engine CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV 2009 Owner's Guide

Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light For vehicles with
the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), this light
comes on briey when
the engine is started.
If it does not, have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer/retailer. If the system is working normally the
indicator light then goes off.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the ignition off. If the
light comes on while driving, stop as soon as it is safely
possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine
again to reset the system. If the ABS light stays on, or
comes on again while driving, the vehicle needs service.
If the regular brake system warning light is not on, the
vehicle still has brakes, but not antilock brakes. If the
regular brake system warning light is also on, the vehicle
does not have antilock brakes and there is a problem with
the regular brakes. See Brake System Warning Light on
page 3-39 .
For vehicles with a Driver Information Center (DIC),
see DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-56 for all
brake related DIC messages. StabiliTrak ®
Indicator Light The StabiliTrak indicator
light comes on briey
when the engine is started.
If it does not, have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer/retailer. If the system is working normally
the indicator light then goes off.
If the light comes on and stays on while driving, there
might be a problem with the StabiliTrak ®
system and the
vehicle may need service. When this warning light is
on, the system is off and does not limit wheel spin.
The light ashes if the system is active and is working
to assist the driver with directional control of the
vehicle in difficult driving conditions.
See StabiliTrak ®
System on page 5-6 for more
information.
3-40

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage This gage shows
the engine coolant
temperature.
If the indicator on the gage moves towards the shaded
area on the thermostat, it means that the engine coolant
has overheated. If the vehicle has been operating under
normal driving conditions, pull off the road, stop the
vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
See Engine Overheating on page 6-30 .Tire Pressure Light For vehicles with a tire
pressure monitoring
system, this light comes
on briey when the engine
is started.
It provides information about tire pressures and the
Tire Pressure Monitoring System.
When the Light is On Steady This indicates that one or more of the tires is signicantly
underinated.
A tire pressure message in the Driver Information
Center (DIC), can accompany the light. See DIC
Warnings and Messages on page 3-56 for more
information. Stop and check the tires as soon as it is
safe to do so. If a tire is underinated, inate to the
proper pressure. See Tires on page 6-56 for more
information.
3-41

When the Light Flashes First and Then is
On Steady This indicates that there could be a problem with the
Tire Pressure Monitor System. The light ashes 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 System on page 6-64
for more information.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light 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/retailer. 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’s 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: Modications 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.
Modications 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 6-3 .
3-42

This light comes on during a malfunction in one of
two ways:
Light Flashing: A misre condition has been detected.
A misre 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 ash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park the vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds, and restart
the engine. If the light is still ashing, follow the previous
steps and see your dealer/retailer 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 6-9 . 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,
misring, 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 6-5 .
If none of the above have made the light turn off, your
dealer/retailer can check the vehicle. The dealer/retailer
has the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to
x any mechanical or electrical problems that might have
developed.
3-43

Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs Some state/provincial and local governments have or
might begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on the vehicle. Failure to pass this inspection
could prevent getting a vehicle registration.
Here are some things to know to help the vehicle pass
an inspection:
The vehicle will not pass this inspection if the check
engine light is on with the engine running, or if the
key is in ON/RUN and the light is not on.
The vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
OBD II (on-board diagnostic) system determines
that critical emission control systems have not been
completely diagnosed by the system. The vehicle
would be considered not ready for inspection.
This can happen if the battery has recently
been replaced or if the battery has run down.
The diagnostic system is designed to evaluate
critical emission control systems during normal
driving. This can take several days of routine driving.
If this has been done and the vehicle still does
not pass the inspection for lack of OBD II system
readiness, your dealer/retailer can prepare the
vehicle for inspection. Oil Pressure Light
{ CAUTION: Do not keep driving if the oil pressure is low.
The engine can become so hot that it catches re.
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 in this manual for
changing engine oil.
3-44

This light comes on briey while starting the engine.
If it does not, have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer/retailer. 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 owing 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 2-21 .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 3-22 for more information.
Lights On Reminder This light comes on
whenever the parking
lamps are on.
See Exterior Lamps on page 3-16 for more information.
3-45

The gage will rst indicate empty before the vehicle
is out of fuel, but the vehicle’s fuel tank should be
lled soon.
Here are some situations owners may experience
with the fuel gage. None of these indicate a problem
with the fuel gage.
At the gas station, the fuel pump shuts off before
the gage reads full.
It takes a little more or less fuel to ll up than the
fuel gage indicated. For example, the gage may
have indicated the tank was half full, but it actually
took a little more or less than half the tank’s
capacity to ll the tank.
The gage goes back to empty when the ignition is
turned off. Driver Information Center (DIC) Your vehicle has a Driver Information Center (DIC).
The DIC displays information about your vehicle.
It also displays warning messages if a system problem
is detected. The DIC also allows some features to be
customized. See DIC Vehicle Customization on
page 3-65 for more information.
All messages will appear in the DIC display located in
the center of the instrument panel cluster.
The DIC comes on when the ignition is on. After a short
delay, the DIC will display the information that was last
displayed before the engine was turned off.
See DIC Operation and Displays on page 3-48 and DIC
Vehicle Customization on page 3-65 for the displays
available.
3-47

Vehicle Information Menu Items
T (Vehicle Information): Press this button to scroll
through the following menu items:
Oil Life Press the vehicle information button until OIL LIFE
REMAINING displays. This display shows an estimate of
the oil’s remaining useful life. If you see 99% OIL LIFE
REMAINING on the display, that means 99% of the
current oil life remains. The engine oil life system will
alert you to change the oil on a schedule consistent
with your driving conditions.
When the remaining oil life is low, the CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message will appear on the
display. See “CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON” under
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-56 . You should
change the oil as soon as you can. See Engine Oil on
page 6-15 . In addition to the engine oil life system
monitoring the oil life, additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance Schedule in this
manual. See Scheduled Maintenance on page 7-4
for more information.
Remember, you must reset the OIL LIFE display
yourself after each oil change. It will not reset itself.
Also, be careful not to 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 the engine oil
life system, see Engine Oil Life System on page 6-18 .
Side Blind Zone Alert If your vehicle has the Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
system, this display allows the system to be turned on
or off. Once in this display, press the set/reset button to
select between ON or OFF. If you choose ON, the system
will be turned on. If you choose OFF, the system will be
turned off. When the SBZA system is turned off, the DIC
will display the SIDE BLIND ZONE ALERT SYSTEM OFF
message as a reminder that the system has been turned
off. See DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-56 and
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) on page 2-44 for more
information.
Units Press the vehicle information button until UNITS
displays. This display allows you to select between
English or Metric units of measurement. Once in this
display, press the set/reset button to select between
ENGLISH or METRIC units. All of the vehicle information
will then be displayed in the unit of measurement
selected.
3-51

DIC Warnings and Messages Messages are displayed on the DIC to notify the driver
that the status of the vehicle has changed and that
some action may be needed by the driver to correct
the condition. Multiple messages may appear one
after another.
Some messages may not require immediate action, but
you can press any of the DIC buttons on the instrument
panel to acknowledge that you received the messages
and to clear them from the display.
Some messages cannot be cleared from the DIC display
because they are more urgent. These messages require
action before they can be cleared. 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.
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 6-18 for information
on how to reset the message. See Engine Oil on
page 6-15 and Scheduled Maintenance on page 7-4
for more information. CHECK TIRE PRESSURE On vehicles with the Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS), this message displays when the
pressure in one or more of the vehicle’s tires needs to
be checked. This message also displays LEFT FRONT,
RIGHT FRONT, LEFT REAR, or RIGHT REAR to
indicate which tire needs to be checked. 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 6-56 , Loading the Vehicle on
page 5-33 , and Inflation - Tire Pressure on page 6-62 .
The DIC also shows the tire pressure values. See DIC
Operation and Displays on page 3-48 . If the tire pressure
is low, the low tire pressure warning light comes on.
See Tire Pressure Light on page 3-41 .
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.
3-56

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 Gage on page 3-41 .
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/retailer 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 Gage on page 3-41 .
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 6-30
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 Gage on page 3-41 .
See Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode
on page 6-33 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 6-30
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.
3-57