brake CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV 2009 Workshop Manual

Driving On Grades Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before starting
down a long or steep downgrade. If the transmission is
not shifted down, the brakes might have to be used so
much that they would get hot and no longer work well.
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.
The tow/haul mode may be used if the transmission
shifts too often. See Tow/Haul Mode Light on page 3-46 .
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than at normal altitudes. If the engine is
turned off immediately after towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, the vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this, let the engine run while
parked, preferably on level ground, with the transmission
in P (Park) for a few minutes before turning the engine
off. If the overheat warning comes on, see Engine
Overheating on page 6-30 . Parking on Hills
{ CAUTION: Parking the vehicle on a hill with the trailer
attached can be dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move. People can be
injured, and both the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always park the rig on a
at surface.
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park)
yet. Turn the wheels into the curb if facing downhill
or into traffic if facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer
wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking
brake and shift into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
5-54

{ CAUTION: It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake rmly set. The vehicle can roll.
If the engine has been left running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure the vehicle will not move, even when
on fairly level ground, always put the shift lever
fully in P (Park) with the parking brake rmly set. Leaving After Parking on a Hill 1. Apply and hold the brake pedal while you:
Start the engine
Shift into a gear
Release the parking brake
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
5-55

Maintenance When Trailer Towing The vehicle needs service more often when pulling a
trailer. See this manual’s Maintenance Schedule or Index
for more information. Things that are especially important
in trailer operation are automatic transmission uid,
engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling system and brake
system. It is a good idea to inspect these before and
during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Trailer Wiring Harness Heavy-Duty Trailer Wiring Package
The vehicle is equipped with the seven-wire trailer
towing harness. This harness with a seven-pin universal
heavy-duty trailer connector is attached to the rear
bumper beam. It is located next to the integrated trailer
hitch. The seven-wire harness contains the following trailer
circuits:
Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn Signal
Brown: Taillamps
White: Ground
Light Green: Back-up Lamps
Red w/ Black Stripe: Battery Feed*
Dark Blue: Trailer Brake*
*The fuses for these two circuits are installed in the
underhood electrical center, but the circuits are
not connected. They should be installed by your dealer
or a qualied service center.
If charging a remote (non-vehicle) battery, press the
Tow/Haul mode button, if equipped, located at the end of
the shift lever. This will boost the vehicle system voltage
and properly charge the battery. If the trailer is too light
for Tow/Haul mode, or the vehicle is not equipped with
Tow/Haul, turn on the headlamps as a second way to
boost the vehicle system and charge the battery.
5-56

Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions These wiring provisions are included with the vehicle
as part of the heavy-duty trailer wiring package.
These provisions are for an electric brake controller.
The red/black stripe power feed will not be connected
to the battery until the ring terminal is unstowed and
connected to the underhood electrical center. The
instrument panel contains blunt cut wires near the data
link connector for the trailer brake controller. The harness
contains the following wires:
Dark Blue: Auxiliary
Red/Black: Battery
Light Blue/White: Brake Switch
White: Ground
The trailer brake controller should be installed by your
dealer/retailer or a qualied service center. Trailer Recommendations Subtract the hitch loads from the Cargo Weight Rating
(CWR). CWR is the maximum weight of the load
the vehicle can carry. It does not include the weight of
the people inside, but you can gure about 150 lbs.
(68 kg) for each passenger. The total cargo load must
not be more than the vehicles CWR.
Weigh the vehicle with the trailer attached, so the
GVWR or GAWR are not exceeded. If using a
weight-distributing hitch, weigh the vehicle without
the spring bars in place.
The best performance is obtained by correctly spreading
out the weight of the load and choosing the correct
hitch and trailer brakes.
For more information see Towing a Trailer on page 5-44 .
5-57

Service ........................................................... .6-3
Accessories and Modications ......................... .6-3
California Proposition 65 Warning .................... .6-4
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements .... .6-4
Doing Your Own Service Work ........................ .6-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
the Vehicle ................................................ .6-5
Fuel ............................................................... .6-5
Gasoline Octane ........................................... .6-5
Gasoline Specications ................................... .6-6
California Fuel .............................................. .6-6
Additives ...................................................... .6-6
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) ................................. .6-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries .............................. .6-8
Filling the Tank ............................................. .6-9
Filling a Portable Fuel Container .................... .6-11
Checking Things Under the Hood ................... .6-12
Hood Release ............................................. .6-13
Engine Compartment Overview ...................... .6-14
Engine Oil .................................................. .6-15
Engine Oil Life System ................................. .6-18
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter ............................... .6-19
Automatic Transmission Fluid ........................ .6-20
Cooling System ........................................... .6-24
Engine Coolant ............................................ .6-25
Engine Overheating ...................................... .6-30 Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode ........................................ .6-33
Engine Fan Noise ........................................ .6-33
Power Steering Fluid .................................... .6-33
Windshield Washer Fluid ............................... .6-34
Brakes ....................................................... .6-36
Battery ....................................................... .6-39
Jump Starting .............................................. .6-40
All-Wheel Drive ............................................. .6-45
Rear Axle ...................................................... .6-46
Front
Axle ..................................................... .6-47
Headlamp Aiming .......................................... .6-48
Bulb Replacement ......................................... .6-51
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting ........... .6-51
LED Lighting ............................................... .6-51
Back-Up Lamps ........................................... .6-51
License Plate Lamp ..................................... .6-53
Replacement Bulbs ...................................... .6-53
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ............. .6-54
Tires ............................................................. .6-56
Tire Sidewall Labeling .................................. .6-57
Tire Terminology and Denitions .................... .6-59
Ination - Tire Pressure ................................ .6-62
High-Speed Operation .................................. .6-63Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
6-1

Service For service and parts needs, visit your dealer/retailer.
You will receive genuine GM parts and GM-trained and
supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
Accessories and Modications When non-dealer/non-retailer accessories are added to
the vehicle, they can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as airbags, braking, stability,
ride and handling, emissions systems, aerodynamics,
durability, and electronic systems like antilock brakes,
traction control, and stability control. Some of these
accessories could even cause malfunction or damage
not covered by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components resulting from the
installation or use of non-GM certied parts, including
control module modications, are not covered under the
terms of the vehicle warranty and may affect remaining
warranty coverage for affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to complement and
function with other systems on the vehicle. Your GM
dealer/retailer can accessorize the vehicle using genuine
GM Accessories. When you go to your GM dealer/retailer
and ask for GM Accessories, you will know that
GM-trained and supported service technicians will
perform the work using genuine GM Accessories.
Also, see Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 1-94 .
6-3

Checking Things Under
the Hood
{ CAUTION: An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing, and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
{ CAUTION: Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a re. These include liquids like fuel, oil,
coolant, brake uid, windshield washer and other
uids, and plastic or rubber. You or others could
be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill things
that will burn onto a hot engine.
6-12

A. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 6-19 .
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System on page 6-24 .
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting on
page 6-40 .
D. Battery on page 6-39 .
E. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
under Engine Oil on page 6-15 .
F. Automatic Transmission Dipstick (Out of View).
See “Checking the Fluid Level” under Automatic
Transmission Fluid on page 6-20 .
G. Remote Negative ( − ) Terminal (GND) (Out of View).
See Jump Starting on page 6-40 .
H. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See “Checking
Engine Oil” under Engine Oil on page 6-15 .
I. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling
System on page 6-24 .
J. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (Out of View).
See Power Steering Fluid on page 6-33 .
K. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
under Brakes on page 6-36 . L. Underhood Fuse Block on page 6-109 .
M. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” under Windshield Washer Fluid
on page 6-34 .
Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil It is a good idea to check the engine oil level at each
fuel ll. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop.
See Engine Compartment Overview on page 6-14
for the location of the engine oil dipstick.
1. Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes
to drain back into the oil pan. If this is not done, the
oil dipstick might not show the actual level.
2. Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel
or cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it
again, keeping the tip down, and check the level.
6-15

Notice: Use of the incorrect automatic transmission
uid may damage the vehicle, and the damages
may not be covered by the vehicle’s warranty.
Always use the automatic transmission uid listed in
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 7-13 .
Change the uid and lter at the intervals listed in the
Maintenance Schedule. See Scheduled Maintenance on
page 7-4 . Be sure to use the transmission uid listed
in Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 7-13 .
How to Check Automatic Transmission
Fluid Notice: Too much or too little uid can damage your
transmission. Too much can mean that some of the
uid could come out and fall on hot engine parts or
exhaust system parts, starting a re. Too little uid
could cause the transmission to overheat. Be sure
to get an accurate reading if you check your
transmission uid. Before checking the uid level, prepare the vehicle as
follows:
1. Start the engine and park the vehicle on a level
surface. Keep the engine running.
2. Apply the parking brake and place the shift lever in
P (Park).
3. With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, move the
shift lever back to P (Park).
4. Allow the engine to idle (500 – 800 rpm) for at least
one minute. Slowly release the brake pedal.
5. Keep the engine running and press the Trip/Fuel
button or trip odometer reset stem until TRANS
TEMP (Transmission Temperature) displays on the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
6. Using the TRANS TEMP reading, determine and
perform the appropriate check procedure. If the
TRANS TEMP reading is not within the required
temperature ranges, allow the vehicle to cool,
or operate the vehicle until the appropriate
transmission uid temperature is reached.
6-21

Brakes Brake Fluid The brake master cylinder
reservoir is lled with
DOT 3 brake uid. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 6-14
for the location of the
reservoir. There are only two reasons why the brake uid level in
the reservoir might go down:
The brake uid level goes down because of normal
brake lining wear. When new linings are installed,
the uid level goes back up.
A uid leak in the brake hydraulic system can also
cause a low uid level. Have the brake hydraulic
system xed, since a leak means that sooner
or later the brakes will not work well.
Do not top off the brake uid. Adding uid does not
correct a leak. If uid is added when the linings are worn,
there will be too much uid when new brake linings are
installed. Add or remove brake uid, as necessary, only
when work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
6-36