service CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV 2011 Owners Manual

Black plate (47,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-47WARNING (Continued) .
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. .
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.
(Continued) WARNING (Continued) .
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 55 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 ‑ 54 for
inflation pressure adjustment for
high speed driving.
22 ‐ Inch Tires
If your vehicle has the optional
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 ‑ 7 , for additional
information.
Notice: If the vehicle has
low ‐ profile tires, they 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 vehicle 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.

Black plate (48,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-48 Vehicle Care
Tire Sidewall Labeling Useful information about a tire is
molded into the sidewall. The
following illustration is an
example of a typical P ‐ Metric
tire sidewall.
Passenger (P ‐ Metric) Tire
(A) Tire Size :
The tire size
code is a combination of letters
and numbers used to define a
particular tire's width, height,
aspect ratio, construction type, and service description. See the
“ Tire Size ” illustration later in this
section for more detail.
(B) TPC Spec (Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification) :
Original
equipment tires designed to
GM's specific tire performance
criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall.
GM's TPC specifications meet
or exceed all federal safety
guidelines.
(C) DOT (Department of
Transportation) :
The
Department of Transportation
(DOT) code indicates that
the tire is in compliance with
the U.S. Department of
Transportation Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards. (D) Tire Identification Number
(TIN) :
The letters and numbers
following DOT code are the Tire
Identification Number (TIN). The
TIN shows the manufacturer
and plant code, tire size, and
date the tire was manufactured.
The TIN is molded onto both
sides of the tire, although only
one side may have the date of
manufacture.
(E) Tire Ply Material :
The type
of cord and number of plies in
the sidewall and under the tread.
(F) Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG) :
Tire
manufacturers are required
to grade tires based on
three performance factors:
treadwear, traction, and
temperature resistance. For
more information, see Uniform
Tire Quality Grading on
page 10 ‑ 63 .

Black plate (49,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-49(G) Maximum Cold Inflation
Load Limit :
Maximum load
that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed
to support that load. For
information on recommended
tire pressure see Tire Pressure
on page 10 ‑ 52 and Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9 ‑ 24 .
Tire Designations Tire Size
The following examples show
the different parts of a tire size.
Passenger (P ‐ Metric) Tire
(A) Passenger (P ‐ Metric) Tire :
The United States version of a
metric tire sizing system. The
letter P as the first character in the tire size means a passenger
vehicle tire engineered to
standards set by the U.S. Tire
and Rim Association.
(B) Tire Width :
The three ‐ digit
number indicates the tire section
width in millimeters from
sidewall to sidewall.
(C) Aspect Ratio :
A two ‐ digit
number that indicates the tire
height ‐ to ‐ width measurements.
For example, if the tire size
aspect ratio is 75, as shown
in item C of the light truck
(LT ‐ Metric) tire illustration, it
would mean that the tire's
sidewall is 75% as high as it
is wide.
(D) Construction Code :
A
letter code is used to indicate
the type of ply construction in
the tire. The letter R means
radial ply construction; the
letter D means diagonal or bias ply construction; and the
letter B means belted ‐ bias ply
construction.
(E) Rim Diameter :
Diameter of
the wheel in inches.
(F) Service Description :
These
characters represent the load
index and speed rating of the
tire. The load index represents
the load carrying capacity a tire
is certified to carry. The speed
rating is the maximum speed a
tire is certified to carry a load.
Tire Terminology and
Definitions Air Pressure :
The amount
of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch
of the tire. Air pressure is
expressed in kPa (kilopascal)
or psi (pounds per square inch).

Black plate (57,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-57covered by the vehicle
warranty. Always use only
the GM-approved tire sealant
available through your dealer
or included in the vehicle.
TPMS Malfunction Light and
Message The TPMS will not function properly
if one or more of the TPMS sensors
are missing or inoperable. When the
system detects a malfunction, the
low tire warning light flashes for
about one minute and then stays
on for the remainder of the ignition
cycle. A DIC warning message also
displays. The malfunction light and
DIC warning message come on at
each ignition cycle until the problem
is corrected. Some of the conditions
that can cause these to come
on are: .
One of the road tires has been
replaced with the spare tire.
The spare tire does not have a
TPMS sensor. The malfunction
light and DIC message should
go off after the road tire is replaced and the sensor
matching process is performed
successfully. See "TPMS Sensor
Matching Process" later in this
section. .
The TPMS sensor matching
process was not done or
not completed successfully
after rotating the tires. The
malfunction light and the DIC
message should go off after
successfully completing the
sensor matching process.
See "TPMS Sensor Matching
Process" later in this section. .
One or more TPMS sensors
are missing or damaged. The
malfunction light and the DIC
message should go off when the
TPMS sensors are installed and
the sensor matching process is
performed successfully. See
your dealer for service. .
Replacement tires or wheels do
not match the original equipment
tires or wheels. Tires and wheels
other than those recommended could prevent the TPMS from
functioning properly. See Buying
New Tires on page 10 ‑ 61 . .
Operating electronic devices or
being near facilities using radio
wave frequencies similar to the
TPMS could cause the TPMS
sensors to malfunction.
If the TPMS is not functioning
properly, it cannot detect or signal a
low tire condition. See your dealer
for service if the TPMS malfunction
light and DIC message comes on
and stays on.
TPMS Sensor Matching
Process Each TPMS sensor has a unique
identification code. The identification
code needs to be matched to a new
tire/wheel position after rotating the
vehicle ’ s tires or replacing one or
more of the TPMS sensors. The
TPMS sensor matching process
should also be performed after
replacing a spare tire with a road
tire containing the TPMS sensor.

Black plate (58,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-58 Vehicle Care The malfunction light and the DIC
message should go off at the next
ignition cycle. The sensors are
matched to the tire/wheel positions,
using a TPMS relearn tool, in the
following order: driver side front tire,
passenger side front tire, passenger
side rear tire, and driver side rear.
See your dealer for service or to
purchase a relearn tool.
There are two minutes to match
the first tire/wheel position, and
five minutes overall to match all
four tire/wheel positions. If it takes
longer, the matching process stops
and must be restarted.
The TPMS sensor matching process
is outlined below:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with
the engine off. 3. Press
Q and
K on the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter at the same time for
approximately five seconds. The
horn sounds twice to signal the
receiver is in relearn mode and
TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE
message displays on the DIC
screen.
4. Start with the driver side
front tire.
5. Place the relearn tool against
the tire sidewall, near the valve
stem. Then press the button
to activate the TPMS sensor.
A horn chirp confirms that the
sensor identification code has
been matched to this tire and
wheel position.
6. Proceed to the passenger
side front tire, and repeat the
procedure in Step 5.
7. Proceed to the passenger
side rear tire, and repeat the
procedure in Step 5. 8. Proceed to the driver side rear
tire, and repeat the procedure
in Step 5. The horn sounds
two times to indicate the sensor
identification code has been
matched to the driver side rear
tire, and the TPMS sensor
matching process is no longer
active. The TIRE LEARNING
ACTIVE message on the DIC
display screen goes off.
9. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
10. Set all four tires to the
recommended air pressure
level as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information label.
Tire Inspection GM recommends that the tires,
including the spare tire, if the
vehicle has one, be inspected
for signs of wear or damage at
least once a month.

Black plate (61,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-61loading conditions, and inflation
pressure maintenance. Tires will
typically need to be replaced due to
wear before they may need to be
replaced due to age. Consult the tire
manufacturer for more information
on when tires should be replaced.
Vehicle Storage Tires age when stored normally
mounted on a parked vehicle. Park
a vehicle that will be stored for at
least a month in a cool, dry, clean
area away from direct sunlight to
slow aging. This area should be
free of grease, gasoline or other
substances that can deteriorate
rubber.
Parking for an extended period can
cause flat spots on the tires that
may result in vibrations while
driving. When storing a vehicle for
at least a month, remove the tires
or raise the vehicle to reduce the
weight from the tires. Buying New Tires GM has developed and matched
specific tires for the vehicle. The
original equipment tires installed
on the vehicle, when it was new,
were designed to meet General
Motors Tire Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec) system
rating. If you need replacement
tires, GM strongly recommends that
you get tires with the same TPC
Spec rating. This way, the vehicle
will continue to have tires that
are designed to give the same
performance and vehicle safety,
during normal use, as the original
tires.
GM's exclusive TPC Spec system
considers over a dozen critical
specifications that impact the
overall performance of the
vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire pressure
monitoring performance. GM's TPC
Spec number is molded onto the
tire's sidewall near the tire size. If the tires have an all ‐ season
tread design, the TPC spec number
will be followed by an MS for mud
and snow. See Tire Sidewall
Labeling on page 10 ‑ 48 for
additional information.
GM recommends replacing tires in
sets of four. This is because uniform
tread depth on all tires will help
keep the vehicle performing most
like it did when the tires were new.
Replacing less than a full set of tires
can affect the braking and handling
performance of the vehicle. See
Tire Inspection on page 10 ‑ 58 and
Tire Rotation on page 10 ‑ 59 for
information on proper tire rotation.
{ WARNING
Tires could explode during
improper service. Attempting to
mount or dismount a tire could
cause injury or death. Only your
dealer or authorized tire service
center should mount or dismount
the tires.

Black plate (64,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-64 Vehicle Care Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on
a specified government test
course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1½) times as well on the
government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in
driving habits, service practices
and differences in road
characteristics and climate. Traction – AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on
specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Temperature – A, B, C
The temperature grades
are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and
its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause
the material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature
can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B
and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum
required by law. Warning: The
temperature grade for this tire
is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.

Black plate (66,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-66 Vehicle Care
Tire Chains
{ WARNINGDo not use tire chains. There is
not enough clearance. Tire chains
used on a vehicle without the
proper amount of clearance can
cause damage to the brakes,
suspension, or other vehicle
parts. The area damaged by the
tire chains could cause you to
lose control of the vehicle and
you or others may be injured
in a crash. Use another type
of traction device only if its
manufacturer recommends it for
use on the vehicle and tire size
combination and road conditions.
Follow that manufacturer's
instructions. To help avoid
damage to the vehicle, drive
slowly, re ‐ adjust or remove the
device if it is contacting the
vehicle, and do not spin the
(Continued) WARNING (Continued) wheels. If you do find traction
devices that will fit, install them on
the rear tires.
If a Tire Goes Flat It is unusual for a tire to blowout
while you are driving, especially if
you maintain your vehicle's tires
properly. If air goes out of a tire,
it is much more likely to leak out
slowly. But if you should ever have
a blowout, here are a few tips about
what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire
creates a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot off
the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel firmly. Steer to
maintain lane position, and then
gently brake to a stop, well off the
road, if possible. A rear blowout, particularly on a
curve, acts much like a skid and
may require the same correction
you would use in a skid. In any rear
blowout remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle
under control by steering the way
you want the vehicle to go. It may
be very bumpy and noisy, but you
can still steer. Gently brake to a
stop, well off the road, if possible.
{ WARNINGDriving on a flat tire will cause
permanent damage to the tire.
Re-inflating a tire after it has
been driven on while severely
underinflated or flat may cause
a blowout and a serious crash.
Never attempt to re-inflate a tire
that has been driven on while
severely underinflated or flat.
Have your dealer or an authorized
tire service center repair or
replace the flat tire as soon as
possible.

Black plate (86,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-86 Vehicle Care 11. Try to start the vehicle that
had the dead battery. If it will
not start after a few tries, it
probably needs service.
Notice: If the jumper cables are
connected or removed in the
wrong order, electrical shorting
may occur and damage the
vehicle. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always connect and remove the
jumper cables in the correct
order, making sure that the
cables do not touch each other
or other metal. Jumper Cable Removal
A. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine
Part or Remote Negative ( − )
Terminal
B. Good Battery or Remote
Positive (+) and Remote
Negative ( − ) Terminals
C. Dead Battery or Remote
Positive (+) Terminal To disconnect the jumper cables
from both vehicles do the following:
1. Disconnect the black
negative ( − ) cable from the
vehicle that had the bad battery.
2. Disconnect the black
negative ( − ) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
3. Disconnect the red positive (+)
cable from the vehicle with the
good battery.
4. Disconnect the red positive (+)
cable from the other vehicle.
5. Return the remote positive (+)
terminal cover, if the vehicle has
one, to its original position.

Black plate (87,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-87
Towing Towing the Vehicle Notice: To avoid damage, the
disabled vehicle should be
towed with all four wheels off
the ground. Care must be taken
with vehicles that have low
ground clearance and/or special
equipment. Always flatbed on a
car carrier.
Consult your dealer or a
professional towing service if the
disabled vehicle must be towed.
See Roadside Service (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13 ‑ 7 or Roadside
Service (Mexico) on page 13 ‑ 10 .
To tow the vehicle behind another
vehicle for recreational purposes,
such as behind a motor home, see
“ Recreational Vehicle Towing ” in this
section. Recreational Vehicle
Towing If the vehicle is a hybrid, see
the hybrid supplement for more
information.
Recreational vehicle towing
means towing the vehicle behind
another vehicle – such as behind a
motorhome. The two most common
types of recreational vehicle towing
are known as “ dinghy towing ”
(towing the vehicle with all four
wheels on the ground) and “ dolly
towing ” (towing the vehicle with
two wheels on the ground and
two wheels up on a device known
as a “ dolly ” ). Here are some important things to
consider before recreational vehicle
towing: .
What is the towing capacity
of the towing vehicle? Be
sure to read the tow
vehicle manufacturer's
recommendations. .
What is the distance that will be
travelled? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how
long they can tow. .
Is the proper towing equipment
going to be used? See your
dealer or trailering professional
for additional advice and
equipment recommendations. .
Is the vehicle ready to be
towed? Just as preparing the
vehicle for a long trip, make sure
the vehicle is prepared to be
towed.