warning CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV 2011 Owners Manual

Black plate (69,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-69
{ WARNINGFuel can spray out on you if you
open the fuel cap too quickly.
If you spill fuel and then
something ignites it, you could
be badly burned. This spray can
happen if the tank is nearly full,
and is more likely in hot weather.
Open the fuel cap slowly and wait
for any hiss noise to stop. Then
unscrew the cap all the way.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Do not
top off or overfill the tank and wait a
few seconds after you have finished
pumping before removing the
nozzle. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon as possible. See
Exterior Care on page 10 ‑ 90 . When replacing the fuel cap,
insert the tether in its hole before
tightening the cap. Turn the fuel cap
clockwise until it clicks. It will require
more effort to turn the fuel cap on
the last turn as you tighten it. Make
sure the cap is fully installed. The
diagnostic system can determine if
the fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. This would
allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5 ‑ 18 .
If the vehicle has a Driver
Information Center (DIC), the
TIGHTEN GAS CAP message
displays if the fuel cap is not
properly installed. { WARNINGIf a fire starts while you are
refueling, do not remove the
nozzle. Shut off the flow of fuel
by shutting off the pump or by
notifying the station attendant.
Leave the area immediately.
Notice: If you need a new fuel
cap, be sure to get the right type.
Your dealer can get one for you.
If you get the wrong type, it may
not fit properly. This may cause
the malfunction indicator lamp to
light and may damage the fuel
tank and emissions system. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 5 ‑ 18 .

Black plate (70,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
9-70 Driving and Operating
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container
{ WARNINGNever fill a portable fuel container
while it is in the vehicle. Static
electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the fuel
vapor. You can be badly burned
and the vehicle damaged if this
occurs. To help avoid injury to
you and others: .
Dispense fuel only into
approved containers. .
Do not fill a container while
it is inside a vehicle, in a
vehicle's trunk, pickup bed,
or on any surface other than
the ground.
(Continued) WARNING (Continued) .
Bring the fill nozzle in contact
with the inside of the fill
opening before operating the
nozzle. Contact should be
maintained until the filling is
complete. .
Do not smoke while
pumping fuel. .
Do not use a cellular phone
while pumping fuel. Towing General Towing
Information Only use towing equipment that
has been designed for the vehicle.
Contact your dealer or trailering
dealer for assistance with preparing
the vehicle for towing a trailer.
See the following trailer towing
information in this section: .
For information on driving while
towing a trailer, see “ Driving
Characteristics and
Towing Tips. ” .
For maximum vehicle and trailer
weights, see “ Trailer Towing. ” .
For information on equipment to
tow a trailer, see “ Towing
Equipment. ”

Black plate (72,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
9-72 Driving and Operating Driving with a Trailer
{ WARNINGWhen 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.
Engine exhaust contains Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
To maximize safety when towing
a trailer: .
Have the exhaust system
inspected for leaks and make
necessary repairs before
starting a trip. .
Never drive with the liftgate,
trunk/hatch, or rear-most
window open.
(Continued) WARNING (Continued) .
Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel. .
Adjust the Climate Control
system to a setting that
brings in only outside air
and set the fan speed to the
highest setting. See Climate
Control System in the Index.
For more information about
Carbon Monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9 ‑ 38 .
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.
Passing
More passing distance is
needed when towing a trailer.
The combination will not accelerate
as quickly and is longer so it is
necessary to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before
returning to the lane.

Black plate (73,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-73Backing Up Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. Then, to move
the trailer to the left, move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns Notice: Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this
so the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
If the trailer turn signal bulbs burn
out, the arrows on the instrument
panel will still flash for turns. It is important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
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 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 on page 9 ‑ 43 .
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
automatic transmission in P (Park)
for a few minutes before turning the
engine off. If the overheat warning
comes on, see Engine Overheating
on page 10 ‑ 20 .
Parking on Hills
{ WARNINGParking 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 flat 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.

Black plate (74,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
9-74 Driving and Operating 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.
{ WARNINGIt can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle
can roll.
(Continued) WARNING (Continued) 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 firmly set.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill 1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is
clear of the chocks.
7. Stop and have someone pick up
and store the chocks. Maintenance When Trailer
Towing The vehicle needs service
more often when pulling a trailer.
See the Maintenance Schedule
for more information. Things
that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, 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 Towing If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.
Do not tow a trailer during break ‐ in.
See New Vehicle Break-In on
page 9 ‑ 30 for more information.

Black plate (75,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-75
{ WARNINGThe driver can lose control when
pulling a trailer if the correct
equipment is not used or the
vehicle is not driven properly.
For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work
well — or even at all. The driver
and passengers could be
seriously injured. The vehicle may
also be damaged; the resulting
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Pull a trailer
only if all the steps in this section
have been followed. Ask your
dealer for advice and information
about towing a trailer with the
vehicle.
Notice: Pulling a trailer
improperly can damage the
vehicle and result in costly
repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow the advice in this
section and see your dealer for
important information about
towing a trailer with the vehicle.
To identify the trailering capacity of
the vehicle, read the information in
“ Weight of the Trailer ” that appears
later in this section.
Trailering is different than just
driving the vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in
handling, acceleration, braking,
durability and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering takes
correct equipment, and it has
to be used properly.
The following information has many
time-tested, important trailering tips
and safety rules. Many of these are
important for your safety and that of
your passengers. So please read
this section carefully before pulling a
trailer. Weight of the Trailer How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how the rig is used.
Speed, altitude, road grades,
outside temperature and how much
the vehicle is used to pull a trailer
are all important. It can depend on
any special equipment on the
vehicle, and the amount of tongue
weight the vehicle can carry. See
“ Weight of the Trailer Tongue ” later
in this section for more information.
Trailer weight rating (TWR) is
calculated assuming the tow vehicle
has only the driver but all required
trailering equipment. Weight of
additional optional equipment,
passengers and cargo in the tow
vehicle must be subtracted from
the trailer weight rating.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care General Information General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition
65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and
Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks Doing Your Own
Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Compartment
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-10
Automatic Transmission
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-14
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-20
Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22 Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-23
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-30
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Ignition Transmission Lock
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-32
Wiper Blade
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-33
Headlamp Aiming Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
High Intensity Discharge
(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36 Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-37
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Electrical System Electrical System
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Wheels and Tires Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Pressure Monitor
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59

Black plate (2,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-2 Vehicle Care When It Is Time for New
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Different Size Tires and
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-65
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-66
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-66
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Secondary Latch System . . . 10-79
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-81
Jump Starting Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Towing Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-87
Recreational Vehicle
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-87
Appearance Care Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-90
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-94
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-98 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
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems,
many fluids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.

Black plate (4,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-4 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Checks Doing Your Own
Service Work If the vehicle is a hybrid, see
the hybrid supplement for more
information.
{ WARNINGYou can be injured and the
vehicle could be damaged if you
try to do service work on a vehicle
without knowing enough about it. .
Be sure you have sufficient
knowledge, experience,
the proper replacement
parts, and tools before
attempting any vehicle
maintenance task.
(Continued) WARNING (Continued) .
Be sure to use the proper
nuts, bolts, and other
fasteners. Metric and English
fasteners can be easily
confused. If the wrong
fasteners are used, parts can
later break or fall off. You
could be hurt.
If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service
manual. It tells you much more
about how to service the vehicle
than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see Service
Publications Ordering Information
on page 13 ‑ 15 . This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see Airbag System
Check on page 3 ‑ 50 .
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date
of any service work performed.
See Maintenance Records on
page 11 ‑ 10 .

Black plate (10,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2011
10-10 Vehicle Care An oil of this viscosity grade will
provide easier cold starting for
the engine at extremely low
temperatures. When selecting an oil
of the appropriate viscosity grade,
be sure to always select an oil that
meets the required specification,
dexos. See “ Specification ” earlier in
this section for more information.
Engine Oil Additives/Engine
Oil Flushes Do not add anything to the oil. The
recommended oils with the dexos
specification and displaying the
dexos certification mark are all that
is needed for good performance and
engine protection.
Engine oil system flushes are not
recommended and could cause
engine damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain
elements that can be unhealthy for
your skin and could even cause
cancer. Do not let used oil stay on your skin for very long. Clean your
skin and nails with soap and water,
or a good hand cleaner. Wash or
properly dispose of clothing or rags
containing used engine oil. See the
manufacturer's warnings about the
use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the
environment. If you change your
own oil, be sure to drain all the oil
from the filter before disposal. Never
dispose of oil by putting it in the
trash or pouring it on the ground,
into sewers, or into streams or
bodies of water. Recycle it by taking
it to a place that collects used oil.
Engine Oil Life System When to Change Engine Oil
This vehicle has a computer system
that indicates when to change the
engine oil and filter. This is based
on engine revolutions and engine
temperature, and not on mileage.
Based on driving conditions, the
mileage at which an oil change is
indicated can vary considerably. For the oil life system to work
properly, the system must be reset
every time the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated
that oil life has been diminished, it
indicates that an oil change is
necessary. A CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message comes on. See
Engine Oil Messages on page 5 ‑ 34 .
Change the oil as soon as possible
within the next 1 000 km (600 mi).
It is possible that, if driving under
the best conditions, the oil life
system might indicate that an oil
change is not necessary for up to a
year. The engine oil and filter must
be changed at least once a year
and, at this time, the system must
be reset. Your dealer has trained
service people who will perform this
work and reset the system. It is also
important to check the oil regularly
over the course of an oil drain
interval and keep it at the proper
level.