transmission CADILLAC ESCALADE EXT 2011 3.G Owner's Guide

Black plate (64,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
9-64 Driving and Operating
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.” For information on towing a disabled
vehicle, see
Towing the Vehicle on
page 10‑89. For information on
towing the vehicle behind another
vehicle such as a motor home, see
Recreational Vehicle Towing on
page 10‑90.
Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips
Pulling a Trailer
Here are some important points:
.There are many different laws,
including speed limit restrictions,
having to do with trailering.
Make sure the rig will be legal,
not only where you live but
also where you will be driving.
A good source for this
information can be state or
provincial police.
.Consider using a sway control.
See “Hitches” later in this
section.
.Do not tow a trailer at all during
the first 800 km (500 miles) the
new vehicle is driven. The
engine, axle or other parts could
be damaged.
.Then, during the first 800 km
(500 miles) that a trailer is
towed, do not drive over 80 km/h
(50 mph) and do not make starts
at full throttle. This helps the
engine and other parts of the
vehicle wear in at the heavier
loads.
.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.
Important considerations that have
to do with weight:
.The weight of the trailer
.The weight of the trailer tongue
.The weight on the vehicle's tires
.And the weight of the trailering
combination

Black plate (66,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
9-66 Driving and Operating
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.
Backing 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
beforestarting 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.

Black plate (67,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-67
The tow/haul mode may be used if
the transmission shifts too often.
SeeTow/Haul Mode on page 9‑42.
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 10‑22.Parking on Hills
{WARNING
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 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.
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.
{WARNING
It 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.
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.

Black plate (68,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
9-68 Driving and Operating
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 isclear 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 this
manual's Maintenance Schedule or
Index 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
Do not tow a trailer during break‐in.
See New Vehicle Break-In on
page 9‑30 for more information.
{WARNING
The 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.

Black plate (75,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-75
Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul
when lightly loaded or with no
trailer at all will not cause damage.
However, there is no benefit to the
selection of Tow/Haul when the
vehicle is unloaded. Such a
selection when unloaded may
result in unpleasant engine and
transmission driving characteristics
and reduced fuel economy. Tow/
Haul is recommended only when
pulling a heavy trailer or a large or
heavy load.Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
Notice:Do not add anything
electrical to the vehicle unless
you check with your dealer first.
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle and the
damage would not be covered
by the vehicle's warranty. Some
add-on electrical equipment can
keep other components from
working as they should. Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12‐volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 3‑37
andAdding
Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 3‑38.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition 65Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-12
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-16
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-22 Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-25
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-32
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-34
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-35
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker, Stoplamps,
and Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . 10-38
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-39
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-50
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52

Black plate (7,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-7
A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑16.
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System on page 10‑18.
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting on
page 10‑85.
D. Battery on page 10‑29.
E. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (GND) (Out of View). See Jump
Starting on page 10‑85. F. Automatic Transmission
Dipstick (Out of View). See
“Checking the Fluid Level”
under Automatic Transmission
Fluid on page 10‑13.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑8.
H. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See “Checking Engine
Oil” under Engine Oil on
page 10‑8.
I. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System on
page 10‑18. J. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
(Out of View). See Power
Steering Fluid on page 10‑25.
K. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
under Brake Fluid on
page 10‑28.
L. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑41.
M. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid on
page 10‑26.

Black plate (13,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-13
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
When to Check and Change
Automatic Transmission Fluid
It is usually not necessary to check
the transmission fluid level. The
only reason for fluid loss is a
transmission leak or overheating the
transmission. If a small leak is
suspected, then use the following
checking procedures to check the
fluid level. However, if there is a
large leak, then it may be necessary
to have the vehicle towed to a
dealer service department and have
it repaired before driving the vehicle
further.
Notice:Use of the incorrect
automatic transmission fluid
may damage the vehicle, and the
damages may not be covered by
the vehicle's warranty. Always
use the automatic transmission
fluid listed in Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants on
page 11‑7. Change the fluid and filter at the
scheduled maintenance intervals
listed in
Scheduled Maintenance on
page 11‑2. Be sure to use the
transmission fluid listed in
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑7.
How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid
Notice: Too much or too
little fluid can damage the
transmission. Too much can
mean that some of the fluid could
come out and fall on hot engine
parts or exhaust system parts,
starting a fire. Too little fluid
could cause the transmission to
overheat. Be sure to get an
accurate reading if checking the
transmission fluid. Before checking the fluid 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).

Black plate (14,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
10-14 Vehicle Care
6. Using the TRANS TEMPreading, 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 fluid temperature is
reached.
Cold Check Procedure
Use this procedure only as a
reference to determine if the
transmission has enough fluid to be
operated safely until a hot check
procedure can be made. The hot
check procedure is the most
accurate method to check the
fluid level. Perform the hot check
procedure at the first opportunity.
Use this cold check procedure
to check fluid level when the
transmission temperature is
between 27°C and 32°C
(80°F and 90°F).
1. Locate the transmission dipstick at the rear of the engine
compartment, on the passenger
side of the vehicle.
See Engine Compartment
Overview on page 10‑6 for more
information.
2. Flip the handle up and then pull out the dipstick and wipe it with
a clean rag or paper towel.
3. Install the dipstick by pushing it back in all the way, wait
three seconds, and then pull it
back out again.
4. Check both sides of the dipstick and read the lower level. Repeat
the check procedure to verify the
reading.5. If the fluid level is below theCOLD check band, add only
enough fluid as necessary to
bring the level into the COLD
band. It does not take much
fluid, generally less than 0.5 L
(1 pint). Do not overfill.
6. Perform a hot check at the first opportunity after the
transmission reaches a normal
operating temperature between
71°C to 93°C (160°F to 200°F).
7. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way, then
flip the handle down to lock the
dipstick in place.

Black plate (15,1)Cadillac Escalade EXT Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-15
Hot Check Procedure
Use this procedure to check the
transmission fluid level when the
transmission fluid temperature
is between 71°C and 93°C
(160°F and 200°F).
The hot check is the most accurate
method to check the fluid level. The
hot check should be performed at
the first opportunity in order to verify
the cold check. The fluid level rises
as fluid temperature increases,
so it is important to ensure the
transmission temperature is within
range.
1. Locate the transmission dipstickat the rear of the engine
compartment, on the passenger
side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 10‑6 for more
information.
2. Flip the handle up and then pull out the dipstick and wipe it with
a clean rag or paper towel.
3. Install the dipstick by pushing it back in all the way, wait
three seconds, and then pull it
back out again.
4. Check both sides of the dipstick and read the lower level. Repeat
the check procedure to verify the
reading.5. Safe operating level is within theHOT cross hatch band on the
dipstick. If the fluid level is not
within the HOT band, and the transmission temperature is
between 71°C and 93°C
(160°F and 200°F), add or drain
fluid as necessary to bring the
level into the HOT band. If the
fluid level is low, add only
enough fluid to bring the level
into the HOT band. It does not
take much fluid, generally less
than 0.5 L (1 pint). Do not
overfill.
6. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way, then
flip the handle down to lock the
dipstick in place.