service CADILLAC ESCALADE HYBRID 2012 Owners Manual

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
2012 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid MIn Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-1
Hybrid Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Performance and
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5 Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-1
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . 9-7
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-15
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-16 Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Service and Maintenance . . . 11-1
Recommended Fluids,
Lubricants, and Parts . . . . . . . 11-2
Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1

Black plate (2,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
ii Introduction The names, logos, emblems,
slogans, vehicle model names, and
vehicle body designs appearing in
this manual including, but not limited
to, GM, the GM logo, CADILLAC,
the CADILLAC Crest and Wreath,
and ESCALADE are trademarks
and/or service marks of General
Motors LLC, its subsidiaries,
affiliates, or licensors.
This manual describes features that
may or may not be on your specific
vehicle either because they are
options that you did not purchase
or due to changes subsequent to
the printing of this owner manual.
Please refer to the purchase
documentation relating to your
specific vehicle to confirm each of
the features found on your vehicle.
For vehicles first sold in Canada,
substitute the name “ General
Motors of Canada Limited ” for
Cadillac Motor Division wherever
it appears in this manual. Keep this manual in the vehicle for
quick reference.
Your hybrid SUV is designed to be
more fuel efficient than the standard
SUV, which results in reduced
carbon dioxide emissions.
Canadian Vehicle Owners Propriétaires Canadiens A French language copy of this
manual can be obtained from your
dealer or from:
On peut obtenir un exemplaire de
ce guide en français auprès du
concessionnaire ou à l'adresse
suivante:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
Numéro de poste 6438 de
langue française
www.helminc.com Using this Supplement This supplement contains
information specific to the unique
components of the vehicle. It does
not explain everything you need to
know about the vehicle. Read this
supplement along with the owner
manual to learn about the vehicle's
features and controls.
Index A good place to look for what you
need is the Index in back of this
supplement. It is an alphabetical list
of what is in the supplement, and
the page number where you will
find it.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 20902924 A First Printing ©
2011 General Motors LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
In Brief 1-1
In Brief Initial Drive Information Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Hybrid Features High Voltage Safety
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Fuel Economy Gauge . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Automatic Engine Start/Stop
Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Regenerative Braking . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Performance and Maintenance Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5 Initial Drive
Information Transmission Range Selection Mode
The Range Selection Mode switch
is located on the shift lever.
To enable the Range Selection
feature:
1. Move the column shift lever
to the M (Manual) position.
The current range will appear
next to the M. This is the
highest attainable range with
all lower gears accessible. As an example, when
3 (Third) gear is selected,
1 (First) through 3 (Third) gears
are available.
2. Press the plus/minus buttons,
located on the steering column
shift lever, to select the desired
range of gears for current driving
conditions. See Automatic
Transmission Operation in the
owner manual.
Cruise control can be used while the
vehicle is in Range Selection Mode.
See Manual Mode on page 9 ‑ 10 .
Four-Wheel Drive If the vehicle has four-wheel drive,
you can send the engine's driving
power to all four wheels for extra
traction. Read the following before
using four-wheel drive.

Black plate (2,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
1-2 In Brief Automatic Transfer Case
The transfer case knob is located
to the left of the instrument panel
cluster. You can choose among
five driving settings:
2
m (Two-Wheel Drive High): This
setting is used for driving in most
street and highway situations.
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel
Drive): This setting is ideal for
use when road surface traction
conditions are variable. 4
m (Four-Wheel Drive High): Use
the four-wheel high position when
you need extra traction, such as
on snowy or icy roads or in most
off-road situations.
4
n (Four-Wheel Drive Low): This
setting delivers extra torque. You
might choose Four-Wheel Drive Low
if you are driving off-road in deep
sand, deep mud, deep snow, and
while climbing or descending steep
hills.
N (Neutral): Shift the vehicle's
transfer case to N (Neutral) only
when towing the vehicle. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing on
page 10 ‑ 33 and “ Towing the
Vehicle ” in the owner manual.
See Four-Wheel Drive on
page 9 ‑ 11 .Hybrid Features High Voltage Safety
Information This vehicle has a standard
12-volt battery and a high voltage
hybrid battery. Only a trained
service technician with the proper
knowledge and tools should inspect,
test, or replace the hybrid battery.
See your dealer if the hybrid battery
needs service.
The 12-volt battery cables, in the
engine compartment, are clearly
labeled. In emergency situations,
first responders can cut those
cables to disable the high voltage
hybrid battery system.

Black plate (5,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
In Brief 1-5
Battery This vehicle has a standard 12-volt
battery and a high voltage hybrid
battery. When a new standard
12-volt battery is needed, see
your dealer for one that has the
replacement number shown on
the original battery's label. Only a
trained service technician with the
proper knowledge and tools should
inspect, test, or replace the hybrid
battery. See your dealer if the hybrid
battery needs service. See Battery
on page 10 ‑ 11 . Service Never try to do your own service on
hybrid components. You can be
injured and the vehicle can be
damaged if you try to do your own
service work. Service and repair of
these hybrid components should
only be performed by a trained
service technician with the proper
knowledge and tools. See Doing
Your Own Service Work on
page 10 ‑ 2 .
Performance and
Maintenance Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit This vehicle has a tire sealant and
compressor kit that can be used to
seal small punctures in the tread
area of the tire. Significant sidewall
damage will require the tire to be
replaced.
See Tire Sealant and Compressor
Kit on page 10 ‑ 22 for complete
operating information.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-1
Seats and
Restraints Airbag System Replacing Airbag System Parts
after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Airbag System Replacing Airbag System
Parts after a Crash If an airbag inflates or the vehicle
has been in a crash, the vehicle's
sensing system may command
the automatic hybrid battery
disconnect to open. When the
battery disconnect is open, the
hybrid battery will be off and the
vehicle will not start. The airbag
readiness light and/or SERVICE
HYBRID SYSTEM warning
message may come on in the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
See “ Airbag Readiness Light ”
in the owner manual and Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5 ‑ 5 for more information. To operate the vehicle, the
automatic hybrid battery
disconnect must be reconnected
by a qualified service technician
and sensing system parts will need
to be replaced. Have the vehicle
serviced right away.

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-1
Instruments and
Controls Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Fuel Economy Gauge . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . 5-4
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . 5-4
Information Displays Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5 Vehicle Messages Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Battery Voltage and Charging
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Brake System Messages . . . . . . 5-6
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Service Vehicle Messages . . . . 5-7
Transmission Messages . . . . . . 5-7

Black plate (4,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
5-4 Instruments and Controls
Charging System Light
This 12 ‐ volt battery light comes on
briefly when the ignition is turned to
ON/RUN, but the engine is not
running, as a check to show it is
working.
It should go out once the engine
has been started. If it stays on,
or comes on while driving, there
could be a problem with the 12 ‐ volt
charging system. Have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. A 12 ‐ volt
charging system Driver Information
Center (DIC) message may also
appear. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5 ‑ 5 for more
information. This light could indicate
that there are electrical problems.
Have it checked right away. If a short distance must be driven with
the light on, be certain to turn off all
the accessories.
Engine Oil Pressure Light
{ WARNINGDo not keep driving if the oil
pressure is low. The engine can
become so hot that it catches fire.
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 for changing engine oil. This light comes on briefly as a
check it works, when the ignition is
in ON/RUN. If it does not, have the
vehicle serviced.
If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and might have
some other system problem.
During an Auto Stop there is zero
oil pressure, but this light will not
come on.

Black plate (6,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
5-6 Instruments and Controls
Battery Voltage and
Charging Messages SERVICE BATTERY
CHARGING SYSTEM If the 12-volt battery system faults or
fails this message will appear on the
DIC. The battery/charging system
light will appear in the instrument
panel cluster. See “ Battery Warning
Light ” in the owner manual. Driving
with this message on could drain
the battery. Have the electrical
system checked as soon as
possible. Brake System Messages SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM This message may be displayed if
there is a problem with the brake
system. You will still be able to
brake, but it will be noticeably more
difficult. Pull off the road to a safe
location and have your vehicle
towed to the nearest dealer for
service. See “ Brakes, ” “ Brake
System Warning Light, ” and “ ABS
Brake System Warning Light ” in the
owner manual.
This message may also come on
when you are towing a trailer. See
“ Trailer Brakes ” under Trailer Towing
on page 9 ‑ 16 for more information. Door Ajar Messages HOOD OPEN If the hood is not fully closed or
there is a problem with the hood
switch, this message will be
displayed. Close the hood to clear
the message. If the HOOD OPEN
message continues to be displayed
after verifying the hood is closed,
you should have the hood switch
serviced. Failure to service the hood
switch properly can result in an Auto
Start condition.
Auto Stops will be disabled when
this message is displayed. If the
vehicle is in Auto Stop mode when
this message appears, the engine
will instantly start.

Black plate (7,1)Cadillac Escalade Hybrid - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-7
Engine Oil Messages OIL PRESSURE LOW STOP
ENGINE If engine oil pressure is low, this
message will be displayed on the
DIC. Stop the vehicle as soon as
safely possible and do not operate
it until the cause of the low oil
pressure has been corrected. Check
your oil level as soon as possible
and have your vehicle serviced. See
“ Engine Oil ” in the owner manual. Service Vehicle Messages SERVICE HYBRID SYSTEM If this message is displayed on the
DIC, the vehicle may continue to
operate, but you need to have it
serviced as soon as possible.
SERVICE POWER STEERING This message displays if a problem
has been detected with the electric
power steering. Have your vehicle
serviced by your dealer immediately. Transmission Messages SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE This message may display if a
problem occurs with the
four-wheel-drive system. If this
message appears, stop as soon as
possible and turn off the vehicle.
Make sure the key is in the
LOCK/OFF position for at least
one minute and then restart the
vehicle and check for the message
on the DIC display. If the message
is still displayed or appears again
when you begin driving, the
four-wheel-drive system needs
service. See your dealer.