While the 2002 Cadillac Escalade is superior to the other General Motors SUVs in terms of luxury and available features, it requires routine maintenance like all the rest. One commonly neglected maintenance item is the fuel filter. Located in-line, in the fuel line along the left frame rail, the fuel filter traps particulates in the gasoline, preventing them from damaging the fuel rail, injectors or combustion chamber. Cadillac recommends replacing the fuel filter on your 2000 Escalade every 15,000 miles to keep the luxury SUV running at optimal performance.
Open the Escalade's hood. Locate the fuel pressure relief valve, mounted in the rear of the fuel rail, by the firewall.
Remove the fuel pressure relief valve cap -- it resembles a tire valve stem cap -- and set it aside. Touch the tip of the pocket screwdriver to the fuel pressure relief valve center pin.
Wrap the rag around the valve and screwdriver to catch the released fuel and push down on the center pin with the pocket screwdriver to relieve the fuel pressure. Set the rag in the drain pan when done and reinstall the valve cap.
Slide under the driver's side of the Escalade, behind the front wheel. Center the drain pan below the old fuel filter.
Hold the outlet side nut on the old fuel filter with one 13 mm box wrench while loosening the mated nut on the fuel line with the other 13 mm box wrench. Repeat this on the inlet side of the filter. Pull the fuel lines off the old filter.
Slide the old filter out of the filter strap and set it in the drain pan. Slip the Escalade's new filter into the strap, making sure the gas flow arrow points to the engine.
Replace the o-rings in the fuel line ends with the new o-rings provided with the new fuel filter. Failure to replace these o-rings can result in a fuel leak. Slide the fuel lines onto filter and tighten them with the wrenches.
Climb out from under the Escalade with the drain pan, old filter and wrenches. Turn the ignition to the run position and listen for the fuel pump to cycle once. This should take approximately seven seconds. Start the Escalade.
