CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2002 1.G Owners Manual

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REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transmission.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transmission, see
ªStuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snowº in the Index.NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine
doesn't connect with the wheels. To restart when you're
already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
CAUTION:
Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine is ªracingº (running at high speed)
is dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit people
or objects. Don't shift out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while your engine is racing.

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DRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving.
If you need more power for passing, and you're:

Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h),
push your accelerator pedal about halfway down.

Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more,
push the accelerator all the way down.
You'll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
DRIVE (D) can be used when towing a trailer, carrying
a heavy load, driving on steep hills or for off
-road
driving. You may want to shift the transmission to
THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower gear selection
if the transmission shifts too often.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving, however it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than DRIVE (D).
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to use
your brakes off and on.
If you manually select SECOND (2) the transmission will
drive in second gear. You may use this feature for reducing
the speed of the rear wheels when you are trying to start
your vehicle from a stop on slippery road surfaces.FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than SECOND (2). You can
use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
shift lever is put in FIRST (1) while the vehicle is
moving forward, the transmission won't shift into first
gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your rear wheels can't rotate, don't try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against a solid
object. You could damage your transmission.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don't hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator pedal.
This could overheat and damage the transmission.
Use your brakes or shift into PARK (P) to hold
your vehicle in position on a hill.
On cold days, approximately 32F (0C) or colder,
your transmission is designed to shift differently until
the engine reaches normal operating temperature.
This is intended to improve heater performance.

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Tow/Haul Mode Selector Button
Your vehicle is equipped with a tow/haul mode.
The button is located on the end of the column shift
lever. You can use this feature to assist when towing or
hauling a heavy load. See ªTow/Haul Modeº in the
Index for more information.
Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive, you can send
your engine's driving power to all four wheels for extra
traction. To get the most satisfaction out of four
-wheel
drive, you must be familiar with its operation. Read the
part that follows before using four
-wheel drive. See the
appropriate text for the transfer case in your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Driving in the 4-WHEEL HIGH (4HI) or
4
-WHEEL LOW (4LO) positions for a long
time on dry or wet pavement could shorten the
life of your vehicle's drivetrain.

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Front Axle Locking Feature
The front axle locks and unlocks automatically when
you shift the transfer case. Some delay for the axle to
lock or unlock is normal.
Automatic Transfer Case
The transfer case switches
are located to the left of the
instrument panel cluster.
Use these switches to shift into and out of
four
-wheel drive.
You can choose among four driving settings:
2HI: This setting is used for driving in most street
and highway situations. Your front axle is not engaged
in two
-wheel drive. This setting also provides the best
fuel economy.
AUTO 4WD: This setting is ideal for use when road
conditions are variable. When driving your vehicle in
AUTO 4WD, the front axle is engaged, but the
vehicle's power is sent to the rear wheels. When the
vehicle senses a loss of traction, the system will
automatically engage four
-wheel drive. Driving in this
mode results in slightly lower fuel economy than 2HI.

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4HI: Use 4HI when you need extra traction, such as
on snowy or icy roads or in most off
-road situations.
This setting also engages your front axle to help drive
your vehicle. This is the best setting to use when
plowing snow.
4LO: This setting also engages your front axle and
delivers extra torque. You may never need 4LO. It sends
maximum power to all four wheels. You might choose
4LO if you are driving off
-road in deep sand, deep mud,
deep snow and climbing or descending steep hills.
CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the transmission
is in PARK (P). You or someone else could be
seriously injured. Be sure to set the parking
brake before placing the transfer case in
NEUTRAL. See ªParking Brakeº in the Index.
NEUTRAL: Shift the vehicle's transfer case to
NEUTRAL only when towing your vehicle.
See ªRecreational Vehicle Towingº or ªTowing
Your Vehicleº in the Index for more information.
Indicator lights in the switches show which setting your
transfer case is in. The indicator lights will come on
briefly when you turn on the ignition and one will stay
on. If the lights do not come on, you should take your
vehicle to your dealer for service. An indicator light will
flash while the transfer case is being shifted. It will
remain illuminated when the shift is complete. If for
some reason the transfer case cannot make a requested
shift, it will return to the last chosen setting.
If the SERVICE 4WD message stays on, you
should take your vehicle to your dealer for service.
See ªService 4WDº in the Index for further information.

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Shifting to 4HI or AUTO 4WD
Press and release the 4HI or AUTO 4WD switch.
This can be done at any speed (except when shifting
from 4LO), and the indicator light will flash while
shifting. It will remain illuminated when the shift
is completed.
Shifting to 2HI
Press and release the 2HI switch. This can be done
at any speed (except when shifting from 4LO).
Shifting to 4LO
To shift to 4LO, the ignition must be in RUN and the
vehicle must be stopped or moving less than 3 mph
(4.8 km/h) with the transmission in NEUTRAL (N).
The preferred method for shifting into 4LO is to have
your vehicle moving 1 to 2 mph (1.6 to 3.2 km/h).
Press and release the 4LO switch. You must wait for
the 4LO indicator light to stop flashing and remain
illuminated before shifting your transmission in gear.If the 4LO switch is pressed when your vehicle is in
gear and/or moving, the 4LO indicator light will flash
for 30 seconds and not complete the shift unless your
vehicle is moving less than 3 mph (4.8 km/h) and the
transmission is in NEUTRAL (N). After 30 seconds
the transfer case will return to the setting last chosen.
Shifting Out of 4LO
To shift from 4LO to 4HI, AUTO 4WD or 2HI your
vehicle must be stopped or moving less than 3 mph
(4.8 km/h) with the transmission in NEUTRAL (N) and
the ignition in RUN. The preferred method for shifting
out of 4LO is to have your vehicle moving 1 to 2 mph
(1.6 to 3.2 km/h). Press and release the 4HI, AUTO
4WD or 2HI switch. You must wait for the 4HI, AUTO
4WD or 2HI indicator light to stop flashing and remain
illuminated before shifting your transmission into gear.
If the 4HI, AUTO 4WD or 2HI switch is pressed when
your vehicle is in gear and/or moving, the 4HI, AUTO
4WD or 2HI indicator light will flash for 30 seconds but
will not complete the shift unless your vehicle is moving
less than 3 mph (4.8 km/h) and the transmission is
in NEUTRAL (N).

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Shifting to NEUTRAL
To shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL, first make sure
the vehicle is parked so that it will not roll:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Start the vehicle or turn the ignition to RUN.
3. Connect the vehicle to the towing vehicle.
4. Put the transmission in NEUTRAL (N).
5. Shift the transfer case to 2HI.
6. Simultaneously press and hold the 2HI and 4LO
buttons for 10 seconds. The red NEUTRAL light
will come on when the transfer case shift to
NEUTRAL is complete.
7. Shift the transmission to REVERSE (R) for one
second, then shift the transmission to DRIVE (D)
for one second.
8. Turn the ignition to OFF.
9. Place the transmission shift lever in PARK (P).
10. Release the parking brake prior to towing.Shifting Out of NEUTRAL
To shift out of NEUTRAL:
1. Set the parking brake and apply the regular brake pedal.
2. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL (N) and turn the
ignition to RUN with the engine off.
3. Press the button for the desired transfer case shift
position (2HI, 4HI, AUTO 4WD or 4LO).
4. After the transfer case has shifted out of NEUTRAL
the red light will go out.
5. You may start the engine and shift the transmission
to the desired position.

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Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot. Push down the parking brake
pedal with your left foot.
If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light will
flash. A chime will activate when the parking brake is
applied and the vehicle is moved at least 3 mph (5 km/h)
for at least three seconds.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the bottom edge of the lever, located
above the parking brake pedal, marked BRAKE
RELEASE, to release the parking brake.
If the ignition is on when the parking brake is released,
the brake system warning light will go off.
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see ªTowing a Trailerº in the Index. That section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.

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Shifting Into PARK (P)
CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle won't move,
even when you're on fairly level ground, use the
steps that follow. With four
-wheel drive if your
transfer case is in NEUTRAL, your vehicle
will be free to roll, even if your shift lever is in
PARK (P). So, be sure the transfer case is in a
drive gear
-- not in NEUTRAL. If you're pulling
a trailer, see ªTowing a Trailerº in the Index.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) position like this:

Pull the shift lever toward you.

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Move the lever up as far as it will go.
3. Be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear
-- not
in NEUTRAL.
4. Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
5. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running
CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake firmly set. If you have
four
-wheel drive and your transfer case is in
NEUTRAL, your vehicle will be free to roll,
even if your shift lever is in PARK (P). So be
sure the transfer case is in a drive gear
-- not in
NEUTRAL. And, if you leave the vehicle with the
engine running, it could overheat and even catch
fire. You or others could be injured. Don't leave
your vehicle with the engine running unless you
have to.