engine CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2006 1.G User Guide

Automatic Transmission Operation
Your vehicle is equipped with an automatic transmission
and features an electronic shift position indicator
located within the instrument panel cluster.
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P):This position locks your drive wheels. It
is the best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle cannot move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To
be sure your vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground, always set your
parking brake and move the shift lever to
PARK (P). SeeShifting Into Park (P) on
page 2-41. If you are pulling a trailer, see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-62.
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{CAUTION:
Your vehicle will be free to roll — even if your
shift lever is in PARK (P) — if your transfer
case is in NEUTRAL. So, be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear — not in NEUTRAL. See
Shifting Into Park (P) on page 2-41.
REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
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,
seeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow
on page 4-44.
NEUTRAL (N):In this position, your engine does not
connect with the drive wheels. To restart when you
are already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless
your foot is rmly on the brake pedal, your
vehicle could move very rapidly. You could
lose control and hit people or objects. Do not
shift into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
with the engine running at high speed may damage
the transmission. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Be sure the engine is not
running at high speed when shifting your vehicle.
DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving. If
you need more power for passing, and you are:
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 will shift down to the next gear and have more
power.
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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. Once the vehicle is moving, shift into
DRIVE (D).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 will not shift into rst gear
until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transmission. If you are
stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
On cold days, approximately 32°F (0°C) or colder, your
transmission is designed to shift differently until the
engine reaches normal operating temperature. This is
intended to improve heater performance.
2-34

Tow/Haul Mode
Your vehicle has a tow/haul mode. The button is located
on the end of the column shift lever. Press the button
to enable or disable the tow/haul mode. You can use this
feature to assist when towing or hauling a heavy load.
See “Tow/Haul Mode” underTowing a Trailer on
page 4-62for more information.
Four-Wheel Drive
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive, you will see the
buttons shown below. 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.
Notice:Driving on clean, dry pavement in
Four-Wheel-Drive High or Four-Wheel-Drive Low for
an extended period of time may cause premature
wear on your vehicle’s powertrain. Do not drive on
clean, dry pavement in Four-Wheel-Drive High or
Four-Wheel-Drive Low for extended periods of time.
The transfer case buttons
are located to the left of
the instrument panel
cluster.
2-35

Indicator lights in the button show which setting you are
in. The indicator lights will come on briey 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 ash while
shifting the transfer case. 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 “Service
4WD message” underDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 3-53.
Shifting Into Four-Wheel High or AUTO
4WD (Automatic Four-Wheel Drive)
Press and release the Four-Wheel High or AUTO 4WD
button. This can be done at any speed, except when
shifting from Four-Wheel Low, and the indicator light will
ash while shifting. It will remain on when the shift is
completed.
Shifting Into Two-Wheel High
Press and release the Two-Wheel High button. This can
be done at any speed, except when shifting from
Four-Wheel Low.
Shifting Into Four-Wheel Low
To shift to the Four-Wheel Low position, the ignition
must be in RUN and the vehicle must be stopped
or moving less than 3 mph (5 km/h) with the
transmission in NEUTRAL (N). The preferred method for
shifting into four-wheel low is to have your vehicle
moving 1 to 2 mph (1.6 to 3.2 km/h). Press and release
the Four-Wheel Low button. You must wait for the
four-wheel low indicator light to stop ashing and remain
on before shifting your transmission in gear.
Notice:Shifting the transmission into gear before
the Four-Wheel Low indicator light has stopped
ashing could damage the transfer case. To
help avoid damaging your vehicle, always wait for
the Four-Wheel Low indicator light to stop ashing
before shifting the transmission into gear.
It is typical for your vehicle to exhibit signicant
engagement noise and bump when shifting between
Four-Wheel Low and Four-Wheel High ranges or from
NEUTRAL with the engine running.
If the Four-Wheel Low button is pressed when your
vehicle is in gear and/or moving, the Four-Wheel Low
indicator light will ash for 30 seconds and not complete
the shift unless your vehicle is moving less than
3 mph (5 km/h) and the transmission is in NEUTRAL (N).
After 30 seconds the transfer case will shift to
Four-Wheel High mode.
2-37

Shifting Out of Four-Wheel Low
To shift from Four-Wheel Low to Four-Wheel High,
AUTO 4WD or Two-Wheel High, your vehicle must be
stopped or moving less than 3 mph (5 km/h) with
the transmission in NEUTRAL (N) and the ignition in
RUN. The preferred method for shifting out of
Four-Wheel Low is to have your vehicle moving
1 to 2 mph (1.6 to 3.2 km/h). Press and release the
Four-Wheel High, AUTO 4WD or Two-Wheel High
button. You must wait for the Four-Wheel High, AUTO
4WD or Two-Wheel High indicator light to stop
ashing and remain on before shifting your transmission
into gear.
Notice:Shifting the transmission into gear before
the Four-Wheel Low indicator light has stopped
ashing could damage the transfer case. To
help avoid damaging your vehicle, always wait for
the Four-Wheel Low indicator light to stop ashing
before shifting the transmission into gear.
It is typical for your vehicle to exhibit signicant
engagement noise and bump when shifting between
Four-Wheel Low and Four-Wheel High ranges or from
NEUTRAL with the engine running.If the Four-Wheel High, AUTO 4WD or Two-Wheel High
switch is pressed when your vehicle is in gear and/or
moving, the Four-Wheel High, AUTO 4WD or
Two-Wheel High indicator light will ash for 30 seconds
but will not complete the shift unless your vehicle is
moving less than 3 mph (5 km/h) and the transmission
is in NEUTRAL (N).
Shifting into NEUTRAL
To shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL do the following:
1. Make sure the vehicle is parked so that it will not roll.
2. Set the parking brake. SeeParking Brake on
page 2-40for more information.
3. Start the vehicle or turn the ignition to RUN.
4. Put the transmission in NEUTRAL (N).
5. Shift the transfer case to Two-Wheel High.
6. Simultaneously press and hold the Two-Wheel High
and Four-Wheel Low buttons for 10 seconds. The
NEUTRAL light will come on when the transfer case
shift to NEUTRAL is complete.
2-38

7. If the engine is running, verify that the transmission
is in NEUTRAL (N) by shifting the transmission to
REVERSE (R) for one second, then shift the
transmission to DRIVE (D) for one second.
8. Turn the ignition to ACCESSORY, which will turn
the engine off.
9. Place the transmission shift lever in PARK (P).
10. Turn the ignition to LOCK.
Shifting Out of NEUTRAL
To shift out of NEUTRAL do the following:
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 (Two-Wheel High, Four-Wheel High, AUTO
4WD, or Four-Wheel Low).
After the transfer case has shifted out of NEUTRAL
the NEUTRAL light will go out.
4. Release the parking brake.Notice:Shifting the transmission into gear before
the Four-Wheel Low indicator light has stopped
ashing could damage the transfer case. To
help avoid damaging your vehicle, always wait for
the Four-Wheel Low indicator light to stop ashing
before shifting the transmission into gear.
5. Start the engine and shift the transmission to the
desired position.
Excessively shifting the transfer case into or out of the
different modes may cause the transfer case to
enter the shift protection mode. This will protect the
transfer case from possible damage and will only allow
the transfer case to respond to one shift per
10 seconds. The transfer case may stay in this mode for
up to three minutes.
2-39

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 rmly 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 will
not move, even when you are 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 are pulling a trailer, see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-62.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into the PARK (P) position by
pulling the shift lever toward you and moving it up
as far as it will go.3. Be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear — not
in NEUTRAL (N).
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).
2-41

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 rmly 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 re.
You or others could be injured. Do not leave
your vehicle with the engine running unless
you have to.If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and the
parking brake is rmly set before you leave it. After you
move the shift lever into PARK (P), hold the regular
brake pedal down. Then, see if you can move the shift
lever away from PARK (P) without rst pulling it
toward you. If you can, it means that the shift lever was
not fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl
in the transmission. You may nd it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called torque lock. To
prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave the driver’s
seat. To nd out how, seeShifting Into Park (P) on
page 2-41.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission, then
you will be able to pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
2-42

Engine Exhaust
{CAUTION:
Engine exhaust can kill. It contains the gas
carbon monoxide (CO), which you cannot see or
smell. It can cause unconsciousness and death.
You might have exhaust coming in if:
Your exhaust system sounds strange or
different.
Your vehicle gets rusty underneath.
Your vehicle was damaged in a collision.
Your vehicle was damaged when driving
over high points on the road or over road
debris.
Repairs were not done correctly.
Your vehicle or exhaust system has been
modied improperly.
If you ever suspect exhaust is coming into your
vehicle:
Drive it only with all the windows down to
blow out any CO; and
Have your vehicle xed immediately.
Running the Engine While Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running. But if you
ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust into
your vehicle. See the earlier caution under
Engine Exhaust on page 2-44.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle even if
the climate control fan is at the highest setting.
One place this can happen is a garage.
Exhaust — with CO — can come in easily.
NEVER park in a garage with the engine
running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
SeeWinter Driving on page 4-40.
2-44