CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2007 2.G Owners Manual

Washing Your Vehicle............................... 541
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 541
Finish Care............................................... 541
Windshield and Wiper Blades.................... 542
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels......... 542
Tires......................................................... 543
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 544
Finish Damage.......................................... 544
Underbody Maintenance............................ 544
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 544
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials............ 545
Vehicle Identication.................................. 546
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)........... 546
Service Parts Identication Label............... 546Electrical System........................................ 547
Add-On Electrical Equipment..................... 547
Windshield Wiper Fuses............................ 547
Power Windows and Other
Power Options....................................... 547
Fuses and Circuit Breakers....................... 548
Instrument Panel Fuse Block..................... 548
Center Instrument Panel Fuse Block......... 550
Underhood Fuse Block.............................. 551
Capacities and Specications.................... 556
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
431

Service
Your dealer knows your vehicle best and wants
you to be happy with it. We hope you will
go to your dealer for all your service needs.
You will get genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.We hope you will want to keep your GM vehicle all
GM. Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
432

Accessories and Modications
When you add non-GM accessories to your vehicle
they can affect your vehicle’s performance and
safety, including such things as, airbags, braking,
stability, ride and handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and electronic systems
like anti-lock brakes, traction control and
stability control. Some of these accessories
may even cause malfunction or damage not
covered by warranty.
GM Accessories are designed to complement
and function with other systems on your vehicle.
Your GM dealer can accessorize your vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories. When you go to
your GM dealer and ask for GM Accessories,
you will know that GM-trained and supported
service technicians will perform the work using
genuine GM Accessories.
California Proposition 65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this one,
contain and/or emit chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer and birth
defects or other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems (including
some inside the vehicle), many uids, and
some component wear by-products contain
and/or emit these chemicals.
433

Doing Your Own Service Work
{CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could
be damaged if you try to do service work
on a vehicle without knowing enough
about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement
parts, and tools before you attempt any
vehicle maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts,
and other fasteners. English and metric
fasteners can be easily confused. If you
use the wrong fasteners, parts can later
break or fall off. You could be hurt.If you want to do some of your own service work,
you should use the proper service manual. It
tells you much more about how to service your
vehicle than this manual can. To order the proper
service manual, seeService Publications
Ordering Information on page 600.
Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before
attempting to do your own service work, see
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
on page 86.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of any service
work you perform. SeeMaintenance Record
on page 578.
434

Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your
vehicle can affect the airow around it. This may
cause wind noise and affect windshield washer
performance. Check with your dealer before
adding equipment to the outside of your vehicle.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an important
part of the proper maintenance of your vehicle.
To help keep your engine clean and maintain
optimum vehicle performance, GM recommends
the use of gasoline advertised as TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline.The 8th digit of your Vehicle Identication
Number (VIN) shows the code letter or number
that identies your engine. You will nd the VIN at
the top left of the instrument panel. SeeVehicle
Identication Number (VIN) on page 546.
If your vehicle has the 5.3L V8 engine (VIN Code 0)
or the 5.3L V8 engine (VIN Code 3), you may use
either regular unleaded gasoline or ethanol fuel
containing up to 85% ethanol (E85); also see
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) on page 438. In all other
engines, use only regular unleaded gasoline.
435

Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted
octane rating of 87 or higher. If the octane
rating is less than 87, you may notice an audible
knocking noise when you drive, commonly
referred to as spark knock. If this occurs, use
a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as soon
as possible. If you are using gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher and you hear heavy knocking,
your engine needs service.
Gasoline Specications
At a minimum, gasoline should meet
ASTM specication D 4814 in the United States
or CAN/CGSB-3.5 in Canada. Some gasolines
may contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT). General Motors recommends
against the use of gasolines containing MMT.
SeeAdditives on page 437for additional
information.
California Fuel
If your vehicle is certied to meet California
Emissions Standards, it is designed to operate
on fuels that meet California specications.
See the underhood emission control label.
If this fuel is not available in states adopting
California emissions standards, your vehicle will
operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specications, but emission control system
performance may be affected. The malfunction
indicator lamp may turn on and your vehicle may
fail a smog-check test. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp on page 250. If this occurs, return to
your authorized GM dealer for diagnosis. If it is
determined that the condition is caused by the
type of fuel used, repairs may not be covered
by your warranty.
436

Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the
United States are now required to contain additives
that will help prevent engine and fuel system
deposits from forming, allowing your emission
control system to work properly. In most cases,
you should not have to add anything to your
fuel. However, some gasolines contain only the
minimum amount of additive required to meet U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency regulations.
To help keep fuel injectors and intake valves clean,
or if your vehicle experiences problems due to
dirty injectors or valves, look for gasoline that is
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.
Also, your dealer has additives that will help
correct and prevent most deposit-related problems.
Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as
ethers and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines
may be available in your area. General Motors
recommends that you use these gasolines if they
comply with the specications described earlier.However, E85 (85% ethanol) and other fuels
containing more than 10% ethanol must not
be used in vehicles that were not designed for
those fuels.
Notice:Your vehicle was not designed for
fuel that contains methanol. Do not use
fuel containing methanol. It can corrode metal
parts in the fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage would
not be covered under your warranty.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane-enhancing
additive called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT); ask the attendant where you
buy gasoline whether the fuel contains MMT.
General Motors recommends against the use of
such gasolines. Fuels containing MMT can reduce
the life of spark plugs and the performance of
the emission control system may be affected.
The malfunction indicator lamp may turn on.
If this occurs, return to your dealer for service.
437

Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)
The 8th digit of your Vehicle Identication
Number (VIN) shows the code letter or number
that identies your engine. You will nd the VIN at
the top left of the instrument panel. SeeVehicle
Identication Number (VIN) on page 546.
If your vehicle has the 5.3L V8 engine (Code 0)
or the 5.3L V8 engine (Code 3), you may use
either regular unleaded gasoline or ethanol fuel
containing up to 85% ethanol (E85); also see
Fuel on page 435. In all other engines, use only
the unleaded gasoline described underGasoline
Octane on page 436.
Only vehicles that have the 5.3L V8 engine
(Code 0) or the 5.3L V8 engine (Code 3) may
use 85% ethanol fuel (E85). General Motors
encourages the use of E85 in vehicles that are
designed to use it. The ethanol in E85 is a
“renewable” fuel, meaning it is made from
renewable sources such as corn and
other crops.Many service stations will not have an 85% ethanol
fuel (E85) pump available. The U. S. Department
of Energy has an alternative fuels website
(www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/infrastructure/
locator.html) that can help you nd E85 fuel.
Those stations that do have E85 should have a
label indicating ethanol content. Do not use the fuel
if the ethanol content is greater than 85%.
At a minimum, E85 should meet ASTM
Specication D 5798. By denition, this means
that fuel labeled E85 will have an ethanol content
between 70% and 85%. Filling the fuel tank
with fuel mixtures that do not meet ASTM
specications can affect driveability and could
cause the check engine light to come on.
To ensure quick starts in the wintertime, the
E85 fuel must be formulated properly for your
climate according to ASTM specication D 5798.
If you have trouble starting on E85, it may
be because your E85 fuel is not properly
formulated for your climate. If this happens,
switching to gasoline or adding gasoline
to your fuel tank may improve starting.
438

For good starting and heater efficiency below
32°F (0°C), the fuel mix in the fuel tank should
contain no more than 70% ethanol. It is best not
to alternate repeatedly between gasoline and E85.
If you do switch fuels, it is recommended that
you add as much fuel as possible — do not add
less than three gallons (11 L) when refueling.
You should drive the vehicle immediately
after refueling for at least seven miles (11 km)
to allow the vehicle to adapt to the change
in ethanol concentration.
E85 has less energy per gallon than gasoline, so
you will need to rell your fuel tank more often
when using E85 than when you are using gasoline.
SeeFilling the Tank on page 440.
Notice:Some additives are not compatible
with E85 fuel and may harm your vehicle’s fuel
system. Damage caused by additives would
not be covered by your new vehicle warranty.
Notice:Your vehicle was not designed for
fuel that contains methanol. Do not use
fuel containing methanol. It can corrode metal
parts in the fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage would
not be covered under your warranty.Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside
the United States or Canada, the proper fuel
might be hard to nd. Never use leaded gasoline
or any other fuel not recommended in the
previous text on fuel. Costly repairs caused by
use of improper fuel would not be covered by
your warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask an auto club,
or contact a major oil company that does business
in the country where you will be driving.
439

Filling the Tank
{CAUTION:
Fuel vapor burns violently and a fuel re
can cause bad injuries. To help avoid
injuries to you and others, read and follow
all the instructions on the pump island.
Turn off your engine when you are
refueling. Do not smoke if you are near
fuel or refueling your vehicle. Do not use
cellular phones. Keep sparks, ames,
and smoking materials away from fuel.
Do not leave the fuel pump unattended
when refueling your vehicle. This is
against the law in some places. Do not
re-enter vehicle while pumping fuel.
Keep children away from the fuel pump;
never let children pump fuel.The tethered fuel cap is located behind a hinged
fuel door on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
If the vehicle has E85 fuel capability, a yellow cap
with the words “E85 or gasoline” can be seen.
To remove the fuel cap, turn it slowly
counterclockwise. It will require more effort to
turn the fuel cap on the last turn as you loosen it.
440