light CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2008 2.G Workshop Manual

If the vehicle is started in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once the
vehicle leaves the garage, it takes approximately one
minute for the automatic headlamp system to change to
DRL if it is light outside. During that delay, the instrument
panel cluster may not be as bright as usual. Make sure
the instrument panel brightness control is in the full bright
position. SeeInstrument Panel Brightness on page 3-18.
Fog Lamps
If your vehicle has fog lamps you can use them for
better vision in foggy or misty conditions. Your parking
lamps and/or low-beam headlamps must be on for
your fog lamps to work.
The fog lamp button is located on the left side of your
instrument panel.
-(Fog Lamps):Press the button to turn the fog
lamps on. An indicator light will glow near the button
when the fog lamps are on. Press the button again
to turn them off.Remember, fog lamps alone will not give off as much
light as your headlamps. Never use your fog lamps
in the dark without turning on the headlamps.
The fog lamps will go off whenever your high-beam
headlamps come on. When the high beams go off,
the fog lamps will come on again.
The fog lamps will be cancelled after the ignition is
turned off. If you still want to use the fog lamps after
you restart the vehicle, you will need to press the
fog lamp button again.
Some localities have laws that require the headlamps to
be on along with the fog lamps.
Exterior Cargo Lamps
You can use the cargo lamp if you need more light in
the cargo area of your vehicle or in the top-box storage
units. Some vehicles will only have a cargo lamp in
the driver side top box.
The cargo lamps come on by turning on the interior
dome lamps.
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Instrument Panel Brightness
The knob for this feature is located next to the exterior
lamps control.
D(Instrument Panel Lights):Turn the knob
clockwise or counterclockwise to brighten or dim the
instrument panel lights and the radio display. This only
works if the headlamps or parking lamps are on.
To turn on the dome lamps, with the vehicle doors
closed, turn the knob all the way clockwise.
Dome Lamps
The dome lamps come on when any door is opened.
They turn off after all the doors are closed.
The dome lamps can also be turned on by turning the
instrument panel brightness knob, located next to
the exterior lamps control, clockwise to the farthest
position. In this position, the dome lamps remain
on whether a door is opened or closed.
Dome Lamp Override
The dome lamp override button is located next to the
exterior lamps control.
k(Dome Off):Press the button in and the dome
lamps remain off when a door is opened. Press the button
again to return it to the extended position so that the
dome lamps come on when a door is opened.
Entry/Exit Lighting
Your vehicle has an illuminated entry/exit feature.
When a door is opened or the key is removed from
the ignition, the dome lamps will come on if the dome
override button is in the out position.
Reading Lamps
If your vehicle has reading lamps, press the button
located next to the lamp to turn it on or off.
Your vehicle may also have reading lamps in other
locations. To turn each one on or off, press the button
located next to the lamp. The lamps cannot be adjusted.
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Electric Power Management
The vehicle has Electric Power Management (EPM) that
estimates the battery’s temperature and state of charge.
It then adjusts the voltage for best performance and
extended life of the battery.
When the battery’s state of charge is low, the voltage is
raised slightly to quickly put the charge back in. When
the state of charge is high, the voltage is lowered slightly
to prevent overcharging. If the vehicle has a voltmeter
gage or a voltage display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC), you may see the voltage move up
or down. This is normal. If there is a problem,
an alert will be displayed.
The battery can be discharged at idle if the electrical
loads are very high. This is true for all vehicles. This is
because the generator (alternator) may not be spinning
fast enough at idle to produce all the power that is
needed for very high electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when several of the
following loads are on: headlamps, high beams, fog
lamps, rear window defogger, climate control fan at
high speed, heated seats, engine cooling fans, trailer
loads, and loads plugged into accessory power outlets.EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery. It does this by balancing the generator’s output
and the vehicle’s electrical needs. It can increase
engine idle speed to generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce the power demands of
some accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in steps or levels, without
being noticeable. In rare cases at the highest levels of
corrective action, this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a Driver Information Center (DIC) message
might be displayed, such as Battery Saver Active or
Service Battery Charging System. If this message is
displayed, it is recommended that the driver reduce the
electrical loads as much as possible. SeeDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 3-59.
Battery Run-Down Protection
This feature shuts off the dome lamps if they are left on
for more than 10 minutes when the ignition is in LOCK.
This will help prevent the battery from running down.
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Accessory Power Outlet(s)
Your vehicle may have two accessory power outlets
located on the instrument panel and one inside
the center oor console.
Your vehicle may also have an outlet on the rear of the
center oor console above the cupholder door.
To use an outlet, remove the protective cap. When not
in use, always cover the outlet with the protective cap.
The accessory power outlet is operational at all times.
Notice:Adding any electrical equipment to the
vehicle can damage it or keep other components
from working as they should. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Do not use
equipment exceeding maximum amperage rating
of 20 amperes. Check with your dealer/retailer before
adding electrical equipment.
Certain power accessory plugs may not be compatible
to the accessory power outlets and could result in
blown vehicle or adapter fuses. If you experience
a problem, see your dealer/retailer for additional
information on the accessory power plugs.
Notice:Improper use of the power outlet can
cause damage not covered by your warranty. Do not
hang any type of accessory or accessory bracket
from the plug because the power outlets are
designed for accessory power plugs only.
Ashtray(s) and Cigarette Lighter
If your vehicle has this feature it is located in the center
console or on the instrument panel. Pull up on the
ashtray door to open it if it is in the console or pull
the door open it if it is on the instrument panel.
Notice:If papers, pins, or other ammable items
are put in the ashtray, hot cigarettes or other
smoking materials could ignite them and possibly
damage your vehicle. Never put ammable items in
the ashtray.
To remove the ashtray, pull it out from the console
or from the slide out door. To reinstall the ashtray,
slide it back to the original position.
To use the cigarette lighter, if the vehicle has one, push
it in all the way, and let go. When it is ready for use,
it will pop back out by itself.
Do not use the lighter to plug in accessory devices.
Use the power outlets provided.
Notice:Holding a cigarette lighter in while it is
heating does not let the lighter back away from
the heating element when it is hot. Damage from
overheating can occur to the lighter or heating
element, or a fuse could be blown. Do not hold
a cigarette lighter in while it is heating.
3-20

Climate Controls
Climate Control System
The heating, cooling, defrost, defog and ventilation of
your vehicle can be controlled with this system.
Manual Operation
Turn the right knob clockwise or counterclockwise to
direct the airow inside of the vehicle.
To change the current mode, select one of the following:
H(Vent):This mode directs air to the instrument
panel outlets.
)(Bi-Level):This mode directs half of the air to the
instrument panel outlets and to the oor outlets. The
ow can be divided between vent and oor outlets
depending upon where the knob is placed between the
settings. A little air is directed towards the windshield
and side window outlets. Cooler air is directed to
the upper outlets and warmer air to the oor outlets.
6(Floor):This mode directs most of the air to
the oor outlets, with some of the air directed to the
windshield, side window outlets, and second row oor
outlets. In this mode, the system will automatically select
outside air. Recirculation cannot be selected when in
Floor Mode.
The right knob can also be used to select defog or
defrost mode. For more information, see “Defogging
and Defrosting” later in this section.
By positioning the right knob between two modes,
a combination of those two modes is selected.
The air conditioning compressor will be on unless the
outside temperature is close to freezing.
9(Fan):Turn the left knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or decrease the fan speed.
Turn the knob all the way counterclockwise to turn the
front system off.
:(Outside Air):Press this button to turn on the
outside air mode. When this mode is selected, air from
outside the vehicle will circulate throughout your vehicle.
An indicator light on the button comes on to show that it
is activated. The outside air mode can be used with
all modes, but it cannot be used with the recirculation
mode. Pressing this button again will cancel the
recirculation mode.
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?(Recirculation):Press this button to turn on the
recirculation mode. When the button is pressed, an
indicator light will come on.
This mode keeps outside air from entering the vehicle. It
can be used to reduce outside air and prevent odors from
entering the vehicle. Recirculation may also help cool the
air inside your vehicle more quickly once the temperature
inside the vehicle is less than the outside temperature.
The recirculation mode cannot be used with oor, defrost,
or defogging modes. If you try to select recirculation in
one of those modes, the indicator light will ash three
times and turn off. The air conditioning compressor will
also come on when this mode is activated. While in
recirculation mode the windows may fog when the
weather is cold and damp. To clear the fog, select either
the defog or defrost mode and increase the fan speed.
Recirculation mode can be turned off by pressing the
button again, or turning off the engine.Temperature Control:Rotate the thumbwheels up or
down to increase or decrease the temperature on the
driver’s side or the passenger side of the vehicle for the
dual zone system, if equipped. Otherwise, turn the center
knob clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or
decrease the temperature inside the vehicle.
#(Air Conditioning):Press this button on the left
knob to turn the air conditioning system on or off. When
A/C is pressed, an indicator light comes on to show
that the air conditioning has been activated.
On hot days, open the windows to let hot inside air
escape; then close them. This helps to reduce the time
it takes for the vehicle to cool down. It also helps the
system to operate more efficiently.
The air conditioning system removes moisture from the
air, so a small amount of water might drip underneath
the vehicle while idling or after turning off the engine.
This is normal.
3-22

Passenger’s Side Temperature Control
The passenger’s temperature buttons can be used to
change the temperature of the air coming through the
system on the passenger’s side of the vehicle. The
temperature can be adjusted even if the system is turned
off. This is possible since outside air will always ow
through the system as the vehicle is moving forward
unless it is set to recirculation mode. See “Recirculation”
later in this section.
Press the + or−buttons to increase or decrease the
cabin temperature. The passenger side display will show
the temperature setting decreasing or increasing.
The passenger’s temperature setting can be set to
match the driver’s temperature setting by pressing the
PASS button and turning off the PASS indicator. When
the passenger’s temperature setting is set different than
the driver’s setting, the indicator on the PASS button will
illuminate and both the driver’s side and passenger’s side
temperature displays will be shown.
Automatic Operation
AUTO (Automatic):When automatic operation is
active the system will control the inside temperature,
the air delivery, and the fan speed.
Use the steps below to place the entire system in
automatic mode:
1. Press the AUTO button.
When AUTO is selected, the display will change
to show the current temperature(s) and AUTO will
be lit on the display. The current delivery mode
and fan speed will also be displayed for
approximately 5 seconds.
When AUTO is selected, the air conditioning
operation and air inlet will be automatically
controlled. The air conditioning compressor
will run when the outside temperature is over
about 40°F (4°C). The air inlet will normally be
set to outside air. If it is hot outside, the air inlet
may automatically switch to recirculate inside air
to help quickly cool down your vehicle. The light
on the button will illuminate in recirculation.
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Manual Operation
You may manually adjust the air delivery mode or fan
speed.
y9 z(Fan):The buttons with the fan symbols
allow you to manually adjust the fan speed. Press the
up arrow to increase fan speed and the down arrow
to decrease fan speed.
Pressing one of these buttons when the system is off
will turn the system on. Pressing one of these buttons
when in automatic control will place the fan under
manual control. The fan setting will remain displayed
and the AUTO light will turn off. The air delivery
mode will remain under automatic control.
yNz(Mode):Press the mode up and down buttons
to manually change the direction of the airow in your
vehicle. Repeatedly press the button until the desired
mode appears on the display. Pressing one of these
buttons when the system is off will change air delivery
mode without turning the system on. Pressing one of
these buttons when in automatic control will place the
mode under manual control.
The air delivery mode setting will be displayed and
the AUTO light will turn off. The fan will remain under
automatic control.
H(Vent):This setting will deliver air to the instrument
panel outlets.
)(Bi-Level):This mode directs half of the air to the
instrument panel outlets and to the oor outlets. The ow
can be divided between vent and oor outlets depending
upon where the knob is placed between the settings.
A little air is directed towards the windshield and side
window outlets. Cooler air is directed to the upper outlets
and warmer air to the oor outlets.
6(Floor):This mode directs most of the air to
the oor outlets, with some of the air directed to the
windshield, side window outlets, and second row oor
outlets. In this mode, the system will automatically select
outside air.
-(Defog):See “Defogging and Defrosting” later in
this section.
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@(Recirculation):Press this button to turn the
recirculation mode on. When the button is pressed,
an indicator light will come on.
This mode keeps outside air from entering the vehicle.
It can be used to reduce outside air and prevent
odors from entering your vehicle. Recirculation may
also help cool the air inside your vehicle more quickly
once the temperature inside the vehicle is less than
the outside temperature.
The recirculation mode cannot be used with oor,
defrost, or defogging modes. If you try to select
recirculation in one of those modes, the indicator will
ash three times and turn off. The air conditioning
compressor will also come on when this mode is
activated. While in recirculation mode the windows may
fog when the weather is cold and damp. To clear the
fog, select either the defog or defrost mode and increase
the fan speed. Recirculation mode can be turned off
by pressing the button again, or turning off the engine.
;(Outside Air):Press this button to turn on the
outside air mode. When this mode is selected, air from
outside the vehicle will circulate throughout your vehicle.
An indicator light on the button will come on to let you
know that it is activated. The outside air mode can be
used with all modes, but it cannot be used with the
recirculation mode. Pressing this button again will
cancel the recirculation mode.
Air Conditioning
#
(Air Conditioning):Press this button to turn the
air conditioning (A/C) compressor on and off. When
air conditioning is selected, an indicator light will come
on to let you know that the air conditioning has been
activated.
Pressing this button when the outside temperature is too
cool for air conditioning will make the air conditioning
indicator ash three times and then turn off to let you
know the air conditioning mode is not available. If the air
conditioning is on and the outside temperature drops
below a temperature which is too cool for air conditioning
to be effective, the air conditioning light will turn off to let
you know the air conditioning mode has been canceled.
On hot days, open the windows long enough to let hot
inside air escape. This helps to reduce the time it takes
for your vehicle to cool down. It also helps the system
to operate more efficiently.
The air conditioning system removes moisture from the
air, so you may sometimes notice a small amount of
water dripping underneath your vehicle while idling
or after turning off the engine. This is normal.
3-28

Warning Lights, Gages, and
Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages on
your vehicle. The pictures help to locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something
is wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
the warning lights and gages could also save you
or others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions. As the
details show on the next few pages, some warning lights
come on briey when you start the engine just to let
you know they are working. If you are familiar with this
section, you should not be alarmed when this happens.Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages
and warning lights work together to let you know
when there is a problem with your vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
as you are driving, or when one of the gages shows there
may be a problem, check the section that tells you what
to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice. Waiting
to do repairs can be costly and even dangerous.
So please get to know your vehicle’s warning lights
and gages. They can be a big help.
Your vehicle also has a Driver Information Center (DIC)
that works along with warning lights and gages.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-59
for more information.
3-32