four wheel drive CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2012 2.G Owners Manual

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-1
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Midgate
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Second Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Heated and Ventilated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11 Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Passenger Sensing
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Throttle and Brake Pedal Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 1-15
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Vehicle Features
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . 1-21
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . 1-21
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22 Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 1-24
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Universal Remote System . . . 1-24
Performance and Maintenance
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . 1-25
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 1-25
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 1-26
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Roadside Assistance
Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-3
A.Air Vents on page 8‑10.
B. Turn and Lane‐Change Lever. See Turn and Lane-Change
Signals on page 6‑5.
Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑5.
C. Instrument Cluster on
page 5‑11.
D. Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6‑5 (Out of View).
E. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑32.
F. Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑36
(If Equipped).
G. Driver Information Center (DIC) Buttons. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑26.
H. AM-FM Radio on page 7‑8.
I. Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1. J. Dome Lamp Override. See
Dome Lamps on page 6‑7.
Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6‑7.
Fog Lamps on page 6‑6
(If Equipped).
K. Automatic Transfer Case Control (If Equipped). See
Four-Wheel Drive (Two Speed
Automatic Transfer Case) on
page 9‑37 orFour-Wheel Drive
(Single Speed Automatic
Transfer Case) on page 9‑42.
L. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑19.
M. Cruise Control on page 9‑51.
N. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5‑2.
O. Horn on page 5‑5. P.
Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑3.
Q. Climate Control Systems on
page 8‑1 (If Equipped).
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑4
(If Equipped).
R. Power Outlets on page 5‑9.
S. StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑46.
Pedal Adjust Control (If
Equipped). See Adjustable
Throttle and Brake Pedal on
page 9‑22.
Ultrasonic Parking Assist on
page 9‑54 (If Equipped).
Power Assist Steps on
page 2‑16 (If Equipped).
T. Glove Box on page 4‑1.

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
1-18 In Brief
2. Press the plus/minus buttons,located on the steering column
shift lever, to select the desired
range of gears for current driving
conditions. See Manual Mode on
page 9‑35.
While using Range Selection Mode,
cruise control and the Tow/Haul
mode can be used.
Grade Braking is not available when
Range Selection Mode is active.
See Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑36.Four-Wheel Drive
If the vehicle has Four-Wheel Drive,
you can send the engine's driving
power to all four wheels for extra
traction.
Automatic Transfer Case
Two Speed Transfer Case
Single Speed Transfer Case
The transfer case knob is located
to the left of the instrument panel
cluster. Use this knob to shift into
and out of the different Four-Wheel
Drive modes.
2
m: This setting is used for driving
in most street and highway
situations.
AUTO: This setting is ideal for
use when road surface traction
conditions are variable.

Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-19
4m:Use the Four-Wheel-Drive
High position when extra traction is
needed, such as on snowy or icy
roads or in most off-road situations.
4
n: Vehicles with a two speed
transfer case have a
Four-Wheel-Drive Low position. This
setting sends maximum power to all
four wheels. You might choose
Four-Wheel-Drive Low if you are
driving off-road in deep sand, deep
mud, deep snow, and while climbing
or descending steep hills.
N (Neutral): Vehicles with a two
speed transfer case have a
N (Neutral) position. Shift the
transfer case to N (Neutral) only
when towing the vehicle. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing on
page 10‑91 orTowing the Vehicle
on page 10‑91.
See Four-Wheel Drive (Two Speed
Automatic Transfer Case) on
page 9‑37 orFour-Wheel Drive
(Single Speed Automatic Transfer
Case) on page 9‑42.
Vehicle Features
Radio(s)
Radio with USB, CD, and DVD (MP3)
O: Press to turn the system on
and off. Turn to increase or
decrease the volume. BAND:
Press to choose between
FM, AM, or XM™, if equipped.
f: Select radio stations.

Black plate (43,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-43
TIRE LOW ADD AIR TO TIRE
On vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this
message displays when the
pressure in one or more of the
vehicle's tires needs to be checked.
This message also displays LEFT
FRT (left front), RIGHT FRT (right
front), LEFT RR (left rear),
or RIGHT RR (right rear) to indicate
the location of the low tire. The low
tire pressure warning light will also
come on. SeeTire Pressure Light
on page 5‑24. You can receive more
than one tire pressure message at a
time. To read the other messages
that may have been sent at the
same time, press the set/reset
button or the trip odometer reset
stem. If a tire pressure message
appears on the DIC, stop as soon
as you can. Have the tire pressures
checked and set to those shown on
the Tire Loading Information label. See
Tires on page 10‑49, Vehicle
Load Limits on page 9‑16, and Tire
Pressure on page 10‑56. The DIC
also shows the tire pressure values.
See “DIC Operation and Displays
(With DIC Buttons)” earlier in this
section.
Transmission Messages
SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE
This message displays if a problem
occurs with the four-wheel-drive
system. If this message appears,
stop as soon as possible and turn
off the vehicle. Make sure the key is
in the LOCK/OFF position for at
least one minute and then restart
the vehicle and check for the
message on the DIC display. If the
message is still displayed or
appears again when you begin
driving, the four-wheel-drive system
needs service. See your dealer.
TRANSMISSION HOT IDLE
ENGINE
Notice: If you drive the vehicle
while the transmission fluid is
overheating and the transmission
temperature warning is displayed
on the instrument panel cluster
and/or DIC, you can damage the
transmission. This could lead to
costly repairs that would not be
covered by the warranty. Do not
drive the vehicle with overheated
transmission fluid or while the
transmission temperature
warning is displayed.
This message displays along with a
sound if the transmission fluid in the
vehicle gets hot. Driving with the
transmission fluid temperature high
can cause damage to the vehicle.
Stop the vehicle and let it idle to
allow the transmission to cool. This
message clears and the chime
stops when the fluid temperature
reaches a safe level.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 9-11
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-12
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-15
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-22
Adjustable Throttle and BrakePedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23 Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Active Fuel Management
®. . . 9-30
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-32
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive (Two SpeedAutomatic
Transfer Case) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Four-Wheel Drive (Single Speed Automatic
Transfer Case) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-46
Ride Control Systems
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Continuous Damping Control (CDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Automatic Level Control . . . . . 9-50
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-54
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-61
Gasoline Specifications (U.S.and Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . 9-61
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-61
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-62

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
9-4 Driving and Operating
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is
about three‐fourths of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
.Avoid needless heavy braking.
.Keep pace with traffic.If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Hydraulic Power Steering
Your vehicle has hydraulic
power steering. It may require
maintenance. See Power Steering
Fluid
Power Steering Fluid on
page 10‑25.
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or the
power steering system is not
functioning, the vehicle can be
steered but may required increased
effort. See your dealer if there is a
problem. If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
.Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
.Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve
.Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
.Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
.Antilock Brake System (ABS)
allows steering while braking.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
9-6 Driving and Operating
.Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
Four-wheel-drive vehicles can be
used for off-road driving. Vehicles
without four-wheel drive and
vehicles not equipped with All
Terrain (AT) or On-Off Road (OOR)
tires must not be driven off-road
except on a level, solid surface. To
contact the tire manufacturer for
more information about the original
equipment tires, see the Limited
Warranty and Owner Assistance
Information manual. Controlling the vehicle is the key to
successful off-road driving. One of
the best ways to control the vehicle
is to control the speed.
{WARNING
When driving off-road, bouncing
and quick changes in direction
can easily throw you out of
position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash. You and
your passengers should always
wear safety belts.
Before Driving Off-Road
.Have all necessary maintenance
and service work completed.
.Fuel the vehicle, fill fluid levels,
and check inflation pressure in
all tires, including the spare,
if equipped.
.Read all the information about
four-wheel-drive vehicles in this
manual.
.Make sure all underbody
shields, if equipped, are properly
attached.
.Know the local laws that apply to
off-road driving.
To gain more ground clearance if
needed, it may be necessary to
remove the front fascia lower
air dam.
Notice: Operating the vehicle for
extended periods without the
front fascia lower air dam
installed can cause improper air
flow to the engine. Re‐attach the
front fascia air dam after off-road
driving.

Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-15
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
See“Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It
Out” later in this section.
If the vehicle has a traction system,
it can often help to free a stuck
vehicle. Refer to the vehicle's
traction system in the Index. If stuck
too severely for the traction system
to free the vehicle, turn the traction
system off and use the rocking
method.{WARNING
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 55 km/h (35 mph).
For information about using tire
chains on the vehicle, see Tire
Chains on page 10‑69.
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. For four-wheel-drive
vehicles with a two‐speed automatic
transfer case, shift into Four‐Wheel
High. For vehicles with StabiliTrak, turn the traction control part of the
system off. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a forward
gear, spinning the wheels as little as
possible. To prevent transmission
wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears.
Release the accelerator pedal while
shifting, and press lightly on the
accelerator pedal when the
transmission is in gear. Slowly
spinning the wheels in the forward
and reverse directions causes a
rocking motion that could free the
vehicle. If that does not get the
vehicle out after a few tries, it might
need to be towed out. Recovery
hooks can be used, if the vehicle
has them. If the vehicle does need
to be towed out, see
Towing the
Vehicle on page 10‑91.

Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
9-28 Driving and Operating
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
The following vehicle accessories
can be used for up to 10 minutes
after the engine is turned off:
.Audio System
.Power Windows
.OnStar System (if equipped)
.Sunroof (if equipped)
These features work when the key
is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY. Once the key is
turned from ON/RUN to LOCK/OFF,
the windows and sunroof continue
to work up to 10 minutes until any
door is opened. The radio continues
to work for up to 10 minutes or until
the driver door is opened.
Shifting Into Park
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are
on fairly level ground, use the
steps that follow. If you have a
four-wheel drive transfer case
with a N (Neutral) position, and
the transfer case is in N (Neutral),
the vehicle will be free to roll,
even if the shift lever is in
P (Park). So, be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear —not in
N (Neutral). If you are pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑67.
Always set the parking brake. 1. Hold the brake pedal down, then
set the parking brake.
See Parking Brake on page 9‑45
for more information.
2. Move the shift lever into the P (Park) 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 N (Neutral).
4. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
5. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave the vehicle
with the ignition key in your
hand, the vehicle is in P (Park).