CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2003 1.G Owners Manual

Let's say the road is wet and you're driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here's what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If
one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels.The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could. The computer is
programmed to make the most of available tire and road
conditions. This can help you steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly.
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Remember: Anti-lock doesn't change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always
decrease stopping distance. If you get too close to the
vehicle in front of you, you won't have time to apply
your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even
though you have anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Don't pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
®rmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel
the brakes vibrate, or you may notice some noise, but
this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Supplemental Brake Assist System
If your vehicle has vacuum assist power brakes, it is also
equipped with a supplemental brake assist system
that supplies additional vacuum to the vacuum brake
booster if engine vacuum is reduced. Under certain
conditions, the supplemental brake assist system may
run brie¯y after starting your vehicle or when you
apply and release the brake pedal and it may continue
to run even after you have removed your foot from
the brake pedal. When the supplemental brake assistsystem is operating, you may hear a motor running or
feel a slight vibration in the steering wheel or brake
pedal. This indicates that the supplemental brake assist
system is working to supply additional vacuum for
your vacuum assist power brakes. This is a normal
operation of your brake system and does not require that
the brake system be serviced.
Each time you start your vehicle and accelerate to 10
mph, the supplemental brake assist system will perform
a self-diagnostic check of the system and you may
hear or feel the supplemental brake assist motor run
brie¯y. While you are driving your vehicle, the
supplemental brake assist system monitors itself to
ensure that it is operating properly. If there is a problem
with the supplemental brake assist system, the
SERVICE BRAKE BOOSTER message will be displayed
on the Driver Information Center. See
DIC Warnings
and Messages on page 3-57.
If your supplemental brake assist system runs every
time you apply and release the brake pedal or you notice
that the brake pedal has suddenly become much
harder to push and the vehicle takes longer to stop, you
should have your vehicle serviced as soon as possible.
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Traction Assist System (TAS)
Your vehicle may have a Traction Assist System (TAS)
that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only if it senses
that one or both of the rear wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the
system reduces engine power to limit wheel spin.
The TRACTION ACTIVE message will come on in the
DIC when the TAS is limiting wheel spin. See
DIC
Warnings and Messages on page 3-57.
You may hear or feel the system working or notice a
lack of accelerator response, but this is normal.
The Traction Assist System may operate on dry roads
under some conditions. When this happens, you
may notice a reduction in acceleration. This is normal
and doesn't mean there's a problem with your vehicle.
Examples of these conditions include a hard
acceleration in a turn, an abrupt upshift or downshift of
the transmission or driving on rough roads.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the TAS begins
to limit wheel spin, the cruise control will automatically
disengage. When road conditions allow you to safely
use it again, you may re-engage the cruise control. See
Cruise ControlunderTurn Signal/Multifunction Lever
on page 3-7.When the traction off light
is on, the TAS is off and
will not limit wheel
spin. Adjust your driving
accordingly.
The traction off light will come on under the following
conditions:
·The Traction Assist System is turned off, either by
pressing the TAS on/off button or turning off the
automatic engagement feature of the TAS.
·The transmission is in FIRST (1); TAS will not
operate in this gear. This is normal.
·The vehicle is driven on an extremely rough road.
When the vehicle leaves the rough surface, slows
down or stops, the light will go off and TAS will
be on again. This is normal.
·A Traction Assist System, Anti-Lock Brake System
or engine-related problem has been detected and
the vehicle needs service.
See
Traction Off Light on page 3-38.
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The Traction Assist System, as delivered from the
factory, will automatically come on whenever you start
your vehicle. To limit wheel spin, especially in
slippery road conditions, you should always leave the
system on. But you can turn the TAS off if you ever need
to. You should turn the TAS off if your vehicle ever
gets stuck in sand, mud or snow and rocking the vehicle
is required. See
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice
or Snow on page 4-45.
To turn the system on or
off press the TAS on/off
button located on the
instrument panel.
If you used the button to turn the system off, the traction
off light will come on and stay on. You can turn the
system back on at any time by pressing the button
again. The traction off light should go off.If desired, you can change the TAS automatic
engagement feature so that the system will not come on
automatically when the engine is started. To do so:
1. Park the vehicle with the ignition off and the
transmission in PARK (P).
2. Turn the ignition to RUN; do not start the engine.
3. Apply the brake pedal, shift into NEUTRAL (N),
press the accelerator pedal to the ¯oor and then
press the TAS on/off button and hold it down for at
least six seconds.
4. Release the TAS button and both pedals.
5. Turn off the ignition and wait a few seconds.
The next time you start your vehicle, the TAS will not
automatically come on. You can restore the automatic
feature by using the same procedure. Whether the TAS
is set to come on automatically or not, you can always
turn the system on or off by pressing the TAS on/off
button.
Locking Rear Axle
If your vehicle has this feature, it can give you additional
traction on snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It works
like a standard axle most of the time, but when one of
the rear wheels has no traction and the other does, this
feature will allow the wheel with traction to move the
vehicle.
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StabilitrakžSystem
Your vehicle may be equipped with Stabilitrakžwhich
combines antilock brake, traction and stability control
systems and helps the driver maintain directional control
of the vehicle in most driving conditions.
When you ®rst start your vehicle and begin to drive
away, the system performs several diagnostic checks to
insure there are no problems. You may hear or feel
the system working. This is normal and does not mean
there is a problem with your vehicle. The system
should initialize before the vehicle reaches 20 mph (32
km/h). In some cases, it may take approximately
two miles of driving before the system initializes.
If the system fails to turn on or activate, the STABILITY
SYS DISABLED or SERVICE STABILITY message
will be displayed. If the vehicle has gone through heavy
acceleration or braking or multiple turns during the
®rst two miles of driving after starting your vehicle, the
STABILITY SYS DISABLED message may appear.
If this is the case, your vehicle does not need servicing.
You will need to turn the vehicle off and then restart
it to initialize Stabilitrak
ž. If either message appears on
the Driver Information Center (DIC), and your vehicle
hasn't gone through hard acceleration, braking or
multiple turns in the ®rst two miles of driving, your
vehicle should be taken in for service.The STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message will appear on
the Driver Information Center (DIC) only when the
system is both on and activated. You may also feel or
hear the system working; this is normal. For more
information on the stability messages, see
Driver
Information Center (DIC) on page 3-46.
Stabilitrak
žand part of the
traction control system can
be turned off or back on
by pressing the
Stabilitrak
žbutton on the
instrument panel.
When the system is turned off, the traction off light will
illuminate, and the STABILITY SYS DISABLED
message will appear on the DIC to warn the driver that
both the stability system and part of the traction
control system are disabled. Your vehicle will still have
brake-traction control when Stabilitrak
žis off, but
will not be able to use the engine speed management
system. See ªTraction Control Operationº next for
more information.
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When the Stabilitrakžsystem has been turned off you
may still hear system noises as a result of the
brake-traction control coming on.
It is recommended to leave the system on for normal
driving conditions, but it may be necessary to turn
the system off if your vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice
or snow, and you want to ªrockº your vehicle to
attempt to free it. It may also be necessary to turn off
the system when driving in extreme off-road conditions
where high wheel spin is required. See
If You Are
Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on page 4-45.
Traction Control Operation
The traction control system is part of the
Stabilitrakžsystem. Traction control limits wheel spin by
reducing engine power to the wheels (engine speed
management) and by applying brakes to each individual
wheel (brake-traction control) as necessary.
The traction control system is enabled automatically
when you start your vehicle, and it will activate
and display the TRACTION ACTIVE message in the
Driver Information Center (DIC) if it senses that any of
the wheels are spinning or beginning to lose traction
while driving. If you turn off Stabilitrak
ž, only the
brake-traction control portion of traction control will
work. The engine speed management will be disabled.
In this state, engine power is not reduced automatically
and the driven wheels can spin more freely.This can cause the brake-traction control to activate
constantly. For more information on the traction active
message, see
Driver Information Center (DIC) on
page 3-46.
Notice:If the traction off light comes on due to
heavy braking and/or because the traction control
system has been continuously active, do not
allow the wheel(s) of one axle to spin excessively. If
you do, you may be causing damage to your
transfer case. This could lead to costly repairs not
covered by your warranty.
If the brake-traction control system activates constantly
or if the brakes have heated up due to high speed
braking, the brake-traction control will be automatically
disabled. The system will come back on after the
brakes have cooled. This can take up to two minutes or
longer depending on brake usage.
Notice:Don't allow the wheel(s) of one axle to spin
excessively when the traction off, ABS and brake
lights are on and the SERVICE STABILITY MESSAGE
is displayed. In this situation, damage to the
transfer case is possible. This could lead to costly
repairs not covered by your warranty. You should
immediately reduce engine power until the lights
and messages are no longer displayed.
The traction control system may activate on dry or
rough roads or under conditions such as heavy
acceleration while turning or abrupt upshifts/downshifts
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of the transmission. When this happens you may notice
a reduction in acceleration, or may hear a noise or
vibration. This is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the system
activates, the STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message will
appear on the Driver Information Center and the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to use cruise again, you may
re-engage the cruise control. See ªCruise Controlº under
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7.
Stabilitrak
žmay also turn off automatically if it
determines that a problem exists with the system. If the
problem does not clear itself after restarting the
vehicle, you should see your dealer for service.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It's important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the ªdriver lost controlº accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here's why:Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn the front wheels. If there's no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If
you've ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you'll
understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While
you're in a curve, speed is the one factor you can
control.
Suppose you're steering through a sharp curve. Then
you suddenly accelerate. Both control systems Ð
steering and acceleration Ð have to do their work where
the tires meet the road. Adding the sudden acceleration
can demand too much of those places. You can lose
control. See
Traction Assist System (TAS) on page 4-10.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you
want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds
are based on good weather and road conditions. Under
less favorable conditions you'll want to go slower.
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If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can ªdriveº through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and ®nd
a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. You
can avoid these problems by braking Ð if you can stop
in time. But sometimes you can't; there isn't room.
That's the time for evasive action Ð steering around the
problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes.
See
Braking on page 4-6. It is better to remove as much
speed as you can from a possible collision. Then
steer around the problem, to the left or right depending
on the space available.An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended 9 and 3 o'clock positions, you
can turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without
removing either hand. But you have to act fast, steer
quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel
once you have avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
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Off-Road Recovery
You may ®nd that your right wheels have dropped off
the edge of a road onto the shoulder while you're
driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way,
steer so that your vehicle straddles the edge of
the pavement. You can turn the steering wheel up to
one-quarter turn until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then
goes back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane
highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming
traffic for several seconds. A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger
can suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the
worst of all traffic accidents Ð the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
·ªDrive ahead.º Look down the road, to the sides
and to crossroads for situations that might affect
your passing patterns. If you have any doubt
whatsoever about making a successful pass, wait
for a better time.
·Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings and
lines. If you can see a sign up ahead that might
indicate a turn or an intersection, delay your pass.
A broken center line usually indicates it's all
right to pass (providing the road ahead is clear).
Never cross a solid line on your side of the lane or
a double solid line, even if the road seems empty
of approaching traffic.
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·Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass while you're awaiting an opportunity. For
one thing, following too closely reduces your area
of vision, especially if you're following a larger
vehicle. Also, you won't have adequate space if the
vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep
back a reasonable distance.
·When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and
don't get too close. Time your move so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move
into the other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you
will have a ªrunning startº that more than makes
up for the distance you would lose by dropping
back. And if something happens to cause you to
cancel your pass, you need only slow down
and drop back again and wait for another
opportunity.
·If other vehicles are lined up to pass a slow vehicle,
wait your turn. But take care that someone isn't
trying to pass you as you pull out to pass the slow
vehicle. Remember to glance over your shoulder
and check the blind spot.
·Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far
enough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front
in your inside mirror, activate your right lane
change signal and move back into the right lane.
(Remember that if your right outside mirror is
convex, the vehicle you just passed may seem to
be farther away from you than it really is.)
·Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
·Don't overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not ¯ashing, it
may be slowing down or starting to turn.
·If you're being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
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