brake CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2003 1.G Owner's Manual

Setting Cruise Control
{CAUTION:
If you leave your cruise control on when you're
not using cruise, you might hit a button and go
into cruise when you don't want to. You could
be startled and even lose control. Keep the
cruise control switch off until you want to use
cruise control.
1. Move the cruise control switch to on.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Press in the set button at the end of the lever and
release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.The cruise light on the
instrument panel will
illuminate when the cruise
control is engaged.
Resuming a Set Speed
Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired speed
and then you apply the brake. This, of course,
disengages the cruise control. But you don't need to
reset it.
Once you're going about 25 mph (40 km/h) or more, you
can move the cruise control switch brie¯y from on to
resume/accelerate.
You'll go right back up to your chosen speed and stay
there.
If you hold the switch at resume/accelerate the vehicle
will keep going faster until you release the switch or
apply the brake. So unless you want to go faster, don't
hold the switch at resume/accelerate.
3-11

Increasing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
There are two ways to go to a higher speed:
·Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher
speed. Press the set button at the end of the lever,
then release the button and the accelerator
pedal. You'll now cruise at the higher speed.
·Move the cruise switch from on to
resume/accelerate. Hold it there until you get up to
the speed you want, and then release the switch.
To increase your speed in very small amounts,
move the switch brie¯y to resume/accelerate. Each
time you do this, your vehicle will go about
1 mph (1.6 km/h) faster.
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
·
Press in the button at the end of the lever until you
reach the lower speed you want, then release it.
·To slow down in very small amounts, brie¯y press
the set button. Each time you do this, you'll go
about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed.
When you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will
slow down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the
hills. When going up steep hills, you may want to step
on the accelerator pedal to maintain your speed.
When going downhill, you may have to brake or shift to
a lower gear to keep your speed down. Of course,
applying the brake takes you out of cruise control. Many
drivers ®nd this to be too much trouble and don't use
cruise control on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to turn off the cruise control:
·Step lightly on the brake pedal,
·move the cruise control switch to off, or
·shift the transmission to NEUTRAL (N).
·If your vehicle has the Stabilitrakžfeature, cruise
control will deactivate if road conditions cause
Stabilitrak
žto activate.
The cruise control will turn off automatically if the
traction control system or Stabilitrak
žsystem activate, if
your vehicle is equipped with either feature.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition, your
cruise control set speed memory is erased.
3-12

Readings in either warning zone indicate a possible
problem in the electrical system. Have the vehicle
serviced as soon as possible.
Brake System Warning Light
With the ignition on, the brake system warning light will
¯ash when you set the parking brake. The light will ¯ash if
the parking brake doesn't release fully. If you try to drive
with the parking brake engaged, a chime will sound when
the vehicle speed is greater than 3 mph (5 km/h).
Your vehicle's hydraulic brake system is divided into two
parts. If one part isn't working, the other part can still
work and stop you. For good braking, though, you need
both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on and a chime sounds there
could be a brake problem. Have your brake system
inspected right away.This light should come on brie¯y when you turn the
ignition key to RUN. If it doesn't come on then, have it
®xed so it will be ready to warn you if there's a problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the
¯oor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on,
have the vehicle towed for service. See
Towing
Your Vehicle on page 4-48.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light is
on. Driving with the brake system warning light
on can lead to an accident. If the light is still
on after you've pulled off the road and stopped
carefully, have the vehicle towed for service.
United States
Canada
3-37

Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and may stay on for
several seconds.
That's normal. If the light doesn't come on then, have it
®xed so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you're driving,
your vehicle needs service. You will also hear a
chime sound when the light is on steady. If the regular
brake system warning light isn't on, you still have
brakes, but you don't have anti-lock brakes. If the
regular brake system warning light is also on you don't
have anti-lock brakes and there's a problem with
your regular brakes. In addition to both lights, you will
also hear a chime sound on the ®rst occurrence of
a problem and each time the vehicle is shut off and then
restarted. See
Brake System Warning Light on
page 3-37.
Traction Off Light
If you have the Traction
Assist System or the
Stabilitrak
žsystem, this
light should come on brie¯y
when you turn the
ignition to RUN.
If the light doesn't come on then, the system may
require service; have it ®xed so it will be there to warn
you if the system is turned off.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you're driving,
there may be a problem with your Traction Assist
System and your vehicle may need service. When this
light is on, the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust
your driving accordingly.
The traction off light may come on for the following
reasons:
·If you turn the system off by pressing the TAS
on/off button located to the left of the steering wheel,
the light will come on and stay on. To turn the
system back on, press the button again; the light
should go off.
3-38

·If you move the shift lever to FIRST (1), the light
will come on and stay on to indicate that the
traction system is off. This is normal operation. To
turn the system back on, move the shift lever
back to a position other than FIRST (1); the light
should go off. See
Traction Assist System (TAS) on
page 4-10.
·The light will come on and stay on if the TAS
automatic engagement feature has been turned off.
To turn the system on, press the TAS off/on
button; the light should go off. To turn the automatic
engagement feature back on, see
Traction Assist
System (TAS) on page 4-10.
·If the Traction Assist System is affected by an
anti-lock brake system, TAS or engine-related
problem, the system will turn off and the light will
come on. Have your vehicle serviced.
·If the vehicle is driven over an extremely rough
road, the system will turn off and the light will come
on. The light will go off a few seconds after the
rough road conditions go away or when the vehicle
comes to a complete stop. This is normal
operation.
For more information on the traction off light and
Stabilitrak
ž, seeStabilitrakžSystem on page 4-12.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature.
It also provides an indicator of how hard your vehicle is
working. During a majority of the operation, the gage
will read 210ÉF (100ÉC) or less. If you are pulling a load
or going up hills, it is normal for the temperature to
¯uctuate and approach the 250ÉF (122ÉC) mark. If the
gage reaches the 260ÉF (125ÉC) mark, it indicates
that the cooling system is working beyond its capacity.
See
Engine Overheating on page 5-27. United States
Canada
3-39

Transmission Temperature Gage
Your vehicle is equipped with a transmission
temperature gage.
When your ignition is on, the gage shows the
temperature of the transmission ¯uid. The normal
operating range is from 100ÉF (38ÉC) to about 265ÉF
(130ÉC).
At approximately 265ÉF (130ÉC), the DIC will display a
TRANSMISSION HOT message and the transmission
will enter a transmission protection mode. When
the transmission enters the protection mode, you may
notice a change in the transmission shifting patterns.
The transmission will return to normal shifting patterns
when the transmission ¯uid temperature falls below
260ÉF (127ÉC).See
Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-46for
further information.
If the transmission ¯uid reaches temperatures of
approximately 275ÉF (135ÉC) or greater, the DIC will
display a TRANS HOT IDLE ENGINE warning message
and a chime will sound. Pull the vehicle off the
roadway when it is safe to do so. Set the parking brake,
place the transmission in PARK (P) and allow the
engine to idle until the transmission temperature falls
below 260ÉF (127ÉC). If the transmission continues
to operate above 265ÉF (130ÉC), please contact your
nearest dealer or the GM Roadside Assistance Center.
Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with the
transmission temperature gage above the normal
operating range, you can damage the transmission.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered under your warranty.
The following situations can cause the transmission to
operate at higher temperatures:
·Towing a trailer,
·hot outside air temperatures,
·hauling a large or heavy load,
·low transmission ¯uid level,
·high transmission ¯uid level,
·restricted air ¯ow to the radiator. United States
Canada
3-40

SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
If a problem occurs with the brake system, this message
will appear on the DIC. If this message appears, stop
as soon as possible and turn off the vehicle. 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 brake system needs service.
Pressing the select button will acknowledge this
message and clear it from the DIC display.
SERVICE BRAKE BOOSTER
If your vehicle has vaccum assist power brakes, this
message will be displayed on the DIC when there is a
problem with the Supplemental Brake Assist system.
If the message is displayed immediately after starting
the vehicle or the message appears while driving,
your Supplemental Brake Assist system needs service.
See
Brake System Warning Light on page 3-37
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the SERVICE BRAKE BOOSTER
message is displayed.
If the brake system warning light is also on,
you should have the vehicle towed for service.
See ªBrake System Warning Lightº in the
Index.
If the brake system warning light isn't on, you
still have brakes, but the supplemental brake
assist system may not operate properly. In the
event of a vacuum loss, you may not have
vacuum power assist for braking. The brake
pedal will be harder to push and it will take
longer to stop. If you continue to drive with
this message displayed it can lead to a crash.
Have the brake system serviced as soon as
possible.
3-59

PASSENGER DOOR AJAR
If the passenger's door is not fully closed and the
vehicle is in a drive gear, this message will appear on
the display and you will hear a chime. Stop and turn off
the vehicle, check the door for obstacles, and close
the door again. Check to see if the message still
appears on the DIC. Pressing the select button will
acknowledge this message and clear it from the DIC
display.
LEFT REAR DOOR AJAR
If the driver's side rear door is not fully closed and the
vehicle is in a drive gear, this message will appear
on the display and you will hear a chime. Stop and turn
off the vehicle, check the door for obstacles, and
close the door again. Check to see if the message still
appears on the DIC. Pressing the select button will
acknowledge this message and clear it from the DIC
display.
RIGHT REAR DOOR AJAR
If the passenger's side rear door is not fully closed and
the vehicle is in a drive gear, this message will
appear on the display and you will hear a chime. Stop
and turn off the vehicle, check the door for obstacles,
and close the door again. Check to see if the messagestill appears on the DIC. Pressing the select button will
acknowledge this message and clear it from the DIC
display.
RFA # BATTERY LOW
If a remote keyless entry transmitter battery is low, this
message will appear on the DIC. The battery needs
to be replaced in the transmitter. Pressing the select
button will acknowledge this message and clear it from
the DIC display.
STABILITY SYS ACTIVE
You may see the STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message on
the DIC. It means that an advanced computer-controlled
system has come on to help your vehicle continue to
go in the direction in which you're steering.
Stabilitrak
žactivates when the computer senses that
your vehicle is just starting to spin, as it might if you hit
a patch of ice or other slippery spot on the road.
When the system activates, you may hear a noise or
feel a vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal. When
the STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message is on, you
should continue to steer in the direction you want to go.
The system is designed to help you in bad weather
or other difficult driving situations by making the most of
whatever road conditions will permit.
3-62

SERVICE STABILITY
If you ever see the SERVICE STABILITY message, it
means there may be a problem with your
Stabilitrak
žsystem. If you see this message try to reset
the system (stop; turn off the engine; then start the
engine again). If the SERVICE STABILITY message still
comes on, it means there is a problem. You should
see your dealer for service. The vehicle is safe to drive,
however, you do not have the bene®t of Stabilitrak
ž,
so reduce your speed and drive accordingly.
STABILITY SYS DISABLED
The STABILITY SYS DISABLED message will turn on
when you press the Stabilitrakžbutton, or when the
stability control has been automatically disabled. To limit
wheel spin and realize the full bene®ts of the stability
enhancement system, you should normally leave
Stabilitrak
žon. However, you should turn Stabilitrakžoff
if your vehicle gets stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow
and you want to ªrockº your vehicle to attempt to free it,
or if you are driving in extreme off-road conditions
and require more wheel spin. See
If You Are Stuck: In
Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on page 4-45.To turn the Stabilitrak
žsystem back on, press the
Stabilitrakžbutton again. There are four conditions that
can cause this message to appear. One condition is
overheating, which could occur if Stabilitrak
žactivates
continuously for an extended period of time. The
message will also be displayed if the brake system
warning light is on. See
Brake System Warning Light on
page 3-37. The message could be displayed if the
stability system takes longer than usual to complete its
diagnostic checks due to driving conditions. Also, if
an engine or vehicle related problem has been detected,
and the vehicle needs service, the message will
appear.
The message will turn off as soon as the conditions that
caused the message to be displayed are no longer
present.
TRACTION ACTIVE
When the traction control system has detected that any
of the vehicle's wheels are slipping, the traction
control system will activate and this message will appear
on the DIC. For more information see
Traction Assist
System (TAS) on page 4-10andStabilitrakžSystem
on page 4-12.
3-63

Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle
Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive
defensively.
Please start with a very important safety device in your
vehicle: Buckle up. See
Safety Belts: They Are for
Everyone on page 1-10.
Defensive driving really means ªbe ready for anything.º
On city streets, rural roads or freeways, it means
ªalways expect the unexpected.º
Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to
be careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what
they might do. Be ready for their mistakes.Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable of
accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough following
distance. It's the best defensive driving maneuver, in
both city and rural driving. You never know when
the vehicle in front of you is going to brake or turn
suddenly.
Defensive driving requires that a driver concentrate on
the driving task. Anything that distracts from the
driving task Ð such as concentrating on a cellular
telephone call, reading, or reaching for something on
the ¯oor Ð makes proper defensive driving more difficult
and can even cause a collision, with resulting injury.
Ask a passenger to help do things like this, or pull off the
road in a safe place to do them yourself. These simple
defensive driving techniques could save your life.
4-2