traction control CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2003 1.G Owners Manual

Instrument Panel Overview...............................3-4
Hazard Warning Flashers................................3-6
Other Warning Devices...................................3-6
Horn.............................................................3-7
Tilt Wheel.....................................................3-7
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever.........................3-7
Exterior Lamps.............................................3-13
Interior Lamps..............................................3-17
Accessory Power Outlets...............................3-19
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter........................3-19
Climate Controls............................................3-20
Automatic Climate Control System...................3-20
Dual Climate Control System..........................3-26
Outlet Adjustment.........................................3-28
Climate Controls Personalization.....................3-29
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators.............3-30
Instrument Panel Cluster................................3-31
Speedometer and Odometer...........................3-32
Tachometer.................................................3-33
Safety Belt Reminder Light.............................3-33Air Bag Readiness Light................................3-33
Passenger Air Bag Status Indicator.................3-34
Charging System Light..................................3-36
Voltmeter Gage............................................3-36
Brake System Warning Light..........................3-37
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light.............3-38
Traction Off Light..........................................3-38
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage..................3-39
Transmission Temperature Gage.....................3-40
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.............................3-41
Oil Pressure Gage........................................3-43
Security Light...............................................3-44
Cruise Control Light......................................3-44
Tow/Haul Mode Light....................................3-45
Fuel Gage...................................................3-45
Low Fuel Warning Light.................................3-45
Driver Information Center (DIC).......................3-46
DIC Operation and Displays...........................3-46
DIC Warnings and Messages.........................3-57
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-1

The main components of your instrument panel are the
following:
A. Air Outlets. See
Outlet Adjustment on page 3-28.
B. Exterior Lamps Control. See
Exterior Lamps
on page 3-13.
C. Cargo/Top-Box Lamps Button. See
Exterior Lamps
on page 3-13.
D. Automatic Transfer Case Buttons (If Equipped). See
Four-Wheel Drive on page 2-34. Traction Assist
System (If Equipped). SeeTraction Assist System
(TAS) on page 4-10. StabiliTrakžButton (If Equipped).
SeeStabilitrakžSystem on page 4-12.
E. OnStaržand Radio Steering Wheel Buttons (If
Equipped). SeeOnStaržSystem on page 2-53andAudio Steering Wheel Controls on page 3-101.
F. Instrument Panel Cluster. See
Instrument Panel
Cluster on page 3-31.
G. Shift Lever/Tow/Haul Selector Button. See
Automatic
Transmission Operation on page 2-31.
H. Audio System. See
Audio System(s) on page 3-64.
I. Dome Override Button. See
Interior Lamps on
page 3-17.J. Fog Lamps Button. See
Exterior Lamps on
page 3-13.
K. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever. See
Turn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7.
L. Hood Release. See
Hood Release on page 5-10.
M. Tilt Lever. See
Tilt Wheel on page 3-7.
N. Driver Information Center (DIC) Buttons. See
Driver
Information Center (DIC) on page 3-46.
O. Parking Brake Release. See
Parking Brake on
page 2-39.
P. Comfort Control Systems. See
Automatic Climate
Control System on page 3-20andDual Climate
Control System on page 3-26.
Q. Lighter (If Equipped) or Accessory Power Outlet (If
Equipped). See
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
on page 3-19andAccessory Power Outlets
on page 3-19.
R. Accessory Power Outlet (If Equipped). See
Accessory Power Outlets on page 3-19.
S. Glove Box. See
Glove Box on page 2-59.
3-5

Cruise Control
9
(Off):This position
turns the system off.
R(On):This position activates the system.
+ (Resume/Accelerate):Push the lever to this symbol
to make the vehicle accelerate or resume to a
previously set speed.
T(Set):Press this button to set the speed.
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot
on the accelerator. This can really help on long
trips. Cruise control does not work at speeds below
about 25 mph (40 km/h).
If you apply your brakes, the cruise control will shut off.
{CAUTION:
·Cruise control can be dangerous where
you can't drive safely at a steady speed.
So, don't use your cruise control on
winding roads or in heavy traffic.
·Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast
changes in tire traction can cause
needless wheel spinning, and you could
lose control. Don't use cruise control on
slippery roads.
3-10

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

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..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-6
Braking.........................................................4-6
Traction Assist System (TAS).........................4-10
Locking Rear Axle........................................4-11
Stabilitrak
žSystem.......................................4-12
Steering......................................................4-14
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-16
Passing.......................................................4-16
Loss of Control.............................................4-18
Off-Road Driving with Your Four-Wheel-Drive
Vehicle....................................................4-19
Driving at Night............................................4-32
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-33
City Driving..................................................4-36Freeway Driving...........................................4-37
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-38
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-39
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-39
Winter Driving..............................................4-41
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow........4-45
Towing..........................................................4-48
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-48
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-48
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-51
Level Control...............................................4-53
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment.......4-54
Truck-Camper Loading Information..................4-57
Trailer Recommendations...............................4-58
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-58
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at
the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you're driving on snow or ice, it's
easy to ask more of those control systems than the
tires and road can provide. That means you can lose
control of your vehicle. Also see
Traction Assist System
(TAS) on page 4-10.
Braking
Braking action involvesperception timeandreaction
time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That'sperception time.Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That'sreaction time.
Averagereaction timeis about 3/4 of a second. But
that's only an average. It might be less with one driver
and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle moving
at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That
could be a lot of distance in an emergency, so keeping
enough space between your vehicle and others is
important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it's pavement
or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of
the vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.
4-6

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.
4-10

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.
4-12

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
4-13