steering CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2004 1.G User Guide

Other Warning Devices
If you carry reective triangles, you can use them to
warn others. Set one up at the side of the road about
300 feet (100 m) behind your vehicle.
Horn
To sound the horn, press the center pad on the steering
wheel.
Tilt Wheel
The tilt steering wheel allows you to adjust the steering
wheel before you drive. You can raise it to the highest
level to give your legs more room when you enter
and exit the vehicle.The tilt lever is located on the driver’s side of the
steering column under the turn signal lever.
To tilt the wheel, hold the steering wheel and pull the
lever. Move the steering wheel to a comfortable
level, then release the lever to lock the wheel in place.
3-7

Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
Turn and Lane Change Signals
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
Flash-to-Pass
Windshield Wipers
Windshield Washer
Cruise Control
For more information on exterior lamps, seeExterior
Lamps on page 3-14.
Turn and Lane Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you
to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
When the turn is nished, the lever will return
automatically.
To signal a lane change, raise or lower the lever until
the arrow starts to ash. Hold it there until you complete
your lane change. The lever will return by itself when
you release it.
An arrow on the instrument
panel cluster will ash in
the direction of the
turn or lane change.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows ash
more quickly than normal, a signal bulb may be burned
out and other drivers won’t see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don’t go on at all when you signal a
turn, check for burned-out bulbs and a blown fuse. See
Fuses and Circuit Breakers on page 5-120.
3-8

Traction Off Light
If you have the Traction
Assist System or the
Stabilitrak
®system, this
light should come on briey
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.
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.
SeeTraction Assist System (TAS) on page 4-9.
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, seeTraction Assist
System (TAS) on page 4-9.
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
®, seeStabilitrak®System on page 4-11.
3-44

Driver Information Center (DIC)
The DIC display is located on the instrument panel cluster
above the steering wheel. The DIC can display
information such as the trip odometer, fuel economy and
personalization features. If your vehicle is not equipped
with the DIC steering wheel buttons, you will not have all
the features listed, and you will turn off, or acknowledge,
DIC messages by using the trip odometer reset stem
located on the instrument panel cluster. See
Speedometer and Odometer on page 3-35for information
on features for vehicles without DIC buttons.A (Trip Information):This button will display the
odometer, personal trip odometer, business trip
odometer, hourmeter, annual log and the timer.
B (Fuel Information):This button will display the
current range, average fuel economy, instant fuel
economy and engine oil life.
C (Personalization):This button will change personal
options available on your vehicle.
D (Select):This button resets certain functions and
turns off or acknowledges messages on the DIC.
3-53

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.
For more information on the Stabilitrak
®system, see
Stabilitrak®System on page 4-11.
SERVICE STABILITY
If you ever see the SERVICE STABILITY message, it
means there may be a problem with your
Stabilitrak
®system. 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 benet of Stabilitrak
®,
so reduce your speed and drive accordingly.
For more information on the Stabilitrak
®system, see
Stabilitrak®System on page 4-11.
STABILITY SYS DISABLED
The STABILITY SYS DISABLED message will turn on
when you press the Stabilitrak®button, or when the
stability control has been automatically disabled. There
are four conditions that can cause this message to
appear. One condition is overheating, which could occur
if Stabilitrak
®activates continuously for an extended
period of time. The message will also be displayed if the
brake system warning light is on. SeeBrake System
Warning Light on page 3-42Brake System Warning
Light. 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.
For more information on the Stabilitrak
®system, see
Stabilitrak®System on page 4-11.
3-71

Theft-Deterrent Feature
THEFTLOCK®is designed to discourage theft of your
vehicle’s radio. The feature works automatically by
learning a portion of the Vehicle Identication Number
(VIN). If the radio is moved to a different vehicle, it
will not operate and LOCKED will appear on the display.
When the radio and vehicle are turned off, the blinking
red light indicates that THEFTLOCK
®is armed.
With THEFTLOCK
®activated, the radio will not operate
if stolen.
Audio Steering Wheel Controls
Some audio controls can be adjusted at the steering
wheel. They include the following:
g(OnStar/Voice Recognition):If your vehicle has
OnStar®, press this button to interact with the OnStar®
system. See the OnStar®manual provided with your
vehicle for more information.
If your vehicle does not have OnStar
®, press this button
to silence the system. Press it again, or any other
radio button, to turn on the sound.
3-114

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-6
Braking.........................................................4-6
Traction Assist System (TAS)...........................4-9
Locking Rear Axle........................................4-11
Stabilitrak
®System.......................................4-11
Steering......................................................4-15
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-17
Passing.......................................................4-17
Loss of Control.............................................4-19
Off-Road Driving with Your Four-Wheel-Drive
Vehicle....................................................4-20
Driving at Night............................................4-33
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-35City Driving..................................................4-38
Freeway Driving...........................................4-39
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-41
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-42
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-43
Winter Driving..............................................4-44
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow . . .4-49
Towing..........................................................4-52
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-52
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-52
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-55
Level Control...............................................4-62
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment.......4-63
Truck-Camper Loading Information..................4-67
Trailer Recommendations...............................4-67
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-68
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 are driving on snow or ice, it
is 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 seeTraction Assist
System (TAS) on page 4-9.
Braking
Braking action involvesperception timeand
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That isperception time.Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That isreaction time.
Averagereaction timeis about 3/4 of a second. But that is
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 is 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

Remember: Anti-lock does not 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 will not 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
Do not 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.
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. SeeDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 3-65.
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 3-8.
4-9

The STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message will appear on
the Driver Information Center (DIC) only when the
system is both on and activated. 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
®activates 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. For more information on the
stability messages, seeDriver Information Center (DIC)
on page 3-53.Stabilitrak
®and part of the
traction control system can
be turned off or back on
by pressing the
Stabilitrak
®button 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
®is off, but
will not be able to use the engine speed management
system. See “Traction Control Operation” next for
more information.
4-12