service CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2005 1.G Service Manual

CD Messages
CHECK CD:If this message appears on the display
and/or the CD comes out, it could be for one of the
following reasons:
It is very hot. When the temperature returns to
normal, the CD should play.
You are driving on a very rough road. When the
road becomes smoother, the CD should play.
The CD is dirty, scratched, wet, or upside down.
The air is very humid. If so, wait about an hour and
try again.
There may have been a problem while burning
the CD.
The label may be caught in the CD player.
If the CD is not playing correctly, for any other reason,
try a known good CD.
If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be
corrected, contact your GM dealer. If the radio displays
an error message, write it down and provide it to
your GM dealer when reporting the problem.
Listening to a DVD
If your vehicle has the Rear Seat Entertainment (RSE)
system and a DVD is playing, the DVD symbol will
appear on the radio display indicating that the DVD is
available and can be listened to through your vehicle’s
speakers.
To listen to the DVD, press the CD AUX button until
RSE appears on the radio display. The current
radio source will stop and the DVD sound will come
through the speakers.
To stop listening to the DVD, press the CD AUX button,
if a CD is loaded, or press the BAND button to select
a different source.
When the RSE system is turned off, the DVD symbol
will go off of the radio display and RSE OFF will appear
on the radio display. The radio will return to the last
radio source that you were listening to.
SeeRear Seat Entertainment System on page 3-90for
more information.
Navigation/Radio System
Your vehicle may have a navigation radio system that
includes Radio Data System (RDS) information and
XM™ Satellite Radio Service capabilities (if equipped).
For information on how to use this system, see the
“Navigation System” manual.
3-89

Rear Seat Entertainment System
Your vehicle may have a DVD Rear Seat Entertainment
(RSE) system. The RSE system includes a DVD
player, a video display screen, two sets of wireless
headphones, and a remote control.
Parental Control
This button is located behind the video screen. Press
this button while a DVD or CD is playing to freeze
the video and mute the audio. The video screen will
display Parental Control ON and the power indicator
light on the DVD player will ash. It will also disable all
other button operations from the remote control and
the DVD player, with the exception of the eject button.
Press this button again to restore operation of the
DVD player.
This button may also be used to turn the DVD player
power on and automatically resume play if the ignition is
in RUN, ACCESSORY, or if RAP is active.
Before You Drive
The RSE system is for rear seat passengers only. The
driver cannot safely view the video screen while
driving and should not try to do so.
Headphones
The RSE system includes two sets of wireless
headphones.
Each set of headphones has an ON/OFF control.
An indicator light will illuminate on the headphones when
they are on. If the light does not illuminate, the
batteries may need to be replaced. See “Battery
Replacement” following for more information.
Each set of headphones has a volume knob. To adjust
the volume, adjust this knob.
The transmitters are located below the video display
screen. The headphones will shut off automatically
if they lose the signal from the system after about four
minutes to save battery power. The signal may be lost
if the system is turned off or if the headphones are
out of range of the transmitters.
When using the wired headphones, if the front seat
passengers play a CD in the Radio with Six-Disc CD
(if equipped) or use XM™ Satellite Radio Service
(if equipped), you will hear the audio for these sources,
instead of the DVD or CD that is currently playing
through the RSE.
Notice:Do not store the headphones in heat or
direct sunlight. This could damage the headphones
and repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Keep the headphones stored in a cool, dry place.
3-90

DVD Player
The DVD player is located in the overhead console. The
DVD player can be controlled by the buttons on the
DVD player and/or by the buttons on the remote control.
See “Remote Control” later in this section for more
information.
The DVD player power may be turned on when the
ignition is in RUN, ACCESSORY, or when Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) is active.
The RSE system DVD player is only compatible with
DVDs of the appropriate region code for the country that
the vehicle was sold in. The DVD region code is
printed on the jacket of most DVDs.
Standard audio CDs, CD-R, CD-RW, Video CD and
Photo CD/CD-R media are fully supported by this DVD
player. DVD-R and DVD-RW media is supported if
formatted as DVD-Video. DVD+R and DVD+RW media
may or may not be supported by the DVD player.
The DVD player does not support DVD-RAM,
DVD-ROM, and DVD Audio media. An error message
will appear on the display if this type of media is inserted
into the DVD player.
When using the wired headphones, not included, if the
front seat passengers play a CD in the Radio with
Six-Disc CD (if equipped) or use XM™ Satellite RadioService (if equipped), you will hear the audio for these
sources, instead of the DVD or CD that is currently
playing through the RSE.
If an error message appears on the video screen, see
“DVD Messages” later in this section.
DVD Player Buttons
O(Power):Press this button to turn the RSE system
on and off. The power indicator light will illuminate
when the power is on.
X(Eject):Press this button to eject a DVD or CD.
SRCE (Source):Press this button to switch between
the DVD player and an auxiliary source.
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Some audio controls can be adjusted at the steering
wheel. They include the following:
g(OnStar/Mute):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.
PROG (Program):Press this button to play a station
you have programmed on the radio preset pushbuttons.
The radio will only seek preset stations with a strong
signal that are in the selected band.
When a CD is playing in the CD changer, press this
button to go to the next available CD, if multiple CDs are
loaded.
QSOURCER:Press this button to switch between
FM1, FM2, AM, or XM1 or XM2 (if equipped), or a
CD. If a CD is loaded the CD symbol will appear on the
display.
QSEEKR:Press the up or the down arrow to go to
the next or to the previous radio station and stay
there. The radio will only seek stations with a strong
signal that are in the selected band.When a CD is playing, press the up or the down arrow
to fast forward or reverse.
QVOLR(Volume):Press the up or the down arrow
to increase or to decrease the volume.
Radio Reception
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range can cause
station frequencies to interfere with each other. Static
can occur on AM stations caused by things like
storms and power lines. Try reducing the treble to
reduce this noise.
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give the best sound, but FM signals will
reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall
buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing
the sound to fade in and out.
XM™ Satellite Radio Service
XM™ Satellite Radio Service gives digital radio
reception from coast to coast. Just as with FM, tall
buildings or hills can interfere with satellite radio signals,
causing the sound to fade in and out. The radio may
display NO SIGNAL to indicate interference.
3-103

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is
a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much
faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace
with the traffic and allow realistic following distances,
you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you are driving, brake
normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced
electronic braking system that will help prevent a
braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on. This is normal.
If there is a problem with
the anti-lock brake system,
this warning light will
stay on. SeeAnti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light on page 3-36.
Along with ABS, your vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system. If there is a DRP problem,
both the brake and ABS warning lights will come on
accompanied by a 10-second chime. The lights
and chime will come on each time the ignition is turned
on until the problem is repaired. See your dealer for
service.
4-6

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.
SeeTraction Off Light on page 3-37.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. SeeIf Your Vehicle is 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.
4-9

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.
StabiliTrak®System
Your vehicle may be equipped with StabiliTrak®which
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
®. 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.
4-10

Traction Control Operation
The traction control system is part of the
StabiliTrak®system. 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
®, 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, seeDriver Information Center
(DIC) on page 3-45.
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 the
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, brake traction-control will be disabled and the
TRACTION SYS LIMITED message will be displayed.
In the limited mode, the traction control system will only
use engine traction-control and is limited in its ability
to provide optimal performance since the system will not
utilize brake traction-control to control slip on the
drive wheels. The system will return to normal operation
after the brakes have cooled. This can take up to
two minutes or longer depending on brake usage.
Notice:If you allow the wheel(s) of one axle to spin
excessively while the traction off, ABS and brake
warning lights and the SERVICE STABILITY
message are displayed, you could damage the
transfer case. The repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Reduce engine power and do not
spin the wheel(s) excessively while these lights and
this message are 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
of the transmission. When this happens you may
notice a reduction in acceleration, or may hear a noise
or vibration. This is normal.
4-12

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. SeeCruise Control on
page 3-10.
StabiliTrak
®may 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 is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here is 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 makesit possible for the vehicle to change its path when you
turn the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If you
have ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you will
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 are in a curve, speed is the one factor you
can control.
Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control
systems — steering and acceleration — 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. SeeTraction Assist System (TAS) on
page 4-8.
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 will want to go slower.
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.
4-13

Off-Road Driving with Your
Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have four-wheel
drive. Also, seeBraking on page 4-5. If your vehicle
does not have four-wheel drive, you should not
drive off-road unless you are on a level, solid surface.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have some
denite hazards. The greatest of these is the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you have left the great North
American road system behind. Traffic lanes are not
marked. Curves are not banked. There are no
road signs. Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or
downhill. In short, you have gone right back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that
is why it is very important that you read this guide.
You will nd many driving tips and suggestions. These
will help make your off-road driving safer and more
enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For
example, be sure to have all necessary maintenance
and service work done. Check to make sure all
underbody shields (if equipped) are properly attached.
Be sure you read all the information about your
four-wheel-drive vehicle in this manual. Is there enough
fuel? Is the spare tire fully inated? Are the uid
levels up where they should be? What are the local
laws that apply to off-roading where you will be driving?
If you do not know, you should check with law
enforcement people in the area. Will you be on
someone’s private land? If so, be sure to get the
necessary permission.
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road
Driving
There are some important things to remember about
how to load your vehicle.
The heaviest things should be on the load oor and
forward of your rear axle. Put heavier items as far
forward as you can.
Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on
the off-road terrain does not toss things around.
4-18