wheel CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2007 2.G User Guide

Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for the
shift lever.
Your vehicle has an automatic transmission with
an electronic shift position indicator within the
instrument panel cluster. This display will show
the position anytime the shift lever is moved out
of PARK (P).
PARK (P):This position locks your rear wheels.
It is the best position to use when you start
your engine because your vehicle cannot
move easily.{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake rmly set. Your
vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not
move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, always set your parking brake
and move the shift lever to PARK (P).
SeeShifting Into Park (P) on page 139.
If you are pulling a trailer, seeTowing
a Trailer on page 414.
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{CAUTION:
If you have four-wheel drive, your vehicle
will be free to roll — even if your shift
lever is in PARK (P) — if your transfer
case is in NEUTRAL. So, be sure the
transfer case is in a drive gear, two-wheel
high, four-wheel high or four-wheel
low — not in NEUTRAL. SeeShifting
Into Park (P) on page 139.
REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving forward could damage
the transmission. The repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out
of snow, ice, or sand without damaging your
transmission, seeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in
Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 400.NEUTRAL (N):In this position, your engine does
not connect with the wheels. To restart when
you are already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Also, use NEUTRAL (N) when your two-wheel
drive vehicle is being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is rmly
on the brake pedal, your vehicle could
move very rapidly. You could lose
control and hit people or objects.
Do not shift into a drive gear while your
engine is running at high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) with the engine running at
high speed may damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by your
warranty. Be sure the engine is not running
at high speed when shifting your vehicle.
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DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving. It
provides the best fuel economy for your vehicle.
If you need more power for passing, and you are:
Going less than about 35 mph (56 km/h), push
your accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or more, push
the accelerator all the way down.
DRIVE (D) can be used when towing a trailer,
carrying a heavy load, driving on steep hills or
for off-road driving. You may want to shift the
transmission to THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower
gear selection if the transmission shifts too often.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding, see “Skidding”
underLoss of Control on page 367
THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal
driving. However, it reduces vehicle speed
more than DRIVE (D) without using your brakes.
You can use THIRD (3) on hills. It can help control
your speed as you go down steep mountain
roads, but then you would also want to use your
brakes off and on.SECOND (2):This position reduces vehicle speed
even more than THIRD (3) without using your
brakes. You can use SECOND (2) on hills. It can
help control your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to
use your brakes off and on.
If you select SECOND (2) and the Tow/Haul has
not been selected, the transmission will drive
in SECOND (2) gear. You may use this feature
for reducing the speed of the rear wheels
when you are trying to start your vehicle from
a stop on slippery road surfaces.
If you select SECOND (2) and the Tow/Haul has
also been selected, the transmission operation will
be limited to FIRST (1) and SECOND (2) gears.
You may use this feature for reducing the speed
of the rear wheels when you are trying to start your
vehicle from a stop on slippery road surfaces.
FIRST (1):This position reduces vehicle speed
even more than SECOND (2) without using
your brakes. You can use it on very steep hills,
or in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in
FIRST (1) while the vehicle is moving forward,
the transmission will not shift into rst gear until
the vehicle is going slowly enough.
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Four-Wheel Drive
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive, you can send
your engine’s driving power to all four wheels
for extra traction. Read the part that follows before
using four-wheel drive.
Notice:Driving on clean, dry pavement in
Four-Wheel-Drive High or Four-Wheel-Drive
Low for an extended period of time may cause
premature wear on your vehicle’s powertrain.
Do not drive on clean, dry pavement in
Four-Wheel-Drive High or Four-Wheel-Drive
Low for extended periods of time.
While driving on clean dry pavement and during
tight turns, you may experience a vibration in
the steering system.
Front Axle Locking Feature
The front axle locks and unlocks automatically
when you shift the transfer case. Some delay for
the axle to lock or unlock is normal.
Automatic Transfer Case
The transfer case
knob is located to the
left of the instrument
panel cluster.
Your vehicle has Four Wheel Drive with
StabiliTrak
®. For information on StabiliTrak®,
seeStabiliTrak®System on page 359.
Use this dial to shift into and out of four-wheel drive.
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You can choose among ve driving settings:
Indicator lights in the switches show you which
setting you are in. The indicator lights will come on
briey when you turn on the ignition and the last
chosen setting will stay on. If the lights do not come
on, you should take your vehicle in for service. An
indicator light will ash while shifting. Fast ashing
means the conditions were not met to make the
desired shift, typically the vehicle was going too
fast, the automatic transmission was not in neutral.
or the clutch pedal was not fully pressed. Slow
ashing means the shift is in progress. It will stay on
when the shift is completed. If for some reason the
transfer case cannot make a requested shift, it will
return to the last chosen setting.
2
m(Two-Wheel Drive High):This setting is
used for driving in most street and highway
situations. Your front axle is not engaged in
two-wheel drive. This setting also provides the
best fuel economy.
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel Drive):This
setting is ideal for use when road surface traction
conditions are variable. When driving your
vehicle in AUTO, the front axle is engaged,but the vehicle’s power is primarily sent to the
rear wheels. When the vehicle’s software
determines a need for more traction, the system
will transfer more power to the front wheels.
Driving in this mode results in slightly lower fuel
economy than Two-Wheel Drive High.
4
m(Four-Wheel Drive High):Use the
four-wheel high position when you need extra
traction, such as on snowy or icy roads or in most
off-road situations. This setting also engages
your front axle to help drive your vehicle. This is
the best setting to use when plowing snow.
4
n(Four-Wheel Drive Low):This setting also
engages your front axle and delivers extra torque.
You may never need this setting. It sends maximum
power to all four wheels. You might choose
Four-Wheel Drive Low if you are driving off-road
in deep sand, deep mud, deep snow, and while
climbing or descending steep hills. StabiliTrak
®
will not engage in this mode. SeeStabiliTrak®
System on page 359for more information.
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{CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL
can cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in PARK (P). You or
someone else could be seriously injured.
Be sure to set the parking brake before
placing the transfer case in NEUTRAL.
SeeParking Brake on page 138.
NEUTRAL (N):Shift the vehicle’s transfer case to
NEUTRAL only when towing your vehicle. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing on page 408or
Towing Your Vehicle on page 408for more
information.
If the SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE message stays
on, you should take your vehicle to your dealer
for service. See “SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE
message” underDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 267.
Shifting Into Four-Wheel Drive High or
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel Drive)
Turn the knob to the Four-Wheel High or
AUTO position. This can be done at any speed,
except when shifting from Four-Wheel Drive
Low. The indicator light will ash while shifting.
It will remain on when the shift is completed.
Shifting Into Two-Wheel Drive High
Turn the knob to the Two-Wheel High position.
This can be done at any speed, except when
shifting from Four-Wheel Drive Low.
See shifting out of Four-Wheel Drive Low later
in this section for more information.
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Shifting Into Four-Wheel Drive Low
When Four-Wheel Low is engaged, vehicle
speed should be kept below 45 mph. Extended
high-speed operation in 4L may damage or
shorten the life of the drivetrain.
To shift to the Four-Wheel Drive Low position, the
ignition must be in RUN and the vehicle must
be stopped or moving less than 3 mph (5 km/h)
with the transmission in NEUTRAL (N). The
preferred method for shifting into Four-Wheel Drive
Low is to have your vehicle moving 1 to 2 mph
(1.6 to 3.2 km/h). Turn the knob to the Four-Wheel
Drive Low position. You must wait for the
Four-Wheel Drive Low indicator light to stop
ashing and remain on before shifting your
transmission in gear.Notice:Shifting the transmission into gear
before the Four-Wheel Drive Low indicator light
has stopped ashing could damage the
transfer case. To help avoid damaging your
vehicle, always wait for the Four-Wheel
Drive Low indicator light to stop ashing
before shifting the transmission into gear.
The vehicle may have signicant engagement noise
and bump when shifting between Four-Wheel Drive
Low and Four-Wheel Drive High ranges or from
NEUTRAL while the engine is running.
If the knob is turned to the Four-Wheel Drive Low
position when your vehicle is in gear and/or
moving, the Four-Wheel Drive Low indicator light
will ash for 30 seconds and not complete the
shift unless your vehicle is moving less than 3 mph
(5 km/h) and the transmission is in NEUTRAL (N).
After 30 seconds the transfer case will shift to
Four-Wheel Drive High mode.
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Shifting Out of Four-Wheel Drive Low
To shift from Four-Wheel Drive Low to Four-Wheel
Drive High, AUTO, or Two-Wheel Drive High, your
vehicle must be stopped or moving less than 3 mph
(5 km/h) with the transmission in NEUTRAL (N) and
the ignition in RUN. The preferred method for
shifting out of Four-Wheel Drive Low is to have your
vehicle moving 1 to 2 mph (1.6 to 3.2 km/h). Turn
the knob to the Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO, or
Two-Wheel Drive High position. You must wait for
the Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO, or Two-Wheel
Drive High indicator light to stop ashing and
remain on before shifting your transmission
into gear.
Notice:Shifting the transmission into gear
before the Four-Wheel Drive Low indicator light
has stopped ashing could damage the
transfer case. To help avoid damaging your
vehicle, always wait for the Four-Wheel
Drive Low indicator light to stop ashing
before shifting the transmission into gear.
The vehicle may have signicant engagement noise
and bump when shifting between Four-Wheel Drive
Low and Four-Wheel Drive High ranges or from
NEUTRAL while the engine is running.If the knob is turned to the Four-Wheel Drive High,
AUTO, or Two-Wheel Drive High switch position
when your vehicle is in gear and/or moving,
the Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO or Two-Wheel
Drive High indicator light will ash for 30 seconds
but will not complete the shift unless your
vehicle is moving less than 3 mph (5 km/h) and
the transmission is in NEUTRAL (N).
Shifting into NEUTRAL
To shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL do the
following:
1. Make sure the vehicle is parked so that it will
not roll.
2. Set the parking brake and apply the regular
brake pedal. SeeParking Brake on page 138
for more information.
3. Start the vehicle or turn the ignition to RUN.
4. Put the transmission in NEUTRAL (N).
5. Shift the transfer case to Two-Wheel
Drive High.
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6. Turn the transfer case dial clockwise to
NEUTRAL till it stops and hold it for
10 seconds. Then slowly release the dial to
the four low position. The NEUTRAL light will
come on when the transfer case shift to
NEUTRAL is complete.
7. If the engine is running, verify that the
transmission is in NEUTRAL (N) by shifting
the transmission to REVERSE (R) for
one second, then shift the transmission to
DRIVE (D) for one second.
8. Turn the ignition to ACCESSORY, which will
turn the engine off.
9. Place the transmission shift lever in PARK (P).
10. Release the parking brake prior to moving
the vehicle.
11. Turn the ignition to LOCK.
Shifting Out of NEUTRAL
To shift out of NEUTRAL do the following:
1. Set the parking brake and apply the regular
brake pedal.
2. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL (N) and
turn the ignition to RUN with the engine off.3. Turn the transfer case dial to the desired
transfer case shift position (Two-Wheel
Drive High, Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO).
After the transfer case has shifted out of
NEUTRAL the NEUTRAL light will go out.
4. Release the parking brake prior to moving
the vehicle.
Notice:Shifting the transmission into gear
before the Four-Wheel Drive Low indicator
light has stopped ashing could damage the
transfer case. To help avoid damaging
your vehicle, always wait for the Four-Wheel
Drive Low indicator light to stop ashing
before shifting the transmission into gear.
5. Start the engine and shift the transmission to
the desired position.
Excessively shifting the transfer case into or out
of the different modes may cause the transfer
case to enter the shift protection mode. This will
protect the transfer case from possible damage
and will only allow the transfer case to respond
to one shift per 10 seconds. The transfer case
may stay in this mode for up to three minutes.
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If the ignition is on when the parking brake is
released, the brake system warning light will go off.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause
premature wear or damage to brake system
parts. Verify that the parking brake is fully
released and the brake warning light is
off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any
hill, seeTowing a Trailer on page 414.
Shifting Into Park (P)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly
set. Your vehicle can roll. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on fairly level ground,
use the steps that follow. With four-wheel
drive, if your transfer case is in NEUTRAL,
your vehicle will be free to roll, even if
your shift lever is in PARK (P). So, be
sure the transfer case is in a drive
gear — not in NEUTRAL. If you are pulling
a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on page 414.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right
foot and set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into the PARK (P)
position by pulling the shift lever toward
you and moving it up as far as it will go.
3. Be sure the transfer case is in a drive
gear — not in NEUTRAL (N).
4. Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
5. Remove the key and take it with you. If you
can leave your vehicle with the ignition key in
your hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
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