brake light CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2011 2.G User Guide

Black plate (43,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-43
conditions and require more wheel
spin. SeeIf the Vehicle is Stuck on
page 9‑22. To turn the StabiliTrak
system on or off, see StabiliTrak
®
System on page 9‑54.
There are several 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 also displays if the
brake system warning light is on.
SeeBrake System Warning
Light on page 5‑23.
.The message could display if the
stability system takes longer
than usual to complete its
diagnostic checks due to driving
conditions.
.The message displays if an
engine or vehicle related
problem has been detected and
the vehicle needs service.
See your dealer.
.The message also displays if
the vehicle is shifted into
4LO (Two Speed Transfer
Case Only).
The message turns off as soon as
the conditions that caused the
message to be displayed are no
longer present.
TRACTION CONTROL OFF
If your vehicle has StabiliTrak, this
message displays when the Traction
Control System (TCS) is turned off.
Adjust your driving accordingly. See
StabiliTrak
®System on page 9‑54
for more information.
Airbag System Messages
SERVICE AIR BAG
This message displays if there is a
problem with the airbag system.
Have your dealer inspect the
system for problems. See Airbag
Readiness Light on page 5‑18 and
Airbag System on page 3‑28 for
more information.
Anti-Theft Alarm System
Messages
SERVICE THEFT DETERRENT
SYSTEM
This message displays when there
is a problem with the theft-deterrent
system. The vehicle may or may not
restart so you may want to take the
vehicle to your dealer before turning
off the engine. See Immobilizer
Operation on page 2‑18 for more
information.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-3
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
Alcohol affects four things that
anyone needs to drive a vehicle:
judgment, muscular coordination,
vision, and attentiveness.
Police records show that almost
40 percent of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve
alcohol. In most cases, these
deaths are the result of someone
who was drinking and driving.
In recent years, more than
17,000 annual motor vehicle-related
deaths have been associated with
the use of alcohol, with about
250,000 people injured.
For persons under 21, it is against
the law in every U.S. state to drink
alcohol. There are good medical,
psychological, and developmental
reasons for these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the
leading highway safety problem is
for people never to drink alcohol
and then drive.Medical research shows that alcohol
in a person's system can make
crash injuries worse, especially
injuries to the brain, spinal cord,
or heart. This means that
when anyone who has been
drinking
—driver or passenger —is
in a crash, that person's chance of
being killed or permanently disabled
is higher than if the person had not
been drinking.
Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help
to control the vehicle while
driving —brakes, steering, and
accelerator. At times, as when
driving on snow or ice, it is easy to
ask more of those control systems
than the tires and road can provide.
Meaning, you can lose control of the
vehicle. See StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑54.
Adding non‐dealer accessories can
affect vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10‑3.
Braking
See Brake System Warning Light on
page 5‑23.
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average reaction time is about
three‐fourths 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 three‐fourths of a
second, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels
20 m (66 ft). That could be a lot
of distance in an emergency, so
keeping enough space between the
vehicle and others is important.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
9-6 Driving and Operating
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving.
If the level of the shoulder is
only slightly below the pavement,
recovery should be fairly easy.
Ease off the accelerator and then,
if there is nothing in the way, steer
so that the vehicle straddles the
edge of the pavement.Turn the steering wheel 8 to 13 cm
(3 to 5 inches), about one-eighth
turn, until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge. Then turn the
steering wheel to go straight down
the roadway.
Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts
say about what happens when the
three control systems
—brakes,
steering, and acceleration —do not
have enough friction where the tires
meet the road to do what the driver
has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up.
Keep trying to steer and constantly
seek an escape route or area of
less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of
the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions,
and by not overdriving those
conditions. But skids are
always possible.
The three types of skids correspond
to the vehicle's three control
systems. In the braking skid, the
wheels are not rolling. In the
steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes
tires to slip and lose cornering force.
And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
If the vehicle starts to slide, ease
your foot off the accelerator pedal
and quickly steer the way you
want the vehicle to go. If you start
steering quickly enough, the vehicle
may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.

Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
9-14 Driving and Operating
If, after stalling, you try to back
down the hill and decide you just
cannot do it, set the parking brake,
put your transmission in P (Park),
and turn off the engine. Leave the
vehicle and go get some help. Exit
on the uphill side and stay clear of
the path the vehicle would take if it
rolled downhill. If the vehicle has
transfer case with a N (Neutral)
position, do not shift the transfer
case to Neutral when you leave the
vehicle. Leave it in some gear.
{WARNING
If the vehicle has the two‐speed
automatic transfer case, shifting
the transfer case to Neutral can
cause your vehicle to roll even if
the transmission is in P (Park).
This is because the Neutral
position on the transfer case
overrides the transmission. You or
someone else could be injured.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
If you are going to leave your
vehicle, set the parking brake
and shift the transmission to
P (Park). But, if the vehicle has a
two‐speed automatic transfer
case, do not shift the transfer
case to Neutral.
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you
downhill, consider:
.How steep is the downhill? Will I
be able to maintain vehicle
control?
.What is the surface like?
Smooth? Rough? Slippery?
Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
.Are there hidden surface
obstacles? Ruts? Logs?
Boulders?
.What is at the bottom of the hill?
Is there a hidden creek bank or
even a river bottom with large
rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill
safely, try to keep the vehicle
headed straight down. Use a low
gear so engine drag can help the
brakes so they do not have to do all
the work. Descend slowly, keeping
the vehicle under control at all
times.
{WARNING
Heavy braking when going down
a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and a
serious accident. Apply the
brakes lightly when descending a
hill and use a low gear to keep
vehicle speed under control.

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
9-18 Driving and Operating
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that
has collected on the underbody,
chassis, or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand,
have the brake linings cleaned and
checked. These substances can
cause glazing and uneven braking.
Check the body structure, steering,
suspension, wheels, tires, and
exhaust system for damage and
check the fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
The vehicle requires more frequent
service due to off-road use. Refer to
the Maintenance Schedule for
additional information.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep‐standing or flowing water.
{WARNING
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause your
vehicle to be carried away.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
If this happens, you and other
vehicle occupants could drown.
Do not ignore police warnings
and be very cautious about trying
to drive through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.

Black plate (43,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-43
Range Selection Mode controls the
vehicle and engine speed while
driving down a hill or towing a trailer,
by allowing you to select a desired
range of gears.
Grade Braking is not available when
the Range Selection Mode is active.
SeeTow/Haul Mode on page 9‑43
for more information.
While using the Range Selection
Mode, Cruise Control and the
Tow/Haul Mode can be used.
Tow/Haul Mode
The vehicle has a Tow/Haul Mode.
The Tow/Haul Mode adjusts the
transmission shift pattern to reduce
shift cycling, providing increased performance, vehicle control, and
transmission cooling while towing or
hauling heavy loads.
Press the button located on the end
of the shift lever to turn the tow/haul
on or off. While the tow/haul is on, a
light on the instrument panel cluster
comes on.
See
Tow/Haul Mode Light on
page 5‑24 for more information.
Also see “Tow Haul Mode” under
Towing Equipment on page 9‑84 for
more information.
Grade Braking
The Grade Braking shift modes can
be activated by pressing the button
on the end of the shift control lever.
While in Range Selection Mode,
Grade Braking is deactivated
allowing the driver to select a
desired range of gears.
Grade Braking is only active while
the Tow/Haul Mode is selected
and you are not in the Range
Selection Mode. See
“Tow/Haul Mode” listed
previously and Manual Mode on
page 9‑42 for more information on
the Range Selection Mode. Grade
Braking assists in maintaining
desired vehicle speeds when driving
on downhill grades by automatically
implementing a shift schedule that
utilizes the engine and transmission
to slow the vehicle. This reduces
wear on the braking system and
increases control of the vehicle.
Grade Braking monitors vehicle
speed, acceleration, engine torque
and brake pedal usage. Using this
information, it detects when the
truck is on a downhill grade and the
driver desires to slow the vehicle by
pressing the brake.
Cruise Grade Braking
Cruise Grade Braking assists
when driving on a downhill grade.
It maintains vehicle speed by
automatically implementing a shift
schedule that uses the engine and
the transmission to slow the vehicle.

Black plate (46,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
9-46 Driving and Operating
4n(Four-Wheel Drive Low):This
setting also engages the 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.
The vehicle has StabiliTrak. Shifting
into Four-Wheel Drive Low will turn
Traction Control and StabiliTrak off.
See StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑54.
{WARNING
Shifting the transfer case to
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the transmission is
in P (Park). You or someone else
could be seriously injured. Be
sure to set the parking brake
before placing the transfer case in
N (Neutral). See Parking Brake on
page 9‑53. N (Neutral):
Shift the vehicle's
transfer case to N (Neutral) only
when towing the vehicle. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing on
page 10‑93 orTowing the Vehicle
on page 10‑93 for more information.
If the SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE
message stays on, you should take
the vehicle to your dealer for
service. See “SERVICE 4 WHEEL
DRIVE” message under
Transmission Messages on
page 5‑45.
Shifting Into Four-Wheel Drive
High or AUTO (Automatic
Four-Wheel Drive)
Turn the knob to the Four-Wheel
Drive High or AUTO position. This
can be done at any speed, except
when shifting from Four-Wheel
Drive Low. The indicator light will
flash while shifting. It will remain on
when the shift is completed. Shifting Into Two-Wheel
Drive High
Turn the knob to the Two-Wheel
Drive 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” in this section for more
information.
Shifting Into Four-Wheel
Drive Low
When Four-Wheel Drive Low is
engaged, vehicle speed should be
kept below 72 km/h (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
ON/RUN and the vehicle must be
stopped or moving less than 5 km/h
(3 mph) with the transmission in
N (Neutral). The preferred method
for shifting into Four-Wheel Drive
Low is to have the vehicle moving
1.6 to 3.2 km/h (1 to 2 mph).

Black plate (48,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
9-48 Driving and Operating
If the knob is turned to the
Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO,
or Two-Wheel Drive High switch
position when the vehicle is in
gear and/or moving more than
1.6 to 3.2 km/h (1 to 2 mph), the
Four-Wheel Drive High, AUTO or
Two-Wheel Drive High indicator light
will flash for 30 seconds but will not
complete the shift. With the vehicle
moving less than 5 km/h (3 mph)
and the transmission is in
N (Neutral), attempt the shift again.Shifting into Neutral
To shift the transfer case to
N (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. See
Parking Brake on page 9‑53 for
more information.
3. Start the vehicle or turn the ignition to ON/RUN.
4. Put the transmission in N (Neutral).
5. Shift the transfer case to Two-Wheel Drive High. 6. Turn the transfer case dial
clockwise to N (Neutral) until it
stops and hold it there until the
N (Neutral) light starts blinking.
This will take at least
10 seconds. Then slowly release
the dial to the Four‐Wheel Drive
Low position. The N (Neutral)
light will come on when the
transfer case shift to N (Neutral)
is complete.
7. If the engine is running, verify that the transfer case is in
N (Neutral) by shifting the
transmission to R (Reverse) for
one second, then shift the
transmission to D (Drive) for
one second.

Black plate (49,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-49
8. Turn the ignition to ACC/ACCESSORY, which will turn
the engine off.
9. Place the transmission shift lever in P (Park).
10. Release the parking brake prior to moving the vehicle.
11. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
Shifting Out of Neutral
To shift out of N Neutral do the
following:
1. Set the parking brake and apply the regular brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off, and shift the
transmission to N (Neutral). 3. Turn the transfer case dial to
the desired transfer case shift
position (Two-Wheel Drive High,
Four-Wheel Drive High,
or AUTO).
After the transfer case has
shifted out of N (Neutral), the
N (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 flashing could damage
the transfer case. To help avoid
damaging the vehicle, always wait
for the Four-Wheel Drive Low
indicator light to stop flashing
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.

Black plate (52,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
9-52 Driving and Operating
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the engine is started and the
vehicle begins to drive away, ABS
checks itself. A momentary motor or
clicking noise might be heard while
this test is going on, and it might
even be noticed that the brake
pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑24. If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.