ABS CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2013 2.G User Guide

Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
7-12 Infotainment System
sREV:Press to go to the
previous SiriusXM category.
\FWD: Press to go to the next
SiriusXM category.
FAV (Favorites): Press to select
different favorites pages for stored
radio stations.
CAT (Category): The CAT button is
used to find SiriusXM channels
when the radio is in the XM mode.
Finding a Category (CAT)
Station
To find XM channels in a category:
1. Press the CAT button to display the category tabs. Continue
pressing the CAT button until the
desired category name displays.
.Radios with CD and DVD
can also navigate the
category list by pressing the
\FWD or thesREV
buttons. 2. Press either of the two softkeys
below the desired category tab
to immediately tune to the first
SiriusXM station in that category.
To go to the previous or next
SiriusXM station in the selected
category, do one of the
following:
.Turn thefknob.
.Press the softkey below the
right or left arrows in the
category tab.
.Press©SEEK or¨SEEK.
3. To exit the category search mode, press the FAV button or
BAND button to display the
favorites again.
Adding and Removing Categories
Categories cannot be added or
removed while the vehicle is moving
faster than 8 km/h (5 mph).
To add or remove a category:
1. Press the MENU button. 2. Press the softkey located below
the XM CAT tab.
3. Turn the
fknob to display the
category to add or remove.
4. Press the softkey located under the Add or Remove tab.
To restore all removed
categories, press the softkey
under the Restore All tab.
5. Repeat the steps to remove more categories.
Storing SiriusXM Channels
Drivers are encouraged to store
SiriusXM channels while the vehicle
is parked; see Defensive Driving on
page 9‑3. Tune to stored radio
stations using the presets, favorites
button, and steering wheel controls,
if the vehicle has this feature.
Up to 36 stations can be
programmed as favorites using
the six softkeys below the radio
station frequency tabs and by using
the FAV button. Press the FAV
button to go through up to six pages

Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
Infotainment System 7-13
of favorites, each having six favorite
stations available per page. Each
page of favorites can contain
any combination of AM, FM,
or SiriusXM, if equipped, stations.
Storing an SiriusXM Channel as a
Favorite
To store a station as a favorite:
1. Tune to an SiriusXM channel.
2. Press the FAV button to displaythe page where the station will
be stored.
3. Press and hold one of the six softkeys until a beep sounds.
4. Repeat Steps 1 through 3 to store additional radio stations.
The number of favorites pages can
be set up using the MENU button.
To set up the number of favorites
pages:
1. Press the MENU button.
2. Press the softkey located below the FAV 1-6 tab. 3. Select the number of favorites
pages by pressing the softkey
located below the displayed
page numbers.
4. Press the FAV button, or let the menu time out, to return to the
original main radio screen
showing the radio station
frequency tabs and to begin
the process of programming
favorites.
SiriusXM Radio Messages
XL (Explicit Language
Channels): These channels, or
any others, can be blocked at a
customer's request, by calling
1-866-635-2349 (US) or
1-877-209-0079 (Canada).
XM Updating: The encryption code
in the receiver is being updated, and
no action is required. This process
should take no longer than
30 seconds. No XM Signal:
The system is
functioning correctly, but the vehicle
is in a location that is blocking the
SiriusXM signal. When the vehicle is
moved into an open area, the signal
should return.
Loading XM: The audio system is
acquiring and processing audio and
text data. No action is needed. This
message should disappear shortly.
Channel Off Air: This channel is
not currently in service. Tune in to
another channel.
Channel Unauth: This channel is
blocked or cannot be received with
your SiriusXM subscription package.
Channel Unavail: This previously
assigned channel is no longer
assigned. Tune to another station.
If this station was one of the
presets, choose another station for
that preset button.
No Artist Info: No artist
information is available at this time
on this channel. The system is
working properly.

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
7-18 Infotainment System
.Up to 255 files.
.Playlists with an .m3u or .wpl
extension.
.Files with an .mp3, .wma, or .cda
file extension.
Root Directory
The root directory is treated as a
folder. Files are stored in the root
directory when the disc or storage
device does not contain folders.
Files accessed from the root
directory of a CD display as
F1 ROOT.
Empty Folder
Folders that do not contain files are
skipped, and the player advances to
the next folder that contains files.
Order of Play
Compressed audio files are
accessed in the following order:
.Playlists (Px).
.Files stored in the root directory.
.Files stored in folders in the root
directory. Tracks are played in the following
order:
.Play begins from the first track in
the first playlist and continues
sequentially through all tracks in
each playlist. When the last
track of the last playlist has
played, play continues from the
first track of the first playlist.
.Play begins from the first track in
the first folder and continues
sequentially through all tracks in
each folder. When the last track
of the last folder has played,
play continues from the first
track of the first folder.
File System and Naming
The song name that displays is the
song name that is contained in the
ID3 tag. If the song name is not
present in the ID3 tag, then the
radio displays the file name without
the extension (such as .mp3) as the
track name. Track names longer than
32 characters or four pages are
shortened. The display does not
show parts of words on the last
page of text and the extension of
the filename is not displayed.
Preprogrammed Playlists
CDs that have preprogrammed
playlists that were created using
WinAmp™, MusicMatch™, or
Real Jukebox™
software can be
accessed, however, there is no
playlist editing capability using the
radio. These playlists are treated as
special folders containing
compressed audio song files.
Playlists that have an .m3u or .pls
file extension and are stored on a
USB device may be supported by
the radio with a USB port.
Playlists can be changed by using
the softkeys below the
S cand
c Ttabs, thefknob, the©SEEK
button or the
¨SEEK button. An
MP3 CD-R or CD-RW that has been
recorded without using file folders

Black plate (30,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
7-30 Infotainment System
The video screen automatically
turns on when the DVD-V is
inserted into the DVD slot, and does
not automatically power on when
the DVD-A is inserted into the DVD
slot. It must be manually turned on
by the rear seat occupant through
the remote control power button.
Stopping and Resuming
Playback
To stop playing a DVD without
turning off the system, press
the
cbutton on the remote control,
or press the softkey located under
the
cor ther/jtabs displayed
on the radio. If the radio is sourced
to something other than DVD-V,
press the DVD/CD AUX button to
make DVD-V the active source.
To resume DVD playback, press
the
r/jbutton on the remote
control, or press the softkey located
under the
r/jtab on the radio.
The DVD should resume play from
where it last stopped if the disc has
not been ejected and the stop button has not been pressed twice
on the remote control. If the disc
has been ejected or the stop button
has been pressed twice on the
remote control, the disc resumes
playing at the beginning of the disc.
CD/DVD Player Messages
Disc Format Error:
This message
displays if the disc is inserted with
the disc label wrong side up, or if
the disc is damaged.
Disc Region Error: This message
displays if the disc is not from a
correct region.
No Disc Inserted: This message
displays if no disc is present when
the
Zor DVD/CD AUX button is
pressed on the radio.
Optical Error: This message
displays if the disc was inserted
upside down.
Disk Read Error: This message
displays if a disc was inserted with
an invalid or unknown format. Player Error:
This message
displays if there are disc load or
disc eject problems.
.It is very hot. When the
temperature returns to normal,
the disc should play.
.The road is very rough. When
the road becomes smoother, the
disc should play.
.The disc is dirty, scratched, wet,
or upside down.
.The air is very humid. If so, wait
about an hour and try again.
.There was a problem while
burning the disc.
.The label is caught in the CD/
DVD player.
If the disc is not playing correctly, for
any other reason, try a known
good disc.
If any error occurs repeatedly or if
an error cannot be corrected,
contact your dealer. If the radio

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . 9-10
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-12
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-14
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-15
Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-20
Adjustable Throttle and BrakePedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21 Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Active Fuel Management
®. . . 9-28
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-29
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive (Two SpeedAutomatic
Transfer Case) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Four-Wheel Drive (Single Speed Automatic
Transfer Case) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-42
Ride Control Systems
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Continuous Damping Control (CDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Automatic Level Control . . . . . 9-46
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-49
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . 9-55
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-56
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
9-4 Driving and Operating
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
.Avoid needless heavy braking.
.Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Hydraulic Power Steering
Your vehicle has hydraulic
power steering. It may require
maintenance. See Power Steering
Fluid on page 10‑20.
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or
because of a system malfunction,
the vehicle can be steered but may
required increased effort. See your
dealer if there is a problem.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
.Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
.Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve
.Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
.Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
.Antilock Brake System (ABS)
allows steering while braking.

Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
Driving and Operating 9-13
Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
improves vehicle stability during
hard stops on slippery roads, but
apply the brakes sooner than when
on dry pavement. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS) on page 9‑41.
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road and watch for
slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in
shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain icy
when the surrounding roads are
clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
Turn off cruise control on slippery
surfaces.Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help
nearby. If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside
Assistance Program (Mexico) on
page 13‑7 orRoadside Assistance
Program (U.S. and Canada) on
page 13‑11. To get help and keep
everyone in the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{WARNING
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO) which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
.Clear away snow from around
the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe.
.Check again from time to
time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
.Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the
wind to bring in fresh air.
(Continued)

Black plate (41,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
Driving and Operating 9-41
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 5‑21. 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.

Black plate (42,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
9-42 Driving and Operating
Parking Brake
Set the parking brake by holding the
regular brake pedal down, then
pushing down the parking brake
pedal.
If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 5‑20.
Notice: Driving with the parking
brake on can overheat the brake
system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system
parts. Make sure that the parking brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before
driving.
To release the parking brake, hold
the regular brake pedal down, then
push down momentarily on the
parking brake pedal until you feel
the pedal release. Slowly pull your
foot up off the parking brake pedal.
If the parking brake is not released
when you begin to drive, the brake
system warning light will flash and a
chime will sound warning you that
the parking brake is still on.
If you are towing a trailer and are
parking on a hill, see
Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips on
page 9‑60.
Brake Assist
This vehicle has a brake assist
feature designed to assist the driver
in stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake
control module to supplement the power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle. The
stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.
Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time is
normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal
as the driving situation dictates.
The brake assist feature will
automatically disengage when the
brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
Vehicles with StabiliTrak have a Hill
Start Assist (HSA) feature, which
may be useful when the vehicle is
stopped on a grade. This feature is
designed to prevent the vehicle from
rolling, either forward or rearward,
during vehicle drive off. After the

Black plate (45,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
Driving and Operating 9-45
It is recommended to leave the
system on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn the system off if the vehicle
is stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow,
and you want to“rock”the 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 the Vehicle Is Stuck
on page 9‑14.
When the transfer case is in 4LO,
the stability system is automatically
disabled, the StabiliTrak light comes
on, and the appropriate message
will appear on the DIC. Both traction
control and StabiliTrak are
automatically disabled in this
condition.
Traction Control Operation
The TCS 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 TCS is enabled automatically
when the vehicle is started. It will
activate and the StabiliTrak light will
flash if it senses that any of the
wheels are spinning or beginning to
lose traction while driving. If traction
control is turned off, only the
brake-traction control portion of
traction control will work. The
engine speed management will be
disabled. In this mode, engine
power is not reduced automatically
and the driven wheels can spin
more freely. This can cause the
brake-traction control to activate
constantly.
Notice:
If the wheel(s) of one axle
is allowed to spin excessively
while the StabiliTrak
®, ABS, brake
warning lights, and any relevant
DIC messages are displayed, the
transfer case could be damaged.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Reduce
engine power and do not spin the wheel(s) excessively while these
lights and messages are
displayed.
The TCS 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, a reduction in acceleration
may be noticed, or a noise or
vibration may be heard. This is
normal.
If cruise control is being used when
the system activates, the StabiliTrak
light will flash and cruise control will
automatically disengage. Cruise
control may be reengaged when
road conditions allow. See
Cruise
Control on page 9‑47.
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, see your
dealer for service.