CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2004 9.G Owners Manual

The passenger sensing system works with sensors that
are part of the right front passenger’s seat and safety belt.
The sensors are designed to detect the presence of a
properly-seated occupant and determine if the
passenger’s frontal air bag should be enabled
(may inate) or not.
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are
restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. General
Motors recommends that child restraints be secured in a
rear seat, including an infant riding in a rear-facing infant
seat, a child riding in a forward-facing child seat and an
older child riding in a booster seat.
Your vehicle has a rear seat that will accommodate a
rear-facing child restraint. A label on your sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing child seat in the front.” This is
because the risk to the rear-facing child is so great, if the
air bag deploys.
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger’s air bag inates. This is because
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
the back of the rear-facing child restraint
would be very close to the inating air bag.
Even though the passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the passenger’s frontal air
bag if the system detects a rear-facing child
restraint, no system is fail-safe, and no one can
guarantee that an air bag will not deploy under
some unusual circumstance, even though it is
turned off. General Motors recommends that
rear-facing child restraints be secured in the
rear seat, even if the air bag is off.
The passenger sensing system is designed to turn off
the right front passenger’s frontal air bag if:
the right front passenger seat is unoccupied
the system determines that an infant is present in a
rear-facing infant seat
the system determines that a small child is present
in a forward-facing child restraint
the system determines that a small child is present
in a booster seat
1-85

a right front passenger takes his/her weight off of
the seat for a period of time
the right front passenger seat is occupied by a
smaller person, such as a child who has outgrown
child restraints
or if there is a critical problem with the air bag
system or the passenger sensing system.
When the passenger sensing system has turned off the
passenger’s frontal air bag, the off indicator will light
and stay lit to remind you that the air bag is off.
If a child restraint has been installed and the on indicator
is lit, turn the vehicle off. Remove the child restraint
from the vehicle and reinstall the child restraint following
the child restraint manufacturer’s directions and refer
toSecuring a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position on page 1-70.
If after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is still lit, check to make
sure that the vehicle’s seatback is not pressing the child
restraint into the seat cushion. If this happens, slightly
recline the vehicle’s seatback and adjust the seat
cushion if possible. Also make sure the child restraint is
not trapped under the vehicle head restraint. If this
happens, adjust the head restraint.
If the on indicator is still lit, secure the child in the child
restraint in a rear seat position in the vehicle and
check with your dealer.The passenger sensing system is designed to enable
(may inate) the right front passenger’s frontal air
bag anytime the system senses that a person of adult
size is sitting properly in the right front passenger’s seat.
When the passenger sensing system has allowed the
air bag to be enabled, the on indicator will light and stay
lit to remind you that the air bag is active.
For some children who have outgrown child restraints
and for very small adults, the passenger sensing system
may or may not turn off the right front passenger’s
frontal air bag, depending upon the person’s seating
posture and body build. Everyone in your vehicle
who has outgrown child restraints should wear a safety
belt properly — whether or not there is an air bag
for that person.
If a person of adult-size is sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat, but the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting properly in the seat. If
this happens, turn the vehicle off and ask the person to
place the seatback in the fully upright position, then sit
upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion, with the
person’s legs comfortably extended. Restart the vehicle
and have the person remain in this position for about two
minutes. This will allow the system to detect that person
and then enable the passenger’s air bag.
1-86

{CAUTION:
If the air bag readiness light in the instrument
panel cluster ever comes on and stays on, it
means that something may be wrong with the
air bag system. If this ever happens,
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
have the vehicle serviced promptly, because
anadult-size person sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat may not have the protection
of the frontal air bag. See “Air Bag Readiness
Light” in the Index for more on this, including
important safety information.
Aftermarket equipment, such as seat covers, can affect
how well the passenger sensing system operates.
You may want to consider not using seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment if your vehicle has the passenger
sensing system. SeeAdding Equipment to Your Air
Bag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-89for more
information about modications that can affect how the
system operates.
{CAUTION:
Stowing of articles under the passenger’s seat
or between the passenger’s seat cushion and
seatback may interfere with the proper
operation of the passenger sensing system.
1-87

Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped
Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There air bag system parts in several places around
your vehicle. You don’t want the system to inate while
someone is working on your vehicle. Your dealer
and the service manual have information about servicing
your vehicle and the air bag system. To purchase a
service manual, seeService Publications Ordering
Information on page 7-11.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an
air bag can still inate during improper service.
You can be injured if you are close to an air bag
when it inates. Avoid yellow connectors. They
are probably part of the air bag system. Be sure
to follow proper service procedures, and make
sure the person performing work for you is
qualied to do so.
Air bag systems do not need regular maintenance.
1-88

Adding Equipment to Your Air
Bag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to the front or
sides of the vehicle that could keep the air
bags from working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle’s
frame, bumper system, front end or side sheet
metal or height, they may keep the air bag system
from working properly. Also, the air bag system
may not work properly if you relocate any of the air
bag sensors. If you have any questions about
this, you should contact Customer Assistance
before you modify your vehicle. The phone numbers
and addresses for Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer Satisfaction Procedure
in this manual. SeeCustomer Satisfaction
Procedure on page 7-2.
Q:Because I have a disability, I have to get my
vehicle modied. How can I nd out whether
this will affect my advanced air bag system?
A:Changing or moving any parts of the front seats,
safety belts, the air bag sensing and diagnostic
module (located under the driver’s seat), or
the inside rearview mirror can affect the operation
of the advanced air bag system. If you have
questions, call Customer Assistance. The phone
numbers and addresses for Customer Assistance
are in Step Two of the Customer Satisfaction
Procedure in this manual. SeeCustomer
Satisfaction Procedure on page 7-2.
Restraint System Check
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors
and anchorages are working properly. Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts. If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt system from doing
its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt
is torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
1-89

Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
{CAUTION:
A crash can damage the restraint systems in
your vehicle.A damaged restraint system
maynot properly protect the person using
it,resulting in serious injury or even death in a
crash. To help make sure your restraint
systems are working properly after a crash,
have them inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as possible.If you’ve had a crash, do you need new belts or LATCH
system parts?
After a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary.
But if the belts were stretched, as they would be if worn
during a more severe crash, then you need new parts.
If the LATCH system was being used during a more
severe crash, you may need new LATCH system parts.
If belts are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision
damage also may mean you will need to have LATCH
system, safety belt or seat parts repaired or replaced.
New parts and repairs may be necessary even if the belt
or LATCH system wasn’t being used at the time of
the collision.
If an air bag inates, you’ll need to replace air bag
system parts. See the part on the air bag system earlier
in this section.
1-90

Keys...............................................................2-3
Remote Keyless Entry System.........................2-5
Remote Keyless Entry System Operation...........2-6
Doors and Locks.............................................2-8
Door Locks....................................................2-8
Power Door Locks..........................................2-9
Delayed Locking...........................................2-10
Programmable Automatic Door Locks..............2-11
Rear Door Security Locks..............................2-13
Lockout Protection........................................2-14
Liftgate........................................................2-14
Windows........................................................2-16
Manual Windows..........................................2-16
Power Windows............................................2-17
Sun Visors...................................................2-18
Theft-Deterrent Systems..................................2-18
Content Theft-Deterrent.................................2-18
Passlock
®....................................................2-20
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle................2-21
New Vehicle Break-In....................................2-21
Ignition Positions..........................................2-22
Starting Your Engine.....................................2-23
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal................2-24
Engine Coolant Heater..................................2-24Automatic Transmission Operation...................2-26
Four-Wheel Drive..........................................2-30
All-Wheel Drive with Stabilitrak
®......................2-35
Parking Brake..............................................2-38
Shifting Into Park (P).....................................2-39
Shifting Out of Park (P).................................2-41
Parking Over Things That Burn.......................2-42
Engine Exhaust............................................2-43
Running Your Engine While You Are Parked. . . .2-44
Mirrors...........................................................2-45
Manual Rearview Mirror.................................2-45
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror with
OnStar
®, Compass and Temperature
Display....................................................2-45
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror with
Compass and Temperature Display..............2-49
Outside Manual Mirrors..................................2-51
Outside Camper-Type Mirrors.........................2-52
Outside Power Mirrors...................................2-52
Outside Power Camper-Type Mirror.................2-53
Outside Power Foldaway Mirrors.....................2-53
Outside Automatic Dimming Mirror..................2-54
Outside Curb View Assist Mirrors....................2-54
Outside Convex Mirror...................................2-55
Outside Heated Mirrors..................................2-55
Section 2 Features and Controls
2-1

OnStar®System.............................................2-56
HomeLink®Transmitter...................................2-58
Programming the HomeLink®Transmitter.........2-59
Storage Areas................................................2-63
Glove Box...................................................2-63
Cupholder(s)................................................2-63
Front Storage Area.......................................2-63
Center Console Storage Area.........................2-63Luggage Carrier...........................................2-63
Rear Storage Area........................................2-65
Convenience Net..........................................2-65
Cargo Cover................................................2-65
Sunroof.........................................................2-66
Vehicle Personalization...................................2-67
Memory Seat...............................................2-67
Section 2 Features and Controls
2-2

Keys
{CAUTION:
Leaving children in a vehicle with the ignition
key is dangerous for many reasons. They
could operate the power windows or other
controls or even make the vehicle move. The
children or others could be badly injured or
even killed. Do not leave the keys in a vehicle
with children.
2-3

Your vehicle has one
double-sided key for the
ignition and all door
locks as well as the spare
tire hoist lock, if equipped.
If you ever lose your keys, your dealer will be able to
assist you with obtaining replacements.Notice:If you ever lock your keys in your vehicle,
you may have to damage the vehicle to get in.
Be sure you have spare keys.
If you ever do get locked out of your vehicle, call the
GM Roadside Assistance Center. SeeRoadside
Assistance Program on page 7-6. If your vehicle is
equipped with the OnStar
®system with an active
subscription and you lock your keys inside the vehicle,
OnStar
®may be able to send a command to unlock
your vehicle. SeeOnStar®System on page 2-56
for more information.
2-4