Electrical CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2009 Owner's Manual

Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of
experience. Get to know the rig before setting out
for the open road. Get acquainted with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you
are driving is now longer and not as responsive as the
vehicle is by itself.
Before starting, check all trailer hitch parts and
attachments, safety chains, electrical connectors,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustments. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start the vehicle and trailer moving
and then apply the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure the brakes are working. This checks
the electrical connection at the same time.
During the trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as
you would when driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid situations that require heavy
braking and sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed when towing a trailer.
Because the rig is longer, it is necessary to go much
farther beyond the passed vehicle before returning to
the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns while trailering
could cause the trailer to come in contact with
the vehicle. The vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal. Do this so the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
4-67

Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal while you:
Start the engine
Shift into a gear
Release the parking brake
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
The vehicle needs service more often when pulling
a trailer. See this manual’s Maintenance Schedule or
Index for more information. Things that are especially
important in trailer operation are automatic transmission
uid, engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling system
and brake system. It is a good idea to inspect
these before and during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Trailer Wiring Harness
The vehicle is equipped with the following wiring
harnesses for towing a trailer.
Basic Trailer Wiring
The trailer wiring harness, with a seven-pin connector,
is located at the rear of the vehicle and is tied to the
vehicle’s frame. The harness connector can be plugged
into a seven-pin universal heavy-duty trailer connector
available through your dealer/retailer.
The seven-wire harness contains the following trailer
circuits:
Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn Signal
Brown: Taillamps
White: Ground
Light Green: Back-up Lamps
Red: Battery Feed*
Dark Blue: Trailer Brake*
*The fuses for these two circuits are installed in the
underhood electrical center, but the wires are not
connected. They should be connected by your
dealer/retailer or a qualied service center.
4-70

Heavy-Duty Trailer Wiring Harness
Package
The vehicle is equipped with the seven-wire trailer
towing harness. This harness with a seven-pin universal
trailer connector is attached to a bracket on the hitch
platform.The seven-wire harness contains the following trailer
circuits:
Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn Signal
Brown: Taillamps
White: Ground
Light Green: Back-up Lamps
Red: Battery Feed*
Dark Blue: Trailer Brake*
*The fuses for these two circuits are installed in the
underhood electrical center, but the wires are not
connected. They should be connected by your
dealer/retailer or a qualied service center.
If charging a remote (non-vehicle) battery, press the
Tow/Haul mode button, if equipped, located at the end of
the shift lever. This will boost the vehicle system voltage
and properly charge the battery. If the trailer is too light
for Tow/Haul mode, or the vehicle is not equipped with
Tow/Haul, turn on the headlamps as a second way to
boost the vehicle system and charge the battery.
4-71

Tire Pressure Monitor Operation.....................5-73
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-76
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-77
Buying New Tires.........................................5-78
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................5-80
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-81
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-82
Wheel Replacement......................................5-82
Tire Chains..................................................5-84
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-85
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-86
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................5-87
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire................................................5-92
Secondary Latch System...............................5-99
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools...........5-102
Spare Tire.................................................5-106
Appearance Care..........................................5-106
Interior Cleaning.........................................5-106
Fabric/Carpet..............................................5-108
Leather......................................................5-108
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces.................................................5-109
Care of Safety Belts....................................5-109
Weatherstrips.............................................5-109Washing Your Vehicle..................................5-110
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses....................5-110
Finish Care................................................5-110
Windshield, Backglass, and Wiper Blades.......5-111
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels
and Trim................................................5-112
Tires.........................................................5-112
Sheet Metal Damage...................................5-113
Finish Damage...........................................5-113
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-113
Chemical Paint Spotting..............................
.5-113
Vehicle Identication.....................................5-114
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)................5-114
Service Parts Identication Label...................5-114
Electrical System..........................................5-114
Add-On Electrical Equipment.........................5-114
Windshield Wiper Fuses...............................5-115
Power Windows and Other Power Options......5-115
Fuses and Circuit Breakers..........................5-115
Instrument Panel Fuse Block........................5-116
Center Instrument Panel Fuse Block..............5-118
Underhood Fuse Block................................5-119
Capacities and Specications........................5-122
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

Jump Starting
If the vehicle is a Two-mode Hybrid, see the Two-mode
Hybrid manual for more information.
If the vehicle’s battery (or batteries) has run down, you
may want to use another vehicle and some jumper cables
to start your vehicle. Be sure to use the following steps to
do it safely.
{CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous
because:
They contain acid that can burn you.
They contain gas that can explode or ignite.
They contain enough electricity to burn you.
If you do not follow these steps exactly, some or
all of these things can hurt you.Notice:Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to the vehicle that would not be covered
by the warranty.
Trying to start the vehicle by pushing or pulling it
will not work, and it could damage the vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
Notice:If the other vehicle’s system is not a 12-volt
system with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged. Only use vehicles with 12-volt systems
with negative grounds to jump start your vehicle.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles are not touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you do not want. You would not be able
to start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set the
parking brake rmly on both vehicles involved in the
jump start procedure. Put the automatic transmission
in P (Park) or a manual transmission in N (Neutral)
before setting the parking brake. If you have a
four-wheel-drive vehicle, be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear, not in N (Neutral).
5-44

10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while.
11. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery.
If it will not start after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
Notice:If the jumper cables are connected or
removed in the wrong order, electrical shorting may
occur and damage the vehicle. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Always
connect and remove the jumper cables in the correct
order, making sure that the cables do not touch
each other or other metal.
A. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine Part or Remote
Negative (−) Terminal
B. Good Battery or Remote Positive (+) and Remote
Negative (−) Terminals
C. Dead Battery or Remote Positive (+) TerminalJumper Cable Removal
5-48

Vehicle Identication
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)
This is the legal identier for the vehicle. It appears on a
plate in the front corner of the instrument panel, on
the driver side. It can be seen through the windshield
from outside the vehicle. The VIN also appears on
the Certication/Tire and Service Parts labels and the
certicates of title and registration.
Engine Identication
The eighth character in the VIN is the engine code. This
code helps identify the vehicle’s engine, specications,
and replacement parts. See “Engine Specications”
underCapacities and Specifications on page 5-122for
the vehicle’s engine code.
Service Parts Identication Label
This label is on the inside of the glove box. It is
very helpful if parts need to be ordered. The label has
the following information:
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)
Model designation
Paint information
Production options and special equipment
Do not remove this label from the vehicle.
Electrical System
Add-On Electrical Equipment
Notice:Do not add anything electrical to the vehicle
unless you check with your dealer/retailer rst. Some
electrical equipment can damage the vehicle and the
damage would not be covered by the vehicle’s
warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment can
keep other components from working as they should.
Add-on equipment can drain the vehicle battery, even if
the vehicle is not operating.
5-114

The vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting to
add anything electrical to the vehicle, seeServicing
Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-96.
Windshield Wiper Fuses
The windshield wiper motor is protected by an internal
circuit breaker and a fuse. If the motor overheats due to
heavy snow, etc., the wiper will stop until the motor
cools. If the overload is caused by some electrical
problem and not snow, etc., be sure to get it xed.
Power Windows and Other Power
Options
Circuit breakers protect the power windows and other
power accessories. If the current load is too heavy,
the circuit breaker opens and then closes after a cool
down period, protecting the circuit until the problem
is xed or goes away.
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
If the vehicle is a Two-mode Hybrid, see the Two-mode
Hybrid manual for more information.
The wiring circuits in the vehicle are protected from
short circuits by a combination of fuses, circuit breakers
and fusible thermal links. This greatly reduces the
chance of res caused by electrical problems.
Look at the silver-colored band inside the fuse. If the
band is broken or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure you
replace a bad fuse with a new one of the identical
size and rating.
If you ever have a problem on the road and don’t have
a spare fuse, you can borrow one that has the same
amperage. Just pick some feature of your vehicle
that you can get along without – like the radio or
cigarette lighter – and use its fuse, if it is the correct
amperage. Replace it as soon as you can.
5-115

Underhood Fuse Block
The underhood fuse block is located in the engine
compartment, on the driver side of the vehicle. Lift the
cover for access to the fuse/relay block.
If the vehicle is a Two-mode Hybrid, see the Two-mode
Hybrid manual for more information.
Notice:Spilling liquid on any electrical components
on the vehicle may damage it. Always keep the
covers on any electrical component.
To remove fuses, hold the end of the fuse between your
thumb and index nger and pull straight out.
Fuses Usage
1 Right Trailer Stop/Turn Lamp
2Electronic Stability Suspension
Control, Automatic Level Control
Exhaust
3 Left Trailer Stop/Turn Lamp
4 Engine Controls
5Engine Control Module, Throttle
Control
5-119

Fuses Usage
47 Not Used
48 Auxiliary Climate Control (Ignition)
49Center High-Mounted Stoplamp
(CHMSL)
50 Rear Defogger
51 Heated Mirrors
52 SEO B1 Uptter Usage (Battery)
53Cigarette Lighter, Auxiliary Power
Outlet
54Automatic Level Control Compressor
Relay
55 Climate Controls (Ignition)
56Engine Control Module, Secondary
Fuel Pump (Ignition)
J-Case Fuses Usage
57 Cooling Fan 1
58 Automatic Level Control Compressor
59 Heavy Duty Antilock Braking System
60 Cooling Fan 2
61 Antilock Brake System 1
62 Starter
63 Stud 2 (Trailer Brakes)
64 Left Bussed Electrical Center 1
J-Case Fuses Usage
65 Electric Running Boards
66 Heated Windshield Washer System
67 Transfer Case
68Stud 1 (Trailer Connector Battery
Power)
69 Mid-Bussed Electrical Center 1
70 Climate Control Blower
71 Power Liftgate Module
72 Left Bussed Electrical Center 2
Relays Usage
FAN HI Cooling Fan High Speed
FAN LO Cooling Fan Low Speed
FAN CNTRL Cooling Fan Control
HDLP LO/HID Low-Beam Headlamp
FOG LAMP Front Fog Lamps
A/C CMPRSR Air Conditioning Compressor
STRTR Starter
PWR/TRN Powertrain
FUEL PMP Fuel Pump
PRK LAMP Parking Lamps
REAR DEFOG Rear Defogger
RUN/CRANK Switched Power
5-121