trailer CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2020 Owners Manual

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
Introduction 7
24. Trailer Brake Control Panel (IfEquipped). See Towing
Equipment 0272.
25. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp (Check Engine
Light) 0137.
26. Four-Wheel Drive 0222 (If
Equipped).
27. Exterior Lamp Controls 0167.
Fog Lamps 0172 (If
Equipped).
28. Instrument Panel Illumination
Control 0173.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
138 Instruments and Controls
Malfunctions are often indicated by
the system before any problem is
noticeable. Being aware of the light
and seeking service promptly when
it comes on may prevent damage.
Caution
If the vehicle is driven continually
with this light on, the emission
control system may not work as
well, the fuel economy may be
lower, and the vehicle may not
run smoothly. This could lead to
costly repairs that might not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Caution
Modifications to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake,
or fuel system, or the use of
replacement tires that do not
meet the original tire
specifications, can cause this light
to come on. This could lead to
costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. This could also
affect the vehicle’s ability to pass
an Emissions Inspection/
Maintenance test. See
Accessories and Modifications
0285.
If the light is flashing : A
malfunction has been detected that
could damage the emission control
system and increase vehicle
emissions. Diagnosis and service
may be required.
To help prevent damage, reduce
vehicle speed and avoid hard
accelerations and uphill grades. If towing a trailer, reduce the
amount of cargo being hauled as
soon as possible.
If the light continues to flash, find a
safe place to park. Turn the vehicle
off and wait at least 10 seconds
before restarting the engine. If the
light is still flashing, follow the
previous guidelines and see your
dealer for service as soon as
possible.
If the light is on steady :
A
malfunction has been detected.
Diagnosis and service may be
required.
Check the following:
. If fuel has been added to the
vehicle using the capless funnel
adapter, make sure that it has
been removed. See “Filling the
Tank with a Portable Gas Can”
under Filling the Tank 0259.
The diagnostic system can
detect if the adapter has been
left installed in the vehicle,
allowing fuel to evaporate into

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
Instruments and Controls 145
Information Displays
Driver Information Center
(DIC) (Base Level)
The DIC displays are shown in the
center of the instrument cluster. The
displays show the status of many
vehicle systems. The trip odometer
reset stem in the instrument cluster
is used to access the DIC menu
items.
DIC Menu Items
Turn the trip odometer reset stem to
scroll through the following menu
items:
.Digital Speedometer
. Trip
. Fuel Range
. Average Fuel Economy
. Tire Pressure
. Remaining Oil Life .
Transmission Fluid Temperature
. Trailer Brake
. Hourmeter
. Unit
Digital Speedometer
The speedometer shows how fast
the vehicle is moving in either
kilometers per hour (km/h) or miles
per hour (mph). The speedometer
cannot be reset.
Trip
Turn the trip odometer reset stem
until TRIP displays. The current
distance traveled, in either
kilometers (km) or miles (mi), since
the last reset for the trip odometer is
shown. The trip odometer can be
reset to zero by pressing and
holding the trip odometer reset stem
while the trip odometer is displayed. Fuel Range
This display shows the approximate
distance the vehicle can be driven
without refueling. The fuel range
estimate is based on an average of
the vehicle's fuel economy over
recent driving history and the
amount of fuel remaining in the fuel
tank. Fuel range cannot be reset.
Average Fuel Economy
The Average Fuel Economy display
shows the approximate average
liters per 100 kilometers (L/100 km)
or miles per gallon (mpg). This
number reflects only the
approximate average fuel economy
that the vehicle has right now, and
will change as driving conditions
change. This number is based on
the number of L/100 km (mpg)
recorded since the last time this
menu item was reset. Reset this
display by pressing the trip
odometer reset stem.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
146 Instruments and Controls
Tire Pressure
Turn the trip odometer reset stem
until a vehicle with the approximate
pressures of all four tires displays.
Tire pressure is displayed in either
kilopascal (kPa) or in pounds per
square inch (psi).
SeeTire Pressure Monitor System
0 339 and
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation
0 340.
Remaining Oil Life
Turn the trip odometer reset stem
until REMAINING OIL LIFE
displays. An estimate of the oil's
remaining useful life is shown.
REMAINING OIL LIFE 99% means
99% of the current oil life remains.
When the remaining oil life is low,
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the display.
The oil should be changed as soon
as possible. See Engine Oil0293.
In addition to the engine oil life
system monitoring the oil life,
additional maintenance is recommended in the Maintenance
Schedule. See
Maintenance
Schedule 0383.
The Oil Life display must be reset
after each oil change. It will not
reset itself. Do not reset the Oil Life
display at any time other than when
the oil has just been changed.
It cannot be reset accurately until
the next oil change. To reset the
engine oil life system, see Engine
Oil Life System 0295.
Transmission Fluid Temperature
The temperature of the automatic
transmission fluid displays in either
degrees Celsius (°C) or degrees
Fahrenheit (°F).
Trailer Brake
On vehicles with the Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system,
turn the trip odometer reset stem
until TRAILER GAIN and TRAILER
OUTPUT displays. TRAILER GAIN shows the Trailer
Gain setting. This setting can be
adjusted from 0.0 to 10.0 with either
a trailer connected or disconnected.
TRAILER OUTPUT shows the
power output to the trailer anytime a
trailer with electric brakes is
connected. Output is displayed as a
bar graph. Dashes may appear in
the TRAILER OUTPUT display if a
trailer is not connected.
Hourmeter
This display shows the total number
of hours the engine has run.
Unit
This will change the displays on the
instrument cluster and DIC to either
metric or English (US)
measurements. To change the units,
press the trip odometer reset stem
when UNITS is displayed to enter
the Unit menu. Turn the trip
odometer reset stem to switch
between English and metric. Press
the trip odometer reset stem when
the desired setting is displayed.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
Instruments and Controls 149
distance. Displayed below the bar
graph is the best average fuel
economy that has been achieved for
the selected distance. The selected
distance is displayed at the top of
the page as“last xxx mi/km.” Next
to the odometer, the Active Fuel
Management displays the number of
cylinders the vehicle is running on.
See Active Fuel Management
0 214.
Press
pto select the distance or
reset best value. Use
wandxto
choose the distance and press
V.
Press
wandxto select “Reset
Best Score.” Press
Vto reset the
best average fuel economy. After
reset, the momentary average fuel
economy will display.
The display provides information on
how current driving behavior affects
the running average and how well
recent driving compares to the best
that has been achieved for the
selected distance. Timer :
This display can be used as
a timer. To start the timer, press
V
while this display is active. The
display will show the amount of time
that has passed since the timer was
last reset. To stop the timer, press
V
briefly while this display is active
and the timer is running. To reset
the timer to zero, press and hold
V
while this display is active, or press
pand select reset.
Speed Limit (If Equipped) : Shows
sign information, which comes from
a roadway database in the onboard
navigation.
Engine Hours : Shows the total
number of hours the engine has run.
Transmission Fluid
Temperature : Shows the
temperature of the automatic
transmission fluid in either degrees
Celsius (°C) or degrees
Fahrenheit (°F). Trailer Brake (If Equipped) :
On
vehicles with the Integrated Trailer
Brake Control (ITBC) system, the
trailer brake display appears in
the DIC.
TRAILER GAIN shows the trailer
gain setting. This setting can be
adjusted from 0.0 to 10.0 with either
a trailer connected or disconnected.
TRAILER OUTPUT shows the
power output to the trailer anytime a
trailer with electric brakes is
connected. Output is displayed as a
bar graph. Dashes may appear in
the OUTPUT display if a trailer is
not connected.
Off Road : Displays vehicle pitch
and roll information, road wheel
angle, and four-wheel drive (4WD)
status.
Blank Page : Shows no
information.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
Lighting 175
Exit Lighting
Some exterior lamps and interior
lamps come on when the key is
removed from the ignition. The
exterior and interior lamps remain
on for a set amount of time, then
automatically turn off.
If equipped with Keyless Access,
the exterior lamps automatically turn
on when the driver door is opened
after the ignition is turned off. The
interior lights turn on when the
ignition is turned off.
The exterior lamps turn off
immediately by turning the exterior
lamp control off.
This feature can be changed. See
Vehicle Personalization0154.
Battery Load
Management
The vehicle has Electric Power
Management (EPM), which
estimates the battery's temperature and state of charge. It then adjusts
the voltage for best performance
and extended life of the battery.
When the battery's state of charge
is low, the voltage is raised slightly
to quickly bring the charge back up.
When the state of charge is high,
the voltage is lowered slightly to
prevent overcharging. The voltmeter
gauge or the voltage display on the
Driver Information Center (DIC),
if equipped, may show the voltage
moving up or down. This is normal.
If there is a problem, an alert will be
displayed.
The battery can be discharged at
idle if the electrical loads are very
high. This is true for all vehicles.
This is because the generator
(alternator) may not be spinning fast
enough at idle to produce all the
power that is needed for very high
electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when
several of the following are on, such
as: headlamps, high beams, foglamps, rear window defogger,
climate control fan at high speed,
heated seats, engine cooling fans,
trailer loads, and loads plugged into
accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive
discharge of the battery. It does this
by balancing the generator's output
and the vehicle's electrical needs.
It can increase engine idle speed to
generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce
the power demands of some
accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in
steps or levels, without being
noticeable. In rare cases at the
highest levels of corrective action,
this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a DIC message might
be displayed and it is recommended
that the driver reduce the electrical
loads as much as possible.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
Driving and Operating 187
Recommended Fuel (6.2LV8 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 258
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . 280
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible:
. Set the climate controls to the
desired temperature after the
engine is started, or turn them
off when not required.
. Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
. Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
. Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
. When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
. Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
. Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated. .
Combine several trips into a
single trip.
. Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
. Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep
your eyes on the road, keep your
hands on the steering wheel, and
focus your attention on driving.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
Driving and Operating 201
“Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit–
1.Locate the statement "The
combined weight of
occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs." on your vehicle’s
placard.
2.Determine the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers from XXX kg or
XXX lbs.
4.The resulting figure equals
the available amount of
cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the
"XXX" amount equals
1400 lbs. and there will be
five 150 lb passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggageload capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5 x 150) =
650 lbs.)
5.Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, load from your
trailer will be transferred to
your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how
this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.”
See
Trailer Towing 0267 for
important information on towing a
trailer, towing safety rules, and
trailering tips.
Example 1
1. Vehicle Capacity Weight for
Example 1 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs)
2. Subtract Occupant Weight @ 68 kg (150 lbs) × 2 =
136 kg (300 lbs)
3. Available Occupant and Cargo Weight = 317 kg
(700 lbs)

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
204 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
.When you carry
something inside the
vehicle, secure it
whenever you can.
.Do not leave a seat
folded down unless you
need to.
There is also important loading
information for off-road driving in
this manual. See “Loading Your
Vehicle for Off-Road Driving”
under Off-Road Driving 0191.
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Caution
The vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will
perform better in the long run if
you follow these guidelines:
. Keep the vehicle speed at
88 km/h (55 mph) or less for
the first 805 km (500 mi).
. Do not drive at any one
constant speed, fast or slow,
for the first 805 km (500 mi).
Do not make full-throttle
starts. Avoid downshifting to
brake or slow the vehicle.
. Avoid making hard stops for
the first 322 km (200 mi) or
so. During this time the new
brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with
new linings can mean
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake
linings.
. Do not tow a trailer during
break-in. See Trailer Towing
0 267 for the trailer towing
capabilities of the vehicle
and more information.
Following break-in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
Adjustable Throttle and
Brake Pedal
If equipped, the position of the
throttle and brake pedals can be
changed.
The pedals can only be adjusted
when the vehicle is in P (Park).

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
212 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
vehicle. Possible heater
cord and thermostat
damage could occur.
. While in use, do not let the
heater cord touch vehicle
parts or sharp edges. Never
close the hood on the
heater cord.
. Before starting the vehicle,
unplug the cord, reattach
the cover to the plug, and
securely fasten the cord.
Keep the cord away from
any moving parts.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine
parts. If you do not, it could be
damaged.
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer in the
area where you will be parking the
vehicle for the best advice on this.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
When the ignition is turned from on
to off, the following features (if
equipped) will continue to function
for up to 10 minutes, or until the
driver door is opened. These
features will also work when the
ignition is in RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY:
. Infotainment System
. Power Windows (during RAP
this functionality will be lost
when any door is opened)
. Sunroof (during RAP this
functionality will be lost when
any door is opened)
. Auxiliary Power Outlet
. Audio System
. OnStar System
Shifting Into Park
{Warning
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow. If the vehicle has a
four-wheel-drive transfer case
with an N (Neutral) position, and
the transfer case is in N (Neutral),
the vehicle will be free to roll,
even if the shift lever is in
P (Park). Be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear. If towing a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips 0262.
1. Hold the brake pedal down, then set the parking brake. See
Parking Brake 0228.