instrument panel CHEVROLET TAHOE 2000 1.G Owners Manual

Table of Contents
Keys and Door Locks
Keyless Entry System (If Equipped)
Liftgate
Automatic Transmission Operation
Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)
Parking Brake
Windows
Tilt Wheel (If Equipped)
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
Windshield Wipers
Cruise ControlInterior and Exterior Lamps
Mirrors
Storage Compartments
Convenience Net/Cargo Cover/Luggage Carrier (If Equipped)
Accessory Power Outlets
OnStar® System (If Equipped)
Sunroof (If Equipped)
HomeLink® Transmitter (If Equipped)
Instrument Panel, Warning Lights and Gages
Message Center Seats and Seat Controls
Safety BeltsAir Bag Systems
Child Restraints
Section
1
Section
2
Seats and Restraint Systems
Features and Controls
ii

1-19
or the instrument panel ...or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That's why
safety belts make such good sense.

1-30
CAUTION:
Anyone who is up against, or very close to, any
air bag when it inflates can be seriously injured
or killed. Air bags plus lap
-shoulder belts offer
the best protection for adults, but not for young
children and infants. Neither the vehicle's safety
belt system nor its air bag system is designed
for them. Young children and infants need the
protection that a child restraint system can
provide. Always secure children properly in
your vehicle. To read how, see the part of this
manual called ªChildren.º
There is an air bag readiness
light on the instrument
panel, which shows the
air bag symbol.
The system checks the air bag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. See ªAir Bag Readiness Lightº in the Index
for more information.

1-31 How the Air Bag Systems Work
Where are the air bags?
The driver's frontal air bag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.
The right front passenger's frontal air bag is in the
instrument panel on the passenger's side.
The driver's side impact air bag is in the side of the
driver's seatback closest to the door.

1-33
When should an air bag inflate?
The driver's and right front passenger's frontal air bags
are designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal or
near
-frontal crashes. The frontal air bags are designed
to inflate only if the impact speed is above the system's
designed ªthreshold level.º If your vehicle goes
straight into a wall that doesn't move or deform, the
threshold level is about 9 to 16 mph (14 to 26 km/h).
The threshold level can vary, however, with specific
vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat above or
below this range. If your vehicle strikes something
that will move or deform, such as a parked car, the
threshold level will be higher. The driver's and right
front passenger's frontal air bags are not designed
to inflate in rollovers, side impacts, or rear impacts,
because inflation would not help the occupant.
The side impact air bags are designed to inflate in
moderate to severe side crashes involving a front door.
A side impact air bag will inflate if the crash severity
is above the system's designed ªthreshold level.º
The threshold level can vary with specific vehicle
design. Side impact air bags are not designed to inflate
in frontal or near
-frontal impacts, rollovers or rear
impacts, because inflation would not help the occupant.
A side impact air bag will only deploy on the side of the
vehicle that is struck.In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
For frontal air bags, inflation is determined by the angle
of the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down
in frontal and near
-frontal impacts. For side impact air
bags, inflation is determined by the location and severity
of the impact.
The air bag system is designed to work properly under
a wide range of conditions, including off
-road usage.
Observe safe driving speeds, especially on rough terrain.
As always, wear your safety belt. See ªOff
-Road
Drivingº in the Index for more tips on off
-road driving.
What makes an air bag inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For both
frontal and side impact air bags, the sensing system
triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which inflates
the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related hardware
are all part of the air bag modules inside the steering
wheel, instrument panel and the side of the front
seatbacks closest to the door.

1-34
How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The air bag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually. But the frontal
air bags would not help you in many types of collisions,
including rollovers, rear impacts, and side impacts,
primarily because an occupant's motion is not toward
the air bag. Side impact air bags would not help you
in many types of collisions, including frontal or near
frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear impacts, primarily
because an occupant's motion is not toward those air
bags. Air bags should never be regarded as anything
more than a supplement to safety belts, and then only in
moderate to severe frontal or near
-frontal collisions for
the driver's and right front passenger's frontal air bags,
and only in moderate to severe side collisions for the
driver's and right front passenger's side impact air bags.What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly
that some people may not even realize the air bag
inflated. Some components of the air bag module
-- the
steering wheel hub for the driver's air bag, the instrument
panel for the right front passenger's bag, the side of the
seatback closest to the door for the driver and right front
passenger's side impact air bags
-- will be hot for a short
time. The parts of the bag that come into contact with you
may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There will be
some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the
deflated air bags. Air bag inflation doesn't prevent the
driver from seeing or being able to steer the vehicle,
nor does it stop people from leaving the vehicle.
CAUTION:
When an air bag inflates, there is dust in the air.
This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with a history of asthma or other breathing
trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the vehicle
should get out as soon as it is safe to do so. If you
have breathing problems but can't get out of the
vehicle after an air bag inflates, then get fresh air
by opening a window or a door.

1-35
In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from
the right front passenger air bag.

Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After an
air bag inflates, you'll need some new parts for your
air bag system. If you don't get them, the air bag
system won't be there to help protect you in another
crash. A new system will include air bag modules
and possibly other parts. The service manual for
your vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.

Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module, which records information about
the frontal air bag system. The module records
information about the readiness of the system, when
the system commands air bag inflation and driver's
safety belt usage at deployment. Some modules also
record speed, engine rpm, brake and throttle data.

Let only qualified technicians work on your air bag
systems. Improper service can mean that an air
bag system won't work properly. See your dealer
for service.
NOTICE:
If you damage the covering for the driver's or
the right front passenger's air bag, or the air
bag covering on the driver's and right front
passenger's seatback, the bag may not work
properly. You may have to replace the air bag
module in the steering wheel, both the air bag
module and the instrument panel for the right
front passenger's air bag, or both the air bag
module and seatback for the driver's and right
front passenger's side impact air bag. Do not
open or break the air bag coverings.

2-
2-1
Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
2
-2 Keys
2
-3 Door Locks
2
-7 Keyless Entry System (If Equipped)
2
-11 Theft
2
-12 Content Theft-Deterrent (If Equipped)
2
-13 Passlock

2-14 New Vehicle ªBreak Inº
2
-14 Ignition Positions
2
-15 Starting Your Engine
2
-17 Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
2
-18 Automatic Transmission Operation
2
-22 Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)
2
-27 Parking Brake
2
-28 Shifting Into PARK (P)
2
-30 Shifting Out of PARK (P)
2
-31 Parking Over Things That Burn
2
-31 Engine Exhaust2
-32 Running Your Engine While You're Parked
2
-33 Level Control (If Equipped)
2
-34 Autoride (If Equipped)
2
-34 Locking Rear Axle
2
-34 Windows
2
-36 Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
2
-43 Exterior Lamps
2
-46 Interior Lamps
2
-48 Mirrors
2
-55 Storage Compartments
2
-62 HomeLink
Transmitter (If Equipped)
2
-65 OnStar
System (If Equipped)
2
-66 The Instrument Panel - Your
Information System
2
-68 Instrument Panel Cluster
2
-69 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
2
-82 Message Center

2-10
Liftgate Caution
CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to drive with the liftgate
glass, liftgate or rear doors open because carbon
monoxide (CO) gas can come into your vehicle.
You can't see or smell CO. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If you must drive with the liftgate glass, liftgate
or rear doors open or if electrical wiring or other
cable connections must pass through the seal
between the body and the liftgate glass, liftgate
or rear doors:

Make sure all other windows are shut.

Turn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed with the setting
on MAX A/C. That will force outside air
into your vehicle. See ªComfort Controlsº
in the Index.

If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
See ªEngine Exhaustº in the Index.
Liftgate Glass and Liftgate
To open a mechanical lock system from the outside,
insert the key into the lock and turn it counterclockwise
to unlock the glass and liftgate.
The liftgate glass can be opened using the pushbutton on
the liftgate after the doors have been unlocked. This can
be done by using either the power door locks or the
remote keyless entry system.
To open the entire liftgate, lift the handle located in the
center of the door.
To lock a power lock system from the outside, insert the
key into the lock button and turn clockwise. All doors will
lock. You may also use the keyless entry system or the
power door locks to lock the liftgate and liftgate glass.
Panel Doors
To open the rear panel doors, you must open the
passenger's side panel door first. If the door is locked,
insert your door key in the lock and turn it
counterclockwise to unlock it.
To open the passenger's side panel door, pull on the
handle and pull the door open.

2-18
CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three
-prong
11 0
-volt AC outlet. If the cord won't reach,
use a heavy
-duty three-prong extension cord
rated for at least 15 amps.
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 don't, it could be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you'll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for
that particular area.
Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
Your vehicle is equipped with an automatic transmission
and features an electronic shift position indicator within
the instrument panel cluster. This display must be
powered anytime the shift lever is capable of being
moved out of PARK (P). This means that if your key is
in OFF, rather than LOCK, there will be a small current
drain on your battery which could discharge your battery
over a period of time. If you have to leave your key in
the ignition in OFF for an extended period, it is
recommended that you remove the IGN 0 fuse from the
instrument panel fuse block. See ªFuses and Circuit
Breakersº in the Index.