CHEVROLET TAHOE 2003 2.G Owners Manual

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts Ð heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking Ð rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is
a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out
much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you
keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic
following distances, you will eliminate a lot of
unnecessary braking. That means better braking and
longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you are driving, brake
normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.Anti-lock Brake System
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced
electronic braking system that will help prevent a
braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on. This is normal.
If there is a problem with
the anti-lock brake system,
this warning light will
stay on. See
Anti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light on page 3-44
.
Along with ABS, your vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system. If there is a DRP problem,
both the brake and ABS warning lights will come on
accompanied by a 10-second chime. The lights
and chime will come on each time the ignition is turned
on until the problem is repaired. See your dealer for
service.
4-7

Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here's what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at
both rear wheels.The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could. The computer is
programmed to make the most of available tire and road
conditions. This can help you steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly.
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Remember: Anti-lock does not change the time you
need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always
decrease stopping distance. If you get too close to
the vehicle in front of you, you will not have time to apply
your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even
though you have anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down ®rmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel
the brakes vibrate, or you may notice some noise,
but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Supplemental Brake Assist System
If your vehicle has vacuum assist power brakes, it is also
equipped with a supplemental brake assist system that
supplies additional vacuum to the vacuum brake booster
if engine vacuum is reduced. Under certain conditions,
the supplemental brake assist system may run brie¯y
after starting your vehicle or when you apply and release
the brake pedal and it may continue to run even after you
have removed your foot from the brake pedal. When the
supplemental brake assist system is operating, you mayhear a motor running or feel a slight vibration in the
steering wheel or brake pedal. This indicates that the
supplemental brake assist system is working to supply
additional vacuum for your vacuum assist power brakes.
This is a normal operation of your brake system and does
not require that the brake system be serviced.
Each time you start your vehicle and accelerate to 10
mph, the supplemental brake assist system will perform a
self-diagnostic check of the system and you may hear or
feel the supplemental brake assist motor run brie¯y.
While you are driving your vehicle, the supplemental
brake assist system monitors itself to ensure that it is
operating properly. If there is a problem with the
supplemental brake assist system, the SERVICE BRAKE
BOOSTER message will be displayed on the Driver
Information Center. See
DIC Warnings and Messages on
page 3-64.
If your supplemental brake assist system runs every
time you apply and release the brake pedal or you notice
that the brake pedal has suddenly become much
harder to push and the vehicle takes longer to stop, you
should have your vehicle serviced as soon as possible.
4-9

Traction Assist System (TAS)
Your vehicle may have a Traction Assist System (TAS)
that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only if it senses
that one or both of the rear wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the
system reduces engine power to limit wheel spin.
The traction control system is enabled every time your
vehicle is started. The system will activate if it senses
that any of the wheels are spinning or beginning to lose
traction.
You may hear or feel the system working or notice a
lack of accelerator response, but this is normal.
The Traction Assist System may operate on dry roads
under some conditions. When this happens, you
may notice a reduction in acceleration. This is normal
and doesn't mean there's a problem with your vehicle.
Examples of these conditions include a hard
acceleration in a turn, an abrupt upshift or downshift of
the transmission or driving on rough roads.If your vehicle is in cruise control when the TAS begins
to limit wheel spin, the cruise control will automatically
disengage. When road conditions allow you to safely
use it again, you may re-engage the cruise control. See
ªCruise Controlº under
Turn Signal/Multifunction
Lever on page 3-7.
When the traction off light
is on, the TAS is off and
will not limit wheel
spin. Adjust your driving
accordingly.
4-10

The traction off light will come on under the following
conditions:
·The Traction Assist System is turned off, either by
pressing the TAS on/off button or turning off the
automatic engagement feature of the TAS.
·The transmission is in FIRST (1); TAS will not
operate in this gear. This is normal.
·The vehicle is driven on an extremely rough road.
When the vehicle leaves the rough surface, slows
down or stops, the light will go off and TAS will
be on again. This is normal.
·A Traction Assist System, Anti-Lock Brake System
or engine-related problem has been detected and
the vehicle needs service.
·If the vehicle has been driven with the TAS system
on for long periods of time, or if the vehicle has
gone through many several high speed braking
maneuvers the system may be automatically
disabled. The system will automatically re-enable
after approximately two minutes of not using
the brakes.
See
Traction Off Light on page 3-44.The Traction Assist System, as delivered from the
factory, will automatically come on whenever you start
your vehicle. To limit wheel spin, especially in
slippery road conditions, you should always leave the
system on. But you can turn the TAS off if you ever need
to. You should turn the TAS off if your vehicle ever
gets stuck in sand, mud or snow and rocking the vehicle
is required. See ªRocking Your Vehicleº under
If You
Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on page 4-56.
To turn the system on or
off, press the TAS on/off
button located on the
instrument panel.
If you used the button to turn the system off, the traction
off light will come on and stay on. You can turn the
system back on at any time by pressing the button
again. The traction off light should go off.
4-11

If desired, you can change the TAS automatic
engagement feature so that the system will not come on
automatically when the engine is started. To do so:
1. Park the vehicle with the ignition off and the
transmission in PARK (P).
2. Turn the ignition to RUN; do not start the engine.
3. Apply the brake pedal, shift into NEUTRAL (N),
press the accelerator pedal to the ¯oor and then
press the TAS on/off button and hold it down for at
least six seconds.
4. Release the TAS button and both pedals.
5. Turn off the ignition and wait a few seconds.
The next time you start your vehicle, the TAS will not
automatically come on. You can restore the automatic
feature by using the same procedure. Whether the TAS is
set to come on automatically or not, you can always turn
the system on or off by pressing the TAS on/off button.
Locking Rear Axle
If your vehicle has this feature, your locking rear axle
can give you additional traction on snow, mud, ice, sand
or gravel. It works like a standard axle most of the
time, but when one of the rear wheels has no traction
and the other does, this feature will allow the wheel with
traction to move the vehicle.
StabilitrakžSystem
Your vehicle is equipped with the Stabilitrakžwhich
combines antilock brake, traction and stability control
systems and helps the driver maintain directional control
of the vehicle in most driving conditions.
When you ®rst start your vehicle and begin to drive
away, the system performs several diagnostic checks to
insure there are no problems. You may hear or feel
the system working. This is normal and does not mean
there is a problem with your vehicle. The system
should initialize before the vehicle reaches 20 m.p.h.
(32 km/h). In some cases, it may take approximately two
miles of driving before the system initializes.
If the system fails to turn on or activate, the STABILITY
SYS DISABLED or SERVICE STABILITY message
will be displayed. If the vehicle has gone through heavy
acceleration or braking during the ®rst two miles after
starting your vehicle, the STABILITY SYS DISABLED
message may appear. If this is the case, your
vehicle does not need servicing. Turn your vehicle off
and back on again to reset the system. If either message
appears on the Driver Information Center (DIC), and
your vehicle hasn't gone through hard acceleration
or braking in the ®rst two miles, your vehicle should be
taken in for service.
4-12

The STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message will appear on
the Driver Information Center (DIC) only when the
system is both on and activated. You may also feel or
hear the system working; this is normal. For more
information on the stability messages, see
Driver
Information Center (DIC) on page 3-53.
The Stabilitrak
žmode
button is located on the
instrument panel.
Stabilitrak
žand part of the traction control system can
be turned off or back on by pressing the
Stabilitrak
žbutton. All-wheel drive vehicles must be in
all-wheel drive mode to turn the system on or off.
When the system is turned off, the traction off light will
illuminate, and the STABILITY SYS DISABLED
message will appear on the DIC to warn the driver that
both the stability system and part of the traction
control system are disabled. Your vehicle will still have
brake-traction control when Stabilitrak
žis off, but
will not be able to use the engine speed management
system. See ªTraction Control Operationº next for
more information.When the Stabilitrak
žsystem has been turned off you
may still hear system noises as a result of the
brake-traction control coming on.
It is recommended to leave the system on for normal
driving conditions, but it may be necessary to turn
the system off if your vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice
or snow, and you want to ªrockº your 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 You Are
Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on page 4-56.
When the transfer case is in 4 low, the stability system
is automatically disabled, and the STABILITY SYS
DISABLED message will appear on the DIC. In 4 low,
the Stabilitrak
žbutton only turns the traction control
system on and off.
Traction Control Operation
The traction control system is part of the
Stabilitrakžsystem. 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.
4-13

The traction control system is enabled automatically
when you start your vehicle, and it will activate and
display the TRACTION ACTIVE message in the Driver
Information Center (DIC) if it senses that any of the
wheels are spinning or beginning to lose traction while
driving. If you turn off Stabilitrak
ž, only the brake-traction
control portion of traction control will work. The engine
speed management will be disabled. In this state, engine
power is not reduced automatically and the driven wheels
can spin more freely. This can cause the brake-traction
control to activate constantly. For more information on the
traction active message, see
Driver Information Center
(DIC) on page 3-53.
Notice:If the traction off light comes on due to
heavy braking and/or because the traction control
system has been continuously active, do not
allow the wheel(s) of one axle to spin excessively.
If you do, you may be causing damage to your
transfer case. This could lead to costly repairs not
covered by your warranty.
If the brake-traction control system activates constantly
or if the brakes have heated up due to high speed
braking, the brake-traction control will be automatically
disabled. The system will come back on after the
brakes have cooled. This can take up to two minutes or
longer depending on brake usage.
Notice:Don't allow the wheel(s) of one axle to spin
excessively when the traction off, ABS and brake
lights are on and the SERVICE STABILITY MESSAGE
is displayed. In this situation, damage to the
transfer case is possible. This could lead to costly
repairs not covered by your warranty. You should
immediately reduce engine power until the lights
and messages are no longer displayed.
The traction control system 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 you may
notice a reduction in acceleration, or may hear a noise
or vibration. This is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the system
activates, the STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message will
appear on the Driver Information Center and the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to use cruise again, you may
re-engage the cruise control. See ªCruise Controlº under
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7
Stabilitrakžmay 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, you should see
your dealer for service.
4-14

Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the ªdriver lost controlº accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction.
If you have ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you
will understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you are
in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control
systems Ð steering and acceleration Ð have to do
their work where the tires meet the road. Adding
the sudden acceleration can demand too much of those
places. You can lose control. See
Traction Assist
System (TAS) on page 4-10.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you
want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds
are based on good weather and road conditions. Under
less favorable conditions you will want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach
a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can ªdriveº through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
4-15

Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and ®nd
a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. You
can avoid these problems by braking Ð if you can stop
in time. But sometimes you can not; there is not
room. That is the time for evasive action Ð steering
around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes.
See
Braking on page 4-6. It is better to remove as much
speed as you can from a possible collision. Then
steer around the problem, to the left or right depending
on the space available.An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended 9 and 3 o'clock positions, you
can turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without
removing either hand. But you have to act fast, steer
quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel
once you have avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
4-16