brakes CHEVROLET TAHOE 2020 Owners Manual

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/15/19
140 Instruments and Controls
When the vehicle is on, the brake
system warning light also comes on
when the parking brake is set. The
light stays on if the parking brake
does not fully release. If it stays on
after the parking brake is fully
released, there is a brake problem.
Have the brake system inspected
right away.
If the light comes on while driving,
pull off the road and stop carefully.
The brake pedal might be harder to
push, or the brake pedal may go
closer to the floor. It could take
longer to stop. If the light is still on,
have the vehicle towed for service.
SeeTowing the Vehicle 0367.
{Warning
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
This warning light should come on
briefly when the vehicle is turned
on. If the light does not come on,
have it fixed so it will be ready to
warn if there is a problem.
If the light comes on while driving,
safely stop as soon as it is possible
and turn off the vehicle. Then turn
on the vehicle again to reset the
system. If the ABS warning light stays on,
or comes on again while driving, the
vehicle needs service. A chime may
also sound when the light stays on.
If the ABS warning light is the only
light on, the vehicle has regular
brakes, but ABS is not functioning.
If both the ABS warning light and
the brake system warning light are
on, ABS is not functioning and there
is a problem with the regular brakes.
See your dealer for service.
See
Brake System Warning Light
0 139.Tow/Haul Mode Light
For vehicles with the Tow/Haul
Mode feature, this light comes on
when the Tow/Haul Mode has been
activated.
See Tow/Haul Mode 0221.

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
154 Instruments and Controls
.Brakes
. Steering
. Ride Control Systems
. Driver Assistance Systems
. Cruise Control
. Lighting and Bulb Replacement
. Wiper/Washer Systems
. Doors and Windows
. Seat Belts
. Airbag Systems
. Engine and Transmission
. Tire Pressure
. Battery
Engine Power Messages
ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
This message displays when the
vehicle's propulsion power is
reduced. A reduction in propulsion
power can affect the vehicle's ability
to accelerate. If this message is on,
but there is no observed reduction
in performance, proceed to your
destination. The performance may be reduced the next time the vehicle
is driven. The vehicle may be driven
while this message is on, but
maximum acceleration and speed
may be reduced. Anytime this
message stays on, or displays
repeatedly, the vehicle should be
taken to your dealer for service as
soon as possible.
Under certain operating conditions,
propulsion will be disabled. Try
restarting after the vehicle has been
off for 30 seconds.
Vehicle Speed Messages
SPEED LIMITED TO XXX KM/
H (MPH)
This message shows that the
vehicle speed has been limited to
the speed displayed. The limited
speed is a protection for various
propulsion and vehicle systems,
such as lubrication, thermal, brakes,
suspension, Teen Driver if
equipped, or tires.
Vehicle
Personalization
Use the audio system controls to
access the personalization menus
for customizing vehicle features.
The following are all possible
personalization features. Depending
on the vehicle, some may not be
available.
Radio Audio System Controls
1. Touch the desired feature to display a list of available
options.
2. Touch to select the desired feature setting.
3. Press
oBACK on the center
stack or touch
0on the
infotainment display to return to
the previous menu or exit.
Turn the vehicle on to access the
Settings menu, then select
SETTINGS from the Home Page on
the infotainment display.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
186 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 196
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 196
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 198
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 204
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Ignition Positions (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205 Ignition Positions (Key
Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Active Fuel Management . . . . . 214
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 216
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 228
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 231
Magnetic Ride Control . . . . . . . . 232
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Automatic Level Control . . . . . . 232
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . 235
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 243
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 244
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 252
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . 254
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Recommended Fuel (5.3L V8 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
Driving and Operating 189
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is
about three-quarters of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
. Avoid needless heavy braking.
. Keep pace with traffic. If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Caution
To avoid damage to the steering
system, do not drive over curbs,
parking barriers, or similar objects
at speeds greater than 3 km/h
(1 mph). Use care when driving
over other objects such as lane
dividers and speed bumps.
Damage caused by misuse of the
vehicle is not covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Electric Power Steering
This vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort.
See your dealer if there is a
problem.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time while the
vehicle is not moving, power assist
may be reduced.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
Driving and Operating 191
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
.Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go.
The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
. Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues —such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt. .
Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
Four-wheel-drive vehicles can be
used for off-road driving. Vehicles
without four-wheel drive and
vehicles not equipped with All
Terrain (AT) or On-Off Road (OOR)
tires must not be driven off-road
except on a level, solid surface. For
contact information about the
original equipment tires, see the
warranty manual.
One of the best ways for successful
off-road driving is to control the
speed.
{Warning
When driving off-road, bouncing
and quick changes in direction
can easily throw you out of
position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash. You and
your passengers should always
wear seat belts.
Before Driving Off-Road
. Have all necessary maintenance
and service work completed.
. Fuel the vehicle, fill fluid levels,
and check inflation pressure in
all tires, including the spare,
if equipped.
. Read all the information about
four-wheel-drive vehicles in this
manual.
. Remove any underbody air
deflector, if equipped. Re-attach
the air deflector after off-road
driving.
. Know the local laws that apply to
off-road driving.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
Driving and Operating 193
Warning (Continued)
cause a rollover. You could be
injured or killed. Do not drive on
steep hills.
Before driving on a hill, assess the
steepness, traction, and
obstructions. If the terrain ahead
cannot be seen, get out of the
vehicle and walk the hill before
driving further.
When driving on hills:
. Use a low gear and keep a firm
grip on the steering wheel.
. Maintain a slow speed.
. When possible, drive straight up
or down the hill.
. Slow down when approaching
the top of the hill.
. Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible.
{Warning
Driving to the top of a hill at high
speed can cause a crash. There
could be a drop-off, embankment,
cliff, or even another vehicle. You
could be seriously injured or
killed. As you near the top of a
hill, slow down and stay alert.
. Never go downhill forward or
backward with either the
transmission or transfer case in
N (Neutral). The brakes could
overheat and you could lose
control.
{Warning
If the vehicle has the two-speed
automatic or electronic transfer
case, shifting the transfer case to
N (Neutral) can cause your
vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in P (Park). This is
because the N (Neutral) position
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
on the transfer case overrides the
transmission. You or someone
else could be injured. If leaving
the vehicle, set the parking brake
and shift the transmission to
P (Park). Shift the transfer case to
any position but N (Neutral).
. When driving down a hill, keep
the vehicle headed straight
down. Use a low gear because
the engine will work with the
brakes to slow the vehicle and
help keep the vehicle under
control.
{Warning
Heavy braking when going down
a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and you or
others could be injured or killed.
Apply the brakes lightly when
(Continued)

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
194 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under
control.
If the vehicle stalls on a hill: 1. Apply the brakes to stop the vehicle, and then apply the
parking brake.
2. Shift into P (Park) and then restart the engine.
.If driving uphill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to
R (Reverse), release the
parking brake, and back
straight down.
. Never try to turn the vehicle
around. If the hill is steep
enough to stall the vehicle,
it is steep enough to cause
it to roll over.
. If you cannot make it up the
hill, back straight down
the hill. .
Never back down a hill in
N (Neutral) using only the
brake. The vehicle can roll
backward quickly and you
could lose control.
. If driving downhill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to a
lower gear, release the
parking brake, and drive
straight down the hill.
3. If the vehicle cannot be restarted after stalling, set the
parking brake, shift into
P (Park), and turn the
vehicle off.
3.1. Leave the vehicle and seek help.
3.2. Stay clear of the path the vehicle would take if it
rolled downhill.
. Avoid turns that take the vehicle
across the incline of the hill.
A hill that can be driven straight
up or down might be too steep to
drive across. Driving across an
incline puts more weight on the downhill wheels, which could
cause a downhill slide or a
rollover.
. Surface conditions can be a
problem. Loose gravel, muddy
spots, or even wet grass can
cause the tires to slip sideways,
downhill. If the vehicle slips
sideways, it can hit something
that will trip it —a rock, a rut,
etc. —and roll over.
. Hidden obstacles can make the
steepness of the incline more
severe. If a rock is driven across
with the uphill wheels, or if the
downhill wheels drop into a rut
or depression, the vehicle can tilt
even more.
. If an incline must be driven
across, and the vehicle starts to
slide, turn downhill. This should
help straighten out the vehicle
and prevent the side slipping.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13566622) - 2020 - CRC - 4/24/19
Driving and Operating 195
{Warning
Getting out of the vehicle on the
downhill side when stopped
across an incline is dangerous.
If the vehicle rolls over, you could
be crushed or killed. Always get
out on the uphill side of the
vehicle and stay well clear of the
rollover path.
Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow,
or Ice
Use a low gear when driving in mud
—the deeper the mud, the lower
the gear. Keep the vehicle moving
to avoid getting stuck.
Traction changes when driving on
sand. On loose sand, such as on
beaches or sand dunes, the tires
tend to sink into the sand. This
affects steering, accelerating, and
braking. Drive at a reduced speed
and avoid sharp turns or abrupt
maneuvers. Traction is reduced on hard packed
snow and ice and it is easy to lose
control. Reduce vehicle speed when
driving on hard packed snow
and ice.
{Warning
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds,
or rivers can be dangerous. Ice
conditions vary greatly and the
vehicle could fall through the ice;
you and your passengers could
drown. Drive your vehicle on safe
surfaces only.
Driving in Water
{Warning
Driving through rushing water can
be dangerous. Deep water can
sweep your vehicle downstream
and you and your passengers
could drown. If it is only shallow
water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Traction could be lost, and the
vehicle could roll over. Do not
drive through rushing water.
Caution
Do not drive through standing
water if it is deep enough to cover
the wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust
pipe. Deep water can damage the
axle and other vehicle parts.
If the standing water is not too deep,
drive through it slowly. At faster
speeds, water can get into the
engine and cause it to stall. Stalling
can occur if the exhaust pipe is
under water. Do not turn off the
ignition when driving through water.
If the exhaust pipe is under water,
the engine will not start. When going
through water, the brakes get wet
and it may take longer to stop. See
“Driving on Wet Roads” later in this
section.