2009 Chevrolet Avalanche Owners Manual

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Reporting Safety Defects to the United States Government If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could cause a crash or could cause injury or death, you should immediately inform the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addition to notifying General Motors. If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an investigation, and if it ﬁnds that a safety defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA cannot become involved in individual problems between you, your dealer/retailer, or General Motors. To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go to safercar.gov; or write to: Administrator, NHTSA 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. Washington D.C., 20590 You can also obtain other information about motor vehicle safety from safercar.gov. Reporting Safety Defects to the Canadian Government If you live in Canada, and you believe that your vehicle has a safety defect, notify Transport Canada immediately, in addition to notifying General Motors of Canada Limited. Call them at 1-800-333-0510 or write to: Transport Canada Road Safety Branch 2780 Sheffield Road Ottawa, Ontario K1B 3V9 Reporting Safety Defects to General Motors In addition to notifying NHTSA (or Transport Canada) in a situation like this, please notify General Motors. Call 1-800-222-1020, or write: Chevrolet Motor Division Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center P.O. Box 33170 Detroit, MI 48232-5170 In Canada, call 1-800-263-3777 (English) or 1-800-263-7854 (French), or write: General Motors of Canada Limited Customer Communication Centre, CA1-163-005 1908 Colonel Sam Drive Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7 Service Publications Ordering Information Service Manuals Service Manuals have the diagnosis and repair information on engines, transmission, axle suspension, brakes, electrical, steering, body, etc. Service Bulletins Service Bulletins give additional technical service information needed to knowledgeably service General Motors cars and trucks. Each bulletin contains instructions to assist in the diagnosis and service of your vehicle. Owner Information Owner publications are written speciﬁcally for owners and intended to provide basic operational information about the vehicle. The owner manual includes the Maintenance Schedule for all models. In-Portfolio: Includes a Portfolio, Owner Manual, and Warranty Booklet. RETAIL SELL PRICE: $35.00 (U.S.) plus processing fee Without Portfolio: Owner Manual only. RETAIL SELL PRICE: $25.00 (U.S.) plus processing fee 7-15 Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy Your GM vehicle has a number of sophisticated computers that record information about the vehicle’s performance and how it is driven. For example, your vehicle uses computer modules to monitor and control engine and transmission performance, to monitor the conditions for airbag deployment and deploy airbags in a crash and, if so equipped, to provide antilock braking to help the driver control the vehicle. These modules may store data to help your dealer/retailer technician service your vehicle. Some modules may also store data about how you operate the vehicle, such as rate of fuel consumption or average speed. These modules may also retain the owner’s personal preferences, such as radio pre-sets, seat positions, and temperature settings. Current and Past Model Order Forms Technical Service Bulletins and Manuals are available for current and past model GM vehicles. To request an order form, specify year and model name of the vehicle. ORDER TOLL FREE: 1-800-551-4123 Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Eastern Time For Credit Card Orders Only (VISA-MasterCard-Discover), visit Helm, Inc. on the World Wide Web at: helminc.com Or you can write to: Helm, Incorporated P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207 Prices are subject to change without notice and without incurring obligation. Allow ample time for delivery. Note to Canadian Customers: All listed prices are quoted in U.S. funds. Canadian residents are to make checks payable in U.S. funds. 7-16 Event Data Recorders This vehicle has an Event Data Recorder (EDR). The main purpose of an EDR is to record, in certain crash or near crash-like situations, such as an airbag deployment or hitting a road obstacle, data that will assist in understanding how a vehicle’s systems performed. The EDR is designed to record data related to vehicle dynamics and safety systems for a short period of time, typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in this vehicle is designed to record such data as: (cid:129) How various systems in your vehicle were operating (cid:129) Whether or not the driver and passenger safety belts were buckled/fastened (cid:129) How far, if at all, the driver was pressing the accelerator and/or brake pedal (cid:129) How fast the vehicle was traveling This data can help provide a better understanding of the circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur. Important: EDR data is recorded by your vehicle only if a non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data is recorded by the EDR under normal driving conditions and no personal data (e.g., name, gender, age, and crash location) is recorded. However, other parties, such as law enforcement, could combine the EDR data with the type of personally identifying data routinely acquired during a crash investigation. To read data recorded by an EDR, special equipment is required, and access to the vehicle or the EDR is needed. In addition to the vehicle manufacturer, other parties, such as law enforcement, that have the special equipment, can read the information if they have access to the vehicle or the EDR. GM will not access this data or share it with others except: with the consent of the vehicle owner or, if the vehicle is leased, with the consent of the lessee; in response to an official request of police or similar government office; as part of GM’s defense of litigation through the discovery process; or, as required by law. Data that GM collects or receives may also be used for GM research needs or may be made available to others for research purposes, where a need is shown and the data is not tied to a speciﬁc vehicle or vehicle owner. 7-17 OnStar® If your vehicle has OnStar and you subscribe to the OnStar services, please refer to the OnStar Terms and Conditions for information on data collection and use. See also OnStar® System on page 2-66 in this manual for more information. Navigation System If your vehicle has a navigation system, use of the system may result in the storage of destinations, addresses, telephone numbers, and other trip information. Refer to the navigation system operating manual for information on stored data and for deletion instructions. Radio Frequency Identiﬁcation (RFID) RFID technology is used in some vehicles for functions such as tire pressure monitoring and ignition system security, as well as in connection with conveniences such as key fobs for remote door locking/unlocking and starting, and in-vehicle transmitters for garage door openers. RFID technology in GM vehicles does not use or record personal information or link with any other GM system containing personal information. 7-18 A Accessories and Modiﬁcations ............................ 5-3 Accessory Power Outlets ................................. 3-19 Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ....................................................... 1-77 Additives, Fuel ................................................. 5-7 Add-On Electrical Equipment ........................... 5-107 Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal .................. 2-35 Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine ................................. 5-19 Air Conditioning ...................................... 3-20, 3-23 Airbag Passenger Status Indicator ........................... 3-33 Readiness Light .......................................... 3-32 Airbag System ................................................ 1-62 Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ................................................... 1-77 How Does an Airbag Restrain? ...................... 1-68 Passenger Sensing System ........................... 1-70 Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle .......... 1-76 What Makes an Airbag Inﬂate? ...................... 1-68 What Will You See After an Airbag Inﬂates? .... 1-69 When Should an Airbag Inﬂate? .................... 1-67 Where Are the Airbags? ............................... 1-65 Antenna, Fixed Mast ...................................... 3-132 Antenna, XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System ... 3-132 Antilock Brake System (ABS) ............................. 4-5 Antilock Brake, System Warning Light ................ 3-37 Appearance Care Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels ............. 5-105 Care of Safety Belts ................................... 5-102 Chemical Paint Spotting .............................. 5-106 Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses .................. 5-103 Fabric/Carpet ............................................ 5-101 Finish Care ............................................... 5-104 Finish Damage .......................................... 5-106 Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic Surfaces ............................................... 5-102 Interior Cleaning ........................................ 5-100 Leather .................................................... 5-102 Sheet Metal Damage .................................. 5-106 Tires ........................................................ 5-105 Underbody Maintenance ............................. 5-106 Washing Your Vehicle ................................. 5-103 Weatherstrips ............................................ 5-103 Windshield and Wiper Blades ...................... 5-104 Appointments, Scheduling Service ..................... 7-10 Ashtray ......................................................... 3-20 Audio System ................................................. 3-76 Audio Steering Wheel Controls .................... 3-130 Fixed Mast Antenna ................................... 3-132 Navigation/Radio System, see Navigation Manual ................................................. 3-108 Radio Reception ........................................ 3-131 Rear Seat Audio (RSA) ............................... 3-128 Audio System (cont.) Setting the Clock ......................................... 3-77 Theft-Deterrent Feature ............................... 3-130 XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System ........... 3-132 Audio System(s) ............................................. 3-79 Automatic Headlamp System ............................ 3-16 Automatic Transmission Fluid .......................................................... 5-21 Operation ................................................... 2-37 Autoride® ....................................................... 4-47 Battery .......................................................... 5-39 Electric Power Management .......................... 3-18 Run-Down Protection ................................... 3-19 Bluetooth® .................................................... 3-108 Brake Emergencies ................................................ 4-6 Brake Fluid .................................................... 5-36 Brakes .......................................................... 5-36 System Warning Light .................................. 3-36 Braking ........................................................... 4-4 Braking in Emergencies ..................................... 4-6 Break-In, New Vehicle ..................................... 2-32 Bulb Replacement ........................................... 5-51 Halogen Bulbs ............................................ 5-51 Headlamp Aiming ........................................ 5-48 License Plate Lamps .................................... 5-53 Replacement Bulbs ...................................... 5-53 Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker, Stoplamps, and Back-Up Lamps ................................. 5-51 Buying New Tires ........................................... 5-71 Calibration ..................................................... 3-55 California Fuel .................................................. 5-6 California Perchlorate Materials Requirements ....... 5-4 California Proposition 65 Warning ....................... 5-4 Canadian Owners ............................................... iii Capacities and Speciﬁcations .......................... 5-116 Carbon Monoxide ................... 2-13, 2-23, 2-53, 4-29 Care of Safety Belts .............................................. 5-102 Cargo Area, All-Weather .................................. 2-87 Cargo Cover Panels ........................................ 2-78 CD, MP3 ............................................. 3-96, 3-101 Center Console Storage Area ........................... 2-76 Center Overhead Console ................................ 2-76 Center Seat ................................................... 1-13 Chains, Tire ................................................... 5-78 Charging System Light .................................... 3-34 Check Engine Lamp .............................................. 3-39 Checking Things Under the Hood ...................... 5-12 Chemical Paint Spotting ................................. 5-106 Child Restraints Child Restraint Systems ............................... 1-45 Infants and Young Children ........................... 1-41 Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children .......... 1-49 Older Children ............................................. 1-37 Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat Position .................................................. 1-56 Securing a Child Restraint in the Center Front Seat Position ........................ 1-58 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position .......................... 1-59 Where to Put the Restraint ........................... 1-48 Cigarette Lighter ............................................. 3-20 Cleaning Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels ............. 5-105 Exterior Lamps/Lenses ................................ 5-103 Fabric/Carpet ............................................ 5-101 Finish Care ............................................... 5-104 Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic Surfaces ............................................... 5-102 Interior ..................................................... 5-100 Leather .................................................... 5-102 Tires ........................................................ 5-105 Cleaning (cont.) Underbody Maintenance ............................. 5-106 Washing Your Vehicle ................................. 5-103 Weatherstrips ............................................ 5-103 Windshield and Wiper Blades ...................... 5-104 Climate Control System ................................... 3-20 Dual Automatic ............................................ 3-23 Outlet Adjustment ........................................ 3-29 Clock, Setting ................................................. 3-77 Collision Damage Repair .................................. 7-11 Compass ....................................................... 3-55 Content Theft-Deterrent .................................... 2-28 Control of a Vehicle .......................................... 4-3 Coolant Engine ....................................................... 5-25 Engine Temperature Gage ............................ 3-38 Cooled Seats ................................................... 1-7 Cooling System .............................................. 5-24 Cruise Control ................................................ 3-11 Cruise Control Light ........................................ 3-43 Cupholders .................................................... 2-76 Customer Assistance Information Courtesy Transportation ................................ 7-10 Customer Assistance for Text Telephone (TTY) Users ....................................................... 7-6 Customer Assistance Offices ........................... 7-6 Customer Satisfaction Procedure ..................... 7-2 GM Mobility Reimbursement Program ............... 7-7 Reporting Safety Defects to General Motors .... 7-15 Customer Assistance Information (cont.) Reporting Safety Defects to the Canadian Government ............................................ 7-15 Reporting Safety Defects to the United States Government ......................... 7-14 Roadside Assistance Program ......................... 7-7 Service Publications Ordering Information ........ 7-15 Daytime Running Lamp ................................... 3-15 Defensive Driving ............................................. 4-2 Delayed Locking ............................................. 2-11 DIC Compass ................................................. 3-55 Disc, MP3 ............................................ 3-96, 3-101 Doing Your Own Service Work ........................... 5-4 Dome Lamp Override ...................................... 3-18 Dome Lamps ................................................. 3-17 Door Delayed Locking .......................................... 2-11 Locks ........................................................ 2-10 Power Door Locks ....................................... 2-10 Programmable Automatic Door Locks ............. 2-11 Rear Door Security Locks ............................. 2-12 Driver Information Center (DIC) ......................... 3-46 DIC Operation and Displays .................. 3-46, 3-52 DIC Vehicle Customization ............................ 3-67 DIC Warnings and Messages ........................ 3-58 Driving At Night ..................................................... 4-26 Before a Long Trip ...................................... 4-28 Defensive ..................................................... 4-2 Drunken ....................................................... 4-3 Highway Hypnosis ....................................... 4-28 Hill and Mountain Roads .............................. 4-28 In Rain and on Wet Roads ........................... 4-27 Off-Road .................................................... 4-12 Recovery Hooks .......................................... 4-33 Rocking Your Vehicle to Get it Out ................. 4-32 Winter ........................................................ 4-29 Driving for Better Fuel Economy ......................... 4-2 Dual Automatic Climate Control System ............. 3-23 DVD Rear Seat Entertainment System .................. 3-119 EDR ............................................................. 7-16 Electrical System Add-On Equipment ..................................... 5-107 Center Instrument Panel Fuse Block ............. 5-111 Fuses and Circuit Breakers ......................... 5-108 Instrument Panel Fuse Block ....................... 5-109 Power Windows and Other Power Options .... 5-108 Underhood Fuse Block ............................... 5-112 Windshield Wiper Fuses ............................. 5-108 Electronic Immobilizer PASS-Key® III+ ........................................... 2-30 Electronic Immobilizer Operation PASS-Key® III+ ........................................... 2-30 Filter Engine Air Cleaner/Filter ......................................... 5-19 Check and Service Engine Soon Lamp ........... 3-39 Coolant ...................................................... 5-25 Coolant Heater ............................................ 2-36 Coolant Temperature Gage ........................... 3-38 Drive Belt Routing ....................................... 6-16 Engine Compartment Overview ...................... 5-14 Exhaust ..................................................... 2-53 Fan Noise .................................................. 5-33 Oil ............................................................. 5-15 Oil Life System ........................................... 5-18 Overheated Protection Operating Mode ........... 5-33 Overheating ................................................ 5-30 Starting ...................................................... 2-34 Entry/Exit Lighting ........................................... 3-18 Event Data Recorders ..................................... 7-17 Extender, Safety Belt ....................................... 1-37 Exterior Cargo Lamps ...................................... 3-17 Exterior Lamps ............................................... 3-14 Engine Air Cleaner ...................................... 5-19 Finish Damage ............................................. 5-106 Fixed Mast Antenna ....................................... 3-132 Flashers, Hazard Warning .................................. 3-6 Flash-to-Pass ................................................... 3-8 Flat Tire ........................................................ 5-79 Flat Tire, Changing ......................................... 5-80 Flat Tire, Storing ............................................. 5-95 Fluid Automatic Transmission ................................ 5-21 Power Steering ........................................... 5-34 Windshield Washer ...................................... 5-35 Fog Lamp Fog ........................................................... 3-16 Fog Lamp Light .............................................. 3-43 Four-Wheel Drive .................................... 2-43, 5-46 Front Armrest Storage Area .............................. 2-76 Front Axle ...................................................... 5-47 ............................................................... 5-5 Fuel Additives ...................................................... 5-7 California Fuel .............................................. 5-6 Driving for Better Economy ............................. 4-2 Fuel (cont.) E85 (85% Ethanol) ........................................ 5-8 Filling a Portable Fuel Container .................... 5-12 Filling the Tank ........................................... 5-10 Fuels in Foreign Countries .............................. 5-9 Gage ......................................................... 3-44 Gasoline Octane ........................................... 5-6 Gasoline Speciﬁcations .................................. 5-6 Low Warning Light ....................................... 3-45 Center Instrument Panel Fuse Block ............. 5-111 Fuses and Circuit Breakers ......................... 5-108 Instrument Panel Fuse Block ....................... 5-109 Underhood Fuse Block ............................... 5-112 Windshield Wiper ....................................... 5-108 Fuses Gage Engine Coolant Temperature ......................... 3-38 Fuel .......................................................... 3-44 Oil Pressure ............................................... 3-41 Speedometer .............................................. 3-31 Tachometer ................................................. 3-31 Voltmeter Gage ........................................... 3-35 Garage Door Opener ....................................... 2-69 Gasoline Octane ........................................................ 5-6 Speciﬁcations ............................................... 5-6 Glove Box ..................................................... 2-76 GM Mobility Reimbursement Program .................. 7-7 Hazard Warning Flashers ................................... 3-6 Head Restraints ............................................... 1-2 Headlamp Aiming ....................................................... 5-48 Headlamps Bulb Replacement ....................................... 5-51 Daytime Running Lamp ................................ 3-15 Exterior Lamps ............................................ 3-14 Flash-to-Pass ............................................... 3-8 Halogen Bulbs ............................................ 5-51 High/Low Beam Changer ................................ 3-8 On Reminder .............................................. 3-15 Heated Seats ................................................... 1-7 Heater ........................................................... 3-20 Engine Coolant ........................................... 2-36 Heater ........................................................... 3-23 Highbeam On Light ......................................... 3-44 Highway Hypnosis ........................................... 4-28 Hill and Mountain Roads .................................. 4-28 Hood Checking Things Under ................................ 5-12 Release ..................................................... 5-13 Horn ............................................................... 3-6 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly ................... 1-20 Ignition Positions ............................................. 2-32 Infants and Young Children, Restraints ............... 1-41 Inﬂation - Tire Pressure ................................... 5-63 Instrument Panel Brightness .................................................. 3-17 Cluster ....................................................... 3-30 Overview ..................................................... 3-4 Jump Starting ................................................. 5-40 Keyless Entry System ....................................... 2-4 Keys ............................................................... 2-3 Labeling, Tire Sidewall ..................................... 5-56 Lamp Malfunction Indicator .................................... 3-39 Lamps Dome ........................................................ 3-17 Dome Lamp Override ................................... 3-18 Exterior Cargo ............................................. 3-17 Reading ..................................................... 3-18 Lap Belt ........................................................ 1-35 Lap-Shoulder Belt ........................................... 1-29 LATCH System for Child Restraints ................... 1-49 Level Control .................................................. 4-46 License Plate Lamps ....................................... 5-53 Light Airbag Readiness ........................................ 3-32 Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning ............ 3-37 Brake System Warning ................................. 3-36 Charging System ......................................... 3-34 Cruise Control ............................................. 3-43 Fog Lamp .................................................. 3-43 Highbeam On ............................................. 3-44 Low Fuel Warning ....................................... 3-45 Oil Pressure ............................................... 3-42 Passenger Airbag Status Indicator .................. 3-33 Light (cont.) Safety Belt Reminders .................................. 3-31 Security ..................................................... 3-43 StabiliTrak® Indicator .................................... 3-37 Tire Pressure .............................................. 3-38 Tow/Haul Mode ........................................... 3-44 Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children ............. 1-49 Luggage Carrier .............................................. 2-77 Lumbar Manual Controls ............................................ 1-5 Power Controls ............................................. 1-6 Lighting Entry/Exit Lights ................................................... 3-18 Exterior Lamps ............................................ 3-14 Flash-to-Pass ............................................... 3-8 High/Low Beam Changer ................................ 3-8 On Reminder .............................................. 3-15 Loading Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-34 Locking Rear Axle ............................................ 4-9 Lockout Protection .......................................... 2-13 Locks Delayed Locking .......................................... 2-11 Door .......................................................... 2-10 Lockout Protection ....................................... 2-13 Power Door ................................................ 2-10 Programmable Automatic Door Locks ............. 2-11 Rear Door Security Locks ............................. 2-12 Loss of Control ............................................... 4-11 Low Fuel Warning Light ................................... 3-45 Maintenance Schedule Additional Required Services ........................... 6-6 At Each Fuel Fill ......................................... 6-10 At Least Once a Month ................................ 6-10 At Least Once a Year .................................. 6-11 Introduction .................................................. 6-2 Maintenance Footnotes .................................. 6-8 Maintenance Record .................................... 6-17 Maintenance Replacement Parts .................... 6-15 Maintenance Requirements ............................. 6-2 Owner Checks and Services ......................... 6-10 Recommended Fluids and Lubricants ............. 6-13 Scheduled Maintenance ................................. 6-4 Using .......................................................... 6-3 Your Vehicle and the Environment ................... 6-2 Malfunction Indicator Lamp ............................... 3-39 Manual Lumbar Controls .................................... 1-5 Manual Seats ................................................... 1-3 Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals ...................... 1-8 Message DIC Warnings and Messages ........................ 3-58 Midgate® ....................................................... 2-13 Mirrors Automatic Dimming Rearview ........................ 2-55 Manual Rearview Mirror ................................ 2-55 Outside Convex Mirror ................................. 2-57 Outside Heated Mirrors ................................ 2-58 Outside Power Foldaway Mirrors .................... 2-56 Outside Power Mirrors .................................. 2-56 Park Tilt ..................................................... 2-57 MP3 .................................................... 3-96, 3-101 MyGMLink.com ................................................ 7-5 Navigation System, Privacy .............................. 7-18 Navigation/Radio System, see Navigation Manual ..................................................... 3-108 New Vehicle Break-In ...................................... 2-32 Odometer ...................................................... 3-31 Odometer, Trip ............................................... 3-31 Off-Road Driving ............................................. 4-12 Off-Road Recovery .......................................... 4-11 Oil Engine ....................................................... 5-15 Pressure Gage ............................................ 3-41 Pressure Light ............................................. 3-42 Oil, Engine Oil Life System .............................. 5-18 Older Children, Restraints ................................ 1-37 Online Owner Center ........................................ 7-5 OnStar, Privacy .............................................. 7-18 OnStar® System, see OnStar® Manual ............... 2-66 Operation, Universal Home Remote System ........ 2-70 Outlet Adjustment ............................................ 3-29 Outlets Accessory Power ......................................... 3-19 Outside Convex Mirror ............................................. 2-57 Heated Mirrors ............................................ 2-58 Power Foldaway Mirrors ............................... 2-56 Power Mirrors ............................................. 2-56 Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode ... 5-33 Owner Checks and Services ............................. 6-10 Owners, Canadian .............................................. iii Paint, Damage .............................................. 5-106 Park Shifting Into ................................................ 2-50 ............................................ 2-52 Shifting Out of Park Aid ................................................ 2-58, 2-61 Park Brake .................................................... 2-48 Park Tilt Mirrors .............................................. 2-57 Parking Assist ........................................................ 2-58 Over Things That Burn ................................. 2-52 Passenger Airbag Status Indicator ..................... 3-33 Passenger Sensing System .............................. 1-70 Passing ......................................................... 4-11 PASS-Key® III+ Electronic Immobilizer ............... 2-30 PASS-Key® III+ Electronic Immobilizer Operation ... 2-30 Perchlorate Materials Requirements, California ...... 5-4 Phone Bluetooth® ................................................ 3-108 Power Door Locks ................................................. 2-10 Electrical System ....................................... 5-108 Lumbar Controls ........................................... 1-6 Retained Accessory ..................................... 2-34 Seat ............................................................ 1-4 Steering Fluid ............................................. 5-34 Windows .................................................... 2-26 Power Assist Steps ......................................... 2-24 Privacy .......................................................... 7-16 Event Data Recorders .................................. 7-17 Navigation System ....................................... 7-18 OnStar ....................................................... 7-18 Radio Frequency Identiﬁcation ....................... 7-18 Programmable Automatic Door Locks ................. 2-11 Radio Frequency Identiﬁcation (RFID), Privacy .... 7-18 Radio(s) ........................................................ 3-79 Radios Navigation/Radio System, see Navigation Manual ................................................. 3-108 Rear Seat Audio ........................................ 3-128 Reception ................................................. 3-131 Setting the Clock ......................................... 3-77 Theft-Deterrent .......................................... 3-130 Rainsense™ II Wipers ....................................... 3-9 Reading Lamps .............................................. 3-18 Rear Axle ...................................................... 5-45 Locking ........................................................ 4-9 Rear Door Security Locks ................................ 2-12 Rear Seat Audio (RSA) .................................. 3-128 Rear Seat Entertainment System ..................... 3-119 Rear Seat Operation ....................................... 1-13 Rear Vision Camera ........................................ 2-61 Rearview Mirror, Automatic Dimming .................. 2-55 Rearview Mirrors ............................................. 2-55 Reclining Seatbacks ........................................ 1-10 Recommended Fluids and Lubricants ................. 6-13 Recovery Hooks ............................................. 4-33 Recreational Vehicle Towing ............................. 4-40 Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System .................. 2-4 Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System, Operation ... 2-5 Remote Vehicle Start ........................................ 2-7 10 Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the Spare Tire .................................................. 5-86 Removing the Spare Tire and Tools ................... 5-81 Replacement Bulbs ......................................... 5-53 Replacement Parts, Maintenance ...................... 6-15 Reporting Safety Defects Canadian Government .................................. 7-15 General Motors ........................................... 7-15 United States Government ............................ 7-14 Restraint System Check Checking the Restraint Systems .................... 1-78 Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash ..................................................... 1-79 Retained Accessory Power ............................... 2-34 Roadside Assistance Program ....................................... 7-7 Rocking Your Vehicle to Get it Out .................... 4-32 Routing, Engine Drive Belt ............................... 6-16 Running the Vehicle While Parked ..................... 2-54 Safety Belt Reminders ..................................... 3-31 Safety Belts Care of .................................................... 5-102 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly ................ 1-20 Lap Belt ..................................................... 1-35 Lap-Shoulder Belt ........................................ 1-29 Safety Belts (cont.) Safety Belt Extender .................................... 1-37 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ................. 1-35 Safety Belts Are for Everyone ....................... 1-15 Safety Warnings and Symbols .............................. iv Scheduled Maintenance ..................................... 6-4 Seats Center Seat ................................................ 1-13 Heated and Cooled Seats .............................. 1-7 Heated Seats ............................................... 1-7 Manual Lumbar ............................................. 1-5 Memory, Mirrors and Pedals ........................... 1-8 Power Lumbar .............................................. 1-6 Power Seats ................................................. 1-4 Rear Seat Operation .................................... 1-13 Reclining Seatbacks ..................................... 1-10 Secondary Latch System ................................. 5-92 Securing a Child Restraint Center Front Seat Position ............................ 1-58 Rear Seat Position ...................................... 1-56 Right Front Seat Position .............................. 1-59 Security Light ................................................. 3-43 Service ........................................................... 5-3 Accessories and Modiﬁcations ......................... 5-3 Adding Equipment to the Outside of the Vehicle ..................................................... 5-5 California Perchlorate Materials Requirements ... 5-4 California Proposition 65 Warning .................... 5-4 11 Service (cont.) Doing Your Own Work ................................... 5-4 Engine Soon Lamp ...................................... 3-39 Publications Ordering Information ................... 7-15 Service, Scheduling Appointments ..................... 7-10 Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle .............. 1-76 Setting the Clock ............................................ 3-77 Sheet Metal Damage ..................................... 5-106 Shifting Into Park ............................................ 2-50 Shifting Out of Park ........................................ 2-52 Signals, Turn and Lane-Change .......................... 3-7 Spare Tire ..................................................... 5-99 Installing .................................................... 5-86 Removing ................................................... 5-81 Storing ....................................................... 5-95 Speciﬁcations, Capacities ............................... 5-116 Speedometer .................................................. 3-31 StabiliTrak® Indicator Light ............................... 3-37 StabiliTrak® System .......................................... 4-6 Start Vehicle, Remote ....................................... 2-7 Starting the Engine ......................................... 2-34 Steering .......................................................... 4-9 Steering Wheel Controls, Audio ....................... 3-130 Steering Wheel, Tilt Wheel ................................. 3-6 Steps Power Assist ............................................... 2-24 Storage Areas All-Weather Cargo Area ................................ 2-87 Center Console Storage Area ........................ 2-76 Center Overhead Console ............................. 2-76 12 Storage Areas (cont.) Cupholders ................................................. 2-76 Front Armrest Storage Area ........................... 2-76 Glove Box .................................................. 2-76 Luggage Carrier .......................................... 2-77 Top-Box Storage .......................................... 2-92 Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow ..................... 4-32 Sun Visors ..................................................... 2-27 Sunroof ......................................................... 2-93 Tachometer .................................................... 3-31 Tailgate ......................................................... 2-23 Taillamps Turn Signal, Sidemarker, Stoplamps, and Back-Up Lamps ....................................... 5-51 Theft-Deterrent, Radio .................................... 3-130 Theft-Deterrent Systems ................................... 2-28 Content Theft-Deterrent ................................ 2-28 PASS-Key® III+ Electronic Immobilizer ............ 2-30 PASS-Key® III+ Electronic Immobilizer Operation ................................................ 2-30 Tilt Wheel ........................................................ 3-6 Time, Setting .................................................. 3-77 Tire Pressure Light ............................................. 3-38 Tires ............................................................. 5-55 Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels, Cleaning ............................................... 5-105 Buying New Tires ........................................ 5-71 Chains ....................................................... 5-78 Changing a Flat Tire .................................... 5-80 Cleaning ................................................... 5-105 Different Size .............................................. 5-73 If a Tire Goes Flat ....................................... 5-79 Inﬂation - Tire Pressure ................................ 5-63 Inspection and Rotation ................................ 5-69 Installing the Spare Tire ................................ 5-86 Pressure Monitor Operation ........................... 5-66 Pressure Monitor System .............................. 5-64 Removing the Flat Tire ................................. 5-86 Removing the Spare Tire and Tools ............... 5-81 Secondary Latch System .............................. 5-92 Spare Tire .................................................. 5-99 Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools ............ 5-95 Tire Sidewall Labeling .................................. 5-56 Tire Terminology and Deﬁnitions .................... 5-60 Uniform Tire Quality Grading ......................... 5-74 Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance ................. 5-76 Wheel Replacement ..................................... 5-76 When It Is Time for New Tires ...................... 5-70 Top-Box Storage ............................................. 2-92 Tow/Haul Mode ............................................... 2-41 Tow/Haul Mode Light ....................................... 3-44 Towing Recreational Vehicle ..................................... 4-40 Towing a Trailer .......................................... 4-47 Your Vehicle ............................................... 4-40 Traction Trailer Transmission StabiliTrak® System ....................................... 4-6 Recommendations ....................................... 4-67 Fluid, Automatic ........................................... 5-21 Transmission Operation, Automatic .................... 2-37 Trip Odometer ................................................ 3-31 Truck-Camper Loading Information .................... 4-40 Turn and Lane-Change Signals .......................... 3-7 Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever ........................... 3-7 Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist (URPA) ............... 2-58 Uniform Tire Quality Grading ............................ 5-74 Universal Home Remote System ....................... 2-69 Operation ................................................... 2-70 13 V Vehicle Control ........................................................ 4-3 Loading ...................................................... 4-34 Running While Parked .................................. 2-54 Symbols ......................................................... iv Vehicle Customization, DIC .............................. 3-67 Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy .................. 7-16 Vehicle Identiﬁcation Number (VIN) ............................................ 5-107 Service Parts Identiﬁcation Label .................. 5-107 Vehicle, Remote Start ....................................... 2-7 Ventilation Adjustment ...................................... 3-29 Visors ........................................................... 2-27 Voltmeter Gage .............................................. 3-35 Wheels Alignment and Tire Balance .......................... 5-76 Different Size .............................................. 5-73 Replacement ............................................... 5-76 Where to Put the Restraint ............................... 1-48 Windows ....................................................... 2-25 Power ........................................................ 2-26 Windshield Rainsense™ II Wipers ................................... 3-9 Washer ...................................................... 3-10 Washer Fluid .............................................. 5-35 Wiper Blade Replacement ............................. 5-54 Wiper Blades, Cleaning .............................. 5-104 Wiper Fuses ............................................. 5-108 Wipers ......................................................... 3-9 Winter Driving ................................................ 4-29 Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ............... 3-29 Warnings DIC Warnings and Messages ........................ 3-58 Hazard Warning Flashers ............................... 3-6 Safety and Symbols ......................................... iv XM Radio Messages ..................................... 3-106 XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System .............. 3-132 Your Vehicle and the Environment ....................... 6-2 14 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual M Seats and Restraint System ............................. 1-1 Head Restraints ......................................... 1-2 Front Seats ............................................... 1-3 Rear Seats .............................................. 1-13 Safety Belts ............................................. 1-15 Child Restraints ....................................... 1-37 Airbag System ......................................... 1-62 Restraint System Check ............................ 1-78 Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1 Keys ........................................................ 2-3 Doors and Locks ...................................... 2-10 Windows ................................................. 2-25 Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-28 Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-32 Mirrors .................................................... 2-55 Object Detection Systems .......................... 2-58 OnStar® System ...................................... 2-66 Universal Home Remote System ................ 2-69 Storage Areas ......................................... 2-76 Sunroof .................................................. 2-93 Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle Towing Instrument Panel Overview Climate Controls Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators Driver Information Center (DIC) Audio System(s) Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1 .......................... 3-4 ...................................... 3-20 ........ 3-29 .................. 3-46 ....................................... 3-76 Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1 ....... 4-2 ................................................... 4-40 Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1 ..................................................... 5-3 ......................................................... 5-5 ............... 5-12 ............................................... 5-45 ..................................... 5-46 ............................................... 5-47 ..................................... 5-48 .................................... 5-51 ......... 5-54 ...................................................... 5-55 Service Fuel Checking Things Under the Hood Rear Axle Four-Wheel Drive Front Axle Headlamp Aiming Bulb Replacement Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement Tires Appearance Care ................................... 5-100 Vehicle Identiﬁcation ............................... 5-107 Electrical System .................................... 5-107 Capacities and Speciﬁcations ................... 5-116 Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1 ................................ 6-2 Maintenance Schedule Customer Assistance Information .................... 7-1 ........... 7-2 ........................... 7-14 ........... 7-16 Index ................................................................ 1 Customer Assistance and Information Reporting Safety Defects Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem, and the names AVALANCHE and Z71 are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. GM reserves the right to make changes after that time without further notice. For vehicles ﬁrst sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada Limited” for Chevrolet Motor Division wherever it appears in this manual. This manual describes features that may or may not be on your speciﬁc vehicle. Read this manual from beginning to end to learn about the vehicle’s features and controls. Pictures, symbols, and words work together to explain vehicle operation. Keep this manual in the vehicle for quick reference. Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 15911388 A First Printing Canadian Owners A French language copy of this manual can be obtained from your dealer/retailer or from: Helm, Incorporated P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207 1-800-551-4123 helminc.com Propriétaires Canadiens On peut obtenir un exemplaire de ce guide en français auprès de concessionnaire ou à l’adresse suivante: Helm Incorporated P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207 1-800-551-4123 helminc.com Index To quickly locate information about the vehicle use the Index in the back of the manual. It is an alphabetical list of what is in the manual and the page number where it can be found. ©2008 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved. iii Safety Warnings and Symbols A circle with a slash through it is a safety symbol which means “Do Not,” “Do not do this” or “Do not let this happen.” A box with the word CAUTION is used to tell about things that could hurt you or others if you were to ignore the warning. { CAUTION: These mean there is something that could hurt you or other people. A notice tells about something that can damage the vehicle. Notice: These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by the vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. The notice tells what to do to help avoid the damage. There are also warning labels on the vehicle which use the same words, CAUTION or Notice. Vehicle Symbols The vehicle has components and labels that use symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along with the text describing the operation or information relating to a speciﬁc component, control, message, gage, or indicator. M : This symbol is shown when you need to see your owner manual for additional instructions or information. Cautions tell what the hazard is and what to do to avoid or reduce the hazard. Read these cautions. * : This symbol is shown when you need to see a service manual for additional instructions or information. iv Vehicle Symbol Chart Here are some additional symbols that may be found on the vehicle and what they mean. For more information on the symbol, refer to the index. 0 : Adjustable Pedals 9 : Airbag Readiness Light # : Air Conditioning ! : Antilock Brake System (ABS) g : Audio Steering Wheel Controls or OnStar® $ : Brake System Warning Light " : Charging System I : Cruise Control B : Engine Coolant Temperature O : Exterior Lamps # : Fog Lamps . : Fuel Gage + : Fuses i : Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer j : LATCH System Child Restraints * : Malfunction Indicator Lamp : : Oil Pressure g : Outside Power Foldaway Mirrors } : Power / : Remote Vehicle Start > : Safety Belt Reminders 7 : Tire Pressure Monitor _ : Tow/Haul Mode F : Traction Control M : Windshield Washer Fluid ✍ NOTES vi Section 1 Seats and Restraint System Head Restraints ...............................................1-2 Front Seats ......................................................1-3 Manual Seats ................................................1-3 Power Seats ..................................................1-4 Manual Lumbar ..............................................1-5 Power Lumbar ...............................................1-6 Heated Seats .................................................1-7 Heated and Cooled Seats ................................1-7 Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals ....................1-8 Reclining Seatbacks ......................................1-10 Center Seat .................................................1-13 Rear Seats .....................................................1-13 Rear Seat Operation .....................................1-13 Safety Belts ...................................................1-15 Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................1-15 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-20 Lap-Shoulder Belt .........................................1-29 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-35 Lap Belt ......................................................1-35 Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-37 Child Restraints .............................................1-37 Older Children ..............................................1-37 Infants and Young Children ............................1-41 Child Restraint Systems .................................1-45 Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-48 Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) ..................................................1-49 Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat Position ...................................................1-56 Securing a Child Restraint in the Center Front Seat Position ..........................1-58 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position ............................1-59 Airbag System ...............................................1-62 Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-65 When Should an Airbag Inﬂate? .....................1-67 What Makes an Airbag Inﬂate? .......................1-68 How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-68 What Will You See After an Airbag Inﬂates? .....1-69 Passenger Sensing System ............................1-70 Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-76 Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ....................................................1-77 Restraint System Check ..................................1-78 Checking the Restraint Systems ......................1-78 Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash ......................................................1-79 1-1 Head Restraints The front seats have adjustable head restraints in the outboard seating positions. { CAUTION: With head restraints that are not installed and adjusted properly, there is a greater chance that occupants will suffer a neck/spinal injury in a crash. Do not drive until the head restraints for all occupants are installed and adjusted properly. 1-2 Adjust the head restraint so that the top of the restraint is at the same height as the top of the occupant’s head. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash. Pull the head restraint up to raise it. To lower the head restraint, press the button, located on the top of the seatback, and push the restraint down. Push down on the head restraint after the button is released to make sure that it is locked in place. The head restraints are not designed to be removed. The rear seat has head rests that can be adjusted up and down. Front Seats Manual Seats { CAUTION: You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when the vehicle is not moving. 1-3 If the vehicle has a manual seat, it can be moved forward or rearward. Power Seats 1. Lift the bar to unlock the seat. 2. Slide the seat to the desired position and release the bar. Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat is locked in place. Driver’s Seat with Power Seat Control, Power Recline, and Power Lumbar shown On a vehicle with power seats, the controls used to operate them are located on the outboard side of the seats. Move the seat forward or rearward by sliding the control forward or rearward. 1-4 Your vehicle may have additional features to adjust your vehicle’s power seat: (cid:129) Raise or lower the front part of the seat cushion by moving the front of the control up or down. (cid:129) Raise or lower the rear part of the seat cushion by moving the rear of the control up or down. (cid:129) Raise or lower the entire seat by moving the entire control up or down. On seats with power reclining seatbacks, the control is located behind the power seat control on the outboard side of the seats. See “Power Reclining Seatbacks” under Reclining Seatbacks on page 1-10. A vehicle with a memory function allows seat settings to be saved and recalled. See Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals on page 1-8 for more information. Manual Lumbar On vehicles with this feature the control is located on the outboard side of the seat. Increase or decrease lumbar support by turning the knob forward or rearward. 1-5 The vehicle may have additional features to adjust your vehicle’s power seat: To raise the height of the lumbar support, press and hold the top of the control. To lower the height of the lumbar support, press and hold the bottom of the control. Release the control when the lower seatback reaches the desired level of lumbar support. Your vehicle may have a memory function which allows seat settings to be saved and recalled. See Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals on page 1-8 for more information. Keep in mind that as your seating position changes, as it may during long trips, so should the position of your lumbar support. Adjust the seat as needed. Power Lumbar On seats with power lumbar, the controls used to operate this feature are located on the outboard side of the seats. To increase lumbar support, press and hold the front of the control. To decrease lumbar support, press and hold the rear of the control. 1-6 (cid:129) (cid:129) (cid:129) (cid:129) Heated Seats On vehicles with heated front seats, the controls are located on the driver and passenger doors. I (Heated Seatback): Press to turn on the heated seatback. J (Heated Seat and Seatback): Press to turn on the heated seat and seatback. The light on the button will come on to indicate that the feature is working. Press the button to cycle through the temperature settings of high, medium, and low and to turn the heat to the seat off. Indicator lights will show the level of heat selected: three for high, two for medium, and one for low. The heated seats will be canceled 10 seconds after the ignition is turned off. To use the heated seat feature after restarting the vehicle, press the heated seat or seatback button again. Heated and Cooled Seats If the front seats have the heated and cooled seat feature, the buttons used to control this feature are located on the front doors near the door handle. { (Cooled Seat): To cool the entire seat, press the button with the cooled seat symbol. This symbol will appear on the climate control display to indicate that the feature is on. Press the button to cycle through the temperature settings of high, medium, and low and to turn the cooled seat off. Indicator bars next to the symbol designate the level of cooling selected: three for high, two for medium, and one for low. + (Heated Seatback): To heat only the seatback, press the button with the heated seatback symbol. This symbol will appear on the climate control display to indicate that the feature is on. Press the button to cycle through the temperature settings of high, medium, and low and to turn the heated seatback off. Indicator bars next to the symbol designate the level of heat selected: three for high, two for medium, and one for low. z (Heated Seat and Seatback): To heat the entire seat, press the button with the heated seat and seatback symbol. This symbol will appear on the climate control display to indicate that the feature is on. Press the button to cycle through the temperature settings of high, medium, and low and to turn the heated seat off. Indicator bars next to the symbol designate the level of heat selected: three for high, two for medium, and one for low. 1-7 The heated and cooled seats will be canceled after the ignition is turned off. To use the heated and cooled seat feature after the vehicle is started, you will need to press the appropriate seat button again. Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals Your vehicle may have the memory package. The controls for this feature are located on the driver’s door panel, and are used to program and recall memory settings for the driver’s seat, outside mirrors, and the adjustable throttle and brake pedal. To save seating positions in memory: 1. Adjust the driver’s seat, including the seatback recliner and lumbar, both outside mirrors, and the throttle and brake pedals to a comfortable position. See Outside Power Mirrors on page 2-56 and Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal on page 2-35 for more information. Not all mirrors, adjustable throttles and brake pedals, or power lumbar will have the ability to save and recall their positions. 2. Press and hold button 1 until two beeps sound to indicate that the position has been stored. A second seating, lumbar, mirror, and throttle and brake pedal position can be programmed by repeating the above steps and pressing button 2. To recall the memory positions, the vehicle must be in PARK (P). Press and release either button 1 or button 2 corresponding to the desired driving position. The seat, outside mirrors, and adjustable throttle and brake pedals will move to the position previously stored. You will hear a single beep. 1-8 If you use the remote keyless entry transmitter to enter your vehicle and the remote recall memory feature is on, automatic seat, adjustable mirror, and adjustable pedal movements will occur. See “MEMORY SEAT RECALL” under DIC Vehicle Customization (With DIC Buttons) on page 3-67 for more information. To stop recall movement of the memory function at any time, press one of the power seat controls, memory buttons, power mirror buttons, or adjustable pedal switch. If something has blocked the driver’s seat and/or the adjustable pedals while recalling a memory position, the driver’s seat and/or the adjustable pedals recall may stop working. If this happens, remove the obstruction and press the appropriate control for the area that is not responding for two seconds. Try recalling the memory position again by pressing the appropriate memory button. If the memory position is still not recalling, see your dealer for service. Easy Exit Seat The control for this feature is located on the driver’s door panel between buttons 1 and 2. With the vehicle in PARK (P), the driver’s seat exit position can be recalled by pressing the exit button. You will hear a single beep, and the driver’s seat will move back. If the easy exit seat feature is programmed in the Driver Information Center (DIC), automatic seat movement will occur when the key is removed from the ignition. See “EASY EXIT SEAT” under DIC Vehicle Customization (With DIC Buttons) on page 3-67 for more information. The memory seat and easy exit features can also be programmed using the DIC. For programming information, see DIC Vehicle Customization (With DIC Buttons) on page 3-67. 1-9 Reclining Seatbacks { CAUTION: You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when the vehicle is not moving. { CAUTION: If either seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatbacks to be sure they are locked. 1-10 { CAUTION: Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle up, your safety belts cannot do their job when you are reclined like this. The shoulder belt cannot do its job. In a crash, you could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries. The lap belt cannot do its job either. In a crash the belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. For proper protection when the vehicle is in motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly. Manual Reclining Seatbacks On seats with manual reclining seatbacks, the lever used to operate them is located on the outboard side of the seat(s). To recline the seatback: 1. Lift the recline lever. 2. Move the seatback to the desired position, then release the lever to lock the seatback in place. 3. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked. 1-11 To return the seatback to an upright position, do the following: 1. Lift the lever fully without applying pressure to the seatback and the seatback will return to the upright position. 2. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked. Power Reclining Seatbacks If the seats have power reclining seatbacks, the control used to recline them is located on the outboard side of the seat behind the power seat control. To recline the seatback, tilt the top of the control rearward. To bring the seatback forward, tilt the top of the control forward. Do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving. 1-12 (cid:129) (cid:129) Center Seat Your vehicle may have a front center seat. The seatback doubles as an armrest and cupholder/storage area for the driver and passenger when the center seat is not used. Do not use it as a seating position when the seatback is folded down. Rear Seats Rear Seat Operation The rear seat is a 60/40 split bench seat that can be folded to give you more cargo space and access to the folding midgate. See Midgate® on page 2-13 for more information on operation of the folding midgate. To fold either side of the seat do the following: 1. Push the rear seat head restraints all the way down. 2. Pull the seat loop located where the seatback and seat cushion meet. The seat cushion will release and allow you to tilt it toward the front of the vehicle. Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts and return them to their normal stowed position before folding a rear seat. 1-13 { CAUTION: A safety belt that is improperly routed, not properly attached, or twisted will not provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. After raising the rear seatback, always check to be sure that the safety belts are properly routed and attached, and are not twisted. { CAUTION: If the seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always be sure to press the rear of the seat cushion down. This action locks the seatback in place. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked. Raise the head restraint. 3. Fold the seatback forward until it is ﬂat. You may have to move the front seats forward slightly to do this. 4. Repeat the procedure for the other side. To return the seats to the normal position, push the seatback up and fold the seat cushion down. 1-14 Safety Belts Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly. It also tells you some things you should not do with safety belts. { CAUTION: Do not let anyone ride where a safety belt cannot be worn properly. In a crash, if you or your passenger(s) are not wearing safety belts, the injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle harder or be ejected from the vehicle. You and your passenger(s) can be seriously injured or killed. In the same crash, you might not be, if you are buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt, and check that your passenger(s) are restrained properly too. { CAUTION: People riding on the tailgate (if equipped) can easily lose their balance and fall even when the vehicle is operated at low speeds. Falling from a moving vehicle may result in serious injuries or death. { CAUTION: It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle that is not equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a safety belt properly. Your vehicle has indicators as a reminder to buckle your safety belts. See Safety Belt Reminders on page 3-31. 1-15 Why Safety Belts Work When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes. In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law requires wearing safety belts. Here is why: You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have a crash, you do not know if it will be a serious one. A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so serious that even buckled up, a person would not survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed. After more than 40 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter... a lot! Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat on wheels. 1-16 Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider does not stop. 1-17 The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield... or the instrument panel... 1-18 Questions and Answers About Safety Belts Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after a crash if I am wearing a safety belt? A: You could be — whether you are wearing a safety belt or not. But your chance of being conscious during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted. And you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you are upside down. Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to wear safety belts? A: Airbags are supplemental systems only; so they work with safety belts — not instead of them. Whether or not an airbag is provided, all occupants still have to buckle up to get the most protection. That is true not only in frontal collisions, but especially in side and other collisions. 1-19 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 is why safety belts make such good sense. Q: If I am a good driver, and I never drive far from home, why should I wear safety belts? A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you are in a crash — even one that is not your fault — you and your passenger(s) can be hurt. Being a good driver does not protect you from things beyond your control, such as bad drivers. Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of home. And the greatest number of serious injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph (65 km/h). Safety belts are for everyone. How to Wear Safety Belts Properly This section is only for people of adult size. Be aware that there are special things to know about safety belts and children. And there are different rules for smaller children and infants. If a child will be riding in the vehicle, see Older Children on page 1-37 or Infants and Young Children on page 1-41. Follow those rules for everyone’s protection. It is very important for all occupants to buckle up. Statistics show that unbelted people are hurt more often in crashes than those who are wearing safety belts. Occupants who are not buckled up can be thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts. First, before you or your passenger(s) wear a safety belt, there is important information you should know. 1-20 In a crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones and you would be less likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the belt would apply force on your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces. The shoulder belt locks if there is a sudden stop or crash. 1-21 Sit up straight and always keep your feet on the ﬂoor in front of you. The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. Q: What is wrong with this? { CAUTION: You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury. The shoulder belt should ﬁt snugly against your body. A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not give as much protection this way. 1-22 Q: What is wrong with this? { CAUTION: You can be seriously hurt if your lap belt is too loose. In a crash, you could slide under the lap belt and apply force on your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The lap belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. A: The lap belt is too loose. It will not give nearly as much protection this way. 1-23 Q: What is wrong with this? { CAUTION: You can be seriously injured if your belt is buckled in the wrong place like this. In a crash, the belt would go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not on the pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle nearest you. A: The belt is buckled in the wrong buckle. 1-24 Q: What is wrong with this? A: The belt is over an armrest. { CAUTION: You can be seriously injured if your belt goes over an armrest like this. The belt would be much too high. In a crash, you can slide under the belt. The belt force would then be applied on the abdomen, not on the pelvic bones, and that could cause serious or fatal injuries. Be sure the belt goes under the armrests. 1-25 Q: What is wrong with this? { CAUTION: You can be seriously injured if you wear the shoulder belt under your arm. In a crash, your body would move too far forward, which would increase the chance of head and neck injury. Also, the belt would apply too much force to the ribs, which are not as strong as shoulder bones. You could also severely injure internal organs like your liver or spleen. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should be worn over the shoulder at all times. 1-26 Q: What is wrong with this? A: The belt is behind the body. { CAUTION: You can be seriously injured by not wearing the lap-shoulder belt properly. In a crash, you would not be restrained by the shoulder belt. Your body could move too far forward increasing the chance of head and neck injury. You might also slide under the lap belt. The belt force would then be applied right on the abdomen. That could cause serious or fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. 1-27 Q: What is wrong with this? { CAUTION: You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt. In a crash, you would not have the full width of the belt to spread impact forces. If a belt is twisted, make it straight so it can work properly, or ask your dealer/retailer to ﬁx it. A: The belt is twisted across the body. 1-28 Lap-Shoulder Belt All seating positions in the vehicle have a lap-shoulder belt except for the center front passenger position, if the vehicle has one, which has a lap belt. See Lap Belt on page 1-35 for more information. The following instructions explain how to wear a lap-shoulder belt properly. 1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the Index. 2. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not let it get twisted. The lap-shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt across you more slowly. If the shoulder portion of a passenger belt is pulled out all the way, the child restraint locking feature may be engaged. If this happens, let the belt go back all the way and start again. Engaging the child restraint locking feature may affect the passenger sensing system. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-70 for more information. If the belt stops before it reaches the buckle, tilt the latch plate and keep pulling the safety belt until it can be buckled. 3. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. If you ﬁnd that the latch plate will not go fully into the buckle, see if you are using the correct buckle. Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-37. Position the release button on the buckle so that the safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if necessary. 4. If equipped with a shoulder belt height adjuster, move it to the height that is right for you. See “Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment” later in this section for instructions on use and important safety information. 1-29 5. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the shoulder belt. It may be necessary to pull stitching on the safety belt through the latch plate to fully tighten the lap belt on smaller occupants. To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle. The belt should return to its stowed position. Before a door is closed, be sure the safety belt is out of the way. If a door is slammed against a safety belt, damage can occur to both the belt and the vehicle. 1-30 Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster The vehicle has a shoulder belt height adjuster for the driver and right front passenger positions. Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt is centered on the shoulder. The belt should be away from the face and neck, but not falling off the shoulder. Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash. Squeeze the buttons (A) on the sides of the height adjuster and move the height adjuster to the desired position. Safety Belt Pretensioners This vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for front outboard occupants. Although the safety belt pretensioners cannot be seen, they are part of the safety belt assembly. They can help tighten the safety belts during the early stages of a moderate to severe frontal, near frontal, or rear crash if the threshold conditions for pretensioner activation are met. And, if the vehicle has side impact airbags, safety belt pretensioners can help tighten the safety belts in a side crash or a rollover event. Pretensioners work only once. If the pretensioners activate in a crash, they will need to be replaced, and probably other new parts for the vehicle’s safety belt system. See Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash on page 1-79. The adjuster can be moved up just by pushing up on the shoulder belt guide. After the adjuster is set to the desired position, try to move it down without squeezing the buttons to make sure it has locked into position. 1-31 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides Rear shoulder belt comfort guides may provide added safety belt comfort for older children who have outgrown booster seats and for some adults. When installed on a shoulder belt, the comfort guide positions the belt away from the neck and head. There is one guide for each outside passenger position in the rear seat. Here is how to install a comfort guide to the safety belt: 1. Remove the guide from its storage pocket on the side of the seat. 1-32 2. Place the guide over the belt, and insert the two edges of the belt into the slots of the guide. 3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies ﬂat. The elastic cord must be under the belt and the guide on top. 1-33 { CAUTION: A safety belt that is not properly worn may not provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces. 1-34 4. Buckle, position, and release the safety belt as described previously in this section. Make sure that the shoulder belt crosses the shoulder. To remove and store the comfort guide, squeeze the belt edges together so that the safety belt can be removed from the guide. Slide the guide into its storage clip on the interior body or storage pocket on the side of the seat. Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant women. Like all occupants, they are more likely to be seriously injured if they do not wear safety belts. Lap Belt This part is only for the lap belt. To learn how to wear a lap-shoulder belt, see Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 1-29. You vehicle may have a center seating position. When you sit in the center front seating position, you have a lap safety belt, which has no retractor. A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, and the lap portion should be worn as low as possible, below the rounding, throughout the pregnancy. The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it is more likely that the fetus will not be hurt in a crash. For pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making safety belts effective is wearing them properly. To make the belt longer, tilt the latch plate and pull it along the belt. Buckle, position and release it the same way as the lap part of a lap-shoulder belt. 1-35 If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-37. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if necessary. If you ﬁnd that the latch plate will not go fully into the buckle, see if you are using the correct buckle. Be sure that the latch plate clicks when inserted into the buckle. To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown until the belt is snug. 1-36 Child Restraints Older Children Safety Belt Extender If the safety belt will fasten around you, you should use it. But if a safety belt is not long enough, your dealer/retailer will order you an extender. When you go in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so the extender will be long enough for you. To help avoid personal injury, do not let someone else use it, and use it only for the seat it is made to ﬁt. The extender has been designed for adults. Never use it for securing child seats. To wear it, attach it to the regular safety belt. For more information, see the instruction sheet that comes with the extender. Older children who have outgrown booster seats should wear the vehicle’s safety belts. 1-37 The manufacturer’s instructions that come with the booster seat, state the weight and height limitations for that booster. Use a booster seat with a lap-shoulder belt until the child passes the below ﬁt test: (cid:129) Sit all the way back on the seat. Do the knees bend at the seat edge? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat. (cid:129) Buckle the lap-shoulder belt. Does the shoulder belt rest on the shoulder? If yes, continue. If no, try using the rear safety belt comfort guide. See “Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides” under Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 1-29 for more information. If the shoulder belt still does not rest on the shoulder, then return to the booster seat. (cid:129) Does the lap belt ﬁt low and snug on the hips, touching the thighs? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat. (cid:129) Can proper safety belt ﬁt be maintained for length of trip? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat. If you have the choice, a child should sit in a position with a lap-shoulder belt and get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide. Q: What is the proper way to wear safety belts? A: An older child should wear a lap-shoulder belt and get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide. The shoulder belt should not cross the face or neck. The lap belt should ﬁt snugly below the hips, just touching the top of the thighs. This applies belt force to the child’s pelvic bones in a crash. It should never be worn over the abdomen, which could cause severe or even fatal internal injuries in a crash. Also see “Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides” under Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 1-29. According to accident statistics, children and infants are safer when properly restrained in the rear seating positions than in the front seating positions. In a crash, children who are not buckled up can strike other people who are buckled up, or can be thrown out of the vehicle. Older children need to use safety belts properly. 1-38 { CAUTION: Never do this. Never allow two children to wear the same safety belt. The safety belt can not properly spread the impact forces. In a crash, the two children can be crushed together and seriously injured. A safety belt must be used by only one person at a time. 1-39 { CAUTION: Never do this. Never allow a child to wear the safety belt with the shoulder belt behind their back. A child can be seriously injured by not wearing the lap-shoulder belt properly. In a crash, the child would not be restrained by the shoulder belt. The child could move too far forward increasing the chance of head and neck injury. The child might also slide under the lap belt. The belt force would then be applied right on the abdomen. That could cause serious or fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. 1-40 Infants and Young Children Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! This includes infants and all other children. Neither the distance traveled nor the age and size of the traveler changes the need, for everyone, to use safety restraints. In fact, the law in every state in the United States and in every Canadian province says children up to some age must be restrained while in a vehicle. { CAUTION: Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and the safety belt continues to tighten. Never leave children unattended in a vehicle and never allow children to play with the safety belts. Airbags plus lap-shoulder belts offer protection for adults and older children, but not for young children and infants. Neither the vehicle’s safety belt system nor its airbag system is designed for them. Every time infants and young children ride in vehicles, they should have the protection provided by appropriate child restraints. Children who are not restrained properly can strike other people, or can be thrown out of the vehicle. 1-41 { CAUTION: Never do this. Never hold an infant or a child while riding in a vehicle. Due to crash forces, an infant or a child will become so heavy it is not possible to hold it during a crash. For example, in a crash at only 25 mph (40 km/h), a 12 lb (5.5 kg) infant will suddenly become a 240 lb (110 kg) force on a person’s arms. An infant should be secured in an

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2009 Chevrolet Avalanche Owners Manual