2004 Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual M Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1 Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1 Front Seats ............................................... 1-2 Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ..... 4-2 Rear Seats ............................................... 1-7 Towing ................................................... 4-51 Safety Belts .............................................. 1-9 Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1 Child Restraints ....................................... 1-30 Service ..................................................... 5-3 Air Bag Systems ...................................... 1-50 Fuel ......................................................... 5-4 Restraint System Check ............................ 1-65 Checking Things Under the Hood ................. 5-9 Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1 Rear Axle ............................................... 5-52 Keys ........................................................ 2-3 Four-Wheel Drive ..................................... 5-53 Doors and Locks ....................................... 2-8 Front Axle ............................................... 5-54 Windows ................................................. 2-24 Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-55 Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-26 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-63 Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-28 Tires ...................................................... 5-64 Mirrors .................................................... 2-48 ® Appearance Care ................................... 5-104 OnStar System ...................................... 2-57 ® Vehicle Identification ............................... 5-112 HomeLink Transmitter ............................. 2-59 Storage Areas ......................................... 2-63 Electrical System .................................... 5-113 Sunroof .................................................. 2-87 Capacities and Specifications ................... 5-122 Vehicle Personalization ............................. 2-88 Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1 Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1 Maintenance Schedule ................................ 6-2 Instrument Panel Overview .......................... 3-4 Customer Assistance and Information .............. 7-1 Climate Controls ...................................... 3-22 Customer Assistance and Information ........... 7-2 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators ......... 3-31 Reporting Safety Defects ........................... 7-10 Driver Information Center (DIC) .................. 3-49 Index ................................................................ 1 Audio System(s) ....................................... 3-68 Canadian Owners You can obtain a French copy of this manual from your dealer or from: Helm, Incorporated P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207 GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem are registered How to Use This Manual trademarks and the name AVALANCHE is a trademark Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning of General Motors Corporation. to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If This manual includes the latest information at the time it you do this, it will help you learn about the features and was printed. We reserve the right to make changes controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you will find after that time without further notice. For vehicles first that pictures and words work together to explain things. sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada Limited” for Chevrolet Motor Division whenever Index it appears in this manual. Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will be A good place to look for what you need is the Index in there if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you back of the manual. It is an alphabetical list of what sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the is in the manual, and the page number where you will new owner can use it. find it. Litho in U.S.A. ©Copyright General Motors Corporation 06/23/03 Part No. C2418 A First Edition All Rights Reserved ii Safety Warnings and Symbols You will also find a circle with a slash through it in You will find a number of safety cautions in this book. this book. This safety We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you about symbol means “Don’t,” things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the “Don’t do this” or “Don’t let warning. this happen.” {CAUTION: These mean there is something that could hurt you or other people. In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, you or others could be hurt. iii Vehicle Damage Warnings Vehicle Symbols Also, in this book you will find these notices: Your vehicle has components and labels that use symbols instead of text. Symbols, used on your vehicle, Notice: These mean there is something that could are shown along with the text describing the operation damage your vehicle. or information relating to a specific component, control, A notice will tell you about something that can damage message, gage or indicator. your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be If you need help figuring out a specific name of a covered by your warranty, and it could be costly. But the component, gage or indicator, reference the following notice will tell you what to do to help avoid the topics: damage. • Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1 When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different • Features and Controls in Section 2 words. • Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3 You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use • Climate Controls in Section 3 the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE. • Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators in Section 3 • Audio System(s) in Section 3 • Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5 iv These are some examples of symbols you may find on your vehicle: v ✍ NOTES vi Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems Front Seats ......................................................1-2 Top Strap ....................................................1-39 Manual Passenger Seat ..................................1-2 Top Strap Anchor Location .............................1-41 Power Seats ..................................................1-2 Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for Power Lumbar ...............................................1-3 Children (LATCH System) ...........................1-41 Heated Seats .................................................1-4 Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-5 Position ...................................................1-43 Head Restraints .............................................1-7 Securing a Child Restraint in the Center Front Rear Seats .......................................................1-7 Seat Position ............................................1-45 Rear Seat Operation .......................................1-7 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position ............................................1-46 Safety Belts .....................................................1-9 Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone .................1-9 Air Bag Systems ............................................1-50 Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ......1-13 Where Are the Air Bags? ...............................1-53 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-14 When Should an Air Bag Inflate? ....................1-55 Driver Position ..............................................1-14 What Makes an Air Bag Inflate? .....................1-57 Right Front Passenger Position .......................1-22 How Does an Air Bag Restrain? .....................1-57 Center Front Passenger Position .....................1-22 What Will You See After an Air Bag Inflates? ...1-58 Rear Seat Passengers ..................................1-24 Passenger Sensing System ............................1-59 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle .........1-64 and Small Adults .......................................1-27 Adding Equipment to Your Air Bag-Equipped Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-29 Vehicle ....................................................1-64 Child Restraints .............................................1-30 Restraint System Check ..................................1-65 Older Children ..............................................1-30 Checking Your Restraint Systems ...................1-65 Infants and Young Children ............................1-32 Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Child Restraint Systems .................................1-36 Crash ......................................................1-66 Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-38 1-1 Front Seats Power Seats Manual Passenger Seat If your vehicle has power seat(s), the controls are located on the outboard edge of the front seats. If your vehicle has a manual front passenger split bench seat, you can adjust it with this lever located at the front of the seat. Lift the lever to unlock the seat and use your body to slide the seat to where you want it. Release the lever and try to move the seat with your body to make sure