1999 CHEVROLET TAHOE instrument panel

yellowblue
1-18
or the instrument panel ...or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That's why
safety belts make such good sense.

yellowblue
1-31
There is an air bag
readiness light on the
instrument panel, which
shows AIR BAG.
The system checks the air bag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. See ªAir Bag Readiness Lightº in the Index
for more information.How the Air Bag System Works
Where are the air bags?
The driver's air bag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.

yellowblue
1-32
The right front passenger's air bag is in the instrument
panel on the passenger's side.
CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an air
bag, the bag might not inflate properly or it
might force the object into that person. The path
of an inflating air bag must be kept clear. Don't
put anything between an occupant and an air
bag, and don't attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other air
bag covering.
When should an air bag inflate?
An air bag is designed to inflate in a moderate to severe
frontal or near
-frontal crash. The air bag will inflate only if
the impact speed is above the system's designed ªthreshold
level.º If your vehicle goes straight into a wall that doesn't
move or deform, the threshold level is about 9 to 16 mph
(14 to 26 km/h). The threshold level can vary, however,
with specific vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat
above or below this range. If your vehicle strikes
something that will move or deform, such as a parked car,
the threshold level will be higher. The air bag is not
designed to inflate in rollovers, side impacts or rear
impacts, because inflation would not help the occupant.

yellowblue
1-33
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
Inflation is determined by the angle of the impact and
how quickly the vehicle slows down in frontal or
near
-frontal impacts.
The air bag system is designed to work properly under a
wide range of conditions, including off
-road usage.
Observe safe driving speeds, especially on rough terrain.
As always, wear your safety belt. See ªOff
-Road
Drivingº in the Index for more tips on off
-road driving.
What makes an air bag inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which
inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related
hardware are all part of the air bag modules inside the
steering wheel and in the instrument panel in front of the
right front passenger.
How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near
-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. Air bags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force
of the impact more evenly over the occupant's upperbody, stopping the occupant more gradually. But
air bags would not help you in many types of
collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts and
side impacts, primarily because an occupant's motion
is not toward those air bags. Air bags should never be
regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety
belts, and then only in moderate to severe frontal or
near
-frontal collisions.
What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly
that some people may not even realize the air bag
inflated. Some components of the air bag module
-- the
steering wheel hub for the driver's air bag, or the
instrument panel for the right front passenger's
bag
-- will be hot for a short time. The parts of the
bag that come into contact with you may be warm, but
not too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and
dust coming from vents in the deflated air bags. Air bag
inflation doesn't prevent the driver from seeing or from
being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop people
from leaving the vehicle.

yellowblue
1-34
CAUTION:
When an air bag inflates, there is dust in the air.
This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe to do so.
If you have breathing problems but can't get out
of the vehicle after an air bag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or door.
In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.

Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After they
inflate, you'll need some new parts for your air bag
system. If you don't get them, the air bag system
won't be there to help protect you in another crash.
A new system will include air bag modules and
possibly other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module, which records information about
the air bag system. The module records information
about the readiness of the system, when the
sensors are activated and driver's safety belt usage
at deployment.

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

2-
yellowblue
2-1
Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
2
-2 Keys
2
-3 Door Locks
2
-6 Keyless Entry System (If Equipped)
2
-8 Your Doors and How They Work
2
-10 Theft
2
-11 Passlock

2-12 New Vehicle ªBreak-Inº
2
-12 Ignition Positions
2
-13 Starting Your Gasoline Engine
2
-15 Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
2
-16 Automatic Transmission Operation
2
-19 Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)
2
-25 Parking Brake
2
-26 Shifting Into Park (P)
2
-28 Shifting Out of Park (P)
2
-29 Parking Over Things That Burn2
-29 Engine Exhaust
2
-30 Running Your Engine While You're Parked
2
-31 Locking Rear Axle (If Equipped)
2
-31 Windows
2
-33 Tilt Wheel (If Equipped)
2
-34 Multifunction Lever
2
-40 Exterior Lamps
2
-41 Interior Lamps
2
-43 Mirrors
2
-53 Storage Compartments
2
-62 Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
2
-64 Sun Visors
2
-64 Universal Transmitter (If Equipped)
2
-68 Instrument Panel
2
-70 Instrument Panel Cluster
2
-72 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators

yellowblue
2-9
CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to drive with the tailgate
glass, tailgate or rear doors open because carbon
monoxide (CO) gas can come into your vehicle.
You can't see or smell CO. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If you must drive with the tailgate glass, tailgate
or rear doors open or if electrical wiring or other
cable connections must pass through the seal
between the body and the tailgate glass, tailgate
or rear doors:

Make sure all other windows are shut.

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

If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
See ªEngine Exhaustº in the Index.
Tailgate Glass and Tailgate
If your vehicle has a tailgate, you must raise the rear
glass before lowering the tailgate.
To open the glass from the outside, use your key. With
the key in the lock, turn the key clockwise to release the
glass, then lift it up.
To release the glass from the inside, use the electric
tailgate glass release switch on the instrument panel. For
more information, see ªTailgate
-- Electric Glass
Releaseº in the Index.
To open the tailgate, lift up on the handle while pulling
the tailgate toward you.
Close the tailgate before closing the rear glass. After
closing the tailgate, make sure the tailgate is securely
latched by pulling it toward you. After closing the rear
glass, pull up on its handle to make sure it is locked.
Panel Doors
To open the rear panel doors, you must open the
passenger's side panel door first. If the door is locked,
insert your door key in the lock and turn it
counterclockwise to unlock it.
To open the passenger's side panel door, pull up on the
handle and pull the door open.

yellowblue
2-34
Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes your:

Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator

Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer

Windshield Wipers

Windshield Washer

Cruise Control (If Equipped)
Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you
to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
When the turn is finished, the lever will return automatically.
An arrow on the instrument
panel will flash in the
direction of the turn or
lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release it.
If you move the lever all the way up or down and the arrow
flashes at twice the normal rate, a signal bulb may be burned
out and other drivers may not see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don't go on at all when you
signal a turn, check for burned
-out bulbs and a blown
fuse (see ªFusesº in the Index).