2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE air conditioner

2-116
Message Center
The message center is located on the left side of the
instrument panel cluster. It gives you important safety
and maintenance facts. When you turn the ignition on,
the entire center lights up for just a few seconds.
As needed, the message center will display one of
the following messages. The message center is capable
of alternating among different messages if needed.
Battery
If this message is displayed
when the engine is running,
you may have a problem
with your charging system.The battery display will also stay on while the key is in
RUN until the engine is started.
If the message stays on after starting the engine it could
indicate a problem with the generator drive belt, or some
other charging system problem. Have it checked right
away. Driving with this message displayed could drain
your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with this message
displayed, it helps to turn off all your accessories,
such as the radio and the air conditioner.

3-8
To avoid blowing cold air in cold weather, the system will
delay turning on the fan until warm air is available. The
length of delay depends on the outside air temperature,
engine coolant temperature or the time since the engine
was last started. As the coolant warms up, the fan speed
will gradually increase and air will flow from the heater
outlets, with some airflow to the windshield to prevent
fogging under most normal conditions.
Be careful not to put anything over the solar sensor
located near the center of the instrument panel.
This sensor is used by the automatic system to
regulate temperature.Air Conditioning
On hot days, open the windows long enough to let hot
air inside escape. This reduces the time it takes for your
vehicle to cool down. Then keep your windows closed
for the air conditioner to work its best.
The A/C button, below the mode knob, allows the air
coming into your vehicle to be cooled. This setting is
useful for normal cooling on hot days.
Using A/C with the recirculation setting active allows
the air inside your vehicle to be recirculated. This
setting helps to maximize your air conditioner's
performance and your vehicle's fuel economy. This
setting also cools air the fastest and can be used to keep
unwanted odors and/or dust from entering the vehicle.
When using the air conditioner, turn off the recirculation
setting and use the outside air setting after the vehicle
reaches a comfortable interior temperature. When the
right knob on the control panel is between floor and
defrost, the recirculation feature will not function to
reduce window fogging.

5-11 If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get an engine overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:

Climb a long hill on a hot day.

Stop after high
-speed driving.

Idle for long periods in traffic.

Tow a trailer. See ªDriving on Gradesº in the Index.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. If your air conditioner is on, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you're in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- DRIVE (D).If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning doesn't come back on, you can
drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there's still no sign of steam, idle the engine for three
minutes while you're parked. push down the accelerator
until the engine speed is about twice as fast as normal
idle speed for at least three minutes while you're parked.
If you still have the warning, turn off the engine and get
everyone out of the vehicle until it cools down. Also, see
ªOverheated Engine Protection Operating Modeº listed
previously in this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.