2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE brake

Whatever the condition ± smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow ± drive with caution.
If you have traction assist, keep the system on. It will
improve your ability to accelerate when driving on
a slippery road. But you can turn the traction system off
if your vehicle ever gets stuck in sand, mud, ice or
snow. See
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
on page 4-45. Even though your vehicle has a traction
system, you'll want to slow down and adjust your driving
to the road conditions. See
Traction Assist System
(TAS) on page 4-10.
If you don't have a traction system, accelerate gently.
Try not to break the fragile traction. If you accelerate too
fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface
under the tires even more.Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle's stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road.
Even though you have an anti-lock braking system,
you'll want to begin stopping sooner than you would on
dry pavement. See
Braking on page 4-6.
·Allow greater following distance on any slippery
road.
·Watch for slippery spots. The road might be ®ne
until you hit a spot that's covered with ice. On
an otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can't reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass
may remain icy when the surrounding roads
are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of you,
brake before you are on it. Try not to brake
while you're actually on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
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Dinghy Towing
Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Two-wheel drive vehicles should not be towed with all
four wheels on the ground. Two-wheel-drive
transmissions have no provisions for internal lubrication
while being towed. To properly tow these vehicles,
they should be placed on a platform trailer with all four
wheels off the ground.
Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Use the following procedure to correctly tow you vehicle
on all four wheels:
1. Firmly set the parking brake.
2. Shift the transmission to PARK (P).
3. Securely attach the vehicle being towed to the tow
vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in PARK (P). You or someone
else could be seriously injured. Be sure to set
the parking brake before placing the transfer
case in NEUTRAL. See ªParking Brakeº in the
Index.
4. Shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL (N). See
Four-Wheel Drive on page 2-34for the proper
procedure to select the neutral position for your
vehicle.
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5. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is ®rmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
6. When the vehicle is properly attached to the tow
vehicle and is ready to be towed, turn the ignition
to LOCK.
Dolly Towing
Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Two-wheel-drive vehicles should not be towed with the
rear wheels on the ground. Two-wheel-drive
transmission have no provisions for internal lubrication
while being towed. To properly tow these vehicles,
they should be placed on a platform trailer with all four
wheels off the ground.
Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicles
Use the following procedure to correctly tow you vehicle
on two wheels:
1. Firmly set the parking brake.
2. Shift the transmission to PARK (P).
3. Securely attach the vehicle being towed to the tow
vehicle.
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{CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in PARK (P). You or someone
else could be seriously injured. Be sure to set
the parking brake before placing the transfer
case in NEUTRAL. See ªParking Brakeº in the
Index.
4. Shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL (N). See
Four-Wheel Drive on page 2-34for the proper
procedure to select the neutral position for your
vehicle.
5. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is ®rmly attached to the towing
vehicle.
6. When the vehicle is properly attached to the tow
vehicle and is ready to be towed, turn the ignition
to LOCK.
Loading Your Vehicle
The Certi®cation/Tire label is found on the rear edge of
the driver's door.
The label shows the size of your original tires and the
in¯ation pressures needed to obtain the gross weight
capacity of your vehicle. This is called the GVWR (Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.
4-51

{CAUTION:
On some vehicles equipped with certain front
mounted equipment, such as a snow plow, it
may be possible to load the front axle to the
front GAWR but not have enough weight on
the rear axle to have proper braking
performance. If your brakes can't work
properly, you could have a crash. To help your
brakes work properly when a snow plow is
installed, always follow the snow plow
manufacturer or installer's recommendation for
rear ballast to ensure a proper front and rear
weight distribution ratio, even though the
actual front weight may be less than the front
GAWR, and the total vehicle weight is less
than the GVWR. Maintaining a proper front and
rear weight distribution ratio is necessary to
provide proper braking performance.
Q:What is total vehicle reserve capacity?
A:This is the difference between your GVWR and
the weight of your truck with full fuel and
passengers. It's the amount of weight you can add
to your vehicle before reaching your GVWR.
Keep in mind that reserve capacity numbers are
intended as a guide when selecting the amount of
equipment or cargo your truck can carry. If you
are unsure of your truck's front, rear or total weight,
go to a weigh station and weigh your vehicle.
Your dealer can also help you with this.
The total vehicle reserve capacity for your vehicle
can be found in the lower right corner of the
Certi®cation/Tire label as shown previously.
See your dealer for additional advice and information
about using a snow plow on your vehicle. Also,
see
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-51.
Truck-Camper Loading Information
Your vehicle was neither designed nor intended to carry
a slide-in type camper.
Notice:Adding a slide-in camper or similar
equipment to your vehicle can damage it, and the
repairs wouldn't be covered by warranty. Don't
install a slide-in camper or similar equipment
on your vehicle.
4-57

Trailer Recommendations
You must subtract your hitch loads from the Cargo
Weight Rating (CWR). CWR is the maximum weight of
the load your vehicle can carry. It doesn't include
the weight of the people inside. But you can ®gure about
150 lbs. (68 kg) for each seat. The total cargo load
must not be more than your vehicle's CWR.
Weigh your vehicle with the trailer attached, so that you
won't go over the GVWR or GAWR. If you are using
a weight-distributing hitch, weigh the vehicle without the
spring bars in place.
You'll get the best performance if you spread out the
weight of your load the right way, and if you choose the
correct hitch and trailer brakes.
For more information, see
Towing a Trailer on
page 4-58.
Towing a Trailer
{CAUTION:
If you don't use the correct equipment and
drive properly, you can lose control when you
pull a trailer. For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well -- or even
at all. You and your passengers could be
seriously injured. Pull a trailer only if you have
followed all the steps in this section. Ask your
dealer for advice and information about towing
a trailer with your vehicle.
Notice:Pulling a trailer improperly can damage
your vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered
by your warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your dealer for
important information about towing a trailer with
your vehicle.
To identify the vehicle trailering capacity of your vehicle,
you should read the information in ªWeight of the
Trailerº that appears later in this section.
4-58

·Will you have to make any holes in the body of
your vehicle when you install a trailer hitch?
If you do, then be sure to seal the holes later when
you remove the hitch. If you don't seal them,
deadly carbon monoxide (CO) from your exhaust
can get into your vehicle. See²Carbon Monoxide²in
the Index. Dirt and water can, too.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer to help prevent the tongue from
contacting the road if it becomes separated from
the hitch. Always leave just enough slack so you can
turn with your rig. Never allow safety chains to drag on
the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 2,000 lbs. (900 kg)
loaded, then it needs its own brakes ± and they must be
adequate. Be sure to read and follow the instructions
for the trailer brakes so you'll be able to install,
adjust and maintain them properly.Your trailer brake system can tap into the vehicle's
hydraulic brake system only if:
·The trailer parts can withstand 3,000 psi (20 650
kPa) of pressure.
·The trailer's brake system will use less than 0.02
cubic inch (0.3 cc) of ¯uid from your vehicle's
master cylinder. Otherwise, both braking systems
won't work well. You could even lose your brakes.
·Your vehicle is not equipped with Stabilitrakž.
If everything checks out this far, make the brake tap at
the port on the master cylinder that sends the ¯uid
to the rear brakes. But don't use copper tubing for this.
If you do, it will bend and ®nally break off. Use steel
brake tubing.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you'll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
4-64

Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be
sure the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer
brakes are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as
you would when driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations that require
heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You'll need more passing distance up ahead when
you're towing a trailer. And, because you're a good deal
longer, you'll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns while trailering
could cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you're turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal. Do this so your trailer won't strike
soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
The arrows on your instrument panel will ¯ash whenever
you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps will also ¯ash, telling other drivers
you're about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will ¯ash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It's
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
4-65