2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE maintenance

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-8
Safety Belts
.............................................1-10
Child Restraints
.......................................1-32
Air Bag Systems
......................................1-52
Restraint System Check
............................1-67
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-7
Windows
.................................................2-23
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-25
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-27
Mirrors
....................................................2-46
OnStar
žSystem
......................................2-53
HomeLinkžTransmitter
.............................2-55
Storage Areas
.........................................2-59
Sunroof
..................................................2-84
Vehicle Personalization
.............................2-85
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-20
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
.........3-30
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-46
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-64Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-48
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
Rear Axle
...............................................5-49
Four-Wheel Drive
.....................................5-50
Front Axle
...............................................5-51
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-52
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-60
Tires
......................................................5-61
Appearance Care
.....................................5-88
Vehicle Identi®cation
.................................5-96
Electrical System
......................................5-96
Capacities and Speci®cations
...................5-106
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
....5-108
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance Information
.................. 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-10
Index................................................................ 1
2003 Chevrolet Avalanche Owner ManualM

Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped
Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There air bag system parts in several places around
your vehicle. You don't want the system to in¯ate while
someone is working on your vehicle. Your dealer
and the service manual have information about servicing
your vehicle and the air bag system. To purchase a
service manual, see
Service Publications Ordering
Information on page 7-11.
{CAUTION:
For up to 1 minute after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an
air bag can still in¯ate during improper
service. You can be injured if you are close to
an air bag when it in¯ates. Avoid yellow
connectors. They are probably part of the air
bag system. Be sure to follow proper service
procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you is quali®ed to do so.
Air bag systems do not need regular maintenance.
Adding Equipment to Your Air
Bag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to the front or
sides of the vehicle that could keep the air
bags from working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle's
frame, bumper system, front end or side sheet
metal or height, they may keep the air bag system
from working properly. Also, the air bag system
may not work properly if you relocate any of the air
bag sensors. If you have any questions about
this, you should contact Customer Assistance
before you modify your vehicle. The phone
numbers and addresses for Customer Assistance
are in Step Two of the Customer Satisfaction
Procedure in this manual. See
Customer
Satisfaction Procedure on page 7-2
.
1-66

Restraint System Check
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors
and anchorages are working properly. Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts. If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt system from doing
its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt
is torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
{CAUTION:
A crash can damage the restraint systems in
your vehicle. A damaged restraint system may
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
not properly protect the person using it,
resulting in serious injury or even death in a
crash. To help make sure your restraint
systems are working properly after a crash,
have them inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as possible.
If you've had a crash, do you need new belts or LATCH
system parts?
After a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary.
But if the belts were stretched, as they would be if worn
during a more severe crash, then you need new parts.
If the LATCH system was being used during a more
severe crash, you may need new LATCH system parts.
If belts are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision
damage also may mean you will need to have LATCH
system, safety belt or seat parts repaired or replaced.
New parts and repairs may be necessary even if the belt
or LATCH system wasn't being used at the time of
the collision.
If an air bag in¯ates, you'll need to replace air bag
system parts. See the part on the air bag system earlier
in this section.
1-67

Maintenance and Cleaning
To ensure that the water management system performs
properly, be sure that the midgate, tailgate and cover
system are fully closed and that each element of
the water management system is clean and not blocked
with debris. Follow the instruction given next in this
section for the proper procedures on cleaning each item
of the water management system.
Top Drain Grates ± Removal and
Cleaning
The top drain grates are located near the rear glass on
both sides of the vehicle. You may need to clean the
grates and drains if there seems to be blockage. But ®rst
you will have to remove the drain grates by pulling
them off of the vehicle.
To remove each drain grate, do the following:
1. Start with the cargo panels or tonneau cover off.
See
Cargo Cover Panels on page 2-61orTonneau
Cover on page 2-77for more information.
2-73

A temporary solution to hotter transmission operating
temperatures may be to let the transmission cool down.
If the transmission is operated at higher temperatures
on a frequent basis, see
Scheduled Maintenance
on page 6-5for the proper transmission maintenance
intervals.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
This system is called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the
life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The Check Engine light comes on to
indicate that there is a problem and service is required.
Malfunctions often will be indicated by the system
before any problem is apparent. This may prevent more
serious damage to your vehicle. This system is also
designed to assist your service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.
Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with this
light on, after a while, your emission controls
may not work as well, your fuel economy may not
be as good and your engine may not run as
smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs that may
not be covered by your warranty.
Notice:Modi®cations made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake or fuel system of your
vehicle or the replacement of the original tires
with other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect your vehicle's emission
controls and may cause this light to come on.
Modi®cations to these systems could lead to costly
repairs not covered by your warranty. This may
also result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is
not running. If the light doesn't come on, have it
repaired. This light will also come on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
·Light FlashingÐ A mis®re condition has been
detected. A mis®re increases vehicle emissions
and may damage the emission control system on
your vehicle. Diagnosis and service may be
required.
3-41

If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
your dealer can check the vehicle. Your dealer has
the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to ®x any
mechanical or electrical problems that may have
developed.
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
may begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent you from getting a vehicle
registration.
Here are some things you need to know to help your
vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the Check
Engine light is on or not working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD
(on-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen if
you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system isdesigned to evaluate critical emission control systems
during normal driving. This may take several days
of routine driving. If you have done this and your vehicle
still does not pass the inspection for lack of OBD
system readiness, your GM dealer can prepare the
vehicle for inspection.
Oil Pressure Gage
The oil pressure gage shows the engine oil pressure in
psi (pounds per square inch) when the engine is
running. Canadian vehicles indicate pressure in kPa
(kilopascals).
Oil pressure may vary with engine speed, outside
temperature and oil viscosity, but readings above the
low pressure zone indicate the normal operating range.United States
Canada
3-43

Instant Fuel EconomyPress the fuel information button until INST ECON
appears in the display. Instant fuel economy is how
many miles per gallon your vehicle is getting at
the particular moment in time. The instant fuel economy
cannot be reset.
GM Oil Life SystemPress the fuel information button until ENGINE OIL LIFE
appears in the display. The GM Oil Life System shows
an estimate of the oil's remaining useful life. It will show
100% when the system is reset after an oil change. It
will alert you to change your oil on a schedule consistent
with your driving conditions.
Always reset the engine oil life after an oil change. To
reset the Oil Life System use the fuel button to reach the
ENGINE OIL LIFE screen and then press and hold
the select button for ®ve seconds while ENGINE OIL
LIFE is displayed. OIL LIFE RESET will appear on
the display for 10 seconds to let you know the system is
reset.
The DIC does not replace the need to maintain your
vehicle as recommended in the Maintenance Schedule
in this manual. Also, the oil change reminder will not
detect dusty conditions or engine malfunctions that may
affect the oil. Also, the oil change reminder does not
measure how much oil you have in your engine. So, be
sure to check your oil level often. See
Engine Oil on
page 5-15.
Personalization Button
You can program certain features to a preferred setting
for up to two people. Press the personalization button
to scroll through the following personalization features.
All of the personalization options may not be available
on your vehicle. Only the options available will be
displayed on your DIC.
·AUTOMATIC LOCKING
·AUTOMATIC UNLOCKING
·DELAYED LOCKING
·REMOTE LOCK FEEDBACK
·ALARM WARNING TYPE
·REMOTE UNLOCK FEEDBACK
·HEADLAMPS ON AT EXIT
·PERIMETER LIGHTING
·SEAT POSITION RECALL
·EASY EXIT DRIVER SEAT
·CURB VIEW ASSIST
·DISPLAY LANGUAGE
·DISPLAY UNITS (ENG/MET)
The default options for the above features were set
when your vehicle left the factory. The default options
are noted in the text following, but may have been
changed from their default state since then.
3-50

TRANSMISSION HOT
If the transmission ¯uid temperature becomes high, the
message center will display this message.
When the transmission enters the protection mode, you
may notice a change in the transmission shifting
patterns. When the transmission ¯uid temperature
returns to normal, the display will turn off and the
transmission shifting patterns will return to normal.
Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with the
transmission TRANS FLUID HOT message
displayed, you can damage the transmission. This
could lead to costly repairs that may not be covered
under your warranty.
The following situations can cause the transmission to
operate at higher temperatures:
·Towing a trailer
·Hot outside air temperatures
·Hauling a large or heavy load
·Low transmission ¯uid level
·High transmission ¯uid level
·Restricted air ¯ow to the radiator.A temporary solution to hotter transmission operating
temperatures may be to let the transmission cool down.
If the transmission is operated at higher temperatures
on a frequent basis, see
Scheduled Maintenance
on page 6-5for the proper transmission maintenance
intervals.
TRANS HOT IDLE ENGINE
If the transmission ¯uid in the vehicle gets hot, this
message will appear on the DIC along with a continuous
chime. Driving with the transmission ¯uid temperature
high can cause damage to the vehicle. Stop the vehicle
and let it idle to allow the transmission to cool. This
message will clear and the chime will stop when the ¯uid
temperature reaches a safe level.
DRIVER DOOR AJAR
If the driver's door is not fully closed and the vehicle is
in a drive gear, this message will appear on the
display and you will hear a chime. Stop and turn off the
vehicle, check the door for obstacles, and close the
door again. Check to see if the message still appears on
the DIC. Pressing the select button will acknowledge
this message and clear it from the DIC display.
3-61