2003 CHEVROLET TAHOE Owners Manual

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-3
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-9
Safety Belts
.............................................1-24
Child Restraints
.......................................1-47
Air Bag Systems
......................................1-73
Restraint System Check
............................1-88
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-8
Windows
.................................................2-16
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-18
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-21
Mirrors
....................................................2-45
OnStar
žSystem
......................................2-55
HomeLinkžTransmitter
.............................2-57
Storage Areas
.........................................2-61
Sunroof
..................................................2-65
Vehicle Personalization
.............................2-66
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-20
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
.........3-36
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-53
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-72Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-59
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-4
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-12
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-55
Rear Axle
...............................................5-56
Four-Wheel Drive
.....................................5-57
Front Axle
...............................................5-58
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-59
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-66
Tires
......................................................5-67
Appearance Care
.....................................5-99
Vehicle Identi®cation
...............................5-107
Electrical System
....................................5-108
Capacities and Speci®cations
...................5-118
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
....5-121
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 Tahoe/SuburbanM

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem, the name
TAHOE and the name SUBURBAN are registered
trademarks of General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
after that time without further notice. For vehicles ®rst
sold in Canada, substitute the name ªGeneral Motors of
Canada Limitedº for Chevrolet Motor Division whenever
it appears in this manual.
Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will be
there if you ever need it when you're on the road. If you
sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the
new owner can use it.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. C2316 A First Edition
Copyright General Motors Corporation 06/24/02
All Rights Reserved
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
How to Use This Manual
Many people read their owner's manual from beginning to
end when they ®rst receive their new vehicle. If you do
this, it will help you learn about the features and controls
for your vehicle. In this manual, you will ®nd that pictures
and words work together to explain things.
Index
A good place to look for what you need is the Index in
back of the manual. It is an alphabetical list of what
is in the manual, and the page number where you will
®nd it.
ii

Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will ®nd a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you about
things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the
warning.
{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.You will also ®nd a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means ªDon't,º
ªDon't do thisº or ªDon't let
this happen.º
iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will ®nd these notices:
Notice:These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice will tell you about something that can damage
your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be
covered by your warranty, and it could be costly. But the
notice will tell you what to do to help avoid the
damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION
and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in
different words.
You'll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
Your vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols, used on your vehicle,
are shown along with the text describing the operation
or information relating to a speci®c component, control,
message, gage or indicator.
If you need help ®guring out a speci®c name of a
component, gage or indicator, reference the following
topics:
·Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
·Features and Controls in Section 2
·Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
·Climate Controls in Section 3
·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 vehicle symbols you may ®nd on your vehicle:
v

Model Reference
This manual covers these models:
Tahoe
Suburban
vi

Front Seats......................................................1-3
Manual Seats................................................1-3
Power Seats..................................................1-4
Power Lumbar...............................................1-5
Heated Seats.................................................1-5
Reclining Seatbacks........................................1-6
Head Restraints.............................................1-8
Rear Seats.......................................................1-9
Rear Seat Operation.......................................1-9
60/40 Split Bench Seat...................................1-9
50/50 Split Bench Seat..................................1-12
Bench Seat..................................................1-16
Bucket Seats...............................................1-21
Safety Belts...................................................1-24
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone................1-24
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts......1-28
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly.................1-29
Driver Position..............................................1-30
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy..................1-38
Right Front Passenger Position.......................1-38
Center Passenger Position.............................1-39
Rear Seat Passengers..................................1-40Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children
and Small Adults.......................................1-44
Safety Belt Extender.....................................1-46
Child Restraints.............................................1-47
Older Children..............................................1-47
Infants and Young Children............................1-49
Child Restraint Systems.................................1-53
Where to Put the Restraint.............................1-56
Top Strap....................................................1-57
Top Strap Anchor Location.............................1-59
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)...........................1-62
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System.........................................1-64
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside
Seat Position............................................1-64
Securing a Child Restraint in a Center Rear
Seat Position............................................1-66
Securing a Child Restraint in the Center Front
Seat Position............................................1-68
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position............................................1-69
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1

Air Bag Systems............................................1-73
Where Are the Air Bags?...............................1-76
When Should an Air Bag In¯ate?....................1-79
What Makes an Air Bag In¯ate?.....................1-80
How Does an Air Bag Restrain?.....................1-80
What Will You See After an Air Bag In¯ates? . . .1-81
Passenger Sensing System............................1-83
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle.........1-87
Adding Equipment to Your Air Bag-Equipped
Vehicle....................................................1-88Restraint System Check..................................1-88
Checking Your Restraint Systems...................1-88
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash............................................1-89
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-2