2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE tires

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-7
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-9
Child Restraints
.......................................1-30
Air Bag Systems
......................................1-51
Restraint System Check
............................1-67
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-8
Windows
.................................................2-25
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-27
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-30
Mirrors
....................................................2-49
OnStar
®System
......................................2-59
HomeLink®Transmitter
.............................2-61
Storage Areas
.........................................2-65
Sunroof
..................................................2-89
Vehicle Personalization
.............................2-90
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-22
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-33
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
...................................................4-52
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
Rear Axle
...............................................5-55
Four-Wheel Drive
.....................................5-56
Front Axle
...............................................5-57
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-58
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-67
Tires
......................................................5-68
Appearance Care
...................................5-111
Vehicle Identication
...............................5-119
Electrical System
....................................5-119
Capacities and Specications
...................5-128
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-12
Index................................................................ 1
2004 Chevrolet Avalanche Owner ManualM

SECOND (2):This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2) on
hills. It can help control your speed as you go down
steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to
use your brakes off and on.
If you manually select SECOND (2), the transmission
will drive in second gear. You may use this feature
for reducing the speed of the rear wheels when you are
trying to start your vehicle from a stop on slippery
road surfaces. Once the vehicle is moving, shift into
DRIVE (D).
FIRST (1):This position gives you even more power,
but lower fuel economy than SECOND (2). You can use
it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
shift lever is put in FIRST (1) while the vehicle is moving
forward, the transmission won’t shift into rst gear
until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transmission. If you are
stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
On cold days, approximately 32°F (0°C) or colder, your
transmission is designed to shift differently until the
engine reaches normal operating temperature. This is
intended to improve heater performance.Tow/Haul Mode
Your vehicle is equipped with a tow/haul mode. The
button is located on the end of the column shift lever.
You can use this feature to assist when towing or
hauling a heavy load. See “Tow/Haul Mode” under
Towing a Trailer on page 4-68for more information.
2-37

Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and may stay on for
several seconds.
That’s normal. If the light doesn’t come on then, have it
xed so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you’re driving,
your vehicle needs service. You will also hear a chime
sound when the light is on steady. If the regular brake
system warning light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but
you don’t have anti-lock brakes. If the regular brake
system warning light is also on you don’t have anti-lock
brakes and there’s a problem with your regular brakes. In
addition to both lights, you will also hear a chime sound
on the rst occurrence of a problem and each time the
vehicle is shut off and then restarted. SeeBrake System
Warning Light on page 3-42.
Low Tire Pressure Warning Light
This light and a chime will
come on along with the
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
message in the DIC
when one or more of your
tires is signicantly
under-inated.
This light will also come on briey when you turn the
ignition to RUN.
See “CHECK TIRE PRESSURE” underDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 3-65for more information.
Stop and check your tires as soon as possible,
and inate them to the proper pressure as indicated on
the vehicle’s certication/tire label. SeeTires on
page 5-68for more information on your vehicle’s tires.
3-43

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:Modications 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.
Modications 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.
3-47

CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
If a low tire pressure is detected in any of the vehicle’s
tires, this message will appear on the DIC. Press
the select button or trip stem to acknowledge the
message and clear it from the DIC display.
SeeTires on page 5-68for more information on tires
and the correct ination pressures.
This message will appear at each ignition cycle until the
tires are inated to the correct ination pressure.
SERVICE TIRE MONITOR
This message will be displayed if any of the tire monitor
sensors have malfunctioned, or if the tire monitor
sensors have not been programmed correctly. For more
information on programming the tire pressure monitor
system seeTire Pressure Monitor System on page 5-77.
Press the select button to acknowledge the message
and clear it from the DIC display.
This message will appear at each ignition cycle until the
tire pressure monitor system has been serviced.
Audio System(s)
Notice:Before adding any sound equipment to your
vehicle, like a tape player, CB radio, mobile
telephone, or two-way radio, make sure that it can be
added by checking with your dealer. Also, check
federal rules covering mobile radio and telephone
units. If sound equipment can be added, it is very
important to do it properly. Added sound equipment
may interfere with the operation of your vehicle’s
engine, radio, or other systems, and even damage
them. Your vehicle’s systems may interfere with the
operation of sound equipment that has been added
improperly.
Figure out which audio system is in your vehicle, nd
out what your audio system can do, and how to operate
all of its controls.
Your vehicle may have a feature called Retained
Accessory Power (RAP). With RAP, the audio system
can be played even after the ignition is turned off.
See “Retained Accessory Power (RAP)” underIgnition
Positions on page 2-31.
3-72

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at
the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or ice, it
is easy to ask more of those control systems than
the tires and road can provide. That means you can lose
control of your vehicle. Also seeTraction Assist
System (TAS) on page 4-9.
Braking
Braking action involvesperception timeand
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That isperception time.Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That isreaction time.
Averagereaction timeis about 3/4 of a second. But that is
only an average. It might be less with one driver and as
long as two or three seconds or more with another. Age,
physical condition, alertness, coordination and eyesight
all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and frustration. But
even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph
(100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of
distance in an emergency, so keeping enough space
between your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it is pavement
or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of
the vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.
4-6

Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer
but it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If
you have ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you
will understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you are
in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control
systems — steering and acceleration — have to do their
work where the tires meet the road. Adding the
sudden acceleration can demand too much of those
places. You can lose control. SeeTraction Assist
System (TAS) on page 4-9.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you
want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds
are based on good weather and road conditions. Under
less favorable conditions you will want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach
a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
4-15

Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes,
steering and acceleration) do not have enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what the driver
has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to steer
and constantly seek an escape route or area of less
danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not “overdriving”
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
are not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much
throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.If you have the Traction Assist System, remember: It
helps avoid only the acceleration skid. If you do not have
this system, or if the system is off, then an acceleration
skid is also best handled by easing your foot off the
accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety,
you will want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration
or braking (including engine braking by shifting to a
lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires
to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues — such as enough water, ice or packed snow
on the road to make a “mirrored surface” — and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
4-19