2004 CHEVROLET TAHOE steering wheel

There is an air bag
readiness light on the
instrument panel cluster,
which shows the air
bag symbol.
The system checks the air bag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. SeeAir Bag Readiness Light on page 3-42
for more information.Where Are the Air Bags?
The driver’s frontal air bag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.
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If your vehicle has one, the right front passenger’s side
impact air bag is in the side of the passenger’s
seatback closest to the door.
{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an
air bag, the bag might not inate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
inating air bag must be kept clear. Do not put
anything between an occupant and an air bag,
and do not attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other air
bag covering. Do not let seat covers block the
ination path of a side impact air bag.
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Air Bag Systems
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
For frontal air bags, ination is determined by the angle
of the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down
in frontal and near-frontal impacts. For side impact
air bags, ination is determined by the location
and severity of the impact.
The air bag system is designed to work properly under
a wide range of conditions, including off-road usage.
Observe safe driving speeds, especially on rough
terrain. As always, wear your safety belt. See Off-Road
Driving with Your Four-Wheel Drive Vehicle in the
Index for tips on off-road driving.
What Makes an Air Bag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For
both frontal and side impact air bags, the sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inator, which
inates the air bag. The inator, the air bag and
related hardware are all part of the air bag modules.
Frontal air bag modules are located inside the steering
wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with side
impact air bags, the air bag modules are located in the
seatback closest to the driver’s and/or right front
passenger’s door.
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How Does an Air Bag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The air bag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the
frontal air bags would not help you in many types
of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion
is not toward the air bag. Side impact air bags would not
help you in many types of collisions, including frontal
or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear impacts,
primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward
those air bags. Air bags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and
then only in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal
collisions for the driver’s and right front passenger’s
frontal air bags, and only in moderate to severe
side collisions for vehicles with a driver’s and right front
passenger’s side impact air bag.
What Will You See After an Air Bag
Inates?
After the air bag inates, it quickly deates, so quickly
that some people may not even realize the air bag
inated. Some components of the air bag module will be
hot for a short time. These components include the
steering wheel hub for the driver’s frontal air bag and the
instrument panel for the right front passenger’s frontal
air bag. For vehicles with side impact air bags, the side
of the seatback closest to the driver’s and/or right
front passenger’s door will be hot. The parts of the bag
that come into contact with you may be warm, but
not too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust
coming from the vents in the deated air bags. Air
bag ination doesn’t prevent the driver from seeing or
being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop
people from leaving the vehicle.
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{CAUTION:
When an air bag inates, there is dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in
the vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe
to do so. If you have breathing problems but
can not get out of the vehicle after an air bag
inates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or a door. If you experience breathing
problems following an air bag deployment, you
should seek medical attention.
In many crashes severe enough to inate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.
Air bags are designed to inate only once. After an
air bag inates, you’ll need some new parts for your
air bag system. If you don’t get them, the air bag
system won’t be there to help protect you in another
crash. A new system will include air bag modules
and possibly other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
Your vehicle is equipped with electronic frontal
sensors which help the sensing system distinguish
between a moderate and a more severe frontal
impact. Your vehicle is also equipped with a crash
sensing and diagnostic module, which records
information about the frontal air bag system. The
module records information about the readiness of
the system and when the system commands air bag
ination. It records the status of the driver’s safety
belt usage in a crash in which the air bag deploys or
a crash in which the air bag nearly deploys. The
module also records speed, engine rpm, brake and
throttle data.
Let only qualied technicians work on your air bag
systems. Improper service can mean that an air bag
system won’t work properly. See your dealer for
service.
Notice:If you damage the covering for the driver’s
or the right front passenger’s air bag, or the air
bag covering on the driver’s and right front
passenger’s seatback, the air bag may not work
properly. You may have to replace the air bag
module in the steering wheel, both the air bag
module and the instrument panel for the right front
passenger’s air bag, or both the air bag module
and seatback for the driver’s and right front
passenger’s side impact air bag. Do not open or
break the air bag coverings.
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Luxury and Leisure Plan

All Directions and Connections Plan services
Personal Concierge
OnStar®Personal Calling
With OnStar®Personal Calling, you have a safer way to
stay connected while driving. It’s a hands-free wireless
phone that’s integrated into your vehicle. You can place
calls nationwide using voice-activated dialing with no
contracts and no additional roaming charges. To nd out
more about OnStar
®Personal Calling, refer to the
OnStar®owner’s guide in your vehicle’s glove box, or
call OnStar®at 1-888-4-ONSTAR (1-888-466-7827).
OnStar®Virtual Advisor
With OnStar®Virtual Advisor you can listen to your
favorite news, entertainment and information topics,
such as traffic and weather reports, stock quotes
and sports scores. You listen to your e-mail through
your vehicle’s speakers, and reply with your hands on
the wheel and your eyes on the road.
OnStar®Steering Wheel Controls
g
: If your vehicle is
equipped with the steering
wheel control buttons you
can use them to interact
with the OnStar
®system.
See the OnStar
®manual provided with your vehicle for
more information.
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Audio System(s).............................................3-76
Setting the Time for Radios without
Radio Data Systems (RDS)........................3-77
Setting the Time for Radios with Radio
Data Systems (RDS)..................................3-77
AM-FM Radio...............................................3-78
Radio with CD..............................................3-81
Radio with Cassette and CD..........................3-92
Radio with Six-Disc CD................................3-108
Rear Seat Entertainment System...................3-123Rear Seat Audio (RSA)................................3-134
Theft-Deterrent Feature................................3-135
Audio Steering Wheel Controls......................3-136
Radio Reception.........................................3-137
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player...............3-137
Care of Your CDs and DVDs........................3-138
Care of Your CD and DVD Player.................3-138
Fixed Mast Antenna....................................3-139
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System............3-139
Chime Level Adjustment...............................3-139
Section 3 Instrument Panel
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A. Dome Lamp Override Button. See “Dome Lamps”
underInterior Lamps on page 3-18.
B. Exterior Lamp Controls. SeeExterior Lamps on
page 3-14.
C. Air Outlets. SeeDual Climate Control System on
page 3-23.
D. Automatic Transfer Case/Stabilitrak
®Mode Button
(AWD Vehicles)/Traction Assist System (TAS).
SeeFour-Wheel Drive on page 2-30.
E. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever. SeeTurn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7.
F. Instrument Panel Cluster. SeeInstrument Panel
Cluster on page 3-40.
G. Gearshift Lever. SeeAutomatic Transmission
Operation on page 2-26.
H. Tow/Haul Selector Button (If Equipped). See
Automatic Transmission Operation on page 2-26.
I. Audio System. SeeAudio System(s) on page 3-76.
J. Climate Control System. SeeClimate Control
System on page 3-22.K. Instrument Panel Fuse Block. SeeFuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-110.
L. Hood Release. SeeHood Release on page 5-12.
M. Steering Wheel Control Buttons (If Equipped).
SeeDriver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-56.
N. Center Instrument Panel Utility Block. SeeFuses and
Circuit Breakers on page 5-110.
O. Tilt Wheel Lever. SeeTilt Wheel on page 3-7.
P. Parking Brake Release. SeeParking Brake on
page 2-38.
Q. Lighter and Accessory Power Outlets. See
Accessory Power Outlets on page 3-21.
R. Storage Area (If Equipped). SeeFront Storage Area
on page 2-63.
S. Ashtray. SeeAshtrays and Cigarette Lighter on
page 3-21.
T. Glovebox. SeeGlove Box on page 2-63.
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