2006 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE ignition

{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light is
on. Driving with the brake system warning light
on can lead to an accident. If the light is still
on after you have pulled off the road and
stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed for
service.
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 does not 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 are 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 is not on, you still have
brakes, but you do not have anti-lock brakes. If
the regular brake system warning light is also on you do
not have anti-lock brakes and there is 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 3-38.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briey when you turn the ignition key to RUN. If
the light does not come on then, have it xed so it will
be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
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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 start the
engine.
See “CHECK TIRE PRESSURE” underDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 3-53for 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 5-64for more information on your vehicle’s tires.
Traction Off Light
If you have the StabiliTrak®
system, this light should
come on briey when
you turn the ignition
to RUN.
If the light does not come on then, the system may
require service; have it xed so it will be there to warn
you if the system is turned off.
This light will also come on when the StabiliTrak
®
system is turned off.
For more information on StabiliTrak
®, seeStabiliTrak®
System on page 4-9.
3-40

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature.
It also provides an indicator of how hard your vehicle is
working. During a majority of the operation, the gage
will read 210°F (100°C) or less. If you are pulling a load
or going up hills, it is normal for the temperature to
uctuate and approach the 250°F (122°C) mark. If the
gage reaches the 260°F (125°C) mark, it indicates
that the cooling system is working beyond its capacity.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-30.
Transmission Temperature Gage
Your vehicle may be equipped with a transmission
temperature gage.
When your ignition is on, the gage shows the
temperature of the transmission uid. The normal
operating range is from 180°F (82°C) to about
200°F (93°C).
At approximately 265°F (130°C), the driver information
center will display a TRANSMISSION HOT message
and the transmission will enter a transmission protection
mode. When the transmission enters the protection
mode, you may notice a change in the transmission
shifting patterns. The transmission will return to normal
shifting patterns when the transmission uid temperature
falls below 260°F (127°C). United States
CanadaUnited StatesCanada
3-41

Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
Your vehicle has 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 awhile, 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. SeeAccessories
and Modifications on page 5-3.
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 does not come on, have it
repaired. This light will also come on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing— A misre condition has been
detected. A misre increases vehicle emissions
and may damage the emission control system on
your vehicle. Diagnosis and service may be
required.
Light On Steady— An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Diagnosis and service may be required.
3-43

Fuel Gage
When the ignition is on, the fuel gage tells you about
how much fuel you have left in your tank.
The gage will rst indicate empty before you are out of
fuel, and you should get more fuel as soon as
possible.
When the fuel tank is low the FUEL LEVEL LOW
message will appear. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 3-53for more information.Here are some situations you may experience with your
fuel gage. None of these indicate a problem with the
fuel gage.
At the gas station, the fuel pump shuts off before
the gage reads full.
It takes a little more or less fuel to ll up than the
fuel gage indicated. For example, the gage may
have indicated the tank was half full, but it actually
took a little more or less than half the tank’s
capacity to ll the tank.
The gage goes back to empty when you turn off the
ignition.
Low Fuel Warning Light
The light next to the fuel gage will come on briey when
you are starting the engine.
This light comes on when the fuel tank is low on fuel.
To turn it off, add fuel to the fuel tank. SeeFuel on
page 5-5. United States
Canada
3-48

DIC Operation and Displays
The Driver Information Center (DIC) comes on when the
ignition is on. After a short delay, the DIC will display
the information that was last displayed before the engine
was turned off.
The DIC has different modes which can be accessed by
pressing the four DIC buttons located on the steering
wheel. These buttons are trip information, fuel
information, customization, and select. The button
functions are detailed in the following pages.
Trip Information Button
3
(Trip Information):Press the trip information
button to scroll through the ODOMETER, TRIP A,
TRIP B, TIRE PRESSURES, TIMER, and ENGINE
HOURS.
Odometer:Press the trip information button until
ODOMETER appears on the display. This mode shows
the total distance the vehicle has been driven in
either miles or kilometers. Pressing the reset stem
located on the instrument cluster with the vehicle off will
also display the odometer.Trip A:Press the trip information button until TRIP A
appears on the display. This mode shows the current
distance traveled since the last reset for TRIP A in either
miles or kilometers.
Trip B:Press the trip information button until TRIP B
appears on the display. This mode shows the current
distance traveled since the last reset for TRIP B in either
miles or kilometers.
To reset TRIP A or TRIP B information, press and hold
the select button for one second while in one of the
trip modes. This will reset the information for TRIP A or
TRIP B.
You can also reset TRIP A or TRIP B while they are
displayed by pressing the reset stem on the cluster. If
you press and hold the reset stem or the select
button for four seconds, the display will show the
distance traveled since the last ignition cycle for TRIP A
or TRIP B.
SeeTrip Odometer on page 3-33for more information.
3-50

Tire Pressures:The tire pressure mode is available
only on vehicles equipped with a tire pressure monitor.
Press the trip information button until TIRE
PRESSURES appears on the display. This mode shows
the tire pressure in pounds per square inch (psi) or
kilopascals (kPa). Press the select button to scroll
through the following information:
LF TIRE shows the tire pressure for the front
driver’s side tire.
RF TIRE shows the tire pressure for the front
passenger’s side tire.
LR TIRE shows the tire pressure for the rear
driver’s side tire.
RR TIRE shows the tire pressure for the rear
passenger’s side tire.Timer:The DIC can be used as a timer. Press the
select button while TIMER is displayed to start the timer.
The display will show the amount of time that has
passed since the timer was last reset, not including time
the ignition is off. Time will continue to be counted as
long as the ignition is on, even if another display is being
shown on the DIC. The timer will record up to 99 hours,
59 minutes and 59 seconds (99:59:59) after which
the display will roll back to zero.
To stop the counting of time, press the select button
briey while TIMER is displayed.
To reset the timer to zero, press and hold the select
button while TIMER is displayed.
Engine Hours:Press the trip information button until
ENGINE HOURS appears on the display. This
mode shows the total number of hours the engine has
run. Pressing and holding the reset stem located on
the instrument cluster for about four seconds will also
display the engine hour information after the odometer is
displayed when the vehicle is off.
3-51

BATTERY NOT CHARGING
On some vehicles, if the battery is not charging during
operation, this message will appear on the DIC.
Driving with this problem could drain your battery. Have
the electrical system checked by your GM dealer as
soon as possible. Pressing any of the four DIC buttons
will clear the message from the DIC display. If your
vehicle does not have the four DIC buttons, pressing the
trip odometer reset stem will clear the message from
the DIC display. SeeCharging System Light on
page 3-37andVoltmeter Gage on page 3-37.
BUCKLE PASSENGER
If your vehicle has the passenger sensing system, this
message reminds you to buckle the passenger’s
seat belt. SeePassenger Sensing System on page 1-63.
This message will display and a chime will sound when
the ignition is on, the driver’s seat belt is buckled, the
passenger’s seat belt is unbuckled with the passenger
airbag enabled, and the vehicle is in motion. You should
have the passenger buckle their seat belt.
This reminder will be repeated if the ignition is on, the
vehicle is in motion, the driver is buckled and the
passenger is still unbuckled, and the passenger airbag
is enabled. If the passenger’s seat belt is already
buckled, this message and chime will not come on.Pressing any of the four DIC buttons will acknowledge
the message and clear it from the DIC display. If
your vehicle does not have the four DIC buttons,
pressing the trip odometer reset stem will acknowledge
the message and clear it from the DIC display.
BUCKLE SEATBELT
If your vehicle has the passenger sensing system, this
message reminds you to buckle the driver’s seat
belt. SeePassenger Sensing System on page 1-63.
This message will display and a chime will sound when
the ignition is on, the driver’s seat belt is unbuckled,
and the vehicle is in motion. You should buckle
your seat belt.
If the driver remains unbuckled when the ignition is on
and the vehicle is in motion, the reminder will be
repeated. If the driver’s seat belt is already buckled, this
message and chime will not come on.
This message is an additional reminder to the Safety
Belt Reminder Light in the instrument panel cluster. See
Safety Belt Reminder Light on page 3-33.
Pressing any of the four DIC buttons will acknowledge
the message and clear it from the DIC display. If
your vehicle has the four DIC buttons, pressing the trip
odometer reset stem will acknowledge the message
and clear it from the DIC display.
3-54