2007 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE engine

Q:Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A:It is much more likely to happen going
uphill. But if it happens going downhill,
here is what to do.
1. Stop your vehicle by applying the regular
brakes. Apply the parking brake.
2. Shift to PARK (P) and, while still braking,
restart the engine.
3. Shift back to a low gear, release the parking
brake, and drive straight down.
4. If the engine will not start, get out and
get help.
Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably
go across the incline of a hill. If this happens,
you have to decide whether to try to drive across
the incline. Here are some things to consider:
A hill that can be driven straight up or down
may be too steep to drive across. When you go
straight up or down a hill, the length of the
wheel base — the distance from the front
wheels to the rear wheels — reduces the
likelihood the vehicle will tumble end over end.
But when you drive across an incline, the much
more narrow track width — the distance
between the left and right wheels — may not
prevent the vehicle from tilting and rolling over.
Also, driving across an incline puts more weight
on the downhill wheels. This could cause a
downhill slide or a rollover.
Surface conditions can be a problem when
you drive across a hill. Loose gravel, muddy
spots, or even wet grass can cause the tires
to slip sideways, downhill. If the vehicle slips
sideways, it can hit something that will
trip it — a rock, a rut, etc. — and roll over.
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Driving in Water
Heavy rain can mean ash ooding, and ood
waters demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before you drive
through it. If it is deep enough to cover the
wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust pipe, do not
try — you probably will not get through. Also,
water that deep can damage the axle and
other vehicle parts.
If the water is not too deep, drive slowly through it.
At faster speeds, water splashes on the ignition
system and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can
also occur if you get the tailpipe under water.
And, as long as the tailpipe is under water, you
will never be able to start the engine. When you
go through water, remember that when the brakes
get wet, it may take you longer to stop.{CAUTION:
Driving through rushing water can be
dangerous. Deep water can sweep your
vehicle downstream and you and your
passengers could drown. If it is only
shallow water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires, and you
could lose traction and roll the vehicle
over. Do not drive through rushing water.
SeeDriving in Rain and on Wet Roads on page 387
for more information on driving through water.
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Driving Through Deep Standing Water
Notice:If you drive too quickly through
deep puddles or standing water, water can
come in through the engine’s air intake
and badly damage the engine. Never drive
through water that is slightly lower than the
underbody of your vehicle. If you cannot
avoid deep puddles or standing water, drive
through them very slowly.
Driving Through Flowing Water
{CAUTION:
Flowing or rushing water creates strong
forces. If you try to drive through owing
water, as you might at a low water
crossing, your vehicle can be carried away.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
As little as six inches of owing water
can carry away a smaller vehicle. If this
happens, you and other vehicle occupants
could drown. Do not ignore police warning
signs, and otherwise be very cautious
about trying to drive through owing water.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your low-beam headlamps — not just
your parking lamps — to help make you more
visible to others.
Besides slowing down, allow some extra
following distance. And be especially careful
when you pass another vehicle. Allow yourself
more clear room ahead, and be prepared to
have your view restricted by road spray.
Have good tires with proper tread depth.
SeeTires on page 492.
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Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir
full? Are all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you
checked all levels?
Lamps:Are they all working? Are the
lenses clean?
Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough
for long-distance driving? Are the tires
all inated to the recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts:What is the weather
outlook along your route? Should you
delay your trip a short time to avoid a
major storm system?
Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as highway
hypnosis? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the
wheel? Call it highway hypnosis, lack of
awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road
with the same scenery, along with the hum of the
tires on the road, the drone of the engine, and the
rush of the wind against the vehicle that can make
you sleepy. Do not let it happen to you! If it does,
your vehicle can leave the road in less than a
second, and you could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis?
First, be aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with
a comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead
and to the sides. Check your vehicle’s mirrors
and instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest,
service, or parking area and take a nap, get
some exercise, or both. For safety, treat
drowsiness on the highway as an emergency.
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Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different
from driving in at or rolling terrain.If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are
planning to visit there, here are some tips that
can make your trips safer and more enjoyable.
SeeOff-Road Driving on page 368for information
about driving off-road.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check
all uid levels and also the brakes, tires,
cooling system, and transmission. These
parts can work hard on mountain roads.
{CAUTION:
If you do not shift down, the brakes could
get so hot that they would not work well.
You would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine assist
the brakes on a steep downhill slope.
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{CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with
the ignition off is dangerous. The brakes
will have to do all the work of slowing
down. They could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would then have
poor braking or even none going down a
hill. You could crash. Always have the
engine running and your vehicle in gear
when you go downhill.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when
you go down a steep or long hill.
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift
down to a lower gear. The lower gears help
cool your engine and transmission, and you can
climb the hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Do not swing wide
or cut across the center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There
could be something in your lane, like a stalled
car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that
warn of special problems. Examples are long
grades, passing or no-passing zones, a falling
rocks area, or winding roads. Be alert to these
and take appropriate action.
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You can run the engine to keep warm, but be
careful.
{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You cannot see
it or smell it, so you might not know it is in
your vehicle. Clear away snow from around
the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking the exhaust pipe. And
check around again from time to time to
be sure snow does not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of
the vehicle that is away from the wind.
This will help keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This
saves fuel. When you run the engine, make it go
a little faster than just idle. That is, push the
accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat
that you get and it keeps the battery charged.
You will need a well-charged battery to restart the
vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with
your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
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Then, shut the engine off and close the window
almost all the way to preserve the heat. Start
the engine again and repeat this only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as
little as possible. Preserve the fuel as long as
you can. To help keep warm, you can get out of
the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you
need to spin the wheels, but you do not want to spin
the wheels too fast. The method known as rocking
can help you get out when you are stuck, but you
must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your vehicle’s tires spin at
high speed, they can explode, and
you or others could be injured.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
And, the transmission or other parts of
the vehicle can overheat. That could
cause an engine compartment re or
other damage. When you are stuck, spin
the wheels as little as possible. Do not
spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h)
as shown on the speedometer.
Notice:Spinning the wheels can destroy parts
of your vehicle as well as the tires. If you
spin the wheels too fast while shifting the
transmission back and forth, you can destroy
the transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 514.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left and right. That
will clear the area around the front wheels.
If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, shift into
Four-Wheel High. Turn the StabiliTrak
®System off.
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