2007 CHEVROLET TAHOE warning

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. See
StabiliTrak
®System on page 363.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 444.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 249.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake
pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to
bring up your foot and do it. That is reaction time.Average reaction time is about three-fourths 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
three-fourths 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,
whether it is wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition
of the brakes; the weight of the vehicle; and the
amount of brake force applied.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic.
This is a mistake. The brakes may not have time to
cool between hard stops. The brakes will wear out
much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you
keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic
following distances, you will eliminate a lot of
unnecessary braking. That means better braking
and longer brake life.
360

If your vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are
driving, brake normally but do not pump the
brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to
push down. If the engine stops, you will still have
some power brake assist. But you will use it
when you brake. Once the power assist is used
up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 444.
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), an advanced electronic braking system that
will help prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive
away, ABS will check itself. You may hear a
momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on. This is normal.If there is a problem
with ABS, this warning
light will stay on.
SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System Warning
Light on page 251.
Along with ABS, your vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system. If there is a DRP
problem, both the brake and ABS warning lights
will come on accompanied by a 10-second
chime. The lights and chime will come on each
time the ignition is turned on until the problem is
repaired. See your dealer for service.
361

Traction Control Operation
The traction control system is part of the
StabiliTrak®system. Traction control limits wheel
spin by reducing engine power to the wheels
(engine speed management) and by applying
brakes to each individual wheel (brake-traction
control) as necessary.
The traction control system is enabled
automatically when you start your vehicle. It will
activate and the StabiliTrak
®light will ash if
it senses that any of the wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction while driving. If you turn
off traction control, only the brake-traction
control portion of traction control will work. The
engine speed management will be disabled. In this
mode, engine power is not reduced automatically
and the driven wheels can spin more freely.
This can cause the brake-traction control to
activate constantly.Notice:If you allow the wheel(s) of one axle to
spin excessively while the StabiliTrak
®, ABS
and brake warning lights and the SERVICE
STABILITRAK message are displayed, you
could damage the transfer case. The repairs
would not be covered by your warranty. Reduce
engine power and do not spin the wheel(s)
excessively while these lights and this message
are displayed.
The traction control system may activate on
dry or rough roads or under conditions such as
heavy acceleration while turning or abrupt upshifts/
downshifts of the transmission. When this happens,
you may notice a reduction in acceleration, or may
hear a noise or vibration. This is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the system
activates, the StabiliTrak
®light will ash and the
cruise control will automatically disengage. When
road conditions allow you to use cruise again, you
may re-engage the cruise control. SeeCruise
Control on page 211.
StabiliTrak
®may also turn off automatically if it
determines that a problem exists with the system. If
the problem does not clear itself after restarting the
vehicle, you should see your dealer for service.
366

A cornering skid is best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal.
Remember: StabiliTrak
®helps avoid only the
acceleration skid. SeeStabiliTrak®System
on page 363. If the StabiliTrak®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 reducing vehicle speed 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.
Off-Road Driving
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have
four-wheel drive. Also, seeBraking on page 360.If
your vehicle does not have four-wheel drive,
you should not drive off-road unless you are on a
level, solid surface.
The airbag 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.
372

Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can
build up under your tires that they can actually ride
on the water. This can happen if the road is wet
enough and you are going fast enough. When your
vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little or no contact
with the road.
Hydroplaning does not happen often. But it can if
your tires do not have much tread or if the pressure
in one or more is low. It can happen if a lot of water
is standing on the road. If you can see reections
from trees, telephone poles, or other vehicles, and
raindrops dimple the water’s surface, there could be
hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds.
There just is not a hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow down
when it is raining.
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. 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.
392

Here are ways to increase your safety in city
driving:
Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip
into an unknown part of the city just as you
would for a cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross
most large cities. You will save time and
energy. SeeFreeway Driving on page 394.
Treat a green light as a warning signal. A
traffic light is there because the corner is
busy enough to need it. When a light turns
green, and just before you start to move,
check both ways for vehicles that have not
cleared the intersection or may be running the
red light.
Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways — also called thruways,
parkways, expressways, turnpikes, or
superhighways — are the safest of all roads.
But they have their own special rules.
394

Winter DrivingHere are some tips for winter driving:
Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
You may want to put winter emergency
supplies in your vehicle.
Also seeTires on page 507.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a
supply of windshield washer uid, a rag, some
winter outer clothing, a small shovel, a ashlight, a
red cloth, and a couple of reective warning
triangles. And, if you will be driving under severe
conditions, include a small bag of sand, a
piece of old carpet, or a couple of burlap bags to
help provide traction. Be sure you properly
secure these items in your vehicle.
400

Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
The arrows on your instrument panel will
ash whenever you signal a turn or lane change.
Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps will also
ash, telling other drivers you’re about to
turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your
instrument panel will ash for turns even if the
bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may
think drivers behind you are seeing your signal
when they are not. It’s important to check
occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbefore
you start down a long or steep downgrade. If you
don’t shift down, you might have to use your
brakes so much that they would get hot and no
longer work well.You can tow in DRIVE (D). You may want to shift
the transmission to THIRD (3) or, if necessary,
a lower gear selection if the transmission shifts too
often (e.g., under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions).
You may also want to activate the tow/haul mode
if the transmission shifts too often. See “Tow/Haul
Mode” earlier in this section for more information.
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill
grades, consider the following: Engine coolant at
higher altitudes will boil at a lower temperature
than at or near sea level. If you turn your engine
off immediately after towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating. To avoid this, let
the engine run while parked (preferably on
level ground) with the automatic transmission in
PARK (P) for a few minutes before turning
the engine off. If you do get the overheat warning,
seeEngine Overheating on page 473.
435