2007 CHEVROLET TAHOE engine

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.
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The traction control part of StabiliTrak®can be
turned off by pressing and releasing the
StabiliTrak
®button if both systems (traction control
and StabiliTrak®) were previously on. To disable
both traction control and StabiliTrak®, press
and hold the button for ve seconds.
Traction control and StabiliTrak
®can be turned on
by pressing and releasing the StabiliTrak®button if
not automatically shut off for any other reason.
When the TCS or StabiliTrak
®system is turned off,
the StabiliTrak®light and the appropriate TCS
off or StabiliTrak®off message will be displayed on
the DIC to warn the driver. Your vehicle will still
have brake-traction control when traction control is
off, but will not be able to use the engine speed
management system. See “Traction Control
Operation” next for more information.
When the traction control system has been turned
off, you may still hear system noises as a result
of the brake-traction control coming on.It is recommended to leave the system on for
normal driving conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn the system off if your vehicle is stuck in
sand, mud, ice or snow, and you want to
“rock” your vehicle to attempt to free it. It may also
be necessary to turn off the system when driving
in extreme off-road conditions where high
wheel spin is required. SeeIf Your Vehicle is
Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 404.
When the transfer case is in 4LO, the stability
system is automatically disabled, the StabiliTrak
®
light will come on and the STABILITRAK OFF
message will appear on the DIC. Both traction
control and StabiliTrak
®are automatically disabled
in this condition.
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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.
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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
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 the 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.
SeeStabiliTrak
®System on page 363.
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
the front wheels are straight ahead.
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Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have
some denite hazards. The greatest of these is
the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you have left the great North
American road system behind. Traffic lanes
are not marked. Curves are not banked. There are
no road signs. Surfaces can be slippery, rough,
uphill or downhill. In short, you have gone
right back to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that
is why it is very important that you read this
guide. You will nd many driving tips and
suggestions. These will help make your off-road
driving safer and more enjoyable.
If you think you will need some more ground
clearance at the front of your vehicle, you
can remove the front fascia lower air dam.
The front fascia lower air dam is held in place by
two bolts and 10 snap features. The bolts and
snap features are accessible from underneath the
front fascia.The following steps must be performed on the
bolts and snap features to remove the air dam:
1. Remove the two outboard air dam bolts.
2. With a at-blade screwdriver, push down on
the snap features and disengage the snaps.
3. After the bolts are removed and the snaps are
disengaged, push forward on the air dam until
it is free.
When you are back on roads, though, be sure to
replace the air dam.
Notice:Operating your vehicle for extended
periods without the front fascia lower air
dam installed can cause improper air ow to
the engine. Always be sure to replace the front
fascia air dam when you are nished off-road
driving.
To reinstall the lower air dam do the following:
1. Line up the snap features and push the
air dam rearward to engage the snaps.
2. Install the two outboard bolts.
373

Traveling to Remote Areas
It makes sense to plan your trip, especially when
going to a remote area. Know the terrain and plan
your route. You are much less likely to get bad
surprises. Get accurate maps of trails and terrain.
Try to learn of any blocked or closed roads.
It is also a good idea to travel with at least one
other vehicle. If something happens to one
of them, the other can help quickly.
Does your vehicle have a winch? If so, be sure to
read the winch instructions. In a remote area, a
winch can be handy if you get stuck. But you will
want to know how to use it properly.
Getting Familiar with Off-Road Driving
It is a good idea to practice in an area that is
safe and close to home before you go into
the wilderness. Off-road driving does require some
new and different skills. Here is what we mean.
Tune your senses to different kinds of signals.
Your eyes, for example, need to constantly sweep
the terrain for unexpected obstacles. Your ears
need to listen for unusual tire or engine sounds.With your arms, hands, feet, and body, you will
need to respond to vibrations and vehicle bounce.
Controlling your vehicle is the key to successful
off-road driving. One of the best ways to
control your vehicle is to control your speed. Here
are some things to keep in mind. At higher
speeds:
You approach things faster and you have less
time to scan the terrain for obstacles.
You have less time to react.
You have more vehicle bounce when you
drive over obstacles.
You will need more distance for braking,
especially since you are on an unpaved
surface.
376

Q:What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or
is about to stall, and I cannot make it up
the hill?
A:If this happens, there are some things you
should do, and there are some things you
must not do. First, here is what youshoulddo:
Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle
and keep it from rolling backwards. Also, apply
the parking brake.
If your engine is still running, shift the
transmission to REVERSE (R), release the
parking brake, and slowly back down the hill in
REVERSE (R).
If your engine has stopped running, you will
need to restart it. With the brake pedal
pressed and the parking brake still applied,
shift the transmission to PARK (P) and restart
the engine. Then, shift to REVERSE (R),
release the parking brake, and slowly back
down the hill as straight as possible in
REVERSE (R).
As you are backing down the hill, put your left
hand on the steering wheel at the 12 o’clock
position. This way, you will be able to tell
if your wheels are straight and maneuver as
you back down. It is best that you back
down the hill with your wheels straight rather
than in the left or right direction. Turning
the wheel too far to the left or right will
increase the possibility of a rollover.
381

Here are some things youmust notdo if you stall,
or are about to stall, when going up a hill.
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting
into NEUTRAL (N) to rev-up the engine
and regain forward momentum. This will not
work. Your vehicle will roll backwards
very quickly and you could go out of control.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop
the vehicle. Then apply the parking brake.
Shift to REVERSE (R), release the parking
brake, and slowly back straight down.{CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL
can cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in PARK (P). This is
because the NEUTRAL position on the
transfer case overrides the transmission.
You or someone else could be injured. If
you are going to leave your vehicle, set
the parking brake and shift the
transmission to PARK (P). But do not shift
the transfer case to NEUTRAL.
Never attempt to turn around if you are about
to stall when going up a hill. If the hill is steep
enough to stall your vehicle, it is steep
enough to cause you to roll over if you turn
around. If you cannot make it up the hill, you
must back straight down the hill.
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