2008 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE Owners Manual

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
..............................................1-12
Safety Belts
.............................................1-14
Child Restraints
.......................................1-35
Airbag System
.........................................1-60
Restraint System Check
............................1-76
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
......................................2-10
Windows
.................................................2-23
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-26
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-30
Mirrors
....................................................2-49
Object Detection Systems
..........................2-58
OnStar
®System
......................................2-61
Universal Home Remote System
................2-64
Storage Areas
.........................................2-71
Sunroof
..................................................2-96
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-21
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-32
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-50
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-75Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-42
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-12
Rear Axle
...............................................5-47
Four-Wheel Drive
.....................................5-48
Front Axle
...............................................5-49
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-50
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-53
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-55
Tires
......................................................5-56
Appearance Care
.....................................5-99
Vehicle Identication
...............................5-107
Electrical System
....................................5-108
Capacities and Specications
...................5-115
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-14
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy
...........7-16
Index................................................................ 1
2008 Chevrolet Avalanche Owner ManualM

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem, and the
names AVALANCHE and Z71 are registered trademarks
of General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. GM reserves the right to make changes after
that time without further notice. For vehicles rst sold in
Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada
Limited” for Chevrolet Motor Division wherever it appears
in this manual.
This manual describes features that may or may not be
on your specic vehicle.
Keep this manual in the vehicle for quick reference.
Canadian Owners
A French language copy of this manual can be obtained
from your dealer/retailer or from:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
www.helminc.com
Propriétaires Canadiens
On peut obtenir un exemplaire de ce guide en français
auprès de concessionnaire ou à l’adresse suivante:
Helm Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
www.helminc.com
Using this Manual
Read this owner manual from beginning to end to learn
about the vehicle’s features and controls. Pictures
and words work together to explain things.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 15854809 B Second Printing
©2007 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
ii

Index
To quickly locate information about the vehicle use the
Index in the back of the manual. It is an alphabetical
list of what is in the manual and the page number where
it can be found.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
There are a number of safety cautions in this book. A
box with the word CAUTION is used to tell about things
that could hurt you or others if you were to ignore the
warning.
{CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
Cautions tell what the hazard is and what to do to avoid
or reduce the hazard. Read these cautions.A circle with a slash
through it is a safety
symbol which means “Do
Not,” “Do Not do this”
or “Do Not let this happen.”
iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Notices are also used in this manual.
Notice:These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered
by the vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. The
notice tells what to do to help avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION
and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different
words.
There are also warning labels on the vehicle which use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or information
relating to a specic component, control, message,
gage, or indicator.
iv

Front Seats......................................................1-2
Manual Seats................................................1-2
Power Seats..................................................1-3
Manual Lumbar..............................................1-4
Power Lumbar ...............................................1-4
Heated Seats.................................................1-5
Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals....................1-6
Reclining Seatbacks........................................1-8
Head Restraints............................................1-11
Center Seat.................................................1-11
Rear Seats.....................................................1-12
Rear Seat Operation.....................................1-12
Safety Belts...................................................1-14
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone................1-14
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly.................1-19
Lap-Shoulder Belt.........................................1-28
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy..................1-33
Lap Belt......................................................1-34
Safety Belt Extender.....................................1-35
Child Restraints.............................................1-35
Older Children..............................................1-35
Infants and Young Children............................1-38
Child Restraint Systems.................................1-42Where to Put the Restraint.............................1-44
Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children (LATCH).................................1-46
Securing a Child Restraint in a
Rear Seat Position....................................1-53
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Center Front Seat Position..........................1-56
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position............................1-56
Airbag System...............................................1-60
Where Are the Airbags?................................1-63
When Should an Airbag Inate?.....................1-65
What Makes an Airbag Inate?.......................1-67
How Does an Airbag Restrain?.......................1-67
What Will You See After an Airbag Inates?.....1-68
Passenger Sensing System............................1-69
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle...........1-74
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle....................................................1-74
Restraint System Check..................................1-76
Checking the Restraint Systems......................1-76
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash............................................1-77
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1

Front Seats
Manual Seats
{CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle
is moving. The sudden movement could startle
and confuse you, or make you push a pedal
when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s
seat only when the vehicle is not moving.To move a manual seat forward or rearward:
1. Lift the bar to unlock
the seat.
2. Slide the seat to the
desired position and
release the bar.
Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat
is locked in place.
1-2

Power Seats
On a vehicle with power seats, the controls used
to operate them are located on the outboard side
of the seats.Move the seat forward or rearward by sliding the control
forward or rearward.
Your vehicle may have additional features to adjust your
vehicle’s power seat:
Raise or lower the front part of the seat cushion by
moving the front of the control up or down.
Raise or lower the rear part of the seat cushion by
moving the rear of the control up or down.
Raise or lower the entire seat by moving the entire
control up or down.
On seats with power reclining seatbacks, the control is
located behind the power seat control on the outboard
side of the seats. See “Power Reclining Seatbacks”
underReclining Seatbacks on page 1-8.
A vehicle with a memory function allows seat settings to
be saved and recalled. SeeMemory Seat, Mirrors,
and Pedals on page 1-6for more information. Driver’s Seat with Power Seat Control, Power
Recline, and Power Lumbar shown
1-3

Manual Lumbar
On vehicles with this feature the control is located on
the outboard side of the seat.
Increase or decrease lumbar support by turning the
knob forward or rearward.
Power Lumbar
If the seats have power lumbar, the controls used
to operate this feature are located on the outboard
side of the seats.
To increase lumbar support, press and hold the
front of the control.
To decrease lumbar support, press and hold the
rear of the control.
1-4