2008 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE coolant

ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
This message displays and a chime sounds when the
cooling system temperature gets too hot and the engine
further enters the engine coolant protection mode.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-28for further
information.
This message also displays when the vehicle’s engine
power is reduced. Reduced engine power can affect the
vehicle’s ability to accelerate. If this message is on, but
there is no reduction in performance, proceed to your
destination. The performance may be reduced the next
time the vehicle is driven. The vehicle may be driven at a
reduced speed while this message is on, but acceleration
and speed may be reduced. Anytime this message stays
on, the vehicle should be taken to your dealer/retailer for
service as soon as possible.
FUEL LEVEL LOW
This message displays and a chime sounds if the fuel
level is low. Refuel as soon as possible. SeeFuel Gage
on page 3-49andFuel on page 5-5for more information.
HOOD OPEN
This message displays and a chime sounds if the hood
is not fully closed. Stop and turn off the vehicle, check the
hood for obstructions, and close the hood again. Check to
see if the message still appears on the DIC.
LEFT REAR DOOR OPEN
This message displays and a chime sounds if the driver
side rear door is not fully closed and the vehicle is in
a drive gear. Stop and turn off the vehicle, check
the door for obstructions, and close the door again.
Check to see if the message still appears on the DIC.
OIL PRESSURE LOW STOP ENGINE
Notice:If you drive your vehicle while the engine
oil pressure is low, severe engine damage may
occur. If a low oil pressure warning appears on the
Driver Information Center (DIC), stop the vehicle
as soon as possible. Do not drive the vehicle until
the cause of the low oil pressure is corrected.
SeeEngine Oil on page 5-15for more information.
This message displays if low oil pressure levels
occur. Stop the vehicle as soon as safely possible and
do not operate it until the cause of the low oil pressure
has been corrected. Check the oil as soon as possible
and have your vehicle serviced by your dealer/retailer.
SeeEngine Oil on page 5-15.
3-61

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 gearbeforeyou 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). If the transmission shifts too
often (e.g., under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions)
you may want to shift the transmission to a lower
gear selection or enable the Tow/Haul mode.
See “Tow/Haul Mode” earlier in this section.
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 5-28.
4-56

Service............................................................5-3
Accessories and Modications..........................5-3
California Proposition 65 Warning.....................5-4
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements.....5-4
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle..............................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-6
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)..................................5-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-8
Filling the Tank..............................................5-9
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-11
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-12
Hood Release..............................................5-12
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-14
Engine Oil...................................................5-15
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-18
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-20
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-22
Engine Coolant.............................................5-25
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-28
Engine Overheating.......................................5-28Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode........................................5-30
Cooling System............................................5-31
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-35
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-36
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-37
Brakes........................................................5-38
Battery........................................................5-41
Jump Starting...............................................5-42
Rear Axle.......................................................5-47
Four-Wheel Drive............................................5-48
Front Axle......................................................5-49
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-50
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-53
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-53
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps...................5-53
License Plate Lamp......................................5-54
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-55
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-55
Tires..............................................................5-56
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................5-57
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-61
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-64
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up
and injure you even when the engine is not
running. Keep hands, clothing, and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts
and start a re. These include liquids like fuel,
oil, coolant, brake uid, windshield washer and
other uids, and plastic or rubber. You or
others could be burned. Be careful not to drop
or spill things that will burn onto a hot engine.
Hood Release
To open the hood do the following:
1. Pull the handle with
this symbol on it. It is
located inside the
vehicle to the lower left
of the steering wheel.
5-12

A. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-20.
B. Air Filter Restriction Indicator (If Equipped).
SeeEngine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 5-20.
C. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. SeeCooling
System on page 5-31andCoolant Surge Tank
Pressure Cap on page 5-28.
D. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting on
page 5-42.
E. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-41.
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-15.
G. Automatic Transmission Dipstick. See “Checking the
Fluid Level” underAutomatic Transmission Fluid
on page 5-22.
H. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (Out of View).
SeeJump Starting on page 5-42.
I. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See “Checking
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil on page 5-15.
J. Engine Cooling Fan. SeeCooling System on
page 5-31.
K. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 5-36.L. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
underBrakes on page 5-38.
M. Underhood Fuse Block. SeeUnderhood Fuse Block
on page 5-111.
N. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-37.
Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil
must be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-14
for the location of the engine oil dipstick.
1. Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes
to drain back into the oil pan. If you do not do this,
the oil dipstick might not show the actual level.
2. Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel
or cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it
again, keeping the tip down, and check the level.
5-15

How to Add Automatic Transmission
Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transmission uid to use. SeeRecommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-13.
Using a funnel, add uid down the transmission dipstick
tube only after checking the transmission uid while it
is hot. A cold check is used only as a reference. If
the uid level is low, add only enough of the proper uid
to bring the level up to the HOT area for a hot check.
It does not take much uid, generally less than
one pint (0.5 L). Do not overll.
Notice:Use of the incorrect automatic transmission
uid may damage your vehicle, and the damages
may not be covered by your warranty. Always
use the automatic transmission uid listed in
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-13.
After adding uid, recheck the uid level as
described under “How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid,” earlier in this section.
When the correct uid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way; then ip the handle
down to lock the dipstick in place.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is lled with
DEX-COOL®engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for ve years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs rst, if you add only
DEX-COOL
®extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how
to add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating, seeEngine Overheating
on page 5-28.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
®coolant will:
Give freezing protection down to−34°F (−37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as they
should.
Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®may
cause premature engine, heater core, or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine coolant may
require changing sooner, at the rst maintenance
service after each 30,000 miles (50 000 km) or
24 months, whichever occurs rst. Any repairs
would not be covered by your warranty. Always
use DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant in your
vehicle.
5-25

What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable water and
one-half DEX-COOL®coolant which will not damage
aluminum parts. If you use this coolant mixture, you do
not need to add anything else.
{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mixture will. Your
vehicle’s coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain water or the
wrong mixture, your engine could get too hot
but you would not get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch re and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
®coolant.Notice:If you use an improper coolant mixture,
your engine could overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost would not be covered by your
warranty. Too much water in the mixture can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core, and
other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer/retailer check your cooling system.
Notice:If you use extra inhibitors and/or additives
in your vehicle’s cooling system, you could
damage your vehicle. Use only the proper mixture
of the engine coolant listed in this manual for
the cooling system. SeeRecommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 6-13for more information.
5-26

Checking Coolant
The coolant surge tank is located in the engine
compartment on the passenger’s side of the vehicle.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-14
for more information on location.
{CAUTION:
Turning the surge tank pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam
and scalding liquids to blow out and burn you
badly. Never turn the surge tank pressure
cap — even a little — when the engine and
radiator are hot.
The vehicle must be on a level surface. When your
engine is cold, the coolant level should be at the FULL
COLD mark.
5-27