2008 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE ignition

This light may also come on due to low brake uid.
SeeBrakes on page 5-38for more information.
This light should come on briey when you turn the
ignition key to RUN. If it does not come on then,
have it xed so it will be ready to warn you if there
is a problem.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system warning light on
can lead to an accident. If the light is still on
after you have pulled off the road and stopped
carefully, have the vehicle towed for service.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal
is harder to push or may go closer to the oor. It
may take longer to stop. If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. SeeTowing Your Vehicle
on page 4-42. United States
Canada
3-40

Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light
For vehicles with
the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), this light
comes on briey when
the engine is started.
That is normal. If the light does not come on then, have
it xed so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the ignition off. If the light
comes on when you are driving, stop as soon as it is
safely possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the
engine again to reset the system. If the ABS light still
stays on, or comes on again while you are driving, your
vehicle needs service. If the regular brake system
warning light is not on, your vehicle still has brakes, but
not antilock brakes. If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, your vehicle does not have antilock
brakes and there is a problem with the regular brakes.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-39.
For vehicles with a Driver Information Center (DIC),
seeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-59for all
brake related DIC messages.
StabiliTrak®Indicator Light
This warning light should
come on briey when the
engine is started.
If the warning light does not come on then, have it xed
so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem. If it
stays on, or comes on when you are driving, there may
be a problem with your StabiliTrak
®system and your
vehicle may need service. When this warning light is on,
the system is off and will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly.
This light will also ash when the StabiliTrak
®system is
active.
If the StabiliTrak
®system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when
the system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
SeeStabiliTrak
®System on page 4-6for more
information.
3-41

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature.
It also provides an indicator of how hard your vehicle is
working. During a majority of the operation, the gage
will read 210°F (100°C) or less. If you are pulling a load
or going up hills, it is normal for the temperature to
uctuate and approach the 250°F (122°C) mark. If the
gage reaches the 260°F (125°C) mark, it indicates
that the cooling system is working beyond its capacity.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-28.
Tire Pressure Light
This light comes on briey
when the engine is started.
This light will also come on when one or more of your
tires are signicantly underinated.
A tire pressure message in the Driver Information
Center (DIC), may accompany the light. SeeDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 3-59for more
information.
Stop and check your tires as soon as it is safe to do so.
If underinated, inate to the proper pressure.
SeeTires on page 5-56for more information.
If a problem is detected with the Tire Pressure Monitor
System, this light will ash for approximately 60 seconds
and then stay on solid for the remainder of the ignition
cycle. SeeTire Pressure Monitor System on page 5-65
for more information. United States
Canada
3-42

Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
A computer system called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) monitors operation
of the fuel, ignition, and emission control systems.
It makes sure that emissions are at acceptable levels
for the life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment.
The check engine light
comes on to indicate
that there is an OBD II
problem and service
is required.
Malfunctions often are indicated by the system before
any problem is apparent. This can prevent more serious
damage to your vehicle. This system is also designed
to assist your service technician in correctly diagnosing
any malfunction.
Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with
this light on, after a while, the emission controls
might not work as well, your vehicle’s fuel economy
might not be as good, and the engine might not
run as smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs
that might not be covered by your warranty.Notice:Modications made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake, or fuel system of
your vehicle or the replacement of the original tires
with other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect your vehicle’s emission
controls and can cause this light to come on.
Modications to these systems could lead to costly
repairs not covered by your warranty. This could
also result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test. SeeAccessories
and Modifications on page 5-3.
This light comes on, as a check to show it is working,
when the ignition is turned ON/RUN but the engine is not
running. If the light does not come on, have it repaired.
This light also comes on during a malfunction in
one of two ways:
Light Flashing— A misre condition has been
detected. A misre increases vehicle emissions
and could damage the emission control system
on your vehicle. Diagnosis and service might
be required.
Light On Steady— An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be required.
3-43

If the Light is Flashing
The following can prevent more serious damage to your
vehicle:
Reduce vehicle speed.
Avoid hard accelerations.
Avoid steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops ashing and remains on steady,
see “If the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park the vehicle.
Turn the ignition off, wait at least 10 seconds, and restart
the engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If the
Light Is On Steady” following. If the light is still ashing,
follow the previous steps and see your dealer/retailer
for service as soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You might be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. SeeFilling the Tank on page 5-9. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing
fuel cap allows fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed should
turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your vehicle’s electrical system might be wet.
The condition is usually corrected when the electrical
system dries out. A few driving trips should turn the
light off.
3-44

Fuel Gage
The fuel gage, when the ignition is on, tells you about
how much fuel you have left in your tank.
The gage will rst indicate empty before you are out
of fuel, and you should get more fuel as soon as
possible.When the fuel tank is low, the FUEL LEVEL LOW
message will appear in the Driver Information
Center (DIC). SeeDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 3-59for more information.
Here are some situations you may experience with your
fuel gage. None of these indicate a problem with the
fuel gage.
At the gas station, the fuel pump shuts off before
the gage reads full.
It takes a little more or less fuel to ll up than the
fuel gage indicated. For example, the gage may
have indicated the tank was half full, but it actually
took a little more or less than half the tank’s
capacity to ll the tank.
The gage goes back to empty when you turn off the
ignition. United States
Canada
3-49

Low Fuel Warning Light
This light, under the fuel
gage, will come on briey
when you are starting
the engine.
This light and a chime will come on when the fuel tank
is low on fuel. There will also be a “FUEL LEVEL LOW”
message on the Driver Information Center, seeDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 3-59for more
information. When you add fuel this light and message
should go off. If it does not, have your vehicle serviced.
Driver Information Center (DIC)
Your vehicle has a Driver Information Center (DIC).
The DIC displays information about your vehicle. It also
displays warning messages if a system problem is
detected.
All messages will appear in the DIC display located
below the tachometer in the instrument panel cluster.
The DIC comes on when the ignition is on. After a short
delay, the DIC will display the information that was
last displayed before the engine was turned off.
If your vehicle has DIC buttons, see “DIC Operation and
Displays (With DIC Buttons)” later in this section and
DIC Vehicle Customization (With DIC Buttons) on
page 3-66for the displays available.
If your vehicle does not have DIC buttons, see “DIC
Operation and Displays (Without DIC Buttons)” later in
this section for the displays available.
3-50

U(Customization):Press this button to customize
the feature settings on your vehicle. SeeDIC Vehicle
Customization (With DIC Buttons) on page 3-66for more
information.
V(Set/Reset):Press this button to set or reset certain
functions and to turn off or acknowledge messages
on the DIC.
Trip/Fuel Menu Items
3
(Trip/Fuel):Press this button to scroll through the
following menu items:
Odometer
Press the trip/fuel button until ODOMETER displays.
This display shows the distance the vehicle has
been driven in either miles (mi) or kilometers (km).
Pressing the trip odometer reset stem will also display
the odometer.
To switch between English and metric measurements,
see “Units” later in this section.
Trip Odometer
Press the trip/fuel button until TRIP displays. This
display shows the current distance traveled in either
miles (mi) or kilometers (km) since the last reset for the
trip odometer. Pressing the trip odometer reset stem
will also display the trip odometer.
The trip odometer can be reset to zero by pressing the
set/reset button while the trip odometer is displayed.
You can also reset the trip odometer while it is displayed
by pressing and holding the trip odometer reset stem.
The trip odometer has a feature called the retro-active
reset. This can be used to set the trip odometer to the
number of miles (kilometers) driven since the ignition was
last turned on. This can be used if the trip odometer is not
reset at the beginning of the trip.
To use the retro-active reset feature, press and hold
the set/reset button for at least four seconds. The trip
odometer will display the number of miles (mi) or
kilometers (km) driven since the ignition was last turned
on and the vehicle was moving. Once the vehicle begins
moving, the trip odometer will accumulate mileage.
For example, if the vehicle was driven 5 miles (8 km)
before it is started again, and then the retro-active reset
feature is activated, the display will show 5 miles (8 km).
As the vehicle begins moving, the display will then
increase to 5.1 miles (8.2 km), 5.2 miles (8.4 km), etc.
3-52