2010 CHEVROLET TAHOE brake

Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal
On vehicles with this feature, you can change the
position of the throttle and brake pedals.
No adjustment to the pedals can be made when the
vehicle is in R (Reverse) or while using the cruise
control.
The switch used to adjust
the pedals is located on
the instrument panel
below the climate control
system.
Press the arrow at the bottom of the switch to move the
pedals closer to your body. Press the arrow at the top of
the switch to move the pedals away from your body.
Before you start driving, fully press the brake pedal to
confirm the adjustment is right for you. While driving,
make only small adjustments. The vehicle may have a memory function which lets
pedal settings be saved and recalled. See
Memory
Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals
on page 2‑10for more
information.
Engine Coolant Heater
The engine coolant heater can provide easier starting
and better fuel economy during engine warm-up in cold
weather conditions at or below −18°C (0°F). Vehicles
with an engine heater should be plugged in at least
four hours before starting. An internal thermostat in
the plug-end of the cord may exist which will prevent
engine coolant heater operation at temperatures
above −18°C (0°F).
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The cord is secured to the Engine Compartment
Fuse Block with a clip. Carefully remove the wire
tie which secures the electrical cord. Do not cut the
electrical cord.
3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
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{WARNING:
It is dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the shift
lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when you are on fairly
level ground, always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park). SeeShifting Into
Park
on page 3‑47. If you are pulling a trailer,
see Towing a Trailer on page 5‑47.
{WARNING:
If the vehicle has a four-wheel drive transfer
case with a N (Neutral) position, and the transfer
case is in N (Neutral), the vehicle will be free
to roll —even if the shift lever is in P (Park).
(Continued)
WARNING: (Continued)
Be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear,
Two-Wheel Drive High or Four-Wheel Drive High
or Four-Wheel Drive Low—not in N (Neutral). See
Shifting Into Park
on page 3‑47. Always set the
parking brake.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse) while the vehicle is
moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice, or sand without damaging the transmission, see
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow
on
page 5‑27.
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N (Neutral):In this position, the engine does not
connect with the wheels. To restart the engine when the
vehicle is already moving, use N (Neutral) only. Also,
use N (Neutral) when the vehicle is being towed.
{WARNING:
Shifting into a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless your
foot is firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could
move very rapidly. You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift into a drive gear
while the engine is running at high speed.
Notice: Shifting out of P (Park) or N (Neutral) with
the engine running at high speed may damage the
transmission. The repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the engine is not
running at high speed when shifting the vehicle. D (Drive):
This position is for normal driving. It provides
the best fuel economy. If you need more power for
passing, and you are:
.Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
By doing this, the vehicle shifts down to the next
gear and has more power.
D (Drive) can be used when towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, driving on steep hills, or for off-road driving.
You might want to shift the transmission to a lower gear
selection if the transmission shifts too often.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding. See Skidding
under Loss of Control on page 5‑10.
3-34

The vehicle has a shift stabilization feature that
adjusts the transmission shifting to the current driving
conditions in order to reduce rapid upshifts and
downshifts. This shift stabilization feature is designed to
determine, before making an upshift, if the engine is
able to maintain vehicle speed by analyzing things such
as vehicle speed, throttle position, and vehicle load.
If the shift stabilization feature determines that a current
vehicle speed cannot be maintained, the transmission
does not upshift and instead holds the current gear. In
some cases, this could appear to be a delayed shift,
however the transmission is operating normally.
The vehicle's transmission uses adaptive shift controls.
Adaptive shift controls continually compares key shift
parameters to pre-programmed ideal shifts stored in the
transmissions computer. The transmission constantly
makes adjustments to improve vehicle performance
according to how the vehicle is being used, such as
with a heavy load or when the temperature changes.
During this adaptive shift control process, shifting might
feel different as the transmission determines the best
settings.
When temperatures are very cold, the Hydra-Matic
®
6-Speed transmission's gear shifting could be delayed
providing more stable shifts until the engine warms
up. Shifts could be more noticeable with a cold
transmission. This difference in shifting is normal.M (Manual Mode):
This position is available on vehicles
with the Hydra-Matic
®6-Speed transmission. It lets
drivers select the range of gears appropriate for current
driving conditions. If the vehicle has this feature,
see Range Select Mode (Hydra-Matic
®6-Speed
transmission) later in this section.
3 (Third): This position is also used for normal driving.
It reduces vehicle speed more than D (Drive) without
using the brakes. You might choose 3 (Third) instead of
D (Drive) when driving on hilly, winding roads, when
towing a trailer, so there is less shifting between gears
and when going down a steep hill.
2 (Second): This position reduces vehicle speed even
more than 3 (Third) without using the brakes. You can
use 2 (Second) on hills. It can help control vehicle
speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but then
you would also want to use the brakes off and on.
If you manually select 2 (Second) in an automatic
transmission, the transmission will start in second gear.
You can use this feature for reducing the speed of the
rear wheels when you are trying to start the vehicle
from a stop on slippery road surfaces.
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1 (First):For the Hydra-Matic®4-Speed transmission
this position reduces vehicle speed even more than
2 (Second) without using the brakes. You can use it on
very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the shift
lever is put in 1 (First) while the vehicle is moving
forward, the transmission does not shift into first gear
until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
For a Hydra-Matic
®6-Speed transmission, this position
reduces vehicle speed without using the brakes. You
can use it for major/severe downgrades and off-road
driving where the vehicle would otherwise accelerate
due to steepness of grade. When you shift to 1 (First) it
provides the lowest gear appropriate to the vehicle's
current road speed and continues to downshift as the
vehicle slows, eventually downshifting to 1 (First) gear.
Notice: Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission. The repair will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. If you are stuck, do
not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Range Selection Mode (Hydra-Matic®
6-Speed Transmission)
Base trim shown (uplevel similar)
The vehicle may have a Range Selection Mode. The
Range Selection Mode helps control the vehicle's
transmission and vehicle speed while driving down hill
or towing a trailer by letting you select a desired range
of gears.
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To use this feature, do the following:1. Move the shift lever to M (Manual Mode).
2. Press the plus/minus buttons, located on the steering column shift lever, to select the desired
range of gears for the current driving conditions.
When M (Manual Mode) is selected a number displays
next to the M, indicating the current gear.
This number is the highest gear that can be used.
However, the vehicle can automatically shift to lower
gears as it adjusts to driving conditions. This means
that all gears below that number are available. When
5 (Fifth) is selected, 1 (First) through 5 (Fifth) gears are
automatically shifted by the vehicle, but 6 (Sixth) cannot
be used until the plus/minus button located on the
steering column lever is used to change to the gear. Grade Braking is not available when Range Selection
Mode is active. See
Tow/Haul Mode on page 3‑38.
While using Range Selection Mode, cruise control and
the Tow/Haul mode can be used.
Notice: Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission. The repair will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. If you are stuck, do
not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Low Traction Mode
If the vehicle has the Hydra-Matic®6-Speed Automatic
Transmission, it has a Low Traction Mode that assists in
vehicle acceleration when road conditions are slippery,
such as with ice or snow. While the vehicle is at a stop,
select the second gear range using Range Selection
Mode. This will limit torque to the wheels after it detects
wheel slip, preventing the tires from spinning.
3-37

Grade Braking assists in maintaining desired
vehicle speeds when driving on downhill grades by
automatically implementing a shift schedule that utilizes
the engine and transmission to slow the vehicle. This
reduces wear on the braking system and increases
control of the vehicle. Grade Braking monitors vehicle
speed, acceleration, engine torque and brake pedal
usage. Using this information, it detects when the truck
is on a downhill grade and the driver desires to slow the
vehicle by pressing the brake.
Also seeTowing a Trailer
on page 5‑47for more
information.
Cruise Grade Braking (Hydra-Matic®
6-Speed Automatic Transmission)
Cruise Grade Braking assists when driving on a
downhill grade. It maintains vehicle speed by
automatically implementing a shift schedule that uses
the engine and the transmission to slow the vehicle.
Cruise Grade Braking operates while Cruise Control is
engaged in Tow/Haul mode to assist in maintaining
vehicle speed under loaded vehicle conditions.
It utilizes vehicle acceleration and deviation from
desired speed to determine the correct gear for the
operating condition. If vehicle speed is above the
desired speed the transmission will downshift to slow
the vehicle. If vehicle speed is near or below desired
speed the trans will upshift, allowing vehicle speed to
increase. While in the Range Select Mode (RSM) mode, Cruise
Grade Braking is not available.
See
Automatic Transmission Operation on page 3‑32.
Four-Wheel Drive (Two Speed
Automatic Transfer Case)
If the vehicle has four-wheel drive, you can send the
engine's driving power to all four wheels for extra
traction. Read the following before using four-wheel
drive.
Notice: Driving on clean, dry pavement in
Four-Wheel Drive High or Four-Wheel Drive Low for
an extended period of time may cause premature
wear on your vehicle's powertrain. Do not drive on
clean, dry pavement in Four-Wheel Drive High or
Four-Wheel Drive Low for extended periods of time.
While driving on clean dry pavement and during tight
turns, you may experience a vibration in the steering
system.
The vehicle has StabiliTrak
®. Shifting into
Four-Wheel-Drive Low will turn Traction Control and
StabiliTrak
®off. See StabiliTrak®System on page 5‑6.
Front Axle
The front axle engages and disengages automatically
when you shift the transfer case. Some delay for the
axle to engage or disengage is normal.
3-39

The vehicle has StabiliTrak®. Shifting into
Four-Wheel-Drive Low will turn Traction Control
and StabiliTrak
®off. See StabiliTrak®Systemon
page 5‑6.
{WARNING:
Shifting the transfer case to N (Neutral) can cause
the vehicle to roll even if the transmission is in
P (Park). You or someone else could be seriously
injured. Be sure to set the parking brake before
placing the transfer case in N (Neutral). See
Parking Brake on page 3‑46.
N (Neutral): Shift the vehicle's transfer case to
N (Neutral) only when towing the vehicle. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing
on page 5‑40or Towing
Your Vehicleon page 5‑40for more information.
If the SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE message stays on,
you should take the vehicle to your dealer for service.
See “SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE message” underDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 4‑61.
Shifting Into Four-Wheel Drive High or
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel Drive)
Turn the knob to the Four-Wheel High or AUTO
position. This can be done at any speed, except when
shifting from Four-Wheel Drive Low. The indicator light
will flash while shifting. It will remain on when the shift is
completed.
Shifting Into Two-Wheel Drive High
Turn the knob to the Two-Wheel High position. This
can be done at any speed, except when shifting from
Four-Wheel Drive Low.
See shifting out of Four-Wheel Drive Low later in this
section for more information.
Shifting Into Four-Wheel Drive Low
When Four-Wheel Low is engaged, vehicle speed
should be kept below 45 mph (72 km/h). Extended
high-speed operation in 4L may damage or shorten
the life of the drivetrain.
To shift to the Four-Wheel Drive Low position, the
ignition must be in ON/RUN and the vehicle must
be stopped or moving less than 3 mph (5 km/h) with
the transmission in N (Neutral). The preferred method
for shifting into Four-Wheel Drive Low is to have
the vehicle moving 1 to 2 mph (1.6 to 3.2 km/h).
3-41