
Black plate (40,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
7-40 Infotainment System
Remote Control Buttons
O(Power):Press this button to
turn the video screen on and off.
P(Illumination): Press this button
to turn the remote control backlight
on. The backlight automatically
turns off after 7 to 10 seconds if no
other button is pressed while the
backlight is on.
v(Title): Press this button to
return the DVD to the main menu of
the DVD. This function may vary for
each disc.
y(Main Menu): Press this button
to access the DVD menu. The DVD
menu is different on every DVD.
Use the navigation arrows to move
the cursor around the DVD menu.
After making a selection press the
enter button. This button only
operates when using a DVD.
n,q,p,o(Menu Navigation
Arrows): Use the arrow buttons to
navigate through a menu.
r(Enter): Press this button to
select the choice that is highlighted
in any menu.
z(Display Menu): Press this
button to adjust the brightness,
screen display mode (normal, full,
or zoom), and display the
language menu.
q(Return): Press this button to
exit the current active menu and
return to the previous menu. This
button operates only when the
display menu or a DVD menu is
active.
c(Stop): Press this button to
stop playing, fast reversing, or fast
forwarding a DVD. Press this button
twice to return to the beginning of
the DVD.
s(Play/Pause): Press this
button to start playing a DVD. Press
this button while a DVD is playing to
pause it. Press it again to continue
playing the DVD. On some radios, play may be
slowed down by pressing the play/
pause button then pressing the fast
forward button when the DVD is
playing. The DVD continues playing
in a slow play mode. Some radios
may perform reverse slow play by
pressing the play/pause button and
then pressing the fast reverse
button. To cancel slow play mode,
press the play/pause button.
t(Previous Track/Chapter):
Press this button to return to the
start of the current track or chapter.
Press this button again to go to the
previous track or chapter. This
button might not work when the
DVD is playing the copyright
information or the previews.
u(Next Track/Chapter): Press
this button to go to the beginning of
the next chapter or track. This
button might not work when the
DVD is playing the copyright
information or the previews.

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
8-2 Climate Controls
Air Delivery Mode Control:Turn
clockwise or counterclockwise to
change the direction of the airflow
inside the vehicle. The knob can be
positioned between two modes, for
a combination of those modes.
To change the current mode, select
one of the following:
H(Vent): Air is directed to the
instrument panel outlets.
)(Bi-Level): Air is divided
between the instrument panel and
floor outlets. Some air is directed
towards the windshield and side
window outlets. Cooler air is
directed to the upper outlets and
warmer air to the floor outlets.
6(Floor): Air is directed to the
floor outlets, with some of the air
directed to the windshield, side
window, and second row floor
outlets. In this mode, the system
automatically selects outside air.
Recirculation cannot be selected
when in Floor Mode.
-(Defog): The defog mode is
used to clear the windows of fog or
moisture. Air is directed to the
windshield, floor outlets, and side
window vents. In this mode, the
system turns off recirculation and
runs the air conditioning compressor
unless the outside temperature is
close to freezing. The recirculation
mode cannot be selected while in
the defog mode.
0(Defrost): The defrost mode is
used to remove fog or frost from the
windshield more quickly. Air is
directed to the windshield and side
window vents, with some directed to
the floor vents. In this mode, the
system automatically forces outside
air into the vehicle. The recirculation
mode cannot be selected while in
the defrost mode. The air
conditioning compressor runs
automatically in this setting,
unless the outside temperature is
close to freezing.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
#(Air Conditioning): Press this
button to turn the air conditioning
system on or off. An indicator light
comes on to show that the air
conditioning is on. The air
conditioning can be selected in any
mode as long as the fan control
is on.
On hot days, open the windows to
let hot inside air escape; then close
them. This helps to reduce the time
it takes for the vehicle to cool down.
It also helps the system to operate
more efficiently.
The air conditioning system
removes moisture from the air, so a
small amount of water might drip
under the vehicle while idling or
after turning off the engine.
This is normal.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
Climate Controls 8-3
:(Outside Air):Press to turn
the outside air mode on. An
indicator light comes on to show
that outside air is on. Air from
outside the vehicle is circulated
throughout the vehicle. The outside
air mode can be used with all
modes, but it cannot be used with
the recirculation mode. Pressing this
button again will cancel the
recirculation mode.
?(Recirculation): Press to turn
the recirculation mode on or off. An
indicator light comes on to show
that recirculation is on.
This mode recirculates and helps to
quickly cool the air inside the
vehicle. It can be used to help
prevent outside air and odors from
entering the vehicle. The recirculation mode cannot be
used with floor, defrost, or defogging
modes. If recirculation is selected
while in one of those modes, the
indicator flashes three times and
turns off. The air conditioning
compressor will also come on when
this mode is activated. While in
recirculation mode the windows may
fog when the weather is cold and
damp. To clear the fog, select either
the defog or defrost mode and
increase the fan speed. The
recirculation mode can also be
turned off by turning off the engine.
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a
warming grid to remove fog from the
rear window.
<(Rear Window Defogger):
Press this button on the right knob
to turn the rear window defogger on
or off. The system automatically
turns off several minutes after it has
been activated. The defogger can also be turned off by turning off the
engine. Do not drive the vehicle until
all the windows are clear.
For vehicles with heated outside
rearview mirrors, the mirrors will
heat to help clear fog or frost from
the surface of the mirror when the
rear window defog button is
pressed.
Notice:
Do not use anything
sharp on the inside of the rear
window. If you do, you could cut
or damage the warming grid, and
the repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Do not
attach a temporary vehicle
license, tape, a decal, or anything
similar to the defogger grid.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
8-6 Climate Controls
Automatic Operation
AUTO (Automatic):When
automatic operation is active the
system will control the inside
temperature, the air delivery, and
the fan speed.
Use the steps below to place the
entire system in automatic mode:
1. Press the AUTO button.
When AUTO is selected, the
display will change to show the
current temperature(s) and
AUTO will be lit on the display.
The current delivery mode and
fan speed will also be displayed
for approximately 5 seconds.
When AUTO is selected, the air
conditioning operation and air
inlet will be automatically
controlled. The air conditioning
compressor will run when the
outside temperature is over
about 4°C (40°F). The air inlet
will normally be set to outside air. If it is hot outside, the air
inlet may automatically switch to
recirculate inside air to help
quickly cool down the vehicle.
The light on the button comes
on in recirculation.
2. Set the driver and passenger temperature.
To find your comfort setting, start
with a 23°C (74°F) temperature
setting and allow about
20 minutes for the system to
regulate. Use the driver or
passenger temperature buttons
to adjust the temperature setting
as necessary. If a temperature
setting of 15°C (60°F) is chosen,
the system remains at the
maximum cooling setting. If a
temperature setting of 32°C
(90°F) is chosen, the system
remains at the maximum heat
setting. Choosing either
maximum setting will not
cause the vehicle to heat or
cool any faster. Do not cover the solar sensor
located on the top of the instrument
panel near the windshield. This
sensor regulates air temperature
based on sun load and also turns
on the headlamps. For more
information on the solar sensor, see
“Sensors”
later in this section.
To avoid blowing cold air in cold
weather, the system will delay
turning on the fan until warm air is
available. The length of delay
depends on the engine coolant
temperature. Pressing the fan
switch will override this delay and
change the fan to a selected speed.
Manual Operation
D C(Fan Control): Press these
buttons to increase or decrease the
fan speed.
Pressing either fan button while in
automatic control places the fan
under manual control. The fan
setting remains displayed and the
AUTO light turns off. The air
delivery mode remains under
automatic control.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
Climate Controls 8-7
H G(Air Delivery Mode Control):
Press these buttons to change the
direction of the airflow in the vehicle.
Repeatedly press either button until
the desired mode appears on the
display. Pressing either mode button
while the system is off changes the
air delivery mode without turning the
system on. Pressing either mode
button while in automatic control
places the mode under manual
control.
The air delivery mode setting will be
displayed and the AUTO light turns
off. The fan remains under
automatic control.
H(Vent): Air is directed to the
instrument panel outlets.
)(Bi-Level): Air is divided
between the instrument panel and
floor outlets. Some air is directed
towards the windshield and side
window outlets.
6(Floor): Air is directed to the
floor outlets, with some to the
windshield, side window outlets, and
second row floor outlets. In this
mode, the system automatically
selects outside air.
-(Defog): This mode clears the
windows of fog or moisture. Air is
directed to the windshield, floor
outlets, and side window vents.
In this mode, the system turns off
recirculation and runs the air
conditioning compressor unless the
outside temperature is close to
freezing. The recirculation mode
cannot be selected while in the
defrost mode.
0(Defrost): This mode removes
fog or frost from the windshield
more quickly. Air is directed to the
windshield and side window vents,
with some directed to the floor
vents. In this mode, the system automatically forces outside air into
the vehicle and runs the air
conditioning compressor unless the
outside temperature is close to
freezing. The recirculation mode
cannot be selected while in the
defrost mode.
The passenger temperature control
cannot be activated while in defrost
mode. If the PASS button is
pressed, the button indicator flashes
three times and will not work. If the
passenger temperature buttons are
adjusted, the driver temperature
indicator changes. The passenger
temperature will not be displayed.
If vent, bi-level, or floor mode is
selected again, the climate control
system displays the previous
temperature settings.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
8-8 Climate Controls
#(Air Conditioning):Press to
turn the air conditioning (A/C)
compressor on and off. An indicator
light comes on to show that the air
conditioning is on.
If this button is pressed when the
air conditioning compressor is
unavailable, the indicator flashes
three times and then turns off.
If the air conditioning is on and the
outside temperature drops below a
temperature which is too cool for air
conditioning to be effective, the air
conditioning light turns off to show
that the air conditioning mode has
been canceled.
On hot days, open the windows long
enough to let hot inside air escape.
This helps to reduce the time it
takes for the vehicle to cool down.
It also helps the system to operate
more efficiently. The air conditioning system
removes moisture from the air, so a
small amount of water might drip
under the vehicle while idling or
after turning off the engine.
This is normal.
@(Recirculation):
Press to turn
the recirculation mode on. An
indicator light comes on to show
that the recirculation is on.
This mode recirculates and helps to
quickly cool the air inside the
vehicle. It can be used to help
prevent outside air and odors from
entering the vehicle.
The recirculation mode cannot be
used with floor, defog, or defrost
modes. If recirculation is selected
with one of those modes, the
indicator light flashes three times
and then turns off. The air
conditioning compressor also comes
on when this mode is activated. While in recirculation mode the
windows may fog when the weather
is cold and damp. To clear the fog,
select either the defog or defrost
mode and increase the fan speed.
The recirculation mode can be
turned off by pressing the outside
air button, or by turning off the
ignition.
;(Outside Air):
Press to turn the
outside air mode on. An indicator
light on the button comes on to
show that outside is on. Air from
outside the vehicle is circulated
throughout the vehicle. The outside
air mode can be used with all
modes, but it cannot be used with
the recirculation mode.
Pressing this button again will
cancel the recirculation mode.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-3
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
Alcohol affects four things that
anyone needs to drive a vehicle:
judgment, muscular coordination,
vision, and attentiveness.
Police records show that almost
40 percent of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve
alcohol. In most cases, these
deaths are the result of someone
who was drinking and driving.
In recent years, more than
17,000 annual motor vehicle-related
deaths have been associated with
the use of alcohol, with about
250,000 people injured.
For persons under 21, it is against
the law in every U.S. state to drink
alcohol. There are good medical,
psychological, and developmental
reasons for these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the
leading highway safety problem is
for people never to drink alcohol
and then drive.Medical research shows that alcohol
in a person's system can make
crash injuries worse, especially
injuries to the brain, spinal cord,
or heart. This means that
when anyone who has been
drinking
—driver or passenger —is
in a crash, that person's chance of
being killed or permanently disabled
is higher than if the person had not
been drinking.
Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help
to control the vehicle while
driving —brakes, steering, and
accelerator. At times, as when
driving on snow or ice, it is easy to
ask more of those control systems
than the tires and road can provide.
Meaning, you can lose control of the
vehicle. See StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑54.
Adding non‐dealer accessories can
affect vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10‑3.
Braking
See Brake System Warning Light on
page 5‑23.
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average reaction time is about
three‐fourths of a second. But that is
only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as
two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition,
alertness, coordination, and
eyesight all play a part. So do
alcohol, drugs, and frustration.
But even in three‐fourths of a
second, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels
20 m (66 ft). That could be a lot
of distance in an emergency, so
keeping enough space between the
vehicle and others is important.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
9-6 Driving and Operating
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving.
If the level of the shoulder is
only slightly below the pavement,
recovery should be fairly easy.
Ease off the accelerator and then,
if there is nothing in the way, steer
so that the vehicle straddles the
edge of the pavement.Turn the steering wheel 8 to 13 cm
(3 to 5 inches), about one-eighth
turn, until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge. Then turn the
steering wheel to go straight down
the roadway.
Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts
say about what happens when the
three control systems
—brakes,
steering, and acceleration —do not
have enough friction where the tires
meet the road to do what the driver
has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up.
Keep trying to steer and constantly
seek an escape route or area of
less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of
the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions,
and by not overdriving those
conditions. But skids are
always possible.
The three types of skids correspond
to the vehicle's three control
systems. In the braking skid, the
wheels are not rolling. In the
steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes
tires to slip and lose cornering force.
And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
If the vehicle starts to slide, ease
your foot off the accelerator pedal
and quickly steer the way you
want the vehicle to go. If you start
steering quickly enough, the vehicle
may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.