Page 34 of 528

Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
1-28 In Brief
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Roadside Assistance
Program
U.S.:1-800-243-8872
TTY Users (U.S.): 1-888-889-2438
Canada: 1-800-268-6800
Mexico: 01-800-466-0800
As the owner of a new Chevrolet,
you are automatically enrolled in the
Roadside Assistance program. This
program provides technically trained
advisors who are available 24 hours
a day, 365 days a year, to give
minor repair information or make
towing arrangements. For more information see
Roadside
Assistance Program (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑8 orRoadside
Assistance Program (Mexico) on
page 13‑10.
Roadside Assistance and OnStar
(U.S. and Canada)
If you have a current OnStar
subscription, press theQbutton
and the current GPS location will be
sent to an OnStar advisor who will
assess your problem, contact
Roadside Assistance, and relay
your exact location to get the help
you need.
Online Owner Center (U.S. and
Canada)
The Online Owner Center is a
complimentary service that includes
online service reminders, vehicle
maintenance tips, online owner
manual, special privileges,
and more.
Sign up today at:
www.chevyownercenter.com
(U.S.) or www.gm.ca (Canada).
Page 47 of 528

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
Keys, Doors and Windows 2-11
Rear Glass Removal and
Storage
{WARNING
If the removable rear glass is not
stored properly, it could be thrown
about the vehicle in a crash or
sudden maneuver. People in the
vehicle could be injured.
Whenever you store the rear
glass in the vehicle, always be
sure that it is stored securely in
the Midgate
®storage pocket.
Do not remove the rear glass when
the rear defroster is on. If you do,
you may see a discharge spark
coming from the latch area.
To remove the rear glass do the
following:
1. Fold the rear seats. See Rear
Seats on page 3‑10. The front
seats may have to be moved
forward slightly to allow the rear
seats to fold completely. Although the rear glass can be
removed without folding the rear
seats, you will not be able to
access the rear glass storage
pocket. Be sure to fold the seats
before removing the rear glass.
2. Squeeze and pull down the
latch levers (A), located near the
upper corners of the rear glass,
to unlatch. Once unlatched, the
glass-catch release button (C)
will catch the rear glass and
prevent it from falling forward.
3. While holding the rear glass in
place, press the glass-catch
release button (C) and pull the
top of the rear glass toward you
using the grab handle(s) (B)
located at the top of the rear
glass.
Page 48 of 528
Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
2-12 Keys, Doors and Windows
4. With the rear glass tilted towardyou, lift it out from the lower
window frame channel. Use the
grab handles to assist you in
removing the rear glass.5. Load the rear glass into thestorage pocket in the Midgate,
guiding the lower edge of the
rear glass behind the three rear
glass retaining tabs (E).
Hold the rear glass flat against
the storage pocket, with grab
handles facing you, until the
next step.6. Turn both glass lock knobs (D),located at both top corners of
the storage pocket, to the locked
position. Push in on the corner
of the rear glass to allow the
lock knob to engage more easily.
Page 50 of 528

Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
2-14 Keys, Doors and Windows
Be sure to align the rear glass
side-to-side using the alignment
arrows (G).
5. Apply a firm downward pressure and then push the rear glass flat
against the window frame. Use
the grab handles (B) at the top
of the rear glass to assist you.6. Push the rear glass flat againstthe window frame and push
each latch lever up until it locks.
You should hear a click when
each latch lever locks correctly.
Lowering the Midgate with the
Rear Glass in Place
The Midgate can be lowered to
allow the cargo area of your vehicle
to extend into the cab. The rear
glass can be either installed in its
normal position, or it can be
removed and stored in the rear
glass storage pocket. To lower the Midgate:
1. Fold the rear seats. The front
seats might have to be moved
forward slightly to allow the rear
seats to fold. See Rear Seats on
page 3‑10.
Rear Glass in Normal Position
2. Standing outside of the vehicle, hold the Midgate securely so it
does not fall forward. Turn the
Midgate handle clockwise and
pull the Midgate toward you.
Page 52 of 528

Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
2-16 Keys, Doors and Windows
Raising the Midgate
To return the Midgate to its normal
position, raise the Midgate up with a
firm swinging motion until it latches
into place securely. This will help to
ensure that the Midgate closes with
enough force to engage the latches.
If the rear glass is removed and you
would like to put it back, do so using
the instructions given previously.
Tailgate
{WARNING
It is extremely dangerous to ride
on the tailgate, even when the
vehicle is operated at low speeds.
People riding on the tailgate
can easily lose their balance and
fall in response to vehicle
maneuvers. Falling from a moving
vehicle may result in serious
injuries or death. Do not allow
people to ride on the tailgate.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Be sure everyone in your vehicle
is in a seat and using a safety
belt properly.
Use the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter or power
door lock switch to lock and unlock
the tailgate.
Open the tailgate by lifting up on its
handle while pulling the tailgate
toward you.
To close the tailgate, push it firmly
upward until it latches. Push and
pull on the tailgate to be sure it is
latched securely.
Tailgate Removal
The tailgate is not to be removed.
This may cause damage to
electrical connector resulting in
loss of lock/unlock and rear vision
camera function.
Power Assist Steps
The vehicle may have power assist
steps.
The switch used to disable the
power assist steps is located on the
center console below the climate
control system.
The power assist steps
automatically extend from beneath
the vehicle on the side in which the
door has been opened. Once the
door is closed, the assist steps
automatically move back under the
vehicle after a brief delay. The
vehicle must not be moving for the
assist steps to extend or retract.
The assist steps cannot be disabled
in the extended position.
Page 57 of 528

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
Keys, Doors and Windows 2-21
Folding Mirrors
Vehicles with outside power
foldaway mirrors have controls on
the driver door.
Power Foldaway
1. Press (C) to fold the mirrors outto the driving position.
2. Press (D) to fold the mirrors in to the folded position. Resetting the Power Foldaway
Mirrors
Reset the power foldaway mirrors if:
.The mirrors are accidentally
obstructed while folding.
.They are accidentally manually
folded/unfolded.
.The mirrors will not stay in the
unfolded position.
.The mirrors vibrate at normal
driving speeds.
Fold and unfold the mirrors one time
using the mirror controls to reset
them to their normal position.
A popping noise may be heard
during the resetting of the power
foldaway mirrors. This sound is
normal after a manual folding
operation.
Manual Foldaway
Manually fold the mirrors inward
to prevent damage when going
through an automatic car wash.
To fold, pull the mirror toward the
vehicle. Push the mirror outward, to
return to its original position.
Automatic Dimming
If equipped with an automatic
dimming mirror, the driver outside
mirror adjusts for the glare of the
headlamps behind you. See
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror
on page 2‑23.
Turn Signal Indicator
The vehicle may also have a turn
signal indicator on the mirror. An
arrow on the mirror flashes in the
direction of the turn or lane change.
Page 59 of 528

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
Keys, Doors and Windows 2-23
Automatic Dimming
Rearview Mirror
The vehicle may have an automatic
dimming inside rearview mirror.
Automatic dimming reduces the
glare from the headlamps of the
vehicle behind you. The dimming
feature comes on and the indicator
light illuminates each time the
ignition is turned to start.
O(On/Off):Press to turn the
dimming feature on or off.
The vehicle may also have a Rear
Vision Camera (RVC). See Rear
Vision Camera (RVC) on page 9‑62
for more information.
If the vehicle has RVC, the
Obutton
for turning the dimming feature on or
off will not be available. Vehicles with OnStar have three
additional control buttons for the
OnStar system. See your dealer for
more information about OnStar and
how to subscribe to it. See the
OnStar Owner Guide for more
information about the services
OnStar provides.
Cleaning the Mirror
Do not spray glass cleaner directly
on the mirror. Use a soft towel
dampened with water.
Page 75 of 528

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-11
cushion. Tilt the seat cushion
forward toward the front of the
vehicle.
Notice: Folding a rear seat with
the safety belts still fastened may
cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the
safety belts and return them to
their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat.
3. Fold the seatback forward until it is flat. If necessary, move the
front seats forward slightly to
allow the seatback to fold
completely. 4. Repeat the procedure for the
other seatback, if desired.
To return the seats to the normal
position, lift the seatback up and
fold the seat cushion down.
{WARNING
A safety belt that is improperly
routed, not properly attached,
or twisted will not provide the
protection needed in a crash.
The person wearing the belt could
be seriously injured. After raising
the rear seatback, always check
to be sure that the safety belts
are properly routed and attached,
and are not twisted.
{WARNING
If the seatback is not locked, it
could move forward in a sudden
stop or crash. That could cause
injury to the person sitting there.
Always be sure to press the rear
of the seat cushion down. This
action locks the seatback in
place.
Push and pull on the seatback to
make sure it is locked. Raise the
headrest.