
Black plate (97,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-97
Rear Towing (Rear Wheels Off
the Ground)
Two-Wheel-Drive Vehicles and
Four-Wheel Drive Vehicles with a
Single Speed Automatic
Transfer CaseUse the following procedure to dolly
tow the vehicle from the rear:
1. Attach the dolly to the tow
vehicle following the dolly
manufacturer's instructions.
2. Drive the rear wheels onto the dolly.
3. Firmly set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on
page 9‑53.
4. Put the transmission in P (Park).
5. Secure the vehicle to the dolly following the manufacturer's
instructions. 6. Use an adequate clamping
device designed for towing to
ensure that the front wheels are
locked into the straight position.
7. For four-wheel drive vehicles with a single speed automatic
transfer case, turn the transfer
case knob to the Two-Wheel
High position.
8. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.

Black plate (98,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
10-98 Vehicle Care
Four-Wheel Drive Vehicles with a
Two Speed Automatic
Transfer Case
Use the following procedure to dolly
tow a four-wheel drive vehicle from
the rear:
1. Attach the dolly to the towvehicle following the dolly
manufacturer's instructions.
2. Drive the rear wheels onto the dolly.
3. Firmly set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on
page 9‑53.
4. Put the transmission in P (Park).
5. Secure the vehicle to the dolly following the manufacturer's
instructions.
6. Use an adequate clamping device designed for towing to
ensure that the front wheels are
locked into the straight position.{WARNING
Shifting a four-wheel-drive
vehicle's transfer case into
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the transmission is
in P (Park). The driver or others
could be injured. Make sure the
parking brake is firmly set before
the transfer case is shifted to
N (Neutral).
7. Shift the transfer case to N (Neutral). See “Shifting into
N (Neutral)” under“Four-Wheel
Drive”.
8. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
After towing, see “Shifting Out of
N (Neutral)” under“Four-Wheel
Drive”.
Appearance Care
Exterior Care
Silicone grease on weatherstrips will
make them last longer, seal better,
and not stick or squeak. Apply
silicone grease with a clean cloth.
During very cold, damp weather
frequent application may be
required. See Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 11‑6.
Washing the Vehicle
The best way to preserve the
vehicle's finish is to keep it clean by
washing it often.
Notice: Certain cleaners contain
chemicals that can damage the
emblems or nameplates on the
vehicle. Check the cleaning
product label. If it states that it
should not be used on plastic
parts, do not use it on the vehicle
or damage may occur and it
would not be covered by the
warranty.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
11-4 Service and Maintenance
Additional Required Services
Every 12 000 km/7,500 Miles
.Rotate tires. Tires should be
rotated every 12 000 km/
7,500 miles. SeeTire Rotation
on page 10‑64.
At Each Fuel Stop
.Engine oil level check. See
Engine Oil on page 10‑8.
.Engine coolant level check. See
Engine Coolant on page 10‑19.
.Windshield washer fluid level
check. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑26.
Once a Month
.Tire inflation pressures check.
See Tire Pressure on
page 10‑58.
.Tire wear inspection. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑64.
.Sunroof track and seal
inspection, if equipped.
See Sunroof on page 2‑26. Once a Year
.See
Starter Switch Check on
page 10‑33.
.See Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control Function
Check on page 10‑33.
.See Ignition Transmission Lock
Check on page 10‑33.
.See Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check on
page 10‑34.
.Hood support gas strut
inspection for signs of wear,
corrosion, cracks, loss of
lubricant, or other damage.
Check the hold open ability of
the gas strut. If necessary,
replace with genuine parts from
your dealer.
.Accelerator pedal check for
damage, high effort, or binding.
Replace if needed.
.Underbody flushing service. First Engine Oil Change After
Every 80 000 km/50,000 Miles
.Engine air cleaner filter
replacement. See
Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 10‑16.
.Automatic transmission fluid
change (severe service) for
vehicle mainly driven in heavy
city traffic in hot weather, in hilly
or mountainous terrain, when
frequently towing a trailer,
or used for taxi, police,
or delivery service. See
Automatic Transmission Fluid on
page 10‑12.
.Four‐wheel drive only: Transfer
case fluid change (severe
service) for vehicles mainly
driven when frequently towing a
trailer, or used for taxi, police,
or delivery service. Check vent
hose at transfer case for kinks
and proper installation.

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
Service and Maintenance 11-5
Check to be sure vent hose is
unobstructed, clear, and free of
debris. During any maintenance,
if a power washer is used to
clean mud and dirt from the
underbody, care should be taken
to not directly spray the transfer
case output seals. High pressure
water can overcome the seals
and contaminate the transfer
case fluid. Contaminated fluid
will decrease the life of the
transfer case and should
be replaced.
.Evaporative control system
inspection. Check all fuel and
vapor lines and hoses for proper
hook‐up, routing, and condition.
Check that the purge valve,
if the vehicle has one, works
properly. Replace as needed.
An Emission Control Service.
The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency or the
California Air Resources Board
has determined that the failure
to perform this maintenance item
will not nullify the emissionwarranty or limit recall liability
prior to the completion of the
vehicle's useful life. We,
however, urge that all
recommended maintenance
services be performed at the
indicated intervals and the
maintenance be recorded.
First Engine Oil Change After
Every 160 000 km/100,000 Miles
.Automatic transmission fluid
change (normal service). See
Automatic Transmission Fluid on
page 10‑12.
.Four‐wheel drive only: Transfer
case fluid change (normal
service). Check vent hose at
transfer case for kinks and
proper installation. Check to be
sure vent hose is unobstructed,
clear, and free of debris. During
any maintenance, if a power
washer is used to clean mud
and dirt from the underbody,
care should be taken to not
directly spray the transfer case
output seals. High pressure water can
overcome the seals and
contaminate the transfer case
fluid. Contaminated fluid will
decrease the life of the transfer
case and should be replaced.
.Spark plug replacement and
spark plug wires inspection.
An Emission Control Service.
First Engine Oil Change After
Every 240 000 km/150,000 Miles
.Engine cooling system drain,
flush, and refill (or every
five years, whichever occurs
first). See Engine Coolant on
page 10‑19. An Emission
Control Service.
.Engine drive belts inspection
for fraying, excessive cracks,
or obvious damage (or every
10 years, whichever occurs
first). Replace, if needed.

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-5
Cooling System Messages . . . 5-39
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-3
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Overheated ProtectionOperating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-40
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 9-38
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-11
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-40
Entry/Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-84
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . 13-17
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Exterior Cargo Lamps . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 6-2F
Fan
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Features Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Filter Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 6-5
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-73
Flat Tire, Changing . . . . . . . . . . . 10-75
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-106
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . 10-12
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Four-Wheel DriveTransfer Case . . . . . . . . . 9-44, 9-50
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Fog Lamps
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21 Four-Wheel
Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30, 9-44, 9-50
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Front Fog Lamps Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Front Seats Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Heated and Ventilated . . . . . . . . 3-10
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-68 Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-69
E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . . . . . . . 9-70
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-74
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-72
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . 9-69
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . 9-69
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 5-26
Management, Active . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Recommended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-68
Requirements, California . . . . . 9-69
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41