
Black plate (50,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
7-50 Infotainment System
Using the“Dial”or“Call”
Command
1. Press and hold
b gfor
two seconds.
2. Say “Dial”or“Call.”
3. Say the entire number without pausing, or say the name tag.
Once connected, the person called
will be heard through the audio
speakers.
Using the “Digit Dial” Command
The digit dial command allows a
phone number to be dialed by
entering the digits one at a time.
After each digit is entered, the
system repeats back the digit it
heard followed by a tone.
If an unwanted number is
recognized by the system, say
“Clear” at any time to clear the
last number. To hear all of the numbers
recognized by the system, say
“Verify”
at any time.
1. Press and hold
b gfor
two seconds.
2. Say “Digit Dial.”
3. Say each digit, one at a time, that you want to dial. After each
digit is entered, the system
repeats back the digit it heard
followed by a tone. After the last
digit has been entered,
say “Dial.”
Once connected, the person called
will be heard through the audio
speakers.
Using the “Re‐dial”Command
1. Press and hold
b gfor
two seconds.
2. After the tone, say “Re‐dial.”
Once connected, the person called
will be heard through the audio
speakers.
Receiving a Call
When an incoming call is received,
the audio system mutes and a ring
tone is heard in the vehicle.
.Pressb gto answer the call.
.Pressc xto ignore a call.
Call Waiting
Call waiting must be supported on
the cell phone and enabled by the
wireless service carrier.
.Pressbgto answer an
incoming call when another call
is active. The original call is
placed on hold.
.Pressb gagain to return to the
original call.
.To ignore the incoming call, no
action is required.
.Pressc xto disconnect the
current call and switch to the call
on hold.

Black plate (51,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
Infotainment System 7-51
Three‐Way Calling
Three‐way calling must be
supported on the cell phone and
enabled by the wireless service
carrier.
1. While on a call, press
bg.
2. Say “Three‐way call.”
3. Use the dial or call command to dial the number of the third party
to be called.
4. Once the call is connected, press
bgto link all callers
together.
Ending a Call
Pressc xto end a call.
Muting a Call
During a call, all sounds from inside
the vehicle can be muted so that the
person on the other end of the call
cannot hear them.
.To mute a call, pressbg, and
then say “Mute call.”
.To cancel mute, pressbg, and
then say “Un‐mute call.”
Transferring a Call
Audio can be transferred between
the Bluetooth system and the cell
phone.
The cell phone must be paired and
connected with the Bluetooth
system before a call can be
transferred. The connection process
can take up to two minutes after the
ignition is turned to ON/RUN. Transferring Audio from the
Bluetooth System to a Cell Phone
During a call with the audio in the
vehicle:
1. Press
b
g.
2. Say “Transfer Call.”
Transferring Audio to the
Bluetooth System from a
Cell Phone
During a call with the audio on the
cell phone, press
b g. The audio
transfers to the vehicle. If the audio
does not transfer to the vehicle,
use the audio transfer feature on the
cell phone. See your cell phone
manufacturer's user guide for
more information.

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
9-8 Driving and Operating
Before You Go Off-Roading
.Have all necessary maintenance
and service work done.
.Make sure there is enough fuel,
that fluid levels are where they
should be, and that the spare
tire is fully inflated.
.Be sure to read all the
information about
four-wheel-drive vehicles in
this manual.
.Make sure all underbody
shields, if the vehicle has them,
are properly attached.
.Know the local laws that apply to
off-roading where you will be
driving or check with law
enforcement people in the area.
.Be sure to get the necessary
permission if you will be on
private land.
If you think you will need some
more ground clearance at the front
of your vehicle, you can remove the
front fascia lower air dam. The air dam is held in place by
two bolts and 10 snaps accessible
from underneath the front fascia.
To remove the air dam:
1. Remove the two outboard air
dam bolts.
2. With a flat‐blade tool, disengage the snaps.
3. After the bolts are removed and the snaps are disengaged, push
forward on the air dam until it
is free.
Notice: Operating your vehicle
for extended periods without
the front fascia lower air dam
installed can cause improper air
flow to the engine. Always be
sure to replace the front fascia
air dam when you are finished
off-road driving. After off-roading, be sure to reinstall
the air dam:
1. Line up the snaps and push
the air dam rearward to engage
the snaps.
2. Install the two outboard bolts.
Loading Your Vehicle for
Off-Road Driving
{WARNING
.Cargo on the load floor piled
higher than the seatbacks
can be thrown forward during
a sudden stop. You or your
passengers could be injured.
Keep cargo below the top of
the seatbacks.
.Unsecured cargo on the load
floor can be tossed about
when driving over rough
terrain. You or your
passengers can be struck by
flying objects. Secure the
cargo properly. (Continued)

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
9-18 Driving and Operating
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that
has collected on the underbody,
chassis, or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand,
have the brake linings cleaned and
checked. These substances can
cause glazing and uneven braking.
Check the body structure, steering,
suspension, wheels, tires, and
exhaust system for damage and
check the fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
The vehicle requires more frequent
service due to off-road use. Refer to
the Maintenance Schedule for
additional information.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep‐standing or flowing water.
{WARNING
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause your
vehicle to be carried away.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
If this happens, you and other
vehicle occupants could drown.
Do not ignore police warnings
and be very cautious about trying
to drive through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.

Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-19
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
.Have good tires with proper
tread depth. SeeTires on
page 10‑49.
.Turn off cruise control.
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to
your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find a
safe place to park the vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep interior temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving —scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{WARNING
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.

Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-31
Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has four different
positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular brake
pedal must be applied.
A (STOPPING THE ENGINE/
LOCK/OFF):When the vehicle is
stopped, turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF to turn the engine off. Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See
Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9‑34.
This position locks the ignition.
It also locks the transmission on
automatic transmission vehicles.
The key can be removed in
LOCK/OFF.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
In an emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to neutral. This can be done while the vehicle is
moving. After shifting to neutral,
firmly apply the brakes and steer
the vehicle to a safe location. 3. Come to a complete stop, shift
to P (Park), and turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF. On vehicles with
an automatic transmission, the
shift lever must be in P (Park) to
turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK/OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on page 9‑53.
The steering can bind with the
wheels turned off center. If this
happens, move the steering wheel
from right to left while turning the
key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
doesn't work, then the vehicle
needs service.
Notice: Using a tool to force the
key to turn in the ignition could
cause damage to the switch or
break the key. Use the correct
key, make sure it is all the way in,
and turn it only with your hand.
If the key cannot be turned by
hand, see your dealer.

Black plate (37,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-37
If you still are unable to shift out of
P (Park):
1. Ease the pressure on theshift lever.
2. While holding down the brake pedal, press the shift lever all
the way into P (Park).
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you are still having a problem
shifting, then have the vehicle
serviced soon.Parking Over Things
That Burn
{WARNING
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.
Active Fuel
Management™
Vehicles with V8 engines may have
Active Fuel Management™. This
system allows the engine to operate
on either all or half of its cylinders,
depending on the driving conditions. When less power is required, such
as cruising at a constant vehicle
speed, the system will operate in
the half cylinder mode, allowing the
vehicle to achieve better fuel
economy. When greater power
demands are required, such as
accelerating from a stop, passing,
or merging onto a freeway, the
system will maintain full-cylinder
operation.
If the vehicle has an Active Fuel
Management™
indicator, seeDriver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑28 for more information on
using this display.

Black plate (45,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-45
Automatic Transfer Case
The transfer case knob is located to
the left of the instrument panel
cluster.
Use this dial to shift into and out of
four-wheel drive.You can choose among five driving
settings:
Indicator lights in the switches show
you which setting you are in. The
indicator lights will come on briefly
when you turn on the ignition and
the last chosen setting will stay on.
If the lights do not come on, you
should take the vehicle to your
dealer for service. An indicator light
will flash while shifting. It will stay on
when the shift is completed. If for
some reason the transfer case
cannot make a requested shift, it will
return to the last chosen setting.
2
m(Two-Wheel Drive High):
This
setting is used for driving in most
street and highway situations.
The front axle is not engaged in
two-wheel drive. This setting also
provides the best fuel economy. AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel
Drive):
This setting is ideal for use
when road surface traction
conditions are variable. When
driving the vehicle in AUTO, the
front axle is engaged, and the
vehicle's power is sent to the front
and rear wheels automatically
based on driving conditions. Driving
in this mode results in slightly lower
fuel economy than Two-Wheel
Drive High.
4
m(Four-Wheel Drive High): Use
the Four-Wheel Drive High position
when you need extra traction, such
as on snowy or icy roads or in most
off-road situations. This setting also
engages your front axle to help
drive the vehicle. This is the best
setting to use when plowing snow.