
Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2011
10-26 Vehicle Care
Brakes
This vehicle has disc brakes. Disc
brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time the vehicle is
moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.
{WARNING
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Notice: Continuing to drive with
worn-out brake pads could result
in costly brake repair. Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications in
Capacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2.
Brake linings should always be
replaced as complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service might be
required.
Brake Adjustment
Every time the brakes are applied,
with or without the vehicle moving,
the brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is
complex. Its many parts have to be
of top quality and work well together
if the vehicle is to have really good
braking. The vehicle was designed
and tested with top-quality brake
parts. When parts of the braking
system are replaced, be sure to get
new, approved replacement parts.
If this is not done, the brakes might
not work properly. For example,
installing disc brake pads that are
wrong for the vehicle, can change
the balance between the front and
rear brakes —for the worse. The
braking performance expected can
change in many other ways if the
wrong replacement brake parts are
installed.

Black plate (27,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-27
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder reservoir
is filled with DOT 3 brake fluid. See
Engine Compartment Overview on
page 10‑6for the location of the
reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in the reservoir
might go down:
.The brake fluid level goes down
because of normal brake lining
wear. When new linings are
installed, the fluid level goes
back up.
.A fluid leak in the brake
hydraulic system can also cause
a low fluid level. Have the brake
hydraulic system fixed, since a
leak means that sooner or later
the brakes will not work well.
Do not top off the brake fluid.
Adding fluid does not correct a leak.
If fluid is added when the linings are
worn, there will be too much fluid
when new brake linings are
installed. Add or remove brake fluid,
as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
{WARNING
If too much brake fluid is added, it
can spill on the engine and burn,
if the engine is hot enough. You
or others could be burned, and
the vehicle could be damaged.
Add brake fluid only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic
system. See “Checking Brake
Fluid” in this section.
When the brake fluid falls to a low
level, the brake warning light comes
on. See Brake System Warning
Light on page 5‑24.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule
to determine when to check the
brake fluid. See Scheduled
Maintenance on page 11‑3.

Black plate (62,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2011
10-62 Vehicle Care
.Operating electronic devices or
being near facilities using radio
wave frequencies similar to the
TPMS could cause the TPMS
sensors to malfunction.
If the TPMS is not functioning it
cannot detect or signal a low tire
condition. See your dealer for
service if the TPMS malfunction
light and DIC message comes on
and stays on.
TPMS Sensor Matching
Process
Each TPMS sensor has a unique
identification code. Any time you
rotate your vehicle's tires or replace
one or more of the TPMS sensors,
the identification codes will need to
be matched to the new tire/wheel
position. The sensors are matched
to the tire/wheel positions in the
following order: driver side front tire,
passenger side front tire, passenger
side rear tire, and driver side rear
tire using a TPMS diagnostic tool.
See your dealer for service. The TPMS sensors can also be
matched to each tire/wheel position
by increasing or decreasing the
tire's air pressure. If increasing the
tire's air pressure, do not exceed
the maximum inflation pressure
indicated on the tire's sidewall.
To decrease air-pressure out of a
tire you can use the pointed end of
the valve cap, a pencil-style air
pressure gauge, or a key.
You have two minutes to match the
first tire/wheel position, and
five minutes overall to match all four
tire/wheel positions. If it takes longer
than two minutes, to match the first
tire and wheel, or more than
five minutes to match all four tire
and wheel positions the matching
process stops and you need to
start over.
The TPMS sensor matching process
is outlined below:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition switch to ON/
RUN with the engine off. 3. Press
QandKon the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter
at the same time for
approximately five seconds. The
horn sounds twice to signal the
receiver is in relearn mode and
TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE
message displays on the DIC
screen.
4. Start with the driver side front tire.
5. Remove the valve cap from the valve cap stem. Activate the
TPMS sensor by increasing or
decreasing the tire's air pressure
for five seconds, or until a horn
chirp sounds. The horn chirp,
which may take up to
30 seconds to sound, confirms
that the sensor identification
code has been matched to this
tire and wheel position.
6. Proceed to the passenger side front tire, and repeat the
procedure in Step 5.

Black plate (89,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-89
WARNING (Continued)
If you do not follow these steps
exactly, some or all of these
things can hurt you.
Notice: Ignoring these steps
could result in costly damage to
the vehicle that would not be
covered by the warranty.
Trying to start the vehicle by
pushing or pulling it will not
work, and it could damage the
vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt battery with a
negative ground system.
Notice: Only use vehicles with
12-volt systems with negative
grounds to jump start your
vehicle. If the other vehicle's
system is not a 12-volt system
with a negative ground, both
vehicles can be damaged. 2. Get the vehicles close enough
so the jumper cables can reach,
but be sure the vehicles are not
touching each other. If they are,
it could cause a ground
connection you do not want. You
would not be able to start your
vehicle, and the bad grounding
could damage the electrical
systems.
To avoid the possibility of the
vehicles rolling, set the parking
brake firmly on both vehicles
involved in the jump start
procedure. Put the automatic
transmission in P (Park) or a
manual transmission in
N (Neutral) before setting the
parking brake. If the vehicle has
a four-wheel-drive transfer case
with a N (Neutral) position, be
sure the transfer case is in a
drive gear, not in N (Neutral).
Notice: If you leave the radio or
other accessories on during the
jump starting procedure, they
could be damaged. The repairs
would not be covered by the warranty. Always turn off the
radio and other accessories when
jump starting the vehicle.
3. Turn off the ignition on both
vehicles. Unplug unnecessary
accessories plugged into the
cigarette lighter or the accessory
power outlets. Turn off the radio
and all the lamps that are not
needed. This avoids sparks and
helps save both batteries. And it
could save the radio!
4. Open the hood on the other vehicle and locate the
positive (+) and negative (−)
terminal locations on that
vehicle.
Your vehicle has a remote
positive (+) jump starting
terminal and a remote
negative (−) jump starting
terminal. You should always use
these remote terminals instead
of the terminals on the battery.

Black plate (98,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2011
10-98 Vehicle Care
6. Use an adequate clampingdevice 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
Weatherstrips
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 11‑7.
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.
Do not wash the vehicle in direct
sunlight. Use a car washing soap.
Do not use cleaning agents that are
petroleum based or that contain
acid or abrasives, as they can
damage the paint, metal or plastic
on the vehicle. Approved cleaning
products can be obtained from your
dealer. Follow all manufacturers'
directions regarding correct product
usage, necessary safety
precautions and appropriate
disposal of any vehicle care
product.
Rinse the vehicle well, before
washing and after to remove all
cleaning agents completely. If they
are allowed to dry on the surface,
they could stain.
Dry the finish with a soft, clean
chamois or an all-cotton towel to
avoid surface scratches and water
spotting.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-1
A
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Active Fuel Management™ . . . . 9-37
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-97
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-97
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . 3-54
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Adjustments Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . 10-15
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-13
Airbag System
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-56
How Does an AirbagRestrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-47
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-49
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-47 Airbag System (cont.)
What Will You See After
an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . 3-48
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-45
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . 3-43
Airbags Adding Equipment to theVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-54
Passenger Status Indicator . . . 5-20
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Servicing Airbag-Equipped Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-54
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
Alarm System Anti-Theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Antenna Rear Side Window . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Anti-Theft Alarm System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Alarm System Messages . . . . . 5-46
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25 Appearance Care
Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-98
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-102
Armrest Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Assistance Program, Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7, 13-10
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
CD/DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20
Audio System Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13
Rear Seat (RSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-46
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . . 7-2
Automatic Dimming Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Level Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-58
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . 9-39 Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control
Function Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Auxiliary
Roof Mounted Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2011
i-2 INDEX
Auxiliary Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-31
Axle, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Axle, Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
B
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-88
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . 10-34
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-48
Brake Pedal and AdjustableThrottle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Brake System Warning Light . . . 5-24
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26 Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 9-29 Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . 10-39
Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Stoplamps, and
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 9-72
Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Camera, Rear Vision . . . . . . . . . . 9-66
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . iii
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Carbon Monoxide
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10, 2-12
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20 Cargo
Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Cautions, Danger, and Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
CD DVD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . 4-2
Center Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-70
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . 5-21
Check
Engine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
IgnitionTransmission Lock . . . . . . . . 10-33
Child Restraints
Infants and YoungChildren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-59
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . 3-65
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-57
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-74, 3-77
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-61
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2011
i-4 INDEX
Dual Automatic ClimateControl System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4
DVD Rear Seat EntertainmentSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-36
DVD/CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20
E
E85 Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-74
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-97
Electrical System Engine Compartment
Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Check and Service EngineSoon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 10-6
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17 Engine (cont.)
Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Cooling System Messages . . . 5-40
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-4
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Overheated Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-42
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 9-38
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-11
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-87
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . 13-17
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 3-40
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 6-2
F
Fan Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Features Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Filter Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 6-5
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-71
Flat Tire, Changing . . . . . . . . . . . 10-73
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-105
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . 10-12
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Four-Wheel DriveTransfer Case . . . . . . . . . 9-46, 9-51
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Fog Lamps
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29, 9-46, 9-51
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30