Black plate (56,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
9-56 Driving and Operating
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC)
If available, the Rear Vision Camera
(RVC) system displays part of the
scene behind the vehicle.
{WARNING
The RVC system does not display
pedestrians, bicyclists, animals,
or any other object located
outside the camera's field of view,
below the bumper, or under the
vehicle.
Do not back the vehicle using
only the RVC screen or by using
the screen during longer, higher
speed backing maneuvers,
or where there could be
cross-traffic. Perceived distances
may be different from actual
distances.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Failure to use proper care before
backing may result in injury,
death, or vehicle damage. Always
check before backing by checking
behind and around the vehicle.
Vehicles without Navigation
System
The RVC system displays a view of
the area behind the vehicle. When
the vehicle is on and shifted into
R (Reverse) the video image
appears on the inside rearview
mirror. The video image disappears
after the vehicle is shifted out of
R (Reverse). Turning the RVC System On or Off
To turn off the RVC system, press
and hold
z, located on the inside
rearview mirror, until the left
indicator light turns off. The RVC
display is now disabled.
To turn the RVC system on, press
and hold
zuntil the left indicator
light comes on. The RVC system
display will appear in the mirror.
Vehicles with Navigation
System
The RVC system is designed to
help the driver when backing up by
displaying a view of the area behind
the vehicle. When the vehicle is
shifted into R (Reverse), the video
image appears on the navigation
screen. After a delay, the navigation
screen displays the last screen after
the vehicle is shifted out of
R (Reverse).
Black plate (57,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-57
Turning the RVC System On or Off
To turn the RVC system on or off:
1. Shift into P (Park).
2. Press MENU to enter theconfigure menu options. Turn
the Multifunction knob until the
Display feature is highlighted
and press the Multifunction
knob. Or press the Display
screen button
3. Select the Rear Camera Options screen button. The Rear Camera
Options screen displays.
4. Select the Video screen button.When the Video screen button is
highlighted the RVC
system is on. The delay that is received after
shifting out of R (Reverse) is
approximately 10 seconds. The
delay can be canceled by
performing one of the following:
.Pressing a hard key on the
navigation system.
.Shifting in to P (Park).
.Reach a vehicle speed of
8 km/h (5 mph).
Adjusting the Brightness and
Contrast of the Screen
To adjust the brightness and
contrast of the screen, press the
MENU button while the RVC image
is on the display. Any adjustments
made will only affect the RVC
screen.
](Brightness): Touch the + (plus)
or –(minus) screen buttons to
increase or decrease the brightness
of the screen.
_(Contrast): Touch the + (plus)
or –(minus) screen buttons to
increase or decrease the contrast of
the screen.
Symbols
The navigation system may have a
feature that allows for viewing
parking assist symbols on the
navigation screen while using the
RVC. The Ultrasonic Rear Park
Assist (URPA) system must not be
disabled to use the caution symbols.
If URPA has been disabled and the
symbols have been turned on, the
Rear Parking Assist Symbols
Unavailable error message may
display. See Ultrasonic Parking
Assist on page 9‑54.
The symbols appear near objects
detected by the URPA system. The
symbol may cover the object when
viewing the navigation screen.
Black plate (58,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
9-58 Driving and Operating
To turn the symbols on or off:
1. Make sure that URPA has notbeen disabled.
2. Shift into P (Park).
3. Press MENU to enter the configure menu options. Turn
the Multifunction knob until the
Display feature is highlighted
and press the Multifunction
knob. Or press the Display
screen button
4. Select the Rear Camera Options screen button. The Rear Camera
Options screen displays.
5. Touch the Symbols screen button. The screen button will be
highlighted when on. Guidelines
The RVC system has a guideline
overlay that can help the driver align
the vehicle when backing into a
parking spot.
To turn the guidelines on or off:
1. Make sure that URPA has not
been disabled.
2. Shift into P (Park).
3. Press MENU to enter the configure menu options. Turn
the Multifunction knob until the
Display feature is highlighted
and press the Multifunction
knob. Or press the Display
screen button
4. Select the Rear Camera Options screen button. The Rear Camera
Options screen displays.
5. Touch the Guidelines screen button. The screen button will be
highlighted when on.RVC Location
The camera is located under the
tailgate handle.
This shows the field of view that the
camera provides.
Black plate (59,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-59
A. View displayed by the camera
A. View displayed by the camera
B. Corners of the rear bumperDisplayed images may be further or
closer than they appear. The area
displayed is limited and objects
which are close to either corner of
the bumper or under the bumper do
not display.
When the System Does Not
Seem To Work Properly
The RVC system might not work
properly or display a clear image if:
.The RVC is turned off. See
“Turning the RVC System On or
Off”
earlier in this section.
.It is dark.
.The sun or the beam of
headlamps is shining directly
into the camera lens.
.Ice, snow, mud, or anything else
builds up on the camera lens.
Clean the lens, rinse it with
water, and wipe it with a soft
cloth.
.The back of the vehicle is in
an accident, the position and
mounting angle of the camera
can change or the camera can
be affected. Be sure to have the
camera and its position and
mounting angle checked at your
dealer.
The RVC system display in the
rearview mirror may turn off or not
appear as expected due to one
of the following conditions. If this
occurs the left indicator light on the
mirror will flash.
.A slow flash may indicate a loss
of video signal, or no video
signal present during the reverse
cycle.
.A fast flash may indicate that
the display has been on for the
maximum allowable time during
a reverse cycle, or the display
has reached an Over
Temperature limit.
Black plate (60,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
9-60 Driving and Operating
The fast flash conditions are
used to protect the video
device from high temperature
conditions. Once conditions
return to normal the device will
reset and the green indicator will
stop flashing.
During any of these fault conditions,
the display will be blank and the
indicator will flash while the vehicle
is in R (Reverse) or until the
conditions return to normal.
Press and hold
zwhen the left
indicator light is flashing to turn off
the video display along with the left
indicator light.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is
an important part of the proper
maintenance of this vehicle. To help
keep the engine clean and maintain
optimum vehicle performance, we
recommend the use of gasoline
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline.
Look for the TOP TIER label on the
fuel pump to ensure gasoline meets
enhanced detergency standards
developed by auto companies. A list
of marketers providing TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline can be found at
www.toptiergas.com.
Vehicles that have a FlexFuel badge
and a yellow fuel cap can use either
unleaded gasoline or ethanol fuel
containing up to 85% ethanol (E85).
See Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) on
page 9‑63. For all other vehicles,
use only the unleaded gasoline
described under Recommended
Fuel on page 9‑61.
Black plate (65,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-65
{WARNING
Fuel can spray out on you if you
open the fuel cap too quickly.
If you spill fuel and then
something ignites it, you could
be badly burned. This spray can
happen if the tank is nearly full,
and is more likely in hot weather.
Open the fuel cap slowly and wait
for any hiss noise to stop. Then
unscrew the cap all the way.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Do not
top off or overfill the tank and wait a
few seconds after you have finished
pumping before removing the
nozzle. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon as possible. See
Exterior Care on page 10‑96. When replacing the fuel cap,
insert the tether in its hole before
tightening the cap. Turn the fuel cap
clockwise until it clicks. It will require
more effort to turn the fuel cap on
the last turn as you tighten it. Make
sure the cap is fully installed. The
diagnostic system can determine if
the fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. This would
allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. See
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑19.
The TIGHTEN GAS CAP message
displays on the Driver Information
Center (DIC) if the fuel cap is not
properly installed. See Fuel System
Messages on page 5‑39 for more
information.
{WARNING
If a fire starts while you are
refueling, do not remove the
nozzle. Shut off the flow of fuel by
shutting off the pump or by
notifying the station attendant.
Leave the area immediately.
Notice: If a new fuel cap is
needed, be sure to get the right
type of cap from your dealer. The
wrong type of fuel cap might not
fit properly, might cause the
malfunction indicator lamp to
light, and could damage the fuel
tank and emissions system. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 5‑19.
Black plate (69,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-69
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. Then, to move
the trailer to the left, move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this
so the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance. If the trailer turn signal bulbs burn
out, the arrows on the instrument
panel will still flash for turns. It is
important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear
before starting down a long or
steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, the
brakes might get hot and no longer
work well.
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift
the transmission to a lower gear if
the transmission shifts too often
under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
The tow/haul mode may be used if
the transmission shifts too often.
See Tow/Haul Mode Light on
page 5‑23. When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: Engine coolant will boil at
a lower temperature than at normal
altitudes. If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the
vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run while parked,
preferably on level ground, with the
automatic transmission in P (Park)
for a few minutes before turning the
engine off. If the overheat warning
comes on, see
Engine Overheating
on page 10‑22.
Black plate (76,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
9-76 Driving and Operating
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer. Cross the
safety chains under the tongue of
the trailer to help prevent the tongue
from contacting the road if it
becomes separated from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains
may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer
manufacturer. If the trailer being
towed weighs up to 2 271 kg
(5,000 lbs) with a factory-installed
step bumper, safety chains may be
attached to the attaching points on
the bumper, otherwise, safety
chains should be attached to holes
on the trailer hitch platform. Always
leave just enough slack so the
combination can turn. Never allow
safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
A loaded trailer that weighs more
than 900 kg (2,000 lbs) needs to
have its own brake system that is
adequate for the weight of the
trailer. Be sure to read and followthe instructions for the trailer brakes
so they are installed, adjusted and
maintained properly.
Do not tap into the vehicle's
hydraulic system.
Trailer Wiring Harness
Heavy-Duty Trailer Wiring Harness
Package
The vehicle has a seven-pin
universal heavy-duty trailer
connector attached to the rear
bumper beam next to the integrated
trailer hitch.
The seven-wire harness contains
the following trailer circuits:
.Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
.Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn
Signal
.Brown: Taillamps
.White: Ground
.Light Green: Back-up Lamps
.Red: Battery Feed
.Dark Blue: Trailer Brake
If charging a remote (non-vehicle)
battery, press the tow/haul mode
button located at the end of the shift
lever. This will boost the vehicle
system voltage and properly charge
the battery. If the trailer is too light
for tow/haul mode, turn on the
headlamps as a second way to
boost the vehicle system and
charge the battery.