Page 41 of 508

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-7
The vehicle cannot be remote
started if the key is in the ignition,
the hood is not closed, or if there
is an emission control system
malfunction and the check engine
light is on.
Also, the engine will turn off during a
remote vehicle start if the coolant
temperature gets too high or if the
oil pressure gets low.
Remote Start Ready
If the vehicle does not have the
remote vehicle start feature, it may
have the remote start ready feature.
This feature allows your dealer to
add the manufacturer's remote
vehicle start feature.
See your dealer to add the
manufacturer's remote vehicle
start feature to the vehicle.
Door Locks
{WARNING
Unlocked doors can be
dangerous.
.Passengers, especially
children, can easily open the
doors and fall out of a moving
vehicle. When a door is
locked, the handle will not
open it. The chance of being
thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash is increased if the
doors are not locked. So, all
passengers should wear
safety belts properly and the
doors should be locked
whenever the vehicle is
driven.
.Young children who get into
unlocked vehicles may be
unable to get out. A child can
be overcome by extreme heat
and can suffer permanent(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
injuries or even death from
heat stroke. Always lock the
vehicle whenever leaving it.
.Outsiders can easily enter
through an unlocked door
when you slow down or stop
the vehicle. Locking the doors
can help prevent this from
happening.
There are several ways to lock and
unlock the vehicle.
From outside, use the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter or
the key in the driver door.
From inside, use the power door
locks or manual door locks. To lock
or unlock the door with the manual
locks, push down or pull up on the
manual lock knob.
Page 43 of 508

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-9
Open the rear doors to access the
security locks on the inside edge of
each door.
To set the locks, insert a key into
the slot and turn it to the horizontal
position. The door can only be
opened from the outside with the
door unlocked. To return the door to
normal operation, turn the slot to the
vertical position.
Doors
Midgate®
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to drive with
the cargo area covered and the
tailgate and the Midgate
®open
because carbon monoxide (CO)
gas can come into your vehicle.
You can not see or smell CO.
It can cause unconsciousness
and even death. If you must drive
with the cargo covers on and the
tailgate and Midgate open or if
electrical wiring or other cable
connections must pass through
the seal between the body and
the Midgate:
.Make sure all windows
are shut.
.Turn the fan on your heating
or cooling system to its
highest speed on the setting
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
that brings in outside air. This
will force outside air into your
vehicle. SeeDual Automatic
Climate Control System on
page 8‑4.
.If you have air outlets on or
under the instrument panel,
open them all the way. See
Engine Exhaust on
page 9‑31.
Midgate Operation
This vehicle is equipped with a
Midgate and a removable rear glass
panel. The Midgate allows you to
extend the length of the vehicle's
cargo area.
Page 44 of 508

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
2-10 Keys, Doors, and Windows
The following are the main
components of the Midgate system:
A. Latch Levers
B. Grab Handles
C. Glass-Catch Release Button
D. Glass Lock Knobs
E. Glass Retaining Tabs
F. Midgate Release Handle
G. Glass Alignment Arrows
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.
Page 50 of 508

Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
2-16 Keys, Doors, and Windows
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.
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.
Removing the tailgate 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 54 of 508
Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
2-20 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Exterior Mirrors
Convex Mirrors
{WARNING
A convex mirror can make things,
like other vehicles, look farther
away than they really are. If you
cut too sharply into the right lane,
you could hit a vehicle on the
right. Check the inside mirror or
glance over your shoulder before
changing lanes.
The passenger side mirror is convex
shaped. A convex mirror's surface is
curved so more can be seen from
the driver seat.
Power Mirrors
Vehicles with outside power mirrors
have controls located on the
driver door. To adjust each mirror:
1. Press (A) or (B) to select the
driver or passenger side mirror.
2. Press the arrows on the control pad to move the mirror up,
down, right, or left.
3. Adjust the outside mirror so that the side of the vehicle and the
area behind are seen.
4. Press either (A) or (B) again to deselect the mirror.
Page 57 of 508

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-23
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 9‑56
for more information.
If the vehicle has a RVC, the
O
button 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 OnStar
Overview on page 14‑1.
Cleaning the Mirror
Do not spray glass cleaner directly
on the mirror. Use a soft towel
dampened with water.
Windows
{WARNING
Leaving children, helpless adults,
or pets in a vehicle with the
windows closed is dangerous.
They can be overcome by the
extreme heat and suffer
permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Never leave a
child, a helpless adult, or a pet
alone in a vehicle, especially with
the windows closed in warm or
hot weather.
The vehicle aerodynamics are
designed to improve fuel economy
performance. This may result in a
pulsing sound when either rear
window is down and the front
windows are up. To reduce the
sound, open either a front window
or the sunroof (if equipped).
Page 58 of 508

Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
2-24 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Power Windows
{WARNING
Leaving children in a vehicle with
the keys is dangerous for many
reasons. Children or others could
be badly injured or even killed.
They could operate the power
windows or other controls or even
make the vehicle move. The
windows will function and they
could be seriously injured or killed
if caught in the path of a closing
window. Do not leave keys in a
vehicle with children.
When there are children in the
rear seat use the window lockout
button to prevent unintentional
operation of the windows.
The power window switches are
located on each of the side doors.
The driver door also has switches
that control the front passenger and
rear windows. The power windows
work when the ignition is in ON/
RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY, or in
Retained Accessory Power (RAP).
SeeRetained Accessory Power
(RAP) on page 9‑28.
Press the switch to lower the
window. Pull up the front of the
switch to raise the window.
Express Down Windows
Windows that have the
express‐down feature allow the
windows to be lowered without
holding the switch. Press the
window switch fully and release it to
activate the express‐down feature.
The express mode can be canceled
at any time by briefly pressing,
or pulling the switch.
Window Lockout
o(Window Lockout): The
window lockout switch is on the
driver door. This feature prevents
the rear passenger windows from
operating, except from the driver
position. Press the switch to turn
the lockout feature on or off. An
indicator light shows the feature
is on.
Page 62 of 508

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
3-2 Seats and Restraints
Head Restraints
Front Seats
The front seats have adjustable
head restraints in the outboard
seating positions.
{WARNING
With head restraints that are not
installed and adjusted properly,
there is a greater chance that
occupants will suffer a neck/
spinal injury in a crash. Do not
drive until the head restraints for
all occupants are installed and
adjusted properly.
Adjust the head restraint so that the
top of the restraint is at the same
height as the top of the occupant's
head. This position reduces the
chance of a neck injury in a crash.The height of the head restraint can
be adjusted. Pull the head restraint
up to raise it. Try to move the head
restraint to make sure that it is
locked in place.
To lower the head restraint, press
the button, located on the top of the
seatback, and push the restraint
down. Try to move the head
restraint after the button is
released to make sure that it is
locked in place.
The front seat outboard head
restraints are not designed to be
removed.