2012 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE light

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-21
Safety Belt Care
Keep belts clean and dry.
{WARNING
Do not bleach or dye safety belts.
It may severely weaken them. In
a crash, they might not be able to
provide adequate protection.
Clean safety belts only with mild
soap and lukewarm water.
Replacing Safety Belt
System Parts after a
Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the safety
belt system in the vehicle.
A damaged safety belt system
may not properly protect the
person using it, resulting in
serious injury or even death in a
crash. To help make sure the
safety belt systems are working
properly after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as
possible.After a minor crash, replacement of
safety belts may not be necessary.
But the safety belt assemblies that
were used during any crash may
have been stressed or damaged.
See your dealer to have the safety
belt assemblies inspected or
replaced.
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the safety belt
system was not being used at the
time of the crash.
Have the safety belt pretensioners
checked if the vehicle has been in a
crash, or if the airbag readiness light
stays on after you start the vehicle
or while you are driving. See
Airbag
Readiness Light on page 5‑16.

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-23
{WARNING
Because airbags inflate with great
force and faster than the blink of
an eye, anyone who is up
against, or very close to any
airbag when it inflates can be
seriously injured or killed. Do not
sit unnecessarily close to any
airbag, as you would be if sitting
on the edge of the seat or leaning
forward. Safety belts help keep
you in position before and during
a crash. Always wear a safety
belt, even with airbags. The driver
should sit as far back as possible
while still maintaining control of
the vehicle.
Occupants should not lean on or
sleep against the door or side
windows in seating positions with
seat-mounted side impact airbags
and/or roof-rail airbags.
{WARNING
Children who are up against,
or very close to, any airbag
when it inflates can be seriously
injured or killed. Airbags plus
lap-shoulder belts offer protection
for adults and older children, but
not for young children and infants.
Neither the vehicle safety belt
system nor its airbag system is
designed for them. Young
children and infants need the
protection that a child restraint
system can provide. Always
secure children properly in the
vehicle. To read how, seeOlder
Children on page 3‑36 orInfants
and Young Children on
page 3‑38.
There is an airbag readiness light
on the instrument panel cluster,
which shows the airbag symbol.
The system checks the airbag
electrical system for malfunctions.
The light tells you if there is an
electrical problem. See Airbag
Readiness Light on page 5‑16 for
more information.

Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-31
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the right front
passenger frontal airbag if:
.The right front passenger seat is
unoccupied.
.The system determines an infant
is present in a child restraint.
.A right front passenger takes
his/her weight off of the seat for
a period of time.
.There is a critical problem with
the airbag system or the
passenger sensing system.
When the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right front
passenger frontal airbag, the off
indicator will light and stay lit as a
reminder that the airbag is off. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 5‑17. The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn on (may inflate)
the right front passenger frontal
airbag anytime the system senses
that a person of adult size is
sitting properly in the right front
passenger seat.
When the passenger sensing
system has allowed the airbag
to be enabled, the on indicator will
light and stay lit as a reminder that
the airbag is active.
For some children, including
children in child restraints, and for
very small adults, the passenger
sensing system may or may not
turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag, depending upon
the person's seating posture
and body build. Everyone in the
vehicle who has outgrown child
restraints should wear a safety belt
properly
—whether or not there is
an airbag for that person.
{WARNING
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. See Airbag Readiness
Light on page 5‑16 for more
information, including important
safety information.

Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
3-32 Seats and Restraints
If the On Indicator is Lit for a
Child Restraint
If a child restraint has been installed
and the on indicator is lit:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove the child restraint fromthe vehicle.
3. Remove any additional items from the seat such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.
4. Reinstall the child restraint following the directions provided
by the child restraint
manufacturer and refer to
Securing Child Restraints (Rear
Seat Position) on page 3‑51 or
Securing Child Restraints
(Center Front Seat Position) on
page 3‑53 orSecuring Child
Restraints (Right Front Seat
Position) on page 3‑54. 5. If, after reinstalling the child
restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is still lit,
turn the vehicle off. Then slightly
recline the vehicle seatback and
adjust the seat cushion,
if adjustable, to make sure that
the vehicle seatback is not
pushing the child restraint into
the seat cushion.
Also make sure the child
restraint is not trapped under the
vehicle head restraint. If this
happens, adjust the head
restraint. See Head Restraints
on page 3‑2.
6. Restart the vehicle.
The passenger sensing system
may or may not turn off the
airbag for a child in a child
restraint depending upon the
child’s seating posture and body
build. It is better to secure the
child restraint in a rear seat.
If the Off Indicator is Lit for an
Adult-Size Occupant
If a person of adult size is sitting in
the right front passenger seat, but
the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting
properly in the seat. If this happens,

Black plate (35,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-35
the passenger airbag(s). See
Passenger Sensing System on
page 3‑29.
If you have any questions, call
Customer Assistance. The
phone numbers and addresses
for Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this
manual. SeeCustomer
Satisfaction Procedure (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑1 or
Customer Satisfaction
Procedure (Mexico) on
page 13‑3.
If the vehicle has rollover
roof-rail airbags, see Different
Size Tires and Wheels on
page 10‑66 for additional
important information. Q: Because I have a disability,
I have to get my vehicle
modified. How can I find out
whether this will affect my
airbag system?
A: If you have questions, call
Customer Assistance. The
phone numbers and addresses
for Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this
manual. See Customer
Satisfaction Procedure (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑1 or
Customer Satisfaction
Procedure (Mexico) on
page 13‑3.
In addition, your dealer and the
service manual have information
about the location of the airbag
sensors, sensing and diagnostic
module and airbag wiring.Airbag System Check
The airbag system does not need
regularly scheduled maintenance or
replacement. Make sure the airbag
readiness light is working. See
Airbag Readiness Light on
page 5‑16 for more information.
Notice: If an airbag covering is
damaged, opened, or broken, the
airbag may not work properly. Do
not open or break the airbag
coverings. If there are any
opened or broken airbag covers,
have the airbag covering and/or
airbag module replaced. For the
location of the airbags, see
Where Are the Airbags? on
page 3‑24. See your dealer for
service.

Black plate (36,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
3-36 Seats and Restraints
Replacing Airbag System
Parts after a Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the airbag
systems in the vehicle.
A damaged airbag system
may not work properly and
may not protect you and your
passenger(s) in a crash, resulting
in serious injury or even death.
To help make sure the airbag
systems are working properly
after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as
possible.If an airbag inflates, you will need to
replace airbag system parts. See
your dealer for service.
If the airbag readiness light stays on
after the vehicle is started or comes
on when you are driving, the airbag
system may not work properly. Have
the vehicle serviced right away.
See
Airbag Readiness Light on
page 5‑16 for more information.
Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown
booster seats should wear the
vehicle safety belts.

Black plate (56,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
3-56 Seats and Restraints
6. To tighten the belt, push downon the child restraint, pull the
shoulder portion of the belt to
tighten the lap portion of the belt,
and feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor. When installing
a forward-facing child restraint, it
may be helpful to use your knee
to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.
Try to pull the belt out of the
retractor to make sure the
retractor is locked. If the
retractor is not locked, repeat
Steps 5 and 6. 7. Before placing a child in the
child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To check,
grasp the child restraint at the
safety belt path and attempt
to move it side‐to‐side and
back‐and‐forth. When the child
restraint is properly installed,
there should be no more than
2.5 cm (1 in) of movement.
If the vehicle is equipped with the
passenger sensing system, and
when the passenger sensing system
has turned off the right front
passenger frontal airbag, the off
indicator in the passenger airbag
status indicator should light and stay
lit when you start the vehicle. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 5‑17. If a child restraint has been
installed and the on indicator is lit,
see
“If the On Indicator is Lit for a
Child Restraint” underPassenger
Sensing System on page 3‑29 for
more information.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and
let it return to the stowed position.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Storage 4-1
Storage
Storage Compartments
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Overhead Console . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Armrest Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Center Console Storage . . . . . . 4-2
Top-Box Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Luggage/Load Locations
Cargo Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Additional Storage Features
Cargo Cover Panels . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Cargo Tie-Downs . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Roof Rack System
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Storage
Compartments
Glove Box
Lift up on the glove box lever to
open it.
Cupholders
For vehicles with cupholders for
front and rear passengers, the
cupholders are located in the center
console and on the back of the
center console.
Press down and release the access
door to open and use the front
cupholders.
Pull down on the door located on
the back of the console to use the
rear cupholders. Push on the door
to close it.Push down and then back to
remove the front cupholder for
cleaning.
For vehicles with a rear armrest/
cupholder, pull up and out on the
tab on the top center of the armrest.
Pull the armrest down to access the
cupholder.Overhead Console
For vehicles with an overhead
console, it contains reading lights
and a small storage area.
Press the button next to each light
to turn it on and off.
Armrest Storage
Vehicles may have a center armrest
storage compartment in front of the
bench seat. Open it by folding the
armrest down and pressing the
handle on the front.