2012 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE oil reset

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-23
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
The DIC display is located at the
bottom of the instrument panel
cluster. It shows the status of
many vehicle systems and enables
access to the personalization menu.
The DIC buttons are located on the
instrument panel, next to the
steering wheel.
Some vehicles do not have the
buttons shown, however some of
the menus can be viewed by using
the trip odometer reset stem.
3:Press to display the
odometer, trip odometer, fuel range,
average economy, fuel used, timer,
instantaneous economy and Active
Fuel Management™ indicator,
and transmission temperature.
The compass and outside air
temperature will also be shown in
the display. The temperature will be
shown in °C or °F depending on the
units selected.
T: Press to display the oil life,
units, tire pressure readings for
vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), trailer
brake gain and output information
for vehicles with the Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system,
engine hours, compass zone
setting, and compass recalibration.
U: Press to customize the feature
settings on your vehicle. See
Vehicle Personalization (With DIC
Buttons) on page 5‑45 for more
information.
V: Press to set or reset certain
functions and to turn off or
acknowledge messages on the DIC.
For more information, see Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑26.
Vehicle Customization
Some vehicle features can be
programmed by using the DIC
buttons next to the steering wheel.
These features include:
.Language
.Door Lock and Unlock Settings
.RKE Lock and Unlock Feedback
.Lighting
.Chime Volume
.Memory Features
See Vehicle Personalization (With
DIC Buttons) on page 5‑45.

Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-25
Performance and
Maintenance
StabiliTrak®System
The vehicle has a traction control
system that limits wheel spin and
the StabiliTrak system that assists
with directional control of the vehicle
in difficult driving conditions. Both
systems turn on automatically every
time the vehicle is started.
.To turn off traction control, press
and release
gon the instrument
panel. The appropriate DIC
message displays. See Ride
Control System Messages on
page 5‑40.
.To turn off both traction control
and StabiliTrak, press and hold
guntilgilluminates and the
appropriate DIC message
displays. See Ride Control
System Messages on page 5‑40.
.Press and releasegagain to
turn on both systems.
For more information, see
StabiliTrak
®System on page 9‑46.
Tire Pressure Monitor
This vehicle may have a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).
The TPMS warning light alerts you
to a significant loss in pressure of
one of the vehicle's tires. If the
warning light comes on, stop as
soon as possible and inflate the
tires to the recommended pressure
shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label. See Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑16. The warning
light will remain on until the tire
pressure is corrected. During cooler conditions, the low tire
pressure warning light may appear
when the vehicle is first started and
then turn off. This may be an early
indicator that the tire pressures are
getting low and the tires need to be
inflated to the proper pressure.
The TPMS does not replace normal
monthly tire maintenance. It is the
driver
’s responsibility to maintain
correct tire pressures.
See Tire Pressure Monitor System
on page 10‑58.
Engine Oil Life System
The engine oil life system calculates
engine oil life based on vehicle use
and, on most vehicles, displays a
DIC message when it is necessary
to change the engine oil and filter.
The oil life system should be reset
to 100% only following an oil
change.

Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
1-26 In Brief
Resetting the Oil Life System
To reset the Engine Oil Life System
on most vehicles:
1. Display OIL LIFE REMAININGon the DIC. If the vehicle does
not have DIC buttons, the
vehicle must be in P (Park) to
access this display.
2. Press and hold the SET/RESET button on the DIC, or the trip
odometer reset stem if the
vehicle does not have DIC
buttons, for more than
five seconds. The oil life will
change to 100%. On all vehicles, the Engine Oil Life
System can be reset as follows:
1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with
the engine off.
2. Fully press the accelerator pedal slowly three times within
five seconds.
3. Display OIL LIFE REMAINING on the DIC. If the display shows
100%, the system is reset.
See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑11.
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)
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.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.

Black plate (27,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-27
Operation and Displays
The DIC has different displays
which can be accessed by pressing
the DIC buttons located on the
instrument panel, next to the
steering wheel. If the vehicle does
not have DIC buttons, the trip
odometer reset stem can be used to
access some of the menu items
The DIC displays trip, fuel, and
vehicle system information, and
warning messages if a system
problem is detected.
The DIC also allows some features
to be customized. SeeVehicle
Personalization (With DIC Buttons)
on page 5‑45 for more information. DIC Buttons
The buttons are the trip/fuel, vehicle
information, customization, and set/
reset buttons. The button functions
are detailed in the following pages.
3(Trip/Fuel):
Press to display
the odometer, trip odometer, fuel
range, average economy, fuel
used, timer, instantaneous economy
and Active Fuel Management™
indicator, and transmission
temperature. The compass and outside air temperature will
also be shown in the display. The
temperature will be shown in °C or
°F depending on the units selected.
T(Vehicle Information):
Press
to display the oil life, units, tire
pressure readings for vehicles
with the Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS), trailer brake gain
and output information for vehicles
with the Integrated Trailer Brake
Control (ITBC) system, engine
hours, compass zone setting, and
compass recalibration.
U(Customization): Press to
customize the feature settings
on your vehicle. See Vehicle
Personalization (With DIC Buttons)
on page 5‑45 for more information.
V(Set/Reset):Press to set or
reset certain functions and to turn
off or acknowledge messages on
the DIC.

Black plate (30,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
5-30 Instruments and Controls
Instantaneous Economy and
Active Fuel Management™
Indicator
If your vehicle has this display,
press the trip/fuel button until INST
ECON V8 displays. This display
shows the current fuel economy at a
particular moment and will change
frequently as driving conditions
change. This display shows the
instantaneous fuel economy in liters
per 100 kilometers (L/100 km) or
miles per gallon (mpg). Unlike
average economy, this screen
cannot be reset.
An Active Fuel Management
indicator will display on the right
side of the DIC, while INST ECON
displays on the left side. Active Fuel
Management allows the engine to
operate on either four or eight
cylinders, depending on your driving
demands. When Active Fuel
Management is active, V4 will
display on the DIC. When ActiveFuel Management is inactive, V8
will display. See
Active Fuel
Management
®on page 9‑30 for
more information.
Blank Display
This display shows no information.
Vehicle Information Menu
Items (with DIC Buttons)
T(Vehicle Information): Press
to scroll through the following menu
items:
Oil Life
Press the vehicle information
button until OIL LIFE REMAINING
displays. This display shows an
estimate of the oil's remaining useful
life. If you see 99% OIL LIFE
REMAINING on the display, that
means 99% of the current oil life
remains. The engine oil life system
will alert you to change the oil on a
schedule consistent with your
driving conditions. When the remaining oil life is low,
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the display.
See
“CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON”
under Engine Oil Messages on
page 5‑38. You should change the
oil as soon as you can. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑8. In addition to the
engine oil life system monitoring the
oil life, additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance
Schedule in this manual. See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3 for more information.
Remember, you must reset the OIL
LIFE display yourself after each oil
change. It will not reset itself. Also,
be careful not to reset the OIL LIFE
display accidentally at any time
other than when the oil has just
been changed. It cannot be reset
accurately until the next oil change.
To reset the engine oil life system,
see Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑11.

Black plate (35,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-35
Oil Life
To access this display, the vehicle
must be in P (Park). Press the trip
odometer reset stem until OIL LIFE
REMAINING displays. This display
shows an estimate of the oil's
remaining useful life. If you see
99% OIL LIFE REMAINING on the
display, that means 99% of the
current oil life remains. The engine
oil life system will alert you to
change the oil on a schedule
consistent with your driving
conditions.
When the remaining oil life is low,
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the display.
See“CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON”
under Engine Oil Messages on
page 5‑38. You should change the
oil as soon as you can. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑8. In addition to the
engine oil life system monitoring the
oil life, additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance
Schedule in this manual. See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3 for more information. Remember, you must reset the OIL
LIFE display yourself after each oil
change. It will not reset itself. Also,
be careful not to reset the OIL LIFE
display accidentally at any time
other than when the oil has just
been changed. It cannot be reset
accurately until the next oil change.
To reset the engine oil life system,
see
Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑11.
Relearn Tire Positions
Your vehicle may have this display.
To access this display, the vehicle
must be in P (Park). If your vehicle
has the Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS), after rotating the
tires or after replacing a tire or
sensor, the system must re-learn the
tire positions. To re-learn the tire
positions, see Tire Pressure Monitor
System on page 10‑58. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑62, Tire
Rotation on page 10‑62 andTire
Messages on page 5‑42 for more
information.Vehicle Messages
Messages displayed on the DIC
indicate the status of the vehicle or
some action may be needed to
correct a condition. Multiple
messages may appear one after
another.
The messages that do not require
immediate action can be
acknowledged and cleared by
pressing
V(Set/Reset) or the trip
odometer reset stem.
The messages that require
immediate action cannot be cleared
until that action is performed.
All messages should be taken
seriously and clearing the message
does not correct the problem.
The following are the possible
messages and some information
about them.

Black plate (38,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
5-38 Instruments and Controls
If this message continues to appear,
have the system repaired by your
dealer as soon as possible to avoid
damage to the engine.
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE
ENGINE
Notice:If you drive the vehicle
while the engine is overheating,
severe engine damage may
occur. If an overheat warning
appears on the instrument panel
cluster and/or DIC, stop the
vehicle as soon as possible. See
Engine Overheating on
page 10‑22 for more information.
This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is too
hot. Stop and allow the vehicle to
idle until it cools down. See Engine
Coolant Temperature Gauge on
page 5‑14.
See Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode on page 10‑24 for
information on driving to a safe
place in an emergency.
ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP
ENGINE
Notice: If you drive the vehicle
while the engine is overheating,
severe engine damage may
occur. If an overheat warning
appears on the instrument panel
cluster and/or DIC, stop the
vehicle as soon as possible.
See Engine Overheating on
page 10‑22 for more information.
This message displays and a chime
sounds if the engine cooling system
reaches unsafe temperatures for
operation. Stop and turn off the
vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so
to avoid severe damage. This
message clears when the engine
has cooled to a safe operating
temperature.
Engine Oil Messages
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
This message displays when the
engine oil needs to be changed.
When you change the engine oil, be
sure to reset the CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message. See Engine
Oil Life System on page 10‑11 for
information on how to reset the
message. See Engine Oil on
page 10‑8 andMaintenance
Schedule on page 11‑3 for more
information.
ENGINE OIL HOT IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays when the
engine oil becomes hotter than the
normal operating temperature. Stop
and allow the vehicle to idle until it
cools down. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge on page 5‑14.

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-11
Used oil can be a threat to the
environment. If you change your
own oil, be sure to drain all the oil
from the filter before disposal. Never
dispose of oil by putting it in the
trash or pouring it on the ground,
into sewers, or into streams or
bodies of water. Recycle it by taking
it to a place that collects used oil.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
This vehicle has a computer system
that indicates when to change the
engine oil and filter. This is based
on a combination of factors which
include engine revolutions, engine
temperature, and miles driven.Based on driving conditions, the
mileage at which an oil change is
indicated can vary considerably. For
the oil life system to work properly,
the system must be reset every time
the oil is changed.
On some vehicles, when the system
has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, a CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message comes on to
indicate that an oil change is
necessary. See
Engine Oil
Messages on page 5‑38. Change
the oil as soon as possible within
the next 1 000 km (600 mi). It is possible that, if driving under
the best conditions, the oil life
system might indicate that an oil
change is not necessary for up to a
year. The engine oil and filter must
be changed at least once a year
and, at this time, the system must
be reset. For vehicles without the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message, an oil change is
needed when the OIL LIFE
REMAINING percentage is near
0%. Your dealer has trained service
people who will perform this work
and reset the system. It is also
important to check the oil regularly
over the course of an oil drain
interval and keep it at the proper
level.