
Black plate (39,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-39
Engine Power Messages
ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
This message displays and a chime
sounds when the cooling system
temperature gets too hot and the
engine further enters the engine
coolant protection mode. See
Engine Overheating on page 10‑19
for further information.
This message also displays when
the engine power is reduced.
Reduced engine power can affect
the vehicle's ability to accelerate.
If this message is on, but there
is no reduction in performance,
proceed to your destination. The
performance may be reduced the
next time the vehicle is driven. The
vehicle may be driven at a reduced
speed while this message is on, but
acceleration and speed may be
reduced. Anytime this message
stays on, the vehicle should be
taken to your dealer for service as
soon as possible.
Fuel System Messages
FUEL LEVEL LOW
This message displays and a chime
sounds if the fuel level is low. Refuel
as soon as possible. SeeFuel
Gauge on page 5‑12 andFuel on
page 9‑60 for more information.
TIGHTEN GAS CAP
This message may display along
with the check engine light on the
instrument panel cluster if the fuel
cap is not tightened properly. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 5‑18. Reinstall the fuel cap
fully. SeeFilling the Tank on
page 9‑63. The diagnostic system
can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed.
A loose or missing fuel cap
allows fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. A few driving trips with
the cap properly installed should
turn this light and message off.
Key and Lock Messages
REPLACE BATTERY IN
REMOTE KEY
This message displays if a Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter
battery is low. The battery needs
to be replaced in the transmitter.
See “Battery Replacement” under
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2‑3.
Lamp Messages
TURN SIGNAL ON
This message displays and a chime
sounds if a turn signal is left on for
1.2 km (0.75 mile). Move the turn
signal/multifunction lever to the off
position.

Black plate (45,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-45
Washer Fluid Messages
WASHER FLUID LOW ADD
FLUID
This message displays when the
windshield washer fluid is low. Fill
the windshield washer fluid reservoir
as soon as possible. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on
page 10‑6 for the location of the
windshield washer fluid reservoir.
Also, see Washer Fluid on
page 10‑23 for more information.
Vehicle
Personalization
Vehicle Personalization
(With DIC Buttons)
Your vehicle may have
customization capabilities that allow
you to program certain features to
one preferred setting. Customization
features can only be programmed
to one setting on the vehicle and
cannot be programmed to a
preferred setting for two different
drivers.
All of the customization options may
not be available on your vehicle.
Only the options available will be
displayed on the DIC.
The default settings for the
customization features were set
when your vehicle left the factory,
but may have been changed from
their default state since then. The customization preferences are
automatically recalled.
To change customization
preferences, use the following
procedure.Entering the Feature
Settings Menu
1. Turn the ignition on and place
the vehicle in P (Park).
To avoid excessive drain on the
battery, it is recommended that
the headlamps are turned off.
2. Press the customization button to scroll through the available
customizable options.

Black plate (55,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-55
To program another Rolling Code
device such as an additional garage
door opener, a security device,
or home automation device, repeat
Steps 1 through 5, choosing a
different function button in Step 3
than what was used for the garage
door opener.
If these instructions do not work,
the garage door opener is probably
a Fixed Code unit. Follow the
programming instructions that follow
for a Fixed Code garage door
opener.
Programming Universal Home
Remote—Fixed Code
For questions or help programming
the Universal Home Remote
System, call 1-866-572-2728 or go
to www.learcar2u.com.
Most garage door openers sold
before 1996 are Fixed Code units.
Programming a garage door opener
involves time-sensitive actions, so
read the entire procedure before starting. Otherwise, the device will
time out and the procedure will have
to be repeated.To program up to three devices:
1. To verify that the garage door
opener is a Fixed Code unit,
remove the battery cover on the
hand-held transmitter supplied
by the manufacturer of the
garage door opener motor.
If there is a row of dip switches
similar to the graphic above, the
garage door opener is a Fixed Code unit. If you do not see
a row of dip switches, return
to the previous section for
Programming Universal Home
Remote
—Rolling Code.
Your hand-held transmitter
can have between 8 to 12 dip
switches depending on the
brand of transmitter.
The garage door opener receiver
(motor head unit) could also
have a row of dip switches that
can be used when programming
the Universal Home Remote.
If the total number of switches
on the motor head and
hand-held transmitter are
different, or if the dip switch
settings are different, use the
dip switch settings on the
motor head unit to program the
Universal Home Remote. The
motor head dip switch settings
can also be used when the
original hand-held transmitter is
not available.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
Lighting 6-1
Lighting
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Automatic Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . 6-5
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Auxiliary Roof-Mounted Lamp . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel IlluminationControl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Battery Load Management . . . . 6-9
Battery Power Protection . . . . . . 6-9
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls
The exterior lamps control is located
on the instrument panel to the left of
the steering wheel.
It controls the following systems:
.Headlamps
.Taillamps
.Parking Lamps
.License Plate Lamps
.Instrument Panel Lights

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
6-2 Lighting
The exterior lamps control has four
positions:
O(Off):Turns off the automatic
headlamps and Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL). Turn the headlamp
control to the off position again to
turn the automatic headlamps or
DRL back on.
For vehicles first sold in Canada,
the off position will only work when
the vehicle is shifted into P (Park).
AUTO (Automatic): Automatically
turns on the headlamps at normal
brightness, together with the
following:
.Parking Lamps
.Instrument Panel Lights
.Taillamps
.License Plate Lamps
;(Parking Lamps): Turns on
the parking lamps together with the
following:
.Instrument Panel Lights
.Taillamps
.License Plate Lamps
2(Headlamps): Turns on the
headlamps together with the
following lamps listed below.
.Parking Lamps
.Instrument Panel Lights
.Taillamps
.License Plate Lamps
When the headlamps are turned
on while the vehicle is on, the
headlamps will turn off automatically
10 minutes after the ignition is
turned off. When the headlamps are
turned on while the vehicle is off,
the headlamps will stay on for
10 minutes before automatically
turning off to prevent the battery from being drained. Turn the
headlamp control to off and then
back to the headlamp on position to
make the headlamps stay on for an
additional 10 minutes.
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder
A reminder chime will sound when
the headlamps or parking lamps are
manually turned on and the ignition
is off and a door is open. To disable
the chime, turn the light off.
Headlamp High/
Low-Beam Changer
5 3
(Headlamp High/Low
Beam Changer): To change the
headlamps from low to high beam,
push the lever toward the instrument
panel. To return to low-beam
headlamps, pull the multifunction
lever toward you. Then release it.

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
Lighting 6-9
Battery Load
Management
The vehicle has Electric Power
Management (EPM) that estimates
the battery's temperature and state
of charge. It then adjusts the voltage
for best performance and extended
life of the battery.
When the battery's state of charge
is low, the voltage is raised slightly
to quickly bring the charge back up.
When the state of charge is high,
the voltage is lowered slightly to
prevent overcharging. If the vehicle
has a voltmeter gauge or a voltage
display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC), you may see the
voltage move up or down. This is
normal. If there is a problem, an
alert will be displayed.
The battery can be discharged at
idle if the electrical loads are very
high. This is true for all vehicles.This is because the generator
(alternator) may not be spinning fast
enough at idle to produce all the
power that is needed for very high
electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when
several of the following are on,
such as: headlamps, high beams,
fog lamps, rear window defogger,
climate control fan at high speed,
heated seats, engine cooling fans,
trailer loads, and loads plugged into
accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive
discharge of the battery. It does this
by balancing the generator's output
and the vehicle's electrical needs.
It can increase engine idle speed to
generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce
the power demands of some
accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in
steps or levels, without being
noticeable. In rare cases at the
highest levels of corrective action,
this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a Driver Information
Center (DIC) message might be
displayed, such as BATTERY LOW
START VEHICLE. If this message
displays, it is recommended that the
driver reduce the electrical loads as
much as possible and restart the
vehicle. See
Battery Voltage and
Charging Messages on page 5‑35.
Battery Power Protection
This feature shuts off the dome, and
reading lamps if they are left on for
more than 10 minutes when the
ignition is off. This will keep the
battery from running down.

Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
Infotainment System 7-13
Radio Reception
Frequency interference and static
can occur during normal radio
reception if items such as cell phone
chargers, vehicle convenience
accessories, and external electronic
devices are plugged into the
accessory power outlet. If there is
interference or static, unplug the
item from the accessory power
outlet.
AM
The range for most AM stations is
greater than for FM, especially at
night. The longer range can cause
station frequencies to interfere
with each other. For better radio
reception, most AM radio stations
boost the power levels during the
day, and then reduce these levels
during the night. Static can also
occur when things like storms and
power lines interfere with radio
reception. When this happens, try
reducing the treble on the radio.
FM Stereo
FM signals only reach about
16 to 65 km (10 to 40 mi). Although
the radio has a built-in electronic
circuit that automatically works to
reduce interference, some static
can occur, especially around tall
buildings or hills, causing the sound
to fade in and out.
XM™Satellite Radio Service
XM Satellite Radio Service gives
digital radio reception from coast to
coast in the 48 contiguous United
States, and in Canada. Just as
with FM, tall buildings or hills can
interfere with satellite radio signals,
causing the sound to fade in and
out. In addition, traveling or standing
under heavy foliage, bridges,
garages, or tunnels may cause loss
of the XM signal for a period of time.
Cellular Phone Usage
Cellular phone usage may cause
interference with the vehicle's radio.
This interference may occur when
making or receiving phone calls,
charging the phone's battery,
or simply having the phone on. This
interference causes an increased
level of static while listening to the
radio. If static is received while
listening to the radio, unplug the
cellular phone and turn it off.
Rear Side Window
Antenna
The AM-FM antenna is located in
the passenger rear side windows.
Make sure the inside surfaces of the
rear side windows are not scratched
and that the lines on the glass are
not damaged. If the inside surfaces
are damaged, they could interfere
with radio reception.

Black plate (30,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
7-30 Infotainment System
Player Error:This message
displays if there are disc load or
disc eject problems.
.It is very hot. When the
temperature returns to normal,
the disc should play.
.The road is very rough. When
the road becomes smoother, the
disc should play.
.The disc is dirty, scratched, wet,
or upside down.
.The air is very humid. If so, wait
about an hour and try again.
.There was a problem while
burning the disc.
.The label is caught in the CD/
DVD player.
If the disc is not playing correctly,
for any other reason, try a known
good disc.
If any error occurs repeatedly or
if an error cannot be corrected,
contact your dealer. If the radio displays an error message, write it
down and provide it to your dealer
when reporting the problem.
Auxiliary Devices
Using the Auxiliary Input Jack
Radios with an auxiliary input jack
located on the lower right side of the
faceplate can connect to an external
audio device such as an iPod
®,
MP3 player, CD player, for use as
another source for audio listening.
This input jack is not an audio
output; do not plug headphones into
the front auxiliary input jack.
Drivers are encouraged to set up
any auxiliary device while the
vehicle is in P (Park). See
Defensive Driving on page 9‑3 for
more information on driver
distraction.
To use a portable audio player,
connect a 3.5 mm (1/8 in) cable to
the radio's front auxiliary input jack.
When a device is connected, press the radio CD/AUX button to begin
playing audio from the device over
the vehicle speakers.
For optimal sound quality, increase
the portable audio device's volume
to the loudest level.
It is always best to power the
portable audio device through its
own battery while playing.O(Power/Volume):
Turn clockwise
or counterclockwise to increase
or decrease the volume of the
portable player. Additional volume
adjustments might have to be made
from the portable device if the
volume is not loud or soft enough.
BAND: Press to listen to the radio
when a portable audio device is
playing. The portable audio device
continues playing.
CD/AUX (CD/Auxiliary): Press to
play a CD when a portable audio
device is playing. Press again and
the system begins playing audio
from the connected portable audio