Page 451 of 514

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
Service and Maintenance 11-1
Service and
Maintenance
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Maintenance Schedule
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . 11-3
Special Application Services
Special ApplicationServices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
Additional Maintenance
and Care
Additional Maintenanceand Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Recommended Fluids,
Lubricants, and Parts
Recommended Fluids andLubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-12
Maintenance Replacement Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-14
Maintenance Records
Maintenance Records . . . . . . 11-15
General Information
Your vehicle is an important
investment. This section describes
the required maintenance for the
vehicle. Follow this schedule to
help protect against major repair
expenses resulting from neglect or
inadequate maintenance. It may
also help to maintain the value of
the vehicle if it is sold. It is the
responsibility of the owner to have
all required maintenance performed.
Your dealer has trained
technicians who can perform
required maintenance using
genuine replacement parts.
They have up‐to‐date tools and
equipment for fast and accurate
diagnostics. Many dealers have
extended evening and Saturday
hours, courtesy transportation, and
online scheduling to assist with
service needs. Your dealer recognizes the
importance of providing
competitively priced maintenance
and repair services. With trained
technicians, the dealer is the place
for routine maintenance such as oil
changes and tire rotations and
additional maintenance items like
tires, brakes, batteries, and wiper
blades.
Notice:
Damage caused by
improper maintenance can lead
to costly repairs and may not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Maintenance intervals, checks,
inspections, recommended fluids,
and lubricants are important to
keep the vehicle in good working
condition.
The Tire Rotation and Required
Services are the responsibility of the
vehicle owner. It is recommended
to have your dealer perform these
services every 12 000 km/7,500 mi.
Proper vehicle maintenance helps to
keep the vehicle in good working
condition, improves fuel economy,
and reduces vehicle emissions.
Page 452 of 514

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
11-2 Service and Maintenance
Because of the way people use
vehicles, maintenance needs
vary. There may need to be more
frequent checks and services.
The Additional Required
Services‐Normal are for
vehicles that:
.Carry passengers and cargo
within recommended limits on
the Tire and Loading Information
label. See Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑16.
.Are driven on reasonable road
surfaces within legal driving
limits.
.Use the recommended fuel.
See Recommended Fuel on
page 9‑60.
Refer to the information in the
Maintenance Schedule Additional
Required Services ‐Normal chart. The Additional Required
Services
‐Severe are for vehicles
that are:
.Mainly driven in hilly or
mountainous terrain.
.Frequently towing a trailer.
.Used for high speed or
competitive driving.
.Used for taxi, police, or delivery
service.
Refer to the information in the
Maintenance Schedule Additional
Required Services ‐Severe chart.
{WARNING
Performing maintenance work
can be dangerous and can
cause serious injury. Perform
maintenance work only if the
required information, proper tools,
and equipment are available.
If they are not, see your dealer to
have a trained technician do the
work. See Doing Your Own
Service Work on page 10‑4.
Page 453 of 514

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
Service and Maintenance 11-3
Maintenance
Schedule
Owner Checks and Services
At Each Fuel Stop
.Check the engine oil level. See
Engine Oil on page 10‑7.
Once a Month
.Check the tire inflation
pressures. See Tire Pressure on
page 10‑52.
.Inspect the tires for wear. See
Tire Inspection on page 10‑57.
.Check the windshield washer
fluid level. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑23.
Engine Oil Change
When the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message displays, have the
engine oil and filter changed within
the next 1 000 km/600 mi. If driven
under the best conditions, the
engine oil life system might not
indicate the need for vehicle service
for more than a year. The engine oil
and filter must be changed at least
once a year and the oil life system
must be reset. Your trained dealer
technician can perform this work.
If the engine oil life system is reset
accidentally, service the vehicle
within 5 000 km/3,000 mi since
the last service. Reset the oil life
system when the oil is changed.
See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑9.
Tire Rotation and Required
Services Every 12 000 km/
7,500 mi
Rotate the tires, if recommended
for the vehicle, and perform the
following services. See Tire
Rotation on page 10‑57.
.Check engine oil level and oil
life percentage. If needed,
change engine oil and filter, and
reset oil life system. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑7 andEngine Oil
Life System on page 10‑9.
.Check engine coolant level. See
Engine Coolant on page 10‑16.
.Check windshield washer fluid
level. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑23.
.Visually inspect windshield
wiper blades for wear, cracking,
or contamination. See Exterior
Care on page 10‑93. Replace
worn or damaged wiper blades.
See Wiper Blade Replacement
on page 10‑31.
Page 456 of 514
Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
11-6 Service and Maintenance
Footnotes—Maintenance
Schedule Additional Required
Services —Normal
a) Check all fuel and vapor lines
and hoses for proper hook‐up,
routing, and condition. Check that
the purge valve, if the vehicle has
one, works properly. Replace as
needed.
b) Or every four years, whichever
comes first. c)
Do not directly power wash the
transfer case output seals. High
pressure water can overcome the
seals and contaminate the transfer
case fluid. Contaminated fluid will
decrease the life of the transfer
case and should be replaced. d)
Or every five years, whichever
comes first. See Cooling System on
page 10‑15.
e) Or every 10 years, whichever
comes first. Inspect for fraying,
excessive cracking, or damage;
replace, if needed.
Page 458 of 514

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
11-8 Service and Maintenance
Footnotes—Maintenance
Schedule Additional Required
Services —Severe
a) Check all fuel and vapor lines
and hoses for proper hook‐up,
routing, and condition. Check that
the purge valve, if the vehicle has
one, works properly. Replace as
needed.
b) Or every four years, whichever
comes first. c)
Do not directly power wash the
transfer case output seals. High
pressure water can overcome the
seals and contaminate the transfer
case fluid. Contaminated fluid will
decrease the life of the transfer
case and should be replaced.
d) Or every five years, whichever
comes first. See Cooling System on
page 10‑15.
e) Or every 10 years, whichever
comes first. Inspect for fraying,
excessive cracking, or damage;
replace, if needed.Special Application
Services
.Severe Commercial Use
Vehicles Only: Lubricate chassis
components every 5 000 km/
3,000 mi.
.Have underbody flushing service
performed once a year.
Page 465 of 514
Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
Service and Maintenance 11-15
Maintenance Records
After the scheduled services are performed, record the date, odometer reading, who performed the service, and the
type of services performed in the boxes provided. Retain all maintenance receipts.Date Odometer
Reading Serviced By Services Performed
Page 478 of 514

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
13-6 Customer Information
Customer Assistance for
Text Telephone (TTY)
Users (U.S. and Canada)
To assist customers who are deaf,
hard of hearing, or speech-impaired
and who use Text Telephones
(TTYs), Chevrolet has TTY
equipment available at its Customer
Assistance Center. Any TTY
user in the U.S. can communicate
with Chevrolet by dialing:
1-800-833-2438. TTY users in
Canada can dial 1-800-263-3830.
Online Owner Center
Chevrolet Owner Center (U.S.)
www.chevyownercenter.com
Information and services
customized for your specific
vehicle—all in one convenient
place.
.Digital owner manual, warranty
information, and more.
.Storage for online service and
maintenance records.
.Chevrolet dealer locator for
service nationwide.
.Exclusive privileges and offers.
.Recall notices for your specific
vehicle.
.OnStar and GM Cardmember
Services Earnings summaries.
Other Helpful Links
Chevrolet —www.chevrolet.com
Chevrolet Merchandise —
www.chevymall.com
Help Center —www.chevrolet.com/
pages/mds/helpcenter/faq.do
.FAQ
.Contact Us
My GM Canada www.gm.ca
My GM Canada is a
password-protected section of
www.gm.ca where you can save
information on GM vehicles, get
personalized offers, and use handy
tools and forms with greater ease. Here are a few of the valuable
tools and services you will have
access to:
.My Showroom: Find and save
information on vehicles and
current offers in your area.
.My Dealers: Save details such
as address and phone number
for each of your preferred GM
dealers.
.My Driveway: Access quick
links to parts and service
estimates, check trade-in
values, or schedule a service
appointment by adding the
vehicles you own to your
driveway profile.
.My Preferences: Manage your
profile and use tools and forms
with greater ease.
To sign up, visit the My GM.ca
section within www.gm.ca.
Page 489 of 514

Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
Customer Information 13-17
Each bulletin contains instructions
to assist in the diagnosis and
service of the vehicle.
Owner Information
Owner publications are written
specifically for owners and intended
to provide basic operational
information about the vehicle.
The Owner Manual includes the
Maintenance Schedule for all
models.
In-Portfolio: Includes a Portfolio,
Owner Manual, and Warranty
Booklet.
RETAIL SELL PRICE:
$35.00 (U.S.) plus handling and
shipping fees.
Without Portfolio: Owner
Manual only.
RETAIL SELL PRICE:
$25.00 (U.S.) plus handling and
shipping fees.
Current and Past Models
Technical Service Bulletins and
Manuals are available for current
and past model GM vehicles.
ORDER TOLL FREE:
1-800-551-4123 Monday - Friday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Eastern Time
For Credit Card Orders Only
(VISA-MasterCard-Discover), visit
Helm, Inc. at: www.helminc.com.
Or write to:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
Prices are subject to change
without notice and without incurring
obligation. Allow ample time for
delivery.
All listed prices are quoted in U.S.
funds. Make checks payable in U.S.
funds.
Reporting Safety
Defects
Reporting Safety Defects
to the United States
Government
If you believe that your vehicle
has a defect which could cause
a crash or could cause injury or
death, you should immediately
inform the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) in addition to notifying
General Motors.
If NHTSA receives similar
complaints, it may open an
investigation, and if it finds
that a safety defect exists in a
group of vehicles, it may order
a recall and remedy campaign.
However, NHTSA cannot
become involved in individual
problems between you, your
dealer, or General Motors.