Black plate (50,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
9-50 Driving and Operating
+RES (Resume/Accelerate):
Press briefly to make the vehicle
resume to a previously set speed,
or press and hold to accelerate.
SET−(Set/Coast): Press to set the
speed and activate cruise control or
make the vehicle decelerate.
[(Cancel): Press to disengage
cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If the cruise button is on when not in
use, it could get bumped and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep the
cruise control switch off when cruise
is not being used.
The cruise control light on the
instrument panel cluster comes on
after the cruise control has been set
to the desired speed.
1. Press the
Ibutton.
2. Get up to the desired speed. 3. Press the SET−
button located
on the steering wheel and
release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator.
Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a
desired speed and then the brakes
are applied, the cruise control is
disengaged without erasing the set
speed from memory.
Once the vehicle speed reaches
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more,
press the +RES button on the
steering wheel. The vehicle returns
to the previous set speed and stays
there.
Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated,
.Press and hold the +RES button
on the steering wheel until the
desired speed is reached, then
release it.
.To increase vehicle speed in
small amounts, press the +RES
button. Each time this is done,
the vehicle goes about 1.6 km/h
(1 mph) faster.
Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated,
.Press and hold the SET– button
on the steering wheel until the
desired lower speed is reached,
then release it.
.To slow down in small amounts,
press the SET– button on the
steering wheel briefly. Each time
this is done, the vehicle goes
about 1.6 km/h (1 mph) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal,
the vehicle will slow down to the
previous set cruise speed.
Black plate (51,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-51
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control works
on hills depends on the vehicle
speed, the load, and the steepness
of the hills. When going up steep
hills, pressing the accelerator pedal
may be necessary to maintain
vehicle speed.
While going downhill, the Cruise
Grade Braking feature may
automatically shift to a lower gear
to keep the vehicle's speed down.
It may be necessary to apply
the brake or manually shift the
transmission to a lower gear. The
vehicle may shift to a higher gear
when grade braking assistance is
no longer required. Cruise Grade
Braking is not available while in
Range Selection Mode. See "Range
Selection Mode" underManual
Mode on page 9‑34. When the brakes are manually
applied the cruise control is
disengaged.
Ending Cruise Control
There are three ways to end cruise
control:
.To disengage cruise control,
step lightly on the brake pedal.
.Press the[on the steering
wheel.
.To turn off the cruise control,
press
Ion the steering wheel.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory by pressing
the
Ibutton or if the ignition is
turned off.
Object Detection
Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist
If available, the Ultrasonic Rear
Parking Assist (URPA) system uses
sensors on the rear bumper to
assist with parking and avoiding
objects while in R (Reverse).
{WARNING
The URPA system does not
detect pedestrians, bicyclists,
animals, or any other objects
located below the bumper or that
are too close or too far from the
vehicle. To prevent injury, death,
or vehicle damage, even with
URPA, always check behind the
vehicle and check all mirrors
before backing.
Black plate (68,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
9-68 Driving and Operating
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. Then, to
move the trailer to the left, move
that hand to the left. To move the
trailer to the right, move your hand
to the right. Always back up slowly
and, if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this
so the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
If the trailer turn signal bulbs burn
out, the arrows on the instrument
panel will still flash for turns. It is important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a
lower gear
beforestarting down a
long or steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, the
brakes might get hot and no longer
work well.
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift
the transmission to a lower gear if
the transmission shifts too often
under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
The tow/haul mode may be used if
the transmission shifts too often.
See Tow/Haul Mode Light on
page 5‑22.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: Engine coolant will boil at
a lower temperature than at normal
altitudes. If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run while parked,
preferably on level ground, with the
automatic transmission in P (Park)
for a few minutes before turning the
engine off. If the overheat warning
comes on, see
Engine Overheating
on page 10‑19.
Parking on Hills
{WARNING
Parking the vehicle on a hill
with the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.
Black plate (80,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
9-80 Driving and Operating
.All electrical and mechanical
connections to the trailer are
made correctly.
.The trailer’s brakes are in proper
working condition.
.The trailer and vehicle are
properly loaded for the towing
condition.
The ITBC system is a factory
installed item. Out‐of‐factory
installation of this system should not
be attempted. GM is not responsible
for warranty or performance of the
system resulting from out‐of‐factory
installation. Trailer Brake Control Panel
A. Manual Trailer Brake Apply
Lever
B. Trailer Gain Adjustment Buttons
The ITBC system has a control
panel located on the instrument
panel to the left of the steering
column. The control panel allows
adjustment to the amount of output,
referred to as trailer gain, available
to the electric trailer brakes and
allows manual application the trailer
brakes. The Trailer Brake Control
Panel is used along with the Trailer Brake Display Page on the DIC to
adjust and display power output to
the trailer brakes.
Trailer Brake DIC Display Page
The ITBC system displays
messages into the vehicle’s Driver
Information Center (DIC). See
Driver Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑26
for more information.
The display page indicates Trailer
Gain setting, power output to the
electric trailer brakes, trailer
connection and system operational
status.
The Trailer Brake Display Page can
be displayed by performing any of
the following actions:
.Scrolling through the DIC menu
pages using the odometer
trip stem or the DIC Vehicle
Information button (if equipped).
.Pressing a Trailer Gain
button –If the Trailer Brake
Display Page is not currently
displayed, pressing a Trailer
Gain button will first recall the
Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 10-9
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-14
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-19 Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-22
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-29
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-30
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-32
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-35
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-45
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-53
Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-5
Hood
To open the hood:
1. Pull the handle with this symbolon it. It is located inside the
vehicle to the lower left of the
steering wheel.
2. Then go to the front of thevehicle and locate the secondary
hood release, near the center of
the grille.
3. Push the secondary hood release to the right. 4. Lift the hood.
Before closing the hood, be sure
all the filler caps are on properly.
Then bring the hood from full
open to within 152 mm (6 in)
from the closed position, pause,
then push the front center of the
hood with a swift, firm motion to
fully close the hood.
Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-7
A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑14.
B. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System on page 10‑15.
C. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting on
page 10‑82.
D. Battery on page 10‑26.
E. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (Out of View). See Jump
Starting on page 10‑82.
F. Automatic Transmission Dipstick (Out of View). See
“Checking the Fluid Level”
under Automatic Transmission
Fluid on page 10‑11.
G. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑7.
H. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See “Checking Engine
Oil” under Engine Oil on
page 10‑7. I. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of
View). See Cooling System on
page 10‑15.
J. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See Power Steering Fluid on
page 10‑22.
K. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
under Brake Fluid on
page 10‑25.
L. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑37.
M. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid on
page 10‑23.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine
oil. Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.Always use engine oil approved
to the proper specification and of
the proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.
.Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System on page 10‑9.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
10-22 Vehicle Care
This improves fuel economy and
reduces fan noise. Under heavy
vehicle loading, trailer towing, and/
or high outside temperatures, the
fan speed increases as the clutch
more fully engages, so an increase
in fan noise may be heard. This is
normal and should not be mistaken
as the transmission slipping or
making extra shifts. It is merely the
cooling system functioning properly.
The fan will slow down when
additional cooling is not required
and the clutch disengages.
This fan noise may also be heard
when starting the engine. It will go
away as the fan clutch partially
disengages.
If the vehicle has electric cooling
fans, the fans may be heard
spinning at low speed during
most everyday driving. The fans
may turn off if no cooling is required.
Under heavy vehicle loading, trailer
towing, high outside temperatures,
or operation of the air conditioning
system, the fans may change to
high speed and an increase in fannoise may be heard. This is normal
and indicates that the cooling
system is functioning properly. The
fans will change to low speed when
additional cooling is no longer
required.
Power Steering Fluid
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.
See
Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑6 for reservoir location.
When to Check Power Steering
Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly
check power steering fluid unless
there is a leak suspected in the
system or an unusual noise is heard. A fluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the
system inspected and repaired.
How to Check Power Steering
Fluid
Notice:
Extremely small amounts
of contamination can cause
steering system damage and
cause it to not work properly. Do
not allow contaminants to contact
the fluid side of the reservoir
cap/dipstick or from entering the
reservoir.
To check the power steering fluid:
1. Turn the key off and let the engine compartment cool down.
2. Wipe the cap and the top of the reservoir clean.
3. Unscrew the cap and wipe the dipstick with a clean rag.
4. Replace the cap and completely tighten it.
5. Remove the cap again and look at the fluid level on the dipstick.