Black plate (43,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-43
This could either prevent proper
deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the
passenger sensing system
from properly turning off the
passenger airbag(s). See
Passenger Sensing System on
page 3‑37.
If you have any questions
about this, you should contact
Customer Assistance before you
modify your vehicle. 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 10‑61 for additional
important information.
Q: What if I added a snow plow? Will it keep the airbags from
working properly?
A: We have designed our airbag
systems to work properly under
a wide range of conditions,
including snow plowing with
vehicles that have the optional
Snow Plow Prep Package
(RPO VYU). But do not change
or defeat the snow plow's
“tripping mechanism.” If you do,
it can damage your snow plow
and your vehicle, and it may
cause an airbag inflation. 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.
Black plate (41,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-41
Ride Control System
Messages
SERVICE STABILITRAK
If your vehicle has StabiliTrak®and
this message displays, it means
there may be a problem with the
StabiliTrak system. If you see this
message, try to reset the system.
Stop; turn off the engine for at least
15 seconds; then start the engine
again. If this message still comes
on, it means there is a problem. You
should see your dealer for service.
The vehicle is safe to drive,
however, you do not have the
benefit of StabiliTrak, so reduce
your speed and drive accordingly.
SERVICE SUSPENSION
SYSTEM
If your vehicle has the Autoride®
suspension system, this message
displays when the Autoride
suspension system is not operating
properly. Have your vehicle serviced
by your dealer.
SERVICE TRACTION
CONTROL
If your vehicle has StabiliTrak, this
message displays when there is a
problem with the Traction Control
System (TCS). When this message
displays, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving
accordingly. See your dealer for
service. See StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑45 for more information.
STABILITRAK INITIALIZING
If the vehicle has StabiliTrak, this
message may come on if the
StabiliTrak system has not fully
initialized because of road
conditions or the incorrect tire size.
When the StabiliTrak system is fully
initialized, the message will turn
off. SeeStabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑45 for more information.
If this message continues to be
displayed for multiple ignition cycles
and on different road surfaces, see
your dealer for service.
TRACTION XX
STABILITRAK XX
This message displays when the
traction control and/or StabiliTrak
systems have been turned on or
off. Adjust your driving accordingly.
To limit wheel spin and realize
the full benefits of the stability
enhancement system, you should
normally leave StabiliTrak on.
However, you should turn
StabiliTrak off if the vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow
and you want to rock the vehicle
to attempt to free it, or if you
are driving in extreme off-road
conditions and require more wheel
spin. See If the Vehicle Is Stuck on
page 9‑15. To turn the StabiliTrak
system on or off, see StabiliTrak
®
System on page 9‑45.
Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
10-2 Vehicle Care
Tire Pressure MonitorOperation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-63
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-66
Secondary Latch System . . . 10-78
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-81Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-87
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-87
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-93
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-96
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-99
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
Black plate (45,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-45
WARNING (Continued)
.Improperly repaired tires can
cause a crash. Only the
dealer or an authorized tire
service center should repair,
replace, dismount, and mount
the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in
excess of 55 km/h (35 mph)
on slippery surfaces such
as snow, mud, ice, etc.
Excessive spinning may
cause the tires to explode.
20‐Inch Tires
If the vehicle has 20‐inch
P275/55R20 size tires, they are
classified as touring tires and
are designed for on road use.
The low‐profile, wide tread
design is not recommended
for off‐road driving. See
Off-Road Driving on page 9‑6,
for additional information.Notice:
Low‐profile tires are
more susceptible to damage
from road hazards or curb
impact than standard profile
tires. Tire and/or wheel
assembly damage can occur
when coming into contact
with road hazards like,
potholes, or sharp edged
objects, or when sliding into a
curb. The warranty does not
cover this type of damage.
Keep tires set to the correct
inflation pressure and, when
possible, avoid contact with
curbs, potholes, and other
road hazards.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire
is molded into the sidewall.
The examples show a typical
passenger and light truck tire
sidewall.
Passenger (P‐Metric) Tire
(A) Tire Size:The tire size
code is a combination of letters
and numbers used to define a
particular tire's width, height,
aspect ratio, construction type,
and service description. See the
“Tire Size” illustration later in this
section for more detail.
Black plate (48,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
10-48 Vehicle Care
(B) Tire Width:The three‐digit
number indicates the tire section
width in millimeters from
sidewall to sidewall.
(C) Aspect Ratio
:A two‐digit
number that indicates the tire
height‐to‐width measurements.
For example, if the tire size
aspect ratio is 75, as shown in
item C of the tire illustration,
it would mean that the tire's
sidewall is 75 percent as high as
it is wide.
(D) Construction Code
:A
letter code is used to indicate
the type of ply construction in
the tire. The letter R means
radial ply construction; the
letter D means diagonal or
bias ply construction; and the
letter B means belted‐bias ply
construction.
(E) Rim Diameter
:Diameter of
the wheel in inches. (F) Service Description
:These
characters represent the load
index and speed rating of the
tire. The load index represents
the load carrying capacity a tire
is certified to carry. The speed
rating is the maximum speed a
tire is certified to carry a load.
Light Truck (LT‐Metric) Tire
(A) Light Truck (LT‐Metric)
Tire
:The United States version
of a metric tire sizing system.
The letters LT as the first two
characters in the tire size mean
a light truck tire engineered to
standards set by the U.S. Tire
and Rim Association. (B) Tire Width
:The three‐digit
number indicates the tire section
width in millimeters from
sidewall to sidewall.
(C) Aspect Ratio
:A two‐digit
number that indicates the tire
height‐to‐width measurements.
For example, if the tire size
aspect ratio is 75, as shown
in item C of the light truck
(LT‐Metric) tire illustration, it
would mean that the tire's
sidewall is 75 percent as high
as it is wide.
(D) Construction Code
:A
letter code is used to indicate
the type of ply construction in
the tire. The letter R means
radial ply construction; the
letter D means diagonal or
bias ply construction; and the
letter B means belted‐bias ply
construction.
(E) Rim Diameter
:Diameter of
the wheel in inches.
Black plate (57,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-57
4. Start with the driver sidefront tire.
5. Place the relearn tool against the tire sidewall, near the valve
stem. Then press the button to
activate the TPMS sensor.
A horn chirp confirms that the
sensor identification code has
been matched to this tire and
wheel position.
6. Proceed to the passenger side front tire, and repeat the
procedure in Step 5.
7. Proceed to the passenger side rear tire, and repeat the
procedure in Step 5.
8. Proceed to the driver side rear tire, and repeat the procedure
in Step 5. The horn sounds
two times to indicate the sensor
identification code has been
matched to the driver side rear
tire, and the TPMS sensor
matching process is no longer
active. The TIRE LEARNING
ACTIVE message on the DIC
display screen goes off. 9. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
10. Set all four tires to the
recommended air pressure
level as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information label.
Tire Inspection
We recommend that the tires,
including the spare tire, if the
vehicle has one, be inspected
for signs of wear or damage at
least once a month.
Replace the tire if:
.The indicators at three or
more places around the tire
can be seen.
.There is cord or fabric
showing through the tire's
rubber.
.The tread or sidewall is
cracked, cut, or snagged
deep enough to show cord or
fabric.
.The tire has a bump, bulge,
or split.
.The tire has a puncture, cut,
or other damage that cannot
be repaired well because of
the size or location of the
damage.
Tire Rotation
Tires should be rotated every
12 000 km (7,500 mi). See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3.
Tires are rotated to achieve a
uniform wear for all tires. The
first rotation is the most
important.
Any time unusual wear is
noticed, rotate the tires as
soon as possible and check
the wheel alignment. Also check
for damaged tires or wheels.
Black plate (60,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
10-60 Vehicle Care
GM recommends replacing all the
tires at the same time. Uniform
tread depth on all tires will help to
maintain the performance of the
vehicle. Braking and handling
performance may be adversely
affected if all the tires are not
replaced at the same time. SeeTire
Inspection on page 10‑57 andTire
Rotation on page 10‑57 for
information on proper tire rotation.
{WARNING
Tires could explode during
improper service. Attempting
to mount or dismount a tire
could cause injury or death.
Only your dealer or authorized
tire service center should
mount or dismount the tires.
{WARNING
Mixing tires of different sizes,
brands, or types may cause loss
of control of the vehicle, resulting
in a crash or other vehicle
damage. Use the correct size,
brand, and type of tires on all
wheels.
This vehicle may have a different
size spare than the road tires
originally installed on the vehicle.
When new, the vehicle included a
spare tire and wheel assembly
with a similar overall diameter as
the road tires and wheels, so it is
all right to drive on it. The spare
tire was developed for use on this
vehicle and will not affect vehicle
handling.
{WARNING
Using bias-ply tires on the
vehicle may cause the wheel
rim flanges to develop cracks
after many miles of driving.
A tire and/or wheel could fail
suddenly and cause a crash.
Use only radial-ply tires with
the wheels on the vehicle.
If the vehicle tires must be replaced
with a tire that does not have a TPC
Spec number, make sure they are
the same size, load range, speed
rating, and construction (radial) as
the original tires.
Vehicles that have a tire pressure
monitoring system could give an
inaccurate low‐pressure warning if
non‐TPC Spec rated tires are
installed. See Tire Pressure Monitor
System on page 10‑53.
The Tire and Loading Information
label indicates the original
equipment tires on the vehicle.
Black plate (61,1)Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-61
SeeVehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑16 for the label location and
more information about the Tire and
Loading Information label.
Different Size Tires and
Wheels
If wheels or tires are installed that
are a different size than the original
equipment wheels and tires, vehicle
performance, including its braking,
ride and handling characteristics,
stability, and resistance to rollover
may be affected. If the vehicle has
electronic systems such as antilock
brakes, rollover airbags, traction
control, and electronic stability
control, the performance of these
systems can also be affected.
{WARNING
If different sized wheels are used,
there may not be an acceptable
level of performance and safety
if tires not recommended for
those wheels are selected. This
increases the chance of a crash
and serious injury. Only use GM
specific wheel and tire systems
developed for the vehicle, and
have them properly installed by a
GM certified technician.
See Buying New Tires on
page 10‑59 andAccessories and
Modifications on page 10‑3 for
additional information.
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires
by treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This
applies only to vehicles sold in
the United States. The grades
are molded on the sidewalls
of most passenger car tires.