
Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
Driving and Operating 9-33
Range Selection Mode controls the
vehicle and engine speed while
driving down a hill or towing a trailer,
by allowing you to select a desired
range of gears.
Grade Braking is not available when
the Range Selection Mode is active.
SeeTow/Haul Mode on page 9‑33
for more information.
While using the Range Selection
Mode, Cruise Control and the Tow/
Haul Mode can be used.
Tow/Haul Mode
The vehicle has a Tow/Haul Mode.
The Tow/Haul Mode adjusts the
transmission shift pattern to reduce
shift cycling, providing increased performance, vehicle control, and
transmission cooling while driving
down steep hills or mountain
grades, towing, or hauling heavy
loads.
Press the button located on the end
of the shift lever to turn the tow/haul
on or off. While the tow/haul is on, a
light on the instrument panel cluster
comes on.
See
Tow/Haul Mode Light on
page 5‑21 andHill and Mountain
Roads on page 9‑12 for more
information.
Also see “Tow Haul Mode” under
Towing Equipment on page 9‑67 for
more information.
Tow/Haul Mode Grade Braking
(6-Speed Automatic
Transmission)
Tow/Haul Mode Grade Braking is
only enabled while the Tow/Haul
Mode is selected and the vehicle is
not in the Range Selection Mode. See
“Tow/Haul Mode” listed
previously and Manual Mode on
page 9‑32. Tow/Haul Mode Grade
Braking assists in maintaining
desired vehicle speeds when driving
on downhill grades by using the
engine and transmission to slow the
vehicle.
To disable or enable Tow/Haul
Grade Braking within the current
ignition key cycle, press and
hold the Tow/Haul button for
three seconds. A DIC message will
be displayed. See Transmission
Messages on page 5‑42.
See Towing Equipment on
page 9‑67 for more information.
For other forms of grade braking,
see Automatic Transmission on
page 9‑29 andCruise Control on
page 9‑47.

Black plate (43,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
Driving and Operating 9-43
driver completely stops and holds
the vehicle in a complete standstill
on a grade, HSA will be
automatically activated. During the
transition period between when the
driver releases the brake pedal and
starts to accelerate to drive off on a
grade, HSA holds the braking
pressure for a maximum of
two seconds to ensure that there is
no rolling. The brakes will
automatically release when the
accelerator pedal is applied within
the two‐second window. If the
vehicle is equipped with the
Integrated Trailer Brake Control
(ITBC) system, HSA may also apply
the trailer brakes. It will not activate
if the vehicle is in a drive gear and
facing downhill or if the vehicle is
facing uphill and in R (Reverse).
There may be situations on minor
hills (less than 5% grade) with a
loaded vehicle or while pulling a
trailer where HSA will not activate.Ride Control Systems
StabiliTrak®System
The vehicle has a vehicle stability
enhancement system called
StabiliTrak. It is an advanced
computer-controlled system that
assists the driver with directional
control of the vehicle in difficult
driving conditions.
StabiliTrak activates when the
computer senses a discrepancy
between the intended path and the
direction the vehicle is actually
traveling. StabiliTrak selectively
applies braking pressure at any one
of the vehicle's brakes to assist the
driver with keeping the vehicle on
the intended path.StabiliTrak is on automatically
whenever the vehicle is started. To
assist with directional control of the
vehicle, the system should always
be left on. Trailer Sway Control
(TSC) is also on automatically when
the vehicle is started. See
Trailer
Sway Control (TSC) on page 9‑76.
When the vehicle is started and
begins to move, the system
performs several diagnostic checks
to insure there are no problems.
The system may be heard or felt
while it is working. This is normal
and does not mean there is a
problem with the vehicle.
If cruise control is being used when
StabiliTrak activates, the cruise
control automatically disengages.
The cruise control can be
re-engaged when road conditions
allow. See Cruise Control on
page 9‑47.

Black plate (45,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
Driving and Operating 9-45
It is recommended to leave the
system on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn the system off if the vehicle
is stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow,
and you want to“rock”the vehicle to
attempt to free it. It may also be
necessary to turn off the system
when driving in extreme off-road
conditions where high wheel spin is
required. See If the Vehicle Is Stuck
on page 9‑14.
When the transfer case is in 4LO,
the stability system is automatically
disabled, the StabiliTrak light comes
on, and the appropriate message
will appear on the DIC. Both traction
control and StabiliTrak are
automatically disabled in this
condition.
Traction Control Operation
The TCS is part of the StabiliTrak
system. Traction control limits wheel
spin by reducing engine power to
the wheels (engine speed
management) and by applying brakes to each individual wheel
(brake-traction control) as
necessary.
The TCS is enabled automatically
when the vehicle is started. It will
activate and the StabiliTrak light will
flash if it senses that any of the
wheels are spinning or beginning to
lose traction while driving. If traction
control is turned off, only the
brake-traction control portion of
traction control will work. The
engine speed management will be
disabled. In this mode, engine
power is not reduced automatically
and the driven wheels can spin
more freely. This can cause the
brake-traction control to activate
constantly.
Notice:
If the wheel(s) of one axle
is allowed to spin excessively
while the StabiliTrak
®, ABS, brake
warning lights, and any relevant
DIC messages are displayed, the
transfer case could be damaged.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Reduce
engine power and do not spin the wheel(s) excessively while these
lights and messages are
displayed.
The TCS may activate on dry or
rough roads or under conditions
such as heavy acceleration while
turning or abrupt upshifts/downshifts
of the transmission. When this
happens, a reduction in acceleration
may be noticed, or a noise or
vibration may be heard. This is
normal.
If cruise control is being used when
the system activates, the StabiliTrak
light will flash and cruise control will
automatically disengage. Cruise
control may be reengaged when
road conditions allow. See
Cruise
Control on page 9‑47.
StabiliTrak may also turn off
automatically if it determines that a
problem exists with the system.
If the problem does not clear itself
after restarting the vehicle, see your
dealer for service.

Black plate (47,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
Driving and Operating 9-47
An air compressor connected to the
rear shocks will raise or lower the
rear of the vehicle to maintain
proper vehicle height. The system
is activated when the ignition key
is turned to ON/RUN and will
automatically adjust vehicle height
thereafter. The system may exhaust
(lower vehicle height) for up to
ten minutes after the ignition key
has been turned off. You may hear
the air compressor operating when
the height is being adjusted.
If a weight‐distributing hitch is being
used, it is recommended to allow
the shocks to inflate, thereby
leveling the vehicle prior to adjusting
the hitch.Cruise Control
{WARNING
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. So, do not use
the cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
With cruise control, a speed of
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more can
be maintained without keeping your
foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below about 40 km/h (25 mph).
When the brakes are applied, cruise
control is turned off. If the vehicle has StabiliTrak and the
system begins to limit wheel spin,
cruise control will automatically
disengage. See
StabiliTrak
®System
on page 9‑43. When road conditions
allow the cruise control to be safely
used again, it can be turned
back on.
I(On/Off): Press to turn the
system on or off. The indicator light
is on when cruise control is on and
turns off when cruise control is off.

Black plate (48,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
9-48 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 (49,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
Driving and Operating 9-49
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. When going
downhill, Cruise Grade Braking
helps maintain the driver selected
speed.
Cruise Grade Braking is enabled
when the vehicle is started and
Cruise Control is active. It is not
enabled in Range Selection Mode.
It assists in maintaining driver
selected speed when driving on
downhill grades by using the engine
and transmission to slow the
vehicle.
To disable and enable Cruise
Grade Braking for the current
ignition key cycle, press and
hold the Tow/Haul button for
three seconds. A DIC message
displays. SeeTransmission
Messages on page 5‑42. For other forms of Grade Braking,
see
Automatic Transmission on
page 9‑29 andTow/Haul Mode on
page 9‑33.
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
assists the driver with parking
and avoiding objects while in
R (Reverse). URPA operates at
speeds less than 8 km/h (5 mph).
The sensors on the rear bumper
detect objects up to 2.5 m (8 ft)
behind the vehicle, and at least
25 cm (10 in) off the ground.

Black plate (37,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
Vehicle Care 10-37
FusesUsage
31 Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) (If
Equipped)
32 Driver Side High-Beam
Headlamp
33 Daytime Running Lamps 2 (If
Equipped)
34 Sunroof
35 Key Ignition System, Theft‐
Deterrent System
36 Windshield Wiper
37 SEO B2 Upfitter Usage (Battery)
38 Electric Adjustable Pedals
39 Climate Controls (Battery) Fuses
Usage
40 Airbag System (Ignition)
41 Amplifier
42 Audio System
43 Miscellaneous (Ignition), Cruise
Control
44 Liftgate Release
45 Airbag System (Battery)
46 Instrument Panel Cluster
47 Not Used
48 Auxiliary Climate Control (Ignition)
49 Center High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL) Fuses
Usage
50 Rear Defogger
51 Heated Mirrors
52 SEO B1 Upfitter Usage (Battery)
53 Accessory Power Outlet, Cigarette
Lighter (If
Equipped)
54 Automatic Level Control
Compressor Relay
55 Climate Controls (Ignition)
56 Engine Control Module, Secondary
Fuel Pump
(Ignition)

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
INDEX i-3
CleaningExterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-88
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-91
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . 8-1 Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . 13-14
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Connections OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4
Continuous Damping Control (CDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Coolant
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Engine TemperatureGauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14 Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13 Cover
Cargo Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . 13-6 Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5
Text Telephone (TTY)
Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
Customer Information Service Publications
Ordering Information . . . . . . 13-17
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-2, 13-4
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . 13-14
Danger, Warnings, andCautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . 13-19
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Devices
Auxiliary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-31 Diagnostics
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . 12-4
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Driving Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . 1-27
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-12
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5