
Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
2013 Chevrolet Avalanche Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Keys, Doors, and Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-23
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-25
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-35 Storage
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Luggage/Load Locations . . . . . . . 4-2
Additional Storage Features . . . 4-5
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-44
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-52
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15 Rear Seat Infotainment . . . . . . . 7-36
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-48
Trademarks and License
Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-55
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-20
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-29
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-43
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-49
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-76

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
In Brief 1-3
A.Air Vents on page 8‑9.
B. Turn and Lane-Change Lever. See Turn and Lane-Change
Signals on page 6‑5.
Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑4.
C. Instrument Cluster on
page 5‑10.
D. Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6‑5 (Out of View).
E. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑29.
F. Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑33 (If
Equipped).
G. Driver Information Center (DIC) Buttons. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑25.
H. AM-FM Radio on page 7‑10.
I. Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1. J. Dome Lamp Override. See
Dome Lamps on page 6‑7.
Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6‑7.
Fog Lamps on page 6‑6 (If
Equipped).
K. Automatic Transfer Case Control (If Equipped). See
Four-Wheel Drive (Single
Speed Automatic Transfer
Case) on page 9‑39 or
Four-Wheel Drive (Two Speed
Automatic Transfer Case) on
page 9‑34.
L. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑17.
M. Cruise Control on page 9‑47.
N. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5‑2. O.
Horn on page 5‑4.
P. Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑2.
Q. Climate Control Systems on
page 8‑1 (If Equipped).
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑4 (If
Equipped).
R. Power Outlets on page 5‑8.
S. StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑43.
Pedal Adjust Control. See
Adjustable Throttle and Brake
Pedal on page 9‑21.
Ultrasonic Parking Assist on
page 9‑49.
Power Assist Steps on
page 2‑15 (If Equipped).

Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
In Brief 1-17
A. Driver and PassengerTemperature Controls
B. Fan Control
C. AUTO
D. Defrost
E. Air Recirculation
F. Outside Air
G. Air Delivery Mode Control
H. Display I. Power Button
J. Rear Window Defogger
K. Air Conditioning
L. PASS
See
Climate Control Systems on
page 8‑1 andDual Automatic
Climate Control System on
page 8‑4.
Transmission
Range Selection Mode
If available, the Range Selection
Mode switch is located on the shift
lever.
To use the Range Selection feature:
1. Move the column shift lever to the M (Manual) position. The
current range will appear next to
the M. This is the highest
attainable range with all lower
gears accessible. As an
example, when 5 (Fifth) gear is
selected, 1 (First) through
5 (Fifth) gears are available.

Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
5-28 Instruments and Controls
To start the timer, press the
set/reset button while TIMER is
displayed. The display will show the
amount of time that has passed
since the timer was last reset, not
including time the ignition is off.
Time will continue to be counted as
long as the ignition is on, even if
another display is being shown on
the DIC. The timer will record
up to 99 hours, 59 minutes and
59 seconds (99:59:59) after which
the display will return to zero.
To stop the timer, press the set/reset
button briefly while TIMER is
displayed.
To reset the timer to zero, press and
hold the set/reset button while
TIMER is displayed.Transmission Temperature
Press the trip/fuel button until
TRANS TEMP displays. This
display shows the temperature of
the automatic transmission fluid in
either degrees Celsius (°C) or
degrees Fahrenheit (°F).
Instantaneous Economy and
Active Fuel Management™
Indicator
If your vehicle has this display,
press the trip/fuel button until
INST ECON V8 displays. This
display shows the current fuel
economy at a particular moment
and will change frequently as driving
conditions change. This display
shows the instantaneous fuel
economy in liters per 100 kilometers
(L/100 km) or miles per gallon
(mpg). Unlike average economy,
this screen cannot be reset.An Active Fuel Management
indicator will display on the right
side of the DIC, while INST ECON
displays on the left side. Active Fuel
Management allows the engine to
operate on either four or eight
cylinders, depending on your driving
demands. When Active Fuel
Management is active, V4 will
display on the DIC. When Active
Fuel Management is inactive, V8
will display. See
Active Fuel
Management
®on page 9‑28 for
more information.
Blank Display
This display shows no information.

Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
5-32 Instruments and Controls
Trip Odometer Reset Stem
Menu Items (without DIC
Buttons)
Language
This display allows you to select the
language in which the DIC
messages will appear. To select a
language:
1. Press the trip odometer resetstem until ODOMETER displays.
2. While in the ODOMETER display, press and hold the
trip odometer reset stem for
three seconds until the currently
set language displays.
3. Continue to press and hold the trip odometer reset stem to scroll
through all of the available
languages.
The available languages are
ENGLISH (default), FRANCAIS
(French), ESPANOL (Spanish),
and NO CHANGE. 4. Once the desired language is
displayed, release the trip
odometer reset stem to set your
choice.
Trip Odometer
Press the trip odometer reset
stem until TRIP displays. This
display shows the current distance
traveled in either kilometers (km) or
miles (mi) since the last reset for the
trip odometer.
The trip odometer can be reset to
zero by pressing and holding the trip
odometer reset stem while the trip
odometer is displayed.
The trip odometer has a feature
called the retro-active reset. This
can be used to set the trip odometer
to the number of kilometers (miles)
driven since the ignition was last
turned on. This can be used if the
trip odometer is not reset at the
beginning of the trip. To use the retro-active reset feature,
press and hold the trip odometer
reset stem for at least four seconds.
The trip odometer will display the
number of kilometers (km) or
miles (mi) driven since the ignition
was last turned on and the vehicle
was moving. Once the vehicle
begins moving, the trip odometer
will accumulate mileage. For
example, if the vehicle was driven
8 km (5 miles) before it is started
again, and then the retro-active
reset feature is activated, the
display will show 8 km (5 miles). As
the vehicle begins moving, the
display will then increase to 8.2 km
(5.1 miles), 8.4 km (5.2 miles), etc.
Transmission Temperature
Press the trip odometer reset stem
until TRANS TEMP displays. This
display shows the temperature of
the automatic transmission fluid in
either degrees Celsius (°C) or
degrees Fahrenheit (°F).

Black plate (42,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
5-42 Instruments and Controls
Transmission Messages
GRADE BRAKING DISABLED
This message displays when the
grade braking has been disabled
with the tow/haul mode button on
the end of the shift lever. SeeTow/
Haul Mode on page 9‑33, Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑29, and
Cruise Control on page 9‑47.
GRADE BRAKING ENABLED
This message displays when the
grade braking has been enabled
with the tow/haul mode button on
the end of the shift lever. See Tow/
Haul Mode on page 9‑33, Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑29, and
Cruise Control on page 9‑47.
GRADE BRAKING ON
This message displays when the
grade braking has been activated
while driving on downhill grades.
This message will only appear the
first time the feature is activated in
an ignition cycle. See Tow/Haul
Mode on page 9‑33, Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑29, and
Cruise Control on page 9‑47.
SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE
If the vehicle has four-wheel
drive, this message may display
if a problem occurs with the
four-wheel-drive system. If this
message appears, stop as soon as
possible and turn off the vehicle.
Make sure the key is in the
LOCK/OFF position for at least
one minute and then restart the
vehicle and check for the message
on the DIC display. If the message
is still displayed or appears again
when you begin driving, the
four-wheel-drive system needs
service. See your dealer.
TRANSMISSION HOT IDLE
ENGINE
Notice: Do not drive the vehicle
while the transmission fluid is
overheating and the transmission
temperature warning is displayed
on the instrument cluster and/or
DIC, or the transmission can be
damaged. This could lead to
costly repairs that would not be
covered by the warranty.
This message displays and a chime
may sound if the transmission fluid
in the vehicle gets hot. Driving with
the transmission fluid temperature
high can cause damage to the
vehicle. Stop the vehicle and let it
idle to allow the transmission to
cool. This message clears and
the chime stops when the fluid
temperature reaches a safe level.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
Lighting 6-3
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder
If a door is open, a reminder chime
sounds when the headlamps or
parking lamps are manually turned
on and the key is out of the ignition.
To turn off the chime, turn the
exterior lamp control to off or AUTO
and then back on, or close and
re-open the door. In the AUTO
mode, the headlamps turn off once
the ignition is in LOCK/OFF or
remains on until the headlamp delay
ends (if enabled in the DIC). See
“Exit Lighting”underVehicle
Personalization (With DIC Buttons)
on page 5‑44.
Headlamp High/
Low-Beam Changer
5 3
(Headlamp High/Low Beam
Changer): To change the
headlamps from low to high beam,
push the turn signal lever toward
the instrument panel. To return to
low-beam headlamps, pull the lever
toward you. Then release it.
When the high beams are on, this
indicator light on the instrument
cluster will also be on.
Flash-to-Pass
Use your high-beam headlamps to
signal to a driver in front that you
want to pass. It works even if the
headlamps are in the automatic
position.
To use it, pull the turn signal lever
toward you, then release it.
If the headlamps are in the
automatic position or on low beam,
the high-beam headlamps turn on.
They stay on as long as the lever is
held. The high-beam indicator on
the instrument panel cluster comes
on. Release the lever to return to
normal operation.
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can
make it easier for others to see the
front of your vehicle during the day.
Fully functional daytime running
lamps are required on all vehicles
first sold in Canada.
The DRL system comes on when
the following conditions are met:
.The ignition is on.
.The exterior lamp control is
in AUTO.
.The transmission is not in Park.
.The light sensor determines it is
daytime.
When the DRL system is on,
only the DRL lamps are on. The
taillamps, sidemarker, instrument
panel lights, and other lamps will not
be on.
When it begins to get dark, the
automatic headlamp system
switches from DRL to the
headlamps.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
6-4 Lighting
To turn off the DRL lamps, turn the
exterior lamp control to the OFF
position and then release. For
vehicles first sold in Canada, the
transmission must be in the P (Park)
position before the DRL lamps can
be turned off.
Automatic Headlamp
System
When it is dark enough outside and
the headlamp switch is in AUTO,
the automatic headlamp system
turns on the headlamps along with
other lamps such as the taillamps,
sidemarker, parking lamps, roof
marker lamps, and the instrument
panel lights. The radio lights will
also be dim.
To turn off the automatic headlamp
system, turn the exterior lamps
switch to the off position and then
release. For vehicles first sold in
Canada, the transmission must be
in the P (Park) position, before the
automatic headlamp system can be
turned off.
The vehicle has a light sensor
located on the top of the instrument
panel. Do not cover this sensor or
the system will come on whenever
the ignition is on.
The system may also turn on the
headlamps when driving through a
parking garage, a tunnel, or while
driving in heavy overcast weather.
This is normal.
There is a delay in the transition
between the daytime and nighttime
operation of the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) and the automatic
headlamp systems so that driving
under bridges or bright overhead
street lights does not affect the
system. The DRL and automatic
headlamp system is only affectedwhen the light sensor sees a
change in lighting lasting longer
than the delay.
If the vehicle is started in a dark
garage, the automatic headlamp
system comes on immediately.
Once the vehicle leaves the garage,
it takes approximately one minute
for the automatic headlamp system
to change to DRL if it is light
outside. During that delay, the
instrument panel cluster may not be
as bright as usual. Make sure the
instrument panel brightness control
is in the full bright position. See
Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6‑7.
Lights On with Wipers
If the windshield wipers are
activated in daylight with the engine
on, and the exterior lamp control is
in AUTO, the headlamps, parking
lamps, and other exterior lamps
come on. The transition time for the
lamps coming on varies based on
wiper speed. When the wipers are