
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 (1,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
In Brief 1-1
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Midgate
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Second Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Heated and Ventilated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10 Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Passenger Sensing
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Throttle and Brake Pedal Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 1-15
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Vehicle Features
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . 1-21
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . 1-22
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22 Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 1-24
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Universal Remote System . . . 1-25
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Performance and Maintenance
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . 1-26
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 1-27
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 1-27
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-28
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-28

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 (21,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
In Brief 1-21
Satellite Radio
SiriusXM®is a satellite radio service
based in the 48 contiguous United
States and 10 Canadian provinces.
SiriusXM satellite radio has a wide
variety of programming and
commercial-free music, coast to
coast, and in digital-quality sound.
A fee is required to receive the
SiriusXM service.
For more information, refer to:
.www.siriusxm.com or call
1-866-635-2349 (U.S.)
.www.xmradio.ca or call
1-877-209-0079 (Canada)
See Satellite Radio on page 7‑11.
Portable Audio Devices
This vehicle has an auxiliary input
on the audio faceplate.
This vehicle also has a USB port on
the instrument panel.
External devices such as iPod
®,
laptop computers, MP3 players,
CD changers, USB storage device,
etc. can be connected to the
auxiliary port using a 3.5 mm
(1/8 in) input jack or the USB port
depending on the audio system. See
Auxiliary Devices on page 7‑31
for further information.
Bluetooth®
For vehicles with a Bluetooth
system, it allows users with a
Bluetooth-enabled cell phone to
make and receive hands-free calls
using the vehicle’ s audio system
and controls.
The Bluetooth-enabled cell phone
must be paired with the Bluetooth
system before it can be used in the
vehicle. Not all phones will support
all functions. For more information,
see www.gm.com/bluetooth and
Bluetooth on page 7‑48.

Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
1-22 In Brief
Steering Wheel Controls
If available, some audio controls
can be adjusted at the steering
wheel.
w:Press to go to the next favorite
radio station, track on a CD,
or folder on an iPod
®or USB
device.
c/x: Press to go to the
previous favorite radio station, track
on a CD, or folder on an iPod
®or
USB device. Press to reject an
incoming call, or to end a call.
b/g: Press to silence the vehicle
speakers only. Press again to turn
the sound on. Press and hold longer
than two seconds to interact with
OnStar
®or Bluetooth systems,
if equipped.
+
e: Press to increase volume.
−
e: Press to decrease volume.
SRCE: Press to switch between
the radio and CD, and for equipped
vehicles, the DVD, front auxiliary,
and rear auxiliary.
¨: Press to seek the next radio
station, the next track or chapter
while sourced to the CD or DVD
slot, or to select tracks and folders
on an iPod or USB device.
For more information, see Steering
Wheel Controls on page 5‑2.
Cruise Control
T: 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.
+ RES: Press briefly to make the
vehicle resume to a previously set
speed, or press and hold to
accelerate.
SET −:Press to set the speed and
activate cruise control or make the
vehicle decelerate.

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
5-2 Instruments and Controls
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization (WithDIC Buttons) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-44
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . 5-52
Universal Remote SystemProgramming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-52
Universal Remote System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-56
Controls
Steering Wheel
Adjustment
To adjust the steering wheel:
1. Hold the steering wheel and pull
the lever.
2. Move the steering wheel up or down.
3. Release the lever to lock the wheel in place. Do not adjust the steering wheel
while driving.
Steering Wheel Controls
If equipped, some audio controls
can be adjusted at the steering
wheel.
w(Next):
Press to go to the next
favorite radio station, track on a CD,
or folder on an iPod
®or USB
device.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
Instruments and Controls 5-3
c/x(Previous/End):Press to
go to the previous favorite radio
station, track on a CD, or folder on
an iPod
®or USB device. Press to
reject an incoming call, or end a
current call.
Radio
To select preset or favorite radio
stations:
Press and release
worc/xto
go to the next or previous radio
station stored as a preset or
favorite.
CD/DVD
To select tracks on a CD/DVD:
Press and release
worc/xto
go to the next or previous track.
Selecting Tracks on an iPod or
USB Device (Vehicles without a
Navigation System)
1. Press and hold
worc/x
while listening to a song until the
contents of the current folder
display on the radio display. 2. Press and release
worc/x
to scroll up or down the list, then
press and hold
w, or press¨to
play the highlighted track.
Navigating Folders on an iPod or
USB Device (Vehicles without a
Navigation System):
1. Press and hold
worc/x
while listening to a song until the
contents of the current folder
display on the radio display.
2. Press and hold
c/xto go
back to the previous folder list.
3. Press and release
worc/x
to scroll up or down the list.
.To select a folder,
press and hold
w,
or press
¨when the folder
is highlighted.
.To go back further in the
folder list, press and
hold
c/x. Navigating an iPod or USB Device
on the Main Audio Screen
(Vehicles with a Navigation
System)
1. Press and release
worc/x
to select the next or previous
track within the selected
category.
2. Press and hold
worc/xto
move quickly through the tracks.
3. Press and release
¨to move up
one track within the selected
category.
Navigating an iPod or USB Device
on the Music Navigator Screen
(Vehicles with a Navigation
System)
1. Press and release
worc/x
to select the next or previous
track within the selected
category.
2. Press and hold
worc/xto
move quickly through the tracks
within the selected category.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 8/27/12
5-4 Instruments and Controls
3. Press and release¨to move up
one track within the selected
category.
b/g(Mute/Push to Talk): Press
to silence the vehicle speakers only.
Press again to turn the sound on.
For vehicles with Bluetooth or
OnStar systems, press and hold for
longer than two seconds to interact
with those systems. See Bluetooth
on page 7‑48 andOnStar Overview
on page 14‑1 for more information.
SRCE (Source/Voice
Recognition): Press to switch
between the radio and CD, and for
equipped vehicles, the DVD, front
auxiliary, and rear auxiliary.
For vehicles with the navigation
system, press and hold this button
for longer than one second to
initiate voice recognition. See “Voice
Recognition” in the Navigation
System manual for more
information.
¨(Seek): Press to go to the next
radio station while in AM, FM,
or SiriusXM
®.
For vehicles with or without a
navigation system:
Press
¨to go to the next track or
chapter while sourced to the CD or
DVD slot.
Press
¨to select a track or a folder
when navigating folders on an iPod
or USB device.
For vehicles with a navigation
system:
1. Press and hold
¨until a beep is
heard, to place the radio into
SCAN mode. A station will play
for five seconds before moving
to the next station.
2. To stop the SCAN function, press
¨again. While listening to a CD/DVD, press
and hold
¨to quickly move forward
through the tracks. Release to stop
on the desired track.
+
e: Press to increase volume.
−
e: Press to decrease volume.
Horn
To sound the horn, press the center
pad on the steering wheel.
Windshield Wiper/Washer
The front wiper control is located on
the turn and lane-change lever.
The windshield wipers are
controlled by turning the band
with
zon it.