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Driving and Operating 251
Warning (Continued)
function. An ungrounded
outlet could cause an
electric shock.
. Use a weatherproof,
heavy-duty, 15 amp-rated
extension cord if needed.
Failure to use the
recommended extension
cord in good operating
condition, or using a
damaged heater or
extension cord, could make
it overheat and cause a fire,
property damage, electric
shock, and injury.
. Do not operate the vehicle
with the heater cord
permanently attached to the
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
vehicle. Possible heater
cord and thermostat
damage could occur.
. While in use, do not let the
heater cord touch vehicle
parts or sharp edges. Never
close the hood on the
heater cord.
. Before starting the vehicle,
unplug the cord, reattach
the cover to the plug, and
securely fasten the cord.
Keep the cord away from
any moving parts.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine
parts. If you do not, it could be
damaged.
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer in the
area where you will be parking the
vehicle for the best advice on this.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
The following vehicle accessories
can be used for up to 10 minutes
after the engine is turned off:
. Audio System
. Power Windows
. OnStar System (if equipped)
. Sunroof (if equipped)
. Accessory Power Outlets. The
console and center seat outlets
are RAP powered.
These features work when the key
is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY. Once the key is
turned from ON/RUN to LOCK/OFF,
the windows and sunroof continue
to work up to 10 minutes until any
door is opened. The radio continues
to work for up to 10 minutes or until
the driver door is opened.
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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252 Driving and Operating
Shifting Into Park
{Warning
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow. If the vehicle has a
four-wheel drive transfer case
with a N (Neutral) position, and
the transfer case is in N (Neutral),
the vehicle will be free to roll,
even if the shift lever is in
P (Park). Be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear. If towing a
trailer, seeDriving Characteristics
and Towing Tips 0296.
1. Hold the brake pedal down, then set the parking brake.
See Parking Brake 0265. 2. Move the shift lever into the
P (Park) position by pulling the
shift lever toward you and
moving it up as far as it will go.
3. Be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear —not in
N (Neutral).
4. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
5. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave the
vehicle with the ignition key in
your hand, the vehicle is in
P (Park).
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
The vehicle could move suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
If you have four-wheel drive and
the transfer case is in N (Neutral),
the vehicle will be free to roll,
even if the shift lever is in
P (Park). So be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear —not in
N (Neutral).
And, if you leave the vehicle with
the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You
or others could be injured. Do not
leave the vehicle with the engine
running unless you have to.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you move the shift
lever into P (Park), hold the regular
brake pedal down. Then, see if you
can move the shift lever away from
P (Park) without first pulling it toward
you. If you can, it means that the
shift lever was not fully locked into
P (Park).
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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298 Driving and Operating
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
transmission in P (Park) for a few
minutes before turning the engine
off. If the overheat warning comes
on, seeEngine Overheating 0326.
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. If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if
facing downhill or into traffic if
facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular
brakes until the chocks absorb
the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and
shift into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks. 7. Stop and have someone pick
up and store the chocks.
Maintenance when Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See
Maintenance Schedule 0401.
Things that are especially important
in trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system, and
brake system. It is a good idea to
inspect these before and during
the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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310 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 311
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 312
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 317
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 321
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 326
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . 328
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329 Battery - North America . . . . . . 331
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . 333
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 334
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 335
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 335
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 336
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 336
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Front Turn Signal Lamps . . . . . 339 Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 340
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 341
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Left) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 353
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358
Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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318 Vehicle Care
necessary. SeeEngine Oil
Messages 0164. Change the oil as
soon as possible within the next
1 000 km (600 mi). It is possible that,
if driving under the best conditions,
the oil life system might indicate that
an oil change is not necessary for
up to a year. The engine oil and
filter must be changed at least once
a year and, at this time, the system
must be reset. For vehicles without
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message, an oil change is needed
when the OIL LIFE REMAINING
percentage is near 0%. Your dealer
has trained service people who will
perform this work and reset the
system. It is also important to check
the oil regularly over the course of
an oil drain interval and keep it at
the proper level.
If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System
Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. Always reset the
engine oil life to 100% after every oil
change. It will not reset itself. To
reset the engine oil life system:
1. Display the OIL LIFE REMAINING on the DIC. If the
vehicle does not have DIC
buttons, the vehicle must be in
P (Park) to access this display.
See Driver Information Center
(DIC) (Base Level) 0153 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Uplevel) 0155.
2. Press and hold
V, or the trip
odometer reset stem if the
vehicle does not have DIC
buttons, for several seconds.
The oil life will change
to 100%.
The oil life system can also be reset
as follows: 1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off. 2. Fully press the accelerator
pedal slowly three times within
five seconds.
3. Display the OIL LIFE REMAINING on the DIC. If the
display shows 100%, the
system is reset.
If the vehicle has a CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message and it
comes back on when the vehicle is
started and/or the OIL LIFE
REMAINING is near 0%, the engine
oil life system has not been reset.
Repeat the procedure.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
For a heavy-duty Suburban, see the
Suburban Heavy-Duty Package
Supplement.
When to Check and Change
Automatic Transmission Fluid
It is usually not necessary to check
the transmission fluid level. The only
reason for fluid loss is a
transmission leak or overheated
transmission. If a small leak is
suspected, then use the following
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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Vehicle Care 319
checking procedures to check the
fluid level. However, if there is a
large leak, then it may be necessary
to have the vehicle towed to a
dealer service department and have
it repaired before driving the vehicle
further.
Caution
Use of the incorrect automatic
transmission fluid may damage
the vehicle, and the damage may
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Always use the
automatic transmission fluid listed
inRecommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0410.
Change the fluid and filter at the
scheduled maintenance intervals
listed in Maintenance Schedule
0 401. Be sure to use the
transmission fluid listed in
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0410.
How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid
Caution
Too much or too little fluid can
damage the transmission. Too
much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on
hot engine parts or exhaust
system parts, starting a fire. Too
little fluid could cause the
transmission to overheat. Be sure
to get an accurate reading if
checking the transmission fluid.
Before checking the fluid level,
prepare the vehicle: 1. Start the engine and park the vehicle on a level surface.
Keep the engine running.
2. Apply the parking brake and place the shift lever in P (Park).
3. With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift lever
through each gear range,
pausing for about three seconds in each range.
Then, move the shift lever back
to P (Park).
4. Allow the engine to idle (500– 800 rpm) for at least
one minute. Slowly release the
brake pedal.
5. Keep the engine running and check the transmission fluid
temperature on the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Base Level) 0153 orDriver
Information Center (DIC)
(Uplevel) 0155.
6. Using the transmission fluid temperature reading, determine
and perform the appropriate
check procedure. If the
transmission fluid temperature
reading is not within the
required temperature ranges,
allow the vehicle to cool,
or operate the vehicle until the
appropriate transmission fluid
temperature is reached.
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Vehicle Care 323
1. Coolant Surge Tank
2. Coolant Surge TankPressure Cap
3. Engine Electric Cooling Fan(s)
{Warning
An electric engine cooling fan can
start even when the engine is not
running. To avoid injury, always
keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any engine
cooling fan.
{Warning
Heater and radiator hoses, and
other engine parts, can be very
hot. Do not touch them. If you do,
you can be burned.
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak. If you run the engine, it
could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you
could be burned. Get any leak
fixed before you drive the vehicle.
Caution
Using coolant other than
DEX-COOL®can cause
premature engine, heater core,
or radiator corrosion. In addition,
the engine coolant could require
changing sooner. Any repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL (silicate-free) coolant
in the vehicle.
Engine Coolant
For a heavy-duty Suburban, see the
Suburban Heavy-Duty Package
Supplement.
The cooling system in the vehicle is
filled with DEX-COOL
®engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to
remain in the vehicle for 5 years or
240 000 km (150,000 mi), whichever
occurs first.
The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
see Engine Overheating 0326.
What to Use
{Warning
Adding only plain water or some
other liquid to the cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water
and other liquids, can boil before
the proper coolant mixture will.
The coolant warning system is set
for the proper coolant mixture.
(Continued)
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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324 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
With plain water or the wrong
mixture, the engine could get too
hot but you would not get the
overheat warning. The engine
could catch fire and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/
50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant. If using this mixture,
nothing else needs to be added.
This mixture:
. Gives freezing protection down
to−37 °C (−34 °F), outside
temperature.
. Gives boiling protection up to
129 °C (265 °F), engine
temperature.
. Protects against rust and
corrosion.
. Will not damage aluminum parts.
. Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.
Caution
If improper coolant mixture,
inhibitors, or additives are used in
the vehicle cooling system, the
engine could overheat and be
damaged. Too much water in the
mixture can freeze and crack
engine cooling parts. The repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Use only the
proper mixture of engine coolant
for the cooling system. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0410.
Never dispose of engine coolant by
putting it in the trash, or by pouring
it on the ground, or into sewers,
streams, or bodies of water. Have
the coolant changed by an
authorized service center, familiar
with legal requirements regarding
used coolant disposal. This will help
protect the environment and your
health.
Checking Coolant
The coolant surge tank is in the
engine compartment on the
passenger side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0 314.
The vehicle must be on a level
surface when checking the coolant
level.
Check to see if coolant is visible in
the coolant surge tank. If the coolant
inside the coolant surge tank is
boiling, wait until it cools down. The
coolant level should be at or above
the FULL COLD mark. If it is not,
there may be a leak in the cooling
system.
If coolant is visible but the coolant
level is not at or above the FULL
COLD mark, see “How to Add
Coolant to the Coolant Surge Tank,”
following.