
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955986) - 2017 - crc - 7/5/16
214 Infotainment System
Phone
Bluetooth (Overview)
Instructions for using the cell phone
may differ between infotainment
systems. The base radio and base
radio with connectivity instructions
are included in this manual. See the
infotainment manual for instructions
on the uplevel radios.
Bluetooth-capable systems can
interact with many cell phones,
allowing:
.Placement and receipt of calls in
a hands-free mode.
. Sharing of the cell phone’s
address book or contact list with
the vehicle.
To minimize driver distraction,
before driving, and with the vehicle
parked:
. Become familiar with the
features of the cell phone.
Organize the phone book and
contact lists clearly and delete duplicate or rarely used entries.
If possible, program speed dial
or other shortcuts.
. Review the controls and
operation of the infotainment
system.
. Pair cell phone(s) to the vehicle.
The system may not work with
all cell phones. See “Pairing”in
this section.
. If the cell phone has voice
dialing capability, learn to use
that feature to access the
address book or contact list. See
“Voice Pass-Thru” in this
section.
. See “Storing and Deleting Phone
Numbers” in this section.
{Warning
When using a cell phone, it can
be distracting to look too long or
too often at the screen of the
phone or the infotainment system.
Taking your eyes off the road too
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.
Vehicles with a Bluetooth system
can use a Bluetooth-capable cell
phone with a Hands-Free Profile to
make and receive phone calls. The
infotainment system and voice
recognition are used to control the
system. The system can be used
while in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY. The range of the
Bluetooth system can be up to 9.1 m
(30 ft). Not all phones support all
functions and not all phones work
with the Bluetooth system. See
www.gm.com/bluetooth for more
information about compatible
phones.
Bluetooth Controls
Use the buttons on the instrument
panel, faceplate, and the steering
wheel to operate the Bluetooth
system.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955986) - 2017 - crc - 7/5/16
234 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 243
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 243
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 245
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 251
Adjustable Throttle and BrakePedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Ignition Positions (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Ignition Positions (Key Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Active Fuel Management
®. . . . 261
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 262
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 274
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274 Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 276
Magnetic Ride Control . . . . . . . . 277
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Automatic Level Control . . . . . . 277
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . 280
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 287
Assistance Systems for
Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 288
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Forward Automatic Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 294
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) (1500 Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 299

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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Driving and Operating 235
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Trailer Towing
General Towing
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . 317
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep
your eyes on the road, keep your
hands on the steering wheel, and
focus your attention on driving.
. Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
. Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices. .
Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
. Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
. Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
. Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
. Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
. Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955986) - 2017 - crc - 7/5/16
236 Driving and Operating
Refer to the infotainment manual for
more information on using that
system, including pairing and using
a cell phone
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means“always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the safety belt. See Safety
Belts 083.
. Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes.
Anticipate what they might do
and be ready.
. Allow enough following distance
between you and the driver in
front of you.
. Focus on the task of driving.
Drunk Driving
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
{Warning
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious —or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time. Average driver reaction time is
about three-quarters of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.
Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
. Avoid needless heavy braking.
. Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955986) - 2017 - crc - 7/5/16
238 Driving and Operating
3. Turn the steering wheel to gostraight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
. Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force.
. Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
. Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go. The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
. Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues —such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt.
. Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
Four-wheel-drive vehicles can be
used for off-road driving. Vehicles
without four-wheel drive and vehicles not equipped with All
Terrain (AT) or On-Off Road (OOR)
tires must not be driven off-road
except on a level, solid surface. For
more contact information about the
original equipment tires, see the
Limited Warranty and Owner
Assistance Information manual.
One of the best ways for successful
off-road driving is to control the
speed.
{Warning
When driving off-road, bouncing
and quick changes in direction
can easily throw you out of
position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash. You and
your passengers should always
wear safety belts.
Before Driving Off-Road
.
Have all necessary maintenance
and service work completed.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955986) - 2017 - crc - 7/5/16
Driving and Operating 239
.Fuel the vehicle, fill fluid levels,
and check inflation pressure in
all tires, including the spare,
if equipped.
. Read all the information about
four-wheel-drive vehicles in this
manual.
. Know the local laws that apply to
off-road driving.
To gain more ground clearance if
needed, it may be necessary to
remove the front fascia lower air
dam. However, driving without the
air dam reduces fuel economy.
Caution
Operating the vehicle for
extended periods without the front
fascia lower air dam installed can
cause improper airflow to the
engine. Reattach the front fascia
air dam after off-road driving.
Loading the Vehicle for
Off-Road Driving
{Warning
. Unsecured cargo on the
load floor can be tossed
about when driving over
rough terrain. You or your
passengers can be struck
by flying objects. Secure the
cargo properly.
. Keep cargo in the cargo
area as far forward and as
low as possible. The
heaviest things should be
on the floor, forward of the
rear axle.
. Heavy loads on the roof
raise the vehicle's center of
gravity, making it more likely
to roll over. You can be
seriously or fatally injured if
the vehicle rolls over. Put
heavy loads inside the
cargo area, not on the roof. For more information about loading
the vehicle, see
If the Vehicle Is
Stuck 0245 andTires 0362.
Environmental Concerns
.
Always use established trails,
roads, and areas that have been
set aside for public off-road
recreational driving and obey all
posted regulations.
. Do not damage shrubs, flowers,
trees, or grasses or disturb
wildlife.
. Do not park over things that
burn. See Parking over Things
That Burn 0260.
Driving on Hills
Driving safely on hills requires good
judgment and an understanding of
what the vehicle can and cannot do.
{Warning
Many hills are simply too steep
for any vehicle. Driving up hills
can cause the vehicle to stall.
Driving down hills can cause loss
(Continued)

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955986) - 2017 - crc - 7/5/16
240 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
of control. Driving across hills can
cause a rollover. You could be
injured or killed. Do not drive on
steep hills.
Before driving on a hill, assess the
steepness, traction, and
obstructions. If the terrain ahead
cannot be seen, get out of the
vehicle and walk the hill before
driving further.
When driving on hills:
. Use a low gear and keep a firm
grip on the steering wheel.
. Maintain a slow speed.
. When possible, drive straight up
or down the hill.
. Slow down when approaching
the top of the hill.
. Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible.
{Warning
Driving to the top of a hill at high
speed can cause an accident.
There could be a drop-off,
embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be
seriously injured or killed. As you
near the top of a hill, slow down
and stay alert.
. Never go downhill forward or
backward with either the
transmission or transfer case in
N (Neutral). The brakes could
overheat and you could lose
control.
{Warning
If the vehicle has the two‐speed
automatic transfer case, shifting
the transfer case to N (Neutral)
can cause your vehicle to roll
even if the transmission is in
P (Park). This is because the
N (Neutral) position on the
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
transfer case overrides the
transmission. You or someone
else could be injured. If leaving
the vehicle, set the parking brake
and shift the transmission to
P (Park). Shift the transfer case to
any position but N (Neutral).
. When driving down a hill, keep
the vehicle headed straight
down. Use a low gear because
the engine will work with the
brakes to slow the vehicle and
help keep the vehicle under
control.
{Warning
Heavy braking when going down
a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and you or
others could be injured or killed.
Apply the brakes lightly when
(Continued)

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9955986) - 2017 - crc - 7/5/16
Driving and Operating 241
Warning (Continued)
descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under
control.
If the vehicle stalls on a hill: 1. Apply the brakes to stop the vehicle, and then apply the
parking brake.
2. Shift into P (Park) and then restart the engine.
.If driving uphill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to
R (Reverse), release the
parking brake, and back
straight down.
. Never try to turn the vehicle
around. If the hill is steep
enough to stall the vehicle,
it is steep enough to cause
it to roll over.
. If you cannot make it up the
hill, back straight down
the hill. .
Never back down a hill in
N (Neutral) using only the
brake.
The vehicle can roll
backward quickly and you
could lose control.
. If driving downhill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to a
lower gear, release the
parking brake, and drive
straight down the hill.
3. If the vehicle cannot be restarted after stalling, set the
parking brake, shift into
P (Park), and turn the
vehicle off.
3.1. Leave the vehicle and
seek help.
3.2. Stay clear of the path the vehicle would take if it
rolled downhill.
. Avoid turns that take the vehicle
across the incline of the hill.
A hill that can be driven straight
up or down might be too steep to
drive across. Driving across an
incline puts more weight on the downhill wheels, which could
cause a downhill slide or a
rollover.
. Surface conditions can be a
problem. Loose gravel, muddy
spots, or even wet grass can
cause the tires to slip sideways,
downhill. If the vehicle slips
sideways, it can hit something
that will trip it —a rock, a rut,
etc. —and roll over.
. Hidden obstacles can make the
steepness of the incline more
severe. If a rock is driven across
with the uphill wheels, or if the
downhill wheels drop into a rut
or depression, the vehicle can tilt
even more.
. If an incline must be driven
across, and the vehicle starts to
slide, turn downhill. This should
help straighten out the vehicle
and prevent the side slipping.