
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349385) - 2018 - crc - 11/3/17
Climate Controls 199
Service
All vehicles have a label underhood
that identifies the refrigerant used in
the vehicle. The refrigerant system
should only be serviced by trained
and certified technicians. The air
conditioning evaporator should
never be repaired or replaced by
one from a salvage vehicle.
It should only be replaced by a new
evaporator to ensure proper and
safe operation.
During service, all refrigerants
should be reclaimed with proper
equipment. Venting refrigerants
directly to the atmosphere is harmful
to the environment and may also
create unsafe conditions based on
inhalation, combustion, frostbite,
or other health-based concerns.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349385) - 2018 - crc - 11/3/17
Driving and Operating 201
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 267
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . 286
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
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.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349385) - 2018 - crc - 11/3/17
Driving and Operating 211
.Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise
clear roads in shaded areas.
The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when
the surrounding roads are clear.
Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
. Turn off cruise control.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. Stay with the vehicle
unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside
Assistance Program 0408. To get
help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
. Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
. Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO), which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
. Clear snow from the base of
the vehicle, especially any
blocking the exhaust pipe.
. Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the vehicle side
that is away from the wind,
to bring in fresh air.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the fan speed to the highest
setting. See“Climate
Control Systems.”
For more information about CO,
see Engine Exhaust 0227.
To save fuel, run the engine for
short periods to warm the vehicle
and then shut the engine off and
partially close the window. Moving
about to keep warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle
speed. This keeps the battery
charged to restart the vehicle and to
signal for help with the headlamps.
Do this as little as possible, to
save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349385) - 2018 - crc - 11/3/17
244 Driving and Operating
Hill Descent
Control (HDC)
If equipped, Hill Descent Control
(HDC) sets and maintains vehicle
speed while driving down steep
grades in a forward or reverse gear.
The HDC switch is on the center
stack, below the climate controls.
Press
5to enable or disable HDC.
Vehicle speed must be below
50 km/h (31 mph).
When enabled, the HDC light
displays on the instrument cluster.
A blinking HDC light indicates the
system is actively applying the
brakes to maintain vehicle speed.
HDC can maintain vehicle speeds
between 1 and 30 km/h (1 and
19 mph) on grades greater than or
equal to 10%. Noise from the hydraulic brake
control module is normal when HDC
is active.
When HDC is activated, the initial
HDC speed is set to the current
driving speed. It can be increased or
decreased by pressing +RES or
SET- on the steering wheel, or by
applying the accelerator or brake
pedal. This adjusted speed
becomes the new set speed.
HDC will remain enabled between
30 and 60 km/h (19 and 37 mph);
however, vehicle speed cannot be
set or maintained in this range. HDC
will automatically disable if the
vehicle speed is above 80 km/h
(50 mph) or above 60 km/h
(37 mph) for at least 30 seconds.5must be pressed again to
re-enable HDC. HDC may disable
after an extended period of use.
If this happens, HDC will require
time to cool down. The length of
time HDC remains active depends
on road conditions, grade, set
speed, vehicle loading, and outside
temperature. When enabled, if the vehicle speed
is above 30 km/h (19 mph) and
below 60 km/h (37 mph), a DIC
message will display.
Magnetic Ride Control
This vehicle may have a semi-active
damping system called Magnetic
Ride Control. With this feature,
improved vehicle ride and handling
is provided under a variety of
passenger and loading conditions.
Magnetic Ride Control is fully
automatic and uses a computer
controller to continuously monitor
vehicle speed, wheel to body
position, lift/dive, and steering
position of the vehicle. The
controller then sends signals to
each shock absorber to
independently adjust the damping
level to provide the optimum
vehicle ride.
Magnetic Ride Control also interacts
with the Tow/Haul Mode that, when
activated, will provide additional
control of the shock absorbers. This
additional control results in better

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349385) - 2018 - crc - 11/3/17
272 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
.Also adjust the climate
control system to a setting
that brings in only outside
air. See “Climate Control
Systems” in the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust 0227.
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. The
combination you are driving is
longer and not as responsive as the
vehicle itself. Get acquainted with
the handling and braking of the rig
before setting out for the open road.
The structure, tires, and brakes of
the trailer must be rated to carry the
load. Inadequate trailer equipment
can cause the combination to
operate in an unexpected or unsafe
manner.
Before starting, check all trailer hitch
parts and attachments, safety
chains, electrical connectors, lamps, tires, and mirrors. Get familiar with
the handling and braking of the rig.
If the trailer has electric brakes, start
the combination moving and then
apply the trailer brake controller by
hand to be sure the brakes work.
During the trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure
and the lamps and any trailer
brakes still work.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid heavy
braking and sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. The
combination will not accelerate as
quickly and is longer so it is
necessary to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before
returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. To move the
trailer to the left, move that hand to
the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Caution
Making very sharp turns while
trailering could cause the trailer to
come in contact with the vehicle.
The vehicle could be damaged.
Avoid making very sharp turns
while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349385) - 2018 - crc - 11/3/17
354 Vehicle Care
{Warning
If different sized wheels are used,
there may not be an acceptable
level of performance and safety if
tires not recommended for those
wheels are selected. This
increases the chance of a crash
and serious injury. Only use GM
specific wheel and tire systems
developed for the vehicle, and
have them properly installed by a
GM certified technician.
See Buying New Tires 0352 and
Accessories and Modifications
0 291.
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires by
treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This applies only to vehicles sold in
the United States. The grades
are molded on the sidewalls of
most passenger car tires. The
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
(UTQG) system does not apply
to deep tread, winter tires,
compact spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production
tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test
course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and
one-half (1½) times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and
differences in road
characteristics and climate.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349385) - 2018 - crc - 11/3/17
432 Index
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
ChargingWireless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . 153
Check Engine Light (MalfunctionIndicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Ignition Transmission Lock . . . 317
Child Restraints Infants and Young Children . . . 107
Lower Anchors and Tethersfor Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121, 123
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Child-View Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Cleaning
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
Climate Control Systems
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . 411
Compartments Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Connections
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421
Control Hill Descent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Traction and ElectronicStability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Control Light Hill Descent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Coolant Engine Temperature Gauge . . 149
Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192, 196
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Cruise Control, Adaptive . . . . . . . . 248
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . 407
Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406
Text Telephone (TTY)Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407 Customer Information
Service Publications
Ordering Information . . . . . . . . 413
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . . 411
Danger, Warning, and Caution . . . . 3
Data CollectionInfotainment System . . . . . . . . . . 417
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . 416
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Diagnostics OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . 403
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . 255

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349385) - 2018 - crc - 11/3/17
Index 433
Driver InformationCenter (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161, 162
Driving Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 258
Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 29
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 210
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . .211
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
E
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Electrical System Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 325 Electrical System (cont'd)
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330, 333
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Emergency OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Check Light (MalfunctionIndicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 293
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . 148
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 227
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 416
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 181
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 183
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
F
FanEngine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Features Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 185
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
FlexFuel
E85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
Fluid AutomaticTransmission . . . . . . . . . . . 301, 304
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312