Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349385) - 2018 - crc - 11/3/17
Vehicle Care 289
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 290
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 291
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 299
Automatic Transmission Fluid (6-Speed Transmission) . . . . . 301
Automatic Transmission Fluid (10-Speed Transmission) . . . 304
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 304
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 309
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . 311
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311 Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Battery - North America . . . . . . 314
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 316
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 317
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 318
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 319
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 319
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Front Turn Signal Lamps . . . . . 322 Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 324
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 324
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 325
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Left) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 338
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349385) - 2018 - crc - 11/3/17
312 Vehicle Care
Caution (Continued)
for fluid expansion if
freezing occurs, which could
damage the tank if it is
completely full.
Brakes
Disc brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or can
be heard all the time when the
vehicle is moving, except when
applying the brake pedal firmly.
{Warning
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Caution
Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly
brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications. See Capacities and
Specifications 0402.
Brake pads should be replaced as
complete sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service may be required.
Replacing Brake System Parts
Always replace brake system parts
with new, approved replacement
parts. If this is not done, the brakes
may not work properly. The braking
performance expected can change
in many other ways if the wrong
replacement brake parts are
installed or if parts are improperly
installed.
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder reservoir
is filled with GM approved DOT 3
brake fluid as indicated on the
reservoir cap. See Engine
Compartment Overview 0293 for
the location of the reservoir.
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349385) - 2018 - crc - 11/3/17
Vehicle Care 313
Checking Brake Fluid
With the vehicle in P (Park) on a
level surface, the brake fluid level
should be between the minimum
and maximum marks on the brake
fluid reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in the reservoir may
go down:
.Normal brake lining wear. When
new linings are installed, the
fluid level goes back up.
. A fluid leak in the brake
hydraulic system. Have the
brake hydraulic system fixed.
With a leak, the brakes will not
work well.
Always clean the brake fluid
reservoir cap and the area around
the cap before removing it.
Do not top off the brake fluid.
Adding fluid does not correct a leak.
If fluid is added when the linings are
worn, there will be too much fluid
when new brake linings are installed. Add or remove fluid, as
necessary, only when work is done
on the brake hydraulic system.
{Warning
If too much brake fluid is added, it
can spill on the engine and burn,
if the engine is hot enough. You
or others could be burned, and
the vehicle could be damaged.
Add brake fluid only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic
system.
When the brake fluid falls to a low
level, the brake warning light comes
on. See Brake System Warning
Light 0155.
Brake fluid absorbs water over time
which degrades the effectiveness of
the brake fluid. Replace brake fluid
at the specified intervals to prevent
increased stopping distance. See
Maintenance Schedule 0389. What to Add
Use only GM approved DOT 3
brake fluid from a clean, sealed
container. See
Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants 0397.{Warning
The wrong or contaminated brake
fluid could result in damage to the
brake system. This could result in
the loss of braking leading to a
possible injury. Always use the
proper GM approved brake fluid.
Caution
If brake fluid is spilled on the
vehicle's painted surfaces, the
paint finish can be damaged.
Immediately wash off any painted
surface.
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349385) - 2018 - crc - 11/3/17
Vehicle Care 347
TPMS Malfunction Light and
Message
The TPMS will not function properly
if one or more of the TPMS sensors
are missing or inoperable. When the
system detects a malfunction, the
low tire pressure warning light
flashes for about one minute and
then stays on for the remainder of
the ignition cycle. A DIC warning
message also displays. The
malfunction light and DIC warning
message come on at each ignition
cycle until the problem is corrected.
Some of the conditions that can
cause these to come on are:
.One of the road tires has been
replaced with the spare tire. The
spare tire does not have a
TPMS sensor. The malfunction
light and the DIC message
should go off after the road tire
is replaced and the sensor
matching process is performed
successfully. See "TPMS Sensor
Matching Process" later in this
section. .
The TPMS sensor matching
process was not done or not
completed successfully after
rotating the tires. The
malfunction light and the DIC
message should go off after
successfully completing the
sensor matching process. See
"TPMS Sensor Matching
Process" later in this section.
. One or more TPMS sensors are
missing or damaged. The
malfunction light and the DIC
message should go off when the
TPMS sensors are installed and
the sensor matching process is
performed successfully. See
your dealer for service.
. Replacement tires or wheels do
not match the original equipment
tires or wheels. Tires and wheels
other than those recommended
could prevent the TPMS from
functioning properly. See Buying
New Tires 0352. .
Operating electronic devices or
being near facilities using radio
wave frequencies similar to the
TPMS could cause the TPMS
sensors to malfunction.
If the TPMS is not functioning
properly, it cannot detect or signal a
low tire pressure condition. See
your dealer for service if the TPMS
malfunction light and DIC message
come on and stay on.
Tire Fill Alert (If Equipped)
This feature provides visual and
audible alerts outside the vehicle to
help when inflating an underinflated
tire to the recommended cold tire
pressure.
When the low tire pressure warning
light comes on:
1. Park the vehicle in a safe, level place.
2. Set the parking brake firmly.
3. Place the vehicle in P (Park).
4. Add air to the tire that is underinflated. The turn signal
lamp will flash.
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349385) - 2018 - crc - 11/3/17
352 Vehicle Care
area away from direct sunlight to
slow aging. This area should be free
of grease, gasoline, or other
substances that can deteriorate
rubber.
Parking for an extended period can
cause flat spots on the tires that
may result in vibrations while
driving. When storing a vehicle for
at least a month, remove the tires or
raise the vehicle to reduce the
weight from the tires.
Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched
specific tires for the vehicle. The
original equipment tires installed
were designed to meet General
Motors Tire Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec)
system rating. When
replacement tires are needed,
GM strongly recommends
buying tires with the same TPC
Spec rating.GM's exclusive TPC Spec
system considers over a dozen
critical specifications that impact
the overall performance of the
vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire
pressure monitoring
performance. GM's TPC Spec
number is molded onto the tire's
sidewall near the tire size. If the
tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC Spec number
will be followed by MS for mud
and snow. See
Tire Sidewall
Labeling 0338 for additional
information.
GM recommends replacing worn
tires in complete sets of four.
Uniform tread depth on all tires
will help to maintain the
performance of the vehicle.
Braking and handling
performance may be adversely
affected if all the tires are not
replaced at the same time.
If proper rotation and maintenance have been done,
all four tires should wear out at
about the same time. See
Tire
Rotation 0350 for information
on proper tire rotation. However,
if it is necessary to replace only
one axle set of worn tires, place
the new tires on the rear axle.
{Warning
Tires could explode during
improper service. Attempting
to mount or dismount a tire
could cause injury or death.
Only your dealer or authorized
tire service center should
mount or dismount the tires.
{Warning
Mixing tires of different sizes,
brands, or types may cause
loss of control of the vehicle,
resulting in a crash or other
(Continued)
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349385) - 2018 - crc - 11/3/17
Service and Maintenance 395
.To avoid break-down or failure to
start the vehicle, maintain a
battery with full cranking power.
. Trained dealer technicians have
the diagnostic equipment to test
the battery and ensure that the
connections and cables are
corrosion-free.
Belts
. Belts may need replacing if they
squeak or show signs of
cracking or splitting.
. Trained dealer technicians have
access to tools and equipment
to inspect the belts and
recommend adjustment or
replacement when necessary.
Brakes
Brakes stop the vehicle and are
crucial to safe driving.
. Signs of brake wear may include
chirping, grinding, or squealing
noises, or difficulty stopping. .
Trained dealer technicians have
access to tools and equipment
to inspect the brakes and
recommend quality parts
engineered for the vehicle.
Fluids
Proper fluid levels and approved
fluids protect the vehicle’s systems
and components. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0397 for GM approved
fluids.
. Engine oil and windshield
washer fluid levels should be
checked at every fuel fill.
. Instrument cluster lights may
come on to indicate that fluids
may be low and need to be
filled.
Hoses
Hoses transport fluids and should
be regularly inspected to ensure
that there are no cracks or leaks.
With a multi-point inspection, your
dealer can inspect the hoses and
advise if replacement is needed. Lamps
Properly working headlamps,
taillamps, and brake lamps are
important to see and be seen on
the road.
.
Signs that the headlamps need
attention include dimming, failure
to light, cracking, or damage.
The brake lamps need to be
checked periodically to ensure
that they light when braking.
. With a multi-point inspection,
your dealer can check the lamps
and note any concerns.
Shocks and Struts
Shocks and struts help aid in control
for a smoother ride.
. Signs of wear may include
steering wheel vibration, bounce/
sway while braking, longer
stopping distance, or uneven
tire wear.
. As part of the multi-point
inspection, trained dealer
technicians can visually inspect
the shocks and struts for signs
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349385) - 2018 - crc - 11/3/17
430 Index
IndexA
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Active Fuel Management . . . . . . . 226
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . . . 248
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . 288
Additional Information OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424
Additional Maintenance
and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Adjustments
Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . . . 304
Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . 192, 196
Air Filter, Passenger Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
How Does an AirbagRestrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Passenger Sensing System . . . . 99
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Airbag System (cont'd)
What Will You See after an
Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . . 94
Airbags Adding Equipment to theVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Passenger Status Indicator . . . 152
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Servicing Airbag-Equipped Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Alarm Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Alert Lane Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Side Blind Zone (SBZA) . . . . . . 262
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . 239 Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Appearance Care Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
Armrest Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349385) - 2018 - crc - 11/3/17
Index 431
Assistance Program,Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Assistance Systems for Parking and Backing . . . . . . . . . . 256
Automatic
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Forward Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Level Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . 301, 304
Automatic Transmission Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Shift Lock Control FunctionCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Auxiliary Roof Mounted Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 186
Axle, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Axle, Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
B
Battery Exterior Lighting BatterySaver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 Battery (cont'd)
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Battery - North America . . . . 314, 368
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . . . 318
Blind Spot Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Brake Pedal and AdjustableThrottle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
System Warning Light . . . . . . . . 155
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312 Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 Automatic Forward . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 216
Bulb Replacement Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Front Turn Signal Lamps . . . . . 322
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
High Intensity Discharge(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . . . 324 Bulb Replacement (cont'd)
Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Stoplamps, and Back-up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Perchlorate Materials
Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
California Proposition
65 Warning . . . . . . . . . .291, 314, 368,
Back Cover
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . 2
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Cargo
Tie-Downs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Caution, Danger, and Warning . . . . 3
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . 128
Center Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67