Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13690484) - 2021 - crc - 8/17/20
14 Keys, Doors, and Windows
1. Press the button on the side of theremote key and pull the mechanical key
out. Never pull the mechanical key out
without pressing the button.
2. With the mechanical key removed, inserta flat, thin object in the center of the
remote key to separate and remove the
back cover.
3. Lift the battery with a flat object.
4. Remove the battery.
5. Insert the new battery, positive sidetoward the back cover. Replace with a
CR2032 or equivalent battery.
6. Push together the remote key.
7. Reinsert the mechanical key.
Remote Vehicle Start
If equipped with the remote start feature,
the climate control system will come on
when the vehicle is started remotely
depending on the outside temperature.
The rear defog and heated and ventilated
seats, if equipped, may also come on. See
Heated and Ventilated Front Seats 043 and
Vehicle Personalization 0124.
Laws in some communities may restrict the
use of remote starters. Check local
regulations for any requirements on remote
starting of vehicles.
Do not use remote start if the vehicle is low
on fuel. The vehicle may run out of fuel.
The vehicle cannot be remote started if:
.The remote key is in the vehicle.
.The hood is not closed.
.There is an emission control system
malfunction and the malfunction indicator
lamp is on.
.The hazard flashers are on.
.Two remote vehicle starts or a start with
an extension have already been used.
.The vehicle is not in P (Park).
.The vehicle is not off.
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13690484) - 2021 - crc - 8/17/20
Keys, Doors, and Windows 15
The engine will turn off during a remote
vehicle start if:
.The coolant temperature gets too high.
.The oil pressure gets low.
The remote key range may be reduced
while the vehicle is running.
Other conditions can affect the performance
of the remote key. See Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System 08or
Vehicle Personalization 0124.
Starting the Engine Using Remote Start
1. Press
Stwice on the remote key. The
turn signal lamps will flash. The lamps
flash to confirm the request to remote
start the vehicle has been received.
During the remote start, the doors will
be locked and the parking lamps will
remain on as long as the engine is
running.
2. The engine will shut off after 15 minutes or after the remainder of the 30 minute
total running time is used, unless you
stop the remote start before engine
running has completed or the vehicle is
turned on.
3. Press the brake pedal and turn the ignition on to drive the vehicle. Extending Engine Run Time
Remote start can be used for up to
30 minutes of total engine run time.
After two remote starts of 15 minutes,
or multiple shorter time starts totaling
30 minutes have been used, the vehicle
must be started and then turned off before
the remote start can be used again.
Canceling a Remote Start
To cancel a remote start, do one of the
following:.Press and holdSuntil the parking
lamps turn off.
.Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
.Turn the ignition on and then off.
Door Locks
{Warning
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
.Passengers, especially children, can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. The doors can be
unlocked and opened while the vehicle
is moving. The chance of being thrown
out of the vehicle in a crash is (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
increased if the doors are not locked.
So, all passengers should wear seat
belts properly and the doors should be
locked whenever the vehicle is driven.
.Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out.
A child can be overcome by extreme
heat and can suffer permanent injuries
or even death from heat stroke.
Always lock the vehicle whenever
leaving it.
.Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down
or stop the vehicle. Locking the doors
can help prevent this from happening.
To lock or unlock the doors from outside the
vehicle:
.PressQorKon the remote key. See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation 08.
.Use the mechanical key in the
driver door.
To lock or unlock the doors from inside the
vehicle:
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13690484) - 2021 - crc - 8/17/20
20 Keys, Doors, and Windows
.Presslon the bottom edge of the
liftgate next to the latch to close.
Press any liftgate button, the touch pad,
or
bon the remote key while the liftgate
is moving to stop it. Pressing any liftgate
button or pressing
btwice quickly on the
remote key restarts the operation in the
reverse direction. Pressing the touch pad on
the liftgate handle will restart the motion,
but only in the opening direction.
Caution
Manually forcing the liftgate to open or
close during a power cycle can damage
the vehicle. Allow the power cycle to
complete. When stopping the gate at low heights it
may partially reopen.
The power liftgate may be temporarily
disabled in extremely low temperatures,
or after repeated power cycling over a short
period of time. If this occurs, the liftgate can
still be operated manually. Select OFF on the
liftgate switch.
If the vehicle is shifted out of P (Park) while
the power function is in progress, the
liftgate will continue to completion. If the
vehicle is accelerated before the liftgate has
completed moving, the liftgate may stop or
reverse direction. Check for Driver
Information Center (DIC) messages and make
sure the liftgate is closed and latched before
driving.
Falling Liftgate Detection
If the power liftgate automatically closes
after a power opening cycle, it indicates that
the system is reacting to excess weight on
the liftgate or a possible support strut
failure. Remove any excess weight.
A repetitive chime will sound while the
falling liftgate detection feature is operating.
If the liftgate continues to automatically
close after opening, see your dealer for
service before using the power liftgate.
Interfering with the power liftgate motion
or manually closing the liftgate too quickly
after power opening may resemble a
support strut failure. This could also activate
the falling liftgate detection feature. Allow
the liftgate to complete its operation and
wait a few seconds before manually closing
the liftgate.
Obstacle Detection Features
If the liftgate encounters an obstacle during
a power open or close cycle, the liftgate will
automatically reverse direction and move a
short distance away from the obstacle. After
removing the obstruction, the power liftgate
operation can be used again. If the liftgate
encounters multiple obstacles on the same
power cycle, the power function will
deactivate. After removing the obstructions,
manually close the liftgate. This will allow
normal power operation functions to
resume.
If the vehicle is locked while the liftgate is
closing, and an obstacle is encountered that
prevents the liftgate from completely
closing, the horn will sound as an alert that
the liftgate did not close.
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13690484) - 2021 - crc - 8/17/20
22 Keys, Doors, and Windows
To operate, move your foot in a forward
kicking motion under the center of the rear
bumper, then pull it back.
.Do not sweep your foot side to side.
.Do not keep your foot under the bumper;
the liftgate will not activate.
.Do not touch the liftgate until it has
stopped moving.
.This feature may be temporarily disabled
under some conditions. If the liftgate
does not respond to the kick, open or
close the liftgate by another method or
start the vehicle. The feature will be
re-enabled.
When closing the liftgate using this feature,
there will be a short delay. The rear lights
will flash and a chime will sound. Step away
from the liftgate before it starts moving.
Projected Logo
If equipped with this feature, a vehicle logo
will be projected for one minute onto the
ground near the rear bumper when a
remote key is detected within approximately
2 m (6 ft) from the rear bumper. The
projected logo may not be visible under
brighter daytime conditions.
.1 m (3 ft) Hands-Free Operation
Detection Zone
.2 m (6 ft) Projected Logo Detection Zone
The projected logo shows where to kick
towards the rear bumper.
The projected logo will not be restarted
using the same remote key unless it has
been out of range for longer than
20 seconds.
If a remote key is again detected within
approximately 2 m (6 ft) of the liftgate,
or another kick has been detected, the
one-minute timer will be reset.
The projected logo will not work under
these conditions:
.The vehicle battery is low.
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13690484) - 2021 - crc - 8/17/20
Keys, Doors, and Windows 25
Power Assist Steps
{Warning
To avoid personal injury or property
damage, before entering or exiting the
vehicle, be sure the power assist step is
fully extended. Do not step on the power
assist step while it is moving. Never place
hands or other body parts between the
extended power assist step and the
vehicle.
If equipped, the power assist steps will
deploy when the door is opened and
automatically retract three seconds after the
door is closed. The power assist steps will
retract immediately if the vehicle starts
moving.
Disable the power assist steps before jacking
or placing any object under the vehicle. Too
much ice buildup may prevent deployment
of the power assist steps. Check the step
position before exiting the vehicle. If this
happens, disable the power assist steps,
clear the ice, then enable the assist steps
and confirm normal function prior to use. Keep hands, children, pets, objects, and
clothing clear of the power assist steps
when in motion. The steps will reverse
direction if they encounter an obstruction
when opening or closing. Remove the
obstruction, then open and close the door
on the same side to complete the motion of
the assist steps. If the obstruction is not
cleared, the assist steps remain extended
while driving.
To extend or retract both power assist steps
for cleaning, see
Vehicle Personalization
0 124.
Enable/Disable
To enable or disable the power assist steps,
see Vehicle Personalization 0124.
Vehicle Security
This vehicle has theft-deterrent features;
however, they do not make the vehicle
impossible to steal.
Vehicle Alarm System
The indicator light, on the driver door near
the window, indicates the status of the
system. See Power Door Locks 016
Arming the Alarm System
1. Turn off the vehicle.
2. Lock the vehicle in one of three ways:
.Use the remote key.
.Use the Keyless Access system.
.With a door open, pressQon the
interior of the door.
3. After 30 seconds the alarm system will arm, and the indicator light will begin to
slowly flash. Pressing
Qon the remote
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13690484) - 2021 - crc - 8/17/20
26 Keys, Doors, and Windows
key a second time will bypass the
30-second delay and immediately arm
the alarm system.
The vehicle alarm system will not arm if the
doors are locked with the mechanical key.
If the driver door is opened without first
unlocking with the remote key, the horn will
chirp and the lights will flash to indicate
pre-alarm. If the vehicle is not started,
or the door is not unlocked by pressing
K
on the remote key during the 10-second
pre-alarm, the alarm will be activated.
The alarm will also be activated if a
passenger door, the liftgate, or the hood is
opened without first disarming the system.
When the alarm is activated, the turn
signals flash and the horn sounds for about
30 seconds. The alarm system will then
re-arm to monitor for the next unauthorized
event.
Disarming the Alarm System
To disarm the alarm system or turn off the
alarm if it has been activated:
.PressKon the remote key.
.Unlock the vehicle using the Keyless
Access system.
.Start the vehicle. To avoid setting off the alarm by accident:
.Lock the vehicle after all occupants have
exited.
.Always unlock a door with the remote
key, or use the Keyless Access system.
Unlocking the driver door with the
mechanical key will not disarm the
system or turn off the alarm.
How to Detect a Tamper Condition
IfKis pressed on the remote key and the
horn chirps three times, an alarm occurred
previously while the alarm system was
armed.
If the alarm has been activated, a message
will appear on the DIC.
Steering Column Lock
If equipped, the steering column lock is a
theft-deterrent device. This feature locks the
steering column when the vehicle is turned
off and the driver door is opened, or when
the driver door is opened and then the
vehicle is turned off. The steering column
unlocks when the vehicle is turned on.
The Driver Information Center (DIC) may
display one of these messages:
.A message to service the steering column
lock indicates that an issue has been
detected with the column lock feature
and the vehicle should be serviced.
.A message that the steering column is
locked indicates that the engine is
running, but the steering column is still
locked. It is normal for the column to be
locked during a remote start, but the
column should unlock after the brake
pedal is pressed and the vehicle is started.
No message will display during a remote
start.
.A message that the steering wheel must
be turned and the vehicle must be started
again indicates that the column lock
mechanism is bound, the column locking
device was unable to unlock the steering
column, and the vehicle did not start.
If this happens, immediately turn the
steering wheel from side to side to
unbind the column lock. If this does not
unlock the steering column, turn the
vehicle off and open the driver door to
reset the system. Then turn the vehicle
on and immediately turn the steering
wheel side to side for about 15 seconds.
In some cases, it may take significant
force to unbind the column.
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13690484) - 2021 - crc - 8/17/20
Keys, Doors, and Windows 27
To keep the steering column from binding,
straighten the front wheels before turning
off the vehicle.
Immobilizer
SeeRadio Frequency Statement 0409.
Immobilizer Operation
This vehicle has a passive theft-deterrent
system.
The system does not have to be manually
armed or disarmed.
The vehicle is automatically immobilized
when the vehicle is turned off.
The immobilization system is disarmed
when the ignition is turned on or to ACC/
ACCESSORY and a valid remote key is
present in the vehicle.
The security light, in the instrument cluster,
comes on if there is a problem with arming
or disarming the theft-deterrent system. The system has one or more remote keys
matched to an immobilizer control unit in
the vehicle. Only a correctly matched
remote key will start the vehicle. If the
remote key is ever damaged, you may not
be able to start your vehicle.
When trying to start the vehicle, the
security light may come on briefly.
If the engine does not start and the security
light stays on, there is a problem with the
system. Turn the ignition off and try again.
If the vehicle will not change ignition modes
(ACC/ACCESSORY, on, off), and the remote
key appears to be undamaged, try another
remote key. Or, you may try placing the
remote key in the backup location. See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation
08.
If the ignition modes will not change with
the other remote key or in the backup
location, the vehicle needs service. If the
ignition does change modes, the first
remote key may be faulty. See your dealer.
It is possible for the immobilizer system to
learn new or replacement remote keys. Up
to eight remote keys can be programmed
for the vehicle. To program additional remote keys, see
“Programming Remote
Keys to the Vehicle” underRemote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System Operation 08.
Do not leave the remote key or device that
disarms or deactivates the theft-deterrent
system in the vehicle.
Exterior Mirrors
Convex Mirrors
{Warning
A convex mirror can make things, like
other vehicles, look farther away than
they really are. If you cut too sharply
into the right lane, you could hit a
vehicle on the right. Check the inside
mirror or glance over your shoulder
before changing lanes.
The passenger side mirror is convex shaped.
A convex mirror's surface is curved so more
can be seen from the driver seat.
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13690484) - 2021 - crc - 8/17/20
Keys, Doors, and Windows 29
Resetting the Power Folding Mirrors
Reset the power folding mirrors if:
.The mirrors are accidentally obstructed
while folding.
.They are accidentally manually folded/
unfolded.
.The mirrors do not stay in the unfolded
position.
.The mirrors vibrate at normal driving
speeds.
Fold and unfold the mirrors one time using
the mirror controls to reset them to their
normal position. A noise may be heard
during the resetting of the power folding
mirrors. This sound is normal after a manual
folding operation.
Remote Mirror Folding
If equipped with power folding mirrors and
the mirrors have been folded with the
power folding mirror switch, they may not
be unfolded by use of remote key.
If equipped with power folding mirrors and
the mirrors have not been folded with the
power folding mirror switch and the vehicle
is in P (Park), they may be automatically
folded/unfolded as follows: 1. If doors are locked by pressing
Hon the
remote key, the mirrors will fold.
If doors are unlocked by pressing
Ion
the remote key, the mirrors will unfold.
See Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation 08.
2. If doors are locked by pressing the door handle button, the mirrors will fold.
If doors are unlocked by pressing the
door handle button, the mirrors will
unfold. See “Keyless Unlocking/Locking
from the Driver Door” inRemote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System Operation 08.
3. If passive locking is enabled and doors are locked by that feature, the mirrors
will fold. See “Passive Locking” inRemote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation
0 8.
Heated Mirrors
K:Press to heat the mirrors.
See “Rear Window Defogger” underDual
Automatic Climate Control System 0204.
Automatic Dimming Mirror
If equipped, the driver outside mirror
automatically adjusts for the glare of the
headlamps from behind. This feature comes
on when the vehicle is started.
Reverse Tilt Mirrors
If equipped with reverse tilt mirrors and
memory seats, the passenger and/or driver
mirror tilts to a preselected position when
the vehicle is in R (Reverse). This allows the
curb to be seen when parallel parking.
The mirror(s) may move from their tilted
position when:
.The vehicle is shifted out of R (Reverse),
or remains in R (Reverse) for about
30 seconds.
.The vehicle is turned off.
.The vehicle is driven in R (Reverse) above
a set speed.
To turn this feature on or off, see Vehicle
Personalization 0124.