Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16416971) - 2023 - CRC - 5/16/22
290 Driving and Operating
Passing
More passing distance is needed when
towing a trailer. The combination of the
vehicle and trailer will not accelerate as
quickly and is much longer than the vehicle
alone. It is necessary to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before returning
to the lane. Pass on level roadways. Avoid
passing on hills if possible.
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 that hand to the
right. Always back up slowly and, if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making TurnsCaution
Turn more slowly and make wider arcs
when towing a trailer to prevent damage
to your vehicle. Making very sharp turns
could cause the trailer to contact the
vehicle. Make wider turns than normal when towing,
so trailer will not go over soft shoulders,
over curbs, or strike road signs, trees,
or other objects. Always signal turns well in
advance. Do not steer or brake suddenly.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before starting down a long or steep
downhill grade. If the transmission is not
shifted down, the brakes may overheat and
result in reduced braking efficiency.
The vehicle can tow in D (Drive). Shift the
transmission to a lower gear if the
transmission shifts too often under heavy
loads and/or hilly conditions.
When towing at higher altitudes, engine
coolant will boil at a lower temperature
than at lower altitudes. If the engine is
turned off immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the vehicle
could show signs similar to engine
overheating. To avoid this, let the engine
run, 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, see
Engine
Overheating 0332.
Parking on Hills
{Warning
To prevent serious injury or death,
always park your vehicle and trailer on a
level surface when possible.
When parking your vehicle and your trailer
on a hill: 1. Press and hold the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park). Turn the wheels
toward 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, gradually release the brake pedal to
allow the chocks to absorb the load of
the trailer.
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.
.Start the engine.
.Shift into the desired gear.
.Release the parking brake.
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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292 Driving and Operating
Caution
If the vehicle tires begin to spin and the
vehicle begins to slide toward the water,
remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal and apply the brake pedal. Seek
help to have the vehicle towed up
the ramp.
Maintenance when Trailer Towing
The vehicle needs service more often when
used to tow trailers. SeeMaintenance
Schedule 0400. It is especially important to
check the engine oil, axle lubricant, belts,
cooling system, and brake system before
and during each trip.
Check periodically that all nuts and bolts on
the trailer hitch are tight.
Engine Cooling when Trailer Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating conditions.
See Engine Overheating 0332.
Trailer Towing
If equipped with a diesel engine, see the
Duramax diesel supplement.
Caution
Towing a trailer improperly can damage
the vehicle and result in costly repairs
not covered by the vehicle warranty. To
tow a trailer correctly, follow the
directions in this section and see your
dealer for important information about
towing a trailer with the vehicle.
Trailering is different than just driving the
vehicle by itself. Trailering means changes in
handling, acceleration, braking, durability,
and fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering
takes correct equipment, and it has to be
used properly.
The following information has many
time-tested, important trailering tips and
safety rules. Many of these are important
for your safety and that of your passengers.
Read this section carefully before pulling a
trailer.
Trailer Weight
{Warning
Never exceed the towing capacity for
your vehicle.
Safe trailering requires monitoring the
weight, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature, dimensions of the front of the
trailer, and how frequently the vehicle is
used to tow a trailer.
Trailering Weight Ratings
When towing a trailer, the combined weight
of the vehicle, vehicle contents, trailer, and
trailer contents must be below all of the
maximum weight ratings for the vehicle,
including:
.Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR)
.Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
.Maximum Trailer Weight Rating
.Gross Axle Weight Rating-Rear (GAWR-RR)
.Maximum Trailer Tongue Weight Rating
See “Weight-Distributing Hitch Adjustment”
under Towing Equipment 0296 to
determine if equalizer bars are required to
obtain the maximum trailer weight rating.
Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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318 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . 319
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . 319
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . 322
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . 327
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . 328
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339 Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . 345
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . 349
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . 351
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . 356
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358 Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . 360
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . 361
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . 366
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . 368
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . 368
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . 369
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . 383
Towing the Vehicle
Transporting a Disabled Vehicle . . . . . . . 386
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . 387
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397
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Vehicle Care 323
1. Remote Negative (–) Location. SeeJump
Starting - North America 0383.
2. Positive (+) Terminal (Under Cover). See Jump Starting - North America 0383.
3. Battery - North America 0337.
4. Engine Compartment Fuse Block 0345.
5. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine
Oil” under Engine Oil 0325.
6. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System 0329.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil 0325.
8. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System 0329.
9. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0328.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid
0 336.
11. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer Fluid” underWasher
Fluid 0334.
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324 Vehicle Care
6.2L V8 Engine
1. Remote Negative (–) Location. See Jump
Starting - North America 0383.
2. Positive (+) Terminal (Under Cover). See Jump Starting - North America 0383.
3. Battery - North America 0337.
4. Engine Compartment Fuse Block 0345. 5. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
“Checking Engine
Oil” under Engine Oil 0325.
6. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System 0329.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add
Engine Oil” underEngine Oil 0325. 8. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap.
See Cooling System 0329.
9. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0328.
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid
0 336.
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Vehicle Care 325
11. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See“Adding Washer Fluid” underWasher
Fluid 0334.
Engine Oil
For diesel engine vehicles, see “Engine Oil”
in the Duramax diesel supplement.
To ensure proper engine performance and
long life, careful attention must be paid to
engine oil. Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect your
investment:
.Use engine oil approved to the proper
specification and of the proper viscosity
grade. See “Selecting the Right Engine
Oil” in this section.
.Check the engine oil level regularly and
maintain the proper oil level. See
“Checking Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the appropriate
time. SeeEngine Oil Life System 0326.
.Always dispose of engine oil properly. See
“What to Do with Used Oil” in this
section.
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly, every
650 km (400 mi), especially prior to a long
trip. The engine oil dipstick handle is a loop.
See Engine Compartment Overview 0322 for
the location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle may be
hot; it could burn you. Use a towel or
glove to touch the dipstick handle.
If a low oil Driver Information Center (DIC)
message displays, check the oil level.
Follow these guidelines:
.To get an accurate reading, park the
vehicle on level ground. Check the engine
oil level after the engine has been off for
at least two hours. Checking the engine
oil level on steep grades or too soon after
engine shutoff can result in incorrect
readings. Accuracy improves when
checking a cold engine prior to starting.
Remove the dipstick and check the level.
.If unable to wait two hours, the engine
must be off for at least 15 minutes if the
engine is warm, or at least 30 minutes if
the engine is not warm. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it with a clean paper towel
or cloth, then push it back in all the way.
Remove it again, keeping the tip down,
and check the level.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched area at
the tip of the dipstick and the engine has
been off for at least 15 minutes, add 1 L
(1 qt) of the recommended oil and then
recheck the level. See
“Selecting the Right
Engine Oil” later in this section for an
explanation of what kind of oil to use. For
engine oil crankcase capacity, see Capacities
and Specifications 0408.
Caution
Do not add too much oil. Oil levels above
or below the acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful to the
engine. If the oil level is above the
operating range (i.e., the engine has so
(Continued)
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326 Vehicle Care
Caution (Continued)
much oil that the oil level gets above the
cross-hatched area that shows the proper
operating range), the engine could be
damaged. Drain the excess oil or limit
driving of the vehicle, and seek a service
professional to remove the excess oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview 0322 for
the location of the engine oil fill cap.
Add enough oil to put the level somewhere
in the proper operating range. Push the
dipstick all the way back in when through.
Selecting the Right Engine Oil
Selecting the right engine oil depends on
both the proper oil specification and
viscosity grade. See Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants 0404.
Specification
Use full synthetic engine oils that meet the
dexos1 specification. Engine oils that have
been approved by GM as meeting the
dexos1 specification are marked with the
dexos1 approved logo.
Caution
Failure to use the recommended engine
oil or equivalent can result in engine
damage not covered by the vehicle
warranty.
Viscosity Grade
Use SAE 0W-20 viscosity grade engine oil.
When selecting an oil of the appropriate
viscosity grade, it is recommended to select
an oil of the correct specification. See
“Specification” earlier in this section.
Engine Oil Additives/Engine Oil Flushes
Do not add anything to the oil. The
recommended oils meeting the dexos1
specification are all that is needed for good
performance and engine protection. Engine oil system flushes are not
recommended and could cause engine
damage not covered by the vehicle
warranty.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain elements
that can be unhealthy for your skin and
could even cause cancer. Do not let used oil
stay on your skin for very long. Clean your
skin and nails with soap and water, or a
good hand cleaner. Wash or properly
dispose of clothing or rags containing used
engine oil. See the manufacturer's warnings
about the use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the environment.
If you change your own oil, be sure to drain
all the oil from the filter before disposal.
Never dispose of oil by putting it in the
trash or pouring it on the ground, into
sewers, or into streams or bodies of water.
Recycle it by taking it to a place that
collects used oil.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
This vehicle has a computer system that
indicates when to change the engine oil and
filter. This is based on a combination of
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Vehicle Care 327
factors which include engine revolutions,
engine temperature, and miles driven. Based
on driving conditions, the mileage at which
an oil change is indicated can vary
considerably. For the oil life system to work
properly, the system must be reset every
time the oil is changed.
On some vehicles, when the system has
calculated that oil life has been diminished,
a CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message comes
on to indicate that an oil change is
necessary. 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
REMAINING OIL LIFE 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 percentage on the DIC. See Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Uplevel) 0126 orDriver Information
Center (DIC) (Base Level) 0123.
2. Press the thumbwheel on the steering wheel, or the trip odometer reset stem if
the vehicle does not have DIC controls,
for several seconds. When the
confirmation message displays, select
YES. The oil life will change to 100%. The oil life system can also be reset as
follows:
1. Display the oil life percentage on the DIC. See Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Uplevel) 0126 orDriver Information
Center (DIC) (Base Level) 0123.
2. Fully press the accelerator pedal slowly three times within five seconds.
3. If the display changes to 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 percentage is near 0%, the engine oil
life system has not been reset. Repeat the
procedure.
Automatic Transmission Fluid
How to Check Automatic Transmission
Fluid
It is not necessary to check the transmission
fluid level. A transmission fluid leak is the
only reason for fluid loss. If a leak occurs,
take the vehicle to your dealer and have it
repaired as soon as possible.