2004 Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual M

2004 Chevrolet Avalanche Owner ManualSeats and Restraint Systems . 1-1Front Seats . 1-2Rear Seats. 1-7Safety Belts. 1-9Child Restraints. 1-30Air Bag Systems. 1-50Restraint System Check. 1-65Features and Controls . 2-1Keys. 2-3Doors and Locks. 2-8Windows . 2-24Theft-Deterrent Systems . 2-26Starting and Operating Your Vehicle. 2-28Mirrors . 2-48OnStar System. 2-57HomeLink Transmitter. 2-59Storage Areas. 2-63Sunroof. 2-87Vehicle Personalization. 2-88Instrument Panel . 3-1Instrument Panel Overview . 3-4Climate Controls. 3-22Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators. 3-31Driver Information Center (DIC). 3-49Audio System(s) . 3-68MDriving Your Vehicle . 4-1Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle. 4-2Towing. 4-51Service and Appearance Care . 5-1Service . 5-3Fuel . 5-4Checking Things Under the Hood . 5-9Rear Axle. 5-52Four-Wheel Drive. 5-53Front Axle. 5-54Bulb Replacement. 5-55Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement. 5-63Tires. 5-64Appearance Care. 5-104Vehicle Identification. 5-112Electrical System. 5-113Capacities and Specifications. 5-122Maintenance Schedule . 6-1Maintenance Schedule . 6-2Customer Assistance and Information . 7-1Customer Assistance and Information. 7-2Reporting Safety Defects . 7-10Index . 1

Canadian OwnersYou can obtain a French copy of this manual from yourdealer or from:Helm, IncorporatedP.O. Box 07130Detroit, MI 48207GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem are registeredtrademarks and the name AVALANCHE is a trademarkof General Motors Corporation.This manual includes the latest information at the time itwas printed. We reserve the right to make changesafter that time without further notice. For vehicles firstsold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors ofCanada Limited” for Chevrolet Motor Division wheneverit appears in this manual.Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will bethere if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If yousell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so thenew owner can use it.Litho in U.S.A.Part No. C2418 A First EditioniiHow to Use This ManualMany people read their owner’s manual from beginningto end when they first receive their new vehicle. Ifyou do this, it will help you learn about the features andcontrols for your vehicle. In this manual, you will findthat pictures and words work together to explain things.IndexA good place to look for what you need is the Index inback of the manual. It is an alphabetical list of whatis in the manual, and the page number where you willfind it. Copyright General Motors Corporation 06/23/03All Rights Reserved

Safety Warnings and SymbolsYou will find a number of safety cautions in this book.We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you aboutthings that could hurt you if you were to ignore thewarning.You will also find a circlewith a slash through it inthis book. This safetysymbol means “Don’t,”“Don’t do this” or “Don’t letthis happen.”{CAUTION:These mean there is something that could hurtyou or other people.In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is.Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce thehazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, youor others could be hurt.iii

Vehicle Damage WarningsVehicle SymbolsAlso, in this book you will find these notices:Your vehicle has components and labels that usesymbols instead of text. Symbols, used on your vehicle,are shown along with the text describing the operationor information relating to a specific component, control,message, gage or indicator.Notice: These mean there is something that coulddamage your vehicle.A notice will tell you about something that can damageyour vehicle. Many times, this damage would not becovered by your warranty, and it could be costly. But thenotice will tell you what to do to help avoid thedamage.When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTIONand NOTICE warnings in different colors or in differentwords.You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They usethe same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.ivIf you need help figuring out a specific name of acomponent, gage or indicator, reference the followingtopics: Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1Features and Controls in Section 2Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3Climate Controls in Section 3Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators in Section 3Audio System(s) in Section 3Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5

These are some examples of symbols you may find on your vehicle:v

NOTESvi

Section 1Seats and Restraint SystemsFront Seats .1-2Manual Passenger Seat .1-2Power Seats .1-2Power Lumbar .1-3Heated Seats .1-4Reclining Seatbacks .1-5Head Restraints .1-7Rear Seats .1-7Rear Seat Operation .1-7Safety Belts .1-9Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone .1-9Questions and Answers About Safety Belts .1-13How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .1-14Driver Position .1-14Right Front Passenger Position .1-22Center Front Passenger Position .1-22Rear Seat Passengers .1-24Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Childrenand Small Adults .1-27Safety Belt Extender .1-29Child Restraints .1-30Older Children .1-30Infants and Young Children .1-32Child Restraint Systems .1-36Where to Put the Restraint .1-38Top Strap .1-39Top Strap Anchor Location .1-41Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers forChildren (LATCH System) .1-41Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear SeatPosition .1-43Securing a Child Restraint in the Center FrontSeat Position .1-45Securing a Child Restraint in the Right FrontSeat Position .1-46Air Bag Systems .1-50Where Are the Air Bags? .1-53When Should an Air Bag Inflate? .1-55What Makes an Air Bag Inflate? .1-57How Does an Air Bag Restrain? .1-57What Will You See After an Air Bag Inflates? .1-58Passenger Sensing System .1-59Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle .1-64Adding Equipment to Your Air Bag-EquippedVehicle .1-64Restraint System Check .1-65Checking Your Restraint Systems .1-65Replacing Restraint System Parts After aCrash .1-661-1

Front SeatsPower SeatsManual Passenger SeatIf your vehicle has power seat(s), the controls arelocated on the outboard edge of the front seats.If your vehicle has a manual front passenger split benchseat, you can adjust it with this lever located at thefront of the seat.Lift the lever to unlock the seat and use your body toslide the seat to where you want it. Release thelever and try to move the seat with your body to makesure that the seat is locked into place.1-2

Horizontal Control: This control adjusts the seatcushion. Raise or lower the front of the seat by raising orlowering the forward edge of the control. Raiseor lower the rear of the seat by raising or loweringthe rear edge of the control. Move the seat forward or rearward by moving thewhole control toward the front or toward the rearof the vehicle. Lower or raise the entire seat cushion by movingPower LumbarIf your vehicle has powerlumbar adjustment, youcan use it to increaseor decrease lumbarsupport in the lowerseatback. The control islocated on the outboardside of the seat cushion.the whole control up or down.Vertical Control: This control adjusts the seatback.Move the reclining front seatback rearward or forward bymoving the control toward the rear or the front of thevehicle. This adjusts the angle of the seatback.For more information on the reclining seatbacks, seeReclining Seatbacks on page 1-5.Your vehicle may have a memory function which allowsseat settings to be saved and recalled. See MemorySeat on page 2-88 for more information. To increase support in the lower back area, pressand hold the front of the control. Let go of thecontrol when the lower seatback reaches thedesired level of support. To decrease support in the lower back area, pressand hold the rear of the control. Let go of thecontrol when the lower seatback reaches thedesired level of support.1-3

You can also reshape the back wing area of the lowerseatback. To increase support in the wing area of the lowerseatback, press and hold the top of the control.Let go of the control when the lower seatbackreaches the desired level of support. To decrease support in the wing area of the lowerseatback, press and hold the bottom of the control.Let go of the control when the lower seatbackreaches the desired level of support.Heated SeatsYour vehicle may haveheated front seats. Thebuttons used to control thisfeature are located onthe front doors. The enginemust be running for theheated seat featureto work.To heat the entire seat, press the horizontal button withthe heated seat symbol. Press the button to cyclethrough the temperature settings of high, medium andlow and to turn the heated seat off. Indicator lightswill glow to designate the level of heat selected,three for high, two for medium, and one for low.1-4

The low setting warms the seatback and cushion untilthe seat temperature is near body temperature. Themedium and high settings heat the seatback and seatcushion to a slightly higher temperature. You will be ableto feel heat in about two minutes.Reclining SeatbacksTo heat only the seatback, press the vertical button withthe heated seatback symbol. An indicator light on theseatback button will glow to designate that only theseatback is being heated. Additional presses ofthe seatback button will cycle through the heat levels forthe seatback only. Press the horizontal button againto heat the whole seat.The heated front seats will shut off automatically whenthe ignition is turned off.To adjust the front seatback, lift the lever. The lever islocated on the outboard side of the seat cushion.Release the lever to lock the seatback where you wantit. Lift the lever without pushing on the seatback andthe seatback will go to an upright position.If your vehicle has power seats with a power recliner,see Power Seats on page 1-2 for further information onhow to operate the reclining seatback feature.1-5

{CAUTION:Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicleis in motion can be dangerous. Even if youbuckle up, your safety belts can’t do their jobwhen you’re reclined like this.The shoulder belt can’t do its job. In a crash,you could go into it, receiving neck or otherinjuries.The lap belt can’t do its job either. In a crashthe belt could go up over your abdomen. Thebelt forces would be there, not at your pelvicbones. This could cause serious internalinjuries.But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle ismoving.1-6For proper protection when the vehicle is inmotion, have the seatback upright. Then sitwell back in the seat and wear your safety beltproperly.

Head RestraintsRear SeatsRear Seat OperationThe rear seat is a 60/40 split rear seat that can befolded to give you more cargo space and access to thefolding midgate. See Midgate on page 2-13 for moreinformation on operation of the folding midgate.To fold either side of the seat do the following:1. Push the rear head restraints all the way down.Adjust your head restraint so that the top of the restraintis closest to the top of your head. This positionreduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.2. Pull the seat looplocated where theseatback andseat cushion meet. Theseat cushion willrelease and allow youto tilt it toward thefront of the vehicle.The rear seat head restraints in your vehicle areadjustable. They work the same as the front seat headrestraints.1-7