2005 Chevrolet Avalanche Owners Manual

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display. The radio will not switch to other stations. This function does not apply for XM™ Satellite Radio Service. 3-80 RDS Messages Radio Messages INFO (Information): If the current station has a message, INFO will appear on the display. Press this button to see the message. The message may display the artist, song title, call in phone numbers, etc. If the entire message is not displayed, parts of the message will appear every three seconds. To scroll through the message, press and release the INFO button. A new group of words will appear on the display after every press of this button. Once the complete message has been displayed, INFO will disappear from the display until another new message is received. The last message can be displayed by pressing the INFO button. You can view the last message until a new message is received or a different station is tuned to. CAL ERR (Calibration Error): The audio system has been calibrated for your vehicle from the factory. If CAL ERR appears on the display, it means that the radio has not been conﬁgured properly for the vehicle and must be returned to your GM dealer for service. LOCKED: This message is displayed when the THEFTLOCK® system has locked up. Take the vehicle to your GM dealer for service. If any error occurs repeatedly, or if an error cannot be corrected, contact your GM dealer. 3-81 XM™ Radio Messages Condition Action Required Radio Display Message XL (Explicit Language Channels) Updating XL on the radio display, after the channel name, indicates content with explicit language. Updating encryption code No Signal Loss of signal Loading XM Acquiring channel audio (after 4 second delay) CH Off Air Channel not in service CH Unavail No Info No Info 3-82 Channel no longer available Artist Name/Feature not available Song/Program Title not available These channels, or any others, can be blocked at a customer’s request, by calling 1-800-852-XMXM (9696). The encryption code in the receiver is being updated, and no action is required. This process should take no longer than 30 seconds. The system is functioning correctly, but the vehicle is in a location that is blocking the XM™ signal. When you move into an open area, the signal should return. The audio system is acquiring and processing audio and text data. No action is needed. This message should disappear shortly. This channel is not currently in service. Tune to another channel. This previously assigned channel is no longer assigned. Tune to another station. If this station was one of the presets, choose another station for that preset button. No artist information is available at this time on this channel. The system is working properly. No song title information is available at this time on this channel. The system is working properly. Radio Display Message XM™ Radio Messages (cont’d) Condition Action Required No Info No Info Not Found XM Locked Radio ID Unknown Chk XMRcvr Category Name not available No Text/Informational message available No channel available for the chosen category Theft lock active Radio ID label (channel 0) Radio ID not known (should only be if hardware failure) Hardware failure No category information is available at this time on this channel. The system is working properly. No text or informational messages are available at this time on this channel. The system is working properly. There are no channels available for the selected category. The system is working properly. The XM™ receiver in the vehicle may have previously been in another vehicle. For security purposes, XM™ receivers cannot be swapped between vehicles. If this message is received after having your vehicle serviced, check with your GM dealer. If tuned to channel 0, this message will alternate with the XM™ Radio eight digit radio ID label. This label is needed to activate the service. If this message is received when tuned to channel 0, there may be a receiver fault. Consult with your GM dealer. If this message does not clear within a short period of time, your receiver may have a fault. Consult with your GM dealer. 3-83 Playing a CD If the ignition or radio is turned off, with a CD in the player, it will stay in the player. When the ignition or radio is turned on, the CD will start playing where it stopped, if it was the last selected audio source. When a CD is inserted, the CD symbol will appear on the display. As each new track starts to play, the track number will appear on the display. The CD player can play the smaller 3 inch (8 cm) single CDs with an adapter ring. Full-size CDs and the smaller CDs are loaded in the same manner. If playing a CD-R the sound quality may be reduced due to CD-R quality, the method of recording, the quality of the music that has been recorded, and the way the CD-R has been handled. There may be an increase in skipping, difficulty in ﬁnding tracks, and/or difficulty in loading and ejecting. If these problems occur try a known good CD. Do not add paper labels to CDs, they could get caught in the CD player. If an error appears on the display, see “CD Messages” later in this section. LOAD: Press this button to load CDs into the CD player. This CD player will hold up to six CDs. To insert one CD, do the following: 1. Turn the ignition on. 2. Press and release the LOAD button. 3-84 3. Wait for the indicator light, located to the right of the slot, to turn green. 4. Load a CD. Insert the CD part way into the slot, label side up. The player will pull the CD in. To insert multiple CDs, do the following: 1. Turn the ignition on. 2. Press and hold the LOAD button for two seconds. You will hear a beep and the indicator light, located to the right of the slot, will begin to ﬂash and MULTI LOAD # will appear on the display. 3. Once the light stops ﬂashing and turns green, INSERT CD # will appear on the display, load a CD. Insert the CD part way into the slot, label side up. The player will pull the CD in. Once the CD is loaded, the indicator light will begin ﬂashing again. Once the light stops ﬂashing and turns green, you can load another CD. The CD player takes up to six CDs. Do not try to load more than six. To load more than one CD but less than six, complete Steps 1 through 3. When ﬁnished loading CDs, press the LOAD button to cancel the loading function. The radio will begin to play the last CD loaded. If more than one CD has been loaded, a number for each CD will appear on the display. Playing a Speciﬁc Loaded CD For every CD loaded, a number will appear on the display. To play a speciﬁc CD, ﬁrst press the CD AUX button, then press the numbered pushbutton that corresponds to the CD. A small bar will appear under the CD number that is playing and the track number will appear on the display. If an error appears on the display, see “CD Messages” later in this section. CD Z (Eject): Press this button to eject CD(s). To eject the CD that is currently playing, press and release this button. To eject multiple CDs, do the following: 1. Press and hold the CD eject button for ﬁve seconds. You will hear a beep and the indicator light, located to the right of the slot, will begin to ﬂash and EJECT ALL will appear on the display. 2. Once the light stops ﬂashing and turns green, REMOVE CD # will appear on the display. The CD will eject and can be removed. Once the CD is removed, the indicator light will begin ﬂashing again and another CD will eject. To stop ejecting the CDs, press the LOAD or the eject button. If the CD is not removed, after 25 seconds, the CD will be automatically pulled back into the player. If CD is pushed back into the player, before the 25-second time period is complete, the player will sense an error and will try to eject the CD several times before stopping. Do not repeatedly press the CD eject button to eject a CD after you have tried to push it in manually. The player’s 25-second eject timer will reset at each press of eject, causing the player to not eject the CD until the 25-second time period has elapsed. { REV (Reverse): Press and hold this button to reverse quickly within a track. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release the button to play the passage. The elapsed time of the track will appear on the display. FWD | (Forward): Press and hold this button to advance quickly within a track. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release the button to play the passage. The elapsed time of the track will appear on the display. 3-85 RPT (Repeat): With repeat, one track or an entire CD can be repeated. To use repeat, do the following: To repeat the track you are listening to, press and release the RPT button. RPT will appear on the display. Press RPT again to turn off repeat play. To repeat the CD you are listening to, press and hold the RPT button for two seconds. RPT will appear on the display. Press RPT again to turn off repeat play. RDM (Random): With random, you can listen to the tracks in random, rather than sequential, order, on one CD or on all of the CDs. To use random, do one of the following: To play the tracks on the CD you are listening to in random order, press and release the RDM button. RANDOM ONE will appear on the display. Press RDM again to turn off random play. To play the tracks on all of the CDs that are loaded in random order, press and hold RDM for more than two seconds. You will hear a beep and RANDOM ALL will appear on the display. Press RDM again to turn off random play. AUTO EQ (Automatic Equalization): Press AUTO EQ to select the equalization setting while playing a CD. The equalization will be stored whenever a CD is played. For more information on AUTO EQ, see “AUTO EQ” listed previously in this section. 3-86 ©SEEK ¨: Press the left arrow to go to the start of the current track, if more than ten seconds have played. Press the right arrow to go to the next track. If either arrow is held or pressed more than once, the player will continue moving backward or forward through the CD. ©SCAN ¨: To scan one CD, press and hold either SCAN arrow for more than two seconds until TRACK SCAN appears on the display and you hear a beep. The radio will go to the next track, play for 10 seconds, then go on to the next track. Press either SCAN arrow again, to stop scanning. To scan all loaded CDs, press and hold either SCAN arrow for more than four seconds until ALL CD SCAN appears on the display and you hear a beep. Use this feature to listen to 10 seconds of the ﬁrst track of each loaded CD. Press either SCAN arrow again, to stop scanning. INFO (Information): Press this knob to see how long the current track has been playing. To change the default on the display, track or elapsed time, press the knob until you see the display you want, then hold the knob until you hear a beep. The selected display will now be the default. BAND: Press this button to listen to the radio when a CD is playing. The inactive CD(s) will remain safely inside the radio for future listening. (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) Using Song List Mode The six-disc CD changer has a feature called song list. This feature is capable of saving 20 track selections. To save tracks into the song list feature, perform the following steps: 1. Turn the CD player on and load it with at least one CD. See “LOAD CD” listed previously in this section for more information. 2. Check to see that the CD changer is not in song list mode. S-LIST should not appear on the display. If S-LIST is present, press the SONG LIST button to turn it off. 3. Select the desired CD by pressing the numbered pushbutton and then use the SEEK or TYPE right arrow to locate the track to be saved. The track will begin to play. 4. Press and hold the SONG LIST button to save the track into memory. When SONG LIST is pressed, one beep will be heard immediately. After two seconds of continuously pressing the SONG LIST button, two beeps will sound to conﬁrm the track has been saved. 5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for saving other selections. S-LIST FULL will appear on the display if you try to save more than 20 selections. To play the song list, press the SONG LIST button. One beep will be heard and S-LIST will appear on the display. The recorded tracks will begin to play in the order they were saved. Seek through the song list by using the SEEK or TYPE arrows. Seeking past the last saved track will return to the ﬁrst saved track. To delete tracks from the song list, perform the following steps: 1. Turn the CD player on. 2. Press the SONG LIST button to turn song list on. S-LIST will appear on the display. 3. Press either SEEK or TYPE arrow to select the desired track to be deleted. 4. Press and hold the SONG LIST button for two seconds. When SONG LIST is pressed, one beep will be heard immediately. After two seconds of continuously pressing the SONG LIST button, two beeps will be heard to conﬁrm that the track has been deleted. After a track has been deleted, the remaining tracks are moved up the list. When another track is added to the song list, the track will be added to the end of the list. 3-87 To delete the entire song list, perform the following steps: 1. Turn the CD player on. 2. Press the SONG LIST button to turn song list on. S-LIST will appear on the display. 3. Press and hold the SONG LIST button for more than four seconds. One beep will be heard, followed by two beeps after two seconds, and a ﬁnal beep will be heard after four seconds. S-LIST EMPTY will appear on the display indicating the song list has been deleted. If a CD is ejected, and the song list contains saved tracks from that CD, those tracks are automatically deleted from the song list. Any tracks saved to the song list again are added to the bottom of the list. To end song list mode, press the SONG LIST button. One beep will be heard and S-LIST will be removed from the display. CD Messages CHECK CD: If this message appears on the display and/or the CD comes out, it could be for one of the following reasons: It is very hot. When the temperature returns to normal, the CD should play. (cid:127) You are driving on a very rough road. When the road becomes smoother, the CD should play. The CD is dirty, scratched, wet, or upside down. The air is very humid. If so, wait about an hour and try again. There may have been a problem while burning the CD. The label may be caught in the CD player. If the CD is not playing correctly, for any other reason, try a known good CD. If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be corrected, contact your GM dealer. If the radio displays an error message, write it down and provide it to your GM dealer when reporting the problem. 3-88 (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) Listening to a DVD If your vehicle has the Rear Seat Entertainment (RSE) system and a DVD is playing, the DVD symbol will appear on the radio display indicating that the DVD is available and can be listened to through your vehicle’s speakers. To listen to the DVD, press the CD AUX button until RSE appears on the radio display. The current radio source will stop and the DVD sound will come through the speakers. To stop listening to the DVD, press the CD AUX button, if a CD is loaded, or press the BAND button to select a different source. When the RSE system is turned off, the DVD symbol will go off of the radio display and RSE OFF will appear on the radio display. The radio will return to the last radio source that you were listening to. See Rear Seat Entertainment System on page 3-89 for more information. Rear Seat Entertainment System Your vehicle may have a DVD Rear Seat Entertainment (RSE) system. The RSE system includes a DVD player, a video display screen, two sets of wireless headphones, and a remote control. Parental Control This button is located behind the video screen. Press this button while a DVD or CD is playing to freeze the video and mute the audio. The video screen will display Parental Control ON and the power indicator light on the DVD player will ﬂash. It will also disable all other button operations from the remote control and the DVD player, with the exception of the eject button. Press this button again to restore operation of the DVD player. This button may also be used to turn the DVD player power on and automatically resume play if the ignition is in RUN, ACCESSORY, or if RAP is active. Before You Drive The RSE system is for rear seat passengers only. The driver cannot safely view the video screen while driving and should not try to do so. 3-89 Headphones The RSE system includes two sets of wireless headphones. Each set of headphones has an ON/OFF control. An indicator light will illuminate on the headphones when they are on. If the light does not illuminate, the batteries may need to be replaced. See “Battery Replacement” following for more information. Each set of headphones has a volume knob. To adjust the volume, adjust this knob. The transmitters are located below the video display screen. The headphones will shut off automatically if they lose the signal from the system after about four minutes to save battery power. The signal may be lost if the system is turned off or if the headphones are out of range of the transmitters. When using the wired headphones, if the front seat passengers play a CD in the Radio with Six-Disc CD (if equipped) or use XM™ Satellite Radio Service (if equipped), you will hear the audio for these sources, instead of the DVD or CD that is currently playing through the RSE. Notice: Do not store the headphones in heat or direct sunlight. This could damage the headphones and repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Keep the headphones stored in a cool, dry place. 3-90 Battery Replacement To change the batteries, do the following: 1. Loosen the screw on the battery compartment door located on the left side of the headphone earpiece. 2. Replace the two AAA batteries in the compartment. Make sure that they are installed correctly, using the diagram on the inside of the battery compartment. 3. Tighten the screw to close the compartment door. If the headphones are to be stored for a long period of time, remove the batteries and keep them in a cool, dry place. Stereo RCA Jacks The RCA jacks are located behind the video screen. The RCA jacks allow audio and video signals to be connected from an auxiliary device such as a camcorder or a video game unit to the RSE system. Standard RCA cables, not included, are needed to connect the auxiliary device to the RCA jacks. The yellow connector inputs video and the red and white connectors input right and left audio. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for proper connection of the auxiliary device. To use the auxiliary inputs on the RSE system, connect an external auxiliary device to the color-coded RCA jacks and turn both the auxiliary device and the RSE system power on. If the RSE system had been previously in the DVD player mode, pressing the SRCE button on the faceplate or the remote control will switch the RSE system between the auxiliary device and the DVD player. How to Change the Video Format when in the Auxiliary Mode The auxiliary input video format is preset to NTSC. In some countries, the video format may be in the PAL system. To change the video format, perform the following: 1. Press the display menu button. 2. Press the down arrow button to highlight the Video Format option. 3. Press the enter button to select Video Format. 4. Press the right or left arrow button to select the desired video format. 5. Press the enter button to accept the change. Audio Output Audio from the DVD player or auxiliary inputs may be heard through the following possible sources: (cid:127) Wireless Headphones (cid:127) Vehicle Speakers (cid:127) Vehicle wired headphone jacks on the Rear Seat Audio system (if equipped) The RSE system will always transmit the audio signal by infrared to the wireless headphones, if there is audio available. See “Headphones” previously for more information. The RSE system is capable of outputting audio to the vehicle speakers by using the radio. The RSE system may be selected as an audio source on the radio if the RSE system power is on. Once the RSE system is selected as an audio source on the radio, adjust the speaker volume on the radio, if necessary. If the RSE system power is not on, the RSE system will not be an available source on the radio. Refer to the radio information for the radio that your vehicle has for more information. The RSE system is capable of outputting audio to the wired headphone jacks on the rear seat audio system (if equipped). The RSE system may be selected as an audio source on the rear seat audio system if the RSE system power is on. Refer to Rear Seat Audio (RSA) on page 3-100 for more information. 3-91 Video Screen The video screen is located in the overhead console. To use the video screen, push forward on the release latch and the screen will fold down. Adjust the screen’s position as desired. When the video screen is not in use, push it up into its latched position. The DVD player and display will continue to operate when the screen is in the up or the down position. The video screen contains the transmitters for the wireless headphones and the remote control. If the screen is in the closed position, the signals will not be available for the operation of the headphones or the remote control. Notice: Directly touching the video screen may damage it. Do not touch the screen. See “Cleaning the Video Screen” later in this section for more information. DVD Player The DVD player is located in the overhead console. The DVD player can be controlled by the buttons on the DVD player and/or by the buttons on the remote control. See “Remote Control” later in this section for more information. The DVD player power may be turned on when the ignition is in RUN, ACCESSORY, or when Retained Accessory Power (RAP) is active. The RSE system DVD player is only compatible with DVDs of the appropriate region code for the country that the vehicle was sold in. The DVD region code is printed on the jacket of most DVDs. Standard audio CDs, CD-R, CD-RW, Video CD and Photo CD/CD-R media are fully supported by this DVD player. DVD-R and DVD-RW media is supported if formatted as DVD-Video. DVD+R and DVD+RW media may or may not be supported by the DVD player. The DVD player does not support DVD-RAM, DVD-ROM, and DVD Audio media. An error message will appear on the display if this type of media is inserted into the DVD player. When using the wired headphones, not included, if the front seat passengers play a CD in the Radio with Six-Disc CD (if equipped) or use XM™ Satellite Radio Service (if equipped), you will hear the audio for these sources, instead of the DVD or CD that is currently playing through the RSE. If an error message appears on the video screen, see “DVD Messages” later in this section. 3-92 y (Main DVD Menu): Press this button to access the DVD menu. The DVD menu is different on every DVD. Use the up, down, left, and right arrow buttons to move the cursor around the DVD menu. After making a selection press the enter button. This button only operates when playing a DVD. z (Set-up Menu): Press this button to adjust the color, tint, brightness, contrast, display mode, and dynamic range compression. The dynamic range compression feature can be used to reduce loud audio and increase low audio produced by some DVDs. To change a feature back to the factory default setting, press this button to display the feature, then press and hold this button. The default setting will appear on the display. While playing an Audio or DVD disc, press and hold this button to display and to remove the track and time information. n, q, p, o (Menu Navigation Arrows): Use the arrow buttons to navigate through a menu. r (Enter): Press this button to select the choices that are highlighted in any menu. 3-93 DVD Player Buttons O(Power): Press this button to turn the RSE system on and off. The power indicator light will illuminate when the power is on. X (Eject): Press this button to eject a DVD or CD. SRCE (Source): Press this button to switch between the DVD player and an auxiliary source. c(Stop): Press this button to stop playing, rewinding, or fast forwarding a DVD or CD. Press this button twice to return to the beginning of the DVD. s (Play/Pause): Press this button to start play of a DVD or CD. Press this button while a DVD or CD is playing to pause it. Press this button again to continue the play of the DVD or CD. Playing a Disc To play a disc, gently insert the disc with the label side up into the loading slot. The DVD player will continue loading the disc and the player will automatically start, if the vehicle is in RUN, ACCESSORY, or when RAP is active. If a disc is already in the player, press the play/pause button on the DVD player faceplate or on the remote control. Some DVDs will not allow fast forwarding or skipping of the copyright information or the previews. Some DVDs will begin playing after the previews have ﬁnished. If the DVD does not begin to play the main title, refer to the on-screen instructions. Stopping and Resuming Playback To stop playing a disc, press and release the stop button on the DVD player faceplate or the remote control. To resume playback, press the play/pause button on the DVD player faceplate or the remote control. The movie should resume play from where it was last stopped, if the disc has not been ejected and the stop button has not been pressed twice. If the disc has been ejected or if the stop button has been pressed twice, the disc will resume play at the beginning. Ejecting a Disc Press the eject button on the DVD player faceplate to eject the disc. There is not an eject button on the remote control. If a disc is ejected from the player, but is not removed, the DVD player will reload the disc after a short period of time. The disc will be stored in the DVD player. The DVD player will not resume play of the disc automatically. Remote Control To use the remote control, aim it at the transmitter window below the video screen and press the desired button. Direct sunlight or very bright light may affect the ability of the RSE system to receive signals from the remote control. If the remote control does not seem to be working, the batteries may need to be replaced. See “Battery Replacement” later in this section. Objects blocking the line of sight may also affect the function of the remote control. Notice: Storing the remote control in a hot area or in direct sunlight may damage it, and the repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Keep the remote control stored in a cool, dry place. To extend the life of the batteries, the remote control does not have a press and hold feature. 3-94 Remote Control Buttons O (Power): Press this button to turn the DVD player on and off. v (Title): Press this button to return the DVD to the main menu of the DVD. n, q, p, o (Menu Navigation Arrows): Use the arrow buttons to navigate through a menu. z (Set-up Menu): Press this button to adjust the color, tint, brightness, contrast, display mode, and dynamic range compression. The dynamic range compression feature can be used to reduce loud audio and increase low audio produced by some DVDs. e (Audio): Press this button to display a menu that will only appear when a DVD is being played. The format and content of this function will vary for each disc. r (Fast Reverse): Press this button to fast reverse the DVD or CD. To stop fast reversing, press this button again. This button may not work when the DVD is playing the copyright information or the previews. SRCE (Source): Press this button to switch between the DVD player and an auxiliary source. c (Stop): Press this button to stop playing, rewinding, or fast forwarding a DVD or CD. Press this button twice to return to the beginning of the DVD. t (Previous Track/Chapter): Press this button to return to the start of the current track or chapter. Press this button again to return to the previous track or chapter. This button may not work when the DVD is playing the copyright information or the previews. 3-95 1 through 0 (Numeric Keypad): The numeric keypad provides you with the capability of direct chapter, title, and track number selection. }10 (Double Digit Entries): Press this button to select chapter, title, and track numbers greater than 9. Press this button before inputting the number. \ (Clear): Press this button within three seconds after inputting a number to clear the number(s). P (Illumination): Press this button to turn the remote control backlight on. The backlight will time out after about 7 to 10 seconds if no other button is pressed while the backlight is on. y (Main DVD Menu): Press this button to access the DVD menu. The DVD menu is different on every DVD. Use the up, down, left, and right arrow buttons to move the cursor around the DVD menu. After making a selection press the enter button. This button only operates when playing a DVD. r (Enter): Press this button to select the choices that are highlighted in any menu. q (Return): Press this button to exit the current active menu and return to the previous menu. This button will operate only when a DVD is playing and a menu is active. 3-96 | (Camera Angle): Press this button to change camera angles on DVDs that have this feature when a DVD is playing. The format and content of this function will vary for each disc. { (Subtitle): Press this button to turn on subtitles and to move through subtitle options when a DVD is playing. The format and content of this function will vary for each disc. [ (Fast Forward): Press this button to fast forward the DVD or CD. To stop fast forwarding, press this button again. This button may not work when the DVD is playing the copyright information or the previews. s (Play/Pause): Press this button to start play of a DVD or CD. Press this button while a DVD or CD is playing to pause it. Press this button again to continue the play of the DVD or CD. When the DVD is playing, press the pause button then press the fast forward button. The DVD will continue playing in a slow play mode. To cancel slow play mode, press the play/pause button. u (Next Track/Chapter): Press this button to advance to the beginning of the next track or chapter. This button may not work when the DVD is playing the copyright information or the previews. Battery Replacement To change the batteries, do the following: 1. Remove the battery compartment door located on the bottom of the remote control. 2. Replace the two AA batteries in the compartment. Make sure that they are installed correctly, using the diagram on the inside of the battery compartment. 3. Close the battery door securely. If the remote control is to be stored for a long period of time, remove the batteries and keep them in a cool, dry place. Problem The picture does not ﬁll the screen. There are black borders on the top and bottom or on both sides or it looks stretched out. The disc was ejected, but it was pulled back into the DVD player. In auxiliary mode, the picture moves or scrolls. Problem No power. Disc will not play. Recommended Action The ignition might not be in on or accessory. The parental control button might have been turned on. The power indicator light will ﬂash. The system might be off. The parental control button might have been turned on. The power indicator light will ﬂash. The system might be in auxiliary mode. The disc is upside down or is not compatible. The language in the audio or on the screen is wrong. Recommended Action Check the display mode settings in the display menu. The disc is being stored in the DVD player. Press the eject button again to eject the disc. Check the auxiliary input connections at both devices. Change the Video Format to PAL or NTSC. See “Stereo RCA Jacks” previously for how to change the video format. Check the audio or language selection in the main DVD menu. 3-97 Problem The remote control does not work. After stopping the player, I push Play but sometimes the DVD starts where I left off and sometimes at the beginning. Recommended Action Check to make sure there is no obstruction between the remote control and the transmitter window. Check the batteries to make sure they are not dead or installed incorrectly. The parental control button might have been turned on. The power indicator light will ﬂash. If the stop button was pressed one time, the DVD player will resume playing where the DVD was stopped. If the stop button was pressed two times the DVD player will begin to play from the beginning of the DVD. Problem The auxiliary source is running but there is no picture or sound. My disc is stuck in the player. The Load/Eject button does not work. Sometimes the wireless headphone audio cuts out or buzzes. Recommended Action Check that the DVD player is in the auxiliary source mode. Check the auxiliary input connections at both devices. Turn the DVD power off, then on, then press the load/eject button on the DVD player. Do not attempt to forcibly remove the disc from the DVD player. This could permanently damage the disc and DVD player. Check for obstructions, low batteries, reception range, and interference from cellular telephone towers or by using your cellular telephone in the vehicle. Check that the headphones are facing the front of the vehicle. 3-98 Problem Recommended Action I lost the remote and/or the headphones. The DVD is playing, but there is no picture or sound. The audio/video skips or jumps. The audio from the radio for the Radio with Six-Disc CD and XM™ has taken over the audio from the DVD or CD when using the wired headphones. See your dealer for assistance. Check that the DVD player is in DVD mode. The DVD or CD could be dirty, scratched, or damaged. The RSE is working correctly. Use the wireless headphones or have the front seat passengers listen to another audio source. DVD Messages The following errors may be displayed on the video screen: Disc Format Error: This message will be displayed if a disc is inserted upside down, if the disc is not readable, or if the format is not compatible with the DVD player. Load/Eject Error: This message will be displayed if the disc is not properly loaded or ejected. Disc Play Error: This message will be displayed if the DVD player cannot play the disc. Scratched or damaged discs will cause this error. Region Code Error: This message will be displayed if the region code of the DVD is not compatible with the region code of the DVD player. No Disc: This message will be displayed if any of the buttons on the DVD faceplate or remote control are pressed and no disc is present in the DVD player. DVD Distortion There may be an experience with audio distortion in the wireless headphones when operating cellular phones, scanners, CB radios, Global Positioning Systems (GPS)*, two-way radios, mobile fax, or walkie talkies. It may be necessary to turn off the DVD player when operating one of these devices in or near the vehicle. * Excludes the OnStar® System. 3-99 Cleaning the Video Screen Pour some isopropyl or rubbing alcohol on a clean cloth and gently wipe the video screen. Do not spray directly onto the screen and do not press too hard or too long on the video screen. Navigation/Radio System Your vehicle may have a navigation radio system that includes Radio Data System (RDS) with Program Type (PTY) selections that will seek out the kind of music you want to listen to and XM™ Satellite Radio Service capabilities (if equipped). The radio can also communicate with the navigation system to broadcast announcements on traffic, weather, and emergency alert communications. For information on how to use this system, see the “Navigation System” manual. Rear Seat Audio (RSA) This feature allows rear seat passengers to listen to any of the sources: radio, CDs, or DVDs. However, the rear seat passengers can only control the sources that the front seat passengers are not listening to. For example, rear seat passengers may listen to and control CDs or DVDs through the headphones while the driver listens to the radio through the front speakers. The rear seat passengers have control of the volume for each set of headphones. The front seat audio controls always have priority over the RSA controls. If the front seat passengers switch the source for the main radio to a remote source, the RSA will not be able to control the source. You can operate the rear seat audio when the main radio is off. 3-100 P (Power): Press this button to turn the system on or off. The rear speakers will be muted when the power is turned on unless your vehicle is equipped with the Bose® audio system. u (Volume): Turn this knob to increase or to decrease the volume. The left knob controls the left headphones and the right knob controls the right headphones. SRC (Source): Press this button to select a source: radio, CDs, or DVDs. x SEEK w: When listening to FM1, FM2, or AM, press the up or the down arrow to go to the next or to the previous station and stay there. This function is inactive if the front seat passengers are listening to the radio. When a CD is playing, press the up arrow to go to the next track on the CD. Press the down arrow to go to the start of the current track if more than eight seconds have played. This function is inactive if the front seat passengers are listening to a CD. PROG (Program): Press this button to go to the next preset radio station set on the pushbuttons on the main radio. This function is inactive if the front seat passengers are listening to the radio. 3-101 When a cassette tape is playing, press this button to go to the other side of the tape. This function is inactive if the front seat passengers are listening to a cassette tape. When a CD is playing, press this button to go to the beginning of the CD. This function is inactive if the front seat passengers are listening to a CD. When a CD is playing in the six-disc CD changer, press this button to select the next CD, if multiple CDs are loaded. This function is inactive if the front seat passengers are listening to a CD. Theft-Deterrent Feature THEFTLOCK® is designed to discourage theft of your vehicle’s radio. The feature works automatically by learning a portion of the Vehicle Identiﬁcation Number (VIN). If the radio is moved to a different vehicle, it will not operate and LOCKED will appear on the display. When the radio and vehicle are turned off, the blinking red light indicates that THEFTLOCK® is armed. With THEFTLOCK® activated, the radio will not operate if stolen. 3-102 Audio Steering Wheel Controls Some audio controls can be adjusted at the steering wheel. They include the following: g (OnStar/Voice Recognition): If your vehicle has OnStar®, press this button to interact with the OnStar® system. See the OnStar® manual provided with your vehicle for more information. If your vehicle does not have OnStar®, press this button to silence the system. Press it again, or any other radio button, to turn on the sound. PROG (Program): Press this button to play a station you have programmed on the radio preset pushbuttons. The radio will only seek preset stations with a strong signal that are in the selected band. When a CD is playing in the CD changer, press this button to go to the next available CD, if multiple CDs are loaded. Q SOURCE R: Press this button to switch between FM1, FM2, AM, or XM1 or XM2 (if equipped), or a CD. If a CD is loaded the CD symbol will appear on the display. Q SEEK R: Press the up or the down arrow to go to the next or to the previous radio station and stay there. The radio will only seek stations with a strong signal that are in the selected band. When a CD is playing, press the up or the down arrow to fast forward or reverse. Q VOL R (Volume): Press the up or the down arrow to increase or to decrease the volume. Radio Reception AM The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM, especially at night. The longer range can cause station frequencies to interfere with each other. Static can occur on AM stations caused by things like storms and power lines. Try reducing the treble to reduce this noise. FM Stereo FM stereo will give the best sound, but FM signals will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing the sound to fade in and out. XM™ Satellite Radio Service XM™ Satellite Radio Service gives digital radio reception from coast to coast. Just as with FM, tall buildings or hills can interfere with satellite radio signals, causing the sound to fade in and out. The radio may display NO SIGNAL to indicate interference. 3-103 Care of Your CDs and DVDs Handle discs carefully. Store them in their original cases or other protective cases and away from direct sunlight and dust. If the surface of a disc is soiled, dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution and clean it, wiping from the center to the edge. Be sure never to touch the side without writing when handling discs. Pick up discs by grasping the outer edges or the edge of the hole and the outer edge. Care of Your CD and DVD Player The use of CD lens cleaners for CDs is not advised, due to the risk of contaminating the lens of the CD optics with lubricants internal to the CD mechanism. Fixed Mast Antenna The ﬁxed mast antenna can withstand most car washes without being damaged. If the mast should ever become slightly bent, straighten it out by hand. If the mast is badly bent, replace it. Check occasionally to make sure the mast is still tightened to the cowl. If tightening is required, tighten by hand, then with a wrench one quarter turn. XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System The XM™ Satellite Radio antenna is located on the roof of your vehicle. Keep this antenna clear of snow and ice build up for clear radio reception. The performance of the XM™ system may be affected if the sunroof is open. Loading items onto the roof of your vehicle can interfere with the performance of the XM™ system. Make sure that the XM™ satellite antenna is not obstructed. Chime Level Adjustment The radio is the vehicle chime producer. To change the volume level, press and hold pushbutton 6 with the ignition on and the radio power off. The chime volume level will change from the normal level to loud, and LOUD will appear on the radio display. To change back to the default or normal setting, press and hold pushbutton 6 again. The chime level will change from the loud level to normal, and NORMAL will appear on the radio display. Each time the chime volume is changed, three chimes will sound as an example of the new volume selected. Removing the radio and not replacing it with a factory radio or chime module will disable vehicle chimes. 3-104 Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ..........4-2 Defensive Driving ...........................................4-2 Drunken Driving .............................................4-2 Control of a Vehicle ........................................4-5 Braking .........................................................4-5 Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) .........................4-6 Braking in Emergencies ...................................4-8 Traction Assist System (TAS) ...........................4-8 Locking Rear Axle ........................................4-10 StabiliTrak® System ......................................4-10 Steering ......................................................4-13 Off-Road Recovery .......................................4-15 Passing .......................................................4-15 Loss of Control .............................................4-17 Off-Road Driving with Your Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle ....................................................4-18 Driving at Night ............................................4-30 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads ..................4-32 City Driving ..................................................4-34 Freeway Driving ...........................................4-35 Before Leaving on a Long Trip .......................4-36 Highway Hypnosis ........................................4-37 Hill and Mountain Roads ................................4-38 Winter Driving ..............................................4-40 If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow ..............................................4-44 Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out .................4-44 Recovery Hooks ...........................................4-45 Loading Your Vehicle ....................................4-46 Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment .......4-52 Towing ..........................................................4-56 Towing Your Vehicle .....................................4-56 Recreational Vehicle Towing ...........................4-56 Level Control ...............................................4-61 Truck-Camper Loading Information ..................4-61 Trailer Recommendations ...............................4-61 Towing a Trailer ...........................................4-62 4-1 Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle Defensive Driving The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive defensively. Please start with a very important safety device in your vehicle: Buckle up. See Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone on page 1-9. Defensive driving really means “be ready for anything.” On city streets, rural roads, or freeways, it means “always expect the unexpected.” Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to be careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they might do. Be ready for their mistakes. Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable of accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough following distance. It is the best defensive driving maneuver, in both city and rural driving. You never know when the vehicle in front of you is going to brake or turn suddenly. Defensive driving requires that a driver concentrate on the driving task. Anything that distracts from the driving task — such as concentrating on a cellular telephone call, reading, or reaching for something on the ﬂoor — makes 4-2 proper defensive driving more difficult and can even cause a collision, with resulting injury. Ask a passenger to help do things like this, or pull off the road in a safe place to do them yourself. These simple defensive driving techniques could save your life. Drunken Driving Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is a national tragedy. It is the number one contributor to the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims every year. Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a vehicle: Judgment (cid:127) Muscular Coordination (cid:127) Vision (cid:127) Attentiveness Police records show that almost half of all motor vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases, these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking and driving. In recent years, more than 16,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have been associated with the use of alcohol, with more than 300,000 people injured. (cid:127) Many adults — by some estimates, nearly half the adult population — choose never to drink alcohol, so they never drive after drinking. For persons under 21, it is against the law in every U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical, psychological and developmental reasons for these laws. The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol and then drive. But what if people do? How much is “too much” if someone plans to drive? It is a lot less than many might think. Although it depends on each person and situation, here is some general information on the problem. The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of someone who is drinking depends upon four things: The amount of alcohol consumed The drinker’s body weight The amount of food that is consumed before and during drinking The length of time it has taken the drinker to consume the alcohol According to the American Medical Association, a 180 lb (82 kg) person who drinks three 12 ounce (355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a BAC of about 0.06 percent. The person would reach the same BAC by drinking three 4 ounce (120 ml) glasses of wine or three mixed drinks if each had 1-1/2 ounces (45 ml) of liquors like whiskey, gin, or vodka. It is the amount of alcohol that counts. For example, if the same person drank three double martinis (3 ounces or 90 ml of liquor each) within an hour, the person’s BAC would be close to 0.12 percent. A person who consumes food just before or during drinking will have a somewhat lower BAC level. 4-3 (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) There is a gender difference, too. Women generally have a lower relative percentage of body water than men. Since alcohol is carried in body water, this means that a woman generally will reach a higher BAC level than a man of her same body weight will when each has the same number of drinks. The law in most U.S. states, and throughout Canada, sets the legal limit at 0.08 percent. In some other countries, the limit is even lower. For example, it is 0.05 percent in both France and Germany. The BAC limit for all commercial drivers in the United States is 0.04 percent. The BAC will be over 0.10 percent after three to six drinks (in one hour). Of course, as we have seen, it depends on how much alcohol is in the drinks, and how quickly the person drinks them. But the ability to drive is affected well below a BAC of 0.10 percent. Research shows that the driving skills of many people are impaired at a BAC approaching 0.05 percent, and that the effects are worse at night. All drivers are impaired at BAC levels above 0.05 percent. Statistics show that the chance of being in a collision increases sharply for drivers who have a BAC of 0.05 percent or above. A driver with a BAC level of 0.06 percent has doubled his or her chance of having a collision. At a BAC level of 0.10 percent, the chance of this driver having a collision is 12 times greater; at a level of 0.15 percent, the chance is 25 times greater! The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol in one drink. No amount of coffee or number of cold showers will speed that up. “I will be careful” is not the right answer. What if there is an emergency, a need to take sudden action, as when a child darts into the street? A person with even a moderate BAC might not be able to react quickly enough to avoid the collision. There is something else about drinking and driving that many people do not know. Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s system can make crash injuries worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or heart. This means that when anyone who has been drinking — driver or passenger — is in a crash, that person’s chance of being killed or permanently disabled is higher than if the person had not been drinking. 4-4 {CAUTION: Drinking and then driving is very dangerous. Your reﬂexes, perceptions, attentiveness, and judgment can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You can have a serious — or even fatal — collision if you drive after drinking. Please do not drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if you are with a group, designate a driver who will not drink. Control of a Vehicle You have three systems that make your vehicle go where you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering, and the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at the places where the tires meet the road. Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or ice, it is easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires and road can provide. That means you can lose control of your vehicle. See Traction Assist System (TAS) on page 4-8. Braking Braking action involves perception time and reaction time. First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to bring up your foot and do it. That is reaction time. Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a second. But that is only an average. It might be less with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and frustration. But even in three-fourths of a second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an emergency, so keeping enough space between your vehicle and others is important. And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly with the surface of the road (whether it is pavement or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of the vehicle and the amount of brake force applied. 4-5 Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means better braking and longer brake life. If your engine ever stops while you are driving, brake normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal will be harder to push. Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced electronic braking system that will help prevent a braking skid. When you start your engine and begin to drive away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test is going on. This is normal. If there is a problem with the anti-lock brake system, this warning light will stay on. See Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light on page 3-36. Along with ABS, your vehicle has a Dynamic Rear Proportioning (DRP) system. If there is a DRP problem, both the brake and ABS warning lights will come on accompanied by a 10-second chime. The lights and chime will come on each time the ignition is turned on until the problem is repaired. See your dealer for service. 4-6 The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure faster than any driver could. The computer is programmed to make the most of available tire and road conditions. This can help you steer around the obstacle while braking hard. Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely. Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what happens with ABS: A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at both rear wheels. As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly. 4-7 Remember: Anti-lock does not change the time you need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in front of you, you will not have time to apply your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have anti-lock brakes. Using Anti-Lock Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down ﬁrmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel the brakes vibrate, or you may notice some noise, but this is normal. Braking in Emergencies With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more than even the very best braking. Traction Assist System (TAS) Your vehicle may have a Traction Assist System (TAS) that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery road conditions. The system operates only if it senses that one or both of the rear wheels are spinning or beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the system reduces engine power to limit wheel spin. The TRACTION ACTIVE message will come on in the DIC when the TAS is limiting wheel spin. See DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-49. You may hear or feel the system working or notice a lack of accelerator response, but this is normal. The Traction Assist System may operate on dry roads under some conditions. When this happens, you may notice a reduction in acceleration. This is normal and doesn’t mean there’s a problem with your vehicle. Examples of these conditions include a hard acceleration in a turn, an abrupt upshift or downshift of the transmission or driving on rough roads. 4-8 If your vehicle is in cruise control when the TAS begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise control will automatically disengage. When road conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may re-engage the cruise control. See Cruise Control on page 3-10. When the traction off light is on, the TAS is off and will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly. The traction off light will come on under the following conditions: The Traction Assist System is turned off, either by pressing the TAS on/off button or turning off the automatic engagement feature of the TAS. The transmission is in FIRST (1); TAS will not operate in this gear. This is normal. The vehicle is driven on an extremely rough road. When the vehicle leaves the rough surface, slows down or stops, the light will go off and TAS will be on again. This is normal. (cid:127) A Traction Assist System, Anti-Lock Brake System or engine-related problem has been detected and the vehicle needs service. See Traction Off Light on page 3-36. The Traction Assist System, as delivered from the factory, will automatically come on whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road conditions, you should always leave the system on. But you can turn the TAS off if you ever need to. You should turn the TAS off if your vehicle ever gets stuck in sand, mud or snow and rocking the vehicle is required. See If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on page 4-44. To turn the system on or off press the TAS on/off button located on the instrument panel. If you used the button to turn the system off, the traction off light will come on and stay on. You can turn the system back on at any time by pressing the button again. The traction off light should go off. 4-9 (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) If desired, you can change the TAS automatic engagement feature so that the system will not come on automatically when the engine is started. To do so: 1. Park the vehicle with the ignition off and the transmission in PARK (P). 2. Turn the ignition to RUN; do not start the engine. 3. Apply the brake pedal, shift into NEUTRAL (N), press the accelerator pedal to the ﬂoor and then press the TAS on/off button and hold it down for at least six seconds. 4. Release the TAS button and both pedals. 5. Turn off the ignition and wait a few seconds. The next time you start your vehicle, the TAS will not automatically come on. You can restore the automatic feature by using the same procedure. Whether the TAS is set to come on automatically or not, you can always turn the system on or off by pressing the TAS on/off button. Locking Rear Axle If your vehicle has this feature, it can give you additional traction on snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It works like a standard axle most of the time, but when one of the rear wheels has no traction and the other does, this feature will allow the wheel with traction to move the vehicle. StabiliTrak® System Your vehicle may be equipped with StabiliTrak® which combines antilock brake, traction and stability control systems and helps the driver maintain directional control of the vehicle in most driving conditions. When you ﬁrst start your vehicle and begin to drive away, the system performs several diagnostic checks to insure there are no problems. You may hear or feel the system working. This is normal and does not mean there is a problem with your vehicle. The system should initialize before the vehicle reaches 20 mph (32 km/h). In some cases, it may take approximately two miles of driving before the system initializes. If the system fails to turn on or activate, the STABILITY SYS DISABLED or SERVICE STABILITY message will be displayed. If the vehicle has gone through heavy acceleration or braking or multiple turns during the ﬁrst two miles of driving after starting your vehicle, the STABILITY SYS DISABLED message may appear. If this is the case, your vehicle does not need servicing. You will need to turn the vehicle off and then restart it to initialize StabiliTrak®. If either message appears on the Driver Information Center (DIC), and your vehicle hasn’t gone through hard acceleration, braking or multiple turns in the ﬁrst two miles of driving, your vehicle should be taken in for service. 4-10 The STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message will appear on the Driver Information Center (DIC) only when the system is both on and activated. It means that an advanced computer-controlled system has come on to help your vehicle continue to go in the direction in which you’re steering. StabiliTrak® activates when the computer senses that your vehicle is just starting to spin, as it might if you hit a patch of ice or other slippery spot on the road. When the system activates, you may hear a noise or feel a vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal. When the STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message is on, you should continue to steer in the direction you want to go. The system is designed to help you in bad weather or other difficult driving situations by making the most of whatever road conditions will permit. For more information on the stability messages, see Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-45. StabiliTrak® and part of the traction control system can be turned off or back on by pressing the StabiliTrak® button on the instrument panel. When the system is turned off, the traction off light will illuminate, and the STABILITY SYS DISABLED message will appear on the DIC to warn the driver that both the stability system and part of the traction control system are disabled. Your vehicle will still have brake-traction control when StabiliTrak® is off, but will not be able to use the engine speed management system. See “Traction Control Operation” next for more information. When the StabiliTrak® system has been turned off you may still hear system noises as a result of the brake-traction control coming on. To limit wheel spin and realize the full beneﬁts of the stability enhancement system, you should normally leave StabiliTrak® on, but it may be necessary to turn the system off if your vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow, and you want to “rock” your vehicle to attempt to free it. It may also be necessary to turn off the system when driving in extreme off-road conditions where high wheel spin is required. See If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on page 4-44. 4-11 Traction Control Operation The traction control system is part of the StabiliTrak® system. Traction control limits wheel spin by reducing engine power to the wheels (engine speed management) and by applying brakes to each individual wheel (brake-traction control) as necessary. The traction control system is enabled automatically when you start your vehicle, and it will activate and display the TRACTION ACTIVE message in the Driver Information Center (DIC) if it senses that any of the wheels are spinning or beginning to lose traction while driving. If you turn off StabiliTrak®, only the brake-traction control portion of traction control will work. The engine speed management will be disabled. In this state, engine power is not reduced automatically and the driven wheels can spin more freely. This can cause the brake-traction control to activate constantly. For more information on the traction active message, see Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-45. Notice: heavy braking and/or because the traction control system has been continuously active, do not allow the wheel(s) of one axle to spin excessively. If you do, you may be causing damage to the transfer case. This could lead to costly repairs not covered by your warranty. If the traction off light comes on due to 4-12 If you allow the wheel(s) of one axle to spin If the brake traction-control system activates constantly or if the brakes have heated up due to high-speed braking, brake traction-control will be disabled and the TRACTION SYS LIMITED message will be displayed. In the limited mode, the traction control system will only use engine traction-control and is limited in its ability to provide optimal performance since the system will not utilize brake traction-control to control slip on the drive wheels. The system will return to normal operation after the brakes have cooled. This can take up to two minutes or longer depending on brake usage. Notice: excessively while the traction off, ABS and brake warning lights and the SERVICE STABILITY message are displayed, you could damage the transfer case. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Reduce engine power and do not spin the wheel(s) excessively while these lights and this message are displayed. The traction control system may activate on dry or rough roads or under conditions such as heavy acceleration while turning or abrupt upshifts/downshifts of the transmission. When this happens you may notice a reduction in acceleration, or may hear a noise or vibration. This is normal. If your vehicle is in cruise control when the system activates, the STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message will appear on the Driver Information Center and the cruise control will automatically disengage. When road conditions allow you to use cruise again, you may re-engage the cruise control. See Cruise Control on page 3-10. StabiliTrak® may also turn off automatically if it determines that a problem exists with the system. If the problem does not clear itself after restarting the vehicle, you should see your dealer for service. Steering Power Steering If you lose power steering assist because the engine stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but it will take much more effort. Steering Tips Driving on Curves It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed. A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on the news happen on curves. Here is why: Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The traction of the tires against the road surface makes it possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If you have ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you will understand this. The traction you can get in a curve depends on the condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you are in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control. Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve. Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control systems — steering and acceleration — have to do their work where the tires meet the road. Adding the sudden acceleration can demand too much of those places. You can lose control. See Traction Assist System (TAS) on page 4-8. What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it to go, and slow down. Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds are based on good weather and road conditions. Under less favorable conditions you will want to go slower. If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front wheels are straight ahead. Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then accelerate gently into the straightaway. 4-13 Steering in Emergencies There are times when steering can be more effective than braking. For example, you come over a hill and ﬁnd a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between parked cars and stops right in front of you. You can avoid these problems by braking — if you can stop in time. But sometimes you cannot; there is not room. That is the time for evasive action — steering around the problem. Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like these. First apply your brakes. See Braking on page 4-5. It is better to remove as much speed as you can from a possible collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left or right depending on the space available. 4-14 An emergency like this requires close attention and a quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at the recommended 9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have avoided the object. The fact that such emergency situations are always possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving at all times and wear safety belts properly. Off-Road Recovery You may ﬁnd that your right wheels have dropped off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while you are driving. If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You can turn the steering wheel up to one-quarter turn until the right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to go straight down the roadway. Passing The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a two-lane highway waits for just the right moment, accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver? Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming traffic for several seconds. A miscalculation, an error in judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the worst of all traffic accidents — the head-on collision. So here are some tips for passing: (cid:127) Drive ahead. Look down the road, to the sides and to crossroads for situations that might affect your passing patterns. If you have any doubt whatsoever about making a successful pass, wait for a better time. (cid:127) Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings and lines. If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate a turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken center line usually indicates it is all right to pass, providing the road ahead is clear. Never cross a solid line on your side of the lane or a double solid line, even if the road seems empty of approaching traffic. 4-15 (cid:127) Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass while you are awaiting an opportunity. For one thing, following too closely reduces your area of vision, especially if you are following a larger vehicle. Also, you will not have adequate space if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a reasonable distance. (cid:127) When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up, start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and do not get too close. Time your move so you will be increasing speed as the time comes to move into the other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a running start that more than makes up for the distance you would lose by dropping back. And if something happens to cause you to cancel your pass, you need only slow down and drop back again and wait for another opportunity. If other vehicles are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait your turn. But take care that someone is not trying to pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle. Remember to glance over your shoulder and check the blind spot. (cid:127) Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder and start your left lane change signal before moving out of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal and move back into the right lane. Remember that if your right outside mirror is convex, the vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther away from you than it really is. Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the next vehicle. (cid:127) Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even though the brake lamps are not ﬂashing, it may be slowing down or starting to turn. If you are being passed, make it easy for the following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right. 4-16 (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) Loss of Control Let us review what driving experts say about what happens when the three control systems — brakes, steering, and acceleration — do not have enough friction where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked. In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to steer and constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger. Skidding In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and by not overdriving those conditions. But skids are always possible. The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels are not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin. A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal. If you have the Traction Assist System, remember: It helps avoid only the acceleration skid. If you do not have this system, or if the system is off, then an acceleration skid is also best handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal. If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a second skid if it occurs. Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice, gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety, you will want to slow down and adjust your driving to these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control more limited. While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or braking, including engine braking by shifting to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning clues — such as enough water, ice, or packed snow on the road to make a mirrored surface — and slow down when you have any doubt. Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps avoid only the braking skid. 4-17 Off-Road Driving with Your Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle This off-road guide is for vehicles that have four-wheel drive. Also, see Braking on page 4-5. If your vehicle does not have four-wheel drive, you should not drive off-road unless you are on a level, solid surface. Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have some deﬁnite hazards. The greatest of these is the terrain itself. “Off-roading” means you have left the great North American road system behind. Traffic lanes are not marked. Curves are not banked. There are no road signs. Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill. In short, you have gone right back to nature. Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that is why it is very important that you read this guide. You will ﬁnd many driving tips and suggestions. These will help make your off-road driving safer and more enjoyable. Before You Go Off-Roading There are some things to do before you go out. For example, be sure to have all necessary maintenance and service work done. Check to make sure all underbody shields (if equipped) are properly attached. Be sure you read all the information about your four-wheel-drive vehicle in this manual. Is there enough fuel? Is the spare tire fully inﬂated? Are the ﬂuid levels up where they should be? What are the local laws that apply to off-roading where you will be driving? If you do not know, you should check with law enforcement people in the area. Will you be on someone’s private land? If so, be sure to get the necessary permission. Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving There are some important things to remember about how to load your vehicle. The heaviest things should be on the load ﬂoor and forward of your rear axle. Put heavier items as far forward as you can. (cid:127) Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on the off-road terrain does not toss things around. 4-18 (cid:127) {CAUTION: (cid:127) Cargo on the load ﬂoor piled higher than the seatbacks can be thrown forward during a sudden stop. You or your passengers could be injured. Keep cargo below the top of the seatbacks. (cid:127) Unsecured cargo on the load ﬂoor can be tossed about when driving over rough terrain. You or your passengers can be struck by ﬂying objects. Secure the cargo properly. (cid:127) Heavy loads on the roof raise the vehicle’s center of gravity, making it more likely to roll over. You can be seriously or fatally injured if the vehicle rolls over. Put heavy loads inside the cargo area, not on the roof. Keep cargo in the cargo area as far forward and low as possible. You will ﬁnd other important information in this manual. See Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-46, Luggage Carrier on page 2-61 and Tires on page 5-61. Environmental Concerns Off-road driving can provide wholesome and satisfying recreation. However, it also raises environmental concerns. We recognize these concerns and urge every off-roader to follow these basic rules for protecting the environment: (cid:127) Always use established trails, roads and areas that have been specially set aside for public off-road recreational driving; obey all posted regulations. (cid:127) Avoid any driving practice that could damage the environment — shrubs, ﬂowers, trees, grasses — or disturb wildlife (this includes wheel-spinning, breaking down trees or unnecessary driving through streams or over soft ground). (cid:127) Always carry a litter bag — make sure all refuse is removed from any campsite before leaving. Take extreme care with open ﬁres (where permitted), camp stoves and lanterns. (cid:127) Never park your vehicle over dry grass or other combustible materials that could catch ﬁre from the heat of the vehicle’s exhaust system. 4-19 (cid:127) Traveling to Remote Areas It makes sense to plan your trip, especially when going to a remote area. Know the terrain and plan your route. You are much less likely to get bad surprises. Get accurate maps of trails and terrain. Try to learn of any blocked or closed roads. It is also a good idea to travel with at least one other vehicle. If something happens to one of them, the other can help quickly. Does your vehicle have a winch? If so, be sure to read the winch instructions. In a remote area, a winch can be handy if you get stuck. But you will want to know how to use it properly. Getting Familiar with Off-Road Driving It is a good idea to practice in an area that is safe and close to home before you go into the wilderness. Off-road driving does require some new and different skills. Here is what we mean. Tune your senses to different kinds of signals. Your eyes, for example, need to constantly sweep the terrain for unexpected obstacles. Your ears need to listen for unusual tire or engine sounds. With your arms, hands, feet and body, you will need to respond to vibrations and vehicle bounce. 4-20 Controlling your vehicle is the key to successful off-road driving. One of the best ways to control your vehicle is to control your speed. Here are some things to keep in mind. At higher speeds: you approach things faster and you have less time to scan the terrain for obstacles. you have less time to react. you have more vehicle bounce when you drive over obstacles. you will need more distance for braking, especially since you’re on an unpaved surface. {CAUTION: When you are driving off-road, bouncing and quick changes in direction can easily throw you out of position. This could cause you to lose control and crash. So, whether you’re driving on or off the road, you and your passengers should wear safety belts. (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) Scanning the Terrain Off-road driving can take you over many different kinds of terrain. You need to be familiar with the terrain and its many different features. Here are some things to consider. Surface Conditions: Off-roading can take you over hard-packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow or ice. Each of these surfaces affects the steering, acceleration and braking of your vehicle in different ways. Depending upon the kind of surface you are on, you may experience slipping, sliding, wheel spinning, delayed acceleration, poor traction and longer braking distances. Surface Obstacles: Unseen or hidden obstacles can be hazardous. A rock, log, hole, rut or bump can startle you if you are not prepared for them. Often these obstacles are hidden by grass, bushes, snow or even the rise and fall of the terrain itself. Here are some things to consider: Is the path ahead clear? (cid:127) Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead? (cid:127) Does the travel take you uphill or downhill? There is more discussion of these subjects later. (cid:127) Will you have to stop suddenly or change direction quickly? When you drive over obstacles or rough terrain, keep a ﬁrm grip on the steering wheel. Ruts, troughs or other surface features can jerk the wheel out of your hands if you are not prepared. When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other obstacles, your wheels can leave the ground. If this happens, even with one or two wheels, you cannot control the vehicle as well or at all. Because you will be on an unpaved surface, it is especially important to avoid sudden acceleration, sudden turns or sudden braking. In a way, off-road driving requires a different kind of alertness from driving on paved roads and highways. There are no road signs, posted speed limits or signal lights. You have to use your own good judgment about what is safe and what is not. Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any road. And this is certainly true for off-road driving. At the very time you need special alertness and driving skills, your reﬂexes, perceptions and judgment can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You could have a serious — or even fatal — accident if you drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been drinking. See Drunken Driving on page 4-2. 4-21 (cid:127) Driving on Off-Road Hills Off-road driving often takes you up, down or across a hill. Driving safely on hills requires good judgment and an understanding of what your vehicle can and cannot do. There are some hills that simply cannot be driven, no matter how well built the vehicle. {CAUTION: Many hills are simply too steep for any vehicle. If you drive up them, you will stall. If you drive down them, you cannot control your speed. If you drive across them, you will roll over. You could be seriously injured or killed. If you have any doubt about the steepness, do not drive the hill. Approaching a Hill When you approach a hill, you need to decide if it is one of those hills that is just too steep to climb, descend or cross. Steepness can be hard to judge. On a very small hill, for example, there may be a smooth, constant incline with only a small change in elevation where you can easily see all the way to the top. On a large hill, the incline may get steeper as you near the top, but you may not see this because the crest of the hill is hidden by bushes, grass or shrubs. Here are some other things to consider as you approach a hill. Is there a constant incline, or does the hill get sharply steeper in places? Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the surface cause tire slipping? Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you will not have to make turning maneuvers? (cid:127) Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your path, such as boulders, trees, logs, or ruts? (cid:127) What is beyond the hill? Is there a cliff, an embankment, a drop-off, a fence? Get out and walk the hill if you do not know. It is the smart way to ﬁnd out. Is the hill simply too rough? Steep hills often have ruts, gullies, troughs and exposed rocks because they are more susceptible to the effects of erosion. 4-22 (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) Driving Uphill Once you decide you can safely drive up the hill, you need to take some special steps. (cid:127) Use a low gear and get a ﬁrm grip on the steering wheel. (cid:127) Get a smooth start up the hill and try to maintain your speed. Do not use more power than you need, because you do not want your wheels to start spinning or sliding. Try to drive straight up the hill if at all possible. If the path twists and turns, you might want to ﬁnd another route. {CAUTION: Turning or driving across steep hills can be dangerous. You could lose traction, slide sideways, and possibly roll over. You could be seriously injured or killed. When driving up hills, always try to go straight up. (cid:127) Ease up on your speed as you approach the top of the hill. (cid:127) Attach a ﬂag to the vehicle to make you more visible to approaching traffic on trails or hills. (cid:127) Sound the horn as you approach the top of the hill to let opposing traffic know you are there. (cid:127) Use your headlamps even during the day. They make you more visible to oncoming traffic. {CAUTION: Driving to the top (crest) of a hill at full speed can cause an accident. There could be a drop-off, embankment, cliff, or even another vehicle. You could be seriously injured or killed. As you near the top of a hill, slow down and stay alert. 4-23 (cid:127) Here are some things you must not do if you stall, or are about to stall, when going up a hill. (cid:127) Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into NEUTRAL (N) to rev-up the engine and regain forward momentum. This will not work. Your vehicle will roll backwards very quickly and you could go out of control. Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the vehicle. Then apply the parking brake. Shift to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and slowly back straight down. (cid:127) Never attempt to turn around if you are about to stall when going up a hill. If the hill is steep enough to stall your vehicle, it is steep enough to cause you to roll over if you turn around. If you cannot make it up the hill, you must back straight down the hill. Q: What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about to stall, and I cannot make it up the hill? A: If this happens, there are some things you should do, and there are some things you must not do. First, here is what you should do: (cid:127) Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep it from rolling backwards. Also, apply the parking brake. If your engine is still running, shift the transmission to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill in REVERSE (R). If your engine has stopped running, you will need to restart it. With the brake pedal pressed and the parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to PARK (P) and restart the engine. Then, shift to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill as straight as possible in REVERSE (R). (cid:127) As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand on the steering wheel at the 12 o’clock position. This way, you will be able to tell if your wheels are straight and maneuver as you back down. It is best that you back down the hill with your wheels straight rather than in the left or right direction. Turning the wheel too far to the left or right will increase the possibility of a rollover. 4-24 (cid:127) (cid:127) Q: Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down the hill and decide I just cannot do it. What should I do?

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2005 Chevrolet Avalanche Owners Manual