Chevrolet 1997 Tahoe User manual

I
lo
a"

The 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban Owner’s Manual
1-1
2-1
3-1
4-1
5- 1
6-1
7-1
8- 1
9- 1
Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tells you howto use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explainsthe “SIR’system.
Features and Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle.
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
This sectiontells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controlsand how to operate your audio system.
Your Drivingand the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.
Problems on the Road
This section tellswhat to do if you have aproblem while driving, suchas a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.
Service and Appearance Care
Here the manualtells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good.
Maintenance Schedule
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.
Customer Assistance Information
This section tells you how to contact Chevrolet for assistanceand how to get serviceand owner publications.
It alsogives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page
8- 10.
Index
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find
something you want to read.
i

GENERALMOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem,
the name TAHOE and the name SUBURBAN are
registered trademarks of General MotorsCorporation.
This manualincludes the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right
to make changes in the
product after that time without further notice. For
vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute thename
“General Motors of Canada Limited” for Chevrolet
Division whenever it appears in this manual.
Please keepthis manual in your vehicle,
so it will be
there if
you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you
sell thevehicle, please leave this manual in it
so the new
owner canuse it.
Litho in
U.S.A.
C9709 C First Edition
ii
We sumortvoluntarv
WE SUPPORT
VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN
CERTIFICATION
THROUGH
National Institute for
AUTOMOTIVE
SERVICE
EXCELLENCE
L1
d
technician certification.
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Aux propriktaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer un exemplairede ce guide en franGais chez
votre concessionaire
ou au:
DGN Marketing ServicesLtd.
1500 Bonhill Rd.
Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1C7
@CopyrightGeneral Motors Corporation 1997
All Rights Reserved

About Driving Your Vehicle Safety Warnings and Symbols
As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operatethis You will find a number of safety cautions in this book.
vehicle correctly may result in loss
of control or an We use a box and the word CAUTIONto tell you
accident.Be sure to read the “on-pavement” and about things that couldhurt you if you were toignore
“off-road” driving guidelines in this manual. (See the warning.
“DrivingGuidelines” and “Off-Road Driving with your
Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle”in the Index.)
I
How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when theyfirst receive their new vehicle. If you
do this, it willhelp you learn about the features and
controlsfor your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find
that pictures and wordswork together to explain
things quickly.
Index
A good place to look for what you need is the Index
in theback of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list of
what’s in themanual, and the page number where you’ll
find it.
m ~
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
1
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then
we tell you what to do
to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, you or
others could behurt.
.. -
iii

You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Don’t,”
“Don’t do this,” or “Don’t
let this happen.”
Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
I NOTICE:
These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
In the notice area, we tell you about something that can
damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage
would
not becovered by your warranty, and it could be costly.
But the notice will tell
you what todo to help avoid
the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings
in different colors or
in different words.
You’ll also see warning labels
on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION orNOTICE.
iv

Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used onan
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD
BAllERY
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS OR
FLAMES
SPARK OR ,\I/,
COULD
FLAME
EXPLODE
BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
These symbols
have to
do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS e
TURN
WARNING A
HAZARD
FLASHER
RUNNING * . 0
DAYTIME
LAMPS
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicatorlights:
COOLANT -
TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE (a)
COOLANT
a
ENGINEOIL w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK (@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
t
LIGHTER n
HORN )cr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL p3
V

Model Reference
This manual covers these models:
2-Door Utility
4-DOOr Utility
E I\
e
Suburban
vi

Section 1
Seats and Restraint Systems
Here you’llfind information about the seats in your vehicle and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also
learn about some things you should
nut do with air bags and safety belts.
1-2
1-17
1-21
1-22
1-22
1-30
1-31
1-31
1-38
Seats and Seat Controls
Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
Here AreQuestions Many People
Ask About
Safety Belts
-- and the Answers
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Driver Position
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Right Front Passenger Position
SupplementalInflatable Restraint System
Center Passenger Position
1-39
1-45
1-48
1-50
1-58
1-61
1-62
1-62
Rear Seat Passengers
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children
and Small Adults
Children
Child Restraints
Larger Children
Safety Belt Extender
CheckingYour Restraint Systems
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
1-1

Seats and Seat Controls
This section tells you about the seats -- how to adjust
them andfold them up and down. It also tells you about
reclining frontseatbacks and head restraints.
Manual Front Seat
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is
moving. The sudden movementcould startle and
confuseyou, or make you push a pedal when you
don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when
the vehicle isnot moving.
If your vehicle has a manual
bucket, splitbench or full
bench seat,
you can adjust it
with this lever at the front
of the seat.
1
Slide the lever at the front of the seat toward the
passenger’s side to unlock it. Using your body,slide the
seat to where you wantit. Then,release the lever and try
to move the seat with your bodyto make sure theseat is
locked into place.
1-2

Power Driver’s Seat (If Equipped)
If your vehicle has a power seat on the driver’s side, you
can adjust it with these controls at the outside edge of
the seat.
You
can use the round center knob to movethe seat to
where you want it.
To raise the seat, move the knobup.
To lower the seat, move the knob down. To move the
seat forward, movethe knob toward the front
of the
vehicle.
To move theseat rearward, move the knob
toward the rear of the vehicle.
You can also raiseand lower the front and rearof the
seat.
To raise the front of the seat, movethe front
lever up.
To lower the front of the seat, move the front
lever down.
To raise the rear of the seat, movethe rear
lever up.
To lower the rear of the seat, move the rear
lever down.
1-3

Power Lumbar Adjustment (If Equipped)
If you have power lumbar
adjustment, you can
increase or decrease lumbar
support in an area of the
lower seatback.
To increase support, press and hold the front of the
rocker switch.Let go
of the switch when the lower
seatback reaches the desired level
of support.
To decrease support, press and hold the rear of the
rocker switch. Let
go of the switch when the lower
seatbackreaches the desired level
of support.
Reclining Front Seatbacks
To adjust the seatback,move thelever rearward.
Release the lever to lock the seatback where you want it.
Move the lever again rearward and the seatbackwill
go
to an upright position.
1-4

But don’thave a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.
Sitting in a reclined position whenyour vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle
up, your safety belts can’t do their jobwhen
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do itsjob because it
I
won’t beagainst your body. Instead, it will be
in frontof you. In a crash you could go into it,
receiving neck or other injuries.
The lapbelt can’t do itsjob either.In a crash the
belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt
forceswould be there, not at your pelvic bones.
This could cause serious internal injuries.
For properprotection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back inthe seat and wear your safety
belt properly.
1-5

Head Restraints
Slidethe head restraint up or down so that the top of the
restraint isclosest to the top of your ears. Thisposition
reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
Seatback Latches(2-DoorUtility)
I
If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move
forwardin
a sudden stopor crash. That
could cause injury
to the person sitting there.
Always press rearwardon the seatback tobe
sure it
is locked.
The front seatback folds forward to let you access the
rear of the vehicle.
To fold a seatback forward,
pull this lever forward and
tilt the seatback forward.
To return the seatbackto the uprightposition,just push
the seatbackrearward until itlatches.
After returning the seatback to itsupright position, pull
the seatback forward to make sure it is locked.
1-6

Easy Entry Seat (2-DoorUtility)
1
If any easyentry seat isn’t locked,it can move. In
a sudden stop or crash, the person sitting there
could beinjured. And, evenif there is nocrash or
suddenstop,a driver sitting in anunlocked easy
entry seat could bestartled by the sudden
movement and hit the wrong control or pedal,
causingan accident. After you’ve usedit, be sure
to push rearward on any easy entry seat to be
sure it is locked.
The driver and passenger front bucket seat and the
60/40 splitbench seat of your vehicle have an easy
entry feature. This makes it easy
to get in and out of
the rear seat. On vehicles equipped with the power
driver’sseat, only the passenger’s front seat will have
the easyentry feature.
To operate the seat, pull
forward
on the top of the
lever located at the side of
the seatback, and tilt the
back forward toward the
front
of the vehicle.
When you do, the seat bottom will release. Just pull
or push the seat forward until it stops.
To return the seat to its regularposition, return the
seatback
to its upright position, then push the whole
seat rearward until it latches.
After returning the seat to itsregular position, try
to
move the seat with your body, to make surethe seat is
locked into place.
1-7

Rear Seats
I
~ If a head restraint is not installed on the seatback
~ orstored in the vehicle properly, it could be
1 thrown about thevehicle in a crash or sudden
maneuver. Peoplein the vehicle couldbe injured.
Remove the head restraints only-whenyou need
to fold the seat, and be sure that thehead
restraints arestored securelyin the storage bag
and placed under therear seat. When the seatis
returned to thepassenger position,be sure the
head restraints areinstalled properly.
Foldingthe RearSeat (2-Door Utility Model)
If your vehicle has a rear seat, the seat can be folded flat
for more cargo space. Before folding, make surethat
nothing is underor in front of the seat. When the seat is
folded, it will lay almost flat on the floor.
When folding the seat,first
remove the headrestraints.
Push the button at the topof
the seat back andslide the
head restraint out of the
height-adjusttubes.
Detach the stowage bag from the backof the rearseat.
Then, put the head restraints in the stowagebag and
place the bag in the rear seat footwell, under the seat.
1-8

To fold the seat, pull on therelease handle at the bottom
of theseat cushion marked
RELEASE.
When you release the seat cushion, the seatback is
automatically released. Pull the loop on the seatback
forward and fold the seatback onto the seat cushion.
While the seat
is in the folded position, hang the latch
plate end of the outer passenger position safety belts
on the hooks at the top of each retractor cover, out of
the way.
To return the seat to the passenger position, justlift up
on the seatback and push it rearward
until it latches.
1-9

After returning the seat tothe passenger position, pull
forward onthe seatback to make sureit is locked into
place. Also, return the safety belts and head restraints
to
their original positions, so they will be available for rear
seatpassengers to use.
Folding the Rear Seat (&Door Utility Model)
If your vehicle has a 60/40 rear seat,either side may be
folded down
to give you more cargo space.
Before folding, place thelatch portion of the center
safety belt inthe center armrest. Thatway, the center
safety beltwill be out of the way when the seat is folded
and alsowill be easily available forpassengers to use
when the seat is returned to the passenger position. Also,
make surethat nothing is under or in front of the seat.
When theseat is folded, it will lay flat on the floor.
When folding the seat,
first remove the head
restraints. Push the release
buttons at the bottom of
each head restraintheight
adjust post and slide the
head restraint out of the
height-adjust tubes.
Set the head restraints asidefor now. You will stow them
in their proper position afteryou are done folding the seat.
1-10

To fold the seat, pull up on
the strap loop at the rear of
the seat cushion.
Then, pullthe seat cushion up and fold it forward.
After folding the seat cushion fully forward, pull
the seatback forward and fold the seatback down
until it is flat.
Then, stow the head
restraints by sliding them
into the rear of the seatback.
Make sure the posts go
in
all the way.
To return the seatto the passenger position, first remove
the head restraints by sliding them
out of the seat cushion.
Lift the seatback up and push rearward
all the way. Then,
lower the seat cushion untilit latches in position.
After returning the seat to the passenger position, return
the head restraints to the top
of the seatback. Pull
forward on the seatback and up on the seat cushion
to
make surethat the seat is securely in place.
If the latch plate portion
of the center safety belt was put
in the center armrest when the seat was folded, take the
latch plate portion out andplace
it on the seat. Thatway,
the center position safety belt will be available forthe
center rear seat passenger to use.
1-11

Folding the Second Seat (Suburban)
If your vehicle has a 60/40 rear seat, eitherside may be
folded down to give
you more cargo space.
Before folding, place the latchportion
of the center
safety belt in the center armrest. Thatway, the center
safety belt will be out of the way when the seat is folded
and also will be easily available for passengers to use
when the seat is returned to the passenger position. Also,
make sure that nothing is under or in front of the seat.
When the seat is folded, it will lay flat on the floor.
When foldingthe seat, first
remove the head restraints.
Push the release buttons at
the bottom
of each head
restraint height-adjust
post and slide the head
restraint
out of the
height-adjust tubes.
Set thehead restraints aside for now.
You will stow
them intheir proper positions after you are donefolding
the seat.
To fold the seat,pull up on
the strap loop at the rear
outer edge
of the seat
cushion. Then,pull the seat
cushion up.
After folding the seat cushion forward, push downon
the lever at the side
of the seatback and foldthe seatback
forward until it is flat.
Then, stow the head
restraints by sliding them
into the rear of the seatback.
Make sure the posts go in
all the way.

To create aload floor,
release the panels from the
seatback by pushing
rearward on the latch and
fold them out to cover the
rear seat footwell.
To return the seat to the passenger position, lift the load
floor panels and latch them into the seatback.
Then liftthe rear seatbackup and push rearward
until
it latches. Return the head restraints to their
original positions and lower the seat cushion until it
latches intoposition.
After returning the seat
to the passenger position, pull
forward on the seatback and up on the cushion
to make
sure theseat is locked into place.
If the latch plate portion of the center safety beltwas put
in the center armrest when the seat was folded, takethe
latch plate portion out and place it on the seat. Thatway,
the center position safety belt will be available forthe
center rear seat passenger to use.
1-13