Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid 2008 Get To Know Manual
Congratulations on your purchase of a Tahoe or Yukon 2-Mode Hybrid. Please read this information about
your vehicle’s features and your Owner Manual to ensure an outstanding ownership experience. Note that
your vehicle may not include all the features described in this booklet. Keep this booklet with your Owner
Manual for easy reference.
DRIVING YOUR HYBRID
Hybrid System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Typical Hybrid Sounds . . . . . . . . .2
Economy Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Automatic Engine Stop/Start
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
The Engine Will Remain
Running When . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
The Engine Will Restart When . . .3
Maximizing Fuel Economy . . . . . .4
Hybrid Energy Storage System . .4
Regenerative Braking . . . . . . . . . .4
Electric Air Conditioning
Compressor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Hybrid System Information . . . . .5
Emergency/First Responders . . .5
DRIVER INFORMATION
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Instrument Panel Cluster . . . . . . .7
Driver Information Center . . . . . . .8
SAFETY & SECURITY
Remote Keyless Entry . . . . . . . . .9
Content Theft-Deterrent System
.10
OnStar
®
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
COMFORT
Power Seat Adjustments . . . . . .10
Heated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Sun Visor Adjustment . . . . . . . . .11
Automatic Climate Controls . . . .11
Rear Seat Climate Controls . . . .12
ENTERTAINMENT
Touch Screen Navigation
Entertainment System . . . . . . . .13
Audio Steering Wheel Controls .15
XM
®
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Rear Seat Audio and DVD Rear
Seat Entertainment Systems . . .16
CONVENIENCE
Automatic Headlamp System/
Exterior Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Interior Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Auto Turn Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Wipers and Washers . . . . . . . . . .18
Universal Home Remote . . . . . . .18
Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist .19
Rear Vision Camera . . . . . . . . . .19
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
115-Volt Power Outlet . . . . . . . . .20
Folding 2nd-Row Seats . . . . . . .20
Folding 3rd-Row Seats . . . . . . . .20
Liftgate Operation . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . .21
PERFORMANCE & MAINTENANCE
StabiliTrak
®
– Stability Control
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . .22
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit
23
Resetting the Oil Life System . .23
Refueling the Vehicle . . . . . . . . .23
Hybrid Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
OWNER INFORMATION
Roadside Assistance . . . . . . . . .24
My GMLink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Getting to Know Your Tahoe/Yukon 2-Mode Hybrid
2
Your Tahoe or Yukon 2-Mode Hybrid
drives just like a regular vehicle, but it
has several fuel-saving features that
increase vehicle efficiency and maximize
fuel economy. The hybrid features of
your vehicle are enabled after the
engine warms up to proper operating
temperature.
Your 2-Mode Hybrid vehicle includes
electric motors housed in the electrically
variable hybrid transmission, a Vortec
V8 engine with Active Fuel Management™ and a 300-volt Energy Storage
System. The V8 engine is not designed
for E85 fuel.
A sophisticated electronic control
module selects the most efficient mode
of operation based on the amount of
power demanded by the driver and
battery charge level.
In the first mode, under light acceleration and at speeds between 20 and 30
mph, the vehicle may be powered by
only the electric motors, the engine,
or a combination of both.
The fuel-saving electric-only feature is
referred to as Auto Stop. It will turn off
the engine until the driver requests
increased power or the hybrid battery
needs charging.
The second mode is used primarily at
highway speeds and when trailering, in
conjunction with the engine’s Active Fuel
Management, to optimize fuel economy
while providing power when conditions
demand it.
The hybrid battery stores power for use
when the vehicle’s engine is off while in
Auto Stop mode and supplies power for
the various electric motors used in the
2-Mode Hybrid system. The hybrid
battery is recharged by the vehicle
during deceleration and while braking.
It does not need to be plugged into an
electrical outlet.
Economy Gauge
The economy gauge shows when
vehicle fuel economy is being
Hybrid System
DRIVING YOUR HYBRID
Typical Hybrid Sounds
Your hybrid vehicle has several electric
motors, including the motors in the
transmission that help power the vehicle
as well as the air conditioning compressor, brake pump, coolant pumps, and,
within the Hybrid Energy Storage
System, a cooling fan and electrical
contactor switches. At times, you may
hear these motors start up or stop, and
they might produce a slight whirring,
humming or blowing sound typical of
electric motors. These are normal
sounds found on a hybrid vehicle and
may be more noticeable when the vehicle is operating in the Auto Stop mode
with the engine off.
Your hybrid vehicle also does not make
an audible starter noise when starting
the vehicle. Therefore, it may seem to
take slightly longer to start than a nonhybrid vehicle. If the key is not held in
the start position long enough, the vehicle will not start but the instrument panel
cluster warning lights will illuminate,
requiring the key to be turned to the
start position again. You may also experience a perceived hesitation when
selecting Reverse after starting the vehicle.
See your Hybrid Owner Manual.
maximized. Driving with the needle in
the solid green area indicates driving
behavior that maximizes fuel economy.
Accelerating too aggressively will move
the needle to the right, while braking
too aggressively will move the needle to
the left. Either of these behaviors will
move the needle outside the green area,
indicating less fuel efficient driving.
See your Hybrid Owner Manual.
3
The automatic engine stop/start feature,
known as Auto Stop, turns off the engine
at lower speeds until the Hybrid Energy
Storage System needs charging or the
driver requests increased power.
While the vehicle is in Auto Stop mode,
the needle on the tachometer moves to
the AUTO STOP position. The oil pressure gauge also will drop to zero. While
lightly accelerating, the vehicle will be
propelled only by the electric motors.
During heavy acceleration, both the
engine and electric motors supply
power. A sensation similar to a transmission gear change may be felt as the
vehicle changes between engine power
and electric power.
While in Auto Stop, all of the regular
vehicle features are available, such as
power steering and brakes, the audio
system and power accessories.
Automatic Engine Stop/Start
Operation
The Engine Will Remain
Running When:
The engine may remain running under
certain conditions. Some conditions
that would lead to an engine Auto Stop
override include:
• Driving in Reverse.
• The engine or transmission is not yet
warmed up.
• The transmission temperature or
Energy Storage System (ESS)
temperature is high.
• The engine is required to run to help
achieve the selected climate control
heating and/or cooling setting.
• The Hybrid ESS charge is low.
• The hood is not fully closed.
• The Check Engine light is illuminated.
• When playing the radio or using
electrical accessories with the vehicle
off, do not leave the key in the ACC
position for more than 30 minutes.
Instead, leave the vehicle running
and rely on the Auto Stop feature to
supply power.
See your Hybrid Owner Manual.
After parking the vehicle and turning off
the engine by rotating the key to the Off
position, the tachometer needle will
move to the Off position.
See your Hybrid Owner Manual.
The Engine Will Restart When:
With the engine off in Auto Stop mode,
certain conditions may require the
engine to restart. Some conditions that
would lead to an engine restart include:
Getting to Know Your Tahoe/Yukon 2-Mode Hybrid
4
Hybrid Energy Storage System
Your vehicle has a standard 12-volt
battery, located under the hood, and a
300-volt Hybrid Energy Storage System
(ESS). The Hybrid ESS, located under
the 2nd-row seats, provides power to
the system’s electric motors and will
recharge itself as necessary during idle,
driving, and/or when braking efficiently.
The vehicle will charge the high voltage
ESS when it is most efficient to charge,
and discharge it when it is most efficient
to discharge.
Refer to your Hybrid Owner Manual for additional
ESS information.
Regenerative Braking
Regenerative braking recaptures some
of the energy from the moving vehicle
when coasting or braking and turns it into
electrical energy. This energy is then
stored in the vehicle’s Hybrid Energy
Storage System for later use by the
hybrid system, contributing to increased
fuel economy.
Along with the advanced technology
features of the Tahoe or Yukon 2-Mode
Hybrid, your driving behavior is a big
contributor to your vehicle’s fuel economy. Modifying your driving habits will
improve your fuel mileage. Here are
several fuel-saving driving tips:
• Combine short trips to minimize cold
engine starts, which reduce fuel
economy.
• Avoid quick starts and stops.
Accelerate moderately and drive at a
steady speed.
• Anticipate traffic flow and brake
moderately or coast.
• Use the air conditioning and defrost
modes only when necessary.
• Minimize electrical accessory operation by turning off items such as the
rear defogger and heated seats when
they are not needed.
• Use the remote start feature sparingly. This feature turns the engine on,
consuming fuel at idle.
Maximizing Fuel Economy
• Do not warm up the engine by idling.
Even on the coldest days, driving will
help the engine warm up faster.
• Selecting the AUTO feature on 4WD
models will be less economical than
2WD.
• Unload unnecessary cargo to reduce
the amount of weight in the vehicle.
• Regularly check and maintain proper
tire pressure.
• Maintain your vehicle. Regular
maintenance will keep your vehicle
running cleaner and more efficiently.
• The accelerator pedal is applied,
demanding heavy acceleration. This
will not occur when the vehicle is
in Park.
• The engine is required to run to help
achieve the selected climate control
heating and/or cooling setting.
• The Hybrid Energy Storage System
charge becomes low and requires
recharging.
• Shifting into Reverse.
• When the hood is unlatched or open.
See your Hybrid Owner Manual.
5
Your vehicle has a 300-volt, electrically
powered air conditioning compressor
that provides continuous air conditioning
operation and passenger comfort while
the engine cycles on and off.
When operating the climate control system, select the AUTO mode and the
desired temperature setting to allow the
system to automatically adjust fan speed
and airflow direction. In the AUTO mode,
the system makes adjustments to make
the most efficient use of electrical power.
To get the most engine off time and the
highest fuel savings, select a higher
temperature setting or turn off the air
conditioning. Continuous air conditioning
use can cause the engine to start more
frequently when in the Auto Stop mode.
Due to the quiet operation of the
vehicle, especially when the engine has
turned off, some noise may be heard
occasionally from the air conditioning
compressor.
Refer to the Climate Controls section
for information about the features of the
climate controls.
See your Hybrid Owner Manual.
Electric Air Conditioning
Compressor
To view the hybrid system information
on the Navigation Entertainment
System, press the MENU hard key, and
then touch the Hybrid screen button.
The hybrid screen has icons of an
engine, battery, transmission and
wheels. While the vehicle is in operation,
these icons will change color indicating
the source of power to the transmission
and, ultimately, the wheels. Power can
be provided entirely by the engine, electric motors, or a combination of both. An
icon will also indicate when the battery
is being recharged by the regenerative
braking system. A text box at the bottom
of the screen will indicate the current
method of power.
See your Hybrid Owner Manual.
Hybrid System Information
In emergency situations, First
Responders needing to disable the
300-volt energy storage system will
see that the 12-volt battery cables are
clearly labeled in the engine compartment and, when cut, will disable the
300-volt system.
See your Hybrid Owner Manual.
Emergency/First Responders
The braking system is computer
controlled and blends the operation of
the regenerative braking with the conventional hydraulic disc brakes. The system
applies the brakes through a high pressure accumulator. You may hear the
motor-driven pump when it runs to
recharge the accumulator pressure. This
recharging cycle is normal. Pumping the
brake pedal repeatedly uses the reserved
accumulator pressure more quickly.
See your Hybrid Owner Manual.
Getting to Know Your Tahoe/Yukon 2-Mode Hybrid
6
See Section 3 of your Owner Manual.
DRIVER INFORMATION
Instrument Panel (2WD Model shown)
The key features of the
instrument panel include:
A. Air Outlets
B. Turn Signal/
Multifunction Lever
C. Instrument Panel
Cluster
D. Shift Lever
E. Daytime Running
Lamp Sensor
F. Driver Information
Center Controls
G. Navigation Entertainment
System
H. Exterior Lamps Control
I. Dome Lamp Override
Button/Instrument Panel
Brightness Knob
J. Automatic Transfer Case
Control (if equipped —
4WD only)
K. Cruise Control Buttons
L. Tilt Steering Wheel Lever
M. Horn
N. Audio Steering Wheel
Controls
O. Climate Controls
P. 12-Volt Accessory
Power Outlets
Q. StabiliTrak Button
R. Ultrasonic Rear
Parking Assist Button
S. Glove Box
D GFB
R
EA
S
A
HJ OK
C
PI LMN
A
Q
P
7
See Section 3 of your Owner Manual.
Note: The instrument panel cluster is
designed to let you know about many
important aspects of your vehicle’s
operation. It is important to read your
Owner Manual and become familiar with
the information being relayed to you
by the lights, gauges and indicators,
as well as what action can be taken to
ensure safety and to prevent damage.
Instrument Panel Cluster
Your vehicle’s instrument panel cluster is
designed to let you know at a glance
how your vehicle is running. It includes
these key features:
A. Economy Gauge
B. Auto Stop Indicator
C. Tachometer
D. Speedometer
E. Oil Pressure Gauge
F. Fuel Gauge
G. StabiliTrak Indicator Light
H. Low Tire Pressure Warning Light
I. Security Light
J. Driver Information Center/Odometer
HMKJIG L
K. Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light)
L. Airbag Readiness Light
M. Antilock Brake System Warning Light
N. Safety Belt Reminder Light
O. Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge
EDCBA
NFO
Customization Features
To customize features:
1. With the vehicle in Park, turn on the
ignition.
2. Press the (Customization) button
to display available customization
features.
3. With the desired customization
feature displayed, press the
(Set/Reset) button to access the
feature settings.
4. Press the button to scroll through
the available settings.
5. With the desired setting displayed,
press the button to select it.
6. To exit the Feature Settings menu,
press the button until EXIT
FEATURE SETTINGS is displayed
and then press , or press the
button or the button.
Customization features include:
• Display Language — DIC information
can be displayed in several
languages
• Auto Door Lock — Automatically
locks the vehicle doors
• Auto Door Unlock — Automatically
unlocks the vehicle doors
• Remote Door Lock — Type of
feedback from Remote Keyless Entry
locking
• Remote Door Unlock — Type of
feedback from Remote Keyless Entry
unlocking
• Delay Door Lock — Delays locking
doors and liftgate after exiting
• Exit Lighting — Amount of time the
exterior lamps remain on after exiting
Getting to Know Your Tahoe/Yukon 2-Mode Hybrid
8
Driver Information Center
Your vehicle’s Driver Information Center
(DIC) provides vehicle information,
vehicle warning messages and vehicle
feature customization. The DIC messages will be shown on your instrument
panel cluster display. To operate the DIC,
the ignition switch must be on.
DIC Buttons
The following
DIC buttons are
located on the
right side of the
instrument
panel cluster:
(Trip/Fuel):
Press this button to display
the odometer, trip odometer, fuel range,
average economy, fuel used, timer, transmission temperature, instantaneous
economy, Active Fuel Management™
and battery voltage.
(Vehicle Information): Press this
button to display the oil life, English/
Metric units, tire pressures, engine hours
and Remote Keyless Entry programming.
(Customization): Press this button to
customize certain vehicle features to your
preference.
(Set/Reset): Press this button to set
or reset certain vehicle functions as well
as acknowledge DIC messages.
Loading...