Chevrolet Tahoe Suburban 2002 Owner's Manual

2002 Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban

Owner’s Manual

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem, the name TAHOE, and the name SUBURBAN are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation.

This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes after that time without further notice. For vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada Limited” for Chevrolet Motor Division whenever it appears in this manual.

Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will be there if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the new owner can use it.

We support voluntary technician certification.

For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a French Language Manual:

Aux propriétaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous

procurer un exemplaire de ce guide en français chez votre concessionaire ou au:

Helm, Incorporated P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207

How to Use this Manual

Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you do this, it will help you learn about the features and controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find that pictures and words work together to explain things quickly.

Safety Warnings and Symbols

You will find a number of safety cautions in this book. We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning.

CAUTION:

These mean there is something that could hurt you or other people.

In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, you or others could be hurt.

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.”

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Vehicle Damage Warnings

Also, in this book you will find these notices:

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 be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly. But the notice will tell you what to do 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 or NOTICE.

Vehicle Symbols

Your vehicle may be equipped with components and labels that use symbols instead of text. Symbols, used on your vehicle, are shown along with the text describing the operation or information relating to a specific component, control, message, gage or indicator.

If you need help figuring out a specific name of a component, gage or indicator reference the following topics in the Index:

“Engine Compartment Overview”

“Instrument Panel”

“Comfort Controls”

“Audio Systems”

Also see “Warning Lights and Gages” in the Index.

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

Model Reference

This manual covers these models:

Tahoe Suburban

Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems

Here you’ll find information about the seats in your vehicle and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also learn about some things you should not do with air bags and safety belts.

-2 Seats and Seat Controls

-22 Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone

-27 Here Are Questions Many People Ask About

Safety Belts

-28 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly

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-28 Driver Position

-35 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy

-36 Right Front Passenger Position

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-36 Air Bag Systems

-46 Center Passenger Position

-- and the Answers

-47 Rear Seat Passengers

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-51 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children

and Small Adults

1-54 Children

-58 Restraint Systems for Children

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-76 Older Children

-79 Safety Belt Extender

-79 Checking Your Restraint Systems

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-79 Replacing Restraint System Parts

After a Crash

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Seats and Seat Controls

This section tells you about the seats -- how to adjust them, and fold them up and down. It also tells you about reclining front seatbacks and head restraints.

Manual Front Seat

CAUTION:

You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when the vehicle is not moving.

If your vehicle has a manual bucket or a split bench seat, you can adjust it with this lever located at the front of the seat.

Lift the lever to unlock the seat. Using your body, slide the seat to where you want it and release the lever. Try to move the seat with your body to make sure the seat is locked into place.

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Manual Cushion Tilt (If Equipped)

If your vehicle has this feature, you can raise or lower the front of the driver’s or passenger’s seat with this lever located at the inside edge of the seat. T o raise or lower the front of the seat, move the lever up or down in a continuous motion until the cushion reaches the desired height.

Manual Lumbar Control (If Equipped)

If your vehicle has a lumbar adjustment, the knob is located on the outboard side of the seat cushion.

T o increase or decrease support, turn the knob toward the front or rear of the vehicle. Operating effort can be reduced if you lean forward slightly while turning the knob.

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Power Seat(s) (If Equipped)

If your vehicle has a power seat, you can adjust it with these controls located on the outboard sides of the seats.

Raise or lower the front of the seat cushion by raising or lowering the forward edge of the horizontal control.

Move the seat forward or rearward by moving the whole horizontal control forward or rearward.

Raise or lower the rear of the seat cushion by raising or lowering the rear edge of the horizontal control.

Moving the whole horizontal control up or down raises or lowers the entire seat cushion.

If your vehicle has power reclining seats, you can use the vertical control to adjust the angle of the seatback. Move the reclining front seatback rearward or forward by moving the control toward the rear or the front of the vehicle. See “Reclining Seatbacks” in the Index for further information.

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Power Lumbar Control (If Equipped)

Memory Seat (If Equipped)

If your vehicle has this feature, the four control is located on the outboard side of the seat.

T o increase or decrease support, press and hold the front or rear of the control. Let go of the control when the lower seatback reaches the desired level of support.

You can also reshape the side wing area of the lower seatback for more lateral support. T o increase or decrease support, press and hold the top or bottom of the control. Let go of the control when the lower seatback reaches the desired level of support.

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If your vehicle has this feature, the buttons used to program and recall the driver’s seat and recliner position are located on the driver’s door trim panel.

It does not store the lumbar or back support positions. T o program the memory seat, do the following:

1. Adjust the driver’s seat to the desired position.

2. Then press the SET button and, within five seconds, press one of the two numbered buttons on the memory control.

T o recall your setting, put the vehicle in PARK (P) and press the number you chose.

T o program the seat position for a second driver, follow the preceding steps, but press the other number on the memory control.

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Heated Front Seats (If Equipped)

If your vehicle has this feature, the button used to control the driver’s heated seat is located on the driver’s door panel. The button used to control the passenger’s heated seat is located on the passenger’s door panel.

T o activate the heated seats, press the button once for the HI heat setting. Press the button again for the LO heat setting. T o turn off the heated seats, press the button a third time. An indicator light will illuminate for each heat setting anytime the heated seats are operating.

The ignition must be in RUN for them to operate. The heated front seats will be canceled after the ignition

is turned to OFF. If you still want to use the heated front seat feature after you restart your vehicle, you will need to press the heated seat button again.

Reclining Seatbacks

T o adjust the front seatback, lift the manual lever located on the outboard side of the seat. Release the lever to lock the seatback where you want it. Lift the lever again without pushing on the seatback and the seatback will go to an upright position.

If your vehicle has power seats with a power recliner, see “Power Seats” in the Index for further information on how to operate the reclining seatback feature.

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But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving.

CAUTION:

Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle up, your safety belts can’t do their job when you’re reclined like this.

The shoulder belt can’t do its job. In a crash, you could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries.

The lap belt can’t do its job either. In a crash the belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries.

For proper protection when the vehicle is in motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly.

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Head Restraints

Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of your head. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.

On some models, the head restraints tilt forward and rearward also.

The rear seat head restraints in your vehicle may be adjustable. They work the same as the front seat head restraints, except they do not tilt forward or rearward.

Rear Seats

60/40 Split Bench Seat

Tahoe/Yukon: The rear seat may have a 60/40 split

seat which may be folded down to give you more cargo space.

Suburban/Yukon XL: The second row rear seat of Suburban/Yukon XL models may have a 60/40 split seat. Either side of the rear seat may be folded down to provide more cargo space.

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Folding the Seatbacks

CAUTION:

If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is locked.

On all models with 60/40 split bench seats, you must insert the center occupant lap belt latch plate into the loop provided, on the underside of the folded forward seat cushion, before folding the rear seat back down on the driver’s side.

You may have to adjust the location of the latch plate on the webbing so that it reaches the loop. Stowing in this loop will reduce the chances of damaging and soiling the belt. Remember to remove the latch plate from the loop before the seat is returned to the passenger position.

On Suburban/Yukon XL insert the two buckles into the retainer in the seatback, before folding the rear seat on the driver’s side. The buckles will be out of the way when the seat is folded and will be 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 and that the head restraints are completely lowered.

On T ahoe/Yukon models the rear seatbacks may be equipped with rearward folding head restraints. When the seatback is being folded down, the head restraint will automatically fold rearward to allow a flat load floor for cargo or entry to the third row seat (if equipped).

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T o fold, pull up on the strap loop at the rear of the seat cushion. Then, pull the seat cushion up an fold it forward.

After folding the seat cushion fully forward, pull the seatback forward and fold the seatback down until it is flat. If the seatback cannot fold flat because it interferes with the cushion, try moving the seat forward and/or bring the front seatback more upright. On the passenger side of the Suburban/Yukon XL models, the lever at the base of the seat must be turned rearward to release the seatback.

T o create a load floor release the panels from the seatback by pushing forward on the latch. Then fold the panels back to cover the rear seat footwell area.

T o return the seat to the passenger position on a Suburban/Yukon XL do the following:

1. Lift the floor load panels and latch them into the seatback.

2. Lift the seatback up and push rearward all the way.

3. Lower the seat cushion until it latches into position.

4. Pull forward on the seatback and up on the seat cushion to make sure the seat is securely in place.

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Make sure that the buckles on the driver’s side seatback are accessible to the outboard and center occupant and are not under the seat cushions.

On T ahoe/Yukon models make sure the head restraints are returned to the upright position.

Bucket Seats (Suburban/Yukon XL Second Row)

If your vehicle has bucket seats, the seatbacks can be reclined and the seats can be folded to give you more cargo room.

Reclining the Seatbacks

On the Suburban/Yukon XL models with bucket seats, the seatbacks can be reclined. T o adjust the seatback do the following:

1. Pull forward the lever located at the base of the back.

2. Release the lever to lock the seatback where you want it. If you pull the lever without pushing on the seatback, the seatback will go to an upright position.

Folding the Seatbacks

CAUTION:

If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is locked.

The seatbacks on the bucket seats may be folded forward to give you more cargo space.

In order to fold the back of a bucket seat into a horizontal load floor, the back must be in its upright position, and not reclined.

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CAUTION:

If a head restraint is not installed on the seatback or stored in the vehicle properly, it could be thrown about the vehicle in a crash or sudden maneuver. People in the vehicle could be injured. Remove the head restraints only when you need to fold the seat, and be sure that the head restraints are stored securely in the space provided in the folded up seat cushion. When the seat is returned to the passenger position, be sure the head restraints are installed properly.

On Suburban/Yukon XL models with rear bucket seats, the head restraints need to be removed in order to fold the rear seats. T o do this follow these directions:

1. Lift the head restraints up until they stop.

2. Press in the button on the side of the head restraint guide cap and lift up on the head restraint.

3. Do the same for the other cap.

The head restraint can be removed and stored in the space provided in the folded up seat cushion.

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To fold the seatbacks on the bucket seats, do the following:

1. Pull up on the strap loop located at the rear of the seat cushion and pull the seat cushion up. Then fold it forward.

2. Push the seatback release lever rearward and pull the seatback forward. Then fold it until it is flat.

If the seatback cannot fold flat because it interferes with the cushion, try moving the front seat forward and/or bringing the front seatback more upright.

Once the seatbacks are folded down, the rear seat footwell area will be exposed and will have to be covered by the load floor panel. T o create a load floor, do the following:

1. Release the panels from the seatbacks by pushing forward on the latches.

2. Then fold the panels back to cover the rear seat footwell area.

If you have removed the head restraints to fold the rear bucket seat, be sure to reinstall them on the seatback after it has been returned to the normal seating position.

50/50 Split Bench Seat (Third Row)

If your vehicle has a 50/50 split bench, the seatback(s) can be folded and the entire seat(s) tilted or removed from the vehicles.

Folding the Seatbacks

CAUTION:

If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is locked.

T o fold the seatbacks do the following:

Pull up on the release lever, labeled 1, located on the rear of the seatback, and push the seatback forward.

T o return the seat to the passenger position, pull up on the release lever labeled 1 and then pull up on the seatback until the seatback locks into the upright position.

Push forward on the seatback to make sure it is locked into position.

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Tilting the 50/50 Split Bench Seat

CAUTION:

If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is locked.

CAUTION:

If the support rod isn’t properly engaged, the folded third row seat could come loose in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to people and damage to your vehicle. Always be sure the support rod is properly engaged when the third row seat is folded forward.

Once the third seatback has been folded down, the entire seat can be tilted forward to create a flat load floor. To do this, do the following:

1. Enter the rear cargo area of the vehicle.

2. Make sure the head restraints have been lowered completely.

3. With the seat folded, unlatch the seat from the floor by pulling up on the lever located under the carrying handle at the rear of the seat labeled 2.

4. Lift the rear of the seat up, off the floor. You will not be able to unlatch the seat from the floor unless the seatback is folded down.

5. Tilt the seat fully forward and secure it in place using the support rod located on the underside of the seat on the passenger’s side. Make sure the rod pin is fully engaged in the lock.

6. Push and pull on the seat. Make sure the support rod is holding it firmly in place. Use the seat in this position only when necessary for additional cargo space.

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T o return the seat to the seating position do the following:

1. Push forward on the seat and release the support lock rod.

2. Secure the support rod in its stored position on the underside of the seat.

3. Lower the seat to the floor and let the seat drop into place.

4. Lift up on the carrying handle to make sure the seat is locked in place.

5. Return the seatback to the upright position by pulling up on the release lever labeled 1 before the back can be folded upright.

6. Pull the seatback forward to make sure it is locked in place.

Removing the 50/50 Split Bench Seat

T o remove the 50/50 split bench seat, do the following:

1. Open the rear doors and enter the rear of the vehicle.

2. Fold the seatback forward onto the seat cushion by using the lever labeled 1. The seat cannot be removed unless the seatback is folded.

3. T o unlatch the seat from the floor, pull up on the release lever labeled 2, located at the rear of the seat, and lift the rear of the seat up off the floor.

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4. Squeeze the release lever, located in the lower middle to unlatch the seat from the floor, while pulling the seat out.

5. While holding the rear of the seat up, roll the seat out of the vehicle.

Replacing the 50/50 Split Bench Seat

CAUTION:

If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is locked.

CAUTION:

A seat that isn’t locked into place properly can move around in a collision or sudden stop. People in the vehicle could be injured. Be sure to lock the seat into place properly when installing it.

CAUTION:

A safety belt that is improperly routed, not properly attached, or twisted won’t provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. After installing the seat, always check to be sure that the safety belts are properly routed and attached, and are not twisted.

T o reinstall the 50/50 split bench, do the following:

1. While holding the rear of the seat up, slide the front wheels into the slots on the floor. The front latches should lock into place. If the latches do not lock, try tilting the rear of the seats upwards.

2. Once the latches are engaged, let the seat drop into place. Release the lever labeled 1 to return the seat to its upright position.

3. Push and pull on the seat to make sure it is locked into place. The seatback cannot be raised to the upright position unless the seat is secured to the floor.

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Full Bench Seat (Third Row)

If your vehicle has a full bench seat, the seatback can be folded and the seat can be tilted or removed from the vehicle.

Folding the Seatback

CAUTION:

If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is locked.

T o fold the seatback on the bench seat, do the following:

1. Pull up on the release lever, labeled 1, located on the rear of the seatback and push the seatback forward.

2. T o return the seat to an upright position, pull up on the release lever labeled 1 and then pull up on the seatback until the seatback locks into the upright position.

Push and pull on the seatback to check that it is locked into place.

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Tilting the Full Bench Seat

CAUTION:

If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is locked.

CAUTION:

Once the third seatback has been folded down, the entire seat can be tilted forward to create a flat load floor. To do this, do the following:

1. Enter the rear cargo area of the vehicle.

2. Make sure the head restraints have been lowered completely.

3. With the seat folded, unlatch the seat from the floor by pulling up on the lever located under the carrying handle at the rear of the seat labeled 2.

4. Lift the rear of the seat up, off the floor. You will not be able to unlatch the seat from the floor unless the seatback is folded down.

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