Traction Control Operation - Chevrolet Avalanche 2004 Owner's Manual

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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
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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 4-49.

Traction Control Operation

The traction control system is part of the
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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
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 3-53.
Notice: If the traction off light comes on due to
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.
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, only the brake-traction
4-13