2013 Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - Page 289

Driving and Operating Notice: Shifting out of P (Park) or N (Neutral) with the engine running at high speed may damage the transmission. The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Be sure the engine is not running at high speed when shifting the vehicle. D (Drive): This position is for normal driving. It provides the best fuel economy for the vehicle. If you need more power for passing, and you are: . 9-31 Downshifting the transmission in slippery road conditions could result in skidding, see "Skidding" under Loss of Control on page 9‑5. The vehicle has a shift stabilization feature that adjusts the transmission shifting to the current driving conditions in order to reduce rapid upshifts and downshifts. This shift stabilization feature is designed to determine, before making an upshift, if the engine will be able to maintain vehicle speed by analyzing things such as throttle position, vehicle load, and hill grade. If the shift stabilization feature determines that a current vehicle speed cannot be maintained, the transmission does not upshift and instead holds the current gear. In some cases, this may appear to be a delayed shift, however the transmission is operating normally. The vehicle's transmission uses adaptive shift controls. Adaptive shift controls continually compares key shift parameters to pre-programmed ideal shift conditions stored in the transmissions computer. The transmission constantly makes adjustments to improve vehicle performance according to the way the vehicle is being used, such as with a heavy load. During this adaptive shift controls process, some shifts may feel different as the transmission determines the best settings for a particular shift. When temperatures are very cold, the Hydra-Matic® automatic transmission's gear shifting may be delayed providing more stable shifts until the engine warms up. Shifts may be more noticeable with a cold transmission. This difference in shifting is normal. M (Manual Mode): This position lets drivers select the range of gears appropriate for current driving conditions. See "Range Selection Mode" under Manual Mode on page 9‑32 Going less than about 55 km/h (35 mph), push the accelerator pedal about halfway down. Going about 55 km/h (35 mph) or more, push the accelerator all the way down. . D (Drive) can be used when towing a trailer, carrying a heavy load, driving on steep hills, or for off-road driving. You may want to shift the transmission to a lower gear selection if the transmission shifts too often.