GM Chevrolet Avalanche - Manual (Page 271)

The STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message will appear on
the Driver Information Center (DIC) only when the system
is both on and activated. It means that an advanced
computer-controlled system has come on to help your
vehicle continue to go in the direction in which you’re
steering. StabiliTrak
® activates when the computer
senses that your vehicle is just starting to spin, as it might
if you hit a patch of ice or other slippery spot on the road.
When the system activates, you may hear a noise or feel
a vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal. When the
STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message is on, you should
continue to steer in the direction you want to go. The
system is designed to help you in bad weather or other
difficult driving situations by making the most of whatever
road conditions will permit. For more information on the
stability messages, see Driver Information Center (DIC)
on page 3-45.
StabiliTrak ® and part of
the traction control system
can be turned off or
back on by pressing the
StabiliTrak
® button
on the instrument panel.
When the system is turned off, the traction off light will
illuminate, and the STABILITY SYS DISABLED
message will appear on the DIC to warn the driver that
both the stability system and part of the traction
control system are disabled. Your vehicle will still have
brake-traction control when StabiliTrak
® is off, but will
not be able to use the engine speed management
system. See “Traction Control Operation” next for
more information.
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
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 4-44.
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