2002 CHEVROLET SILVERADO transmission

2-117
Trans Hot...Idle Engine
If you have an automatic transmission, you have a
transmission over
-temperature display contained in the
message center.
If this warning message is
displayed, pull the vehicle
off the roadway when it is
safe to do so.
Set the parking brake and place the transmission in
PARK (P). Idle the engine until the message center no
longer displays a message. If idling the engine does not
turn the warning message off after 10 to 15 minutes,
contact your nearest dealer or the GM Roadside
Assistance Center. See ªRoadside Assistanceº in
the Index.
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with the
transmission TRANS HOT...IDLE ENGINE
message displayed, you can damage the
transmission. This could lead to costly repairs
that may not be covered under your warranty.
The following situations can cause the transmission to
operate at higher temperatures:

Towing a trailer

Hot outside air temperatures

Hauling a heavy load

Low transmission fluid level

High transmission fluid level

Restricted air flow to the radiator and the auxiliary
transmission oil cooler (if equipped).
A temporary solution to hotter transmission operating
temperatures may be to let the transmission cool down.
If the transmission is operated at higher temperatures on
a frequent basis, see ªScheduled Maintenanceº in the
Index for the proper transmission maintenance intervals.

3-10 Heating
The heater works best if you keep your windows closed
while using it. On cold days, use the floor or bi
-level
setting with the temperature knob in the red area.
On cold days, approximately 32
F (
-0
C) or lower, if
your vehicle is equipped with an automatic transmission,
you may experience differences in how the transmission
shifts until the engine is warm. This feature
automatically reduces the time it takes for the engine to
reach normal operating temperature and shortens the
time it takes the heater to reach full output.
If you use the engine coolant heater before starting your
engine in cold weather, 20
F (
-8
C) or lower, the
heating system will produce warmer air faster to heat the
passenger compartment.
The use of an engine coolant heater also reduces the
time it takes for the engine to reach normal operating
temperature. For more information, see ªEngine Coolant
Heaterº in the Index.
Defogging and Defrosting
On cool, humid days, use defrost to keep the windshield
and side windows clear. Use defrost to remove fog or ice
from the windshield in extremely humid or cold
conditions. Use defrost with the temperature knob
toward the red area and the fan control turned all the
way to the right.
Rear Window Defogger (If Equipped)
If you see lines running across the rear window, your
vehicle has a rear window defogger. The lines warm
the glass.
To turn on the rear window
defogger, press this button
next to the fan knob.
The rear window
defogger will only work
if the ignition is in RUN.
For best results, clear the
window of as much snow
or ice as possible.

4-10
The Traction Assist System may operate on dry roads
under some conditions. When this happens, you may
notice a reduction in acceleration. This is normal and
doesn't mean there's a problem with your vehicle.
Examples of these conditions include a hard acceleration
in a turn, an abrupt upshift or downshift of the
transmission or driving on rough roads.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the TAS begins
to limit wheel spin, the cruise control will automatically
disengage. When road conditions allow you to safely
use it again, you may re
-engage the cruise control. See
ªCruise Controlº in the Index.
When the TRACTION
OFF light is on, the TAS
is off and will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly.The TRACTION OFF light will come on under the
following conditions:

The Traction Assist System is turned off, either by
pressing the TAS on/off button or turning off the
automatic engagement feature of the TAS.

The transmission is in FIRST (1); TAS will not
operate in this gear. This is normal.

The vehicle is driven on an extremely rough road.
When the vehicle leaves the rough surface, slows
down or stops, the light will go off and TAS will be
on again. This is normal.

A Traction Assist System, Anti-Lock Brake System
or engine
-related problem has been detected and the
vehicle needs service.
See ªTraction Off Lightº in the Index.
The Traction Assist System, as delivered from the
factory, will automatically come on whenever you start
your vehicle. To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery
road conditions, you should always leave the system on.
But you can turn the TAS off if you ever need to. You
should turn the TAS off if your vehicle ever gets stuck in
sand, mud or snow and rocking the vehicle is required.
See ªRocking Your Vehicleº in the Index.

4-11
To turn the system on
or off press the TAS
on/off button located
to the left of the
steering wheel on the
instrument panel.
If you used the button to turn the system off, the
TRACTION OFF light will come on and stay on. You
can turn the system back on at any time by pressing the
button again. The TRACTION OFF light should go off.If desired, you can change the TAS automatic
engagement feature so that the system will not come on
automatically when the engine is started. To do so:
1. Park the vehicle with the ignition off and the
transmission in PARK (P).
2. Turn the ignition to RUN; do not start the engine.
3. Apply the brake pedal, press the accelerator pedal to
the floor and then press the TAS on/off button and
hold it down for at least six seconds.
4. Release the TAS button and both pedals.
5. Turn off the ignition and wait a few seconds.
The next time you start your vehicle, the TAS will not
automatically come on. You can restore the automatic
feature by using the same procedure. Whether the
TAS is set to come on automatically or not, you can
always turn the system on or off by pressing the TAS
on/off button.

4-26
Q:What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about
to stall, and I can't make it up the hill?
A:If this happens, there are some things you should
do, and there are some things you must not do.
First, here's what you should do:

Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep
it from rolling backwards. Also, apply the
parking brake.

If your engine is still running, shift the transmission
to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill in REVERSE (R).

If your engine has stopped running, you'll need to
restart it. With the brake pedal pressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to
PARK (P) (or, shift to neutral if your vehicle has a
manual transmission) and restart the engine. Then,
shift to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake,
and slowly back down the hill as straight as possible
in REVERSE (R).
As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand
on the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position. This
way, you'll be able to tell if your wheels are straight
and maneuver as you back down. It's best that you
back down the hill with your wheels straight rather
than in the left or right direction. Turning the wheel
too far to the left or right will increase the possibility
of a rollover.
Here are some things you must not do if you stall, or are
about to stall, when going up a hill.

Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
NEUTRAL (N) (or pressing the clutch, if you have a
manual transmission) to ªrev
-upº the engine and
regain forward momentum. This won't work. Your
vehicle will roll backwards very quickly and you
could go out of control.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the
vehicle. Then apply the parking brake. Shift to
REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back straight down.

Never attempt to turn around if you are about to stall
when going up a hill. If the hill is steep enough to
stall your vehicle, it's steep enough to cause you to
roll over if you turn around. If you can't make it up
the hill, you must back straight down the hill.

4-27
Q:Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down
the hill and decide I just can't do it. What
should I do?
A:Set the parking brake, put your transmission
in PARK (P) (or the manual transmission in
FIRST (1)) and turn off the engine. Leave the
vehicle and go get some help. Exit on the uphill
side and stay clear of the path the vehicle would
take if it rolled downhill. Do not shift the transfer
case to NEUTRAL when you leave the vehicle.
Leave it in some gear.
CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the transmission
is in PARK (P) (or, if you have the manual
transmission, even if you're in gear). This is
because the NEUTRAL position on the transfer
case overrides the transmission. You or someone
else could be injured. If you are going to leave
your vehicle, set the parking brake and shift the
transmission to PARK (P) (or, put your manual
transmission in FIRST (1)). But do not shift
the transfer case to NEUTRAL. Leave the
transfer case in the 2 Wheel High, 4 High or
4 Low position.

4-29
Q:Are there some things I should not do when
driving down a hill?
A:Yes! These are important because if you ignore
them you could lose control and have a
serious accident.

When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across the incline of the hill. A hill that's not too
steep to drive down may be too steep to drive across.
You could roll over if you don't drive straight down.

Never go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N), or with the clutch pedal
pressed down in a manual shift. This is called
ªfree
-wheeling.º Your brakes will have to
do all the work and could overheat and fade.
Q:Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A:It's much more likely to happen going uphill. But if
it happens going downhill, here's what to do.

Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes.
Apply the parking brake.

Shift to PARK (P) (or to neutral with the
manual transmission) and, while still braking,
restart the engine.

Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake,
and drive straight down.

If the engine won't start, get out and get help.

4-42
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you're
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can
make your trips safer and more enjoyable. See
ªOff
-Road Drivingº in the Index for information
about driving off
-road.

Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.

Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
CAUTION:
If you don't shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they wouldn't work well. You would
then have poor braking or even none going
down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine assist your brakes on a steep
downhill slope.