2004 CHEVROLET COLORADO traction control

Controlling your vehicle is the key to successful off-road
driving. One of the best ways to control your vehicle
is to control your speed. Here are some things to keep
in mind. At higher speeds:
you approach things faster and you have less time
to scan the terrain for obstacles.
you have less time to react.
you have more vehicle bounce when you drive over
obstacles.
you will need more distance for braking, especially
since you are on an unpaved surface.
{CAUTION:
When you are driving off-road, bouncing and
quick changes in direction can easily throw
you out of position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash. So, whether you’re
driving on or off the road, you and your
passengers should wear safety belts.
Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over many different kinds
of terrain. You need to be familiar with the terrain
and its many different features. Here are some things
to consider.
Surface Conditions:Off-roading can take you over
hard-packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow
or ice. Each of these surfaces affects the steering,
acceleration and braking of your vehicle in different ways.
Depending upon the kind of surface you are on, you may
experience slipping, sliding, wheel spinning, delayed
acceleration, poor traction and longer braking distances.
Surface Obstacles:Unseen or hidden obstacles can
be hazardous. A rock, log, hole, rut or bump can startle
you if you are not prepared for them. Often these
obstacles are hidden by grass, bushes, snow or even
the rise and fall of the terrain itself. Here are some
things to consider:
Is the path ahead clear?
Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead?
Does the travel take you uphill or downhill?
(There is more discussion of these subjects later.)
Will you have to stop suddenly or change
direction quickly?
4-17

Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow or sand, your wheels will
not get good traction. You can not accelerate as
quickly, turning is more difficult, and you will need longer
braking distances.
It is best to use a low gear when you are in mud — the
deeper the mud, the lower the gear. In really deep
mud, the idea is to keep your vehicle moving so you do
not get stuck.
When you drive on sand, you will sense a change in
wheel traction. But it will depend upon how loosely
packed the sand is. On loosely packed sand (as
on beaches or sand dunes) your tires will tend to sink
into the sand. This has an effect on steering,
accelerating and braking. Drive at a reduced speed and
avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.
Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction.
On these surfaces, it is very easy to lose control.
On wet ice, for example, the traction is so poor that you
will have difficulty accelerating. And if you do get
moving, poor steering and difficult braking can cause
you to slide out of control.{CAUTION:
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds or rivers can be
dangerous. Underwater springs, currents
under the ice, or sudden thaws can weaken the
ice. Your vehicle could fall through the ice and
you and your passengers could drown. Drive
your vehicle on safe surfaces only.
Driving in Water
Heavy rain can mean ash ooding, and ood waters
demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before you drive through
it. If it is deep enough to cover your wheel hubs,
axles or exhaust pipe, do not try it — you probably will
not get through. Also, water that deep can damage
your axle and other vehicle parts.
4-26

If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice
or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you do not want to
spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help you get out when you are stuck, but
you must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they
can explode, and you or others could be
injured. And, the vehicle can overheat. That
could cause an engine compartment re or
other damage. When you are stuck, spin the
wheels as little as possible. Do not spin the
wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on
the speedometer.Notice:Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of
your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the
wheels too fast while shifting your transmission
back and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 5-72.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. If you have a
four-wheel-drive vehicle, shift into 4HI. If you have
traction control, turn the traction control system off. See
Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-8. Then
shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and
a forward gear (or with a manual transmission, between
FIRST (1) or SECOND (2) and REVERSE (R),
spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on the
accelerator pedal when the transmission is in gear.
By slowly spinning your wheels in the forward and
reverse directions, you will cause a rocking motion that
may free your vehicle. If that does not get you out
after a few tries, you may need to be towed out. Or, you
can use your recovery hooks if your vehicle has
them. If you do need to be towed out, seeTowing Your
Vehicle on page 4-44.
4-42

Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system developed
by the United States National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, which grades tires by treadwear, traction
and temperature performance. (This applies only to
vehicles sold in the United States.) The grades are
molded on the sidewalls of most passenger car tires. The
Uniform Tire Quality Grading system does not apply to
deep tread, winter-type snow tires, space-saver or
temporary use spare tires, tires with nominal rim
diameters of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specied government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1.5) times as well on the government course as
a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart signicantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction – AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specied government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
5-69

Tire Chains
{CAUTION:
If your vehicle has P225/75R15, P265/75R15 or
P235/50R17 size tires, do not use tire chains.
They can damage your vehicle because there
is not enough clearance. Tire chains used on a
vehicle without the proper amount of clearance
can cause damage to the brakes, suspension
or other vehicle parts. The area damaged by
the tire chains could cause you to lose control
of your vehicle and you or others may be
injured in a crash.
Use another type of traction device only if its
manufacturer recommends it for use on your
vehicle and tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that manufacturer’s
instructions. To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or remove the
device if it is contacting your vehicle, and
don’t spin your wheels.
If you do nd traction devices that will t,
install them on the rear tires.Notice:If your vehicle has a tire size other than
P225/75R15, P265/75R15 or P235/50R17, use
tire chains only where legal and only when you
must. Use chains that are the proper size for your
tires. Install them on the tires of the rear axle. Do not
use chains on the tires of the front axle. Tighten
them as tightly as possible with the ends securely
fastened. Drive slowly and follow the chain
manufacturer’s instructions. If you can hear the
chains contacting your vehicle, stop and retighten
them. If the contact continues, slow down until
it stops. Driving too fast or spinning the wheels with
chains on will damage your vehicle.
5-72

K
Keyless Entry System....................................... 2-3
Keys............................................................... 2-2
L
Lamps
Exterior........................................................ 3-6
Interior.......................................................3-10
Lamps On Reminder......................................... 3-8
Language......................................................3-32
Lap Belt........................................................1-24
Lap-Shoulder Belt...........................................1-16
LATCH System
Child Restraints...........................................1-46
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System...........................1-48, 1-50
Latches, Seatback............................................ 1-8
Leaving Your Vehicle.......................................2-10
Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running..........................................2-33
Light
Air Bag Off .................................................3-20
Air Bag Readiness.......................................3-19
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning...................3-23Light (cont.)
Battery Warning..........................................3-21
Brake System Warning.................................3-22
Cruise Control.............................................3-28
Daytime Running Lamps Indicator..................3-29
Highbeam On.............................................3-28
Malfunction Indicator....................................3-24
Oil Pressure...............................................3-27
Safety Belt Reminder...................................3-18
Security.....................................................3-28
Up-Shift.....................................................3-22
Loading Your Vehicle.......................................4-50
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving..........4-15
Lockout Protection..........................................2-10
Locks
Door........................................................... 2-7
Leaving Your Vehicle....................................2-10
Lockout Protection.......................................2-10
Power Door.................................................. 2-8
Programmable Automatic Door Locks............... 2-8
Rear Door Security Locks............................... 2-9
Loss of Control...............................................4-13
LOW FUEL....................................................3-34
LOW TRAC (Traction).....................................3-34
Lumbar
Manual Controls............................................ 1-5
8

Theft-Deterrent Systems...................................2-14
Content Theft-Deterrent................................2-15
Passlock
®...................................................2-16
Tilt Wheel........................................................ 3-5
Tire Sidewall Labeling......................................5-57
Tire Size.......................................................5-61
Tire Terminology and Denitions........................5-62
Tires.............................................................5-57
Buying New Tires........................................5-67
Chains.......................................................5-72
Changing a Flat Tire....................................5-74
If a Tire Goes Flat.......................................5-73
Ination - Tire Pressure................................5-64
Inspection and Rotation................................5-65
Spare Tire..................................................5-93
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.........................5-69
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance.................5-70
Wheel Replacement.....................................5-70
When It Is Time for New Tires......................5-67
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater....................2-21
Top Strap......................................................1-42
Top Strap Anchor Location...............................1-44
Torque Lock...................................................2-34
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires..................4-65
Towing
Recreational Vehicle.....................................4-44
Towing a Trailer..........................................4-57
Your Vehicle...............................................4-44Traction
Control System (TCS).................................... 4-8
TRACTION FAULT..........................................3-35
Trailer
Recommendations.......................................4-56
Trailer Brakes.................................................4-65
Transfer Case................................................5-48
Transmission
Fluid, Automatic...........................................5-19
Fluid, Manual..............................................5-22
Up-Shift Light..............................................3-22
Transmission Operation, Automatic....................2-22
Transmission Operation, Manual........................2-25
Transmission, Transaxle, Transfer Case Unit
Repair Manual............................................7-12
Transportation Options...................................... 7-9
Traveling to Remote Areas...............................4-16
Trip Information..............................................3-30
Trip Odometer................................................3-17
Truck-Camper Loading Information....................4-56
TURN SIGNAL...............................................3-35
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever........................... 3-6
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer..................4-67
Two-Tiered Loading.........................................4-55
14