2004 CHEVROLET COLORADO ignition

Automatic Transmission Operation
Your automatic transmission has a shift lever on the
steering column.
It features an electronic shift position indicator within the
instrument cluster. This display must be powered
anytime the shift lever is capable of being moved out of
PARK (P). This means that if your key is turned off,
but not in LOCK, there will be a small current drain on
your battery which could discharge your battery over
a period of time. If you need to leave your key in
the ignition but not in LOCK for an extended period, it is
recommended that you disconnect the battery cable
from the battery to prevent discharging your battery.
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P):This position locks your rear wheels. It is
the best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle cannot move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To
be sure your vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground, always set your
parking brake and move the shift lever to
PARK (P). SeeShifting Into Park (P) (Automatic
Transmission) on page 2-32. If you are pulling
a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-57.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control system. You have to fully
apply your regular brakes before you can shift from
PARK (P) when the ignition key is in RUN. If you cannot
shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever
by pushing the shift lever all the way into PARK (P)
as you maintain brake application. Then move the shift
lever into the gear you want. SeeShifting Out of
Park (P) (Automatic Transmission) on page 2-34.
2-22

N (Neutral):Shift the vehicle’s transfer case to
NEUTRAL only when towing your vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in PARK (P). You or someone
else could be seriously injured. Be sure to set
the parking brake before placing the transfer
case in NEUTRAL. SeeParking Brake
on page 2-31.
4
m(4HI):This setting engages your front axle to help
drive your vehicle. Use 4HI when you need extra
traction, such as on snowy or icy roads, or in most
off-road situations.4
n(4LO):This setting also engages your front axle to
give you extra traction. It sends the maximum power
to all four wheels. You might choose 4LO if you
were driving off-road in sand, mud or deep snow and
climbing or descending steep hills.
Indicator lights in the buttons show you which setting
you are in. The indicator lights will come on briey when
you turn on the ignition and one will stay on. If the
lights do not come on, you should take your vehicle in
for service. An indicator light will ash while shifting.
It will remain illuminated when the shift is completed.
If for some reason the transfer case cannot make
a requested shift, it will return to the last chosen setting.
Shifting from 2HI to 4HI
Press and release the 4HI button. This can be done at
any speed, and the front axle will lock automatically.
Shifting from 4HI to 2HI
Press and release the 2HI button. This can be done at
any speed, and the front axle will unlock automatically.
2-28

Shifting to NEUTRAL
Use NEUTRAL when you plan to tow your vehicle. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing on page 4-44for towing
instructions. To shift the transfer case into NEUTRAL do
the following:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Start the vehicle.
3. Connect the vehicle to the towing vehicle.
4. Shift the transmission in Neutral (N), or press in the
clutch for vehicles with a manual transmission.
5. Shift the transfer case to 2HI.
6. Press and hold the 2HI and 4LO buttons at the
same time for 10 seconds. The Neutral (N) light
will come on when the transfer case shift to
Neutral (N) is complete.
7. Shift the transmission to Reverse (R) for one
second, then shift the transmission to DRIVE (D)
for one second, or FIRST (1) for vehicles with
manual transmissions.
8. Turn the ignition to LOCK.
9. Place the transmission shift lever in Park (P), or
FIRST (1) for vehicles equipped with a
manual transmission.
10. Release the parking brake prior to towing.
Shifting out of NEUTRAL
After towing your vehicle, you will have to shift out of
NEUTRAL in order to drive. To shift out of NEUTRAL, do
the following:
1. Set the parking brake and apply the regular brake
pedal. SeeParking Brake on page 2-31for
more information.
2. Start a vehicle with an automatic transmission in
PARK (P). Use FIRST (1) for vehicles with a
manual transmission.
3. Put an automatic transmission in NEUTRAL (N)
or press the clutch pedal for vehicles with a
manual transmission.
4. Press the button for the desired transfer case
position (2HI, 4HI or 4LO).
5. After the transfer case has shifted out of NEUTRAL,
the indicator light will go out.
6. Release the parking brake.
7. Shift the transmission to the desired gear.
It is normal for your vehicle to exhibit a signicant
engagement noise and bump when shifting in and out
of Neutral (N) and 4LO.
2-30

Parking Brake
The parking brake pedal is
located to the left of the
regular brake pedal,
near the driver’s door.
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot. Push down the parking
brake pedal with your left foot.
A chime will activate and the warning light will ash
when the parking brake is applied and the vehicle
is moving at least 3 mph (5 km/h) for at least three
seconds. The chime will deactivate and the light will turn
off when the parking brake is set and the vehicle is
moving below 3 mph (5 km/h). SeeBrake System
Warning Light on page 3-22.To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the bottom edge of the lever, located
above the parking brake pedal, with the parking
brake symbol, to release the parking brake.
If the ignition is on when the parking brake is released,
the brake system warning light will go off.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify that
the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-57.
2-31

Move the lever up as far as it will go.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the key, your vehicle is
in PARK (P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly set.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine
running, it could overheat and even catch re.
You or others could be injured. Do not leave
your vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and your
parking brake is rmly set before you leave it. After
you’ve moved the shift lever into PARK (P), hold
the regular brake pedal down. Then, see if you can
move the shift lever away from PARK (P) without rst
pulling it toward you. If you can, it means that the
shift lever wasn’t fully locked into PARK (P).
2-33

Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl
in the transmission. You may nd it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called “torque
lock” To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and
then shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave
the driver’s seat. To nd out how, seeShifting Into
Park (P) (Automatic Transmission) on page 2-32.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission, so
you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission)
Your vehicle has an automatic transmission shift lock
control system which locks the shift lever in PARK (P)
when the ignition is in the LOCK position. In addition, you
have to fully apply the regular brakes before you can shift
from PARK (P) when the ignition is in ON. SeeAutomatic
Transmission Operation on page 2-22.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever by pushing the shift lever all the way into
PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then,
press the shift lever button and move the shift lever into
the gear you want.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still cannot
shift out of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to ACC (Accessory). (There is no shift
interlock in this key position.)
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the gear
you want.
5. Have the system xed as soon as you can.
2-34

Parking Your Vehicle
(Manual Transmission)
Your vehicle has a manual transmission. Before you
get out of your vehicle, move the shift lever into
REVERSE (R), and rmly apply the parking brake. Once
the shift lever has been placed into REVERSE (R)
with the clutch pedal pressed in, you can turn the ignition
key to LOCK, remove the key and release the clutch.
If you are parking on a hill, or if your vehicle is pulling a
trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-57.
Parking Over Things That Burn
{CAUTION:
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Do not
park over papers, leaves, dry grass or other
things that can burn.
2-35

Map Lamps
The mirror has map lamps located at the bottom of the
mirror. To manually turn the lamps on or off, press
the button next to each lamp.
Compass Operation
The mirror has an eight-point compass display in the
upper right corner of the mirror face. When on, the
compass automatically calibrates as the vehicle
is driven.
When the ignition and the compass feature are on, the
compass will show two character boxes for
approximately two seconds. After two seconds, the
mirror will display the current compass heading.
For example, NE is displayed for north-east.
Compass Calibration
If after two seconds the display does not show a
compass heading, there may be a strong magnetic eld
interfering with the compass. Such interference may
be caused by a magnetic antenna mount, note
pad holder or similar object. If the letter C appears in
the compass window, the compass needs calibration.The mirror compass can be calibrated by driving the
vehicle in circles at 5 mph (8 km/h) or less until
the display reads a direction.
The compass can be placed in calibration mode by
pressing and holding the on/off button until a C appears
on the compass display.
Compass Variance
Compass variance is the difference between earth’s
magnetic north and true geographic north. If the mirror
is not adjusted for compass variance, your compass
could give false readings.
The mirror is set in zone eight upon leaving the factory.
It will be necessary to adjust the compass to
compensate for compass variance if you live outside
zone eight. Under certain circumstances, such as a long
distance, cross-country trip, it will be necessary to
adjust the compass variance.
2-39