2005 CHEVROLET SILVERADO transmission

The traction control system is enabled every time your
vehicle is started. The system will activate if it senses
that any of the wheels are spinning or beginning to lose
traction.
You may hear or feel the system working or notice a
lack of accelerator response, but this is normal.
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.
SeeCruise Control on page 3-10.
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, located on the
instrument panel, or by 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 turn
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.
If the vehicle has been driven with the TAS system
on for long periods of time, or if the vehicle has
gone through many several high speed braking
maneuvers the system may be automatically
disabled. The system will automatically re-enable
after approximately two minutes of not using
the brakes.
SeeTraction Off Light on page 3-41.
4-9

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. SeeRocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
on page 4-48andIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow on page 4-48.
To turn the system on or
off press the TAS on/off
button located 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, for a vehicle with QUADRASTEER™, 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) for an automatic
transmission, or in gear for a manual transmission.
2. Turn the ignition to RUN; do not start the engine.
3. Apply the brake pedal, shift into NEUTRAL (N),
press the accelerator pedal to the oor, 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 repeating 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.
4-10

QUADRASTEER™
The QUADRASTEER™ System has a control and
diagnostic module that monitors and records current
system status and operational information.
If your vehicle is equipped with the 4-Wheel Steer
system, it has the ability to steer the vehicle with all
four wheels.
Once the 4-Wheel Steer mode is selected, it is
recommended to leave the vehicle in this mode at all
times, and during all driving and weather conditions.
You can select this mode at any speed, however, if you
are turning, the system will not engage until the turn
is complete.
The 4-Wheel Steer system is equipped with three
different driving modes:
2:Two-wheel steering
4:Four-wheel steering
_:Four-wheel steering with a trailer modeThe switch is located on the instrument panel.
2:In this mode, the vehicle will operate like any other
vehicle with two-wheel steering. If you want to use
2-wheel steer mode and your vehicle is not in this mode,
press the button until the 2 indicator, located to the
right of the 4-Wheel Steer button, lights up. If the
2 indicator is ashing, you will have to center the
steering wheel by turning it to the left or right.
Your vehicle will return to 2 when the transmission is
shifted into NEUTRAL (N), for example when entering a
car wash.
If you want to use tire chains, the vehicle needs to be in
2-wheel steer mode. For more information seeTire
Chains on page 5-89.
4-14

Q:What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about
to stall, and I cannot 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 is what youshoulddo:
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 will 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 will be able to tell if your wheels are
straight and maneuver as you back down. It is
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 youmust notdo 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 rev-up the engine and
regain forward momentum. This will not 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 is steep enough to
cause you to roll over if you turn around. If you
cannot make it up the hill, you must back straight
down the hill.
4-28

Q:Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down the
hill and decide I just cannot 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). 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). But do not shift
the transfer case to NEUTRAL.
4-29

Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you will want to
consider a number of things:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to maintain
vehicle control?
What is the surface like? Smooth? Rough?
Slippery? Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs?
Boulders?
What is at the bottom of the hill? Is there a hidden
creek bank or even a river bottom with large rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then try to
keep your vehicle headed straight down, and use a
low gear. This way, engine drag can help your brakes
and they will not have to do all the work. Descend
slowly, keeping your vehicle under control at all times.
{CAUTION:
Heavy braking when going down a hill can
cause your brakes to overheat and fade. This
could cause loss of control and a serious
accident. Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low gear to keep
vehicle speed under control.
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 is not too steep
to drive down may be too steep to drive across.
You could roll over if you do not drive straight down.
Never go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N), or with the clutch pedal pressed
down with a manual transmission. This is called
“free-wheeling.” Your brakes will have to do all the
work and could overheat and fade.
4-30

Q:Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A:It is much more likely to happen going uphill. But if
it happens going downhill, here is what to do.
1. Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes.
Apply the parking brake.
2. Shift to PARK (P), or to NEUTRAL with the manual
transmission, and, while still braking, restart the
engine.
3. Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake,
and drive straight down.
4. If the engine will not start, get out and get help.
Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go across
the incline of a hill. If this happens, you have to decide
whether to try to drive across the incline. Here are some
things to consider:
A hill that can be driven straight up or down may be
too steep to drive across. When you go straight up or
down a hill, the length of the wheel base — the
distance from the front wheels to the rear
wheels — reduces the likelihood the vehicle will
tumble end over end. But when you drive across an
incline, the much more narrow track width — the
distance between the left and right wheels — may
not prevent the vehicle from tilting and rolling over.Also, driving across an incline puts more weight on
the downhill wheels. This could cause a downhill
slide or a rollover.
Surface conditions can be a problem when you drive
across a hill. Loose gravel, muddy spots, or even wet
grass can cause your tires to slip sideways, downhill.
If the vehicle slips sideways, it can hit something that
will trip it — a rock, a rut, etc. — and roll over.
Hidden obstacles can make the steepness of the
incline even worse. If you drive across a rock with the
uphill wheels, or if the downhill wheels drop into a rut
or depression, your vehicle can tilt even more.
For reasons like these, you need to decide carefully
whether to try to drive across an incline. Just because the
trail goes across the incline does not mean you have to
drive it. The last vehicle to try it might have rolled over.
{CAUTION:
Driving across an incline that is too steep will
make your vehicle roll over. You could be
seriously injured or killed. If you have any
doubt about the steepness of the incline, do
not drive across it. Find another route instead.
4-31

Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in at or rolling terrain.If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable. SeeOff-Road
Driving on page 4-20for information about driving
off-road.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all uid
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 do not shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they would not 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.
4-42