2007 CHEVROLET COLORADO trailer

This light should come on, as a check to show you
it is working, when the ignition is on and the engine
is not running. If the light does not come on, have
it repaired. This light will also come on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing— A misre condition has been
detected. A misre increases vehicle emissions
and may damage the emission control system
on your vehicle. Diagnosis and service may
be required.
Light On Steady— An emission control
system malfunction has been detected on
your vehicle. Diagnosis and service may
be required.
If the Light is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage
to your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed
Avoiding hard accelerations
Avoiding steep uphill grades
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the
amount of cargo being hauled as soon
as it is possibleIf the light stops ashing and remains on steady,
see “If the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to
do so, stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park
your vehicle. Turn the key off, wait at least
10 seconds and restart the engine. If the light
remains on steady, see “If the Light Is On Steady”
following. If the light is still ashing, follow the
previous steps, and see your dealer for service
as soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully
install the cap. SeeFilling the Tank on page 328.
The diagnostic system can determine if the
fuel cap has been left off or improperly installed.
A loose or missing fuel cap will allow fuel to
evaporate into the atmosphere. A few driving
trips with the cap properly installed should turn
the light off.
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Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle............................................ 246
Defensive Driving...................................... 246
Drunken Driving........................................ 247
Control of a Vehicle.................................. 250
Braking...................................................... 250
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).................. 251
Braking in Emergencies............................. 253
Traction Control System (TCS).................. 253
Limited-Slip Rear Axle............................... 254
Steering.................................................... 255
Off-Road Recovery.................................... 257
Passing..................................................... 257
Loss of Control.......................................... 259
Off-Road Driving........................................ 260
Driving at Night......................................... 276
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads............ 278
City Driving............................................... 281Freeway Driving........................................ 282
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.................. 283
Highway Hypnosis..................................... 284
Hill and Mountain Roads........................... 284
Winter Driving........................................... 286
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow................................. 290
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out........... 291
Recovery Hooks........................................ 292
Loading Your Vehicle................................ 293
Truck-Camper Loading Information............ 299
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab............ 299
Towing........................................................ 299
Towing Your Vehicle................................. 299
Recreational Vehicle Towing...................... 300
Towing a Trailer........................................ 306
Trailer Recommendations.......................... 320
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
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The Tire and Loading Information label also shows
the size of the original equipment tires (C) and
the recommended cold tire ination pressures (D).
For more information on tires and ination see
Tires on page 377andInation - Tire Pressure
on page 384.
There is also important information on the
Certication/Tire label. It tells you the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for the front and
rear axles. See “Certication/Tire Label” later
in this section.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The combined weight
of occupants and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or XXX lbs” on your vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver
and passengers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.4. The resulting gure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX” amount
equals 1400 lbs and there will be ve 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle, the amount
of available cargo and luggage load capacity
is 650 lbs (1400−750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated
in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, the load
from your trailer will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how
this reduces the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
SeeTowing a Trailer on page 306for
important information on towing a trailer,
towing safety, and trailering tips.
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Item Description Total
AVehicle Capacity Weight
for Example 3=1,000 lbs (453 kg)
BSubtract Occupant
Weight 200 lbs
(91 kg) x 5 =1,000 lbs (453 kg)
CAvailable Cargo
Weight =0 lbs (0 kg)
Refer to your vehicle’s Tire and Loading Information
label for specic information about your vehicle’s
capacity weight and seating positions. The
combined weight of the driver, passengers, cargo,
and any accessories or equipment added to
your vehicle after it left the factory should never
exceed your vehicle’s capacity weight.
Certication/Tire Label
A vehicle specic Certication/Tire label is attached
to the bottom section of the center pillar, on the
driver’s side of the vehicle. Vehicles without a
center pillar, like extended cab models, will have
the Certication/Tire label attached to the edge of
the driver’s side, extended cab door, below the door
latch post. The label shows the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel, cargo,
and trailer tongue weight, if pulling a trailer.
Example 3
Label Example
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Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your
vehicle behind another vehicle — such as behind
a motorhome. The two most common types of
recreational vehicle towing are known as “dinghy”
(towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground) and “dolly” (towing your vehicle with
two wheels on the ground and two wheels up
on a device known as a “dolly”).
With the proper preparation and equipment,
many vehicles can be towed in these ways. See
“Dinghy Towing” and “Dolly Towing” following.
Here are some important things to consider
before you do recreational vehicle towing:
What’s the towing capacity of the towing
vehicle? Be sure you read the tow vehicle
manufacturer’s recommendations.
How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they
can tow.
Do you have the proper towing equipment?
See your dealer/retailer or trailering
professional for additional advice and
equipment recommendations.
Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as
you would prepare your vehicle for a long
trip, you’ll want to make sure your vehicle
is prepared to be towed.
Dinghy Towing
Two-Wheel Drive Vehicles
Notice:If you tow your vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground, the drivetrain
components could be damaged. The repairs
would not be covered by your warranty.
Do not tow your vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground.
Two-wheel-drive vehicles should not be
towed with all four wheels on the ground.
Two-wheel-drive transmissions have no
provisions for internal lubrication while
being towed.
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6. Release the parking brake only after the
vehicle being towed is rmly attached to
the tow vehicle.
7. Turn the ignition to LOCK.
If the tow vehicle will not be started or driven
for six weeks or more, remove the battery
cable from the negative terminal (post) of the
battery to prevent your battery from draining
while towing.
After towing, see “Shifting Out of NEUTRAL”
underFour-Wheel Drive on page 129.Towing a Trailer
{CAUTION:
If you do not use the correct equipment
and drive properly, you can lose control
when you pull a trailer. For example, if the
trailer is too heavy, the brakes may not
work well — or even at all. You and your
passengers could be seriously injured.
You may also damage your vehicle; the
resulting repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Pull a trailer only if you
have followed all the steps in this section.
Ask your dealer/retailer for advice and
information about towing a trailer with
your vehicle.
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Notice:Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage your vehicle and result in costly
repairs that would not be covered by your
warranty. Always follow the instructions in
this section and check with your dealer/retailer
for more information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle.
To identify the trailering capacity of your vehicle,
you should read the information in “Weight of
the Trailer” that appears later in this section.
Trailering is different than just driving your vehicle
by itself. Trailering means changes in handling,
acceleration, braking, durability and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety
rules. Many of these are important for your safety
and that of your passengers. So please read
this section carefully before you pull a trailer.If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
There are many different laws, including speed
limit restrictions, having to do with trailering.
Make sure your rig will be legal, not only where
you live but also where you’ll be driving. A
good source for this information can be state
or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control. You can ask
a hitch dealer/retailer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the rst
500 miles (800 km) your new vehicle is driven.
Your engine, axle or other parts could be
damaged.
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Then, during the rst 500 miles (800 km)
that you tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 km/h) and don’t make starts
at full throttle. This helps your engine and
other parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
You may want to shift the transmission to
THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower gear
selection if the transmission shifts too
often (e.g., under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions). If you have a manual transmission
and you are towing a trailer, it’s better not
to use the highest gear.
Three important considerations have to do
with weight:
the weight of the trailer,
the weight of the trailer tongue
and the weight on your vehicle’s tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how you plan to use your rig.
For example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used
to pull a trailer are all important. It can also depend
on any special equipment that you have on
your vehicle, and the amount of tongue weight
the vehicle can carry. See “Weight of the Trailer
Tongue” later in this section for more information.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated assuming
only the driver is in the tow vehicle and it has
all the required trailering equipment. The weight
of additional optional equipment, passengers
and cargo in the tow vehicle must be subtracted
from the maximum trailer weight.
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