2007 CHEVROLET SILVERADO maintenance

To adjust this setting, see “Integrated Trailer
Brake Control System” underTowing a Trailer on
page 447for more information.
OUTPUT shows the power output to the trailer
anytime a trailer with electric brakes is connected.
Output is displayed in 0 to 10 bars. Dashes
may appear in the OUTPUT display. See
“Integrated Trailer Brake Control System” under
Towing a Trailer on page 447for more information.
Oil Life
To access this display, the vehicle must be in
PARK (P). Press the trip odometer reset stem until
OIL LIFE REMAINING displays. This display
shows an estimate of the oil’s remaining useful
life. If you see 99% OIL LIFE REMAINING on the
display, that means 99% of the current oil life
remains. The engine oil life system will alert you to
change your oil on a schedule consistent with
your driving conditions.
When the remaining oil life is low, the CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message will appear on the
display. See “CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON” under
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 281. You
should change your oil as soon as you can.SeeEngine Oil (Gasoline Engine) on page 502.In
addition to the engine oil life system monitoring the
oil life, additional maintenance is recommended in
the Maintenance Schedule in this manual. See
Scheduled Maintenance (Gasoline Engine) on
page 627for more information.
Remember, you must reset the OIL LIFE display
yourself after each oil change. It will not reset
itself. Also, be careful not to reset the OIL LIFE
display accidentally at any time other than
when the oil has just been changed. It cannot be
reset accurately until the next oil change. To
reset the engine oil life system, seeEngine Oil
Life System on page 505.
Relearn Tire Positions
To access this display, the vehicle must be in
PARK (P). If your vehicle has a Tire Pressure
Monitor (TPM) system, after rotating the tires or
after replacing a tire or sensor, the system
must re-learn the tire positions. To re-learn the tire
positions, seeTire Pressure Monitor System on
page 563. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation
on page 568andDIC Warnings and Messages on
page 281for more information.
279

DIC Warnings and Messages
Messages are displayed on the DIC to notify the
driver that the status of the vehicle has changed
and that some action may be needed by the driver
to correct the condition. Multiple messages may
appear one after another.
Some messages may not require immediate
action, but you can press any of the DIC buttons
on the instrument panel or the trip odometer
reset stem on the instrument panel cluster
to acknowledge that you received the messages
and to clear them from the display.
Some messages cannot be cleared from the DIC
display because they are more urgent. These
messages require action before they can be
cleared. You should take any messages that
appear on the display seriously and remember that
clearing the messages will only make the
messages disappear, not correct the problem.The following are the possible messages that can
be displayed and some information about them.
If your vehicle has the DURAMAX®Diesel engine,
see the DURAMAX®Diesel manual for more
information.
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
This message displays when the engine oil needs
to be changed. When you change the engine
oil, be sure to reset the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message. SeeEngine Oil Life System
on page 505for information on how to reset the
message. This message clears itself after
10 seconds until the next ignition cycle or until the
message is reset. SeeEngine Oil (Gasoline
Engine) on page 502andScheduled Maintenance
(Gasoline Engine) on page 627for more
information.
281

Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out.
For example, be sure to have all necessary
maintenance and service work done. Check to
make sure all underbody shields, if the vehicle has
them, are properly attached. Be sure you read
all the information about your four-wheel-drive
vehicle in this manual. Is there enough fuel? Is the
spare tire fully inated? Are the uid levels up
where they should be? What are the local laws
that apply to off-roading where you will be driving?
If you do not know, you should check with law
enforcement people in the area. Will you be
on someone’s private land? If so, be sure to get
the necessary permission.
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road
Driving
{CAUTION:
Cargo on the load oor piled higher
than the seatbacks can be thrown
forward during a sudden stop. You or
your passengers could be injured.
Keep cargo below the top of the
seatbacks.
Unsecured cargo on the load oor can
be tossed about when driving over
rough terrain. You or your passengers
can be struck by ying objects.
Secure the cargo properly.
Heavy loads on the roof raise the
vehicle’s center of gravity, making it
more likely to roll over. You can be
seriously or fatally injured if the
vehicle rolls over. Put heavy loads
inside the cargo area, not on the roof.
Keep cargo in the cargo area as far
forward and low as possible.
394

Driving in Water
{CAUTION:
Driving through rushing water can be
dangerous. Deep water can sweep your
vehicle downstream and you and your
passengers could drown. If it is only
shallow water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires, and you
could lose traction and roll the vehicle
over. Do not drive through rushing 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.If the water is not too deep, drive slowly through it.
At faster speeds, water splashes on your ignition
system and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also
occur if you get your tailpipe under water. And,
as long as your tailpipe is under water, you
will never be able to start your engine. When you
go through water, remember that when your
brakes get wet, it may take you longer to stop.
SeeDriving in Rain and on Wet Roads on page 410
for more information on driving through water.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on
the underbody, chassis, or under the hood.
These accumulations can be a re hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake
linings cleaned and checked. These substances
can cause glazing and uneven braking. Check the
body structure, steering, suspension, wheels,
tires, and exhaust system for damage. Also, check
the fuel lines and cooling system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service
due to off-road use. Refer to the Maintenance
Schedule for additional information.
408

Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when
you’re pulling a trailer. SeeScheduled
Maintenance (Gasoline Engine) on page 627for
more information. Things that are especially
important in trailer operation are automatic
transmission uid (don’t overll), engine oil, axle
lubricant, belt, cooling system and brake system.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and
the Index will help you nd them quickly. If you’re
trailering, it’s a good idea to review these
sections before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and
bolts are tight.
Trailer Wiring Harness
Your vehicle is equipped with one of the following
wiring harnesses for towing a trailer or hauling
a slide-in camper.
Basic Trailer Wiring
All regular, extended cab and crew cab pickups
have a seven-wire trailer towing harness.
For vehicles not equipped with heavy duty
trailering, the harness is clipped to the vehicle’s
frame behind the spare tire mount. The harness
requires the installation of a trailer connector,
which is available through your dealer.
If you need to tow a light-duty trailer with a
standard four-way round pin connector, you can
also get an adapter from your dealer.
480

Appearance Care........................................ 601
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 601
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 602
Leather...................................................... 603
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces..................................... 604
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 604
Weatherstrips............................................ 604
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 605
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 605
Finish Care............................................... 605
Windshield and Wiper Blades.................... 606
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels
and Trim................................................ 607
Tires......................................................... 608
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 608
Finish Damage.......................................... 608Underbody Maintenance............................ 608
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 609
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials............ 609
Vehicle Identication.................................. 610
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)........... 610
Service Parts Identication Label............... 611
Electrical System........................................ 611
Add-On Electrical Equipment..................... 611
Windshield Wiper Fuses............................ 611
Power Windows and Other Power
Options.................................................. 611
Fuses and Circuit Breakers....................... 612
Instrument Panel Fuse Block..................... 612
Center Instrument Panel Fuse Block......... 614
Underhood Fuse Block.............................. 615
Capacities and Specications.................... 620
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
487

California Proposition 65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this one, contain
and/or emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Engine exhaust, many parts and
systems (including some inside the vehicle), many
uids, and some component wear by-products
contain and/or emit these chemicals.
Doing Your Own Service Work
{CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could
be damaged if you try to do service work
on a vehicle without knowing enough
about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement
parts, and tools before you attempt any
vehicle maintenance task.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)

Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts,
and other fasteners. English and
metric fasteners can be easily
confused. If you use the wrong
fasteners, parts can later break or fall
off. You could be hurt.
If you want to do some of your own service work,
you should use the proper service manual. It
tells you much more about how to service your
vehicle than this manual can. To order the proper
service manual, seeService Publications
Ordering Information on page 666.
Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before
attempting to do your own service work, see
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 104.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of any service
work you perform. SeeMaintenance Record
on page 644.
489

Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your
vehicle can affect the airow around it. This may
cause wind noise and affect windshield washer
performance. Check with your dealer before
adding equipment to the outside of your vehicle.
Fuel
If your vehicle has a diesel engine, see “Diesel
Fuel Requirements and Fuel System” in the
DURAMAX
®Diesel Supplement.
For vehicles with gasoline engines, please
read this.
Gasoline
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part
of the proper maintenance of your vehicle. To
help keep the engine clean and maintain optimum
vehicle performance, GM recommends the use
of gasoline advertised as TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline.
The 8th digit of the Vehicle Identication Number
(VIN) shows the code letter or number that
identies your vehicle’s engine. The VIN is at the
top left of the instrument panel. SeeVehicle
Identication Number (VIN) on page 610.
If your vehicle has the 5.3L V8 engine (VIN
Code 0) or the 5.3L V8 engine (VIN Code 3), you
can use either regular unleaded gasoline or
ethanol fuel containing up to 85% ethanol (E85);
also seeFuel E85 (85% Ethanol) on page 493.
In all other gasoline engines, use only regular
unleaded gasoline.
490