2008 CHEVROLET COLORADO ESP

Playing a Specic Loaded CD
For every CD loaded, a number displays. To play a
specic CD, rst press the CD AUX button (if not already
in CD mode), then press the numbered pushbutton that
corresponds to the CD. A small bar appears under the
CD number that is playing and the track number displays.
CD
Z(Eject):Press to eject CD(s).
To eject the CD that is currently playing, press and
release this button.
To eject multiple CDs, do the following:
1. Press and hold the
Zbutton for ve seconds.
A beep sounds and the indicator light, located to
the right of the slot, begins to ash and EJECT ALL
displays.
2. Once the light stops ashing, REMOVE CD #
displays. The CD ejects and can be removed.
Once the CD is removed, the indicator light begins
ashing again and another CD ejects.
To stop ejecting the CDs, press the LOAD or the
eject button.
If the CD is not removed, after 25 seconds, the CD
automatically pulls back into the player. If CD is pushed
back into the player, before the 25 second time period
is complete, the player senses an error and tries to eject
the CD several times before stopping.Do not repeatedly press the CD eject button to eject a
CD after you have tried to push it in manually. The
player’s 25-second eject timer resets at each press of
eject, causing the player to not eject the CD until
the 25-second time period has elapsed.
{REV (Fast Reverse):Press and hold to reverse
quickly within a track. You will hear sound at a reduced
volume. The elapsed time of the track displays.
Release to play the passage.
FWD
|(Fast Forward):Press and hold to advance
quickly within a track. You will hear sound at a
reduced volume. The elapsed time of the track displays.
Release to play the passage.
RPT (Repeat):With repeat, one track or an entire CD
can be repeated.
To use repeat, do the following:
To repeat the track you are listening to, press and
release the RPT button. RPT displays. Press
again to turn off repeat play.
To repeat the CD you are listening to, press and
hold the RPT button for two seconds. RPT
displays. Press again to turn off repeat play.
3-59

RDS Radios
THEFTLOCK®is designed to discourage theft of your
vehicle’s radio. The feature works automatically by
learning a portion of the Vehicle Identication Number
(VIN). If the radio is moved to a different vehicle, it does
not operate and LOCKED displays.
When the radio and vehicle are turned off, the blinking
red light indicates that THEFTLOCK
®is armed.
With THEFTLOCK
®activated, the radio does not
operate if stolen.
Radio Reception
Frequency interference and static can occur during
normal radio reception if items such as cell phone
chargers, vehicle convenience accessories, and external
electronic devices are plugged into the accessory
power outlet. If there is interference or static, unplug the
item from the accessory power outlet.
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range can cause
station frequencies to interfere with each other. For
better radio reception, most AM radio stations boost the
power levels during the day, and then reduce these
levels during the night. Static can also occur when things
like storms and power lines interfere with radio
reception. When this happens, try reducing the treble on
your radio.
FM Stereo
FM stereo gives the best sound, but FM signals reach
only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall buildings or
hills can interfere with FM signals, causing the sound
to fade in and out.
XM™ Satellite Radio Service
XM™ Satellite Radio Service gives digital radio
reception from coast-to-coast in the 48 contiguous
United States, and in Canada. Just as with FM,
tall buildings or hills can interfere with satellite radio
signals, causing the sound to fade in and out. In
addition, traveling or standing under heavy foliage,
bridges, garages, or tunnels may cause loss of the XM™
signal for a period of time. The radio may display No
Signl to indicate interference.
3-68

For persons under 21, it is against the law in every
U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical,
psychological, and developmental reasons for
these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol and
then drive.
Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s
system can make crash injuries worse, especially
injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or heart. This means
that when anyone who has been drinking — driver
or passenger — is in a crash, that person’s chance of
being killed or permanently disabled is higher than if the
person had not been drinking.
Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to control your vehicle
while driving — brakes, steering, and accelerator. At
times, as when driving on snow or ice, it is easy to ask
more of those control systems than the tires and road can
provide. Meaning, you can lose control of your vehicle.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-30.
Braking action involves perception time and reaction
time. First, you have to decide to push on the brake
pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to bring
up your foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a second.
But that is only an average. It might be less with one
driver and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination,
and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs, and
frustration. But even in three-fourths of a second, a
vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet
(20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an emergency,
so keeping enough space between your vehicle and
others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement or
gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is wet, dry, or
icy; tire tread; the condition of the brakes; the weight of
the vehicle; and the amount of brake force applied.
4-3

ABS can change the brake pressure faster than any
driver could. The computer is programmed to make the
most of available tire and road conditions. This can
help you steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, the computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change the time you need to
get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, you will not have time to apply the brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you
have ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
rmly and let antilock work for you. You might feel the
brakes vibrate or notice some noise, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With ABS, you can steer and brake at the same time. In
many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle may have a Traction Control System (TCS)
that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in
slippery road conditions. The system operates only if it
senses that one or both of the rear wheels are
spinning or beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, the system reduces engine power and may
also upshift the transmission to limit wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this is
normal.
The TCS warning light will also ash to indicate that the
traction control system is active.
This warning light will come
on to let you know if there is
a problem with your traction
control system.
The light will also illuminate when the traction control
system is turned off, and a TRAC OFF message will also
appear on the Driver Information Center (DIC). See
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-40for more
information.
4-5

The TCS button is located
on your instrument panel.
Press this button to
turn the TCS off and on.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system 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.
TCS operates in all transmission shift lever positions.
But the system can upshift the transmission only as high
as the shift lever position you have chosen, so you
should use the lower gears only when necessary. See
Automatic Transmission Operation on page 2-24
and/orManual Transmission Operation on page 2-26for
more information.If there is a problem with TCS, the warning light will
come on, and TRACTION FAULT will be displayed on
your Driver Information Center (DIC). When this warning
is displayed, the system will not limit wheel spin.
Adjust your driving accordingly.
To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road
conditions, you should always leave TCS on. But you
can turn the system off if you ever need to. You should
turn the system 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 4-32
andIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow
on page 4-31for more information.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3for more information.
Limited-Slip Rear Axle
If your vehicle has this feature, your limited-slip rear
axle can give you additional traction on snow, mud, ice,
sand or gravel. It works like a standard axle most of
the time, but when one of the rear wheels has no
traction and the other does, this feature will allow the
wheel with traction to move the vehicle.
4-6

Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not overdriving
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, the wheels are
not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much
throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety, you
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance is longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your
best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed by shifting to a lower
gear. Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You might not realize the surface is slippery until
your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues — such as enough water, ice, or packed snow on
the road to make a mirrored surface — and slow down
when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any Antilock Brake System (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
4-10

Off-Road Driving
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have four-wheel
drive. Also, seeBraking on page 4-3andAntilock
Brake System (ABS) on page 4-4. If your vehicle does
not have four-wheel drive, you should not drive
off-road unless you are on a level, solid surface.
The airbag system is designed to work properly under a
wide range of conditions, including off-road usage.
Observe safe driving speeds, especially on rough
terrain. As always, wear your safety belt.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have
some denite hazards. The greatest of these is
the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you have left the great North
American road system behind. Traffic lanes are not
marked. Curves are not banked. There are no
road signs. Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill, or
downhill. In short, you have gone right back to nature.Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that is why
it is very important that you read this guide. You will nd
many driving tips and suggestions. These will help make
your off-road driving safer and more enjoyable.
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.
4-11

Environmental Concerns
Off-road driving can provide wholesome and satisfying
recreation. However, it also raises environmental
concerns. We recognize these concerns and urge every
off-roader to follow these basic rules for protecting
the environment:
Always use established trails, roads, and areas that
have been specially set aside for public off-road
recreational driving; obey all posted regulations.
Avoid any driving practice that could damage the
environment — shrubs, owers, trees, grasses — or
disturb wildlife. This includes wheel-spinning,
breaking down trees, or unnecessary driving through
streams or over soft ground.
Always carry a litter bag — make sure all refuse is
removed from any campsite before leaving.
Take extreme care with open res where permitted,
camp stoves, and lanterns.
Never park your vehicle over dry grass or other
combustible materials that could catch re from the
heat of the vehicle’s exhaust system.
Traveling to Remote Areas
It makes sense to plan your trip, especially when going
to a remote area. Know the terrain and plan your
route. You are much less likely to get bad surprises.
Get accurate maps of trails and terrain. Try to learn of
any blocked or closed roads.
It is also a good idea to travel with at least one other
vehicle. If something happens to one of them, the other
can help quickly.
Does your vehicle have a winch? If so, be sure to read
the winch instructions. In a remote area, a winch
can be handy if you get stuck. But you will want to know
how to use it properly.
4-13