2008 CHEVROLET COLORADO maintenance

When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
start your engine,
shift into a gear, and
release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. SeeScheduled Maintenance on
page 6-4for more on this. 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
Heavy-Duty Trailer Wiring Package
If your vehicle is equipped with a trailer towing package,
the rear bumper harness will have a seven-pin
universal heavy-duty trailer connector attached to a
bracket on the hitch platform.
4-60

Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-66
High-Speed Operation...................................5-68
Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................5-69
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation.....................5-70
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-74
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-76
Buying New Tires.........................................5-76
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................5-78
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-79
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-80
Wheel Replacement......................................5-80
Tire Chains..................................................5-82
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-83
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-84
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................5-85
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire................................................5-89
Secondary Latch System...............................5-96
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools............5-99
Spare Tire.................................................5-103
Appearance Care..........................................5-105
Interior Cleaning.........................................5-105
Fabric/Carpet..............................................5-106
Leather......................................................5-107
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces.................................................5-108Care of Safety Belts....................................5-108
Weatherstrips.............................................5-108
Washing Your Vehicle..................................5-109
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses....................5-109
Finish Care................................................5-110
Windshield and Wiper Blades.......................5-110
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels
and Trim.................................................5-111
Tires.........................................................5-112
Sheet Metal Damage...................................5-112
Finish Damage...........................................5-112
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-112
Chemical Paint Spotting...............................5-112
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials................5-113
Vehicle Identication.....................................5-114
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)................5-114
Service Parts Identication Label...................5-114
Electrical System..........................................5-114
Add-On Electrical Equipment.........................5-114
Windshield Wiper Fuses...............................5-115
Fuses and Circuit Breakers..........................5-115
Engine Compartment Fuse Block...................5-115
Capacities and Specications........................5-119
Capacities and Specications........................5-119
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

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.
California Perchlorate Materials
Requirements
Certain types of automotive applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners, and lithium batteries
contained in remote keyless entry transmitters, may
contain perchlorate materials. Special handling may be
necessary. For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.
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.
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, see
Service Publications Ordering Information on page 7-16.
Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting
to do your own service work, seeServicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-74.
5-4

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 6-16.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
the Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airow around it. This can cause wind
noise and can affect fuel economy and windshield
washer performance. Check with your dealer/retailer
before adding equipment to the outside of your vehicle.
Fuel
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, we recommend the use of gasoline
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 87 or higher. If the octane rating is less than 87,
you might notice an audible knocking noise when you
drive, commonly referred to as spark knock. If this
occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as
soon as possible. If you are using gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher and you hear heavy knocking, the
engine needs service.
Gasoline Specications
At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM specication
D 4814 in the United States or CAN/CGSB-3.5 or
3.511 in Canada. Some gasolines contain an
octane-enhancing additive called methylcyclopentadienyl
manganese tricarbonyl (MMT). We recommend
against the use of gasolines containing MMT. See
Additives on page 5-6for additional information.
5-5

Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
The engine air cleaner/lter is located in the engine
compartment on the passenger’s side of the vehicle.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-12
for more information on location.
When to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
Inspect the air cleaner/lter at the MaintenanceII
intervals and replace it at the rst oil change after each
50,000 mile (80 000 km) interval. SeeScheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4for more information. If you
are driving in dusty/dirty conditions, inspect the lter
at each engine oil change.
How to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
To inspect or replace the engine air cleaner/lter, do the
following:
1. Unfasten the clips that hold the cover on and
remove the cover.
2. Lift out the engine air cleaner/lter.
3. Inspect or replace the air lter. SeeMaintenance
Replacement Parts on page 6-14to determine
which lter to use.
4. Reinstall the engine air cleaner/lter cover. Fasten
the clips to hold the cover in place.
5-20

How to Add Automatic Transmission
Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transmission uid to use. SeeRecommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12.
Add uid only after checking the transmission uid while it
is hot. A cold check is used only as a reference. If the
uid level is low, add only enough of the proper uid to
bring the level up to the HOT area for a hot check. It does
not take much uid, generally less than one pint (0.5 L).
Do not overll.
Notice:Use of the incorrect automatic transmission
uid may damage your vehicle, and the damages
may not be covered by your warranty. Always
use the automatic transmission uid listed in
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12.
After adding uid, recheck the uid level as
described under “How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid,” earlier in this section.
When the correct uid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way; then ip the handle
down to lock the dipstick in place.
Manual Transmission Fluid
When to Check
A good time to have it checked is when the engine oil is
changed. However, the uid in your manual transmission
does not require changing.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at your GM dealer/retailer
service department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get a false reading.
Notice:Too much or too little uid can damage
your transmission. Too little uid could cause
the transmission to overheat. Be sure to get an
accurate reading if you check your transmission
uid.
Check the uid level only when your engine is off, the
vehicle is parked on a level place and the transmission
is cool enough for you to rest your ngers on the
transmission case.
5-24

Then, follow these steps:
1. Remove the ller plug.
2. Check that the lubricant level is up to the bottom of
the ller plug hole.
3. If the uid level is good, install the plug and be sure
it is fully seated. If the uid level is low, add more
uid as described in the next steps.How to Add Fluid
Here is how to add uid. Refer to the Maintenance
Schedule to determine what kind of uid to use. See
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12.
1. Remove the ller plug.
2. Add uid at the ller plug hole. Add only enough
uid to bring the uid level up to the bottom of the
ller plug hole.
3. Install the ller plug. Be sure the plug is fully seated.
5-25

Hydraulic Clutch
The hydraulic clutch linkage in your vehicle is
self-adjusting. The clutch master cylinder reservoir is
lled with hydraulic clutch uid.
The hydraulic clutch uid
reservoir cap has this
symbol on it. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview
on page 5-12for reservoir
location.
It is not necessary to regularly check clutch uid unless
you suspect there is a leak in the system. Adding
uid will not correct a leak.
A uid loss in this system could indicate a problem.
Have the system inspected and repaired.
When to Check and What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often you should check the uid level in your clutch
master cylinder reservoir and for the proper uid. See
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12.
5-26