2008 CHEVROLET COLORADO steering

Shift Speeds
{CAUTION:
If you skip a gear when you downshift, you
could lose control of your vehicle. You could
injure yourself or others. Do not shift down
more than one gear at a time when you
downshift.
Four-Wheel Drive
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive, you can send your
engine’s driving power to all four wheels for extra
traction. To get the best performance out of four-wheel
drive, you must be familiar with its operation. Read
the part that follows before using four-wheel drive. You
should use two-wheel-drive high for most normal
driving conditions.Notice:Driving on clean, dry pavement in
four-wheel drive for an extended period of time can
cause premature wear on your vehicle’s powertrain.
Do not drive on clean, dry pavement in Four-Wheel
Drive for extended periods of time.
Notice:If your vehicle has four-wheel drive and the
compact spare tire is installed on your vehicle, do
not drive in four-wheel drive until you can have your
at tire repaired and/or replaced. You could
damage your vehicle, and the repair costs would
not be covered by your warranty. Never use
four-wheel drive when the compact spare tire is
installed on your vehicle.
The transfer case buttons are located to the right of the
steering wheel on the instrument panel.
2-28

Press the button to make the front and rear turn signal
lamps ash on and off. Press the button again to
turn the ashers off.
When the hazard warning ashers are on, the turn
signals will not work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reective triangles, you can set one up at
the side of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind your
vehicle.
Horn
To sound the horn, press the horn symbol on the
steering wheel pad.
Tilt Wheel
A tilt wheel allows you to adjust the steering wheel
before you drive. The tilt steering wheel can be raised
to the highest level to allow more room for the driver
to enter and exit the vehicle.The tilt lever is located on the left side of the steering
column, under the turn signal lever.
To tilt, hold the steering wheel and pull the tilt lever
toward you. Move the wheel to a comfortable level, then
release the tilt lever to lock the wheel in place.
Do not adjust the steering wheel while driving.
3-6

Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
GTurn and Lane Change Signals. SeeTurn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7.
53Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer. See
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer on page 3-8.
Flash-to-Pass. SeeFlash-to-Pass on page 3-8.
NWindshield Wipers. SeeWindshield Wipers on
page 3-9.
LWindshield Washer. SeeWindshield Washer on
page 3-9.
JCruise Control. SeeCruise Control on
page 3-10.
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and
two downward (for left) positions. These positions
allow you to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
When the turn is nished, the lever will automatically
return to the off position.
To signal a lane change, raise or lower the lever until
the arrow starts to ash. Hold it there until the change is
completed. The lever will return by itself when released.
An arrow on the instrument
panel cluster will ash in
the direction of the
turn or lane change.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows
ash more quickly than normal, a signal bulb may
be burned out and other drivers will not see your
vehicle’s turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows do not go on at all when signaling
a turn, check for a burned-out bulb or a blown fuse.
3-7

Audio System(s)
Determine which radio your vehicle has and then read
the pages following to familiarize yourself with its
features.
{CAUTION:
This system provides you with far greater
access to audio stations and song listings.
Giving extended attention to entertainment
tasks while driving can cause a crash and you
or others can be injured or killed. Always keep
your eyes on the road and your mind on the
drive — avoid engaging in extended searching
while driving.
Keeping your mind on the drive is important for safe
driving. SeeDefensive Driving on page 4-2. Here
are some ways in which you can help avoid distraction
while driving.
While your vehicle is parked:
Familiarize yourself with all of its controls.
Familiarize yourself with its operation.
Set up your audio system by presetting your
favorite radio stations, setting the tone, and
adjusting the speakers. Then, when driving
conditions permit, you can tune to your favorite
radio stations using the presets and steering wheel
controls if the vehicle has them.
Notice:Before adding any sound equipment to
your vehicle, such as an audio system, CD player,
CB radio, mobile telephone, or two-way radio, make
sure that it can be added by checking with your
dealer/retailer. Also, check federal rules covering
mobile radio and telephone units. If sound
equipment can be added, it is very important to do
it properly. Added sound equipment may interfere
with the operation of your vehicle’s engine, radio, or
other systems, and even damage them. Your
vehicle’s systems may interfere with the operation
of sound equipment that has been added.
Notice:The chime signals related to safety belts,
parking brake, and other functions of your vehicle
operate through the radio/entertainment system.
If that equipment is replaced or additional equipment
is added to your vehicle, the chimes may not
work. Make sure that replacement or additional
equipment is compatible with your vehicle before
installing it. SeeAccessories and Modifications
on page 5-3.
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Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle............4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunk Driving.................................................4-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-3
Braking.........................................................4-3
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................4-4
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-5
Traction Control System (TCS).........................4-5
Limited-Slip Rear Axle.....................................4-6
Steering........................................................4-7
Off-Road Recovery.........................................4-9
Passing........................................................4-9
Loss of Control..............................................4-9
Off-Road Driving...........................................4-11
Driving at Night............................................4-24
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-25Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-26
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-26
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-27
Winter Driving..............................................4-28
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow...................................................4-31
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-32
Recovery Hooks...........................................4-32
Loading the Vehicle......................................4-33
Truck-Camper Loading Information..................4-40
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab..................4-40
Towing..........................................................4-41
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-41
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-41
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-48
Trailer Recommendations...............................4-61
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

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

Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If
you have ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you
will understand this.
Traction in a curve depends on the condition of the tires
and the road surface, the angle at which the curve is
banked, and your speed. While in a curve, speed is the
one factor you can control.Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control
systems — steering and acceleration — have to do
their work where the tires meet the road. Adding the
sudden acceleration can demand too much of those
places. You can lose control.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you
want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds
are based on good weather and road conditions. Under
less favorable conditions you will want to go slower.
If you need to reduce speed when approaching a curve,
do it before you enter the curve, while the front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust the speed so you can drive through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait
to accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.
4-7