2008 CHEVROLET EXPRESS CARGO VAN heater

Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little
faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and
it keeps the battery (or batteries) charged. You will
need a well-charged battery (or batteries) to restart the
vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with the
headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine
again and repeat this only when you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as
possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can. To help
keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle and do
some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or so until
help comes.If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels to free your
vehicle when stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 4-20.
If your vehicle has a traction system, it can often help to
free a stuck vehicle. Refer to your vehicle’s traction
system in the Index. If the stuck condition is too severe
for the traction system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the rocking method.
{CAUTION:
If you let your vehicle’s tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you or others
could be injured. The vehicle can overheat,
causing an engine compartment re or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little as possible
and avoid going above 35 mph (55 km/h) as
shown on the speedometer.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
seeTire Chains on page 5-80.
4-19

Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)
The 8th digit of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
shows the code letter or number that identifies your
vehicle’s engine. The VIN is at the top left of the
instrument panel. SeeVehicle Identification Number
(VIN) on page 5-108.
If your vehicle has the 5.3L V8 engine (VIN Code 4 only),
you can use either regular unleaded gasoline or ethanol
fuel containing up to 85% ethanol (E85); also seeFuel on
page 5-5. In all other engines, use only the unleaded
gasoline described underGasoline Octane on page 5-6.
Only vehicles that have the 5.3L V8 engine (VIN Code 4)
can use 85% ethanol fuel (E85). We encourage the use
of E85 in vehicles that are designed to use it. The ethanol
in E85 is a “renewable” fuel, meaning it is made from
renewable sources such as corn and other crops.
Many service stations will not have an 85% ethanol
fuel (E85) pump available. The U. S. Department
of Energy has an alternative fuels website
(www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/infrastructure/locator.html)
that can help you find E85 fuel. Those stations that
do have E85 should have a label indicating ethanol
content. Do not use the fuel if the ethanol content
is greater than 85%.At a minimum, E85 should meet ASTM Specification
D 5798. By definition, this means that fuel labeled E85
will have an ethanol content between 70% and 85%.
Filling the fuel tank with fuel mixtures that do not meet
ASTM specifications can affect driveability and could
cause the malfunction indicator lamp to come on.
To ensure quick starts in the wintertime, the E85 fuel
must be formulated properly for your climate according
to ASTM specification D 5798. If you have trouble
starting on E85, it could be because the E85 fuel is not
properly formulated for your climate. If this happens,
switching to gasoline or adding gasoline to the fuel tank
can improve starting. For good starting and heater
efficiency below 32°F (0°C), the fuel mix in the fuel tank
should contain no more than 70% ethanol. It is best
not to alternate repeatedly between gasoline and E85.
If you do switch fuels, it is recommended that you
add as much fuel as possible — do not add less than
three gallons (11 L) when refueling. You should drive
the vehicle immediately after refueling for at least
seven miles (11 km) to allow the vehicle to adapt to the
change in ethanol concentration.
5-8

Filling a Portable Fuel Container
{CAUTION:
Never ll a portable fuel container while it is in
your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from
the container can ignite the fuel vapor. You
can be badly burned and your vehicle
damaged if this occurs. To help avoid injury to
you and others:
Dispense fuel only into approved
containers.
Do not ll a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle’s trunk, pickup bed, or
on any surface other than the ground.
Bring the ll nozzle in contact with the
inside of the ll opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the lling is complete.
Do not smoke while pumping fuel.
Do not use a cellular phone while
pumping fuel.
Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine or fuel
operated heater (FOH) parts and start a re.
These include liquids like fuel, oil, coolant,
brake uid, windshield washer and other
uids, and plastic or rubber. You or others
could be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto a hot engine or fuel
operated heater (FOH).
5-12

Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOL®may
cause premature engine, heater core, radiator
and fuel operated heater (FOH) corrosion. In
addition, the engine coolant may require changing
sooner, at 30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs rst. Any repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant in your vehicle.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable water and
one-half DEX-COOL®coolant which will not damage
aluminum parts. If you use this coolant mixture, you do
not need to add anything else.
{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid such as alcohol, can boil before the
proper coolant mixture will. Your vehicle’s
coolant warning system is set for the proper
coolant mixture.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
With plain water or the wrong mixture, your
engine could get too hot but you would not get
the overheat warning. Your engine could catch
re and you or others could be burned. Use a
50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and the
proper coolant.
Notice:If you use an improper coolant mixture, your
engine could overheat and be badly damaged. The
repair cost would not be covered by your warranty.
Too much water in the mixture can freeze and crack
the engine, radiator, heater core, and other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer/retailer check your cooling system.
Notice:If you use extra inhibitors and/or additives
in your vehicle’s cooling system, you could
damage your vehicle. Use only the proper mixture
of the engine coolant listed in this manual for
the cooling system. SeeRecommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 6-13for more information.
5-25

If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
{CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can burn
you badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay
away from the engine if you see or hear steam
coming from it. Just turn it off and get
everyone away from the vehicle until it cools
down. Wait until there is no sign of steam or
coolant before you open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch re. You
or others could be badly burned. Stop your
engine if it overheats, and get out of the
vehicle until the engine is cool.
Notice:If your engine catches re because you
keep driving with no coolant, your vehicle can
be badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
If you get an engine overheat warning but see or hear
no steam, the problem may not be too serious.
Sometimes the engine can get a little too hot when you:
•Climb a long hill on a hot day.
•Stop after high-speed driving.
•Idle for long periods in traffic.
•Tow a trailer. See “Driving on Grades” under
Towing a Trailer on page 4-28.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in NEUTRAL (N)
while stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the road,
shift to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) and let the
engine idle.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the windows as necessary.
5-28

When the engine is cold, the coolant level should be at
or above the COLD FILL mark. If it is not, you may
have a leak at the pressure cap or in the radiator hoses,
heater hoses, radiator, water pump, or somewhere
else in the cooling system.
{CAUTION:
Heater, fuel operated heater (FOH), radiator
hoses, and other engine parts, can be very hot.
Do not touch them. If you do, you can be
burned.
Do not run the engine if there is a leak. If you
run the engine, it could lose all coolant. That
could cause an engine re, and you could be
burned. Get any leak xed before you drive the
vehicle.
If there seems to be no leak, start the engine again.
See if the engine cooling fan speed increases when idle
speed is doubled by pushing the accelerator pedal
down. If it does not, your vehicle needs service. Turn off
the engine.Notice:Engine damage from running the engine
without coolant is not covered by the warranty.
Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®may
cause premature engine, heater core, or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine coolant could
require changing sooner, at 30,000 miles (50 000 km)
or 24 months, whichever occurs rst. Any repairs
would not be covered by the warranty. Always
use DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant in the vehicle.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank for Gasoline Engines
If your vehicle has a diesel engine, see “How to
Add Coolant to the Coolant Recovery Tank” under “Van
Models” in the Cooling System section of the
DURAMAX
®Diesel Supplement for the proper coolant
fill procedure.
If you have not found a problem yet, but the coolant
level is not at the COLD FILL mark, add a 50/50 mixture
of clean, drinkable water and DEX-COOL
®engine
coolant at the coolant recovery tank. SeeEngine
Coolant on page 5-24for more information.
5-30

{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to the cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid such as alcohol, can boil before the
proper coolant mixture will. The vehicle’s
coolant warning system is set for the proper
coolant mixture. With plain water or the wrong
mixture, the engine could get too hot but you
would not get the overheat warning. The
engine could catch re and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
®coolant.
Notice:
When using concentrated washer uid, follow the
manufacturer’s instructions for adding water.
Do not mix water with ready-to-use washer uid.
Water can cause the solution to freeze and
damage your washer uid tank and other parts of
the washer system. Also, water does not clean as
well as washer uid.
Fill the washer uid tank only three-quarters full
when it is very cold. This allows for uid
expansion if freezing occurs, which could
damage the tank if it is completely full.
Do not use engine coolant (antifreeze) in your
windshield washer. It can damage the vehicle’s
windshield washer system and paint.
Notice:In cold weather, water can freeze and crack
the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mixture.
{CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
components in the engine compartment.
Coolant contains ethylene glycol, and it will
burn if the engine parts are hot enough. Do not
spill coolant on a hot engine or components in
the engine compartment.
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank is at the
COLD FILL mark, start your vehicle.
5-31

Brakes
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder
reservoir is filled with
DOT-3 brake fluid. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 5-14for
the location of the
reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in
the reservoir might go down. The first is that the
brake fluid goes down to an acceptable level during
normal brake lining wear. When new linings are put in,
the fluid level goes back up. The other reason is
that fluid is leaking out of the brake hydraulic system.
If it is, you should have the brake hydraulic system fixed,
since a leak means that sooner or later the brakes
will not work well.It is not a good idea to top off the brake fluid. Adding
brake fluid will not correct a leak. If fluid is added when
the linings are worn, there will be too much fluid
when new brake linings are installed. Add or remove
brake fluid, as necessary, only when work is done on the
brake hydraulic system.
{CAUTION:
If you have too much brake uid, it can spill on
the engine and/or fuel operated heater parts, if
equipped. If your vehicle has a diesel engine
and a fuel operated heater, see “Fuel Operated
Heater (FOH)” in the diesel engine supplement.
The uid will burn if the engine is hot enough.
You or others could be burned, and your
vehicle could be damaged. Add brake uid
only when work is done on the brake hydraulic
system. See “Checking Brake Fluid” in this
section.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when
to check the brake fluid. SeeScheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4.
5-37