2008 CHEVROLET EXPRESS CARGO VAN Owners Manual

Event Data Recorders
This vehicle has an Event Data Recorder (EDR). The
main purpose of an EDR is to record, in certain crash or
near crash-like situations, such as an airbag deployment
or hitting a road obstacle, data that will assist in
understanding how a vehicle’s systems performed. The
EDR is designed to record data related to vehicle
dynamics and safety systems for a short period of time,
typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in this vehicle
is designed to record such data as:
•How various systems in your vehicle were operating
•Whether or not the driver and passenger safety
belts were buckled/fastened
•How far, if at all, the driver was pressing the
accelerator and/or brake pedal
•How fast the vehicle was traveling
This data can help provide a better understanding of the
circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur.Important:EDR data is recorded by your vehicle only
if a non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data is
recorded by the EDR under normal driving conditions
and no personal data (e.g., name, gender, age, and
crash location) is recorded. However, other parties, such
as law enforcement, could combine the EDR data with
the type of personally identifying data routinely acquired
during a crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equipment is
required, and access to the vehicle or the EDR is
needed. In addition to the vehicle manufacturer, other
parties, such as law enforcement, that have the special
equipment, can read the information if they have access
to the vehicle or the EDR.
GM will not access this data or share it with others
except: with the consent of the vehicle owner or, if the
vehicle is leased, with the consent of the lessee; in
response to an official request of police or similar
government office; as part of GM’s defense of litigation
through the discovery process; or, as required by law.
Data that GM collects or receives may also be used for
GM research needs or may be made available to others
for research purposes, where a need is shown and the
data is not tied to a specific vehicle or vehicle owner.
7-17

OnStar®
If your vehicle has OnStar and you subscribe to the
OnStar services, please refer to the OnStar Terms and
Conditions for information on data collection and use.
Navigation System
If your vehicle has a navigation system, use of the
system may result in the storage of destinations,
addresses, telephone numbers, and other trip
information. Refer to the navigation system operating
manual for information on stored data and for deletion
instructions.
Radio Frequency
Identication (RFID)
RFID technology is used in some vehicles for functions
such as tire pressure monitoring and ignition system
security, as well as in connection with conveniences
such as key fobs for remote door locking/unlocking and
starting, and in-vehicle transmitters for garage door
openers. RFID technology in GM vehicles does not use
or record personal information or link with any other
GM system containing personal information.
7-18

A
Accessories and Modifications............................ 5-3
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle.......................................................1-74
Additives, Fuel................................................. 5-7
Add-On Electrical Equipment...........................5-109
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine.................................5-20
Air Conditioning..............................................3-19
Airbag
Off Light.....................................................3-30
Passenger Status Indicator...........................3-31
Readiness Light..........................................3-29
Airbag System................................................1-57
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates?....1-64
When Should an Airbag Inflate?....................1-62
Where Are the Airbags?...............................1-60
Airbag Systems
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle...................................................1-74
Airbag Off Switch........................................1-66
How Does an Airbag Restrain?......................1-64
Passenger Sensing System...........................1-69
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle..........1-73
What Makes an Airbag Inflate?......................1-64
All-Wheel Drive...............................................5-46
All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) System........................... 4-7
Antenna, Fixed Mast.......................................3-88
Antilock Brake System (ABS)............................. 4-4Antilock Brake, System Warning Light................3-35
Appearance Care
Aluminum Wheels......................................5-104
Care of Safety Belts...................................5-102
Chemical Paint Spotting..............................5-106
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses..................5-103
Fabric/Carpet............................................5-101
Finish Care...............................................5-103
Finish Damage..........................................5-106
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces...............................................5-101
Interior Cleaning..........................................5-99
Sheet Metal Damage..................................5-105
Tires........................................................5-105
Underbody Maintenance.............................5-106
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials...............5-107
Washing Your Vehicle.................................5-102
Weatherstrips............................................5-102
Windshield and Wiper Blades......................5-104
Appointments, Scheduling Service....................... 7-9
Ashtray.........................................................3-19
Audio System.................................................3-66
Audio Steering Wheel Controls......................3-87
Fixed Mast Antenna.....................................3-88
Radio Reception..........................................3-88
Setting the Clock.........................................3-68
Theft-Deterrent Feature................................3-86
Audio System(s).............................................3-70
Automatic Door Lock......................................... 2-8
1

Automatic Door Unlock...................................... 2-8
Automatic Headlamp System............................3-16
Automatic Transmission
Fluid..........................................................5-21
Operation...................................................2-24
B
Battery..........................................................5-40
Electric Power Management..........................3-17
Run-Down Protection...................................3-18
Brake
Emergencies................................................ 4-5
Brakes..........................................................5-37
System Warning Light..................................3-34
Braking........................................................... 4-3
Braking in Emergencies..................................... 4-5
Break-In, New Vehicle.....................................2-20
Bulb Replacement...........................................5-50
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL)........5-52
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and
Parking Lamps.........................................5-52
Halogen Bulbs............................................5-50
Headlamps.................................................5-50
Replacement Bulbs......................................5-54
Taillamps....................................................5-53
Buying New Tires...........................................5-74
C
Calibration.....................................................3-50
California Fuel.................................................. 5-6
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements....... 5-4
California Proposition 65 Warning....................... 5-4
Canadian Owners................................................ ii
Capacities and Specifications..........................5-116
Carbon Monoxide...........................2-31, 4-16, 4-28
Care of
Safety Belts..............................................5-102
Cargo Door Relocking....................................... 2-7
CD, MP3 .......................................................3-81
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL)...........5-52
Chains, Tire...................................................5-80
Charging System Light....................................3-33
Check
Engine Light...............................................3-38
Checking Things Under the Hood......................5-12
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-106
Child Restraints
Child Restraint Systems...............................1-35
Infants and Young Children...........................1-32
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children..........1-39
Older Children.............................................1-29
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Seat Position...........................................1-45
2

Child Restraints (cont.)
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position...........................1-48, 1-52
Where to Put the Restraint...........................1-38
Cigarette Lighter.............................................3-19
Cleaning
Aluminum Wheels......................................5-104
Exterior Lamps/Lenses................................5-103
Fabric/Carpet............................................5-101
Finish Care...............................................5-103
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces...............................................5-101
Interior.......................................................5-99
Tires........................................................5-105
Underbody Maintenance.............................5-106
Washing Your Vehicle.................................5-102
Weatherstrips............................................5-102
Windshield and Wiper Blades......................5-104
Climate Control System...................................3-19
Outlet Adjustment........................................3-22
Rear Air Conditioning and Heating System......3-23
Rear Heating System...................................3-22
Clock, Setting.................................................3-68
Collision Damage Repair..................................7-11
Compass.......................................................3-50
Control of a Vehicle.......................................... 4-3
Coolant
Engine Temperature Gage............................3-36
Heater, Engine............................................2-23Cooling System..............................................5-29
Cruise Control................................................3-11
Cruise Control Light........................................3-42
Customer Assistance Information
Courtesy Transportation.................................. 7-9
Customer Assistance for Text
Telephone (TTY) Users............................... 7-5
Customer Assistance Offices........................... 7-5
Customer Satisfaction Procedure..................... 7-2
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program............... 7-6
Reporting Safety Defects to General Motors....7-14
Reporting Safety Defects to the Canadian
Government............................................7-14
Reporting Safety Defects to the United
States Government...................................7-14
Roadside Assistance Program......................... 7-6
Service Publications Ordering Information........7-15
D
Daytime Running Lamps..................................3-15
Defensive Driving............................................. 4-2
Delayed Locking............................................... 2-7
DIC Compass.................................................3-50
Disc, MP3......................................................3-81
Doing Your Own Service Work........................... 5-4
Dome Lamp Override......................................3-17
Dome Lamps.................................................3-17
3

Door
60/40 Swing-Out Side Door...........................2-10
Automatic Door Lock..................................... 2-8
Automatic Door Unlock.................................. 2-8
Cargo Door Relocking.................................... 2-7
Delayed Locking........................................... 2-7
Locks.......................................................... 2-6
Power Door Locks......................................... 2-7
Programmable Automatic Door Locks............... 2-7
Rear Door Security Locks............................... 2-8
Rear Doors.................................................2-12
Sliding Side Door.......................................... 2-9
Driver Information Center (DIC).........................3-44
DIC Operation and Displays..........................3-45
DIC Vehicle Customization............................3-60
DIC Warnings and Messages........................3-52
Driving
At Night.....................................................4-12
Before a Long Trip......................................4-14
Defensive..................................................... 4-2
Drunken....................................................... 4-2
Highway Hypnosis.......................................4-14
Hill and Mountain Roads..............................4-15
In Rain and on Wet Roads...........................4-13
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get it Out.................4-20
Winter........................................................4-16
Dual Tire Operation.........................................5-65E
EDR .............................................................7-16
Electrical System
Add-On Equipment.....................................5-109
Engine Compartment Fuse Block.................5-112
Floor Console Fuse Block...........................5-110
Fuses and Circuit Breakers.........................5-109
Headlamp Wiring.......................................5-109
Windshield Wiper Fuses.............................5-109
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter.........................................5-20
Check and Service Engine Soon Light............3-38
Coolant......................................................5-24
Coolant Heater............................................2-23
Coolant Temperature Gage...........................3-36
Drive Belt Routing.......................................6-16
Engine Compartment Overview......................5-14
Exhaust.....................................................2-31
Fan Noise..................................................5-34
Fuel Regulator............................................2-23
Oil .............................................................5-15
Oil Life System...........................................5-18
Overheating................................................5-27
Running While Parked..................................2-32
Starting......................................................2-21
Entry/Exit Lighting...........................................3-17
Event Data Recorders.....................................7-17
Extender, Safety Belt.......................................1-28
Exterior Lamps...............................................3-14
4

F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner......................................5-20
Finish Damage.............................................5-106
Fixed Mast Antenna........................................3-88
Flashers, Hazard Warning.................................. 3-6
Flash-to-Pass................................................... 3-9
Flat Tire........................................................5-81
Flat Tire, Changing.........................................5-82
Flat Tire, Storing.............................................5-97
Fluid.............................................................5-21
Power Steering...........................................5-35
Windshield Washer......................................5-36
Front Axle......................................................5-48
Fuel............................................................... 5-5
Additives...................................................... 5-7
California Fuel.............................................. 5-6
E85 (85% Ethanol)........................................ 5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container....................5-12
Filling the Tank...........................................5-10
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................. 5-9
Gage.........................................................3-43
Gasoline Octane........................................... 5-6
Gasoline Specifications.................................. 5-6
Regulator...................................................2-23
Fuses
Engine Compartment Fuse Block.................5-112
Floor Console Fuse Block...........................5-110Fuses (cont.)
Fuses and Circuit Breakers.........................5-109
Windshield Wiper.......................................5-109
G
Gage
Engine Coolant Temperature.........................3-36
Fuel..........................................................3-43
Oil Pressure...............................................3-41
Speedometer..............................................3-27
Voltmeter Gage...........................................3-34
Gasoline
Octane........................................................ 5-6
Specifications............................................... 5-6
Glass, Enhanced Technology............................2-17
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program.................. 7-6
H
Hazard Warning Flashers................................... 3-6
Headlamp Wiring...........................................5-109
Headlamps....................................................5-50
Bulb Replacement.......................................5-50
Daytime Running Lamps...............................3-15
Exterior Lamps............................................3-14
Flash-to-Pass............................................... 3-9
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and
Parking Lamps.........................................5-52
5

Headlamps (cont.)
Halogen Bulbs............................................5-50
High/Low Beam Changer................................ 3-9
On Reminder..............................................3-15
Heater...........................................................3-19
Highbeam On Light.........................................3-43
Highway Hypnosis...........................................4-14
Hill and Mountain Roads..................................4-15
Hood
Checking Things Under................................5-12
Release.....................................................5-13
Horn............................................................... 3-6
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly...................1-15
I
Ignition Positions.............................................2-20
Infants and Young Children, Restraints...............1-32
Inflation - Tire Pressure...................................5-64
Instrument Panel
Overview..................................................... 3-4
Instrument Panel (I/P)
Brightness..................................................3-16
Cluster.......................................................3-26
J
Jump Starting.................................................5-41
K
Keyless Entry System....................................... 2-3
Keys............................................................... 2-2
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall.....................................5-56
Lamps
Dome........................................................3-17
Dome Lamp Override...................................3-17
Reading.....................................................3-17
Lap-Shoulder Belt...........................................1-22
LATCH System
Child Restraints...........................................1-39
Light
Airbag Off..................................................3-30
Airbag Readiness........................................3-29
Antilock Brake System Warning.....................3-35
Brake System Warning.................................3-34
Charging System.........................................3-33
Cruise Control.............................................3-42
Highbeam On.............................................3-43
Malfunction Indicator....................................3-38
Oil Pressure...............................................3-42
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator..................3-31
Safety Belt Reminders..................................3-28
Security.....................................................3-42
6