2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO ABS

Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety, you
will want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be 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 may 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.Off-Road Driving
This off-road guide is for vehicles that have four-wheel
drive. Also, seeBraking on page 4-3. If your vehicle
does not have four-wheel drive or is equipped with
20-inch tire/wheel assemblies, 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.
4-12

StabiliTrak®improves your ability to accelerate when
driving on a slippery road. But you can turn StabiliTrak®
off if you ever need to. SeeStabiliTrak®System on
page 4-6andIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow on page 4-34. Even with StabiliTrak
®, slow
down and adjust your driving to the road conditions.
Under certain conditions, you might want to turn
StabiliTrak
®off, such as when driving through deep
snow and loose gravel, to help maintain vehicle motion
at lower speeds.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) improves your
vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on a
slippery road. Even though you have ABS, begin
stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. See
Antilock Brake System (ABS) on page 4-4.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be ne until
you hit a spot that is covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches can appear in
shaded areas where the sun cannot reach, such as
around clumps of trees, behind buildings, or under
bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when the surrounding roads
are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of you,
brake before you are on it. Try not to brake while you
are actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering
maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with
your vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near
help and you can hike through the snow. Here are
some things to do to summon help and keep yourself
and your passengers safe:
Turn on the hazard warning ashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you have been stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you do not have blankets or extra clothing, make
body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags,
rags, oor mats — anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
4-32

Parking on Hills
{CAUTION:
You really should not park your vehicle, with a
trailer attached, on a hill. If something goes
wrong, your rig could start to move. People
can be injured, and both your vehicle and the
trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer
wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your
parking brake and shift into PARK (P).
5. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, be sure the
transfer case is in a drive gear and not in
NEUTRAL.
6. Release the regular brakes.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle
can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on fairly level ground, use
the steps that follow.
Always put the shift lever fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake rmly set.
If the transfer case on four-wheel-drive vehicles
is in NEUTRAL, your vehicle will be free to roll,
even if your shift lever is in PARK (P). So, be
sure the transfer case is in a drive gear — not in
NEUTRAL.
4-89

If the at tire is on the rear, position the jack under
the rear axle between the spring anchor and the
shock absorber bracket.
If you have added a snow plow to the front of your
vehicle, lower the snow plow fully before raising
the vehicle.
Make sure that the jack head is positioned so that
the rear axle is resting securely between the
grooves that are on the jack head.
{CAUTION:
Getting under a vehicle when it is jacked up is
dangerous. If the vehicle slips off the jack, you
could be badly injured or killed. Never get under
a vehicle when it is supported only by a jack.
{CAUTION:
Raising your vehicle with the jack improperly
positioned can damage the vehicle and even
make the vehicle fall. To help avoid personal
injury and vehicle damage, be sure to t the
jack lift head into the proper location before
raising the vehicle.
5. Turn the wheel wrench clockwise to raise the
vehicle. Raise the vehicle far enough off the ground
so there is enough room for the spare tire to t
under the wheel well. Rear Position – All Models
5-103

Your dealer/retailer has a product for cleaning your
vehicle’s glass. Should it become necessary, you can
also obtain a product from your dealer/retailer to remove
odors from your vehicle’s upholstery.
Do not clean your vehicle using:
A knife or any other sharp object to remove a soil
from any interior surface.
A stiff brush. It can cause damage to your vehicle’s
interior surfaces.
Heavy pressure or aggressive rubbing with a
cleaning cloth. Use of heavy pressure can damage
your interior and does not improve the effectiveness
of soil removal.
Laundry detergents or dishwashing soaps with
degreasers can leave residue that streaks and
attracts dirt. For liquid cleaners, about 20 drops per
gallon (3.78 L) of water is a good guide. Use only
mild, neutral-pH soaps.
Too much cleaner that saturates the upholstery.
Organic solvents such as naptha, alcohol, etc. that
can damage your vehicle’s interior.
Fabric/Carpet
Use a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment
frequently to remove dust and loose dirt. A canister
vacuum with a beater bar in the nozzle may only
be used on oor carpet and carpeted oor mats.
For any soil, always try to remove it rst with plain water
or club soda. Before cleaning, gently remove as much
of the soil as possible using one of the following
techniques:
For liquids: gently blot the remaining soil with a
paper towel. Allow the soil to absorb into the
paper towel until no more can be removed.
For solid dry soils: remove as much as possible
and then vacuum.
To clean:
1. Saturate a lint-free, clean white cloth with water or
club soda.
2. Wring the cloth to remove excess moisture.
3. Start on the outside edge of the soil and gently rub
toward the center. Continue cleaning, using a clean
area of the cloth each time it becomes soiled.
5-115

A
Accessories and Modications............................ 5-4
Accessory Power Outlets.................................3-23
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment.........4-43
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle.......................................................1-86
Additives, Fuel................................................. 5-7
Add-On Electrical Equipment...........................5-125
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal..................2-26
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine.................................5-20
Air Conditioning..............................3-25, 3-28, 3-29
Airbag
Off Light.....................................................3-41
Passenger Status Indicator...........................3-43
Readiness Light..........................................3-40
Airbag System................................................1-69
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle...................................................1-86
Airbag Off Switch........................................1-78
How Does an Airbag Restrain?......................1-76
Passenger Sensing System...........................1-81
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle..........1-86
What Makes an Airbag Inate?......................1-75
What Will You See After an Airbag Inates?....1-76
When Should an Airbag Inate?....................1-74
Where Are the Airbags?...............................1-72Antenna, Fixed Mast......................................3-134
Antenna, XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna
System.....................................................3-134
Antilock Brake System (ABS)............................. 4-4
Anti-lock Brake, System Warning Light...............3-47
Appearance Care
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels.............5-120
Care of Safety Belts...................................5-117
Chemical Paint Spotting..............................5-122
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses..................5-118
Fabric/Carpet............................................5-115
Finish Care...............................................5-119
Finish Damage..........................................5-122
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces...............................................5-117
Interior Cleaning........................................5-114
Leather....................................................5-116
Sheet Metal Damage..................................5-121
Tires........................................................5-121
Underbody Maintenance.............................5-122
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials...............5-123
Washing Your Vehicle.................................5-118
Weatherstrips............................................5-117
Windshield and Wiper Blades......................5-120
Appointments, Scheduling Service....................... 7-9
Ashtray.........................................................3-24
1

L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall.....................................5-69
Lamps
Auxiliary Roof Mounted Lamp........................3-20
Cargo........................................................3-22
Dome ........................................................3-21
Dome Lamp Override...................................3-21
Puddle.......................................................3-20
Reading.....................................................3-22
Lap Belt ........................................................1-34
Lap-Shoulder Belt...........................................1-28
LATCH System
Child Restraints...........................................1-45
Latches, Seatback..........................................1-12
License Plate Lamps.......................................5-66
Light
Airbag Off..................................................3-41
Airbag Readiness........................................3-40
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) Warning...........3-47
Brake System Warning.................................3-46
Charging System.........................................3-45
Cruise Control.............................................3-54
Fog Lamp ..................................................3-53
Four-Wheel-Drive.........................................3-54
Highbeam On.............................................3-54
Low Fuel Warning.......................................3-56
Malfunction Indicator....................................3-49
Oil Pressure...............................................3-53
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator..................3-43Light (cont.)
Safety Belt Reminders..................................3-39
Security.....................................................3-53
StabiliTrak®Indicator....................................3-48
Tire Pressure..............................................3-49
Tow/Haul Mode ...........................................3-54
Lighting
Entry.........................................................3-21
Exit...........................................................3-21
Lights
Exterior Lamps............................................3-17
Flash-to-Pass..............................................3-11
High/Low Beam Changer..............................3-10
On Reminder..............................................3-18
Loading Your Vehicle.......................................4-36
Locking Rear Axle............................................ 4-5
Lockout Protection..........................................2-12
Locks
Delayed Locking..........................................2-11
Door ..........................................................2-10
Lockout Protection.......................................2-12
Power Door................................................2-10
Programmable Automatic Door Locks.............2-11
Rear Door Security Locks.............................2-11
Loss of Control...............................................4-11
Low Fuel Warning Light...................................3-56
Luggage Carrier..............................................2-79
Lumbar
Manual Controls............................................ 1-4
Power Controls............................................. 1-4
8