2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO Owners Manual

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

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
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 (Gasoline
Engine) on page 6-4for more information. 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
Your vehicle is equipped with one of the following wiring
harnesses for towing a trailer or hauling a slide-in
camper.
Basic Trailer Wiring
All regular, extended cab and crew cab pickups have a
seven-wire trailer towing harness.
For vehicles not equipped with heavy duty trailering, the
harness is clipped to the vehicle’s frame behind the
spare tire mount. The harness requires the installation
of a trailer connector, which is available through
your dealer.
If you need to tow a light-duty trailer with a standard
four-way round pin connector, you can also get an
adapter from your dealer.
4-90

Heavy-Duty Trailer Wiring Harness
Package
For vehicles equipped with heavy duty trailering, the
harness is connected to a bracket on the hitch platform.
The seven-wire harness contains the following trailer
circuits:
Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn Signal
Brown: Taillamps
White: Ground
Light Green: Back-up Lamps
Red: Battery Feed*
Dark Blue: Trailer Brake**The fuses for these two circuits are installed in the
underhood electrical center, but the wires are not
connected. They should be connected by your dealer or
a qualied service center. The fuse and wire for the
ITBC is factory installed and connected if the vehicle is
equipped with an ITBC. The fuse for the battery
feed is not required if your vehicle has an auxiliary
battery. If your vehicle does not have an auxiliary
battery, have your dealer or authorized service center
install the required fuse.
If you are charging a remote (non-vehicle) battery, press
the tow/haul mode button located at the end of the
shift lever. This will boost the vehicle system voltage and
properly charge the battery. If the trailer is too light for
tow/haul mode, you can turn on the headlamps as
a second way to boost the vehicle system and charge
the battery.
4-91

Camper/Fifth-Wheel Trailer Wiring Package
The seven-wire camper harness is located under the
front edge of the pickup box on the driver’s side of the
vehicle, attached to the frame bracket. A connector
will have to be added to the wiring harness which
connects to the camper.
The harness contains the following camper/trailer
circuits:
Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn Signal
Brown: Taillamps
White: Ground
Light Green: Back-up Lamps
Red: Battery Feed
Dark Blue: Trailer BrakeIf your vehicle is equipped with the “Heavy-Duty
Trailering” option, please refer to “Heavy-Duty Trailer
Wiring Package” earlier in this section.
When the camper-wiring harness is ordered without the
heavy-duty trailering package, an eight-wire harness
with a seven-pin connector is located at the rear of the
vehicle and is tied to the vehicle’s frame.
4-92

Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions
These wiring provisions are included with your vehicle
as part of the trailer wiring package. These provisions
are for an electric brake controller. The instrument panel
contains blunt cut wires near the data link connector
for the trailer brake controller. The harness contains the
following wires:
Dark Blue: Brake Signal to Trailer Connector
Red/Black: Battery
Light Blue/White: Brake Switch
White: Ground
It should be installed by your dealer or a qualied
service center.
If your vehicle is equipped with an ITBC, the blunt cuts
exist, but are not connected further in the harness. If
you install an aftermarket trailer brake controller,
the ITBC must be disconnected. Do not power both
ITBC and aftermarket controllers to control the trailer
brakes at the same time.
Auxiliary Battery
The auxiliary battery provision can be used to supply
electrical power to additional equipment that you may
choose to add, such as a slide-in camper. If your vehicle
has this provision, this relay will be located on the driver’s
side of the vehicle, next to the underhood electrical
center.
Be sure to follow the proper installation instructions that
are included with any electrical equipment that you install.
Notice:Leaving electrical equipment on for
extended periods will drain the battery. Always turn
off electrical equipment when not in use and do
not use equipment that exceeds the maximum
amperage rating for the auxiliary battery provision.
Trailer Recommendations
You must subtract your hitch loads from the CWR for
your vehicle. Weigh your vehicle with the trailer
attached, so that you won’t go over the GVWR or
GAWR. If you are using a weight-distributing hitch,
weigh the vehicle without the spring bars in place.
You’ll get the best performance if you spread out the
weight of your load the right way, and if you choose the
correct hitch and trailer brakes.
For more information, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 4-55.
4-93

✍NOTES
4-94

Service............................................................5-4
Accessories and Modications..........................5-4
California Proposition 65 Warning.....................5-4
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements.....5-5
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-5
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle..............................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-6
Gasoline Octane............................................5-6
Gasoline Specications....................................5-6
California Fuel...............................................5-7
Additives.......................................................5-7
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)..................................5-8
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-9
Filling the Tank............................................5-10
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-12
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-12
Hood Release..............................................5-13
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-14
Engine Oil (Gasoline Engine)..........................5-15
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-18
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter (Gasoline Engines).....5-20
Automatic Transmission Fluid
(6-Speed Transmission)..............................5-22Automatic Transmission Fluid
(4-Speed Transmission)..............................5-26
Engine Coolant.............................................5-29
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-32
Engine Overheating.......................................5-32
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode (V8 Engines Only)..............5-34
Cooling System............................................5-35
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-40
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-41
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-42
Brakes........................................................5-43
Battery........................................................5-46
Jump Starting...............................................5-47
Rear Axle.......................................................5-52
Four-Wheel Drive............................................5-54
Front Axle......................................................5-56
Noise Control System.....................................5-57
Tampering with Noise Control System
Prohibited.................................................5-57
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-58
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Bulb Replacement..........................................5-61
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-61
Headlamps..................................................5-62
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp.............................................5-63
Pickup Box Identication and
Fender Marker Lamps................................5-64
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps.........................................5-64
License Plate Lamp......................................5-66
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-66
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-67
Tires..............................................................5-68
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................5-69
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-73
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-76
Dual Tire Operation.......................................5-77
Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................5-78
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation.....................5-79
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-83
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-86
Buying New Tires.........................................5-86
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................5-88
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-89Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-90
Wheel Replacement......................................5-90
Tire Chains..................................................5-92
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-93
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-94
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................5-95
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire..............................................5-100
Secondary Latch System..............................5-106
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools...........5-110
Spare Tire.................................................5-113
Appearance Care..........................................5-114
Interior Cleaning.........................................5-114
Fabric/Carpet..............................................5-115
Leather......................................................5-116
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces.................................................5-117
Care of Safety Belts....................................5-117
Weatherstrips.............................................5-117
Washing Your Vehicle..................................5-118
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses....................5-118
Finish Care................................................5-119
Windshield and Wiper Blades.......................5-120
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels
and Trim................................................5-120
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2