2010 CHEVROLET SILVERADO headlamp

Security Light
For information regarding
this light and the vehicle's
security system, see
Content Theft-Deterrent
on page 3‑17.
Fog Lamp Light
The fog lamp light comes
on when the fog lamps
are in use.
The light goes out when the fog lamps are turned off.
See Fog Lamps
on page 4‑13for more information.
Cruise Control Light
The cruise control light
comes on whenever the
cruise control is set.
The light goes out when the cruise control is turned off.
See Cruise Control
on page 4‑7for more information.
Highbeam On Light
This light comes on when
the high-beam headlamps
are in use.
See Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
on page 4‑5for more information.
4-46

DIC Vehicle Customization (With DIC
Buttons)
Your vehicle may have customization capabilities that
allow you to program certain features to one preferred
setting. Customization features can only be
programmed to one setting on the vehicle and cannot
be programmed to a preferred setting for two different
drivers.
All of the customization options may not be available on
your vehicle. Only the options available will be
displayed on the DIC.
The default settings for the customization features were
set when your vehicle left the factory, but may have
been changed from their default state since then.
The customization preferences are automatically
recalled.
To change customization preferences, use the following
procedure.
Entering the Feature Settings Menu
1. Turn the ignition on and place the vehicle inP (Park).
To avoid excessive drain on the battery, it is
recommended that the headlamps are turned off.
2. Press the customization button to scroll through the available customizable options.
Feature Settings Menu Items
The following are customization features that allow you
to program settings to the vehicle:
DISPLAY IN ENGLISH
This feature will only display if a language other than
English has been set. This feature allows you to change
the language in which the DIC messages appear to
English.
Press the customization button until the PRESS
VTO
DISPLAY IN ENGLISH screen appears on the DIC
display. Press the set/reset button once to display all
DIC messages in English.
4-73

.Sound the horn as you approach the top of the hill
to let opposing traffic know you are there.
.Use headlamps even during the day to make the
vehicle more visible to oncoming traffic.
{WARNING:
Driving to the top (crest) of a hill at full speed can
cause an accident. There could be a drop-off,
embankment, cliff, or even another vehicle. You
could be seriously injured or killed. As you near
the top of a hill, slow down and stay alert.
If the vehicle stalls, or is about to stall, and you cannot
make it up the hill:
.Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep
it from rolling backwards and apply the parking
brake.
.If the engine is still running, shift the transmission
to R (Reverse), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill in R (Reverse).
.If the engine has stopped running, you need to
restart it. With the brake pedal pressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to
P (Park) and restart the engine. Then, shift to
R (Reverse), release the parking brake, and slowly
back down the hill as straight as possible in
R (Reverse).
.While backing down the hill, put your left hand on
the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position so you
can tell if the wheels are straight and can
maneuver as you back down. It is best to back
down the hill with the wheels straight rather than in
the left or right direction. Turning the wheel too far
to the left or right will increase the possibility of a
rollover.
Things not to do if the vehicle stalls, or is about to stall,
when going up a hill:
.Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
N (Neutral) to rev-up the engine and regain forward
momentum. This will not work. The vehicle can roll
backward very quickly and could go out of control.
.Never try to turn around if about to stall when
going up a hill. If the hill is steep enough to stall
the vehicle, it is steep enough to cause it to roll
over. If you cannot make it up the hill, back straight
down the hill.
5-17

Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving
because some drivers are likely to be impaired—by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by
fatigue.
Night driving tips include:
.Drive defensively.
.Do not drink and drive.
.Reduce headlamp glare by adjusting the inside
rearview mirror.
.Slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles because headlamps can only light
up so much road ahead.
.Watch for animals.
.When tired, pull off the road.
.Do not wear sunglasses.
.Avoid staring directly into approaching headlamps.
.Keep the windshield and all glass on your vehicle
clean —inside and out.
.Keep your eyes moving, especially during turns or
curves.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But,
as we get older, these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver might need at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle traction and
affect your ability to stop and accelerate. Always drive
slower in these types of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and deep‐standing or
flowing water.
{WARNING:
Wet brakes can cause crashes. They might not
work as well in a quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could lose control of the
vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water or a
car/vehicle wash, lightly apply the brake pedal
until the brakes work normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces.
Driving through flowing water could cause your
vehicle to be carried away. If this happens, you
and other vehicle occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be very cautious about
trying to drive through flowing water.
5-22

To save fuel, run the engine for only short periods as
needed to warm the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of the way to save heat.
Repeat this until help arrives but only when you feel
really uncomfortable from the cold. Moving about to
keep warm also helps.
If it takes some time for help to arrive, now and then
when you run the engine, push the accelerator pedal
slightly so the engine runs faster than the idle speed.
This keeps the battery charged to restart the vehicle
and to signal for help with the headlamps. Do this as
little as possible to save fuel.
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels to free the
vehicle when stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 5‑28.If the vehicle has a traction system, it can often help to
free a stuck vehicle. Refer to the vehicle's traction
system in the Index. If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the traction system off
and use the rocking method.
{WARNING:
If the 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 fire or other damage. Spin the
wheels as little as possible and avoid going above
55 km/h (35 mph) as shown on the speedometer.
For information about using tire chains on the vehicle,
see Tire Chains on page 6‑89.
5-27

Heavy-DutyTrailer 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 qualified 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 the vehicle has an auxiliary battery. If the
vehicle does not have an auxiliary battery, have your
dealer or authorized service center install the
required fuse.
If charging a remote (non-vehicle) battery, press the
Tow/Haul mode button, if equipped, 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, or the vehicle is not
equipped with Tow/Haul, turn on the headlamps as a
second way to boost the vehicle system and charge the
battery.
5-76

Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
California Proposition 65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Adding Equipment to the Outside of the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Gasoline Octane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
California Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13
Checking Things Under the Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-14
Hood Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-15
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-16
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-20
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-21 Automatic Transmission Fluid (4-Speed
Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23
Automatic Transmission Fluid (6-Speed Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-26
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-29
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-31
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-34
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-36
Engine Fan Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-37
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-37
Windshield Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-38
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-39
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-43
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-44
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-48
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-50
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-52
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-53
Tampering with Noise Control System Prohibited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-53
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-54
6-1

Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Bulb Replacement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-57
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-57
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-57
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) and Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-58
Pickup Box Identification and Fender Marker Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-59
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-60
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-62
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-62
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . .6-63
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-64
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-65
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-70
Inflation - Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-73
High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-74
Dual Tire Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-75
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-75
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-76
Tire Inspection and Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-80
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-82
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-83
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-85 Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-85
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-87
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-87
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-89
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-89
Changing a Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-90
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-92
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-97
Secondary Latch System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-103
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools . . . . . . . . 6-106
Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-109
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-110
Interior Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-110
Fabric/Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-111
Leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
Care of Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
Weatherstrips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Washing Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Finish Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Windshield and Wiper Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
6-2