
2010 Chevrolet Silverado Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-31
Seats and Restraint System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-39
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-73
Restraint System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-94
Features and Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Doors and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-56
Object Detection Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-60 Universal Home Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-69
Storage Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-75
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-78
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Instrument Panel Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . 4-28
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49
Audio System(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-82
Driving Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-44
Service and Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Checking Things Under the Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-48
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-50
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-52
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-53

Heated Seats
{WARNING:
If you cannot feel temperature change or pain to
the skin, the seat heater may cause burns even at
low temperatures. To reduce the risk of burns,
people with such a condition should use care
when using the seat heater, especially for long
periods of time. Do not place anything on the seat
that insulates against heat, such as a blanket,
cushion, cover or similar item. This may cause the
seat heater to overheat. An overheated seat
heater may cause a burn or may damage
the seat.
On vehicles with heated front seats, the controls are
located on the driver and passenger doors.
I (Heated Seatback): Press to turn on the heated
seatback.
J (Heated Seat and Seatback): Press to turn on the
heated seat and seatback.
The light on the button will come on to indicate that the
feature is working. Press the button to cycle through the
temperature settings of high, medium, and low and to turn the heat to the seat off. Indicator lights will show
the level of heat selected: three for high, two for
medium, and one for low.
The heated seats will be canceled 10 seconds after the
ignition is turned off. To use the heated seat feature
after restarting the vehicle, press the heated seat or
seatback button again.
Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals
Your vehicle may have the memory package.
The controls for this
feature are located on the
driver's door panel, and
are used to program and
recall memory settings for
the driver's seat, outside
mirrors, and the
adjustable throttle and
brake pedal.
2-8

Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has
four different positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition must be in ON/RUN
or ACC/ACCESSORY and the regular brake pedal must
be applied.
A (LOCK/OFF): This position locks the ignition. It also
locks the transmission on automatic transmission
vehicles. The key can be removed in LOCK/OFF.
On vehicles with an automatic transmission, the shift
lever must be in P (Park) to turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF. The steering can bind with the wheels turned off center.
If this happens, move the steering wheel from right to
left while turning the key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
doesn't work, then the vehicle needs service.
Notice:
Using a tool to force the key to turn in the
ignition could cause damage to the switch or break
the key. Use the correct key, make sure it is all the
way in, and turn it only with your hand. If the key
cannot be turned by hand, see your dealer.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY): This position lets things like
the radio and the windshield wipers operate while the
engine is off. Use this position if the vehicle must be
pushed or towed.
C (ON/RUN): This position can be used to operate the
electrical accessories and to display some instrument
panel cluster warning and indicator lights. The switch
stays in this position when the engine is running. The
transmission is also unlocked in this position on
automatic transmission vehicles.
If you leave the key in the ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/
RUN position with the engine off, the battery could be
drained. You may not be able to start the vehicle if the
battery is allowed to drain for an extended period
of time.
3-22

Section 4 Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-3
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Tilt Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Windshield Wipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Windshield Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Exterior Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Headlamps on Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Automatic Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Auxiliary Roof-Mounted Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Instrument Panel Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Dome Lamp Override . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Electric Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16 Battery Run-Down Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16
Accessory Power Outlet(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Ashtray(s) and Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18
Climate Control System (With Air
Conditioning) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18
Climate Control System (With Heater Only) . . . . 4-21
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . 4-22
Outlet Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-28
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . .4-28
Instrument Panel Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Speedometer and Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Airbag Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-32
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-34
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-36
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-37
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . 4-38
StabiliTrak
®Indicator Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-39
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . 4-40
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-40
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-41
4-1

Outlet Adjustment
Use the air outlets located in the center and on the side
of the instrument panel to direct the airflow. Use the
thumbwheels near the air outlets to open or close off
the airflow.
Operation Tips
.Clear away any ice, snow, or leaves from air inlets
at the base of the windshield that could block the
flow of air into the vehicle.
.Keep the path under the front seats clear of
objects to help circulate the air inside of the vehicle
more effectively.
.Use of non‐GM approved hood deflectors can
adversely affect the performance of the system.
Check with your dealer before adding equipment to
the outside of the vehicle.
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning lights and gauges can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to the
warning lights and gauges could prevent injury.
Warning lights come on when there might be or there is
a problem with one of the vehicle's functions. Some
warning lights come on briefly when the engine is
started to indicate they are working.
Gauges can indicate when there might be or there is a
problem with one of the vehicle's functions. Often
gauges and warning lights work together to indicate a
problem with the vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
while driving, or when one of the gauges shows there
could be a problem, check the section that explains
what to do. Follow this manual's advice. Waiting to do
repairs can be costly and even dangerous.
4-28

{WARNING:
If the airbag readiness light ever comes on and
stays on, it means that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. For example, the right
front passenger airbag could inflate even though
the airbag on-off switch is turned off.
To help avoid injury to yourself or others, have the
vehicle serviced right away. SeeAirbag
Readiness Light
on page 4‑32for more
information, including important safety information.
If the word ON or the on symbol is lit, it means that the
right front passenger frontal airbag is enabled (may
inflate). See Airbag Off Switch
on page 2‑82for more
information, including important safety information.
If, after several seconds, both status indicator lights
remain on, or if there are no lights at all, there may be a
problem with the lights or the airbag on-off switch. See
your dealer for service.
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
If the vehicle has one of the indicators pictured in the
following illustrations, then the vehicle has a passenger
sensing system for the right front passenger position
unless there is an airbag off switch located in the glove
box. If there is an airbag off switch, the vehicle does not
have a passenger system system. See Airbag Off
Switch on page 2‑82.
The passenger airbag status indicator is on the
overhead console. See Passenger Sensing System
on
page 2‑86for important safety information.
In addition, if the vehicle has a passenger sensing
system for the right front passenger position, the label
on the vehicle's sun visor refers to “ADVANCED
AIRBAGS”.
4-34

United StatesCanada
When the vehicle is started, the passenger airbag
status indicator will light ON and OFF, or the symbol for
on and off, for several seconds as a system check.
Then, after several more seconds, the status indicator
will light either ON or OFF, or either the on or off symbol
to let you know the status of the right front passenger
frontal airbag.
If the word ON or the on symbol is lit on the passenger
airbag status indicator, it means that the right front
passenger frontal airbag is enabled (may inflate). If the word OFF or the off symbol is lit on the airbag
status indicator, it means that the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right front passenger frontal
airbag.
If, after several seconds, both status indicator lights
remain on, or if there are no lights at all, there may be a
problem with the lights or the passenger sensing
system. See your dealer for service.
{WARNING:
If the airbag readiness light ever comes on and
stays on, it means that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help avoid injury to
yourself or others, have the vehicle serviced right
away. See
Airbag Readiness Light
on page 4‑32
for more information, including important safety
information.
4-35

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts, heavy acceleration followed by heavy braking,
rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a mistake.
The brakes might not have time to cool between hard
stops. The brakes will wear out much faster with a lot of
heavy braking. Keeping pace with the traffic and
allowing realistic following distances eliminates a lot of
unnecessary braking. That means better braking and
longer brake life.
If the engine ever stops while the vehicle is being
driven, brake normally but do not pump the brakes.
If the brakes are pumped, the pedal could get harder to
push down. If the engine stops, there will still be some
power brake assist but it will be used when the brake is
applied. Once the power assist is used up, it can take
longer to stop and the brake pedal will be harder
to push.
Adding non‐dealer/non‐retailer accessories can affect
vehicle performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 6‑4.Antilock Brake System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake System (ABS), an
advanced electronic braking system that helps prevent
a braking skid.
When the engine is started and the vehicle begins to
drive away, ABS checks itself. A momentary motor or
clicking noise might be heard while this test is going on.
This is normal.
If there is a problem with
ABS, this warning light
stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light
on
page 4‑38.
Along with ABS, the vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system. If there is a DRP problem,
both the brake and ABS warning lights come on
accompanied by a 10‐second chime. The lights and
chime will come on each time the ignition is turned on
until the problem is repaired. See your dealer for
service.
5-4