
Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
5-16 Instruments and Controls
If the light comes on while driving,
pull off the road and stop. The brake
pedal might be harder to push, or it
might go closer to the floor. It can
take longer to stop. If the light is still
on, have the vehicle towed for
service. SeeTowing the Vehicle on
page 10‑90.
{WARNING
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
light comes on briefly when the
engine is started.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally the
indicator light then goes off.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the
ignition off. If the light comes on
while driving, stop as soon as it is
safely possible and turn the ignition
off. Then start the engine again to
reset the system. If the ABS light
stays on, or comes on again while
driving, the vehicle needs service.
If the regular brake system warning
light is not on, the vehicle still has
brakes, but not antilock brakes. If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, the vehicle does not
have antilock brakes and there is a
problem with the regular brakes.
See
Brake System Warning Light on
page 5‑15.
See Brake System Messages on
page 5‑23 for all brake related DIC
messages.Up-Shift Light
The vehicle may have an up-shift
light.
When this light comes on, shift to
the next higher gear if weather,
road, and traffic conditions allow.
See Manual Transmission on
page 9‑37 for more information.

Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-17
Traction Control System
(TCS)/StabiliTrak®Light
The StabiliTrak and Traction Control
System (TCS) indicator/warning light
comes on briefly while starting the
engine.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally the
indicator light then goes off.
The light flashes while the
StabiliTrak system and TCS are
working to assist the driver with
directional control of the vehicle in
difficult driving conditions.If the StabiliTrak system and TCS
light comes on and stays on while
driving and a TRACTION FAULT or
SERVICE STAB SYS message
displays on the DIC, the vehicle
needs service.
The light also comes on steady
when the StabiliTrak system and/or
TCS are turned off. The DIC also
displays a TRAC OFF and/or STAB
SYS OFF message. If the TCS is
off, wheel spin is not limited. If the
StabiliTrak system is off, the system
does not assist the driver with
directional control of the vehicle.
The light turns off when the TCS
and StabiliTrak system are turned
back on.
See
StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑47, Traction Control System
(TCS) on page 9‑46 andRide
Control System Messages on
page 5‑25 for more information.
Tire Pressure Light
For vehicles with a Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this light
comes on briefly when the engine is
started. It provides information
about tire pressures and the TPMS.
When the Light is On Steady
This indicates that one or more of
the tires are significantly
underinflated.
A tire pressure message can
accompany the light. See Tire
Messages on page 5‑26 for more
information. Stop as soon as
possible, and inflate the tires to the
pressure value shown on the Tire
and Loading Information Label. See
Tire Pressure on page 10‑53 for
more information.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
6-4 Lighting
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals
Move the lever all the way up or
down to signal a turn.
Raise or lower the lever until the
arrow starts to flash to signal a lane
change. Hold it there until the lane
change is complete.
The lever returns to its starting
position when it is released.If after signaling a turn or a lane
change the arrows flash rapidly or
do not come on, a signal bulb may
be burned out.
Have the bulbs replaced. If the bulb
is not burned out, check the fuse.
For bulb replacement, see
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps,
and Back-Up Lamps on page 10‑37.
For a blown fuse or circuit breaker,
see
Fuses and Circuit Breakers on
page 10‑40.
Turn Signal On Chime
If a turn signal is left on for more
than 1.2 km (3/4 of a mile), a chime
will sound at each flash of the turn
signal and the message TURN
SIGNAL will also appear in the DIC.
To turn the chime and message off,
move the turn signal lever to the off
position.
See “TURN SIGNAL” underLamp
Messages on page 5‑25 for more
information.
Fog Lamps
The fog lamp button is located near
the exterior lamps control.
#: For vehicles with fog lamps,
press to turn the fog lamps on or off.
An indicator light will turn on in the
button when the fog lamps are on.
The parking lamps or low‐beam
headlamps must be on for the fog
lamps to work. The fog lamps will go
off whenever the high-beam
headlamps come on. When the high
beams go off, the fog lamps come
on again.
Some localities have laws that
require the headlamps to be on
along with the fog lamps.
Exterior Cargo Lamps
The cargo lamps (if equipped) can
be used if more light is needed in
the cargo area of the vehicle or in
the top-box storage units.

Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Infotainment System 7-15
If the surface of a CD is soiled, take
a soft, lint free cloth or dampen a
clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral
detergent solution mixed with water,
and clean it. Make sure the wiping
process starts from the center to
the edge.
Playing a CD
Insert a CD partway into the slot,
label side up. The player pulls it in,
and READING displays. The CD
should begin playing. To insert a CD
with the ignition off, first press the
Z(eject) button or the
DISPL knob.
If the ignition or radio is turned off
with a CD in the player it stays in
the player. When the ignition or
radio is turned on, the CD starts to
play where it stopped, if it was the
last selected audio source.
When the CD is inserted, the CD
symbol displays. As each new track
starts to play, the track number
displays. The CD player can play the smaller
8 cm (3 in) single CDs with an
adapter ring. Full-size CDs and the
smaller CDs are loaded in the same
manner.
3 REV (Fast Reverse):
Press and
hold to reverse quickly within a
track. Press and hold for less than
two seconds to reverse at 10 times
the normal playing speed. Press
and hold for more than two seconds
to reverse at 20 times the normal
playing speed. Release to play the
track.
4 FWD (Fast Forward): Press and
hold to advance quickly within a
track. Press and hold for less than
two seconds to advance at six times
the normal playing speed. Press
and hold for more than two seconds
to advance at 17 times the normal
playing speed. Release to play the
track.
6 RDM (Random): Press to hear
the tracks in random, rather than
sequential, order. RDM ON displays. RDM and the track number displays
when each track starts to play.
Press again to turn off random play.
RDM OFF displays.
qSEEKr:
Press the left arrow to
go to the start of the current or the
previous track. Press the right arrow
to go to the start of the next track.
Pressing either arrow for more than
two seconds scans the next tracks,
playing the first eight seconds of
each track until all of the tracks
have been previewed. Press either
arrow again to stop scanning and to
play the track.
qTUNEr: Turn to go to the
previous or next track.
DISPL (Display): Press to see how
long the current track has been
playing. ET and the elapsed time of
the track displays. To change the
default on the display (track or
elapsed time), press until you see
the desired display, then press and
hold for two seconds. The radio
beeps once. The selected display is
now the default.

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
7-18 Infotainment System
Playing an MP3/WMA
Insert a CD partway into the slot,
label side up. The player pulls it in,
and READING displays. The CD
should begin playing and the CD
symbol displays. If you want to
insert a CD with the ignition off,
first press the
Zbutton or the
DISPL knob.
If the ignition or radio is turned off
with a CD in the player it stays in
the player. When the ignition or
radio is turned on, the CD starts to
play where it stopped, if it was the
last selected audio source.
As each new track starts to play, the
track number displays.
1 FLD
x(Previous Folder): Press
this button to go to the first track in
the previous folder. Pressing this
button while in folder random mode
takes you to the previous folder and
plays the tracks in random order in
that folder. 2 FLD
w(Next Folder):
Press this
button to go to the first track in the
next folder. Pressing this button
while in folder random mode takes
the CD to the next folder and plays
the tracks in random order in that
folder.
3 REV (Reverse): Press and hold
this button to reverse quickly within
a track. Press and hold this button
for less than 2 seconds to reverse at
10 times the normal playing speed.
Press and hold it for more than
2 seconds to reverse at 20 times the
normal playing speed. Release this
button to play the track.
4 FWD (Forward): Press and hold
this button to advance quickly within
a track. Press and hold this button
for less than 2 seconds to advance
at 10 times the normal playing
speed. Press and hold it for more
than 2 seconds to advance at
20 times the normal playing speed.
Release this button to play the
track. 6 RDM (Random):
To play the
tracks in random order in the current
folder or playlist, press and release
this button. FLDR RDM (folder
random) displays. Once all of the
tracks in the current folder or playlist
have played, the system moves to
the next folder or playlist and plays
all of the tracks in random order.
To play all the tracks in random
order on the CD, press and hold
this button for 2 seconds. A beep
sounds and DISC RDM (disc
random) displays. This feature does
not work with playlists.
When in random, pressing and
releasing either SEEK arrow takes
the CD to the previous or to the next
random track.
Press and release this button again
to turn off random play. NO RDM
(no random) displays.
qSEEKr: Press the left SEEK
arrow to go to the start of the
previous track. Press the right
SEEK arrow to go to the start of the
next track. Pressing either SEEK

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
9-6 Driving and Operating
and by not overdriving those
conditions. But skids are always
possible.
The three types of skids correspond
to the vehicle's three control
systems. In the braking skid, the
wheels are not rolling. In the
steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes
tires to slip and lose cornering force.
And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
If the vehicle starts to slide, ease
your foot off the accelerator pedal
and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start
steering quickly enough, the vehicle
may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when
water, snow, ice, gravel, or other
material is on the road. For safety,
slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important toslow down on slippery surfaces
because stopping distance is longer
and vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with
reduced traction, try 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 might
not realize the surface is slippery
until the 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: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
Vehicles with four-wheel drive can
be used for off-road driving.
Vehicles without four-wheel drive
should not be driven off-road except
on a level, solid surface. The airbag system is designed to
work properly under a wide range of
conditions, including off‐road usage.
Always wear your safety belt and
observe safe driving speeds,
especially on rough terrain.
Drinking and driving can be very
dangerous on any road and this is
certainly true for off-road driving. At
the very time you need special
alertness and driving skills, your
reflexes, perceptions, and judgment
can be affected by even a small
amount of alcohol. You could have a
serious
—or even fatal —accident
if you drink and drive or ride with a
driver who has been drinking.
Off-roading can be great fun but has
some definite hazards. The greatest
of these is the terrain itself. When
off-road driving, traffic lanes are not
marked, curves are not banked, and
there are no road signs. Surfaces
can be slippery, rough, uphill,
or downhill.

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-9
Controlling the vehicle is the key to
successful off-road driving. One of
the best ways to control the vehicle
is to control the speed. At higher
speeds:
.You approach things faster and
have less time to react.
.There is less time to scan the
terrain for obstacles.
.The vehicle has more bounce
when driving over obstacles.
.More braking distance is
needed, especially on an
unpaved surface.
{WARNING
When you are driving off-road,
bouncing and quick changes in
direction can easily throw you out
of position. This could cause you
to lose control and crash. So,
whether you are driving on or
off the road, you and your
passengers should wear safety
belts.
Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over
many different kinds of terrain. Be
familiar with the terrain and its many
different features.
Surface Conditions:Off-roading
surfaces can be hard-packed dirt,
gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud,
snow, or ice. Each of these surfaces
affects the vehicle's steering,
acceleration, and braking in different
ways. Depending on the surface,
slipping, sliding, wheel spinning,
delayed acceleration, poor traction,
and longer braking distances can
occur.
Surface Obstacles: Unseen or
hidden obstacles can be hazardous.
A rock, log, hole, rut, or bump can
startle you if you are not prepared
for them. Often these obstacles are
hidden by grass, bushes, snow,
or even the rise and fall of the
terrain itself. Some things to consider:.Is the path ahead clear?
.Will the surface texture change
abruptly up ahead?
.Does the travel take you uphill or
downhill?
.Will you have to stop suddenly
or change direction quickly?
When driving over obstacles or
rough terrain, keep a firm grip on
the steering wheel. Ruts, troughs,
or other surface features can jerk
the wheel out of your hands.
When driving over bumps, rocks,
or other obstacles, the wheels can
leave the ground. If this happens,
even with one or two wheels, you
cannot control the vehicle as well or
at all.
Because you will be on an unpaved
surface, it is especially important to
avoid sudden acceleration, sudden
turns, or sudden braking.

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-11
Driving Uphill
Once you decide it is safe to drive
up the hill:
.Use a low gear and get a firm
grip on the steering wheel.
.Get a smooth start up the hill
and try to maintain speed. Not
using more power than needed
can avoid spinning the wheels or
sliding.
{WARNING
Turning or driving across steep
hills can be dangerous. You could
lose traction, slide sideways, and
possibly roll over. You could be
seriously injured or killed. When
driving up hills, always try to go
straight up.
.Try to drive straight up the hill if
at all possible. If the path twists
and turns, you might want to find
another route.
.Ease up on the speed as you
approach the top of the hill.
.Attach a flag to the vehicle to be
more visible to approaching
traffic on trails or hills.
.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 automatic
transmission to P (Park) or the
manual transmission to Neutral
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).