2011 CHEVROLET COLORADO ignition

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
5-6 Instruments and Controls
Ashtrays
The vehicle may have a removable
ashtray and cigarette lighter.
The ashtray is located in the center
console area. The ashtray can be
removed for cleaning. When the
ashtray is removed, this area can
also be used as a cupholder.
Notice:If papers, pins, or other
flammable items are put in the
ashtray, hot cigarettes or other
smoking materials could ignite
them and possibly damage the
vehicle. Never put flammable
items in the ashtray.
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
could be a problem with a vehicle
function. Some warning lights come
on briefly when the engine is started
to indicate they are working.
Gauges can indicate when there
could be a problem with a vehicle
function. 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 may 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.Chime Level Adjustment
The radio is used to adjust the
vehicle's chime level. To change the
volume level of the chime, press
and hold pushbutton 6 with the
ignition on and the radio power off.
The volume level will change from
the normal level to loud, and LOUD
will appear on the radio display. To
change back to the default or
normal setting, press and hold
pushbutton 6 again. The volume
level will change from the loud level
to normal, and NORMAL will appear
on the radio display. Each time the
chime volume is changed, three
chimes will sound to indicate the
new volume selected. Removing the
radio and not replacing it with a
factory radio or chime module will
disable vehicle chimes.

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
5-8 Instruments and Controls
Speedometer
The speedometer shows the speed
in both miles per hour (mph) and
kilometers per hour (km/h).
Odometer
The odometer shows how far the
vehicle has been driven, in either
miles (used in the United States) or
kilometers (used in Canada).
The odometer mileage can be
checked without the vehicle running
by pressing the trip information
stem. See“Odometer” underDriver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑19 for more information.
If the cluster is replaced the new
one will automatically detect and
update the vehicle's accumulated
mileage.
Trip Odometer
The vehicle has a trip odometer that
indicates how far the vehicle has
been driven since the trip odometer
was last set to zero.
See “Trip Odometer” underDriver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑19 for more information.
Tachometer
The tachometer displays the engine
speed in revolutions per
minute (rpm).
Notice:If the engine is operated
with the tachometer in the shaded
warning area, the vehicle could
be damaged, and the damages
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Do not operate
the engine with the tachometer in
the shaded warning area.
Fuel Gauge
When the ignition is on, the fuel
gauge shows how much fuel the
vehicle has remaining in the
fuel tank.
An arrow on the fuel gauge
indicates the side of the vehicle the
fuel door is on.

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-9
Here are four things that some
owners ask about. None of these
indicate a problem with the vehicle's
fuel gauge:
.At the gas station, the gas pump
shuts off before the gauge
reads full.
.It takes a little more or less fuel
to fill up than the gauge
indicated. For example, the
gauge may have indicated the
tank was half full, but it actually
took a little more or less than
half the tank's capacity to fill
the tank.
.The gauge moves a little while
turning a corner or speeding up.
.The gauge does not go back to
empty when the ignition is
turned off.
When the fuel in the fuel tank is low,
a LOW FUEL message will display
on the Driver Information
Center (DIC). See Fuel System
Messages on page 5‑25 for more
information.
Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge
This gauge shows the engine
coolant temperature.
If the gauge pointer is near the top
of the gauge, the engine is too hot.
It means that the engine coolant has
overheated. If the vehicle has been
operating under normal driving
conditions, pull the vehicle off the
road, stop the vehicle and turn off
the engine as soon as possible. See
Engine Overheating on
page 10‑23 for more information.
Safety Belt Reminders
Driver Safety Belt Reminder
Light
When the engine is started, a chime
sounds for several seconds to
remind a driver to fasten the safety
belt, unless the driver safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light comes on and
stays on for several seconds, then
flashes for several more.
This chime and light are repeated if
the driver remains unbuckled and
the vehicle is in motion. If the driver

Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
5-12 Instruments and Controls
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. SeeAirbag Readiness
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Light on page 5‑10 for more
information, including important
safety information.
Charging System Light
This light comes on briefly when the
ignition key is turned to START, but
the engine is not running, as a
check to show it is working.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer.
The light should go out once the
engine starts. If it stays on,
or comes on while driving, there
could be a problem with the
charging system. A charging system
message in the Driver Information Center (DIC) can also appear. See
Battery Voltage and Charging
Messages on page 5‑23
for more
information. This light could indicate
that there are problems with a
generator drive belt, or that there is
an electrical problem. Have it
checked right away. If the vehicle
must be driven a short distance with
the light on, turn off accessories,
such as the radio and air
conditioner.
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp
A computer system called OBD II
(On-Board Diagnostics-Second
Generation) monitors operation of
the fuel, ignition, and emission
control systems. It ensures that
emissions are at acceptable levels
for the life of the vehicle, helping to
produce a cleaner environment.

Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-13
This light should come on when the
ignition is on, but the engine is not
running, as a check to show it is
working. If it does not, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the Malfunction Indicator Lamp
comes on and stays on while the
engine is running, this indicates that
there is an OBD II problem and
service is required.
Malfunctions often are indicated by
the system before any problem is
apparent. Being aware of the light
can prevent more serious damage
to the vehicle. This system assists
the service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.Notice:
If the vehicle is
continually driven with this light
on, after a while, the emission
controls might not work as well,
the vehicle fuel economy might
not be as good, and the engine
might not run as smoothly. This
could lead to costly repairs that
might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Notice: Modifications made to the
engine, transmission, exhaust,
intake, or fuel system of the
vehicle or the replacement of the
original tires with other than
those of the same Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) can
affect the vehicle's emission
controls and can cause this light
to come on. Modifications to
these systems could lead to
costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. This could also
result in a failure to pass a
required Emission Inspection/
Maintenance test. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10‑4. This light comes on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing:
A misfire condition
has been detected. A misfire
increases vehicle emissions and
could damage the emission control
system on the vehicle. Diagnosis
and service might be required.
To prevent more serious damage to
the vehicle:
.Reduce vehicle speed.
.Avoid hard accelerations.
.Avoid steep uphill grades.
.If towing a trailer, reduce the
amount of cargo being hauled as
soon as it is possible.
If the light continues to flash, when
it is safe to do so, stop the vehicle.
Find a safe place to park the
vehicle. Turn the vehicle off, wait at
least 10 seconds, and restart the
engine. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps and see
your dealer for service as soon as
possible.

Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-15
The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
.The malfunction indicator lamp is
on with the engine running, or if
the light does not come on when
the ignition is turned to ON/RUN
while the engine is off.
.The critical emission control
systems have not been
completely diagnosed by the
system. This can happen if the
battery has recently been
replaced or if the battery has run
down. The diagnostic system
evaluates critical emission
control systems during normal
driving. This can take
several days of routine driving.
If this has been done and the
vehicle still does not pass the
inspection, your dealer can
prepare the vehicle for
inspection.
Brake System Warning
Light
The vehicle brake system consists
of two hydraulic circuits. If one
circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the
vehicle. For normal braking
performance, both circuits need to
be working
If the warning light comes on, there
could be a brake problem. Have the
brake system inspected right away.
EnglishMetric
This light comes on briefly when the
ignition key is turned to ON/RUN.
If it does not, have it fixed so it will
be ready to warn if there is a
problem.
When the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light comes on
when the parking brake is set. See
Parking Brake on page 9‑44 for
more information. The light stays on
if the parking brake does not
release fully. If it stays on after the
parking brake is fully released, it
means there is a brake problem.

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 (18,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
5-18 Instruments and Controls
When the Light Flashes First and
Then is On Steady
This indicates that there may be a
problem with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System. The light flashes
for about a minute and stays on
steady for the remainder of the
ignition cycle. This sequence
repeats with every ignition cycle.
SeeTire Pressure Monitor
Operation on page 10‑56 for more
information.Engine Oil Pressure Light
{WARNING
Do not keep driving if the oil
pressure is low. The engine can
become so hot that it catches fire.
Someone could be burned. Check
the oil as soon as possible and
have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always follow the maintenance
schedule for changing engine oil. This 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.
If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and it might
have some other system problem.
Security Light
For information regarding this light
and the vehicle's security system,
see
Anti-Theft Alarm System on
page 2‑9.