2011 CHEVROLET COLORADO coolant

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Introduction v
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the Index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
g:Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar®
$: Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.: Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j: LATCH System Child
Restraints
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
d:Traction Control
M:Windshield Washer Fluid

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-1
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 5-2
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . 5-2
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Chime Level Adjustment . . . . . . 5-6
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8 Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 5-9
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . 5-10
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Charging System Light . . . . . . 5-12
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Up-Shift Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak®Light . . . . 5-17
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 5-18
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Battery Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Brake System Messages . . . . 5-23
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . 5-24
Engine Power Messages . . . . 5-24
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . 5-25
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Service Vehicle Messages . . . 5-26
Tire Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Transmission Messages . . . . . 5-26

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 (24,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
5-24 Instruments and Controls
Door Ajar Messages
DOORS
This message displays when one or
more of the doors is ajar. Check all
the doors on your vehicle to make
sure they are closed. The message
clears from the display after all of
the doors are closed.
Engine Cooling System
Messages
AC (Air Conditioning) OFF
This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is too
high and the air conditioning in your
vehicle needs to be turned off. See
Engine Overheating on page 10‑23
andClimate Control Systems on
page 8‑1 for more information. This
message displays along with the
ENG HOT message.
ENG (Engine) HOT
This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is hot.
Check the engine coolant
temperature gauge. See Engine
Coolant Temperature Gauge on
page 5‑9. Have your vehicle
serviced by your dealer as soon as
possible if you suspect the engine is
overheating. See Engine
Overheating on page 10‑23 for more
information.
Engine Oil Messages
CHANGE OIL
This message displays when the oil
needs to be changed. Check the oil
in your vehicle as soon as possible
and have your vehicle serviced by
your dealer. See Engine Oil on
page 10‑9 andScheduled
Maintenance on page 11‑2 for more
information. Press and release the
reset stem to acknowledge the
message and clear it from the
display.
OIL
This message displays when the oil
pressure is low. See Engine Oil
Pressure Light on page 5‑18 and
Engine Oil on page 10‑9 for more
information.
Engine Power Messages
REDUCED POWER
This message displays when the
vehicle's engine power is reduced.
Reduced engine power can affect
the vehicle's ability to accelerate.
If this message is on, but there
is no reduction in performance,
proceed to your destination. The
performance may be reduced the
next time the vehicle is driven. The
vehicle may be driven at a reduced
speed while this message is on, but
acceleration and speed may be
reduced. Anytime this message
stays on, the vehicle should be
taken to your dealer for service as
soon as possible. Press and release

Black plate (29,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-29
engine begins cranking, the
engine will continue cranking for
a few seconds or until the
vehicle starts. If the engine does
not start and the key is held in
START for many seconds,
cranking will be stopped after
15 seconds to prevent cranking
motor damage. To prevent gear
damage, this system also
prevents cranking if the engine
is already running. Engine
cranking can be stopped by
turning the ignition switch to
ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF.
Notice: Cranking the engine for
long periods of time, by returning
the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after 5‐10 seconds, especially in very
cold weather (below 0°F or −18°C), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline. Push the
accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and holding it there as
you hold the key in START for a
maximum of 15 seconds. Wait at
least 15 seconds between each
try, to allow the cranking motor
to cool. When the engine starts,
let go of the key and accelerator.
If the vehicle starts briefly but
then stops again, repeat the
procedure. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it. Operate the
engine and transmission gently
until the oil warms up and
lubricates all moving parts.
Notice: The engine is designed to
work with the electronics in the
vehicle. If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates.
Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your
dealer. If you do not, the engine might not perform properly. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Engine Heater
The engine coolant heater can
provide easier starting and better
fuel economy during engine
warm-up in cold weather conditions
at or below
−18°C (0°F). Vehicles
with an engine coolant heater
should be plugged in at least
four hours before starting. An
internal thermostat in the plug-end
of the cord may exist which will
prevent engine coolant heater
operation at temperatures above
−18°C (0°F).
To Use the Engine Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The cord is
located in the engine
compartment behind the
underhood fuse block on the
driver side of the vehicle.

Black plate (58,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
9-58 Driving and Operating
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid situations
that require heavy braking and
sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. Because the
rig is longer, it is necessary to go
much farther beyond the passed
vehicle before returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. Then, to move
the trailer to the left, move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
The arrows on the instrument panel
flash whenever signaling a turn or
lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps also flash, telling
other drivers the vehicle is turning,
changing lanes or stopping.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on
the instrument panel flash for turns
even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. For this reason you may think other drivers are seeing the
signal when they are not. It is
important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear
before starting down a long
or steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, the
brakes might have to be used so
much that they would get hot and no
longer work well.
Vehicles with automatic
transmissions can tow in D (Drive),
but you may want to shift to a lower
gear selection if the transmission
shifts too often (e.g., under heavy
loads and/or hilly conditions). If the
vehicle has a manual transmission it
is better not to use the highest gear.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: Engine coolant will boil at
a lower temperature than at normal
altitudes. If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Proposition 65Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-12 Automatic Transmission
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-17
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-23
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-25
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-32
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33 Ignition Transmission Lock
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-33
Wiper Blade
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Front Turn Signal, Parking,and Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) . . . . . . . 10-38
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-39
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-39

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-7
A. Windshield Washer Fluid. See“Adding Washer Fluid” under
Washer Fluid on page 10‑26.
B. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank. See Engine Coolant on
page 10‑19.
C. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑17.
D. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (low in engine compartment).
See Power Steering Fluid on
page 10‑25. E. Automatic Transmission Fluid
Dipstick (If Equipped). See
“Checking the Fluid Level”
under Automatic Transmission
Fluid on page 10‑13.
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑9.
G. Radiator Pressure Cap. See Cooling System on page 10‑18.
H. Remote Negative (−) Terminal (GND). See Jump Starting on
page 10‑86. I. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
“Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑9.
J. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting on
page 10‑86.
K. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid on page 10‑28.
L. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑41.
M. Battery on page 10‑30.
N. Hydraulic Clutch Fluid Reservoir (If Equipped). See Hydraulic
Clutch on page 10‑17.