
Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
2011 Chevrolet Colorado Owner ManualM
Driving and Operating. . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-26
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-35
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-46
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-66 Vehicle Care
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-90
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . 10-95
Service and Maintenance . . . 11-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Scheduled Maintenance . . . . . . 11-2
Recommended Fluids,
Lubricants, and Parts . . . . . . . 11-6
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . 11-10 Technical Data
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Customer Information . . . . . . . 13-1
Customer Information . . . . . . . . 13-1
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . 13-14
Vehicle Data Recording and
Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-16
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1

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
In Brief 1-1
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-3
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Heated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . 1-7
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8 Sensing System for Passenger
Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 1-11
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Vehicle Features
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Performance and Maintenance
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . 1-16
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 1-17
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18

Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
1-12 In Brief
Climate Controls
A. Temperature Control
B. Fan Control
C. Air Delivery Mode ControlD. Air Conditioning
E. Air Recirculation
See
Climate Control Systems on
page 8‑1.
Four-Wheel Drive
Four-wheel drive sends engine
power to all four wheels for extra
traction.
The transfer case buttons are
located to the right of the steering
wheel on the instrument panel.
Use these buttons to shift into and
out of four-wheel drive.
2
m(Two-Wheel High): Use for
driving in most street and highway
situations.

Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-17
indicator that the tire pressures are
getting low and the tires need to be
inflated to the proper pressure.
The TPMS does not replace normal
monthly tire maintenance. It is the
driver’s responsibility to maintain
correct tire pressures.
See Tire Pressure Monitor System
on page 10‑55.
Engine Oil Life System
The engine oil life system calculates
engine oil life based on vehicle use
and displays a DIC message when
it is necessary to change the engine
oil and filter.
Resetting the Oil Life System
1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN,
with the engine off.
2. Press and release the stem in the lower center of the
instrument cluster until the OIL
LIFE message is displayed. 3. Once the alternating OIL LIFE
and RESET messages appear,
press and hold the stem until
several beeps sound. This
confirms that the oil life system
has been reset.
4. Turn the key to LOCK/OFF.
See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑12.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving
tips to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Roadside Assistance
Program
U.S.: 1-800-243-8872
TTY Users (U.S.): 1-888-889-2438
Canada: 1-800-268-6800
Mexico: 01-800-466-0800
As the owner of a new Chevrolet,
you are automatically enrolled in the
Roadside Assistance program.

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Keys, Doors and Windows 2-9
3. Slide the lower end fitting ontothe top bolt. The tailgate will now
stay in the partially opened
position.
4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 for the driver side.
If you would like to close the
tailgate, the bracket cannot be in the
partially opened position. Use the
top position on the bracket to
anchor it on the bottom bolt.Vehicle Security
This vehicle has theft-deterrent
features; however, they do not make
it impossible to steal.
Anti-Theft Alarm System
If your vehicle has the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) system, the
vehicle has a content theft-deterrent
alarm system.
To activate the content
theft-deterrent system:
1. Close all the doors.
2. Lock the doors with the RKE transmitter. The security light,
located on the instrument panel
cluster, will flash. If the LOCK button on the RKE
transmitter is pressed, but a door is
open, the horn will chirp six times.
Press the LOCK button again, within
three seconds, and the doors will
lock. Close the open door and the
system will be activated.
If a locked door is not opened using
the RKE transmitter, or by OnStar
®,
the pre-alarm will go off. If the
engine is not started or UNLOCK
not pressed within 10 seconds, the
front turn signal lamps will flash for
two minutes, and the horn will sound
for two minutes, then will turn off to
save the battery power.
Remember, the theft-deterrent
system will not activate if you lock
the doors with a key, the manual
door lock, or power door lock
switch. The system can only be
activated using the RKE transmitter,
or by OnStar
®. See the OnStar
Owner's Guide for additional
information. You should also
remember that you can start your
vehicle with the correct ignition key
if the alarm has been set off.

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
2-10 Keys, Doors and Windows
Here is how to avoid setting off the
alarm by accident:
.If you do not want to activate the
theft-deterrent system, the
vehicle should be locked with
the door key after the doors are
closed.
.Always unlock a door with the
RKE transmitter. Unlocking a
door any other way will set off
the alarm.
If you set off the alarm by accident,
you can turn off the alarm by
pressing UNLOCK on the RKE
transmitter. The alarm will not stop if
you try to unlock a door any
other way.
Testing the Alarm
To test the alarm:
1. From inside the vehicle, activate the system by locking the doors
with the RKE transmitter.
2. Unlock the door with the manual door lock and open the door.
This should set off the alarm. 3. To turn the alarm off, press the
UNLOCK button on the RKE
transmitter or start the engine.
If the alarm does not sound when it
should but the lights flash, check to
see if the horn works. The horn fuse
may be blown. To replace the fuse,
see Fuses and Circuit Breakers on
page 10‑40.
If the alarm does not sound or the
front turn signal lamps do not flash,
see your dealer for service.
Immobilizer
See Radio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑17 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-210/220/310.
Immobilizer Operation
(PASS-Key III+
Canada Only)
This vehicle has a passive
theft-deterrent system.
The system is automatically armed
when the key is removed from the
ignition.
The system is automatically
disarmed when the key is turned to
ON/RUN.
You do not have to manually arm or
disarm the system.
The security light comes on if there
is a problem with arming or
disarming the theft-deterrent
system.
The key uses a transponder that
matches an immobilizer control unit
in the vehicle. Only the correct key
starts the vehicle. If the key is ever
damaged, the vehicle may not start.
When trying to start the vehicle,
if the engine does not start and the
security light comes on, there may

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Keys, Doors and Windows 2-11
be a problem with the theft-deterrent
system. Turn the ignition off and try
again.
If the engine still does not start, and
the key appears to be undamaged,
try another ignition key. Check the
fuse. SeeFuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 10‑40. If the
engine still does not start with the
other key, the vehicle needs service.
If the vehicle does start, the first key
may be faulty. See your dealer who
can service the theft-deterrent
system and have a new key made.
It is possible for the theft-deterrent
system decoder to learn the
transponder value of a new or
replacement key. Up to 10 keys can
be programmed for the vehicle. The
following procedure is for
programming additional keys only.
Canadian Owners: If the keys are
lost or damaged, only a dealer can
service the theft-deterrent system to
have new ones made. Two current
driver's keys are required to
program additional keys. To program a new key:
1. Verify that the new key has
PK3+ stamped on it.
2. Insert the current driver's key in the ignition and start the engine.
If the engine does not start see
your dealer for service.
3. After the engine has started, turn the key to LOCK/OFF, and
remove the key.
4. Insert the second current driver's key in the ignition and start the
engine within ten seconds of
removing the previous key. If the
engine does not start see your
dealer for service.
5. After the engine has started, turn the key to LOCK/OFF, and
remove the key. Insert the key to
be programmed and turn it to
ON/RUN within ten seconds of
removing the previous key.
The security light turns off once
the key has been programmed. 6. Repeat Steps 1 through 5 if
additional keys are to be
programmed.
If the security light comes on and
stays on while driving, the engine
will restart if you turn it off. However,
the theft-deterrent system is not
working properly and must be
serviced by your dealer. The vehicle
is not protected by the
theft-deterrent system at this time.
In an emergency, contact Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside
Assistance Program (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑7 orRoadside
Assistance Program (Mexico) on
page 13‑9.
Do not leave the key or device that
disarms or deactivates the theft
deterrent system in the vehicle.