Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
2011 Chevrolet Silverado Owner ManualM
Vehicle Care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-96
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-101
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . 10-106
Service and Maintenance . . . 11-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Scheduled Maintenance . . . . . . 11-2
Recommended Fluids,
Lubricants, and Parts . . . . . . . 11-8
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . 11-12 Technical Data
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Customer Information . . . . . . . 13-1
Customer Information . . . . . . . . 13-1
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . 13-15
Vehicle Data Recording and
Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-16
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1
Black plate (35,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-35
.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: 1-888-889-2438
Canada: 1-800-268-6800
As the owner of a new Chevrolet,
you are automatically enrolled in
the Roadside Assistance program.
This program provides technically
trained advisors who are available
24 hours a day, 365 days a year,
to give minor repair information or
make towing arrangements.
For more information see Roadside
Assistance Program on page 13‑7. Roadside Assistance and OnStar
If you have a current OnStar
subscription, press the OnStar
button and the current GPS location
will be sent to an OnStar advisor
who will assess your problem,
contact Roadside Assistance,
and relay your exact location
to get the help you need.
Online Owner Center
The Online Owner Center is a
complimentary service that includes
online service reminders, vehicle
maintenance tips, online owner
manual, special privileges,
and more.
Sign up today at:
www.chevyownercenter.com
(U.S.) or
www.gm.ca (Canada).
OnStar®
For vehicles with an active OnStar
subscription, OnStar uses several
innovative technologies and live
advisors to provide a wide range
of safety, security, navigation,
diagnostics, and calling services.
Automatic Crash Response
In a crash, built‐in sensors can
automatically alert an OnStar
advisor who is immediately
connected to the vehicle to
see if you need help.
Black plate (50,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
3-50 Seats and Restraints
Airbag System Check
The airbag system does not need
regularly scheduled maintenance
or replacement. Make sure the
airbag readiness light is working.
SeeAirbag Readiness Light
on
page 5‑22for more information.
Notice: If an airbag covering is
damaged, opened, or broken, the
airbag may not work properly.
Do not open or break the airbag
coverings. If there are any
opened or broken airbag covers,
have the airbag covering and/or
airbag module replaced. For the
location of the airbag modules,
see What Makes an Airbag
Inflate?
on page 3‑36. See your
dealer for service.
Replacing Airbag System
Parts After a Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the
airbag systems in your vehicle.
A damaged airbag system
may not work properly and
may not protect you and your
passenger(s) in a crash, resulting
in serious injury or even death.
To help make sure your airbag
systems are working properly
after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon
as possible. If an airbag inflates, you will need
to replace airbag system parts.
See your dealer for service.
If the airbag readiness light stays on
after the vehicle is started or comes
on when you are driving, the airbag
system may not work properly. Have
the vehicle serviced right away.
See
Airbag Readiness Light
on
page 5‑22for more information.
Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-19
Oil pressure can vary with engine
speed, outside temperature and
oil viscosity, but if readings are
outside the normal operating range,
the oil pressure light comes on.
SeeEngine Oil Pressure Light
on
page 5‑32for more information.
A reading outside the normal
operating range can be caused
by a dangerously low oil level or
some other problem causing low
oil pressure. Check the vehicle's
oil as soon as possible. See “OIL
PRESSURE LOW STOP ENGINE”
under Engine Oil Messages
on
page 5‑47and Engine Oilon
page 10‑7.
{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.
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel supplement
for more information.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see
the hybrid supplement for more
information.
Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge
Metric
Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
5-32 Instruments and Controls
The light flashes if the system is
active and is working to assist the
driver with directional control of the
vehicle in difficult driving conditions.
SeeStabiliTrak
®Systemon
page 9‑70for more information.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.
Tire Pressure Light
For vehicles with a Tire Pressure
Monitor System, this light comes on
briefly when the engine is started.
It provides information about tire
pressures and the Tire Pressure
Monitor System. 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 5‑51for 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 10‑63for more information.
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 10‑67for
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.
Black plate (47,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-47
Engine Oil Messages
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
This message displays when the
engine oil needs to be changed.
When you change the engine oil,
be sure to reset the CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message.
SeeEngine Oil Life System
on
page 10‑9for information on how
to reset the message. See Engine
Oil
on page 10‑7and Scheduled
Maintenanceon page 11‑2for
more information.
ENGINE OIL HOT IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays when the
engine oil becomes hotter than the
normal operating temperature. Stop
and allow the vehicle to idle until it
cools down. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge
on page 5‑19.
OIL PRESSURE LOW STOP
ENGINE
Notice: If you drive the vehicle
while the engine oil pressure
is low, severe engine damage
may occur. If a low oil pressure
warning appears on the Driver
Information Center (DIC), stop
the vehicle as soon as possible.
Do not drive the vehicle until the
cause of the low oil pressure is
corrected. See Engine Oil
on
page 10‑7for more information.
This message displays if low oil
pressure levels occur. Stop the
vehicle as soon as safely possible
and do not operate it until the cause
of the low oil pressure has been
corrected. Check the oil as soon
as possible and have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑7.
Engine Power Messages
ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
This message displays and a
chime may sound when the cooling
system temperature gets too hot
and the engine further enters the
engine coolant protection mode.
See Engine Overheating
on
page 10‑24for more information.
This message also 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.
Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
9-18 Driving and Operating
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that
has collected on the underbody,
chassis, or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand,
have the brake linings cleaned and
checked. These substances can
cause glazing and uneven braking.
Check the body structure, steering,
suspension, wheels, tires, and
exhaust system for damage and
check the fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
The vehicle requires more frequent
service due to off-road use. Refer
to the Maintenance Schedule for
additional information.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep‐standing or flowing water.
{WARNING
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in
a quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause your
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under your vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road
is wet enough and you are going
fast enough. When your vehicle
is hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
Black plate (94,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
9-94 Driving and Operating
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer isclear of the chocks.
7. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance when Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See this
manual's Maintenance Schedule or
Index for more information. Things
that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system, and
brake system. It is a good idea to
inspect these before and during
the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Trailer Towing
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel supplement
for more information.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see
the hybrid supplement for more
information. Do not tow a trailer during break‐in.
See
New Vehicle Break-In
on
page 9‑32for more information.
{WARNING
The driver can lose control when
pulling a trailer if the correct
equipment is not used or the
vehicle is not driven properly.
For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work
well or even at all. The driver and
passengers could be seriously
injured. The vehicle may also be
damaged; the resulting repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Pull a trailer
only if all the steps in this section
have been followed. Ask your
dealer for advice and information
about towing a trailer with the
vehicle.