2011 CHEVROLET SILVERADO wheel

Black plate (72,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
9-72 Driving and Operating
It is recommended to leave the
system on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn the system off if the vehicle
is stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow,
and you want to“rock”the vehicle
to attempt to free it. It may also be
necessary to turn off the system
when driving in extreme off-road
conditions where high wheel spin is
required. See If the Vehicle is Stuck
on page 9‑22.
When the transfer case is in 4LO,
the stability system is automatically
disabled, the StabiliTrak light comes
on, and the STABILITRAK OFF
message will appear on the DIC.
Both traction control and StabiliTrak
are automatically disabled in this
condition.
Traction Control Operation
The traction control system is part
of the StabiliTrak system. Traction
control limits wheel spin by reducing
engine power to the wheels (engine
speed management) and by
applying brakes to each individual
wheel (brake-traction control) as
necessary.
The traction control system is
enabled automatically when the
vehicle is started. It will activate
and the StabiliTrak light will flash
if it senses that any of the wheels
are spinning or beginning to lose
traction while driving. If traction
control is turned off, only the
brake-traction control portion
of traction control will work.
The engine speed management will
be disabled. In this mode, engine
power is not reduced automatically
and the driven wheels can spin
more freely. This can cause the
brake-traction control to activate
constantly. Notice:
If the wheel(s) of one axle
is allowed to spin excessively
while the StabiliTrak®, ABS, brake
warning lights, and any relevant
DIC messages are displayed, the
transfer case could be damaged.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Reduce
engine power and do not spin the
wheel(s) excessively while these
lights and messages are
displayed.
The traction control system may
activate on dry or rough roads or
under conditions such as heavy
acceleration while turning or
abrupt upshifts/downshifts of the
transmission. When this happens,
a reduction in acceleration may be
noticed, or a noise or vibration may
be heard. This is normal.
If cruise control is being used when
the system activates, the StabiliTrak
light will flash and cruise control will
automatically disengage. Cruise
control may be reengaged when
road conditions allow. See Cruise
Control on page 9‑73.

Black plate (73,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-73
StabiliTrak may also turn off
automatically if it determines that
a problem exists with the system.
If the problem does not clear itself
after restarting the vehicle, see your
dealer for service.
2500 and 3500 series vehicles with
StabiliTrak have a Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) feature. SeeTrailer
Sway Control (TSC) on page 9‑123.
2500 and 3500 series vehicles with
StabiliTrak have a Hill Start Assist
(HSA) feature. See Hill Start Assist
(HSA) on page 9‑70.
Adding non‐dealer accessories can
affect the vehicle's performance.
See Accessories and Modifications
on page 10‑3.
Locking Rear Axle
Vehicles with a locking rear axle can
give more traction on snow, mud,
ice, sand, or gravel. It works like a
standard axle most of the time, but
when traction is low, this feature will
allow the rear wheel with the most
traction to move the vehicle.
Cruise Control
{WARNING
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. So, do not use
the cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
For vehicles with cruise control, a
speed of about 40 km/h (25 mph)
or more can be maintained
without keeping your foot on the
accelerator. Cruise control does
not work at speeds below about
40 km/h (25 mph). When the brakes are applied, cruise
control is turned off.
For vehicles with an Allison or
Hydra‐Matic 6‐speed automatic
transmission, see
“Grade Braking
and Cruise Grade Braking (Allison
Transmission) under Tow/Haul
Mode
on page 9‑49for an
explanation of how cruise control
interacts with the Range Selection
Mode, tow/haul and grade braking
systems.
For vehicles with the StabiliTrak
system that begins to limit wheel
spin while you are using cruise
control, the cruise control will
automatically disengage. See
StabiliTrak
®Systemon page 9‑70.
When road conditions allow the
cruise control to be safely used
again, it can be turned back on.

Black plate (74,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
9-74 Driving and Operating
The cruise control buttons are
located on the left side of the
steering wheel.
I(On/Off):Press to turn the
system on or off. The indicator light
is on when cruise control is on and
turns off when cruise control is off.
+ RES (Resume/Accelerate):
Press briefly to resume to a
previously set speed, or press and
hold to accelerate.
SET −(Set/Coast): Press to set
the speed and activate cruise
control or make the vehicle
decelerate.
[(Cancel): Press to disengage
cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
The cruise control light on the
instrument panel cluster will come
on after the cruise control has been
set to the desired speed.
{WARNING
If you leave your cruise control on
when you are not using cruise,
you might hit a button and go into
cruise when you do not want to.
You could be startled and even
lose control. Keep the cruise
control switch off until you want
to use cruise control.
1. Press
I.
2. Get up to the desired speed. 3. Press the SET−
button located
on the steering wheel and
release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator.
Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a
desired speed and then the brakes
are applied, the cruise control is
disengaged without erasing the
set speed from memory.
Once the vehicle speed reaches
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more,
press the +RES button on the
steering wheel. The vehicle returns
to the previous set speed and stays
there.

Black plate (75,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-75
Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated,
.Press and hold the +RES button
on the steering wheel until the
desired speed is reached, then
release it.
.To increase vehicle speed in
small amounts, press the +RES
button. Each time this is done,
the vehicle goes about 1.6 km/h
(1 mph) faster.
Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated,
.Press and hold the SET– button
on the steering wheel until the
desired lower speed is reached,
then release it.
.To slow down in small amounts,
press the SET– button on the
steering wheel briefly. Each time
this is done, the vehicle goes
about 1.6 km/h (1 mph) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed.
When you take your foot off the
pedal, the vehicle will slow down
to the previous set cruise speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control will work
on hills depends upon the vehicle
speed, load, and the steepness of
the hills. While going up steep hills,
you might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain the
vehicle speed. While going downhill,
you might have to brake or shift to
a lower gear to keep the vehicle
speed down. When the brakes
are applied the cruise control is
disengaged. Ending Cruise Control
There are three ways to end cruise
control:
.To disengage cruise control;
step lightly on the brake pedal.
.Press[on the steering wheel.
.To turn off the cruise control,
press
Ion the steering wheel.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory by pressing
the
Ibutton or if the ignition is
turned off.

Black plate (92,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
9-92 Driving and Operating
Passing
More passing distance is
needed when towing a trailer.
The combination will not accelerate
as quickly and is longer so 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. 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.
If the trailer turn signal bulbs burn
out, the arrows on the instrument
panel will still flash for turns. 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 beforestarting down
a long or steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down,
the brakes might get hot and no
longer work well.
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift
the transmission to a lower gear if
the transmission shifts too often
under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
The Tow/Haul Mode may be used
if the transmission shifts too often.
See Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑49.
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 altitude on steep uphill
grades, the vehicle may show
signs similar to engine overheating.

Black plate (93,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-93
To avoid this, let the engine
run while parked, preferably on
level ground, with the automatic
transmission in P (Park) for a few
minutes before turning the engine
off. If the overheat warning comes
on, seeEngine Overheating
on
page 10‑24.
Parking on Hills
{WARNING
Parking the vehicle on a hill
with the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface. If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do
not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if facing
downhill or into traffic if facing
uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes
until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park).
5. If the vehicle is four-wheel-drive, be sure the transfer case is in a
drive gear and not in N (Neutral).
6. Release the brake pedal.
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle
can roll.
If the engine has been left
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when on fairly
level ground, use the steps that
follow.
Always put the shift lever fully in
P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set.
If the transfer case on a
four-wheel-drive vehicle is in
N (Neutral), the vehicle will be
free to roll, even if the shift lever
is in P (Park). Be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear —not in
N (Neutral).

Black plate (95,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-95
Notice:Pulling a trailer
improperly can damage the
vehicle and result in costly
repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. To pull a trailer
correctly, follow the advice in this
section and see your dealer for
important information about
towing a trailer with the vehicle.
To identify the trailering capacity of
the vehicle, read the information in
“Weight of the Trailer” later in this
section.
Trailering is different than just
driving the vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in
handling, acceleration, braking,
durability, and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering takes
correct equipment, and it has to
be used properly. The following information has many
time-tested, important trailering tips
and safety rules. Many of these are
important for your safety and that of
your passengers. So please read
this section carefully before pulling
a trailer.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how the rig is used.
Speed, altitude, road grades,
outside temperature, and how much
the vehicle is used to pull a trailer
are all important. It can depend
on any special equipment on the
vehicle, and the amount of tongue
weight the vehicle can carry. See
“Weight of the Trailer Tongue”
later
in this section for more information. Trailer weight rating (TWR) is
calculated assuming the tow vehicle
has only the driver but all required
trailering equipment. Weight of
additional optional equipment,
passengers, and cargo in the tow
vehicle must be subtracted from
the trailer weight rating.
Use the following chart to determine
how much the vehicle can weigh,
based upon the vehicle model and
options.
Weights listed apply for
conventional trailers and fifth-wheel
trailers unless otherwise noted.

Black plate (96,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
9-96 Driving and Operating
VehicleAxle Ratio Maximum Trailer Weight GCWR (a)
1500 Series 2WD Regular Cab Standard Box (b) 4.3L V6 (c) 3.232 177 kg (4,800 lbs) 4 309 kg (9,500 lbs)
4.3L V6 —With Automatic
Transmission (c) 3.73
2 449 kg (5,400 lbs) 4 536 kg (10,000 lbs)
4.3L V6 —With Manual
Transmission (c) 3.73
1 860 kg (4,100 lbs) 3 938 kg (8,683 lbs)
4.8L V8 (c) 3.232 132 kg (4,700 lbs) 4 309 kg (9,500 lbs)
4.8L V8 3.733 266 kg (7,200 lbs) 5 443 kg (12,000 lbs)
5.3L LMG V8 3.082 994 kg (6,600 lbs) 5 216 kg (11,500 lbs)
5.3L LMG V8, K5L HD
Cooling Pkg 3.08
3 357 kg (7,400 lbs) 5 534 kg (12,200 lbs)
5.3L LMG V8 K5L HD Cooling Pkg 3.42 4 128 kg (9,100 lbs) 6 350 kg (14,000 lbs)
5.3L LMG V8 K5L HD Cooling Pkg
Conventional Trailer 3.42
4 128 kg (9,100 lbs) 6 350 kg (14,000 lbs)
5.3L LMG V8 K5L HD Cooling Pkg
Fifth-Wheel Trailer 3.42
4 128 kg (9,100 lbs) 6 350 kg (14,000 lbs)