2011 CHEVROLET SILVERADO automatic transmission

Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-33
Press the bottom of the control to
move the pedals closer. Press the
top of the control to move the
pedals away.
Before you start driving, fully
press the brake pedal to confirm
the adjustment is right for you.
While driving, make only small
adjustments.
The vehicle may have a memory
function which lets pedal settings
be saved and recalled. SeePower
Seat Adjustment
on page 3‑5for
more information.
Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has four different
positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the
ignition must be in ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY and the regular
brake pedal must be applied. A (STOPPING THE ENGINE/
LOCK/OFF):
When the vehicle is
stopped, turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF to turn the engine off.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP)
on
page 9‑35for more information.
This position locks the ignition.
It also locks the transmission on
automatic transmission vehicles.
The key can be removed in
LOCK/OFF.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause
a loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.

Black plate (34,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
9-34 Driving and Operating
In an emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steadypressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to neutral. This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to neutral, firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle
to a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop. Shift to P (Park) with an
automatic transmission,
or neutral with a manual
transmission. Turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on page 9‑68
On vehicles with an automatic
transmission, the shift lever must be
in P (Park) to turn the ignition switch
to LOCK/OFF. The steering can bind with the
wheels turned off center. If this
happens, move the steering wheel
from right to left while turning the
key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
doesn't work, then the vehicle needs
service.
Notice:
Using a tool to force the
key to turn in the ignition could
cause damage to the switch or
break the key. Use the correct
key, make sure it is all the way in,
and turn it only with your hand.
If the key cannot be turned by
hand, see your dealer.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY): This
position lets things like the radio
and the windshield wipers operate
while the engine is off. Use this
position if the vehicle must be
pushed or towed.
C (ON/RUN): This position can
be used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some instrument panel cluster warning
and indicator lights. The switch
stays in this position when the
engine is running. The transmission
is also unlocked in this position on
automatic transmission vehicles.
If you leave the key in the ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN position
with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. You may not be able to
start the vehicle if the battery is
allowed to drain for an extended
period of time.
D (START):
This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for
driving.
If the vehicle is equipped with a
radio, a warning tone will sound
when the driver door is opened,
the ignition is in ACC/ACCESSORY
or LOCK/OFF and the key is in the
ignition.

Black plate (35,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-35
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
The following vehicle accessories
can be used for up to 10 minutes
after the engine is turned off:
.Audio System
.Power Windows
.OnStar®System (if equipped)
.Sunroof (if equipped)
These features work when
the key is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY. Once the key is
turned from ON/RUN to LOCK/OFF,
the windows and sunroof continue
to work up to 10 minutes until any
door is opened. The radio continues
to work for up to 10 minutes or until
the driver door is opened.
Starting the Engine
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.
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.
Place the transmission in the
proper gear.
Automatic Transmission
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
Notice: Do not try to shift to
P (Park) if the vehicle is moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to P (Park)
only when the vehicle is stopped.
Manual Transmission
The shift lever should be in
N (Neutral) and the parking brake
engaged. Hold the clutch pedal
down to the floor and start the
engine. The vehicle will not start
if the clutch pedal is not all the
way down.

Black plate (43,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-43
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out
of the vehicle if the automatic
transmission shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when
the engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
{WARNING
Four-wheel drive vehicles with the
transfer case in N (Neutral) will
allow the vehicle to roll, even if
the automatic transmission shift
lever is in P (Park). So, be sure
the transfer case is in a drive
gear—not in N (Neutral). Always
set the parking brake.
Follow the proper steps to be
sure the vehicle will not move.
See Shifting Into Park
on
page 9‑38.
If pulling a trailer, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
on
page 9‑90.
Automatic
Transmission
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see
the hybrid supplement for more
information.
Vehicles with an automatic
transmission have an electronic
shift position indicator within
the instrument panel cluster.
This display comes on when
the ignition key is turned to
the ON/RUN position.

Black plate (44,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
9-44 Driving and Operating
There are several different positions
for the shift lever.
Hydra-Matic®4-Speed Automatic
Transmission
Heavy Duty 6-Speed Automatic
Transmission Shown (Light Duty 6‐Speed Similar)
See “Range Selection Mode” under
Manual Mode on page 9‑47. P (Park):
This position locks the
rear wheels. It is the best position
to use when starting the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily. When parked on a hill,
especially when the vehicle has a
heavy load, you might notice an
increase in the effort to shift out of
P (Park). See “Torque Lock” under
Shifting Into Park
on page 9‑38for more information.
{WARNING
It is 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.
Do not leave the vehicle when
the engine is running unless
you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park
on
page 9‑38
. If you are pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑90.
{WARNING
If you have Four-Wheel Drive, the
vehicle will be free to roll —even
if the shift lever is in P (Park) —if
the transfer case is in Neutral.
So, be sure the transfer case is
in a drive gear, Two-Wheel Drive
High or Four-Wheel Drive High or
Four-Wheel Drive Low —not in
Neutral. See Shifting Into Park
on page 9‑38.

Black plate (47,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-47
If you manually select 2 (Second)
in an automatic transmission, the
transmission will start in second
gear. You can use this feature for
reducing the speed of the rear
wheels when you are trying to start
the vehicle from a stop on slippery
road surfaces.
1 (First):For the Hydra-Matic
4-Speed transmission this position
reduces vehicle speed even more
than 2 (Second) without using the
brakes. You can use it on very steep
hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
shift lever is put in 1 (First) while
the vehicle is moving forward, the
transmission does not shift into first
gear until the vehicle is going slowly
enough.
For an Allison Transmission or
Hydra-Matic 6-Speed transmission,
this position reduces vehicle speed without using the brakes. You can
use it for major/severe downgrades
and off-road driving where the
vehicle would otherwise accelerate
due to steepness of grade. When
you shift to 1 (First) it provides the
lowest gear appropriate to current
road speed and continues to
downshift as the vehicle slows,
eventually downshifting to
1 (First) gear.
Notice:
Spinning the tires
or holding the vehicle in one
place on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage
the transmission. The repair will
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. If you are stuck, do not
spin the tires. When stopping on
a hill, use the brakes to hold the
vehicle in place.Manual Mode
Range Selection Mode
(Allison®Transmission or
Hydra-Matic®6-Speed
Transmission)
The vehicle may have a Range
Selection Mode. The Range
Selection Mode helps control the
vehicle's transmission and vehicle
speed while driving down hill or
towing a trailer by letting you select
a desired range of gears.

Black plate (48,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
9-48 Driving and Operating
To use this feature, do the following:
1. Move the shift lever toM (Manual Mode).
2. Press the plus/minus buttons, located on the steering column
shift lever, to select the desired
range of gears for current driving
conditions.
When M (Manual Mode) is selected
a number displays next to the M,
indicating the current gear.
This number is the highest gear that
can be used. However, the vehicle
can automatically shift to lower
gears as it adjusts to driving
conditions. This means that all
gears below that number are
available. When 5 (Fifth) is selected,
1 (First) through 5 (Fifth) gears are
automatically shifted by the vehicle,
but 6 (Sixth) cannot be used until
the plus/minus button located on
the steering column lever is used
to change to the gear. Grade Braking is not available when
Range Selection Mode is active.
See
Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑49.
While using Range Selection Mode,
Cruise Control and the Tow/Haul
Mode can be used.
If the vehicle has an exhaust
brake, it can also be used, but will
not automatically downshift the
transmission. See Exhaust Brake
in the Duramax Diesel supplement.
Notice: Spinning the tires
or holding the vehicle in one
place on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage
the transmission. The repair will
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. If you are stuck, do not
spin the tires. When stopping on
a hill, use the brakes to hold the
vehicle in place.Low Traction Mode
If your vehicle has the Allison
Transmission, or the Hydra-Matic
6-Speed Automatic Transmission,
it has a Low Traction Mode that
can assist in vehicle acceleration
when road conditions are slippery,
such as with ice or snow. While
the vehicle is at a stop, select the
second gear range using Range
Selection Mode. This will limit
torque to the wheels after it detects
wheel slip, preventing the tires from
spinning.

Black plate (49,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-49
Tow/Haul Mode
Vehicles with an automatic
transmission have a Tow/Haul
Mode. The Tow/Haul Mode adjuststhe transmission shift pattern to
reduce shift cycling, providing
increased performance, vehicle
control, and transmission cooling
when towing or hauling heavy loads.
The selector button is located on
the end of the shift lever. Turn the
Tow/Haul Mode on and off by
pressing the button. When the tow/
haul is on, a light on the instrument
panel cluster will come on.
See
Tow/Haul Mode Light
on
page 5‑31for more information.
Also see “Tow/Haul Mode” under
Towing Equipment
on page 9‑111for more information.
Tow/Haul Mode
(Allison Transmission
or Hydra-Matic 6-Speed
Automatic Transmission)
Vehicles with an Allison
Transmission or Hydra-Matic
6-Speed Automatic Transmission
have a Tow/Haul Mode.