
Black plate (88,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
9-88 Driving and Operating
Filling the Tank
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel supplement
for more information.
{WARNING
Fuel vapor burns violently and a
fuel fire can cause bad injuries.
To help avoid injuries to you and
others, read and follow all the
instructions on the fuel pump
island. Turn off the engine when
refueling. Do not smoke near
fuel or when refueling the vehicle.
Do not use cellular phones. Keep
sparks, flames, and smoking
materials away from fuel. Do not
leave the fuel pump unattended
when refueling the vehicle. This is
against the law in some places.
Do not re-enter the vehicle while
pumping fuel. Keep children away
from the fuel pump; never let
children pump fuel.
The tethered fuel cap is located
behind a hinged fuel door on the
driver side of the vehicle. If the
vehicle has E85 fuel capability,
the fuel cap will be yellow and state
that E85 or gasoline can be used.
SeeFuel E85 (85% Ethanol)
on
page 9‑86.
To remove the fuel cap, turn it
slowly counterclockwise.
{WARNING
Fuel can spray out on you if you
open the fuel cap too quickly.
If you spill fuel and then
something ignites it, you could
be badly burned. This spray can
happen if the tank is nearly full,
and is more likely in hot weather.
Open the fuel cap slowly and wait
for any hiss noise to stop. Then
unscrew the cap all the way.
If the vehicle is a dual fuel tank
chassis cab model, and it runs out
of fuel, refuel the front fuel tank first
to ensure a quick restart.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Do not
top off or overfill the tank and wait
a few seconds after you have
finished pumping before removing
the nozzle. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon as possible. See
“Washing the Vehicle” in Exterior
Cleaning.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-3
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
CaliforniaFuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 9-84
Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Camera, Rear Vision . . . . . . . . . . 9-78
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . iii
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Cautions, Danger, and
Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
CD DVD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14 Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . 4-2
Center High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Center Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-81
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . 5-26
Check Engine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
IgnitionTransmission Lock . . . . . . . . 10-38
Child Restraints Infants and YoungChildren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-53
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . 3-59
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-51
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-68, 3-71
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-55
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-57 Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Cleaning
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-106
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-111
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1, 8-4
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Cluster, IP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Clutch, Hydraulic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . 13-11
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Coolant Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Engine TemperatureGauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19 Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-46
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-10

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-7
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
How to Wear Safety BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
I
Idle System Fast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Ignition Transmission Lock
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Infants and Young Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-53
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Instrument Panel Storage Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .iii, 7-1
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-96
K
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . . . 5-48
Keyless Entry
Remote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . 2-3
Keyless Entry System . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . 10-56
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-48
Lamps Auxiliary RoofMounted Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . 6-4
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-27 Lamps (cont.)
Pick-Up Box Identification
and Fender Marker . . . . . . . . 10-44
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Lap Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
LATCH System Replacing Parts After a
Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-68
Latch, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . 3-59
Latches, Seatback . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Lighter, Cigarette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Lighting Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Lights Airbag On-Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Antilock Brake System(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
i-8 INDEX
Lights (cont.)Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Four-Wheel-Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Front Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-3
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 5-21
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
StabiliTrak
®Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-73
Locks Automatic Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9 Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-33
Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children (LATCH
SYSTEM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-59
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7 Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
M
Maintenance
Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-12
Maintenance Schedule Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
Scheduled Maintenance . . . . . . 11-2
Transfer Case Vent Filter . . . . . 9-53
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . 5-27
Manual Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . . 9-51 Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Manual Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13 Messages
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-50
Anti-Theft Alarm System . . . . . . 5-50
Battery Voltage and
Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Brake System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-44
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-45
Engine Cooling System . . . . . . . 5-46
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-47
Engine Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-47
Fuel System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-48
Key and Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-48
Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-48
Object Detection System . . . . . 5-48
Ride Control System . . . . . . . . . . 5-49
Starting the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 5-50
Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-51
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-52
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Vehicle Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-52
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-53

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-11
Reporting Safety DefectsCanadian Government . . . . . . 13-16
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-16
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Ride Control Systems
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-49
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7, 13-9
Roof
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22, 2-23
Rotation, Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-71
Routing, Engine Drive Belt . . . . . 12-6
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
S
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
How to Wear Safety BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Lap Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23 Safety Belts (cont.)
Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Replacing After a Crash . . . . . . 3-30
Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . 3-28
Safety Defects Reporting Canadian Government . . . . . . 13-16
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-16
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15
Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Scheduled Maintenance . . . . . . . 11-2
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . . 13-9
Seatback Latches . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Seats
Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Center Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Heated Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Lumbar Adjustment, Front . . . . . 3-7
Power Adjustment, Front . . . . . . 3-5
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12, 3-13
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9 Securing Child
Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-68, 3-71
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Service Accessories and
Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Doing Your Own Work . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Maintenance Records . . . . . . .11-12
Maintenance, General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Parts Identification Label . . . . . 12-1
Publications Ordering Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-14
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . 13-9
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . 3-48
Shift Lock Control Function Check, Automatic
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38