2012 CHEVROLET COLORADO manual transmission

Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
5-26 Instruments and Controls
Tire Messages
LOW TIRE
This message displays if a low tire
pressure is detected in any of the
vehicle's tires. Press and release
the reset stem to acknowledge
the message and clear it from the
display. The message appears at
each ignition cycle until the tires
are inflated to the correct inflation
pressure. SeeTires on page 10‑46
and Tire Pressure on page 10‑52 for
more information on tires and the
correct inflation pressures.
SERV (Service) TPM (Tire
Pressure Monitor)
This message displays if a part on
the Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) is not working properly.
The tire pressure light also flashes
and then remains on during the
same ignition cycle. See Tire
Pressure Light on page 5‑17.
Several conditions may cause
this message to appear. See Tire
Pressure Monitor Operation on
page 10‑56 for more information.
If the warning comes on and stays
on, there may be a problem with the
TPMS. See your dealer.
Transmission Messages
SERV (Service) 4WD
(Four-Wheel Drive)
This message displays when
there is a problem with the transfer
case control system. Check the
transfer case on your vehicle and
have it serviced by your dealer. See
Four-Wheel Drive on page 9‑36 for
more information about the transfer
case. Press and release the reset
stem to acknowledge the message
and clear it from the display.

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
6-2 Lighting
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder
If a door is open, a reminder chime
sounds when the headlamps or
parking lamps are manually turned
on and the key is out of the ignition.
To turn off the chime, turn the
headlamp switch to off and then
back on. In the automatic mode, the
headlamps turn off once the ignition
is in LOCK/OFF.
For vehicles first sold in Canada,
if the parking lamps are turned on
manually, the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) will stay on.
Headlamp High/
Low-Beam Changer
2 3
Headlamp High/Low Beam
Changer: Push the turn signal/
multifunction lever away from you
to turn the high beams on.
Pull the lever towards you to return
to low beams.
This indicator light turns on in the
instrument panel cluster when the
high beam headlamps are on.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature lets you use the
high-beam headlamps to signal
a driver in front of you that you
want to pass. It works even if the
headlamps are in the automatic
position.
To use it, pull the turn signal lever
toward you, then release it.
If the headlamps are in the
automatic position or on low
beam, the high-beam headlamps
will turn on. They will stay on as
long as the lever is held toward you. The high-beam indicator on the
instrument panel cluster will come
on. Release the lever to return to
normal operation.
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can
make it easier for others to see the
front of your vehicle during the day.
Fully functional daytime running
lamps are required on all vehicles
first sold in Canada.
The DRL system will come on when
the following conditions are met:
.The ignition is on.
.The exterior lamps control is
in AUTO.
.The transmission is not in
P (Park) if you have an
automatic transmission.
.The light sensor determines it is
daytime.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
Lighting 6-3
When the DRL are on, only the
parking lamps or reduced intensity
low beam headlamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarkers, and
other lamps will not be on. The
instrument panel will not be lit up
either.
When it begins to get dark, the
headlamps will automatically switch
from DRL to the regular headlamps.
The regular headlamp system
should be turned on when needed.
Automatic Headlamp
System
When it is dark enough outside,
the automatic headlamp system
will turn on after the transmission
has been shifted from P (Park) to
D (Drive). The headlamps, taillamps,
sidemarker, parking lamps, roof
marker lamps, and the instrumentpanel lights turn on at normal
brightness. The radio lights will
become dimmer when the
headlights are off compared to
when the headlights are on.
The vehicle has a light sensor
located on the top of the instrument
panel. Do not cover the sensor,
or the system will be on whenever
the ignition is on.
The system can turn on the
headlamps when driving in a
parking garage, through a tunnel or
when there is overcast weather.
This is normal.
There is a delay in the transition
between the daytime and nighttime
operation of the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) and the automatic
headlamp system so that driving
under bridges or bright overhead
street lights does not affect the
system. The DRL and automatic
headlamp system will only be
affected when the light sensor
detects a change in lighting lasting
longer than the delay.
If the vehicle is started in a dark
garage, the automatic headlamp
system will come on immediately.
Once the vehicle leaves the garage,
it will take about 1 minute for the
automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL if it is light outside.
During that delay, the instrument
panel cluster may not be as bright
as usual. Make sure the instrument
panel brightness control is in the
full bright position. See
Instrument
Panel Illumination Control on
page 6‑6.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 9-11
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-12
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-15
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-22
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Shifting Into Park (Automatic Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Shifting out of Park (Automatic Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Parking (Manual Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-31
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . 9-34
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . 9-45
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
9-8 Driving and Operating
.Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible.
{WARNING
Driving to the top of a hill at high
speed can cause an accident.
There could be a drop-off,
embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be
seriously injured or killed. As you
near the top of a hill, slow down
and stay alert.
.Never go downhill forward or
backward with either the
transmission or transfer case in
N (Neutral). The brakes could
overheat and you could lose
control.
{WARNING
If the vehicle has the two‐speed
automatic transfer case, shifting
the transfer case to N (Neutral)
can cause your vehicle to roll
even if the transmission is
in P (Park) for an automatic
transmission or any gear position
for a manual transmission. This is
because the N (Neutral) position
on the transfer case overrides the
transmission. You or someone
else could be injured. If leaving
the vehicle, set the parking
brake and shift the transmission
to P (Park) for an automatic
transmission or any gear position
for a manual transmission. Shift
the transfer case to any position
but N (Neutral).
.When driving down a hill, keep
the vehicle headed straight
down. Use a low gear because
the engine will work with the
brakes to slow the vehicle and
help keep the vehicle under
control.
{WARNING
Heavy braking when going down
a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and you or
others could be injured or killed.
Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under
control.

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-9
If the vehicle stalls on a hill:
1. Apply the brakes to stop thevehicle, and then apply the
parking brake.
2. Shift into P (Park) for an automatic transmission
or 1 (First) for a manual
transmission and then restart
the engine.
.If driving uphill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to
R (Reverse), release the
parking brake, and back
straight down.
.Never try to turn the vehicle
around. If the hill is steep
enough to stall the vehicle,
it is steep enough to cause
it to roll over.
.If you cannot make it up
the hill, back straight down
the hill.
.Never back down a hill in
N (Neutral) using only the
brake.
.The vehicle can roll
backward quickly and you
could lose control.
.If driving downhill when
the vehicle stalls, shift to
a lower gear, release the
parking brake, and drive
straight down the hill.
3. If the vehicle cannot be restarted after stalling, set
the parking brake, shift an
automatic transmission
into P (Park) or a manual
transmission into 1 (First),
and turn the vehicle off.
3.1. Leave the vehicle and seek help.
3.2. Stay clear of the path the vehicle would take if it
rolled downhill.
.Avoid turns that take the vehicle
across the incline of the hill.
A hill that can be driven straight
up or down might be too steep to
drive across. Driving across an
incline puts more weight on the
downhill wheels which could
cause a downhill slide or a
rollover.
.Surface conditions can be a
problem. Loose gravel, muddy
spots, or even wet grass can
cause the tires to slip sideways,
downhill. If the vehicle slips
sideways, it can hit something
that will trip it –a rock, a rut,
etc. –and roll over.
.Hidden obstacles can make the
steepness of the incline more
severe. If a rock is driven across
with the uphill wheels, or if the
downhill wheels drop into a rut
or depression, the vehicle can tilt
even more.

Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
9-12 Driving and Operating
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.
.Have good tires with proper
tread depth. SeeTires on
page 10‑46.
.Turn off cruise control.
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention
to your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find
a safe place to park the vehicle
and rest. Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep the interior
temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving
—scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{WARNING
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
{WARNING
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down
and they could get so hot that
they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill. You
could crash. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle in
gear when going downhill.

Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-15
Run the engine for short periods
only as needed to keep warm, but
be careful.
To save fuel, run the engine for only
short periods as needed to warm
the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of
the way to save heat. Repeat this
until help arrives but only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the
cold. Moving about to keep warm
also helps.
If it takes some time for help to
arrive, now and then when you run
the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs
faster than the idle speed. This
keeps the battery charged to restart
the vehicle and to signal for help
with the headlamps. Do this as little
as possible to save fuel.If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
See“Rocking Your vehicle to get It
Out” later in this section.
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method.
{WARNING
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 55 km/h (35 mph).
For information about using tire
chains on the vehicle, see Tire
Chains on page 10‑66.
Rocking the Vehicle to get
It Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. For four-wheel drive
vehicles, shift into 4HI. Turn off any
traction system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a forward
gear, or with a manual transmission,
between 1 (First) or 2 (Second) and
R (Reverse), spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
Slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not
get the vehicle out after a few tries,
it might need to be towed out.
Recovery hooks can be used, if the
vehicle has them. If the vehicle does
need to be towed out, see Towing
the Vehicle on page 10‑89.