2012 CHEVROLET COLORADO tow

Black plate (61,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-61
Ask your dealer for our trailering
information or advice, or write us at
our Customer Assistance Offices.
SeeCustomer Assistance Offices
(U.S. and Canada) on page 13‑4
or Customer Assistance Offices
(Mexico) on page 13‑5 for more
information.
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is
an important weight to measure
because it affects the total gross
weight of the vehicle. The Gross
Vehicle Weight (GVW) includes the
curb weight of the vehicle, any
cargo carried in it, and the people
who will be riding in the vehicle.
If there are a lot of options,
equipment, passengers or cargo in
the vehicle, it will reduce the tongue
weight the vehicle can carry, which
will also reduce the trailer weight the
vehicle can tow. If towing a trailer,
the tongue load must be added to
the GVW because the vehicle will
be carrying that weight, too. See Vehicle Load Limits on page 9‑16
for more information about the
vehicle's maximum load capacity.
The trailer tongue weight (A) should
be 10 percent to 15 percent of the
total loaded trailer weight, up to a
maximum of 226 kg (500 lbs) with a
weight carrying hitch.
Do not exceed the maximum
allowable tongue weight for the
vehicle. Choose the shortest hitch
extension that will position the hitch
ball closest to the vehicle. This will
help reduce the effect of trailer
tongue weight on the rear axle.After loading the trailer, weigh
the trailer and then the tongue,
separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they are not, adjustments
might be made by moving some
items around in the trailer.
Trailering may be limited by the
vehicle's ability to carry tongue
weight. Tongue weight cannot cause
the vehicle to exceed the GVWR
(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) or
the RGAWR (Rear Gross Axle
Weight Rating). The effect of
additional weight may reduce the
trailering capacity more than the
total of the additional weight.
It is important that the vehicle
does not exceed any of its
ratings
—GCWR, GVWR, RGAWR,
Maximum Trailer Rating or Tongue
Weight. The only way to be sure it is
not exceeding any of these ratings
is to weigh the vehicle and trailer.

Black plate (62,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
9-62 Driving and Operating
Total Weight on the Vehicle's
Tires
Be sure the vehicle's tires are
inflated to the upper limit for cold
tires. These numbers can be found
on the Certification/Tire label
located at the bottom of the center
pillar on the driver's side of the
vehicle, or seeVehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑16. Make sure not to go
over the GVW limit for the vehicle,
or the GAWR, including the weight
of the trailer tongue. If using a
weight distributing hitch, make
sure not to go over the rear axle
limit before applying the weight
distribution spring bars.
Towing Equipment
Hitches
It is important to have the correct
hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large
trucks going by and rough roads are
a few reasons why the right hitch is
needed.
Weight-Distributing Hitches
and Weight Carrying Hitches
A step bumper hitch can be used for
trailers up to 907 kg (2,000 lbs) total
weight, and 90 kg (200 lbs) tongue
weight.
Notice: If a step-bumper hitch
is used, the bumper could be
damaged in sharp turns. Make
sure there is ample room when
turning to avoid contact between
the trailer and the bumper.
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer. Cross the
safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer to help prevent the
tongue from contacting the road if it
becomes separated from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains
may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer
manufacturer. For trailers up to 907 kg (2,000 lbs) safety chains
may be attached to the attaching
points on the bumper. For heavier
trailers, follow the trailer or hitch
manufacturer's recommendation for
attaching safety chains. Always
leave just enough slack so the rig
can turn. Never allow safety chains
to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
A loaded trailer that weighs more
than 450 kg (1,000 lbs) needs to
have its own brake system that is
adequate for the weight of the
trailer. Be sure to read and follow
the instructions for the trailer brakes
so they are installed, adjusted and
maintained properly.
Since the vehicle is equipped with
StabiliTrak
®, the trailer cannot tap
into the vehicle's hydraulic brake
system.

Black plate (63,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-63
Trailer Wiring Harness
The vehicle may be equipped with
a four‐pin trailer towing harness.
This harness has a four‐pin trailer
connector that is attached to a
bracket on the hitch platform. The
four‐wire harness contains the
following trailer circuits:
.Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
.Green: Right Stop/Turn Signal
.Brown: Taillamps/Park lamps
.White: Ground
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
Notice:Do not add anything
electrical to the vehicle unless
you check with your dealer first.
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle and the
damage would not be covered
by the vehicle's warranty. Some
add-on electrical equipment can
keep other components from
working as they should.
Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12‐volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating. The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 3‑31
andAdding
Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 3‑32.
Pickup Conversion to
Chassis Cab
We are aware that some vehicle
owners might consider having
the pickup box removed and a
commercial or recreational body
installed. However, we recommend
that conversions of this type not be
done to pickups. Owners should be
aware that, as manufactured, there
are differences between a chassis
cab and a pickup with the box
removed which could affect vehicle
safety.

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
10-2 Vehicle Care
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-46
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63 Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-65
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-66
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-69
Secondary Latch System . . . 10-80
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-83
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-83
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-84
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-89
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-89
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-94
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-97
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-100
General Information
For service and parts needs,
visit your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
10-10 Vehicle Care
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine
oil level at each fuel fill. In order to
get an accurate reading, the vehicle
must be on level ground. The
engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow
loop. SeeEngine Compartment
Overview on page 10‑6 for the
location of the engine oil dipstick.
Obtaining an accurate oil level
reading is essential:
1. If the engine has been running recently, turn off the engine and
allow several minutes for the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Checking the oil level too soon
after engine shutoff will not
provide an accurate oil level
reading.
2. Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or cloth,
then push it back in all the way.
Remove it again, keeping the tip
down, and check the level.
When to Add Engine Oil
L4 and L5 Engines
V8 Engine
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick, add
1 L (1 qt) of the recommended oil
and then recheck the level. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil” in
this section for an explanation of
what kind of oil to use. For engine
oil crankcase capacity, see
Capacities and Specifications on
page 12‑2. Notice:
Do not add too much
oil. Oil levels above or below
the acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful
to the engine. If you find that
you have an oil level above the
operating range, i.e., the engine
has so much oil that the oil level
gets above the cross-hatched
area that shows the proper
operating range, the engine could
be damaged. You should drain
out the excess oil or limit driving
of the vehicle and seek a service
professional to remove the
excess amount of oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑6 for the location of the
engine oil fill cap.
Add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when through.

Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
10-14 Vehicle Care
Checking the Fluid Level
To prepare the vehicle:
1. Park the vehicle on a levelplace. Keep the engine running.
2. With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever in P (Park).
3. With foot on the brake pedal, move the shift lever through
each gear range, pausing for
about three seconds in each
range. Then, position the shift
lever in P (Park).
4. Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more.
Then, without shutting off the
engine:
1. Flip the handle up and then pull out the dipstick and wipe it with
a clean rag or paper towel.
The automatic transmission
dipstick handle with this symbol
on it is located in the engine
compartment on the passenger
side of the vehicle.
See Engine Compartment
Overview on page 10‑6 for more
information on location.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds, and pull it back
out again.
3. Check both sides of the dipstick,
and read the lower level. The
fluid level must be in the COLD area, below the cross-hatched
area, for a cold check or in the
HOT or cross-hatched area for a
hot check. Be sure to keep the
dipstick pointed down to get an
accurate reading.
4. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way; then
flip the handle down to lock the
dipstick in place.
How to Add Automatic
Transmission Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance
Schedule to determine what
kind of transmission fluid to use.
See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑12.
Add fluid only after checking the
transmission fluid while it is hot.
A cold check is used only as a
reference. If the fluid level is low,
add only enough of the proper fluid
to bring the level up to the HOT area
for a hot check. It does not take
much fluid, generally less than 0.5 L
(1 pt). Do not overfill.

Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
10-20 Vehicle Care
Have the coolant changed by an
authorized service center, familiar
with legal requirements regarding
used coolant disposal. This will help
protect the environment and your
health.
Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level
surface when checking the coolant
level.
The coolant recovery tank cap has
this symbol on it.
It is located toward the rear of
the engine compartment on the
passenger side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview on
page 10‑6for more information on
location. Check to see if coolant is visible in
the coolant recovery tank. If the
coolant inside the coolant recovery
tank is boiling, do not do anything
else until it cools down. If coolant is
visible but the coolant level is not at
or above the FULL COLD mark, add
a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant at the
coolant recovery tank, but be sure
the cooling system is cool before
this is done.
The vehicle must be on a level
surface. When the engine is cold,
the coolant level should be at FULL
COLD, or a little higher. When the
engine is warm, the level could be
above the FULL COLD level.
When the engine is cold, the coolant
level should be at least up to the
FULL COLD mark. If it is not, there
could be a leak in the cooling
system.
How to Add Coolant to the
Recovery Tank
{WARNING
You can be burned if you spill
coolant on hot engine parts.
Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts
are hot enough. Do not spill
coolant on a hot engine.
Notice: This vehicle has a
specific coolant fill procedure.
Failure to follow this procedure
could cause the engine to
overheat and be severely
damaged.
When the coolant in the coolant
recovery tank is at the FULL COLD
mark, start the vehicle.
If coolant is needed, add the proper
DEX-COOL coolant mixture at the
coolant recovery tank.

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-23
If Steam is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
{WARNING
Steam from an overheated engine
can burn you badly, even if you
just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear
steam coming from it. Just turn it
off and get everyone away from
the vehicle until it cools down.
Wait until there is no sign of
steam or coolant before you open
the hood.
If you keep driving when the
engine is overheated, the liquids
in it can catch fire. You or others
could be badly burned. Stop the
engine if it overheats, and get out
of the vehicle until the engine
is cool.
If No Steam is Coming from
the Engine Compartment
If an engine overheat warning is
displayed but no steam can be seen
or heard, the problem may not be
too serious. Sometimes the engine
can get a little too hot when the
vehicle:
.Climbs a long hill on a hot day.
.Stops after high-speed driving.
.Idles for long periods in traffic.
.Tows a trailer. See“Driving on
Grades” underTrailer Towing on
page 9‑57.
If the overheat warning is displayed
with no sign of steam:
1. Turn the air conditioning off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest temperature and to the highest
fan speed. Open the windows as
necessary. 3. In heavy traffic, let the engine
idle in N (Neutral) while stopped.
If it is safe to do so, pull off
the road, shift to P (Park)
or N (Neutral) and let the
engine idle.
If the temperature overheat gauge
is no longer in the overheat zone
or an overheat warning no longer
displays, the vehicle can be driven.
Continue to drive the vehicle slowly
for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle distance from the vehicle in
front. If the warning does not come
back on, continue to drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull
over, stop, and park the vehicle
right away.
If there is no sign of steam, idle
the engine for three minutes while
parked. If the warning is still
displayed, turn off the engine until it
cools down.