2012 CHEVROLET COLORADO warning

Black plate (55,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-55
Securing Child Restraints
(Center Front Seat
Position)
For vehicles without rear seats,
manufacturers are required to
provide top tether anchors for all
non-driver seating positions and
instructions for using those anchors.
Even if a top tether anchor is
available, you should not install a
child restraint in the center front
seating position.
{WARNING
A child in a child restraint in the
center front seat can be badly
injured or killed by the frontal
airbags if they inflate. Never
secure a child restraint in the
center front seat. It is always
better to secure a child restraint in
a rear seat.
In addition, some larger child
restraints, if installed in the center
front seating position, may interfere
with access to the driver and right
front passenger safety belt buckles.
See Safety Belts on page 3‑10 for
information, including warnings,
about the importance of safety
belt use. If the vehicle does not have rear
seats, rear-facing child restraints
should not be installed in the
vehicle, even if the passenger
airbag is off.
If a child in a forward-facing child
restraint must be transported in a
vehicle that does not have rear
seats, the child restraint should
be secured in the right front seat
position. See
“Securing Child
Restraints (Right Front Seat
Position)” later in this section, for
instructions on how to install a
child restraint in the right front seat
position.
Do not secure a child seat in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be anchored.
In Canada, the law requires that
forward‐facing child restraints have
a top tether, and that the tether be
attached.

Black plate (58,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
3-58 Seats and Restraints
A label on the sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front.”This is because the risk
to the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag deploys.
{WARNING
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates. This
is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would
be very close to the inflating
airbag. A child in a forward-facing
child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates and the
passenger seat is in a forward
position.
The vehicle may have a
passenger sensing system
which is designed to turn off
the right front passenger frontal
airbag under certain conditions.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Even if the passenger sensing
system, if equipped, has
turned off the right front
passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will
not deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though it is
turned off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints
in a rear seat, even if the
airbag is off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
the right front seat, always move
the front passenger seat as far
back as it will go. It is better to
secure the child restraint in a
rear seat.
SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 3‑26 for additional
information. If the vehicle does not have a rear
seat that will accommodate a
rear-facing child restraint, a child
restraint should not be installed in
your vehicle, even if the airbag
is off.
If your child restraint has the
LATCH system, see
Lower Anchors
and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑42 for how and
where to install your child restraint
using LATCH. If a child restraint is
secured using a safety belt and
it uses a top tether, see Lower
Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH System) on page 3‑42 for
top tether anchor locations.
Do not secure a child seat in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be anchored, or if
the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top strap
must be anchored.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-1
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 5-2
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . 5-2
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Chime Level Adjustment . . . . . . 5-6
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8 Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 5-9
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . 5-10
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Charging System Light . . . . . . 5-12
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
StabiliTrak
®OFF Light . . . . . . . 5-16
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . 5-17
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 5-18
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Battery Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Brake System Messages . . . . 5-23
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . 5-24
Engine Power Messages . . . . 5-24
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . 5-24
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Service Vehicle Messages . . . 5-25
Tire Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Transmission Messages . . . . . 5-26

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-3
Move the band to one of the
following positions:
8(Mist):For a single wipe, move
the band to
8and then release it.
For several wipes, hold the band
on
8longer.
N(Adjustable Interval Wipes):
For adjustable interval wipes, turn
the band up for more frequent wipes
or down for less frequent wipes.
6(Low Speed): For slow
wipes, turn the band to the first solid
position past the delay settings.
1(High Speed): For fast wipes,
turn the band to the second solid
position past the delay settings.
9(Off): Use to turn the wipers off.
Clear snow and ice from the wiper
blades before using them. If frozen
to the windshield, carefully loosen or
thaw them. Damaged wiper blades
should be replaced.
Windshield Washer
{WARNING
In freezing weather, do not use
the washer until the windshield
is warmed. Otherwise the
washer fluid can form ice on the
windshield, blocking your vision.
Q L(Washer Fluid): Push the
paddle on top of the multifunction
lever to spray washer fluid on the
windshield. The wipers will clear
the window and then either stop or
return to your preset speed.
Compass
Compass Operation
PressY bor depending on the
mirror, press
Oonce to turn the
display on or off.
Compass Calibration
The compass may need
calibration if:
.CAL is displayed while driving in
the vehicle.
.After approximately five seconds,
the display does not show a
compass heading, N for North,
for example, there may be a
strong magnetic field interfering
with the compass. Interference
can be caused by a magnetic
antenna mount, magnetic note
pad holder, or a similar
magnetic item.
.The compass does not display
the correct heading and the
compass zone variance is set
correctly.
To calibrate, CAL must be displayed
in the mirror compass windows.
If CAL is not displayed, press and
hold
Y b/Ofor several seconds or
until CAL is displayed.

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-5
RDS time is broadcast once a
minute. After tuning to an RDS
broadcast station, it could take a
few minutes for the time to update.
Power Outlets
The accessory power outlets can be
used to plug in electrical equipment,
such as a cell phone or MP3 player.
The vehicle may have an accessory
power outlet located below the
climate control system and on the
rear of the center console. Remove
the cover to access and replace
when not in use.
{WARNING
Power is always supplied to the
outlets. Do not leave electrical
equipment plugged in when the
vehicle is not in use because the
vehicle could catch fire and cause
injury or death.Notice:
Leaving electrical
equipment plugged in for an
extended period of time while
the vehicle is off will drain the
battery. Always unplug electrical
equipment when not in use and
do not plug in equipment that
exceeds the maximum 20 ampere
rating.
Certain electrical accessories
may not be compatible with the
accessory power outlet and could
overload vehicle and adapter fuses.
If a problem is experienced, see
your dealer.
When adding electrical equipment,
be sure to follow the proper
installation instructions included
with the equipment. See Add-On
Electrical Equipment on page 9‑63. Notice:
Hanging heavy
equipment from the power
outlet can cause damage not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
The power outlets are designed
for accessory power plugs only,
such as cell phone charge cords.
Cigarette Lighter
To use the lighter, press it in all the
way, and let go. When it is ready, it
will pop back out by itself.
Notice: Holding a cigarette lighter
in while it is heating does not let
the lighter back away from the
heating element when it is hot.
Damage from overheating can
occur to the lighter or heating
element, or a fuse could be
blown. Do not hold a cigarette
lighter in while it is heating.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
5-6 Instruments and Controls
Ashtrays
The vehicle may have a removable
ashtray and cigarette lighter.
The ashtray is located in the center
console area. The ashtray can be
removed for cleaning. When the
ashtray is removed, this area can
also be used as a cupholder.
Notice:If papers, pins, or other
flammable items are put in the
ashtray, hot cigarettes or other
smoking materials could ignite
them and possibly damage the
vehicle. Never put flammable
items in the ashtray.
Warning Lights,
Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning lights and gauges can
signal that something is wrong
before it becomes serious enough
to cause an expensive repair or
replacement. Paying attention to the
warning lights and gauges could
prevent injury.
Warning lights come on when there
could be a problem with a vehicle
function. Some warning lights come
on briefly when the engine is started
to indicate they are working.
Gauges can indicate when there
could be a problem with a vehicle
function. Often gauges and warning
lights work together to indicate a
problem with the vehicle.
When one of the warning lights
comes on and stays on while
driving, or when one of the gauges
shows there may be a problem,
check the section that explains what to do. Follow this manual's advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
and even dangerous.Chime Level Adjustment
The radio is used to adjust the
vehicle's chime level. To change the
volume level of the chime, press
and hold pushbutton 6 with the
ignition on and the radio power off.
The volume level will change from
the normal level to loud, and LOUD
will appear on the radio display.
To change back to the default or
normal setting, press and hold
pushbutton 6 again. The volume
level will change from the loud level
to normal, and NORMAL will appear
on the radio display. Each time the
chime volume is changed, three
chimes will sound to indicate the
new volume selected. Removing
the radio and not replacing it with a
factory radio or chime module will
disable vehicle chimes.

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
5-8 Instruments and Controls
Speedometer
The speedometer shows the
vehicle's speed in either kilometers
per hour (km/h) or miles per
hour (mph).
Odometer
The odometer shows how far the
vehicle has been driven, in either
miles (used in the United States) or
kilometers (used in Canada).
The odometer mileage can be
checked without the vehicle running
by pressing the trip information
stem. See“Odometer” underDriver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑19 for more information.
If the cluster is replaced the new
one will automatically detect and
update the vehicle's accumulated
mileage.
Trip Odometer
The vehicle has a trip odometer that
indicates how far the vehicle has
been driven since the trip odometer
was last set to zero.
See “Trip Odometer” underDriver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑19 for more information.
Tachometer
The tachometer displays the
engine speed in revolutions per
minute (rpm).
Notice:If the engine is operated
with the tachometer in the shaded
warning area, the vehicle could
be damaged, and the damages
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Do not operate
the engine with the tachometer in
the shaded warning area.
Fuel Gauge
When the ignition is on, the fuel
gauge shows how much fuel the
vehicle has remaining in the
fuel tank.
An arrow on the fuel gauge
indicates the side of the vehicle
the fuel door is on.

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
5-10 Instruments and Controls
This chime and light are repeated if
the driver remains unbuckled and
the vehicle is in motion. If the driver
safety belt is already buckled,
neither the chime nor the light
comes on.
Passenger Safety Belt
Reminder Light
For vehicles equipped with the
passenger safety belt reminder
light, several seconds after the
engine is started, a chime sounds
for several seconds to remind the
front passenger to buckle their
safety belt. The passenger safety
belt light, located on the instrument
panel, comes on and stays on for
several seconds and then flashes
for several more.
This chime and light are repeated if
the passenger remains unbuckled
and the vehicle is in motion.
If the passenger safety belt is
buckled, neither the chime nor the
light comes on.
The front passenger safety belt
warning light and chime may turn
on if an object is put on the seat
such as a briefcase, handbag,
grocery bag, laptop or other
electronic device. To turn off the
warning light and/or chime, remove
the object from the seat or buckle
the safety belt.
Airbag Readiness Light
The system checks the airbag's
electrical system for possible
malfunctions. If the light stays on
it indicates there is an electrical
problem. The system check includes
the airbag sensor(s), passenger
sensing system, the pretensioners,
the airbag modules, the wiring, and
the crash sensing and diagnostic
module. For more information on the
airbag system, seeAirbag System
on page 3‑20.
The airbag readiness light flashes
for a few seconds when the engine
is started. If the light does not come
on then, have it fixed immediately.