
Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-1
Keys, Doors, and
Windows
Keys and Locks
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Safety Locks (Crew Cab) . . . . . 2-6
Doors
Rear Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Vehicle Security
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Anti-theft Alarm System . . . . . . . 2-9
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Immobilizer Operation (PASS-Key III+
Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Immobilizer Operation (Passlock U.S. Only) . . . . . . . 2-12
Exterior Mirrors
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Manual Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Power Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Interior Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror . . . . . . 2-13
Automatic Dimming RearviewMirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Windows
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Manual Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Power Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Rear Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-9
3. Slide the lower end fitting ontothe top bolt. The tailgate will
now stay in the partially opened
position.
4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 for the driver side.
If you would like to close the
tailgate, the bracket cannot be in
the partially opened position. Use
the top position on the bracket to
anchor it on the bottom bolt.Vehicle Security
This vehicle has theft-deterrent
features; however, they do not make
it impossible to steal.
Anti-theft Alarm System
If your vehicle has the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) system, the
vehicle has a content theft-deterrent
alarm system.
To activate the content
theft-deterrent system:
1. Close all the doors.
2. Lock the doors with the RKE transmitter. The security light,
located on the instrument panel
cluster, will flash. If the LOCK button on the RKE
transmitter is pressed, but a door is
open, the horn will chirp six times.
Press the LOCK button again, within
three seconds, and the doors will
lock. Close the open door and the
system will be activated.
If a locked door is not opened using
the RKE transmitter, or by OnStar
®,
the pre-alarm will go off. If the
engine is not started or UNLOCK
not pressed within 10 seconds, the
front turn signal lamps will flash for
two minutes, and the horn will sound
for two minutes, then will turn off to
save the battery power.
Remember, the theft-deterrent
system will not activate if you lock
the doors with a key, the manual
door lock, or power door lock
switch. The system can only be
activated using the RKE transmitter,
or by OnStar
®. See the OnStar
Owner's Guide for additional
information. You should also
remember that you can start your
vehicle with the correct ignition key
if the alarm has been set off.

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
2-10 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Here is how to avoid setting off the
alarm by accident:
.If you do not want to activate the
theft-deterrent system, the
vehicle should be locked with
the door key after the doors are
closed.
.Always unlock a door with the
RKE transmitter. Unlocking a
door any other way will set off
the alarm.
If you set off the alarm by accident,
you can turn off the alarm by
pressing UNLOCK on the RKE
transmitter. The alarm will not stop
if you try to unlock a door any
other way.
Testing the Alarm
To test the alarm:
1. From inside the vehicle, activate the system by locking the doors
with the RKE transmitter. 2. Unlock the door with the manual
door lock and open the door.
This should set off the alarm.
3. To turn the alarm off, press the UNLOCK button on the RKE
transmitter or start the engine.
If the alarm does not sound when it
should but the lights flash, check to
see if the horn works. The horn fuse
may be blown. To replace the fuse,
see Fuses and Circuit Breakers on
page 10‑39.
If the alarm does not sound or the
front turn signal lamps do not flash,
see your dealer for service.
Immobilizer
See Radio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑21 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission
(FCC) rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-GEN/210/220/310.
Immobilizer Operation
(PASS-Key III+
Canada Only)
This vehicle has a passive
theft-deterrent system.
The system is automatically armed
when the key is removed from the
ignition.
The system is automatically
disarmed when the key is turned
to ON/RUN.
You do not have to manually arm
or disarm the system.
The security light comes on if
there is a problem with arming or
disarming the theft-deterrent
system.
The key uses a transponder that
matches an immobilizer control unit
in the vehicle. Only the correct key
starts the vehicle. If the key is ever
damaged, the vehicle may not start.
When trying to start the vehicle,
if the engine does not start and
the security light comes on, there

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
5-18 Instruments and Controls
When the Light Flashes First and
Then Is On Steady
If the light flashes for about a minute
and then stays on, there may be
a problem with the TPMS. If the
problem is not corrected, the light
will come on at every ignition
cycle. SeeTire Pressure Monitor
Operation on page 10‑56 for more
information.
Engine Oil Pressure Light
{WARNING
Do not keep driving if the oil
pressure is low. The engine can
become so hot that it catches fire.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Someone could be burned. Check
the oil as soon as possible and
have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Lack of proper engine
oil maintenance can damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always follow the maintenance
schedule for changing engine oil.
This light comes on briefly while
starting the engine. If it does not,
have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer. If the system is working
normally, the indicator light then
goes off.
If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and it might
have some other system problem.
Security Light
For information regarding this light
and the vehicle's security system,
see Anti-theft Alarm System on
page 2‑9.
High-Beam On Light
This light comes on when the
high-beam headlamps are in use.
See Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer on page 6‑2 for more
information.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
INDEX i-1
A
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-63
Adjustments
Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . 10-17
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3
Airbag Adding Equipment to theVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33
How Does an AirbagRestrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24 Airbag System (cont.)
What Will You See after an
Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . 3-21
Airbags Passenger Status Indicator . . . 5-11
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Servicing Airbag-EquippedVehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
Alarm System Anti-theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Antenna Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Anti-theft
Alarm System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16 Appearance Care
Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-94
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-97
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Assistance Program, Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7, 13-9
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
Audio System Chime Level Adjustment . . . . . . . 5-6
Fixed Mast Antenna . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . . 7-2
Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . 9-31 Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Shift Lock ControlFunction Check . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Axle, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Axle, Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30