Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-17
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
The DIC is located on the
instrument panel cluster. It displays
the status of many vehicle systems
and enables some features to be
personalized.
Use the trip reset stem located on
the instrument panel cluster to scroll
through the available functions.
For more information, seeDriver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑19.
Vehicle Personalization
Some vehicle features can be
personalized through the DIC.
These features include:
.Language: English, Spanish,
or French
.Automatic Door Locks
.RKE Feedback For more information, see
Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑19.
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.
See Power Outlets on page 5‑5.
Performance and
Maintenance
Traction Control
System (TCS)
The traction control system limits
wheel spin. The system turns on
automatically every time the vehicle
is started.
.To turn off traction control, press
and release the TCS/StabiliTrak
button on the instrument panel.
gilluminates and the appropriate
DIC message is displayed. See
Ride Control System Messages
on page 5‑25.
.Press and release the TCS/
StabiliTrak button again to turn
on traction control.
For more information, see Traction
Control System (TCS) on
page 9‑42.
Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
1-18 In Brief
StabiliTrak®System
The StabiliTrak system assists with
directional control of the vehicle in
difficult driving conditions. The
system turns on automatically every
time the vehicle is started.
.To turn off both traction control
and StabiliTrak, press and hold
the TCS/StabiliTrak button
until
gilluminates and the
appropriate DIC message is
displayed. See Ride Control
System Messages on page 5‑25.
.Press and release the TCS/
StabiliTrak button again to turn
on both systems.
For more information, see
StabiliTrak
®System on page 9‑44.
Tire Pressure Monitor
This vehicle may have a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).
The TPMS warning light alerts you
to a significant loss in pressure of
one of the vehicle's tires. If the
warning light comes on, stop as
soon as possible and inflate the
tires to the recommended pressure
shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label. See Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑16. The warning
light will remain on until the tire
pressure is corrected.
During cooler conditions, the low tire
pressure warning light may appear
when the vehicle is first started and
then turn off. This may be an early indicator that the tire pressures are
getting low and the tires need to be
inflated to the proper pressure.
The TPMS does not replace normal
monthly tire maintenance. It is the
driver
’s responsibility to maintain
correct tire pressures.
See Tire Pressure Monitor System
on page 10‑54.Engine Oil Life System
The engine oil life system calculates
engine oil life based on vehicle use
and displays a DIC message when
it is necessary to change the engine
oil and filter.
Resetting the Oil Life System
1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN,
with the engine off.
2. Press and release the stem in the lower center of the
instrument cluster until the OIL
LIFE message is displayed.
Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-19
3. Once the alternating OIL LIFEand RESET messages appear,
press and hold the stem until
several beeps sound. This
confirms that the oil life system
has been reset.
4. Turn the key to LOCK/OFF.
See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑12.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Roadside Assistance
Program
U.S.: 1-800-243-8872
TTY Users (U.S.): 1-888-889-2438
Canada: 1-800-268-6800
Mexico: 01-800-466-0800
As the owner of a new Chevrolet,
you are automatically enrolled in the
Roadside Assistance program. See
Roadside Assistance Program
(U.S. and Canada) on page 13‑7
or Roadside Assistance Program
(Mexico) on page 13‑9 for more
information.
Roadside Assistance and OnStar
(U.S. and Canada)
If you have an active OnStar
subscription, press the
Qbutton
and the current GPS location will
be sent to an OnStar advisor who
will assess your problem, contact
Roadside Assistance, and relay
your exact location to get the help
you need.
Online Owner Center (U.S. and
Canada)
The Online Owner Center is
a complimentary service that
includes online service reminders,
vehicle maintenance tips, online
owner manual, special privileges,
and more.
Sign up today at:
www.chevyownercenter.com
(U.S.) or www.gm.ca (Canada).
Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
5-20 Instruments and Controls
Trip Odometer
Press and release the reset stem
until TRIP appears on the DIC
display. The trip odometer shows
the current distance traveled since
the last reset of the trip odometer in
either miles for the United States or
kilometers for Canada.
To reset the trip odometer, press
and hold the reset stem until the
display returns to zero.
Engine Oil Life System
With the engine off, turn the key
to ON/RUN and then press the
reset stem until OIL LIFE RESET
appears—alternating between OIL
LIFE and RESET —on the DIC
display. The CHANGE OIL message
alerts you to change the oil on a
schedule consistent with your
driving conditions. Always reset
the OIL LIFE message after an oil
change. To reset the message,
see Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑12. In addition to the engine oil life
system monitoring the oil life,
additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance
Schedule in this manual. See
Engine Oil on page 10‑9
and
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3 for more information.
Personalization Features
Language
This feature allows you to choose
the language in which the DIC
display shows information.
To set your choice for this feature:
1. With the engine off, turn the key
to ON/RUN, but do not start the
engine.
2. Close all doors so the DOORS message does not display in
the DIC.
3. Momentarily press and release the reset stem until the current
language is displayed: English
(default), Spanish, or French. 4. To select a different language,
press and hold the reset stem
until the next language appears.
5. Repeat Step 4 until the desired language is displayed. Once the
desired language is shown on
the DIC display, the language
is set.
6. To exit the language selection, momentarily press and
release the reset stem. All DIC
messages will now display in the
language selected.
Automatic Door Locks
This feature allows you to program
the door locks to a preferred setting.
To set your choice for this feature:
1. With the engine off, turn the key to LOCK/OFF. Do not remove
the key from the ignition.
2. Press and hold the power door lock button until the DIC
display shows the current door
lock mode.
Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
5-24 Instruments and Controls
ENG (Engine) HOT
This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is
hot. Check the engine coolant
temperature gauge. SeeEngine
Coolant Temperature Gauge on
page 5‑9. Have your vehicle
serviced by your dealer as soon
as possible if you suspect the
engine is overheating. See Engine
Overheating on page 10‑22 for more
information.
Engine Oil Messages
CHANGE OIL
This message displays when the oil
needs to be changed. Check the oil
in your vehicle as soon as possible
and have your vehicle serviced by
your dealer. See Engine Oil on
page 10‑9 andMaintenance
Schedule on page 11‑3 for more
information. Press and release the
reset stem to acknowledge the
message and clear it from the
display.
OIL
This message displays when the oil
pressure is low. See Engine Oil
Pressure Light on page 5‑18 and
Engine Oil on page 10‑9 for more
information.
Engine Power Messages
REDUCED POWER
This message displays when the
vehicle's engine power is reduced.
Reduced engine power can affect
the vehicle's ability to accelerate.
If this message is on, but there
is no reduction in performance,
proceed to your destination. The
performance may be reduced the
next time the vehicle is driven. The
vehicle may be driven at a reduced
speed while this message is on,
but acceleration and speed may be
reduced. Anytime this message
stays on, the vehicle should be
taken to your dealer for service as soon as possible. Press and release
the reset stem to acknowledge
the message and clear it from the
display.
Fuel System Messages
FUEL CAP
This message displays if the
vehicle's fuel cap is either off or
loose. Pull over as soon as possible
and check to see if the fuel cap is
secure. You may also see the check
engine light on the instrument panel
cluster. If the check engine light
does come on when the fuel cap
was loose, it may take a few driving
trips before the light turns off. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 5‑13
for more information
if the light still remains on. Press
and release the reset stem to
acknowledge the message and
clear it from the display.
Black plate (60,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
10-60 Vehicle Care
Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor
System. SeeTire Pressure
Monitor Operation on
page 10‑56.
Check that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel
Nut Torque” underCapacities
and Specifications on
page 12‑2.
{WARNING
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the
parts to which it is fastened, can
make wheel nuts become loose
after time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When
changing a wheel, remove any
rust or dirt from places where the
wheel attaches to the vehicle. In
an emergency, a cloth or a paper
towel can be used; however, use
a scraper or wire brush later to
remove all rust or dirt.
Lightly coat the center of the
wheel hub with wheel bearing
grease after a wheel change or
tire rotation to prevent corrosion
or rust build-up. Do not get
grease on the flat wheel
mounting surface or on the
wheel nuts or bolts.
When It Is Time for New
Tires
Factors, such as maintenance,
temperatures, driving speeds,
vehicle loading, and road conditions
affect the wear rate of the tires.Treadwear indicators are one way
to tell when it is time for new tires.
Treadwear indicators appear when
the tires have only 1.6 mm (1/16 in)
or less of tread remaining. Some
commercial truck tires may not
have treadwear indicators. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑59 andTire
Rotation on page 10‑59 for
additional information.
The rubber in tires ages over time.
This also applies to the spare tire,
if the vehicle has one, even if it is
never used. Multiple conditions
including temperatures, loading
conditions, and inflation pressure
Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
Service and Maintenance 11-3
Maintenance
Schedule
Owner Checks and Services
At Each Fuel Stop
.Check the engine oil level. See
Engine Oil on page 10‑9.
Once a Month
.Check the tire inflation
pressures. See Tire Pressure on
page 10‑52.
.Inspect the tires for wear. See
Tire Inspection on page 10‑59.
.Check the windshield washer
fluid level. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑25.
Engine Oil Change
When the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message displays, have the
engine oil and filter changed within
the next 1 000 km/600 mi. If driven
under the best conditions, the
engine oil life system might not
indicate the need for vehicle service
for more than a year. The engine oil
and filter must be changed at least
once a year and the oil life system
must be reset. Your trained dealer
technician can perform this work.
If the engine oil life system is reset
accidentally, service the vehicle
within 5 000 km/3,000 mi since
the last service. Reset the oil life
system when the oil is changed.
See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑12.
Tire Rotation and Required
Services Every 12 000 km/
7,500 mi
Rotate the tires, if recommended
for the vehicle, and perform the
following services. See Tire
Rotation on page 10‑59.
.Check engine oil level and oil
life percentage. If needed,
change engine oil and filter, and
reset oil life system. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑9 andEngine Oil
Life System on page 10‑12.
.Check engine coolant level. See
Engine Coolant on page 10‑19.
.Check windshield washer fluid
level. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑25.