2012 CHEVROLET EXPRESS check transmission fluid

Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
10-20 Vehicle Care
If there is still no sign of steam,
push down the accelerator until the
engine speed is about twice as fast
as normal idle speed for at least
three minutes while parked. If the
warning is still on, turn off the
engine until it cools down.
If the decision is made not to lift the
hood, get service help right away.
Engine Fan
The vehicle has a clutched engine
cooling fan. When the clutch is
engaged, the fan spins faster to
provide more air to cool the engine.
In most everyday driving conditions,
the fan is spinning slower and the
clutch is not fully engaged. This
improves fuel economy and reduces
fan noise. Under heavy vehicle
loading, trailer towing, and/or high
outside temperatures, the fan speed
increases as the clutch more fully
engages, so an increase in fan
noise may be heard. This is normal
and should not be mistaken as the
transmission slipping or makingextra shifts. It is merely the cooling
system functioning properly. The fan
will slow down when additional
cooling is not required and the
clutch partially disengages.
This fan noise may be heard when
starting the engine. It will go away
as the fan clutch partially
disengages.
Power Steering Fluid
The power steering fluid reservoir is
in the engine compartment on the
driver side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview on
page 10-5
for reservoir location.
When to Check Power Steering
Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly
check power steering fluid unless
there is a leak suspected in the
system or an unusual noise is
heard. A fluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the
system inspected and repaired.
How to Check Power Steering
Fluid
To check the power steering fluid:
1. Turn the key off and let the
engine compartment cool down.
2. Wipe the cap and the top of the reservoir clean.
3. Unscrew the cap and wipe the dipstick with a clean rag.
4. Replace the cap and completely tighten it.
5. Remove the cap again and look at the fluid level on the dipstick.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
11-4 Service and Maintenance
.Visually inspect windshield wiper
blades for wear, cracking,
or contamination. SeeExterior
Care on page 10-80. Replace
worn or damaged wiper blades.
See Wiper Blade Replacement
on page 10-28.
.Check tire inflation pressures.
See Tire Pressure on
page 10-50.
.Inspect tire wear. See Tire
Inspection on page 10-56.
.Visually check for fluid leaks.
.Inspect engine air cleaner filter.
See Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10-12.
.Inspect brake system.
.Visually inspect steering,
suspension, and chassis
components for damaged, loose,
or missing parts or signs of
wear. See Exterior Care on
page 10-80.
.Check restraint system
components. See Safety System
Check on page 3-16.
.Visually inspect fuel system for
damage or leaks.
.Visually inspect exhaust system
and nearby heat shields for
loose or damaged parts.
.Lubricate body components. See
Exterior Care on page 10-80.
.Check starter switch. See Starter
Switch Check on page 10-26.
.Check automatic transmission
shift lock control function. See
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function Check on
page 10-27.
.Check ignition transmission lock.
See Ignition Transmission Lock
Check on page 10-27.
.Check parking brake and
automatic transmission park
mechanism. See Park Brake and
P (Park) Mechanism Check on
page 10-27.
.Check accelerator pedal for
damage, high effort, or binding.
Replace if needed.
.Visually inspect gas strut for
signs of wear, cracks, or other
damage. Check the hold open
ability of the strut. See your
dealer if service is required.
.Lubricate the steering linkage
(greasable joints) on 2500/3500
series vehicles. See Normal and
Severe Maintenance Schedules.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
11-6 Service and Maintenance
Maintenance Schedule
Additional Required
Services - Severe12 000 km/7,500 mi
24 000 km/15,000 mi
36 000 km/22,500 mi
48 000 km/30,000 mi
60 000 km/37,500 mi
72 000 km/45,000 mi
84 000 km/52,500 mi
96 000 km/60,000 mi
108 000 km/67,500 mi
120 000 km/75,000 mi
132 000 km/82,500 mi
144 000 km/90,000 mi
156 000 km/97,500 mi
168 000 km/105,000 mi 180 000 km/112,500 mi
192 000 km/120,000 mi
204 000 km/127,500 mi
216 000 km/135,000 mi
228 000 km/142,500 mi
240 000 km/150,000 mi
Rotate tires and perform Required Services.
Check engine oil level and oil life percentage.
Change engine oil and filter, if needed.
Lubricate the steering linkage (7).@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @
Inspect evaporative control system. (1)@ @@
Replace engine air cleaner filter. (2)@@@
Change automatic transmission fluid and filter.@@@
Change transfer case fluid, if equipped with
AWD. (3)@@@
Replace spark plugs. Inspect spark plug wires.@
Drain and fill engine cooling system. (4)@
Visually inspect accessory drive belts. (5)@
Replace brake fluid. (6)@
Footnotes—Maintenance
Schedule Additional Required
Services - Severe
(1) Check all fuel and vapor lines
and hoses for proper hook-up,
routing, and condition. (2)
Or every four years, whichever
comes first.
(3) Do not directly power wash the
transfer case output seals. High
pressure water can overcome the
seals and contaminate the transfer case fluid. Contaminated fluid will
decrease the life of the transfer
case and should be replaced.
(4)
Or every five years, whichever
comes first. See Cooling System on
page 10-14.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
Technical Data 12-3
ApplicationCapacities
Metric English
Fuel Tank
Cutaway (Optional Tank)* 215.7 L 57.0 gal
Cutaway (Standard Tank) 124.9 L 33.0 gal
Passenger and Cargo 117.3 L 31.0 gal
* 4 039 mm (159 in) wheelbase or 4 496 mm (177 in) wheelbase only
Wheel Nut Torque 190 Y140 lb ft
All capacities are approximate. When adding, be sure to fill to the approximate level, as recommended in this
manual. Recheck fluid level after filling.
Engine Specifications
Engine VIN CodeTransmission Spark Plug Gap
4.8L V8 FAutomatic 0.95–1.10 mm (0.037–
0.043 in)
6.0L V8 GAutomatic 0.95–1.10 mm (0.037–
0.043 in)
6.0L V8 CNG/LPG BAutomatic 0.95–1.10 mm (0.037–
0.043 in)

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
INDEX i-1
A
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Additional Information
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-6
Additional Maintenance and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . 10-12
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7
Airbag System
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
How Does an AirbagRestrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
What Will You See after an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
When Should an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . 3-19 Airbags
Adding Equipment to the
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Light On-Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
On-Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
On-Off Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Servicing Airbag-Equipped Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Antilock Brake
System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Appearance Care Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-80
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-85
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Assistance Program, Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11 CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11 Audio System
Fixed Mast Antenna . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . . 7-2
Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Automatic Transmission Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Shift Lock Control
Function Check . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Auxiliary Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Axle, Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
B
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . 10-28

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
i-2 INDEX
BluetoothOverview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-19
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22 Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33 Center High-MountedStoplamp (CHMSL) . . . . . . . 10-32
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . 10-33
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Camera Rear Vision (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . iii
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Cargo Door Relocking . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Cautions, Danger, and
Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . 5-16 Check
Engine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Ignition
Transmission Lock . . . . . . . . 10-27
Child Restraints Infants and YoungChildren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . 3-36
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43, 3-45
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Cleaning Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-80
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-85
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . 8-1 Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Rear Heating System . . . . . . . . . . 8-4
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . 13-9

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
i-4 INDEX
Electrical SystemEngine Compartment
Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Floor Console Fuse Block . . 10-39
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Emergency OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Check and Service Engine
Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 10-5
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Cooling System Messages . . . 5-31
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-4
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . 5-12 Engine (cont'd)
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 9-22
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
Enhanced Technology Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Entry/Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 6-2
F
Fan
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-17
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 6-3
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-66
FlexFuel
E85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41 Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-88
Fluid
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 10-9
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Frequency Statement
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-12
Front Seats Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Front Turn Signal
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39 Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Economy Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 5-23
Requirements, California . . . . . 9-40
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 10-74