Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
Service and Maintenance 11-3
{WARNING
Performing maintenance work can
be dangerous and can cause
serious injury. Perform
maintenance work only if the
required information, proper tools,
and equipment are available.
If they are not, see your dealer to
have a trained technician do the
work. SeeDoing Your Own
Service Work on page 10‑4.
Maintenance
Schedule
Owner Checks and Services
At Each Fuel Stop
.Check the engine oil level.
See Engine Oil on page 10‑7.
Once a Month
.Check the tire inflation
pressures. See Tire Pressure on
page 10‑56.
.Inspect the tires for wear. See
Tire Inspection on page 10‑62.
.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 10‑10.
Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
11-4 Service and Maintenance
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. SeeTire
Rotation on page 10‑62.
.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 10‑7 andEngine Oil
Life System on page 10‑10.
.Check engine coolant level. See
Engine Coolant on page 10‑18.
.Check windshield washer fluid
level. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑25.
.Visually inspect windshield wiper
blades for wear, cracking,
or contamination. See Exterior
Care on page 10‑93. Replace
worn or damaged wiper blades.
See Wiper Blade Replacement
on page 10‑34.
.Check tire inflation pressures.
See Tire Pressure on
page 10‑56.
.Inspect tire wear. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑62.
.Visually check for fluid leaks.
.Inspect engine air cleaner filter.
See Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑16.
.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 10‑93.
.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 10‑93.
.Check starter switch. See Starter
Switch Check on page 10‑33.
.Check automatic transmission
shift lock control function. See
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function Check on
page 10‑33.
.Check ignition transmission lock.
See Ignition Transmission Lock
Check on page 10‑33.
.Check parking brake and
automatic transmission park
mechanism. See Park Brake and
P (Park) Mechanism Check on
page 10‑34.
.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.
Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
Service and Maintenance 11-9
Battery
The battery supplies power to
start the engine and operate any
additional electrical accessories.
.To avoid break‐down or failure to
start the vehicle, maintain a
battery with full cranking power.
.Trained dealer technicians have
the diagnostic equipment to test
the battery and ensure that the
connections and cables are
corrosion‐free.
Belts
.Belts may need replacing if
they squeak or show signs of
cracking or splitting.
.Trained dealer technicians
can inspect the belts and
recommend replacement
when necessary. Brakes
Brakes stop the vehicle and are
crucial to safe driving.
.Signs of brake wear may include
chirping, grinding, or squealing
noises, or difficulty stopping.
.Trained dealer technicians have
access to tools and equipment
to inspect the brakes and
recommend quality parts
engineered for the vehicle.
Fluids
Proper fluid levels and approved
fluids protect the vehicle’s
systems and components.
See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑12 for
GM approved fluids.
.Engine oil and windshield
washer fluid levels should be
checked at every fuel fill.
.Instrument cluster lights may
come on to indicate that fluids
may be low and need to be
filled. Hoses
Hoses transport fluids and should
be regularly inspected to ensure
that there are no cracks or leaks.
With a multi‐point inspection, your
dealer can inspect the hoses and
advise if replacement is needed.
Lamps
Properly working headlamps,
taillamps, and brake lamps are
important to see and be seen on
the road.
.Signs that the headlamps need
attention include dimming, failure
to light, cracking, or damage.
The brake lamps need to be
checked periodically to ensure
that they light when braking.
.With a multi‐point inspection,
your dealer can check the lamps
and note any concerns.
Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
11-12 Service and Maintenance
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
This maintenance section applies to vehicles with a gasoline engine. If the vehicle has a diesel engine, see the
maintenance schedule section in the Duramax Diesel Supplement.
Fluids and lubricants identified below by name, part number, or specification can be obtained from your dealer.Usage Fluid/Lubricant
Engine Oil Use only engine oil licensed to the dexos1 specfication, or equivalent, of
the proper SAE viscosity grade. ACDelco dexos1 Synthetic Blend is
recommended. See
Engine Oil on page 10‑7.
Engine Coolant 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and use only DEX-COOL Coolant.
See
Engine Coolant on page 10‑18.
Hydraulic Brake System DOT 3 Hydraulic Brake Fluid (GM Part No. 12377967, in
Canada 89021320).
Windshield Washer Optikleen
®Washer Solvent.
Parking Brake Cable Guides Chassis Lubricant (GM Part No. 12377985, in Canada 88901242) or
lubricant meeting requirements of NLGI #2, Category LB or GC-LB.
Power Steering System GM Power Steering Fluid (GM Part No. 89021184, in Canada 89021186).
Automatic Transmission DEXRON
®‐VI Automatic Transmission Fluid.
Key Lock Cylinders Multi-Purpose Lubricant, Superlube (GM Part No. 12346241, in
Canada 10953474).
Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
i-4 INDEX
E
E85 Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-58
Electrical System Engine CompartmentFuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Floor Console Fuse Block . . 10-46
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Emergency, OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Check and Service EngineSoon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 10-6
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Cooling System Messages . . . 5-36
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-5
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20 Engine (cont'd)
Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 9-24
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Enhanced Technology Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Entry/Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . 13-20
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 3-16
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 6-2
F
Fan Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3 Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 6-5
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-99
Fluid AutomaticTransmission . . . . . . . 10-11, 10-13
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Front Seats
Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Front Turn Signal Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40 Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . 9-41
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . 9-41
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
i-12 INDEX
W
WarningBrake System Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv Cautions and Danger . . . . . . . . . . . .iv
Hazard Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Wheels Alignment and Tire
Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-69
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-70 When It Is Time for New
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . 3-45
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16 Enhanced TechnologyGlass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Swing-out Windows . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 10-34