Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
8-6 Climate Controls
Rear Climate Control System
For vehicles with a rear heating and air-conditioning system, it controls the
temperature, fan speed and air delivery for the rear-seat passengers only.
The front climate control panel is located in the overhead console between
the driver and front passenger.
Front Climate Control Panel
A. Fan Control
B. Air Delivery Mode Control
C. Temperature Control Use this control panel to maintain a
separate temperature setting. Adjust
the direction of the airflow or adjust
the fan speed for the rear seat
passenger(s).
Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
Climate Controls 8-7
When the fan knob is in the AUX position, the rear climate control panel can
be used to adjust the climate settings in the rear seating area.
Rear Climate Control Panel
A. Fan Control
B. Air Delivery Mode Control
C. Temperature Control For vehicles with a rear climate
control panel, it is located overhead
behind the driver and front
passenger, centered in front of the
second row. To adjust the rear
climate control panel settings by a
rear seat passenger, the front
climate control panel fan knob must
be in the AUX position. The fan
speed, air delivery mode, and
temperature can then be adjusted.AUX (Auxiliary):
Turn the fan knob
on the front climate control panel to
AUX to let rear seat passengers use
the control panel in the rear seating
area. This disables the front control
panel. To return control to the front
panel, move the fan knob out
of AUX.
9: Turns the system off.
9(Fan Control): Turn clockwise
or counterclockwise to increase or
decrease the fan speed in the
rear-seating area.
Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
8-8 Climate Controls
Temperature Control:
Turn clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase
or decrease the temperature
in the rear‐seating area.
The air-conditioning system on the
main climate control panel must be
turned on to direct cooled air to the
rear of the vehicle. If it is not on,
then the temperature in the rear of
the vehicle remains at cabin
temperature.Air Delivery Mode Control:
Turn clockwise or counterclockwise
to change the direction of the airflow
in the rear seating area.
To change the current mode, select
one of the following:
H(Vent):
Air is directed to the
upper outlets, with some directed to
the floor outlets.
2(Floor): Air is directed to the
floor outlets.
Be sure to keep the area under the
front seats clear of any objects so
that the air inside of the vehicle can
circulate effectively.
For information on how to use the
main climate control system, see
Climate Control Systems on
page 8‑1. For information on
ventilation, see Air Vents on
page 8‑8.
Air Vents
Use the outlets located near the
center and on the sides of the
instrument panel to change the
direction of airflow.
Operation Tips
.Clear away any ice, snow or
leaves from the air inlets at the
base of the windshield that may
block the flow of air into the
vehicle.
.Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors may adversely affect
the performance of the system.
.Keep the path under the front
seats clear of objects to help
circulate the air inside of the
vehicle more effectively.
Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
9-2 Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention
away from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, always
keep your eyes on the road, hands
on the wheel, and mind on the drive.
.Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
.Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices.
.Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
.Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
.Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
.Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
.Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
.Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.
{WARNING
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.
Refer to the infotainment section for
more information on using that
system, including pairing and using
a cell phone.
If equipped, refer to the navigation
manual for information on that
system, including pairing and using
a cell phone.
Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-9
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use theRoadside
Assistance Program (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑8 orRoadside
Assistance Program (Mexico) on
page 13‑10. To get help and keep
everyone in the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{WARNING
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO) which
cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness
and even death.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
.Clear away snow from around
the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe and/or the
fuel operated heater exhaust
system, if equipped. If the
vehicle has a diesel engine
and a fuel operated heater,
see“Fuel Operated Heater
(FOH)” in the diesel engine
supplement.
.Check again from time to
time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
.Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the
wind to bring in fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Adjust the Climate Control
system to a setting that
circulates the air inside the
vehicle and set the fan speed
to the highest setting. See
Climate Control Systems in
the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑24.
Snow can trap exhaust gases
under the vehicle. This can cause
deadly CO (carbon monoxide)
gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You
cannot see it or smell it, so you
might not know it is in the vehicle.
Clear away snow from around the
base of the vehicle, especially
any that is blocking the exhaust.
Run the engine for short periods
only as needed to keep warm, but
be careful.
Black plate (47,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-47
Driving with a Trailer
{WARNING
When towing a trailer, exhaust
gases may collect at the rear of
the vehicle and enter if the
liftgate, trunk/hatch, or rear-most
window is open.
Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
To maximize safety when towing
a trailer:
.Have the exhaust system
inspected for leaks and make
necessary repairs before
starting a trip.
.Never drive with the liftgate,
trunk/hatch, or rear-most
window open.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
.Adjust the Climate Control
system to a setting that
brings in only outside air and
set the fan speed to the
highest setting. See Climate
Control System in the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑24.
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. Get to know
the rig before setting out for the
open road. Get acquainted with the
feel of handling and braking with the
added weight of the trailer. And
always keep in mind that the vehicle
you are driving is now longer and
not as responsive as the vehicle is
by itself. Before starting, check all trailer hitch
parts and attachments, safety
chains, electrical connectors, lamps,
tires and mirror adjustments. If the
trailer has electric brakes, start the
vehicle and trailer moving and then
apply the trailer brake controller by
hand to be sure the brakes are
working. This checks the electrical
connection at the same time.
During the trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure,
and that the lamps and any trailer
brakes are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid situations
that require heavy braking and
sudden turns.
Black plate (68,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
10-68 Vehicle Care
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width.
For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires
by treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance.
This applies only to vehicles
sold in the United States.
The grades are molded on the
sidewalls of most passenger
car tires.The Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG) system
does not apply to deep tread,
winter-type snow tires,
space-saver, or temporary use
spare tires, tires with nominal
rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test
course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1½) times as well on the
government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and
differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
i-2 INDEX
B
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . 10-34
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-24
Brake System Warning Light . . . 5-23
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26 Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 9-16
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Center High-MountedStoplamp (CHMSL) . . . . . . . 10-39
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35 Bulb Replacement (cont'd)
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . 10-40
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . iii
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Cargo Door Relocking . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Cautions, Danger, and
Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-71 Charging System Light . . . . . . . . 5-20
Check
Engine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
IgnitionTransmission Lock . . . . . . . . 10-33
Child Restraints Infants and Young
Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-40
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . 3-46
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38
Securing . . . . . . . . . . 3-53, 3-55, 3-58
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-42
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Cleaning Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-93
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-97
Climate Control System Rear Heating System . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . 8-1
Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12