2012 CHEVROLET EXPRESS PASSANGER steering wheel

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-5
Windshield Wiper/Washer
The windshield wiper control is
located on the multifunction lever on
the left side of the steering wheel.
Turn the band with
Non it to select
the wiper speed.
8(Mist): Use for a single wipe.
Hold the band on
z, then release.
For several wipes, hold the band
on
zlonger.
6(Adjustable Interval Wipes):
Use to adjust the delay time
between wipes. Turn the band up
for more frequent wipes or down for
less frequent wipes.
d(Low Speed): Slow wipes.
a(High Speed): Fast wipes.
9(Off):Use to turn the
wipers off.
When driving during the day and
the wipers are activated, the head
lamps automatically turn on after
completing eight wipe cycles.
Clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before using them. If frozen
to the windshield, carefully loosen or
thaw them. Damaged blades should
be replaced.
Windshield Washer
The windshield wiper paddle is
located on top of the multifunction
lever.
L(Washer Fluid): Push the
paddle to spray washer fluid on the
windshield. The wipers will clear the
window and then either stop or
return to the preset speed.
{WARNING
In freezing weather, do not use
the washer until the windshield is
warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can form ice on the
windshield, blocking your vision.

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-23
Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs
Some local governments may have
programs to inspect the on-vehicle
emission control equipment. For the
inspection, the emission system test
equipment is connected to the
vehicle’s Data Link
Connector (DLC).
The DLC is under the instrument
panel to the left of the steering
wheel. See your dealer if assistance
is needed.
The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
.The malfunction indicator lamp is
on with the engine running, or if
the light does not come on when
the ignition is turned to ON/RUNwhile the engine is off. See your
dealer for assistance in verifying
proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp.
.The OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics) system determines
that critical emission control
systems have not been
completely diagnosed. The
vehicle would be considered not
ready for inspection. This can
happen if the 12-volt battery has
recently been replaced or run
down. The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical
emission control systems during
normal driving. This can take
several days of routine driving.
If this has been done and the
vehicle still does not pass the
inspection for lack of OBD II
system readiness, your dealer
can prepare the vehicle for
inspection.
Brake System Warning
Light
The vehicle brake system consists
of two hydraulic circuits. If one
circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the
vehicle. For normal braking
performance, both circuits need to
be working.
If the warning light comes on, there
could be a brake problem. Have the
brake system inspected right away.
MetricEnglish
This light should come on briefly
when ignition key is turned to ON/
RUN. If it does not come on, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn if
there is a problem.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
Lighting 6-1
Lighting
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Automatic Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . 6-5
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel IlluminationControl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Lighting Features
Entry/Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Battery Load Management . . . . 6-7
Battery Power Protection . . . . . . 6-8
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls
The exterior lamp control is located
on the instrument panel to the left of
the steering wheel.
It controls the following systems:
.Headlamps
.Taillamps
.Parking Lamps
.License Plate Lamps
.Instrument Panel Lights The exterior lamp control has
four positions:
O(Off):
Briefly turn the control to
this position to turn the automatic
headlamps and Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) off or back on.
For vehicles first sold in Canada,
the off position only works for
vehicles that are shifted into the
P (Park) position.
AUTO (Automatic): Turns on the
headlamps automatically at normal
brightness, together with the
following:
.Parking Lamps
.Instrument Panel Lights
.Taillamps
.License Plate Lamps
;(Parking Lamps): Turns on the
parking lamps together with the
following:
.Instrument Panel Lights
.Taillamps
.License Plate Lamps

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
Infotainment System 7-9
4. Press and hold one of thesix numbered softkeys for
three seconds until a beep
sounds. When that softkey is
pressed and released, the
station that was set, returns.
5. Repeat Steps 2 through 4 for each softkey.
Storing a Radio Station as a
Favorite
Drivers are encouraged to set up
their radio station favorites while the
vehicle is parked. Tune to favorite
stations using the presets, favorites
button, and steering wheel controls,
if the vehicle has this feature. See
Defensive Driving on page 9‑3.
FAV (Favorites): If the vehicle
has a FAV button, a maximum of
36 stations can be programmed as
favorites using the six softkeys
positioned below the radio station
frequency tabs and by using
the radio favorites page button
(FAV button). Press the FAV button to go through
up to six pages of favorites, each
having six favorite stations available
per page. Each page of favorites
can contain any combination of AM
and FM stations.
The balance/fade and tone settings
that were previously adjusted, are
stored with the favorite stations.
To store a station as a favorite:
1. Tune to the desired radio station.
2. Press the FAV button to display
the page where the station is to
be stored.
3. Press and hold one of the six softkeys until a beep sounds.
When that softkey is pressed
and released, the station that
was set, returns.
4. Repeat the steps for each softkey radio station you want
stored as a favorite. The number of favorites pages can
be set up using the MENU button.
To set up the number of favorites
pages:
1. Press the MENU button to
display the radio setup menu.
2. Press the softkey located below the FAV 1-6 tab.
3. Select the desired number of favorites pages by pressing the
softkey located below the
displayed page numbers.
4. Press the FAV button, or let the menu time out, to return to the
original main radio screen
showing the radio station
frequency tabs and to begin the
process of programming your
favorites for the chosen number
of numbered pages.

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
Infotainment System 7-11
Storing a Radio Station as a
Favorite
Drivers are encouraged to set up
their radio station favorites while the
vehicle is parked. Tune to favorite
stations using the presets, favorites
button, and steering wheel controls,
if the vehicle has this feature. See
Defensive Driving on page 9‑3.
FAV (Favorites):If the vehicle
has a FAV button, a maximum of
36 stations can be programmed as
favorites using the six softkeys
positioned below the radio station
frequency tabs and by using the
radio favorites page button (FAV
button). Press the FAV button to go
through up to six pages of favorites,
each having six favorite stations
available per page. Each page
of favorites can contain any
combination of AM and FM stations. The balance/fade and tone settings
that were previously adjusted, are
stored with the favorite stations.
To store a station as a favorite:
1. Tune to the desired radio station.
2. Press the FAV button to display
the page where the station is to
be stored.
3. Press and hold one of the six softkeys until a beep sounds.
When that softkey is pressed
and released, the station that
was set, returns.
4. Repeat the steps for each softkey radio station you want
stored as a favorite. The number of favorites pages can
be set up using the MENU button.
To setup the number of favorites
pages:
1. Press the MENU button to
display the radio setup menu.
2. Press the softkey located below the FAV 1-6 tab.
3. Select the desired number of favorites pages by pressing the
softkey located below the
displayed page numbers.
4. Press the FAV button, or let the menu time out, to return to the
original main radio screen
showing the radio station
frequency tabs and to begin the
process of programming your
favorites for the chosen amount
of numbered pages.

Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
Infotainment System 7-25
When to Speak:A short tone
sounds after the system responds
indicating when it is waiting for a
voice command. Wait until the tone
and then speak.
How to Speak: Speak clearly in a
calm and natural voice.
Audio System
When using the in‐vehicle Bluetooth
system, sound comes through the
vehicle's front audio system
speakers and overrides the audio
system. Use the audio system
volume knob, during a call, to
change the volume level. The
adjusted volume level remains in
memory for later calls. To prevent
missed calls, a minimum volume
level is used if the volume is turned
down too low.
Bluetooth Controls
Use the buttons located on the
steering wheel to operate the in‐
vehicle Bluetooth system. See
Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑2 for more information.
b/g(Mute/Push To Talk): Press
to answer incoming calls, confirm
system information, and start
speech recognition.
c/x(End): Press to end a call,
reject a call, or cancel an operation.
Pairing
A Bluetooth enabled cell phone
must be paired to the Bluetooth
system and then connected to the
vehicle before it can be used. See
the cell phone manufacturer's user
guide for Bluetooth functions before
pairing the cell phone. If a Bluetooth
phone is not connected, calls will be
made using OnStar Hands‐Free
Calling, if equipped. See OnStar
Overview on page 14‑1 for more
information. Pairing Information
.A Bluetooth phone with MP3
capability cannot be paired to
the vehicle as a phone and an
MP3 player at the same time.
.Up to five cell phones can be
paired to the Bluetooth system.
.The pairing process is disabled
when the vehicle is moving.
.Pairing only needs to be
completed once, unless the
pairing information on the cell
phone changes or the cell phone
is deleted from the system.
.Only one paired cell phone can
be connected to the Bluetooth
system at a time.
.If multiple paired cell phones are
within range of the system, the
system connects to the first
available paired cell phone in the
order that they were first paired
to the system. To connect to a
different paired phone, see
“Connecting to a Different
Phone”
later in this section.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-7
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-10
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-16
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21 Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission(Six Speed) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Automatic Transmission (Four Speed) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Brakes
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Ride Control Systems
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Gasoline Specifications (U.S. and Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-41
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 9-42
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-58

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-5
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
.Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
.Antilock Brake System (ABS)
allows steering while braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator andthen, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement. 2. Turn the steering wheel about
one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge.
3. Then turn the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are
not rolling.
.Steering or Cornering
Skid —too much speed or
steering in a curve causes tires
to slip and lose cornering force.
.Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.