2012 CHEVROLET EXPRESS PASSANGER engine

Black plate (40,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
5-40 Instruments and Controls
Airbag System Messages
SERVICE AIR BAG
This message displays if there is a
problem with the airbag system.
Have your dealer inspect the
system for problems. SeeAirbag
Readiness Light on page 5‑18 and
Airbag System on page 3‑18 for
more information.
Anti-theft Alarm System
Messages
SERVICE THEFT DETERRENT
SYSTEM
This message displays when there
is a problem with the theft-deterrent
system. The vehicle may or may not
restart so you may want to take the
vehicle to your dealer before turning
off the engine. See Immobilizer
Operation on page 2‑12 for more
information.
WAIT TO START
This message displays briefly when
the theft-deterrent system has
initially found incorrect conditions
within the vehicle and is making a
double check. If your vehicle does
not start soon after, try to start it
again. If it still does not start, have
your vehicle serviced by your
dealer.
Service Vehicle Messages
SERVICE A/C SYSTEM
This message displays when the
electronic sensors that control the
air conditioning and heating
systems are no longer working.
Have the climate control system
serviced by your dealer if you notice
a drop in heating and air
conditioning efficiency.
SERVICE VEHICLE SOON
This message displays when a
non-emissions related malfunction
occurs. Have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer as soon as possible.
STARTING DISABLED
SERVICE THROTTLE
This message displays if the starting
of the engine is disabled due to the
electronic throttle control system.
Have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer immediately.
This message only appears while
the ignition is in ON/RUN, and will
not disappear until the problem is
resolved.
This message cannot be
acknowledged.

Black plate (42,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
5-42 Instruments and Controls
Transmission Messages
SERVICE TRANSMISSION
This message displays when there
is a problem with the transmission.
See your dealer for service.
TRANSMISSION HOT IDLE
ENGINE
Notice:If you drive the vehicle
while the transmission fluid is
overheating and the transmission
temperature warning is displayed
on the instrument panel cluster
and/or DIC, you can damage the
transmission. This could lead to
costly repairs that would not be
covered by the warranty. Do not
drive the vehicle with overheated
transmission fluid or while the
transmission temperature
warning is displayed. This message displays along with a
chime if the transmission fluid in the
vehicle gets hot. Driving with the
transmission fluid temperature high
can cause damage to the vehicle.
Stop the vehicle and let it idle to
allow the transmission to cool. This
message clears and the chime
stops when the fluid temperature
reaches a safe level.
Vehicle Reminder
Messages
ICE POSSIBLE DRIVE
WITH CARE
This message displays when the
outside air temperature is cold
enough to create icy road
conditions. Adjust your driving
accordingly.
Vehicle
Personalization
This vehicle may have
customization capabilities that allow
you to program certain features to
one preferred setting. Customization
features can only be programmed to
one setting on the vehicle and
cannot be programmed to a
preferred setting for two different
drivers.
All of the customization options may
not be available on your vehicle.
Only the options available will be
displayed on the DIC.
The default settings for the
customization features were set
when the vehicle left the factory, but
may have been changed from their
default state since then.
The customization preferences are
automatically recalled.
To change customization
preferences, use the following
procedure.

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
6-8 Lighting
A high electrical load occurs when
several of the following are on,
such as: headlamps, high beams,
fog lamps, rear window defogger,
climate control fan at high speed,
heated seats, engine cooling fans,
trailer loads, and loads plugged into
accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive
discharge of the battery. It does this
by balancing the generator's output
and the vehicle's electrical needs.
It can increase engine idle speed to
generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce
the power demands of some
accessories.Normally, these actions occur in
steps or levels, without being
noticeable. In rare cases at the
highest levels of corrective action,
this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a Driver Information
Center (DIC) message might be
displayed, such as SERVICE
BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM.
If this messages displays, it is
recommended that the driver reduce
the electrical loads as much as
possible. See
Battery Voltage and
Charging Messages on page 5‑34.Battery Power Protection
This feature shuts off the dome
lamps if they are left on for more
than 10 minutes when the ignition is
in LOCK/OFF. This helps to prevent
the battery from running down.

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
7-2 Infotainment System
To minimize taking your eyes off the
road while driving, do the following
while the vehicle is parked:
.Become familiar with the
operation and controls of the
audio system.
.Set up the tone, speaker
adjustments, and preset radio
stations.
For more information, see Defensive
Driving on page 9‑3.
Notice: Contact your dealer
before adding any equipment.
Adding audio or communication
equipment could interfere with
the operation of the engine, radio,
or other systems, and could
damage them. Follow federal
rules covering mobile radio and
telephone equipment. Notice:
The chime signals related
to safety belts, parking brake, and
other functions of the vehicle
operate through the radio/
entertainment system. If that
equipment is replaced or
additional equipment is added to
the vehicle, the chimes may not
work. Make sure that replacement
or additional equipment is
compatible with the vehicle
before installing it. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10‑3.
The vehicle has Retained
Accessory Power (RAP). With RAP,
the audio system can be played
even after the ignition is turned off.
See Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) on page 9‑21 for more
information.
Theft-Deterrent Feature
The theft-deterrent feature works by
learning a portion of the Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN) to the
infotainment system. The
infotainment system does not
operate if it is stolen or moved to a
different vehicle.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
8-4 Climate Controls
Rear Window Defogger
For vehicles with a rear window
defogger, a warming grid is used
to remove fog or frost from the
rear window.
It only works when the ignition
is in ON/RUN.
1(Rear Window Defogger):
Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off.
The rear window defogger turns off
several minutes after the button is
pressed. If turned on again, the
defogger will run for several more
minutes before turning off. The
defogger can also be turned off by
turning off the engine.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear. Notice:
Do not use a razor blade
or sharp object to clear the inside
rear window. Do not adhere
anything to the defogger grid
lines in the rear glass. These
actions may damage the rear
defogger. Repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.

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 (4,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
9-4 Driving and Operating
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
.Avoid needless heavy braking.
.Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Hydraulic Power Steering
Your vehicle has hydraulic
power steering. It may require
maintenance. See Power Steering
Fluid Power Steering Fluid on
page 10‑24.
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or the
power steering system is not
functioning, the vehicle can be
steered but may required increased
effort. See your dealer if there is
a problem.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
.Reduce speed before entering
a curve.
.Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve
.Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-7
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
.Have good tires with proper
tread depth. SeeTires on
page 10‑49.
.Turn off cruise control.
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to
your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find a
safe place to park the vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep the interior
temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving —scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{WARNING
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.