2012 CHEVROLET SILVERADO automatic transmission

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Silverado 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 . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . 9-12
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-13
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-16
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-17
Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-26
Adjustable Throttle andBrake Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27 Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 9-32
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Parking (Manual
Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Active Fuel Management
®. . . 9-36
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-38
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . 9-44
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-58
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-61
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-62
Ride Control Systems
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 9-62
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-65
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-66
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-68
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-70
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-76
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-76
Gasoline Specifications(U.S. and Canada Only) . . . . 9-77
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-77
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-77

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
9-8 Driving and Operating
Driving on Hills
Driving safely on hills requires good
judgment and an understanding of
what the vehicle can and cannot do.
{WARNING
If the vehicle has the two‐speed
automatic transfer case, shifting
the transfer case to N (Neutral)
can cause your vehicle to roll
even if the transmission is in
P (Park) for an automatic
transmission or any gear position
for a manual transmission. This is
because the N (Neutral) position
on the transfer case overrides the
transmission. You or someone
else could be injured. If leaving
the vehicle, set the parking brake
and shift the transmission to
P (Park) for an automatic
transmission or any gear position
for a manual transmission.
Shift the transfer case to any
position but N (Neutral).Before driving on a hill, assess
the steepness, traction, and
obstructions. If the terrain ahead
cannot be seen, get out of the
vehicle and walk the hill before
driving further.
When driving on hills:.Use a low gear and keep a firm
grip on the steering wheel.
.Maintain a slow speed.
.When possible, drive straight up
or down the hill.
.Slow down when approaching
the top of the hill.
.Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible.
{WARNING
Driving to the top of a hill at high
speed can cause an accident.
There could be a drop-off,
embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be
seriously injured or killed. As you
near the top of a hill, slow down
and stay alert.
.Never go downhill forward or
backward with either the
transmission or transfer case in
N (Neutral). The brakes could
overheat and you could lose
control.
{WARNING
If the vehicle has the two‐speed
automatic transfer case, shifting
the transfer case to N (Neutral)
can cause your vehicle to roll
(Continued)

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-9
WARNING (Continued)
even if the transmission is in
P (Park). This is because the
N (Neutral) position on the
transfer case overrides the
transmission. You or someone
else could be injured. If leaving
the vehicle, set the parking brake
and shift the transmission to
P (Park). Shift the transfer case to
any position but N (Neutral).
.When driving down a hill, keep
the vehicle headed straight
down. Use a low gear because
the engine will work with the
brakes to slow the vehicle and
help keep the vehicle under
control.
{WARNING
Heavy braking when going down
a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and you or
others could be injured or killed.
Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under
control.
If the vehicle stalls on a hill:
1. Apply the brakes to stop the vehicle, and then apply the
parking brake.
2. Shift into P (Park) for an automatic transmission or
1 (First) for a manual
transmission and then restart
the engine.
.If driving uphill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to
R (Reverse), release the
parking brake, and back
straight down.
.Never try to turn the vehicle
around. If the hill is steep
enough to stall the vehicle,
it is steep enough to cause
it to roll over.
.If you cannot make it up
the hill, back straight down
the hill.
.Never back down a hill in
N (Neutral) using only the
brake.
.The vehicle can roll
backward quickly and you
could lose control.
.If driving downhill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to a
lower gear, release the
parking brake, and drive
straight down the hill.

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
9-10 Driving and Operating
3. If the vehicle cannot be restartedafter stalling, set the parking
brake, shift an automatic
transmission into P (Park) or a
manual transmission into
1 (First), and turn the vehicle off.
3.1. Leave the vehicle and
seek help.
3.2. Stay clear of the path the vehicle would take if it
rolled downhill.
.Avoid turns that take the vehicle
across the incline of the hill.
A hill that can be driven straight
up or down might be too steep to
drive across. Driving across an
incline puts more weight on the
downhill wheels which could
cause a downhill slide or a
rollover.
.Surface conditions can be a
problem. Loose gravel, muddy
spots, or even wet grass can
cause the tires to slip sideways,
downhill. If the vehicle slips sideways, it can hit something
that will trip it
–a rock, a rut,
etc. –and roll over.
.Hidden obstacles can make the
steepness of the incline more
severe. If a rock is driven across
with the uphill wheels, or if the
downhill wheels drop into a rut
or depression, the vehicle can tilt
even more.
.If an incline must be driven
across, and the vehicle starts to
slide, turn downhill. This should
help straighten out the vehicle
and prevent the side slipping.
{WARNING
Getting out of the vehicle on the
downhill side when stopped
across an incline is dangerous.
If the vehicle rolls over, you could
be crushed or killed. Always get
out on the uphill side of the
vehicle and stay well clear of the
rollover path.
Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow,
or Ice
Use a low gear when driving in
mud –the deeper the mud, the
lower the gear. Keep the vehicle
moving to avoid getting stuck.
Traction changes when driving on
sand. On loose sand, such as on
beaches or sand dunes, the tires
tend to sink into the sand. This
affects steering, accelerating, and
braking. Drive at a reduced speed
and avoid sharp turns or abrupt
maneuvers.
Traction is reduced on hard packed
snow and ice and it is easy to lose
control. Reduce vehicle speed
when driving on hard packed snow
and ice.

Black plate (27,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-27
Press the bottom of the control to
move the pedals closer. Press the
top of the control to move the
pedals away.
Before you start driving, fully press
the brake pedal to confirm the
adjustment is right for you. While
driving, make only small
adjustments.
The vehicle may have a memory
function which lets pedal settings be
saved and recalled. SeeMemory
Seats on page 3‑8.Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has four different
positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the
ignition must be in ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY and the regular
brake pedal must be applied. A (STOPPING THE ENGINE/
LOCK/OFF):
When the vehicle is
stopped, turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF to turn the engine off.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9‑32 for more information.
This position locks the ignition.
It also locks the transmission on
automatic transmission vehicles.
The key can be removed in
LOCK/OFF.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.

Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
9-28 Driving and Operating
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steadypressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to neutral. This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to neutral, continue to firmly
apply the brakes and steer the
vehicle to a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop. Shift to P (Park) with an
automatic transmission,
or Neutral with a manual
transmission. Turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on page 9‑60.{WARNING
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled
over, and must be shut off while
driving, turn the ignition to
ACC/ACCESSORY.
On vehicles with an automatic
transmission, the shift lever
must be in P (Park) to turn the
ignition switch to LOCK/OFF.
The steering can bind with the
wheels turned off center. If this
happens, move the steering wheel
from right to left while turning the
key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
doesn't work, then the vehicle needs
service. Notice:
Using a tool to force the
key to turn in the ignition could
cause damage to the switch or
break the key. Use the correct
key, make sure it is all the way in,
and turn it only with your hand.
If the key cannot be turned by
hand, see your dealer.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY): This
position lets things like the radio
and the windshield wipers operate
while the engine is off. Use this
position if the vehicle must be
pushed or towed.
C (ON/RUN): This position can be
used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument panel cluster warning
and indicator lights. This position
can also be used for service and
diagnostics, and to verify the proper
operation of the malfunction
indicator lamp as may be required
for emission inspection purposes.

Black plate (29,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-29
The switch stays in this position
when the engine is running.
The transmission is also unlocked
in this position on automatic
transmission vehicles.
If you leave the key in the ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN position
with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. You may not be able to
start the vehicle if the battery is
allowed to drain for an extended
period of time.
D (START):This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for
driving.
If the vehicle is equipped with a
radio, a warning tone will sound
when the driver door is opened, the
ignition is in ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF and the key is in the
ignition.Starting the Engine
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel supplement
for more information.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.
Notice: The engine is designed
to work with the electronics in
the vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could
change the way the engine
operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your
dealer. If you do not, the engine
might not perform properly. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Place the transmission in the
proper gear.
Automatic Transmission
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
Notice: Do not try to shift to
P (Park) if the vehicle is moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to P (Park)
only when the vehicle is stopped.
Manual Transmission
The shift lever should be in
N (Neutral) and the parking brake
engaged. Hold the clutch pedal
down to the floor and start the
engine. The vehicle will not start
if the clutch pedal is not all the
way down.

Black plate (37,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-37
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running. But if you ever have
to, here are some things to know.
{WARNING
Idling a vehicle in an enclosed
area with poor ventilation is
dangerous. Engine exhaust may
enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust
contains carbon monoxide (CO)
which cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness
and even death. Never run the
engine in an enclosed area that
has no fresh air ventilation.
For more information, seeEngine
Exhaust on page 9‑36.
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out
of the vehicle if the automatic
transmission shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
{WARNING
Four-wheel drive vehicles with
the transfer case in N (Neutral)
will allow the vehicle to roll, even
if the automatic transmission
shift lever is in P (Park). So,
be sure the transfer case is in a
drive gear —not in N (Neutral).
Always set the parking brake.
Follow the proper steps to be
sure the vehicle will not move.
See Shifting Into Park on
page 9‑33.
If pulling a trailer, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips on
page 9‑82.