2012 CHEVROLET SILVERADO cruise control

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-1
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 5-2
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 5-3
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . 5-5
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16 Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . 5-17
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . 5-19
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . 5-20
Airbag On-Off Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Charging System Light . . . . . . 5-23
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . 5-28
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . 5-28
StabiliTrak
®OFF Light . . . . . . . 5-28
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . 5-29
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 5-30
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 5-30
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . 5-31
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 5-42
Battery Voltage andCharging Messages . . . . . . . . 5-42
Brake System Messages . . . . 5-42
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-44
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . 5-45
Engine Power Messages . . . . 5-46
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . 5-46
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . 5-46
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-46
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-47
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-47
Airbag System Messages . . . . 5-48
Anti-theft Alarm System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-48

Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-31
If the light stays on and the engine
does not start, there could be a
problem with the theft-deterrent
system.
This light is also used to indicate the
status of the anti-theft alarm system
when the ignition is turned off.
The light will flash rapidly if the
alarm system is arming and one or
more of the monitored entry points
is not closed. The light will stay on if
the alarm is arming and all entry
points are closed.
For information regarding this light
and the vehicle's security system,
seeAnti-theft Alarm System on
page 2‑11.High-Beam On Light
This light comes on when the
high-beam headlamps are in use.
See Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer on page 6‑3 for more
information.
Front Fog Lamp Light
For vehicles with fog lamps, this
light comes on when the fog lamps
are on. The light goes out when the
fog lamps are turned off.
See
Fog Lamps on page 6‑6 for
more information.
Cruise Control Light
For vehicles equipped with cruise
control, this light comes on
whenever the cruise control is set.
The light goes out when the cruise
control is turned off. See Cruise
Control on page 9‑66 for more
information.

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 (12,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
9-12 Driving and Operating
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep‐standing or flowing water.
{WARNING
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous.
Water can build up under the
vehicle's tires so they actually ride
on the water. This can happen if the
road is wet enough and you are
going fast enough. When the
vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little
or no contact with the road.
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 10‑54.
.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.

Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
9-14 Driving and Operating
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow
or ice between the tires and the
road, creating less traction or grip.
Wet ice can occur at about 0°C
(32°F) when freezing rain begins to
fall, resulting in even less traction.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in
freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently so
traction is not lost. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick, so there is even less
traction.Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.
The
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 9‑58 improves vehicle
stability during hard stops on
slippery roads, but apply the brakes
sooner than when on dry pavement.
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road and watch for
slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in
shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain icy
when the surrounding roads are
clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
Turn off cruise control on slippery
surfaces.
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use the Roadside
Assistance Program (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑7 orRoadside
Assistance Program (Mexico) on
page 13‑9. 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)

Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
9-26 Driving and Operating
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:The vehicle does not
need an elaborate break-in. But it
will perform better in the long run
if you follow these guidelines:
.Keep the vehicle speed at
88 km/h (55 mph) or less for
the first 805 km (500 miles).
.Do not drive at any one
constant speed, fast or
slow, for the first 805 km
(500 miles). Do not make
full-throttle starts. Avoid
downshifting to brake or
slow the vehicle.
.Avoid making hard stops for
the first 322 km (200 miles) or
so. During this time the new
brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with
new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake
linings.
.Do not tow a trailer during
break-in. See Trailer Towing
on page 9‑86 for the trailer
towing capabilities of
the vehicle and more
information.
Following break‐in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
Adjustable Throttle and
Brake Pedal
On vehicles with this feature, you
can change the position of the
throttle and brake pedals.
No adjustment to the pedals can be
made when the vehicle is in
R (Reverse) or while using cruise
control.
The control used to adjust the
pedals is located on the instrument
panel below the climate control
system.

Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-31
Fast Idle System
If the vehicle has this feature it is
available only with cruise control.
The manual fast idle switch is
operated using the cruise control
buttons located on the left hand side
of the steering wheel.
This system can be used to
increase engine idle speed
whenever the following conditions
are met:
.The park brake is set.
.The brake pedal is not pressed.
.The vehicle must not be moving
and the accelerator must not be
pressed.To control the fast idle:
.To enable the Fast Idle System,
press and release the Cruise
Control On/Off button and
ensure that the switch LED is lit.
.Press and release the Cruise
Control Set switch. Engine
speed will be held at
approximately 1200 RPM.
When the fast idle is active the
Driver Information Center (DIC) will
display “FAST IDLE ON.” One of the following actions will turn
off the fast idle:
.Pressing the brake.
.Selecting the Cruise Control
Cancel button.
.Releasing the Parking Brake.
.The transmission shift lever is
moved out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral).
.Selecting the Cruise Control
On/Off button when it was
previously on.
.Pressing the Cruise Control Set
switch a second time.
.Pressing the accelerator greater
than a quarter of the down.
.Turning the ignition switch to the
LOCK/OFF position.

Black plate (42,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
9-42 Driving and Operating
Manual Mode
Range Selection Mode
(Allison®Transmission or
Hydra-Matic®6-Speed
Transmission)
The vehicle may have a Range
Selection Mode. The Range
Selection Mode helps control the
vehicle's transmission and vehicle
speed while driving down hill or
towing a trailer by letting you select
a desired range of gears.
To use this feature, do the following:
1. Move the shift lever to
M (Manual Mode).
2. Press the plus/minus buttons, located on the steering column
shift lever, to select the desired
range of gears for current driving
conditions. When M (Manual Mode) is selected
a number displays next to the M,
indicating the current gear.
This number is the highest gear that
can be used. However, the vehicle
can automatically shift to lower
gears as it adjusts to driving
conditions. This means that all
gears below that number are
available. When 5 (Fifth) is selected,
1 (First) through 5 (Fifth) gears are
automatically shifted by the vehicle,
but 6 (Sixth) cannot be used until
the plus/minus button located on the
steering column lever is used to
change to the gear.
Grade Braking is not available when
Range Selection Mode is active.
See
Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑43.
While using Range Selection Mode,
Cruise Control and the Tow/Haul
Mode can be used.
If the vehicle has an exhaust brake,
it can also be used, but will not
automatically downshift the
transmission. See Exhaust Brake in
the Duramax Diesel supplement. Notice:
Spinning the tires or
holding the vehicle in one
place on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage
the transmission. The repair will
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. If you are stuck, do not
spin the tires. When stopping on
a hill, use the brakes to hold the
vehicle in place.
Low Traction Mode
If your vehicle has the Allison
Transmission, or the Hydra-Matic
6-Speed Automatic Transmission, it
has a Low Traction Mode that can
assist in vehicle acceleration when
road conditions are slippery, such
as with ice or snow. While the
vehicle is at a stop, select the
second gear range using Range
Selection Mode. This will limit
torque to the wheels after it detects
wheel slip, preventing the tires from
spinning.