Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2013 - 1stPrintReady - 6/19/12
9-28 Driving and Operating
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.
Manual Mode
Range Selection Mode
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:
1. Move the shift lever to
M (Manual Mode).
2. Press the +/− buttons on the
shift lever, to select the desired
range of gears for current driving
conditions.
When M (Manual Mode) is selected
a number displays in the DIC 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 +/− 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 9‑29. While using Range Selection Mode,
Cruise Control and the Tow/Haul
Mode can be used.
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
Low Traction Mode can assist in
vehicle acceleration when road
conditions are slippery. 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.
Black plate (30,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2013 - 1stPrintReady - 6/19/12
9-30 Driving and Operating
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
If the vehicle has this feature,
engine power is sent to all four
wheels when extra traction is
needed. This is like four-wheel
drive, but there is no separate lever
or switch to engage or disengage
the front axle. It is fully automatic,
and adjusts itself as needed for road
conditions.
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the engine is started and the
vehicle begins to drive away, ABS
checks itself. A momentary motor or
clicking noise might be heard while
this test is going on, and it might
even be noticed that the brake
pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑21. If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
Black plate (34,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2013 - 1stPrintReady - 6/19/12
9-34 Driving and Operating
Adding non-dealer accessories can
affect the vehicle's performance.
SeeAccessories and Modifications
on page 10‑3 for more information.
Locking Rear Axle
Vehicles with a locking rear axle can
give more traction on snow, mud,
ice, sand, or gravel. It works like a
standard axle most of the time, but
when traction is low, this feature will
allow the rear wheel with the most
traction to move the vehicle.
Cruise Control
{WARNING
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. So, do not use
the cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
For vehicles with cruise control, a
speed of about 40 km/h (25 mph) or
more can be maintained without
keeping your foot on the
accelerator. Cruise control does not
work at speeds below about 40 km/h
(25 mph).
When the brakes are applied, cruise
control is turned off. If the vehicle has StabiliTrak and the
system begins to limit wheel spin,
cruise control will automatically
disengage. See
StabiliTrak
®System
on page 9‑32. When road conditions
allow the cruise control to be safely
used again, it can be turned
back on.
I(On/Off): Press to turn the
system on or off. The indicator light
is on when cruise control is on and
turns off when cruise control is off.
Black plate (45,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2013 - 1stPrintReady - 6/19/12
Vehicle Care 10-45
WARNING (CONTINUED)
.Improperly repaired tires can
cause a crash. Only the
dealer or an authorized tire
service center should repair,
replace, dismount, and mount
the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in
excess of 56 km/h (35 mph)
on slippery surfaces such as
snow, mud, ice, etc.
Excessive spinning may
cause the tires to explode.
All-Season Tires
This vehicle may come with
all-season tires. These tires are
designed to provide good overall
performance on most road surfaces
and weather conditions. Original
equipment tires designed to GM's
specific tire performance criteria
have a TPC specification code
molded onto the sidewall. Original
equipment all-season tires can beidentified by the last two characters
of this TPC code, which will
be
“MS.”
Consider installing winter tires on
the vehicle if frequent driving on
snow or ice-covered roads is
expected. All-season tires provide
adequate performance for most
winter driving conditions, but they
may not offer the same level of
traction or performance as winter
tires on snow or ice-covered roads.
See Winter Tires on page 10‑45.
Winter Tires
This vehicle was not, originally,
equipped with winter tires. Winter
tires are designed for increased
traction on snow and ice-covered
roads. Consider installing winter
tires on the vehicle if frequent
driving on snow or ice-covered
roads is expected. See your dealer
for details regarding winter tire
availability and proper tire selection. Also, see
Buying New Tires on
page 10‑61.
With winter tires, there may be
decreased dry road traction,
increased road noise, and shorter
tread life. After changing to winter
tires, be alert for changes in vehicle
handling and braking.
If using winter tires:
.Use tires of the same brand and
tread type on all four wheel
positions.
.Use only radial ply tires of the
same size, load range, and
speed rating as the original
equipment tires.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment tires
may not be available for H, V, W, Y,
and ZR speed rated tires. If winter
tires with a lower speed rating are
chosen, never exceed the tire's
maximum speed capability.
Black plate (59,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2013 - 1stPrintReady - 6/19/12
Vehicle Care 10-59
Use this rotation pattern when
rotating the tires.
If the vehicle has a compact
spare tire, do not include it in the
tire rotation.
Adjust the front and rear tires to
the recommended inflation
pressure on the Tire and
Loading Information label after
the tires have been rotated. See
Tire Pressure on page 10‑53
andVehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑10. Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor
System. See
Tire Pressure
Monitor Operation on
page 10‑55.
Check that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel
Nut Torque” underCapacities
and Specifications on
page 12‑2.
{WARNING
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the
parts to which it is fastened, can
make wheel nuts become loose
after time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When
changing a wheel, remove any
rust or dirt from places where the
wheel attaches to the vehicle. In
an emergency, a cloth or a paper
towel can be used; however, use
a scraper or wire brush later to
remove all rust or dirt.
Lightly coat the center of the
wheel hub with wheel bearing
grease after a wheel change or
tire rotation to prevent corrosion
or rust build-up. Do not get
grease on the flat wheel
mounting surface or on the
wheel nuts or bolts.
Dual Tire Rotation
When the vehicle is new,
or whenever a wheel, wheel bolt,
or wheel nut is replaced, check
the wheel nut torque after 160,
1 600, and 10 000 km (100,
1,000, and 6,000 mi) of driving.
For proper wheel nut tightening
information, see “Removing the Flat
Tire and Installing the Spare Tire”
under Tire Changing on page 10‑68.
Also see “Wheel Nut Torque” under
Capacities and Specifications on
page 12‑2.
The outer tire on a dual wheel setup
generally wears faster than the
inner tire. Tires last longer and wear
more evenly if they are rotated. See
Black plate (67,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2013 - 1stPrintReady - 6/19/12
Vehicle Care 10-67
WARNING (CONTINUED)
Have your dealer or an authorized
tire service center repair or
replace the flat tire as soon as
possible.
{WARNING
Lifting a vehicle and getting under
it to do maintenance or repairs is
dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment and
training. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, it is designed only for
changing a flat tire. If it is used for
anything else, you or others could
be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. If a jack
is provided with the vehicle, only
use it for changing a flat tire.
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire
and wheel damage by driving slowly
to a level place, well off the road, if possible. Turn on the hazard
warning flashers. See
Hazard
Warning Flashers on page 6‑4.
{WARNING
Changing a tire can be
dangerous. The vehicle can slip
off the jack and roll over or fall
causing injury or death. Find a
level place to change the tire. To
help prevent the vehicle from
moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission in P (Park) or a
manual transmission in
1 (First) or R (Reverse).
3. Turn off the engine and do not restart while the vehicle
is raised.
4. Do not allow passengers to remain in the vehicle.
(Continued)
WARNING (CONTINUED)
5. Place wheel blocks on bothsides of the tire at the
opposite corner of the tire
being changed.
When the vehicle has a flat tire (2),
use the following example as a
guide to assist in the placement of
the wheel blocks (1).
1. Wheel Block
2. Flat Tire
The following information explains
how to repair or change a tire.
Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2013 - 1stPrintReady - 6/19/12
i-10 INDEX
Service (cont'd)Publications Ordering
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-16
Scheduling Appointments . . . 13-12
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36
Servicing the Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31
Shift Lock Control Function Check, Automatic
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Side Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Sidemarker Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Signals, Turn and Lane-Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Sliding Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Specifications and
Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Start Vehicle, Remote . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-16 Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Fluid, Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Storage Areas Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Stuck Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Swing-out Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Switches Airbag On-Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
System Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Noise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
T
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . 13-6
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . 2-11Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Tires Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68 Tires (cont'd)
Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Dual Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Full-Size Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-66
Inflation Monitor System . . . . 10-55
Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Pressure Monitor System . . . 10-54
Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Secondary Latch System . . . 10-75
Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-65
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2013 - 1stPrintReady - 6/19/12
INDEX i-11
TowingDriving Characteristics . . . . . . . . 9-47
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Recreational Vehicle . . . . . . . . 10-81
Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-81
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Trailer
Tow Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Transmission Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22, 9-26
Fluid, Automatic . . . . . 10-10, 10-12
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Transportation Program, Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
U
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . . . 9-37
Uniform Tire QualityGrading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Using This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
V
Vehicle Canadian Owners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Identification
Number (VIN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38
Reminder Messages . . . . . . . . . . 5-38
Remote Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-81 Vehicle Care
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-53
Vehicle Data Recording . . . . . . . 13-19
Ventilation, Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7
Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13W
Warning Brake System Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Cautions and Danger . . . . . . . . . . . .iv
Hazard Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Wheels Alignment and Tire
Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65