Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2013 - 1stPrintReady - 6/19/12
Infotainment System 7-11
boost the power levels during the
day, and then reduce these levels
during the night. Static can also
occur when things like storms and
power lines interfere with radio
reception. When this happens, try
reducing the treble on the radio.
FM Stereo
FM stereo gives the best sound, but
FM signals reach only about 16 to
65 km (10 to 40 mi). Tall buildings or
hills can interfere with FM signals,
causing the sound to fade in
and out.
Cellular Phone Usage
Cellular phone usage may cause
interference with the radio. This
interference may occur when
making or receiving phone calls,
charging the phone's battery,
or simply having the phone on. This
interference causes an increased
level of static while listening to the
radio. If static is received while
listening to the radio, unplug the
cellular phone and turn it off.
Fixed Mast Antenna
(Multi-Band)
The multi-band antenna is on the
roof of the vehicle. The antenna is
used for OnStar
®and the SiriusXM®
Satellite Radio Service System if the
vehicle has these features. Keep
the antenna clear of obstructions for
clear reception. Make sure there is
sufficient clearance when entering
garages or parking structures.
Fixed Mast
Antenna (Care)
The fixed mast antenna can
withstand most car washes without
being damaged as long as it is
securely attached to the base. If the
mast becomes slightly bent,
straighten it out by hand. If the mast
is badly bent, replace it.
Make sure there is sufficient
clearance when entering garages or
parking structures.
Occasionally check to make sure
the antenna is tightened to its base.
If tightening is required, tighten
by hand.
Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2013 - 1stPrintReady - 6/19/12
7-26 Infotainment System
After each digit is entered, the
system repeats back the digit it
heard followed by a tone.
If an unwanted number is
recognized by the system, say
“Clear”at any time to clear the last
number.
To hear all of the numbers
recognized by the system, say
“Verify” at any time.
1. Press and hold
b/gfor
two seconds.
2. Say “Digit Dial.”
3. Say each digit, one at a time, that you want to dial. After each
digit is entered, the system
repeats back the digit it heard
followed by a tone. After the last
digit has been entered,
say “Dial.”
Once connected, the person called
will be heard through the audio
speakers. Using the
“Re-dial”Command
1. Press and hold
b/gfor
two seconds.
2. After the tone, say “Re-dial.”
Once connected, the person called
will be heard through the audio
speakers.
Receiving a Call
When an incoming call is received,
the audio system mutes and a ring
tone is heard in the vehicle.
.Pressb/gto answer the call.
.Pressc/xto ignore a call.
Call Waiting
Call waiting must be supported on
the cell phone and enabled by the
wireless service carrier.
.Pressb/gto answer an
incoming call when another call
is active. The original call is
placed on hold.
.Pressb/gagain to return to
the original call.
.To ignore the incoming call, no
action is required.
.Pressc/xto disconnect the
current call and switch to the call
on hold.
Three-Way Calling
Three-way calling must be
supported on the cell phone and
enabled by the wireless service
carrier.
1. While on a call, press
b/g.
2. Say “Three-way call.”
3. Use the dial or call command to dial the number of the third party
to be called.
4. Once the call is connected, press
b/gto link all callers
together.
Ending a Call
Pressc/xto end a call.
Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2013 - 1stPrintReady - 6/19/12
Driving and Operating 9-7
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.
{WARNING
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down
and they 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. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle in
gear when going downhill.
.Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your
own lane.
.Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(stalled car, accident).
.Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
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.
Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2013 - 1stPrintReady - 6/19/12
9-16 Driving and Operating
{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.
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.
2 (ACC/ACCESSORY): This is the
position in which you can operate
things like the radio and the
windshield wipers when the engine
is off. 3 (ON/RUN):
This position can be
used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument 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.
The switch stays in this position
when the engine is running.
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.
4 (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. 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.
To place the transmission in the
proper gear:
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.
Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2013 - 1stPrintReady - 6/19/12
Driving and Operating 9-21
.Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park), unless the
ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular
brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock control system is
always functional except in the case
of a dead battery or low voltage
(less than 9 V) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See Jump Starting on
page 10‑78 for more information.
To shift out of P (Park) use the
following:
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition to ACC/ ACCESSORY or ON/RUN.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position. If you still are unable to shift out of
P (Park):
1. Ease the pressure on the shift
lever.
2. While holding down the brake pedal, push the shift lever all the
way into P (Park).
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you are still having a problem
shifting, have the vehicle serviced.
Parking over Things
That Burn
{WARNING
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.
Engine Exhaust
{WARNING
Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and
even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:
.The vehicle idles in areas
with poor ventilation (parking
garages, tunnels, deep snow
that may block underbody
airflow or tail pipes).
.The exhaust smells or
sounds strange or different.
.The exhaust system leaks
due to corrosion or damage.
.The vehicle exhaust system
has been modified, damaged,
or improperly repaired. (Continued)
Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2013 - 1stPrintReady - 6/19/12
9-32 Driving and Operating
Ride Control Systems
StabiliTrak®System
The vehicle may have a vehicle
stability enhancement system called
StabiliTrak. It is an advanced
computer controlled system that
assists the driver with directional
control of the vehicle in difficult
driving conditions.
StabiliTrak activates when the
computer senses a discrepancy
between the intended path and the
direction the vehicle is actually
traveling. StabiliTrak selectively
applies braking pressure at any one
of the vehicle's brakes to assist the
driver with keeping the vehicle on
the intended path.
When the vehicle is started and
begins to move, the system
performs several diagnostic checks
to ensure there are no problems.
The system may be heard or felt
while it is working. This is normal
and does not mean there is a
problem with the vehicle. Thesystem should initialize before the
vehicle reaches 40 km/h (25 mph).
In some cases, it may take
approximately 3.2 km (2 mi) of
driving before the system initializes.
The Traction Control System (TCS)/
StabiliTrak indicator light comes on
in the instrument cluster when the
system requires service.
When StabiliTrak activates, the
TCS/StabiliTrak indicator light
flashes in the instrument cluster.
This also occurs when TCS is
activated.
See
Traction Control System (TCS)/
StabiliTrak
®Light on page 5‑22.
For your safety, the system can only
be disabled when the vehicle speed
is less than 40 km/h (25 mph).
Press the StabiliTrak button on the
instrument panel once to turn off the
Traction Control System (TCS). The
appropriate message is displayed in
the DIC.
Press and hold the StabiliTrak
button to turn off StabiliTrak and
TCS. The StabiliTrak Off light
Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2013 - 1stPrintReady - 6/19/12
Driving and Operating 9-33
illuminates and the appropriate
messages will be displayed in
the DIC.
To turn StabiliTrak and TCS back
on, press the StabiliTrak button
again. StabiliTrak will automatically
turn back on when the vehicle
speed exceeds 40 km/h (25 mph).
When the StabiliTrak system has
been turned off, system noises may
still be heard as a result of the
brake-traction control coming on.
It is recommended to leave the
system on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn the system off if the vehicle
is stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow,
and you want to“rock”the vehicle to
attempt to free it. See If the Vehicle
Is Stuck on page 9‑9.StabiliTrak System Operation
The StabiliTrak system is normally
on, except when the system is
initializing or has been disabled with
the StabiliTrak button. The
StabiliTrak system will automatically
activate to assist the driver in
maintaining vehicle directional
control in most driving conditions.
When activated, the StabiliTrak
system may reduce engine power to
the wheels and apply braking to
individual wheels as necessary to
assist the driver with vehicle
directional control. If cruise control
is being used when StabiliTrak
activates, the cruise control
automatically disengages. The
cruise control can be re-engaged
when road conditions allow. See
Cruise Control on page 9‑34.
The StabiliTrak system may also
turn off automatically if it determines
that a problem exists with the
system. If the problem does not
clear itself after restarting the
vehicle, see your dealer for service.
Traction Control Operation
TCS is part of the StabiliTrak
system. TCS limits wheel spin by
reducing engine power to the
wheels and by applying brakes to
each individual wheel as necessary.
If the brake-traction control system
activates constantly or if the brakes
have heated up due to high speed
braking, the brake-traction control
will be automatically disabled. The
system will come back on after the
brakes have cooled. This can take
up to two minutes or longer
depending on brake usage.
TCS may activate on dry or rough
roads or under conditions such as
heavy acceleration while turning or
abrupt upshifts/downshifts of the
transmission. When this reduction in
acceleration occurs, it may be
noticed, or a noise or vibration may
be heard. This is normal.
Black plate (37,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2013 - 1stPrintReady - 6/19/12
Driving and Operating 9-37
Object Detection
Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist
If available, the Ultrasonic Rear
Parking Assist (URPA) system uses
sensors on the rear bumper to
assist with parking and avoiding
objects while in R (Reverse).
{WARNING
The URPA system does not
detect children, pedestrians,
bicyclists, animals, or objects
below the bumper or that are too
close or too far from the vehicle.
It is not available at speeds
greater than 8 km/h (5 mph). To
prevent injury, death, or vehicle
damage, even with URPA, always
check the area around the vehicle
and check all mirrors before
backing.
How the System Works
URPA comes on automatically when
the shift lever is moved into
R (Reverse). A single tone sounds
to indicate the system is working.
URPA operates only at speeds less
than 8 km/h (5 mph).
An obstacle is indicated by audible
beeps. The time between the beeps
gets shorter as the vehicle
approaches the obstacle.
A continuous tone is heard when
the distance is less than
30 cm (12 in).
To be detected, objects must be at
least 25 cm (10 in) off the ground
and below rear door level. Objects
must also be within 2.5 m (8 ft) from
the rear bumper. This distance may
be less during warmer or humid
weather.
Turning the System On and Off
Press this button, located next to
the radio, to disable URPA.
The indicator light comes on and
PARK ASSIST OFF displays on the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
SeeObject Detection System
Messages on page 5‑33.
When the System Does Not
Seem to Work Properly
The following messages may be
displayed on the DIC:
SERVICE PARK ASSIST: this
message occurs, take the vehicle to
your dealer for repair.