Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
9-32 Driving and Operating
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.
Active Fuel Management®
Vehicles with V8 engines may have
Active Fuel Management. This
system allows the engine to operate
on either all or half of its cylinders,
depending on the driving conditions.When less power is required, such
as cruising at a constant vehicle
speed, the system will operate in
the half cylinder mode, allowing the
vehicle to achieve better fuel
economy. When greater power
demands are required, such as
accelerating from a stop, passing,
or merging onto a freeway, the
system will maintain full-cylinder
operation.
If the vehicle has an Active Fuel
Management indicator, see
Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑29 for more information on
using this display.
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 (34,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
9-34 Driving and Operating
Hydra-Matic®4-Speed Automatic
Transmission
Heavy Duty 6-Speed Automatic
Transmission Shown (Light Duty 6-Speed Similar)
See “Range Selection Mode” under
Manual Mode on page 9‑37.
P (Park): This position locks the
rear wheels. It is the best position to
use when starting the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily. When parked on a hill,
especially when the vehicle has a
heavy load, you might notice an increase in the effort to shift out of
P (Park). See
“Torque Lock” under
Shifting Into Park on page 9‑29 for
more information.
{WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the 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. 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).
See Shifting Into Park on
page 9‑29 andDriving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
on page 9‑75.
{WARNING
If you have Four-Wheel Drive, the
vehicle will be free to roll —even
if the shift lever is in P (Park) —if
the transfer case is in Neutral. So,
be sure the transfer case is in a
drive gear, Two-Wheel Drive High
or Four-Wheel Drive High or
Four-Wheel Drive Low —not in
Neutral. See Shifting Into Park on
page 9‑29.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to
back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only
after the vehicle is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck on page 9‑14.
Black plate (40,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
9-40 Driving and Operating
You can shift into 1 (First) when you
are going less than 30 km/h
(20 mph). If you have come to a
complete stop and it is hard to shift
into 1 (First), put the shift lever in
Neutral and let up on the clutch.
Then press the clutch pedal back
down and shift into 1 (First).
2 (Second):Press the clutch pedal
as you let up on the accelerator
pedal and shift into 2 (Second).
Then, slowly let up on the clutch
pedal as you press the accelerator
pedal.
3 (Third), 4 (Fourth) and 5 (Fifth):
Shift into 3 (Third), 4 (Fourth) and
5 (Fifth) the same way you do for
2 (Second). Slowly let up on the
clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator
pedal and press the brake pedal.
Just before the vehicle stops, press
the clutch pedal and the brake
pedal, and shift to Neutral.
Neutral: Use this position when
you start or idle the engine. R (Reverse):
To back up, press the
clutch pedal. After the vehicle stops,
shift into R (Reverse). Slowly let up
on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal. If it is hard to
shift, let the shift lever return to
Neutral and release the clutch
pedal. Then press the clutch again
and shift into R (Reverse). Do not
attempt to shift into 5 (Fifth) prior to
shifting into R (Reverse). The
transmission has a lock out feature
which prevents a 5 (Fifth) gear to
R (Reverse) gear shift.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only
after the vehicle is stopped.
Use R (Reverse), along with the
parking brake, for parking the
vehicle.Shift Speeds
{WARNING
If you skip a gear when you
downshift, you could lose control
of the vehicle. You could injure
yourself or others. Do not shift
down more than one gear at a
time when you downshift.
Black plate (48,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
9-48 Driving and Operating
Shifting into Neutral
To shift the transfer case to
N (Neutral) do the following:
1. Make sure the vehicle is parkedso that it will not roll.
2. Set the parking brake and press and hold the regular brake
pedal. See Parking Brake on
page 9‑54 for more information.
3. Start the vehicle or turn the ignition to ON/RUN.
4. Shift the transmission to N (Neutral).
5. Shift the transfer case to Two-Wheel Drive High.
6. Turn the transfer case dial clockwise to N (Neutral) until it
stops and hold it there until the
Neutral light starts blinking. This
will take at least 10 seconds.
Then slowly release the dial to
the four low position. The
N (Neutral) light will come on
when the transfer case shift to
N (Neutral) is complete. 7. If the engine is running, verify
that the transfer case is in
N (Neutral) by shifting the
transmission to R (Reverse) for
one second, then shift the
transmission to D (Drive) for
one second.
8. Turn the ignition to ACC/ ACCESSORY, which will turn the
engine off.
9. Place the transmission shift lever in P (Park).
10. Release the parking brake prior to moving the vehicle.
11. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
Shifting Out of Neutral
To shift the transfer case out of
N (Neutral) do the following:
1. Set the parking brake and apply the regular brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off, and shift the
transmission to N (Neutral). 3. Turn the transfer case dial to
Two-Wheel Drive High.
After the transfer case has
shifted out of N (Neutral), the
N (Neutral) light will go out.
4. Release the parking brake prior to moving the vehicle.
Notice: Shifting the transmission
into gear before the requested
mode indicator light has stopped
flashing could damage the
transfer case. To help avoid
damaging the vehicle, always wait
for the mode indicator lights to
stop flashing before shifting the
transmission into gear.
5. Start the engine and shift the
transmission to the desired
position.
Excessively shifting the transfer
case into or out of the different
modes may cause the transfer case
to enter the shift protection mode.
This will protect the transfer case
from possible damage and will only
allow the transfer case to respond to
Black plate (52,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
9-52 Driving and Operating
3. Start the vehicle or turn theignition in ON/RUN.
4. Put the transmission in N (Neutral).
5. Shift the transfer case to Two-Wheel Drive High.
6. Turn the transfer case dial clockwise to N (Neutral) until it
stops and hold it there until the
N (Neutral) light starts blinking.
This will take at least
10 seconds. Then slowly release
the dial to the four low position.
The N (Neutral) light will come
on when the transfer case shift
to N (Neutral) is complete.
7. If the engine is running, make sure that the transfer case is in
N (Neutral) by shifting the
transmission to R (Reverse) for
one second, then shift the
transmission to D (Drive) for
one second.
8. Turn the ignition to ACC/ ACCESSORY, which will turn the
engine off. 9. Place the transmission shift
lever in P (Park).
10. Release the parking brake prior to moving the vehicle.
11. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
Shifting Out of Neutral
To shift out of N (Neutral) do the
following:
1. Set the parking brake and apply the regular brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off, and shift the
transmission to N (Neutral).
3. Turn the transfer case dial to Two-Wheel Drive High,
Four-Wheel Drive High,
or AUTO.
After the transfer case has
shifted out of N (Neutral), the
N (Neutral) light will go out.
4. Release the parking brake prior to moving the vehicle. Notice:
Shifting the transmission
into gear before the requested
mode indicator light has stopped
flashing could damage the
transfer case. To help avoid
damaging the vehicle, always wait
for the mode indicator lights to
stop flashing before shifting the
transmission into gear.
5. Start the engine and shift the
transmission to the desired
position.
Black plate (53,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
Driving and Operating 9-53
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle might have 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. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑24. Along with ABS, the vehicle has a
Dynamic Rear Proportioning (DRP)
system. If there is a DRP problem,
both the brake and ABS warning
lights come on accompanied by a
10‐second chime. The lights and
chime will come on each time the
ignition is turned on until the
problem is repaired. See your dealer
for service.
Let us say the road is wet and you
are driving safely. Suddenly, an
animal jumps out in front of you.
You slam on the brakes and
continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
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 front wheel and at
both rear wheels.
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
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
antilock work. You might feel the
brakes vibrate or hear some noise,
but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
If the vehicle has ABS, it allows the
driver to steer and brake at the
same time. However, if the vehicle
does not have ABS, the first
reaction, to hit the brake pedal hard
Black plate (54,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
9-54 Driving and Operating
and hold it down, might be the
wrong thing to do. The wheels can
stop rolling. Once they do, the
vehicle cannot respond to the
driver's steering. Momentum will
carry it in whatever direction it was
headed when the wheels stopped
rolling. That could be off the road,
into the very thing the driver was
trying to avoid, or into traffic.
If the vehicle does not have ABS,
use a squeeze braking technique.
This gives maximum braking while
maintaining steering control. Do this
by pushing on the brake pedal with
steadily increasing pressure.
In an emergency, you will probably
want to squeeze the brakes hard
without locking the wheels. If you
hear or feel the wheels sliding, ease
off the brake pedal. This helps
retain steering control. With ABS, it
is different.
In many emergencies, steering can
help more than even the very best
braking.Parking Brake
For vehicles with a release handle,
set the parking brake by holding the
regular brake pedal down, then
pushing down the parking brake
pedal.
If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 5‑24.
A chime sounds and the warning
light flashes when the parking brake
is applied and the vehicle is moving
at least 8 km/h (5 mph). To release the parking brake, hold
the regular brake pedal down. Then
pull the bottom edge of the lever
with the parking brake symbol,
located above the parking brake
pedal.
If the ignition is on when the parking
brake is released, the brake system
warning light goes off.
Notice:
Driving with the parking
brake on can overheat the brake
system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system
parts. Make sure that the parking
brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before
driving.
If you are towing a trailer and are
parking on any hill, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips on
page 9‑75.
Black plate (59,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
Driving and Operating 9-59
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. For vehicles with an Allison or
Hydra-Matic 6-speed automatic
transmission, see
“Grade Braking”
under Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑38
for an explanation of how cruise
control interacts with the Range
Selection Mode, tow/haul and grade
braking systems.
For vehicles with the StabiliTrak
system that begins to limit wheel
spin while you are using cruise
control, the cruise control will
automatically disengage. See
StabiliTrak
®System on page 9‑56.
When road conditions allow the
cruise control to be safely used
again, it can be turned back on.