
Black plate (66,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
10-66 Vehicle Care
maintenance affect how fast aging
takes place. GM recommends that
tires, including the spare if
equipped, be replaced after six
years, regardless of tread wear. The
tire manufacturer date is the last
four digits of the DOT Tire
Identification Number (TIN) which is
molded into one side of the tire
sidewall. The first two digits
represent the week (01-52) and the
last two digits, the year. For
example, the third week of the year
2010 would have a four-digit DOT
date of 0310.
Vehicle Storage
Tires age when stored normally
mounted on a parked vehicle. Park
a vehicle that will be stored for at
least a month in a cool, dry, clean
area away from direct sunlight to
slow aging. This area should be free
of grease, gasoline or other
substances that can deteriorate
rubber.Parking for an extended period can
cause flat spots on the tires that
may result in vibrations while
driving. When storing a vehicle for
at least a month, remove the tires or
raise the vehicle to reduce the
weight from the tires.
Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched
specific tires for the vehicle. The
original equipment tires installed
were designed to meet General
Motors Tire Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec)
system rating. When
replacement tires are needed,
GM strongly recommends
buying tires with the same TPC
Spec rating.
GM's exclusive TPC Spec
system considers over a dozen
critical specifications that impact
the overall performance of the
vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire
pressure monitoring
performance. GM's TPC Spec
number is molded onto the tire's
sidewall near the tire size. If the
tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC Spec number
will be followed by MS for mud
and snow. See
Tire Sidewall
Labeling on page 10‑50 for
additional information.
GM recommends replacing worn
tires in complete sets of four (six
for dual rear wheels). Uniform
tread depth on all tires will help
to maintain the performance of
the vehicle. Braking and
handling performance may be
adversely affected if all the tires
are not replaced at the same
time. If proper rotation and
maintenance have been done,
all four tires (six for dual rear
wheels) should wear out at
about the same time. See Tire
Rotation on page 10‑63 for

Black plate (68,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
10-68 Vehicle Care
The Tire and Loading
Information label indicates the
original equipment tires on the
vehicle. SeeVehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑15 for the label
location and more information
about the Tire and Loading
Information label.
Different Size Tires and
Wheels
If wheels or tires are installed that
are a different size than the original
equipment wheels and tires, vehicle
performance, including its braking,
ride and handling characteristics,
stability, and resistance to rollover
may be affected. If the vehicle has
electronic systems such as antilock
brakes, rollover airbags, traction
control, electronic stability control,
or All-Wheel Drive, the performance
of these systems can also be
affected.
{WARNING
If different sized wheels are used,
there may not be an acceptable
level of performance and safety if
tires not recommended for those
wheels are selected. This
increases the chance of a crash
and serious injury. Only use GM
specific wheel and tire systems
developed for the vehicle, and
have them properly installed by a
GM certified technician.
See Buying New Tires on
page 10‑66 andAccessories and
Modifications on page 10‑3.
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires by
treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This
applies only to vehicles sold in
the United States. The grades
are molded on the sidewalls of
most passenger car tires. The
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
(UTQG) system does not apply
to deep tread, winter tires,
compact spare tires, tires with

Black plate (69,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
Vehicle Care 10-69
nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production
tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test
course. For example, a tiregraded 150 would wear one and
one-half (1½) times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and
differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction
–AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on
specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Temperature
–A, B, C
The temperature grades are A
(the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure. The grade
C corresponds to a level of
performance which all
passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and
A represent higher levels of

Black plate (71,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
Vehicle Care 10-71
For proper torque, see“Wheel Nut
Torque” underCapacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2.
See If a Tire Goes Flat on
page 10‑72 for more information.
Used Replacement Wheels
{WARNING
Replacing a wheel with a used
one is dangerous. How it has
been used or how far it has been
driven may be unknown. It could
fail suddenly and cause a crash.
When replacing wheels, use a
new GM original equipment
wheel.
Tire Chains
{WARNING
If the vehicle has dual wheels or
P265/65R18, P275/55R20,
LT265/70R17, LT265/70R18,
LT265/60R20, P285/50R20,
P285/45R22 or 285/45R22 size
tires, do not use tire chains. They
can damage the vehicle because
there is not enough clearance.
Tire chains used on a vehicle
without the proper amount of
clearance can cause damage to
the brakes, suspension, or other
vehicle parts. The area damaged
by the tire chains could cause you
to lose control of the vehicle and
you or others may be injured in a
crash.
Use another type of traction
device only if its manufacturer
recommends it for use on the
vehicle and tire size combination (Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
and road conditions. Follow that
manufacturer's instructions. To
help avoid damage to the vehicle,
drive slowly, readjust, or remove
the device if it is contacting the
vehicle, and do not spin the
vehicle's wheels.
If you do find traction devices that
will fit, install them on the rear
tires.
Notice: If the vehicle does not
have dual wheels and has a tire
size other than P265/65R18, P275/
55R20, LT265/70R17, LT265/
70R18, LT265/60R20, P285/50R20,
P285/45R22, or 285/45R22, use
tire chains only where legal and
only when you must. Use chains
that are the proper size for the
tires. Install them on the tires of
the rear axle. Do not use chains
on the tires of the front axle.
Tighten them as tightly as
possible with the ends securely

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
INDEX i-7
Lamps (cont'd)Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Pick-up Box Identification and Fender Marker . . . . . . . . 10-37
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Lap Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
LATCH System Replacing Parts after aCrash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-55
LATCH, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . 3-47
Lighter, Cigarette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Lighting Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7 Lights
Airbag On-Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 5-24
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Four-Wheel-Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Front Fog Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 5-16
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
StabiliTrak
®OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®. . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-59 Locks
Automatic Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-27
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-47
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5 Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
M
MaintenanceRecords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-16
Maintenance Schedule Recommended Fluidsand Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-12
Transfer Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . 5-21
Manual Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37

Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
i-12 INDEX
T
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . 13-6
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . 2-12 Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Throttle, Adjustable . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Tires Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-66
Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-71
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-73
Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Dual Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Full-Size Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-84
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
Inflation Monitor System . . . . 10-59
Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-44
Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Pressure Monitor System . . . 10-58
Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63 Tires (cont'd)
Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-70
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-70
When It Is Time for New
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Towing Driving Characteristics . . . . . . . . 9-75
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-93
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 9-74
Recreational Vehicle . . . . . . . . 10-89
Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-77
Trailer SwayControl (TSC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-104
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-89 Traction
Control System (TCS)/
StabiliTrak®Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . . . . . . 9-104
Tow Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-77
Transfer Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Transmission Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Fluid, Automatic . . . . . 10-10, 10-12
Fluid, Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-44
Transportation Program, Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Truck-Camper Loading
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Turn Signal
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-37