
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 (36,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
9-36 Driving and Operating
vehicle is being used, such as with
a heavy load or when temperature
changes. During this adaptive shift
control process, shifting might feel
different as the transmission
determines the best settings.
When temperatures are very cold,
the Allison Transmission and
Hydra-Matic 6-Speed transmission's
gear shifting could be delayed
providing more stable shifts until the
engine warms up. Shifts could be
more noticeable with a cold
transmission. This difference in
shifting is normal.
M (Manual Mode):This position is
available on vehicles with the
Allison Transmission or Hydra-Matic
6-Speed transmission. It lets drivers
select the range of gears
appropriate for current driving
conditions. If the vehicle has this
feature, see “Range Selection
Mode” underManual Mode on
page 9‑37. 3 (Third):
This position is also used
for normal driving. It reduces vehicle
speed more than D (Drive) without
using the brakes. You might choose
3 (Third) instead of D (Drive) when
driving on hilly, winding roads, when
towing a trailer, so there is less
shifting between gears and when
going down a steep hill.
2 (Second): This position reduces
vehicle speed even more than
3 (Third) without using the brakes.
You can use 2 (Second) on hills.
It can help control vehicle speed as
you go down steep mountain roads,
but then you would also want to use
the brakes off and on.
If you manually select 2 (Second) in
an automatic transmission, the
transmission will start in second
gear. You can use this feature for
reducing the speed of the rear
wheels when you are trying to start
the vehicle from a stop on slippery
road surfaces. 1 (First):
For the Hydra-Matic
4-Speed transmission this position
reduces vehicle speed even more
than 2 (Second) without using the
brakes. You can use it on very steep
hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
shift lever is put in 1 (First) while the
vehicle is moving forward, the
transmission does not shift into first
gear until the vehicle is going slowly
enough.
For an Allison Transmission or
Hydra-Matic 6-Speed transmission,
this position reduces vehicle speed
without using the brakes. You can
use it for major/severe downgrades
and off-road driving where the
vehicle would otherwise accelerate
due to steepness of grade. When
you shift to 1 (First) it provides the
lowest gear appropriate to current
road speed and continues to
downshift as the vehicle slows,
eventually downshifting to
1 (First) gear.
Notice: Spinning the tires or
holding the vehicle in one place
on a hill using only the

Black plate (37,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
Driving and Operating 9-37
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.
Normal Mode Grade Braking
Vehicles with a gasoline engine and
6-Speed automatic transmission
have Normal Mode Grade Braking
that is enabled when the vehicle is
started, but is not enabled in Range
Selection Mode. It assists in
maintaining desired vehicle speeds
when driving on downhill grades by
using the engine and transmission
to slow the vehicle. The first time
the system engages for each
ignition key cycle, a DIC message
will be displayed. SeeTransmission
Messages on page 5‑44.
To disable or enable Normal Mode
Grade Braking within the current
ignition key cycle, press and hold
the Tow/Haul button for three seconds. A DIC message
displays. See
Transmission
Messages on page 5‑44.
For iother forms of grade braking,
see Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑38
and Cruise Control on page 9‑59.
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.

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 (55,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
Driving and Operating 9-55
For vehicles without 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.
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.
To release the parking brake, hold
the regular brake pedal down, then
push down momentarily on the
parking brake pedal until you feel
the pedal release. Slowly pull your
foot up off the park brake pedal.
If the parking brake is not released
when you begin to drive, the brake
system warning light will flash and a
chime will sound warning you that
the parking brake is still on.
If you are towing a trailer and are
parking on a hill, see
Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips on
page 9‑75.
Brake Assist
If this vehicle has StabiliTrak®, it
also has a Brake Assist feature
designed to assist the driver in
stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake control module to supplement the
power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle. The
stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.
Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time is
normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal as
the driving situation dictates The
Brake Assist feature will
automatically disengage when the
brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.Hill Start Assist (HSA)
Non‐hybrid vehicles with StabiliTrak
have a Hill Start Assist (HSA)
feature, which may be useful when
the vehicle is stopped on a grade.
This feature is designed to prevent
the vehicle from rolling, either