Black plate (60,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7586788) - 2015 - crc - 2/9/15
9-60 Driving and Operating
7. Stop and have someone pick upand store the chocks.
Maintenance when Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11-2. Things that are
especially important in trailer
operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system, and
brake system. It is a good idea to
inspect these before and during
the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Trailer Towing
Do not tow a trailer during break-in.
See New Vehicle Break-In on
page 9-21.
{Warning
The driver can lose control when
pulling a trailer if the correct
equipment is not used or the
vehicle is not driven properly. For
example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work
well or even at all. The driver and
passengers could be seriously
injured. The vehicle may also be
damaged; the resulting repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Pull a trailer
only if all the steps in this section
have been followed. Ask your
dealer for advice and information
about towing a trailer with the
vehicle.
{Caution
Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage the vehicle and result in
costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. To pull a trailer
correctly, follow the advice in this
section and see your dealer for
important information about
towing a trailer with the vehicle.
See Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9-14 for more information
about the vehicle's maximum load
capacity.
To identify the trailering capacity of
the vehicle, read the information in
“Weight of the Trailer” later in this
section.
Trailering is different than just
driving the vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in
handling, acceleration, braking,
durability, and fuel economy.
Black plate (66,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7586788) - 2015 - crc - 2/9/15
9-66 Driving and Operating
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC)
Vehicles with StabiliTrak have a
TSC feature. Trailer sway is
unintended side-to-side motion of a
trailer while being towed. If the
vehicle is towing a trailer and the
TSC detects that sway is increasing,
the vehicle brakes are selectively
applied at each wheel, to help
reduce excessive trailer sway.
If TSC is enabled, the Traction
Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
warning light will flash on the
instrument cluster. Vehicle speed
must be reduced. If trailer sway
continues, StabiliTrak can reduce
engine torque to help slow the
vehicle. SeeTraction Control/
Electronic Stability Control on
page 9-42.
{Warning
Even if the vehicle is equipped
with TSC, trailer sway could result
in loss of control and the vehicle
could crash. If excessive trailer
sway is detected, slow down to a
safe speed. Check the trailer and
vehicle to help correct possible
causes. These could include an
improperly or overloaded trailer,
unrestrained cargo, improper
trailer hitch configuration,
excessive vehicle-trailer speed,
or improperly inflated or incorrect
vehicle or trailer tires. See Towing
Equipment on page 9-63 for
trailer ratings and hitch setup
recommendations.
Adding non-dealer accessories can
affect the vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10-3.
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
{Caution
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle or cause
components to not work and
would not be covered by the
warranty. Always check with your
dealer before adding electrical
equipment.
Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12-volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 3-27 andAdding
Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 3-28.
Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7586788) - 2015 - crc - 2/9/15
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-11
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Manual Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-14
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-19 Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Battery - North America . . . . 10-24
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-27
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-28
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Headlamps, Front TurnSignal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30 Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-43
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7586788) - 2015 - crc - 2/9/15
10-2 Vehicle Care
Tire Pressure MonitorOperation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-60
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-72
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-73Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-77
Recreational VehicleTowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-87
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-90
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
WARNING: Most motor vehicles,
including this one, contain and/or
emit chemicals known to the State
Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7586788) - 2015 - crc - 2/9/15
10-4 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
{Warning
It can be dangerous to work on
your vehicle if you do not have
the proper knowledge, service
manual, tools, or parts. Always
follow owner manual procedures
and consult the service manual
for your vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service
manual. It tells you much more
about how to service the vehicle
than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see Service
Publications Ordering Information
on page 13-11. This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see
Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3-27.
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of
any service work performed. See
Maintenance Records on
page 11-15.
{Caution
Even small amounts of
contamination can cause damage
to vehicle systems. Do not allow
contaminants to contact the fluids,
reservoir caps, or dipsticks.
Hood
To open the hood:
1. Pull the hood release lever with this symbol on it. It is inside the
vehicle to the lower left of the
steering wheel.
Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7586788) - 2015 - crc - 2/9/15
Vehicle Care 10-11
{Caution
Failure to use the recommended
engine oil can result in engine
damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty. Check with your
dealer or service provider on
whether the oil is approved to the
dexos1 specification.
Viscosity Grade
Use SAE 5W-30 viscosity grade
engine oil for the 3.6L V6 engine.
Use SAE 5W-20 viscosity grade
engine oil for the 2.5L L4 engine.
Cold Temperature Operation: In an
area of extreme cold, where the
temperature falls below −29 °C
(−20 °F), an SAE 0W-30 oil may be
used for the 3.6L V6 engine and
SAE 0W-20 viscosity grade engine
oil may be used for the 2.5L L4
engine. An oil of this viscosity grade
will provide easier cold starting for
the engine at extremely low
temperatures. When selecting an oil of the appropriate viscosity grade,
always select an oil of the correct
specification. See
“Specification”
earlier in this section for more
information.
Engine Oil Additives/Engine
Oil Flushes
Do not add anything to the oil. The
recommended oils meeting the
dexos1 specification are all that is
needed for good performance and
engine protection.
Engine oil system flushes are not
recommended and could cause
engine damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain
elements that can be unhealthy for
your skin and could even cause
cancer. Do not let used oil stay on
your skin for very long. Clean your
skin and nails with soap and water,
or a good hand cleaner. Wash or
properly dispose of clothing or rags containing used engine oil. See the
manufacturer's warnings about the
use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the
environment. If you change your
own oil, be sure to drain all the oil
from the filter before disposal. Never
dispose of oil by putting it in the
trash or pouring it on the ground,
into sewers, or into streams or
bodies of water. Recycle it by taking
it to a place that collects used oil.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
This vehicle has a computer system
that indicates when to change the
engine oil and filter. This is based
on a combination of factors which
include engine revolutions, engine
temperature, and miles driven.
Based on driving conditions, the
mileage at which an oil change is
indicated can vary considerably. For
the oil life system to work properly,
the system must be reset every time
the oil is changed.
Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7586788) - 2015 - crc - 2/9/15
Vehicle Care 10-15
3.6L V6 Engine
1. Screws
2. Electrical Connector
3. Air Duct Clamp
To inspect or replace the engine air
cleaner/filter:
1. Remove the screws (1) on top ofthe engine air cleaner/filter
housing.
2. Disconnect the electrical connector (2).
3. Disconnect the outlet duct by loosening the air duct clamp (3). 4. Lift the filter cover housing away
from the engine air cleaner/filter
housing.
5. Pull out the filter.
6. Inspect or replace the engine air cleaner/filter.
7. Reverse Steps 2–5 to reinstall the filter cover housing.
{Warning
Operating the engine with the air
cleaner/filter off can cause you or
others to be burned. The air
cleaner not only cleans the air; it
helps to stop flames if the engine
backfires. Use caution when
working on the engine and do not
drive with the air cleaner/filter off.
{Caution
If the air cleaner/filter is off, dirt
can easily get into the engine,
which could damage it. Always
have the air cleaner/filter in place
when you are driving.
Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7586788) - 2015 - crc - 2/9/15
10-16 Vehicle Care
Cooling System
The cooling system allows the
engine to maintain the correct
working temperature.
2.5L L4 Engine
1. Coolant Surge Tank andPressure Cap
2. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
3.6L V6 Engine
1. Coolant Surge Tank andPressure Cap
2. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
{Warning
An electric engine cooling fan
under the hood can start up even
when the engine is not running
and can cause injury. Keep
hands, clothing, and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
{Warning
Heater and radiator hoses, and
other engine parts, can be very
hot. Do not touch them. If you do,
you can be burned.
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak. If you run the engine, it
could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you
could be burned. Get any leak
fixed before you drive the vehicle.
{Caution
Using coolant other than
DEX-COOL®can cause
premature engine, heater core,
or radiator corrosion. In addition,
the engine coolant could require
changing sooner. Any repairs
would not be covered by the
(Continued)