Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
9159327) - 2016 - crc - 8/28/15
246 Driving and Operating
other fuels containing more than
15% ethanol must be used only in
FlexFuel vehicles.
Caution
Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal
parts in the fuel system and also
damage plastic and rubber parts.
That damage would not be
covered under the vehicle
warranty.
Some gasolines, mainly high octane
racing gasolines, can contain an
octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT). Do not use
gasolines and/or fuel additives with
MMT as they can reduce spark plug
life and affect emission control
system performance. The
malfunction indicator lamp may turn
on. If this occurs, see your dealer
for service.
California Fuel
Requirements
If the vehicle is certified to meet
California Emissions Standards, it is
designed to operate on fuels that
meet California specifications. See
the underhood emission control
label. If this fuel is not available in
states adopting California Emissions
Standards, the vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal specifications, but emission
control system performance might
be affected. The malfunction
indicator lamp could turn on and the
vehicle may not pass a smog-check
test. See Malfunction Indicator
Lamp (Check Engine Light) 0115
ii.
If this occurs, return to your
authorized dealer for diagnosis. If it
is determined that the condition is
caused by the type of fuel used,
repairs may not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Fuels in Foreign
Countries
If planning to drive in countries
outside the U.S. or Canada, the
proper fuel might be hard to find.
Check regional auto club or fuel
retail brand websites for availability
in the country where driving. Never
use leaded gasoline, fuel containing
methanol, manganese, or any other
fuel not recommended. Costly
repairs caused by use of improper
fuel would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Fuel Additives
To keep fuel systems clean, TOP
TIER Detergent Gasoline is
recommended. See Fuel0245
ii.
If TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline is
not available, one bottle of Fuel
System Treatment PLUS added to
the fuel tank at every engine oil
change, can help. Fuel System
Treatment PLUS is the only
gasoline additive recommended by
General Motors. It is available at
your dealer.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
9159327) - 2016 - crc - 8/28/15
Vehicle Care 267
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, it
is recommended to select an oil of
the correct specification. See
“Specification” earlier in this section.
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.
On some vehicles, when the system
has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, a CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message comes on to
indicate that an oil change is
necessary. See
Engine Oil
Messages 0131
ii. Change the oil as
soon as possible within the next
1 000 km (600 mi). It is possible that,
if driving under the best conditions,
the oil life system might indicate that
an oil change is not necessary for
up to a year. The engine oil and
filter must be changed at least once
a year and, at this time, the system
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
9159327) - 2016 - crc - 8/28/15
Vehicle Care 273
Caution
If improper coolant mixture,
inhibitors, or additives are used in
the vehicle cooling system, the
engine could overheat and be
damaged. Too much water in the
mixture can freeze and crack
engine cooling parts. The repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Use only the
proper mixture of engine coolant
for the cooling system. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants0353
ii.
Never dispose of engine coolant by
putting it in the trash, or by pouring
it on the ground, or into sewers,
streams or, bodies of water. Have
the coolant changed by an
authorized service center, familiar
with legal requirements regarding
used coolant disposal. This will help
protect the environment and your
health.
Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level
surface when checking the coolant
level.
Check to see if coolant is visible in
the coolant surge tank. If the coolant
inside the coolant surge tank is
boiling, do not do anything else until
it cools down.
If coolant is visible but the coolant
level is not at or above the mark
pointed to, add a 50/50 mixture of
clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL coolant.
Be sure the cooling system is cool
before this is done.
If no coolant is visible in the coolant
surge tank, add coolant as follows:
How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Surge Tank
{Warning
You can be burned if you spill
coolant on hot engine parts.
Coolant contains ethylene glycol (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
and it will burn if the engine parts
are hot enough. Do not spill
coolant on a hot engine.
Caution
This vehicle has a specific
coolant fill procedure. Failure to
follow this procedure could cause
the engine to overheat and be
severely damaged.
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system can blow out
and burn you badly. Never turn
the cap when the cooling system,
including the surge tank pressure
cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling
system and surge tank pressure
cap to cool.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada/Mexico-
9159327) - 2016 - crc - 8/28/15
388 Index
Driving (cont'd)If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 204
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
E
Electrical Equipment,
Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Electrical System Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Emergency OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Check and Service EngineSoon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 262
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Coolant Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Engine (cont'd)
Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Cooling System Messages . . . 131
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 220
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 373
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 143
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 144
F
Fan Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276 Filter,
Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 146
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Fluid
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 268
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Four-Wheel DriveTransfer Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Fog Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . 226, 279
Frequency Statement Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Front Fog Lamp
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Front Seats Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245 Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246