Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
Instruments and Controls 137
Restraints”in the Index forinformation about the importance ofproper restraint use.
This system may not functionproperly if the airbag readiness lightis on. SeeAirbag ReadinessLight011 7.
Security Messages
SERVICE THEFT DETERRENT
SYSTEM
This message displays when thereis a problem with the theft-deterrentsystem. The vehicle may or may notrestart, so you may want to take thevehicle to your dealer before turningoff the engine. SeeImmobilizerOperation037.
Steering System
Messages
STEERING ASSIST IS
REDUCED DRIVE WITH CARE
This message may display if aproblem occurs with the electricpower steering system. If thismessage appears, steering effort
may be slightly higher than normal.The vehicle is still safe to drive. Usecaution while in reduced assistmode. If this message is persistentor appears repeatedly, take thevehicle to your dealer for service.SeeSteering0216.
SERVICE POWER STEERING
This message displays when thereis a problem with electric powersteering. If this message displaysand a reduction in steeringperformance or loss of powersteering assistance is noticed, seeyour dealer. SeeSteering0216.
Starting the Vehicle
Messages
PRESS BRAKE TO START or
PRESS CLUTCH TO START
This message displays whenattempting to start the vehiclewithout first pressing the brake orclutch pedal.
Tire Messages
SERVICE TIRE MONITOR
SYSTEM
If equipped with the Tire PressureMonitor System (TPMS), thismessage displays if a part on thesystem is not working properly. Thetire pressure light also flashes andthen remains on during the sameignition cycle. SeeTire PressureLight0123.Severalconditionsmaycause this message to appear. SeeTire Pressure Monitor Operation0326.Ifthewarningcomesonandstays on, there may be a problemwith the TPMS. See your dealer.
TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE
If equipped with the Tire PressureMonitor System (TPMS), thismessage displays when the systemis relearning the tire positions onyour vehicle. The tire positions mustbe relearned after rotating the tiresor after replacing a tire or sensor.SeeTire Inspection0329,TireRotation0329,Tire PressureMonitor System0325,andTirePressure0323.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
220 Driving and Operating
{Warning
Driving to the top of a hill at high
speed can cause an accident.
There could be a drop-off,
embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be
seriously injured or killed. As you
near the top of a hill, slow down
and stay alert.
.Never go downhill forward orbackward with either thetransmission or transfer case inN(Neutral).Thebrakescouldoverheat and you could losecontrol.
{Warning
If the vehicle has the two-speed
automatic or electronic transfer
case, shifting the transfer case to
N(Neutral)cancauseyour
vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in P (Park). This is
because the N (Neutral) position
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
on the transfer case overrides the
transmission. You or someone
else could be injured. If leaving
the vehicle, set the parking brake
and shift the transmission to
P(Park).Shiftthetransfercaseto
any position but N (Neutral).
.When driving down a hill, keepthe vehicle headed straightdown. Use a low gear becausethe engine will work with thebrakes to slow the vehicle andhelp keep the vehicle undercontrol.
{Warning
Heavy braking when going down
ahillcancauseyourbrakesto
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and you or
others could be injured or killed.
Apply the brakes lightly when
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under
control.
If the vehicle stalls on a hill:
1. Apply the brakes to stop thevehicle, and then apply theparking brake.
2. Shift into P (Park) and thenrestart the engine.
.If driving uphill when thevehicle stalls, shift toR(Reverse),releasetheparking brake, and backstraight down.
.Never try to turn the vehiclearound. If the hill is steepenough to stall the vehicle,it is steep enough to causeit to roll over.
.If you cannot make it up thehill, back straight downthe hill.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
Driving and Operating 223
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Watercan build up under the vehicle'stires so they actually ride on thewater. This can happen if the road iswet enough and you are going fastenough. When the vehicle ishydroplaning, it has little or nocontact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule abouthydroplaning. The best advice is toslow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wetweather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wipingequipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluidreservoir filled.
.Have good tires with propertread depth. SeeTires0316.
.Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or throughmountains is different than drivingon flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and ingood shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,tires, cooling system, andtransmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when goingdown steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
Driving and Operating 245
Gear before shifting from D(Drive) to M (Manual Mode)6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd 1st
Range after shifting from D(Drive) to M (Manual Mode)M4 M4 M3 M2 M2 M1
Grade Braking is not available whenRange Selection Mode is active.SeeTo w / H a u l M o d e0245.
While using Range Selection Mode,cruise control and the Tow/HaulMode can be used.
Caution
Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill
using only the 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.
Low Traction Mode
Low Traction Mode assists invehicle acceleration when roadconditions are slippery, such as withice or snow. While the vehicle is at astop, select M2 using RangeSelection Mode. This will limittorque to the wheels and help toprevent the tires from spinning.
Tow/Haul Mode
If equipped, Tow/Haul Mode adjuststhe transmission shift pattern toreduce shift cycling. This providesincreased performance, vehiclecontrol, and transmission coolingwhen driving down steep hills ormountain grades, towing, or haulingheavy loads.
Turn the Tow/Haul Mode on and offby pressing the button on the centerstack. When the Tow/Haul Mode isenabled, a light on the instrumentcluster will come on.
SeeTo w / H a u l M o d e L i g h t0121andHill and Mountain Roads0223.
Also see“To w / H a u l M o d e”underTo w i n g E q u i p m e n t0275.
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,the Tow/Haul button activates theexhaust brake systemsimultaneously. See“ExhaustBrake”in the Duramax dieselsupplement.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
Driving and Operating 247
Caution
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 theparking brake, for parking thevehicle.
Shift Speeds
{Warning
If you skip a gear when
downshifting, you could lose
control of the vehicle. You could
injure yourself or others. Do not
shift down more than one gear at
atimewhendownshifting.
Shift Indicator
This light comes on when anup-shift is recommended for bestfuel economy. The numberdisplayed with the arrow indicatesthe recommended gear.
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive
If equipped, four-wheel driveengages the front axle for extratraction.
Caution
Do not drive on clean, dry
pavement in 4m,4n,and4AUTO
(if equipped) for an extended
period of time. These conditions
may cause:
.Overheating.
.Oil leakage.
.Damage to internal andexternal components of thefront axle.
.Premature wear on thevehicle’spowertrain.
Driving on clean, dry pavement infour-wheel drive may:
.Cause a vibration to be felt inthe steering system.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
248 Driving and Operating
.Cause tires to wear faster.
.Cause additional driveline noise.
{Warning
Shifting the transfer case to
N(Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the transmission is
in P (Park). You or someone else
could be seriously injured. Be
sure to set the parking brake
before placing the transfer case in
N(Neutral). SeeParking
Brake0254.
Caution
Extended high-speed operation in
4nmay damage or shorten the
life of the drivetrain.
Engagement noise and bump when
shifting between 4nand 4mor from
N(Neutral), with the engine running,is normal.
Shifting into 4nwill turn Traction
Control and StabiliTrak®off. SeeTr a c t i o n C o n t r o l / E l e c t r o n i c S t a b i l i t yControl0256.
Electronic Transfer Case
Use the transfer case knob, next tothe steering wheel, to shift into andout of four-wheel drive for extratraction.
An indicator light on the knob showswhich setting the transfer case is in.The N (Neutral) indicator is on theface of the knob. If the light displaysmomentarily when the ignition is inON/RUN, but does not stay on, theknob may have been turned while
the vehicle was off. To see theindicator, turn the knob to anotherposition so that it matches theactual transfer case setting. If nolight displays, take the vehicle toyour dealer for service. An indicatorlight flashes while shifting and untilthe shift is complete.
If the transfer case cannot completearequestedshift,itwillreturntothelast chosen setting. Turn the controlback to the previous setting to seethe indicator light.
Caution
Shifting the transmission into gear
before the requested mode
indicator light has stopped
flashing could damage the
transfer case.
The settings are:
N(Neutral) :Use only when thevehicle needs to be towed. SeeRecreational Vehicle Towing0351orTo w i n g t h e V e h i c l e0351.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
250 Driving and Operating
2. Turn the knob to 4mor 2m.
Wait for the 4mor 2mindicator
light to stop flashing beforeshifting the transmissioninto gear.
If the transmission is in gear and/ormoving more than 5 km/h (3 mph),
the 4mor 2mindicator light will flash
for 30 seconds, but will not completethe shift. With the vehicle movingless than 5 km/h (3 mph), and thetransmission in N (Neutral), attemptthe shift again.
Shifting Into N (Neutral)
To s h i f t :
1. Park the vehicle on a levelsurface.
2. Set the parking brake andpress and hold the brakepedal. SeeParkingBrake0254.
3. Start the vehicle or turn theignition to ON/RUN.
4. Shift the transmission toN(Neutral).
5. Shift the transfer case to 2m.
6. Turn the transfer case knobclockwise to N (Neutral) until itstops and hold it there until theN(Neutral) light starts blinking.This will take at least10 seconds. Then slowly
release the knob to the 4n
position. The N (Neutral) lightwill come on when the transfercase shift to N (Neutral) iscomplete.
7. With the engine running, verifythat the transfer case is inN(Neutral) by shifting thetransmission to R (Reverse),then to D (Drive). There shouldbe no movement of the vehiclewhile shifting the transmission.
8. Turn the engine off, and theignition to ACC/ACCESSORY.
9. Place the transmission shiftlever in P (Park). SeeRecreational VehicleTo w i n g0351.
10. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
Shifting Out of N (Neutral)
To s h i f t :
1. Set the parking brake andapply the brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUNwith the engine off.
3. Shift the transmission toN(Neutral).
4. Turn the transfer case knob
to 2m.
After the transfer case hasshifted out of N (Neutral), theN(Neutral) light will goout.
5. Release the parking brake.
Caution
Shifting the transmission into gear
before the requested mode
indicator light has stopped
flashing could damage the
transfer case.
6. Start the engine and shift thetransmission to thedesired gear.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
Driving and Operating 253
If the transmission is in gear and/ormoving more than 5 km/h (3 mph),
the 4m,AUTO,or2mindicator light
will flash for 30 seconds but will notcomplete the shift. With the vehiclemoving less than 5 km/h (3 mph),and the transmission in N (Neutral),attempt the shift again.
Shifting Into N (Neutral)
To s h i f t :
1. Park the vehicle on a levelsurface.
2. Set the parking brake andpress and hold the brakepedal. SeeParkingBrake0254.
3. Start the vehicle or turn theignition to ON/RUN.
4. Shift the transmission toN(Neutral).
5. Shift the transfer case to 2m.
6. Turn the transfer case knobclockwise to N (Neutral) until itstops and hold it there until theN(Neutral) light starts blinking.This will take at least10 seconds. Then slowly
release the knob to the 4n
position. The N (Neutral) lightwill come on when the transfercase shift to N (Neutral) iscomplete.
7. With the engine running, verifythat the transfer case is inN(Neutral) by shifting thetransmission to R (Reverse),then shift the transmission toD(Drive). There should be nomovement of the vehicle whileshifting the transmission.
8. Turn the engine off, and theignition to ACC/ACCESSORY.
9. Place the transmission shiftlever in P (Park). SeeRecreational VehicleTo w i n g0351.
10. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
Shifting Out of N (Neutral)
To s h i f t :
1. Set the parking brake andapply the brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUNwith the engine off.
3. Shift the transmission toN(Neutral).
4. Turn the transfer case knob tothe desired setting.
After the transfer case hasshifted out of N (Neutral), theN(Neutral) light will goout.
5. Release the parking brake.
6. Start the engine and shift thetransmission to thedesired gear.