Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
Climate Controls 209
Air Delivery Mode Control :PressY,\,[,or-to change thedirection of the airflow. An indicatorlight comes on in the selected modebutton.
Y:Air is directed to the instrumentpanel outlets.
\:Air is divided between theinstrument panel and floor outlets.
[:Air is directed to the flooroutlets, with some air directed to thewindshield, outboard instrumentpanel, and side window outlets.
-:This mode clears the windowsof fog or moisture. Air is directed tothe windshield, with some airdirected to the floor, outboardinstrument panel outlets, and sidewindow outlets.
0:Press to clear the windshieldof fog or frost more quickly. Air isdirected to the windshield and sidewindow vents, with some airdirected to the outboard instrumentpanel. The system automaticallyforces outside air into the vehicle
and the air conditioning compressorwill run, unless the outsidetemperature is close to freezing.
Do not drive the vehicle until all thewindows are clear.
SeeAir Vents0212.
@:Press to turn on recirculation.An indicator light comes on. Air isrecirculated to quickly cool theinside of the vehicle. It can also beused to help reduce outside air andodors that enter the vehicle.
8:If equipped, press to turn onoutside air. An indicator light comeson. Outside air is circulatedthroughout the vehicle.
A/C :Press to turn the airconditioning system on or off. Anindicator light comes on to showthat the air conditioning is enabled.If the fan is turned off, the airconditioner will not run. The A/Clight will stay on even if the outsidetemperatures are below freezing.
Rear Window Defogger
K:If equipped, press to turn therear window defogger on or off. Anindicator light on the button comeson to show that the rear windowdefogger is on.
The rear window defogger onlyworks when the ignition is in ON/RUN. The defogger also turns off ifthe ignition is turned to ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF.
Caution
Using a razor blade or sharp
object to clear the inside rear
window can damage the rear
window defogger. Repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Do not clear the inside
rear window with sharp objects.
Heated Mirror :If equipped withheated outside mirrors, the mirrorsheat to help clear fog or frost fromthe surface of the mirror when therear window defog button ispressed. SeeHeated Mirrors039.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
Climate Controls 211
Do not cover the solar sensor on thetop of the instrument panel near thewindshield. This sensor regulatesair temperature based on sun load.See“Sensors”later in this section.
Manual Operation
O:Press to turn the climate controlsystem on or off. When the systemis turned off, air will stop flowing into
the cabin. PressOagain or adjust
any of the climate controls to turnthe system back on and the airflowwill continue based on the selectedclimate control settings.
A:Turn clockwise orcounterclockwise to increase ordecrease the fan speed. There isabout a five second delay when thefan is turned on. Press the knob toturn the fan off. Press AUTO toreturn to automatic operation.
Te m p e r a t u r e C o n t r o l :Turn theknob clockwise or counterclockwiseto increase or decrease temperaturesetting.
Air Delivery Mode Controls :
PressY,\,[,or-to change
the direction of the airflow. Anindicator light comes on in theselected mode button.
Changing the mode cancels theautomatic operation and the systemgoes into manual mode.
Press AUTO to return to automaticoperation.
Y:Air is directed to the instrumentpanel outlets.
\:Air is divided between theinstrument panel and floor outlets.
[:Air is directed to the flooroutlets, with some to the windshield,outboard instrument panel outlets,side window outlets, and secondrow floor outlets.
-:This mode clears the windowsof fog or moisture. Air is directed tothe windshield, floor outlets,outboard instrument panel outlets,and side window outlets. Thesystem automatically forces outsideair into the vehicle and the air
conditioning compressor will run,unless the outside temperature isclose to freezing.
0:Press to clear the windshieldof fog or frost more quickly. Air isdirected to the windshield and theside window vents, with some airdirected to the outboard instrumentpanel outlets. The systemautomatically forces outside air intothe vehicle and the air conditioningcompressor will run, unless theoutside temperature is belowfreezing.
Do not drive the vehicle until allwindows are clear.
SeeAir Vents0212.
A/C :Press to turn the airconditioning system on or off. Anindicator light comes on to showthat the air conditioning is enabled.The A/C light will stay on even if theoutside temperatures are belowfreezing. If the fan is turned off, theair conditioner will not run. PressAUTO to return to automaticoperation.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
212 Climate Controls
@:Press to turn on recirculation.An indicator light comes on. Air isrecirculated to quickly cool theinside of the vehicle. It can also beused to help reduce outside air andodors that enter the vehicle. The airconditioning compressor also comeson when this mode is activated.Press AUTO to return to automaticoperation.
Auto Defog :The climate controlsystem may have a sensor toautomatically detect high humidityinside the vehicle. When highhumidity is detected, the climatecontrol system may adjust airdelivery modes, outside air supply,and turn on the air conditioner. If theclimate control system does notdetect possible window fogging, itreturns to normal operation. To turnAuto Defog off or on, see“Climateand Air Quality”underVehiclePersonalization0139.
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses awarming grid to remove fog from therear window.
K:Press to turn the rear windowdefogger on or off. An indicator lighton the button comes on to show thatthe rear window defogger is on.
The rear window defogger onlyworks when the ignition is in ON/RUN. The defogger also turns off ifthe ignition is turned to ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF.
Caution
Using a razor blade or sharp
object to clear the inside rear
window can damage the rear
window defogger. Repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Do not clear the inside
rear window with sharp objects.
Heated Mirror :If equipped withheated outside mirrors, the mirrorsheat to help clear fog or frost fromthe surface of the mirror when therear window defog button ispressed. SeeHeated Mirrors039.
Air Vents
Adjustable air vents are in thecenter and on the side of theinstrument panel. Use the slidingknobs on the air vents to changethe direction of the airflow. Slide theknob up or down to open or closeoff the airflow.
Air vents blow warm air on the sidewindows in cold weather. If Floor,Defog, or Defrost modes areselected, a small amount of air willcome from the vents close to thewindow. If the airflow is shut offusing the sliding knobs, warm airwill be directed to the otherinstrument panel vents. This isnormal operation.
Use the sliding knobs to turn ventairflow on or off based on the modeselected.
Operation Tips
.Clear away any ice, snow,or leaves from air inlets at thebase of the windshield that couldblock the flow of air into thevehicle.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
214 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 215Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 216Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 217Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 222Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 223Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 225Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 226Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 232Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 234Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 239Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239Parking over ThingsThat Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 241Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244To w / H a u l M o d e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 5
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 246
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 255
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/ElectronicStability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 258
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Driver Assistance Systems
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 261Forward Collision Alert (FCA)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263Lane DepartureWarning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 267Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270Driving Characteristics andTo w i n g T i p s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 7 0Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272To w i n g E q u i p m e n t . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 7 5Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . 277
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
Driving and Operating 217
Curve Tips
.Ta k e c u r v e s a t a r e a s o n a b l espeed.
.Reduce speed before entering acurve.
.Maintain a reasonable steadyspeed through the curve.
.Wait until the vehicle is out ofthe curve before acceleratinggently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations whensteering around a problem maybe more effective than braking.
.Holding both sides of thesteering wheel allows you to turn180 degrees without removingahand.
.The Antilock Brake System(ABS) allows steering whilebraking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can dropoff the edge of a road onto theshoulder while driving. Followthese tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator andthen, if there is nothing in theway, steer the vehicle so that itstraddles the edge of thepavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel aboutone-eighth of a turn, until theright front tire contacts thepavement edge.
3. Turn the steering wheel to gostraight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids thatcorrespond to the vehicle's threecontrol systems:
.Braking Skid—wheels are notrolling.
.Steering or Cornering Skid—too much speed or steering in acurve causes tires to slip andlose cornering force.
.Acceleration Skid—too muchthrottle causes the drivingwheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skidsby taking reasonable care suited toexisting conditions, and by notoverdriving those conditions. Butskids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, followthese suggestions:
.Ease your foot off theaccelerator pedal and steer theway you want the vehicle to go.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
218 Driving and Operating
The vehicle may straighten out.Be ready for a second skid if itoccurs.
.Slow down and adjust yourdriving according to weatherconditions. Stopping distancecan be longer and vehiclecontrol can be affected whentraction is reduced by water,snow, ice, gravel, or othermaterial on the road. Learn torecognize warning clues—suchas enough water, ice, or packedsnow on the road to make amirrored surface—and slowdown when you have any doubt.
.Try to avoid sudden steering,acceleration, or braking,including reducing vehicle speedby shifting to a lower gear. Anysudden changes could causethe tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes helpavoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
Four-wheel-drive vehicles can beused for off-road driving. Vehicleswithout four-wheel drive and
vehicles not equipped with AllTe r r a i n ( AT ) o r O n - O f f R o a d ( O O R )tires must not be driven off-roadexcept on a level, solid surface. Forcontact information about theoriginal equipment tires, see thewarranty manual.
One of the best ways for successfuloff-road driving is to control thespeed.
{Warning
When driving off-road, bouncing
and quick changes in direction
can easily throw you out of
position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash. You and
your passengers should always
wear safety belts.
Before Driving Off-Road
.Have all necessary maintenanceand service work completed.
.Fuel the vehicle, fill fluid levels,and check inflation pressure inall tires, including the spare,if equipped.
.Read all the information aboutfour-wheel-drive vehicles in thismanual.
.Remove any underbody airdeflector, if equipped. Re-attachthe air deflector after off-roaddriving.
.SeeHill Descent Control(HDC)0258.
.Know the local laws that apply tooff-road driving.
To g a i n m o r e g r o u n d c l e a r a n c e i fneeded, it may be necessary toremove the front fascia lower airdam. However, driving without theair dam reduces fuel economy.
Caution
Operating the vehicle for
extended periods without the front
fascia lower air dam installed can
cause improper airflow to the
engine. Reattach the front fascia
air dam after off-road driving.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
224 Driving and Operating
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle
in gear.
.Drive at speeds that keep thevehicle in its own lane. Do notswing wide or cross thecenter line.
.Be alert on top of hills;something could be in your lane(e.g., stalled car, accident).
.Pay attention to special roadsigns (e.g., falling rocks area,winding roads, long grades,passing or no-passing zones)and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires andthe road creates less traction orgrip, so drive carefully. Wet ice canoccur at about 0 °C (32 °F) whenfreezing rain begins to fall. Avoiddriving on wet ice or in freezing rainuntil roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Acceleratingtoo quickly causes the wheels tospin and makes the surfaceunder the tires slick.
.Turn on Traction Control. SeeTr a c t i o n C o n t r o l / E l e c t r o n i cStability Control0256.
.The Antilock Brake System(ABS) improves vehicle stabilityduring hard stops, but thebrakes should be applied soonerthan when on dry pavement.SeeAntilock Brake System(ABS)0254.
.Allow greater following distanceand watch for slippery spots. Icypatches can occur on otherwiseclear roads in shaded areas.The surface of a curve or anoverpass can remain icy whenthe surrounding roads are clear.Avoid sudden steeringmaneuvers and braking whileon ice.
.Turn off cruise control.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place andsignal for help. Stay with the vehicleunless there is help nearby.If possible, use RoadsideAssistance. SeeRoadsideAssistance Program0387.Togethelp and keep everyone in thevehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warningflashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outsidemirror.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
Driving and Operating 225
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO), which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
.Clear snow from the base ofthe vehicle, especially anyblocking the exhaust pipe.
.Open a window about 5 cm(2 in) on the vehicle sidethat is away from the wind,to bring in fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets onor under the instrumentpanel.
.Adjust the climate controlsystem to circulate the airinside the vehicle and set
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the fan speed to the highestsetting. See“ClimateControl Systems.”
For more information about CO,
seeEngine Exhaust0240.
To s a v e f u e l , r u n t h e e n g i n e f o rshort periods to warm the vehicleand then shut the engine off andpartially close the window. Movingabout to keep warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,when running the engine, push theaccelerator pedal slightly so theengine runs faster than the idlespeed. This keeps the batterycharged to restart the vehicle and tosignal for help with the headlamps.Do this as little as possible, tosave fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin thewheels to free the vehicle whenstuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.See“Rocking the Vehicle to Get ItOut”later in this section.
The Traction Control System (TCS)can often help to free a stuckvehicle. SeeTr a c t i o n C o n t r o l /Electronic Stability Control0256.If TCS cannot free the vehicle, see“Rocking the Vehicle to Get it Out”following.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
For information about using tirechains on the vehicle, seeTireChains0335.