
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
120 Instruments and Controls
The DLC is under the instrumentpanel to the left of the steeringwheel. Connecting devices that arenot used to perform an EmissionsInspection/Maintenance test or toservice the vehicle may affectvehicle operation. SeeAdd-OnElectrical Equipment0278.Seeyour dealer if assistance is needed.
The vehicle may not passinspection if:
.The light is on when the engineis running.
.The light does not come onwhen the ignition is in ON/RUNwhile the engine is off.
.Critical emission control systemshave not been completelydiagnosed. If this happens, thevehicle would not be ready forinspection and might requireseveral days of routine driving
before the system is ready forinspection. This can happen ifthe 12-volt battery has recentlybeen replaced or run down, or ifthe vehicle has been recentlyserviced.
See your dealer if the vehicle willnot pass or cannot be made readyfor the test.
Brake System Warning
Light
The vehicle brake system consistsof two hydraulic circuits. If onecircuit is not working, the remainingcircuit can still work to stop thevehicle. For normal brakingperformance, both circuits need tobe working.
If the warning light comes on, thereis a brake problem. Have the brakesystem inspected right away.
MetricEnglish
This light should come on brieflywhen the engine is started. If it doesnot come on then, have it fixed so itwill be ready to warn you if there isaproblem.
When the ignition is on, the brakesystem warning light also comes onwhen the parking brake is set. Thelight stays on if the parking brakedoes not fully release. If it stays onafter the parking brake is fullyreleased, it means the vehicle has abrake problem.
If the light comes on while driving,pull off the road and stop carefully.The pedal might be harder to push,or the pedal can go closer to thefloor. It may take longer to stop.If the light is still on, have thevehicle towed for service. SeeTo w i n g t h e V e h i c l e0351.
{Warning
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
(Continued)

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
Instruments and Controls 121
Warning (Continued)
warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
This light comes on briefly when theengine is started.
If the light does not come on, have itfixed so it will be ready to warn ifthere is a problem.
If the light comes on while driving,stop as soon as it is safely possibleand turn off the vehicle. Then startthe engine again to reset the
system. If the ABS light stays on,or comes on again while driving, thevehicle needs service. A chime mayalso sound when the light comes onsteady.
If the ABS light is the only light on,the vehicle has regular brakes, butthe antilock brakes are notfunctioning.
If both the ABS and the brakesystem warning light are on, thevehicle's antilock brakes are notfunctioning and there is a problemwith the regular brakes. See yourdealer for service.
SeeBrake System Warning Light0120andBrake SystemMessages0133.
Up-Shift Light (Manual
Transmission)
This light comes on when anup-shift is recommended for bestfuel economy. The numberdisplayed with the arrow indicatesthe recommended gear.
Tow/Haul Mode Light
For vehicles with the Tow/HaulMode feature, this light comes onwhen the Tow/Haul Mode has beenactivated.
SeeTo w / H a u l M o d e0245.
Hill Descent Control Light

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
128 Instruments and Controls
recommended in the MaintenanceSchedule in this manual. SeeMaintenance Schedule0366.
The Oil Life display must be resetafter each oil change. Do not resetthe Oil Life display accidentally atany time other than when the oil hasjust been changed. It cannot bereset accurately until the next oilchange. To reset the engine oil lifesystem, seeEngine Oil LifeSystem0288.
Oil Pressure :Oil pressure isdisplayed in either kilopascal (kPa)or in pounds per square inch (psi).
Tire Pressure :Displays a vehiclewith the approximate pressures ofall four tires. Tire pressure isdisplayed in either kilopascal (kPa)or in pounds per square inch (psi).SeeTire Pressure Monitor System0325andTire Pressure MonitorOperation0326.
Battery Voltage :Displays thecurrent battery voltage, if equipped.Battery voltage changes are normalwhile driving. SeeCharging SystemLight011 8.Ifthereisaproblemwith the battery charging system,
the DIC will display a message. SeeBattery Voltage and ChargingMessages0132.
Engine Hours :Shows the totalnumber of hours the engine has run.
Tr a n s m i s s i o n F l u i dTe m p e r a t u r e :Shows thetemperature of the automatictransmission fluid in either degreesCelsius (°C) or degreesFahrenheit (°F).
Tr a i l e r B r a k e ( I f E q u i p p e d ) :TRAILER GAIN shows the trailergain setting. This setting can beadjusted from 0.0 to 10.0 with eitheratrailerconnectedordisconnected.
OUTPUT shows the power output tothe trailer anytime a trailer withelectric brakes is connected. Outputis displayed as a bar graph. Dashesmay appear in the OUTPUT displayif a trailer is not connected.
Units :Movewxto change
between Metric or US when the Unitdisplay is active. Press SET/CLR toconfirm the setting. This will changethe displays on the DIC to the typeof measurements you select.
ECO Drive Assist Menu (ECO)
Items
This menu is only available on somevehicles. Press MENU on the turnsignal lever until the ECO menu is
displayed. Usewxto scroll
through the menu items. Not allitems are available on every vehicle.The following is a list of all possiblemenu items:
Best Average Fuel Economy :Thebottom displays the best averagefuel economy (AFE) that is achievedfor a selected distance. The topdisplays a running average of fueleconomy for the most recentlytraveled selected distance. Thecenter bar graph displays theinstantaneous fuel economy.Quickly press the SET/CLR buttonto change the settings for thedistance options.
When viewing best AFE, a severalsecond press and hold of SET/CLRwill reset the best value. The bestvalue will show“---“until theselected distance has beentraveled.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
Instruments and Controls 131
vehicle speeds recorded since thelast reset. Reset the average speed
by pressingVwhen it is displayed.
Fuel Economy :The centerdisplays the approximateinstantaneous fuel economy as anumber and bar graph. Displayedabove the bar graph is a runningaverage of fuel economy for themost recently traveled selecteddistance. Displayed below the bargraph is the best average fueleconomy that has been achieved forthe selected distance. The selecteddistance is displayed at the top ofthe page as“last xxx mi/km.”
Presspto select the distance or
reset best value. Usewandxto
choose the distance and pressV.
Presswandxto select“Reset
Best Score.”PressVto reset the
best average fuel economy. Afterreset, the best value displays“-,-”until the selected distance has beentraveled.
The display provides information onhow current driving behavior affectsthe running average and how wellrecent driving compares to the bestthat has been achieved for theselected distance.
Timer :This display can be used as
atimer.Tostartthetimer,pressV
while this display is active. Thedisplay will show the amount of timethat has passed since the timer was
last reset. To stop the timer, pressV
briefly while this display is activeand the timer is running. To reset
the timer to zero, press and holdV
while this display is active, or presspand select reset.
Speed Limit :Shows signinformation, which comes from aroadway database in the onboardnavigation, if equipped.
Battery Voltage :Displays thecurrent battery voltage, if equipped.Battery voltage changes are normalwhile driving. SeeCharging SystemLight011 8.Ifthereisaproblemwith the battery charging system,
the DIC will display a message. SeeBattery Voltage and ChargingMessages0132.
Oil Pressure :Oil pressure isdisplayed in either kilopascal (kPa)or in pounds per square inch (psi).
Engine Hours :Shows the totalnumber of hours the engine has run.
Tr a n s m i s s i o n F l u i dTe m p e r a t u r e :Shows thetemperature of the automatictransmission fluid in either degreesCelsius (°C) or degreesFahrenheit (°F).
Tr a i l e r B r a k e ( I f E q u i p p e d ) :TRAILER GAIN shows the trailergain setting. This setting can beadjusted from 0.0 to 10.0 with eitheratrailerconnectedordisconnected.
OUTPUT shows the power output tothe trailer anytime a trailer withelectric brakes is connected. Outputis displayed as a bar graph. Dashesmay appear in the OUTPUT displayif a trailer is not connected.
Blank Page :Shows noinformation.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122675) - 2017 - crc - 8/22/16
Instruments and Controls 133
Brake System Messages
BRAKE FLUID LOW
This message is displayed when thebrake fluid level is low; seeBrakeFluid0299.
HILL START ASSIST ACTIVE
This message is displayed when thevehicle is stopped on a gradesufficient to activate HSA. HSAholds the braking pressure for amaximum of two seconds to ensurethat there is no rolling, which willassist the driver to transitionbetween releasing the brake pedaland accelerating to drive off whileon the grade. The brakes willautomatically release when theaccelerator pedal is applied withinthe two-second window. SeeHillStart Assist (HSA)0255.
RELEASE PARKING BRAKE
This message is displayed as areminder that the parking brake ison. Release it before you attempt todrive.
SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST
This message may be displayedwhen there is a problem with thebrake boost assist system. Whenthis message is displayed, the brakeboost assist motor may be heardoperating and you might noticepulsation in the brake pedal. This isnormal under these conditions. Takethe vehicle to your dealer forservice.
Compass Messages
Dashes may be displayed if thevehicle temporarily losescommunication with the GlobalPositioning System (GPS).
Door Ajar Messages
DOOR OPEN
This message displays and a chimemay sound if a door is not fullyclosed. Stop and turn off thevehicle, check the door forobstructions, and close the dooragain. Check to see if the messagestill appears on the DIC.
HOOD OPEN
This message displays and a chimemay sound if the hood is not fullyclosed. Stop and turn off thevehicle, check the hood forobstructions, and close the hoodagain. Check to see if the messagestill appears on the DIC.
Engine Cooling System
Messages
AIR CONDITIONING OFF
This message displays when theengine coolant becomes hotter thanthe normal operating temperature.SeeEngine Coolant TemperatureGauge011 5.Toavoidaddedstrainon a hot engine, the air conditioningcompressor automatically turns off.When the coolant temperaturereturns to normal, the airconditioning compressor turns backon. You can continue to drive yourvehicle.
If this message continues to appear,have the system repaired by yourdealer as soon as possible to avoiddamage to the engine.

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
216 Driving and Operating
{Warning
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
asmallamountofalcohol.You
can have a serious—or even
fatal—collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
adriverwhohasbeendrinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and acceleratingare important factors in helping tocontrol a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perceptiontime and reaction time. Deciding topush the brake pedal is perceptiontime. Actually doing it isreaction time.
Average driver reaction time isabout three-quarters of a second. Inthat time, a vehicle moving at100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m(66 ft), which could be a lot ofdistance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mindinclude:
.Keep enough distance betweenyou and the vehicle in frontof you.
.Avoid needless heavy braking.
.Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops while thevehicle is being driven, brakenormally but do not pump thebrakes. Doing so could make thepedal harder to push down. If theengine stops, there will be somepower brake assist but it will beused when the brake is applied.Once the power assist is used up, itcan take longer to stop and thebrake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric powersteering. It does not have powersteering fluid. Regular maintenanceis not required.
If power steering assist is lost dueto a system malfunction, the vehiclecan be steered, but may requireincreased effort.
See your dealer if there is aproblem.
If the steering wheel is turned until itreaches the end of its travel and isheld against that position for anextended period of time, powersteering assist may be reduced.
If the steering assist is used for anextended period of time, powerassist may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steeringassist should return when thesystem cools down.
See specific vehicle steeringmessages underSteering SystemMessages0137.Seeyourdealerifthere is a problem.

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.