Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-9967827) - 2017 - crc - 5/2/16
Instruments and Controls 107
Low Fuel Warning Light
English Shown, Metric Similar
This light comes on for a fewseconds when the ignition is turnedon as a check to indicate it isworking. If it does not come on,have it fixed.
The low fuel warning light comes onand a chime sounds when thevehicle is low on fuel. The light turnsoff when fuel is added to thefuel tank.
SeeDriver Information Center(DIC)0108.
Security Light
The security light should come onbriefly as the engine is started. If itdoes not come on, have the vehicleserviced by your dealer. If thesystem is working normally, theindicator light turns off.
If the light stays on and the enginedoes not start, there could be aproblem with the theft-deterrentsystem. SeeImmobilizerOperation033.
High-Beam On Light
This light comes on when thehigh-beam headlamps are in use.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-BeamChanger0126.
Cruise Control Light
This light comes on when the cruisecontrol is set.
This light goes out when the cruisecontrol is canceled. SeeCruiseControl0192.
Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-9967827) - 2017 - crc - 5/2/16
118 Instruments and Controls
Tire Messages
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE or
TIRE LOW ADD AIR TO TIRE
If the vehicle has the Tire PressureMonitor System (TPMS), thismessage displays when thepressure in one or more of the tiresis low. The low tire pressure warninglight will also come on. SeeTirePressure Light0106.Thismessagewill also indicate which tire needs tobe checked. You can receive morethan one tire pressure message at atime. To read the other messagesthat may have been sent at thesame time, press the set/resetbutton. If a tire pressure messageappears on the DIC, stop as soonas you can. Have the tire pressureschecked and set to those shown onthe Tire Loading Information label.SeeTires0252,Vehicle LoadLimits0171,andTire Pressure0260.TheDICalsoshowsthetirepressure values. SeeDriverInformation Center (DIC)0108.
SERVICE TIRE MONITOR
SYSTEM
If the vehicle has 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 PressureLight0106.Severalconditionsmaycause this message to appear. SeeTire Pressure Monitor Operation0262for more information. If thewarning comes on and stays on,there may be a problem with theTPMS. See your dealer.
TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE
If the vehicle has the Tire PressureMonitor System (TPMS), thismessage displays when the systemis re-learning the tire positions onthe vehicle. SeeDriver InformationCenter (DIC)0108for moreinformation. The tire positions mustbe re-learned after rotating the tiresor after replacing a tire or sensor.
SeeTire Inspection0265,TireRotation0265,Tire PressureMonitor Operation0262,andTirePressure0260for moreinformation.
Transmission Messages
GRADE BRAKING DISABLED
This message displays when thegrade braking has been disabledwith the Tow/Haul Mode button. SeeTo w / H a u l M o d e0187,AutomaticTr a n s m i s s i o n0183,andCruiseControl0192.
GRADE BRAKING ENABLED
This message displays when thegrade braking has been enabledwith the Tow/Haul Mode button. SeeTo w / H a u l M o d e0187,AutomaticTr a n s m i s s i o n0183,andCruiseControl0192.
Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-9967827) - 2017 - crc - 5/2/16
Instruments and Controls 119
GRADE BRAKING ON
This message displays when thegrade braking has been activatedwhile driving on downhill grades.This message will only appear thefirst time the feature is activated inan ignition cycle. SeeTo w / H a u lMode0187,AutomaticTr a n s m i s s i o n0183,andCruiseControl0192.
SERVICE TRANSMISSION
This message displays when thereis a problem with the transmission.See your dealer for service.
TRANSMISSION HOT IDLE
ENGINE
Caution
Do not drive the vehicle while the
transmission fluid is overheating,
or the transmission can be
damaged. This could lead to
costly repairs that would not be
covered by the warranty.
This message displays along with achime if the transmission fluid in thevehicle gets hot. Driving with thetransmission fluid temperature highcan cause damage to the vehicle.Stop the vehicle and let it idle toallow the transmission to cool. Thismessage clears and the chimestops when the fluid temperaturereaches a safe level.
Vehicle Reminder
Messages
ICE POSSIBLE DRIVE
WITH CARE
This message displays when theoutside air temperature is coldenough to create icy roadconditions. Adjust your drivingaccordingly.
Vehicle
Personalization
This vehicle may havecustomization capabilities that allowyou to program certain features toone preferred setting. Customizationfeatures can only be programmed toone setting on the vehicle andcannot be programmed to apreferred setting for two differentdrivers.
All of the customization options maynot be available on your vehicle.Only the options available will bedisplayed on the DIC.
The default settings for thecustomization features were setwhen the vehicle left the factory, butmay have been changed from theirdefault state since then.
The customization preferences areautomatically recalled.
To c h a n g e c u s t o m i z a t i o npreferences, use the followingprocedure.
Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-9967827) - 2017 - crc - 5/6/16
164 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 165Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 166Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 167Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 168Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 169Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 171Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 175Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 177Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Parking over ThingsThat Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 183Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186To w / H a u l M o d e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 8 7
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/ElectronicStability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Driver Assistance Systems
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 194Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 199Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202Driving Characteristics andTo w i n g T i p s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0 2Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205To w i n g E q u i p m e n t . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 0
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-9967827) - 2017 - crc - 5/6/16
Driving and Operating 169
.Keep the windshield washer fluidreservoir filled.
.Have good tires with propertread depth. SeeTires0252.
.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.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{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 Control0190.
.Antilock Brake System (ABS)improves vehicle stability duringhard stops, but the brakesshould be applied sooner than
Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-9967827) - 2017 - crc - 5/6/16
170 Driving and Operating
when on dry pavement. SeeAntilock Brake System(ABS)0188.
.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 Program0316.Togethelp and keep everyone in thevehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warningflashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outsidemirror.
{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 Exhaust0182.
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.
Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-9967827) - 2017 - crc - 5/6/16
178 Driving and Operating
Operate the engine andtransmission gently to allow theoil to warm up and lubricate allmoving parts.
When the Low Fuel warninglamp is on and the FUELLEVEL LOW message isdisplayed in the DriverInformation Center (DIC), theComputer-Controlled CrankingSystem is disabled to preventpossible vehicle componentdamage. When this happens,hold the ignition switch in theSTART position to continueengine cranking.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by returning the
ignition to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not startafter 5-10 seconds, especiallyin very cold weather (below✓18 °C or 0 °F), it could beflooded with too muchgasoline. Try pushing theaccelerator pedal all the way tothe floor and holding it there asyou hold the key in START forup to 15 seconds. Wait at least15 seconds between each try,to allow the cranking motor tocool down. When the enginestarts, let go of the key andaccelerator. If the vehicle startsbriefly but then stops again, dothe same thing. This clears theextra gasoline from the engine.Do not race the engineimmediately after starting it.Operate the engine andtransmission gently until the oilwarms up and lubricates allmoving parts.
Fast Idle System
If equipped, this feature is availableonly with cruise control. The manualfast idle switch is operated using thecruise control buttons on the leftside of the steering wheel.
This system can be used toincrease engine idle speedwhenever the following conditionsare met:
.The parking brake is set.
.The brake pedal is not pressed.
.The vehicle must not be movingand the accelerator must not bepressed.
To c o n t r o l t h e f a s t i d l e :
.To e n a b l e t h e F a s t I d l e S y s t e m ,press and release the cruisecontrol on/off button and ensurethat the switch indicator lightis lit.
.Press and release the cruisecontrol SET- button. Enginespeed will be held atapproximately 1200 rpm.
Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-9967827) - 2017 - crc - 5/6/16
Driving and Operating 179
When the fast idle is active, theDriver Information Center (DIC) willdisplay FAST IDLE ON.
One of the following actions will turnoff the fast idle:
.Pressing the brake.
.Selecting the cruise controlcancel button.
.Releasing the parking brake.
.Moving the transmission shiftlever out of P (Park) orN(Neutral).
.Selecting the cruise control on/off button when it waspreviously on.
.Pressing the cruise control SET-button a second time.
.Pressing the accelerator morethan one-quarter of theway down.
.Turning the ignition switch to theLOCK/OFF position.
Engine Heater
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,see the Duramax dieselsupplement.
The engine coolant heater canprovide easier starting and betterfuel economy during enginewarm-up in cold weather conditionsat or below✓18 °C (0 °F). Vehicleswith an engine coolant heatershould be plugged in at least fourhours before starting. An internalthermostat in the plug end of thecord may exist which will preventengine coolant heater operation attemperatures above✓18 °C (0 °F).
To Use the Engine Coolant
Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap theelectrical cord.
The cord for the engine coolantheater is on the driver side ofthe engine compartment and isattached to the hose for thepower steering reservoir.
Check the heater cord fordamage. If it is damaged, donot use it. See your dealer forareplacement.Inspectthecord for damage yearly.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded11 0 - v o l t A C o u t l e t .
{Warning
Improper use of the heater cord
or an extension cord can damage
the cord and may result in
overheating and fire.
.Plug the cord into athree-prong electrical utilityreceptacle that is protectedby a ground fault detectionfunction. An ungroundedoutlet could cause anelectric shock.
.Use a weatherproof,heavy-duty, 15 amp-ratedextension cord if needed.Failure to use therecommended extensioncord in good operating
(Continued)