Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
10716700) - 2017 - crc - 12/6/16
132 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 143
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 144
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 148
Emergencies(Troubleshooting) . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Emergencies (Disabled Vehicle) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 162
Pedals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Starting and Stopping theVehicle (Gasoline Only) . . . . . 165
Starting and Stopping the Vehicle (Diesel Only) . . . . . . . . 168
Operating Temperature . . . . . . . 172
Winter Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Engine Alarm and Automatic
Shutdown (Diesel Only) . . . . . 174
Idle Shutdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
High Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Engine Checks Before Operating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Diesel Particulate Filter
Diesel Particulate Filter . . . . . . . 180
Diesel Exhaust Fluid
Diesel Exhaust Fluid . . . . . . . . . . 189
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 204
Selector Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Overdrive Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Exhaust Brake (Diesel Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Cruise Control
Cruise Control (Diesel) . . . . . . . 224
Cruise Control (Gas) . . . . . . . . . 227
Driver Assistance Systems
Speed Limiter (GasolineVehicle) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Fuel
Fuel (Gasoline) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 232
Fuel for Diesel Engines . . . . . . . 232
Biodiesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Cold Weather Operation(Diesel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Water in Fuel (Diesel) . . . . . . . . 236
Running Out of Fuel (Diesel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Power Take-Off (PTO) . . . . . . . . 242
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
10716700) - 2017 - crc - 12/6/16
Driving and Operating 139
Caution (Continued)
warning light comes on during
operation, have brake system
checked immediately.
Refer to Warning Lights, Gauges,
and Indicators 076.
When the Brakes Do Not Work
{Warning
It is very dangerous to suddenly
pull the parking brake lever all the
way while moving at high speed.
Reduce speed first by shifting
down and then gradually pull the
parking brake lever.
You and others could be seriously
injured.
(Diesel Only) The exhaust brake
should be turned on as soon as
service brake malfunction is
detected. This will slow the engine
speed. With the engine speed under
control and providing the grade conditions permit, the transmission
can be progressively downshifted
using the exhaust brake in each
gear. Eventually the exhaust brake
should slow the vehicle to a
controllable
“crawl.”Gradually pull
the parking brake lever while firmly
holding on to the steering wheel.
Stop the vehicle on the side of the
road. The vehicle should not be
driven further until corrective
measures are taken.
See Exhaust Brake (Diesel Only)
0 222 andParking Brake 0221.
(Gasoline Only) If the brakes do not
work in an unexpected situation,
promptly shift down from D6, D4,
2nd and then to 1st gear using the
selector lever to reduce the speed
and gradually pull the parking brake
lever to stop the vehicle on the side
of the road while firmly holding on to
the steering wheel.
See Parking Brake 0221. Riding the Brake
{Warning
"Riding the brake" by resting your
foot on the pedal, when you do
not intend to brake, can overheat
the brakes and wear out the
brake linings faster. This may also
damage the brakes and will waste
fuel. It can also result in reduced
braking performance.
You and others could be seriously
injured.
Applying the Parking Brake
Except in an emergency, do not
apply the parking brake until the
vehicle has come to a complete
stop. Applying the parking brake
before the vehicle has stopped can
cause a breakdown.
Refer to
Parking Brake 0221.
Parking Safely on a Slope
Avoid parking your vehicle on a
slope as much as possible and
choose a level and flat place. If you
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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Driving and Operating 141
Warning (Continued)
down a slope without the engine
running, you would not be able to
properly control the vehicle and
could have an accident.
Parking, or Leaving
Driver’s Seat
{Danger
It can be dangerous to get out of
your vehicle if the selector lever is
not fully in "P" (Park) or the
parking brake is not applied all
the way. Your vehicle can roll or
move suddenly.
To be sure your vehicle will not
move, even when you are parking
on level ground, follow the steps
below. (If you have to park on a
hill, also turn your front wheels so
the vehicle will roll away from
traffic.)
You and others could be seriously
injured or killed. 1. Hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot and
apply the parking brake all the
way before shifting the
transmission. Follow the
Parking Brake instructions in
this manual for your vehicle.
2. To move the selector lever to "P" (Park), hold in the button
on the lever and push the lever
all the way toward the front of
your vehicle.
3. Turn the key to "LOCK".
4. Remove the key and take it with you.
5. Before you leave the driver's seat, be sure the vehicle is not
moving, or check that your
vehicle is in Park by trying to
pull the selector lever out of "P"
(Park) by pulling the selector
lever toward you without
pushing the button. If you can
do this, it means that the
selector lever was not fully
locked into "P" (Park). Do Not Touch the Selector Lever
While the Vehicle is Stationary
with the Engine Idling
(Gasoline Only)
(Diesel) Do not touch the selector
lever while the vehicle is stationary
with the engine idling. If you touch
the selector lever at this time, a gear
could be selected and the vehicle
could move even with the parking
brake applied. The risk of knocking
against the selector lever and
causing an accident is particularly
great when you move in or out of
your seat.
Driving Down a Long Slope
When driving down a long slope,
use the exhaust brake (diesel) or
engine brake (gasoline) together
with the foot brakes. Using the
exhaust brake (diesel) or engine
brake (gasoline) and low-gears
reduces the work load on the foot
brakes and yields greater braking
force. Even so, use the foot brakes
appropriately to prevent the engine
over-revving.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
10716700) - 2017 - crc - 12/6/16
142 Driving and Operating
Frequent use of the foot brakes can
cause vapor lock and brake fade,
resulting in reduced brake
effectiveness.
Brake Fade :Frequent use of the
brakes can cause the brakes to
overheat so that the frictional force
of the brake linings decreases and
the brakes become less effective
than normal. This phenomenon is
called brake fade.
Vapor Lock : If the brakes overheat
due to frequent use, the heat can
cause the brake fluid to boil so that
air bubbles are created in the brake
fluid. Pressing the brake pedal
simply compresses the air bubbles;
pressure is not transmitted to the
wheel cylinders, so the brakes'
effectiveness sharply deteriorates.
This phenomenon is called
vapor lock.
Even so, you should be very careful
when using engine braking in a low
gear because the engine is likely to
over-rev.
See Exhaust Brake (Diesel Only)
0 222 andSelector Lever 0214. On diesel vehicles, do not adjust the
exhaust brake valve.
The engine should never be allowed
to exceed the governed speed.
Supplement the exhaust brake with
vehicle service brakes intermittently
and/or shift to higher transmission
gear to prevent engine overspeed.
A rule of thumb for gear selection is
that the vehicle should be driven
down a grade in the same gear that
would be used to climb that grade.
{Warning
To reduce the risk of personal
injury, before going down a steep
or long grade, reduce speed, turn
on the exhaust brake and shift the
transmission to the next lower
gear. This will help control your
speed. Do not hold the brake
pedal down too long or too often
while going down a steep or long
grade. This could cause the
brakes to get hot and not to work
as well. As a result, the truck will
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
not slow down at the usual rate.
Failure to take these steps could
result in loss of vehicle control.
You and others could be seriously
injured.
Brake Effectiveness When the
Vehicle Has Been Driven on a
Flooded Road or Washed
{Warning
When the vehicle is driven on a
flooded road, parked on a flooded
road or washed, water can get
into the brakes and reduce their
effectiveness. If the brakes do not
work well afterward, drive slowly
and gently press the brake pedal
several times until the brakes dry
out and start working normally.
Always do this after driving
through water or washing the
vehicle to help reduce the risk of(Continued)
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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Driving and Operating 143
Warning (Continued)
personal injury. Before parking
the vehicle in winter, press the
brake pedal several times in the
same way to get rid of moisture in
the brakes. Otherwise, the
moisture in the brakes may freeze
and make the vehicle immovable.
You and others could be seriously
injured.
If the vehicle must be driven on a
flooded road or is parked in an area
that becomes flooded, promptly
perform a check for the following
points:
. Effectiveness of the brakes
. Water-ingress or damage to
drum brakes, disc brakes
. Engine damage due to
water-ingress
. Shorting of electrical
components .
Oil level and degradation
(cloudiness) of the engine,
transmission, differential
. Greasing of each components
(lubrication)
Steering
Do Not Leave the Steering
Wheel Fully Turned for a
Long Time
{Warning
If you leave the steering wheel
fully turned for a long time, the oil
in the power steering oil pump will
become extremely hot. This
would cause poor lubrication, oil
tank damage and seal
deterioration, leading to power
steering oil pump damage, power
steering unit damage and power
steering hose damage. As a
result the steering wheel could
become extremely hard to turn
and a fire or other accident could
occur.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
You and others could be seriously
injured.
Steering Wheel
If the steering parts have excess
play or looseness or if any abnormal
condition is noted, have the steering
system checked immediately.
Driving on Wet Roads
Driving on Slippery Surface or
Driving in Bad Weather (Rain,
Icy Roads, Snowy Roads, etc.)
In bad weather, visibility is reduced
and slippery road surfaces increase
stopping distances. Drive more
slowly than you would in good
weather. Also, avoid sharp turns of
the steering wheel and hard
braking. Use engine brakes together
with the foot brakes to decelerate.
For diesel vehicles, using the
exhaust brake on a slippery road
surface could cause the tires to slip.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
10716700) - 2017 - crc - 12/6/16
148 Driving and Operating
.Do not use a sharp implement to
remove snow. Sharp edges
could damage rubber parts.
Refer to Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0217.
Remove snow that has stuck to the
inside of the fenders and to the
brake hoses. Otherwise, it may
damage components. After driving
on a salted road, wash the
underside of the vehicle as soon as
possible to prevent the salt from
causing rust. Spraying water under
high pressure is an effective way to
get the salt off.
After washing the vehicle, wipe the
door openings dry.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
When Driving on Bad Roads
Freeing the Vehicle from Sand,
Mud, Snow, and Ice
If your vehicle gets stuck in sand,
mud, snow or ice, move the selector
lever from "Second" to "Reverse".
Apply a light pressure to the
accelerator pedal while the
transmission is in gear. Remove your foot from the accelerator and
press the brake pedal while shifting.
Do not race the engine. For best
traction, avoid spinning the wheels.
When you cannot avoid driving
through deep mud, using tire chains
is an effective way to avoid getting
stuck.
Do not allow wheels to spin freely in
mud, sand, snow, ice or other poor
road conditions. This free spinning
will damage the rear axle. Even
vehicles equipped with LSD (Limited
Slip Differential) have traction
limitations. If your vehicle gets stuck
and it is difficult to extricate,
immediately stop driving and have
the vehicle towed. Spinning wheels
for an extended period of time may
cause abnormal noises or
malfunction to LSD.
Do not spin wheels faster than
32 km/h (20 MPH). Damage may
result from excessive wheel
spinning, including tire, transmission
and/or rear axle malfunction.
When driving in sand or mud, avoid
hard braking, sudden acceleration
and sharp turns of the steering
wheel. Such actions could get the
vehicle stuck and make it difficult to
extricate.
After driving through deep mud: any
mud stuck to the vehicle can harm
the steering, brakes and powertrain.
Wash the vehicle and remove all
mud and other incrustation.
The vehicle speed sensors are fitted
on the wheels. When removing mud
and other incrustation, take great
care not to damage the
components.
Do not use a sharp implement to
remove mud. Sharp edges could
damage rubber parts.
Refer to
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0217 andExterior Care
0 334.Emergencies
(Troubleshooting)
Troubleshooting
Performing regular inspections and
maintenance prevents damage. Be
sure to perform inspections and
maintenance at regular intervals.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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160 Driving and Operating
SymptomCauseCorrective Action Reference
Loud or abnormal
noises From the
transmission
Insufficient
transmission oil
Add oilSee
Automatic
Transmission Fluid
0 260
Transmission inner
components faulty
4-
From differential Insufficient differential
gear oil
Add oilSee
Rear Axle
(Gear Oil Viscosity
Chart) 0283 or
Rear Axle (Oil
Level Check) 0283
Differential inner
components faulty
4-
From the
suspension Spring pins, shackles,
or stoppers worn
4-
From the driveshaft Poor lubrication in each
component
Lubricate themSee
Owner Checks
and Services 0367
Splines or bearings worn
4-
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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162 Driving and Operating
If There is a Fuel Leak
{Danger
Leaking fuel from the vehicle is
dangerous due to possible
combustion or explosion. Stop the
engine immediately.
You or others could be seriously
injured or killed.
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Good vehicle care begins with
proper break-in. While every new
vehicle goes through rigid factory
and dealer inspection and tests
before delivery, the care you give
your vehicle during the initial
break-in period can pay off in longer
life, better performance and more
economical operation.
It is therefore always recommended
that during the initial 1 000 km
(600 mile) break-in period, the
following few simple precautions are
carefully observed.
Follow the recommendations listed
below for gasoline and diesel
engines:
.Warm up the engine by driving
easily for the first few minutes
before placing it under load. .
Do not drive for extended
periods at any one constant
speed, either fast or slow, during
the first 800 km (500 miles).
. Use the correct gear to maintain
the desired road speed without
lugging the engine.
. Avoid racing the engine,
full-throttle starts and aggressive
application of brakes when
stopping.
. Keep tires properly inflated for
the load carried.
. Check lubricant levels in the
engine and transmission weekly.
. For vehicles with gasoline
engines, keep speeds below
121 km/h (75 MPH) for the first
800 km (500 miles).
Follow the additional diesel only
recommendations listed below:
. Keep speeds below 80 km/h
(50 MPH) for the first 800 km
(500 miles).