Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
10716700) - 2017 - crc - 12/6/16
Driving and Operating 167
feature. To restart when you're
already moving, use
N (Neutral) only.
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if
your vehicle is moving. If you
do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to P (Park)
only when your vehicle is
stopped.
2. Do not push the accelerator pedal before starting your
engine. In some other vehicles
you might need to do this, but
because of your vehicle's
computer systems, you do not
need to.
3. Turn your ignition key to Start. When the engine starts, let go
of the key. The idle speed will
go down as your engine
gets warm.
4. If it does not start right away, hold your key in START. If it
doesn't start in 3 seconds,
push the accelerator pedal
about one-quarter of the way
down for 12 more seconds,
or until it starts. 5. If your engine still will not start
(or starts but then stops), it
could be flooded with too much
gasoline. Try this: Wait 20 to
30 seconds to let the starter
motor cool down. Then push
your accelerator pedal all the
way to the floor. Hold it there.
Then, hold the key in START
for no more than 10 seconds.
This clears the extra gasoline
from the engine.
If the engine still does not start, wait
another 20 to 30 seconds and do
Step 5 again.
Hot Engine Restart
If your engine is already hot and
then stalls, turn your ignition key to
ACC. Then, turn your key to ON,
and wait about 20 to 30 seconds
before you restart your engine.
When the engine starts, let go of the
key and the accelerator pedal.
Your engine is designed to work
with the electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change the
way the fuel injection system operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer.
If you do not, your engine might not
perform properly.
If you ever have to have your
vehicle towed, see the part of this
manual that tells how to do it without
damaging your vehicle. See
Towing
the Vehicle 0332.
Recommendations for Warming
Up the Engine
The engine is sufficiently warmed
up when the needle of the engine
coolant temperature gauge starts
to move.
. Do not race the engine or
quickly accelerate before the
engine has sufficiently warmed
up. Oil would not have
adequately reached and
lubricated components, and a
breakdown may result.
. The exhaust pipe becomes
extremely hot while the engine is
idling. Before warming up the
engine, make sure there is no
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
10716700) - 2017 - crc - 12/6/16
168 Driving and Operating
flammable material, such as
grass, waste paper, oil, or old
tires near the exhaust pipe.
Cold Weather Starting
If you plan ahead for cold weather,
starting and driving your vehicle
should be no problem.
Oil gets thicker as it gets colder,
which slows down the engine
cranking speed.
To be sure the engine can turn fast
enough to start, use SAE 0W-30
viscosity engine oil when prevailing
temperatures drop below 0 °C (32 °
F). See the oil quality and oil
viscosity recommendations. Using
the proper viscosity oil will make
starting easier down to -23 °C (-10 °
F). When prevailing temperatures
drop below -23 °C (-10 °F), the
optional engine block heater may be
needed for starting.
Stopping the Engine
When stopping the gasoline engine,
take the following steps: 1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop. 2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Move the selector lever to the
P position and make sure that
the shift indicator shows P.
4. Allow the engine to idle for approximately 3 minutes.
5. Turn the engine control switch to the ACC or LOCK position.
To prevent the battery from going
dead, turn the engine control switch
to the ACC or LOCK position after
stopping the engine. If you leave the
vehicle for an extended period of
time, place the engine control switch
in the LOCK position.
If the Vehicle Has Not Been Used
for a Long Period
If the vehicle is to be placed in
storage for a prolonged period of
time, certain precautions must be
taken to prevent deterioration. See
your authorized dealer for more
detailed information.
. Before using a vehicle that has
not been driven for a long
period, check the engine and
transmission for oil leakage, and make sure the oil is at the
required levels. If there is
insufficient oil, it will not
adequately reach and lubricate
components, and a breakdown
will result.
. Start the engine and allow it to
idle for at least 5 minutes. Check
for abnormal noises.
. For instructions on warming up
the engine, refer to “Starting the
Engine” previously in this
section.
Starting and Stopping the
Vehicle (Diesel Only)
Check around the Vehicle before
Starting the Engine
Proper care and operation will not
only extend the service life of your
vehicle but also improve fuel
economy.
Before pulling away, perform a
thorough safety check, making sure
there are no children or obstructions
around the vehicle. Take off the
chocks after confirming that the
parking brake is securely applied.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
10716700) - 2017 - crc - 12/6/16
172 Driving and Operating
If the Vehicle Has Not Been Used
for a Long Period
If a diesel vehicle has been
standing for an extended period of
time, the turbocharger bearings
should be pre-lubricated prior to
starting. See your authorized dealer
for more detailed information.
Before using a vehicle that has not
been driven for a long period, check
the engine and transmission for oil
leakage, and make sure the oil is at
the required levels. If there is
insufficient oil, it will not adequately
reach and lubricate components,
and a breakdown will result.
Start the engine and allow it to idle
for at least five minutes. Check for
abnormal noises.
For instructions on warming up the
engine, refer to“Starting the Engine”
previously in this section.
For diesel vehicles, if 1 year has
passed since the diesel exhaust
fluid (DEF) in the DEF tank was
added, the DEF in the tank should
be replaced. Be careful not to inhale
the ammonia odor when replacing the DEF. Also, please contact your
nearest dealer about the
replacement work.
Operating Temperature
Recommendations for Warming
Up the Engine
The engine is sufficiently warmed
up when the needle of the engine
coolant temperature gauge starts
to move.
Do not race the engine or quickly
accelerate before the engine has
sufficiently warmed up. Oil would
not have adequately reached and
lubricated components, and a
breakdown may result.
The exhaust pipe becomes
extremely hot while the engine is
idling. Before warming up the
engine, make sure there is no
flammable material, such as grass,
waste paper, oil, or old tires near the
exhaust pipe.
Engine Warm-up System
During cold ambient conditions, the
automatic engine warm-up system
operates to reduce engine warm-up
time during idling.
Automatic Engine Warm-up :
When the engine is idling with the
engine coolant temperature below
62 °C (144 °F), the engine warm-up
system automatically closes the
exhaust brake and increases engine
idle speed so that the engine is
warmed more quickly. Warm-up is
cancelled when the accelerator
pedal is pressed, and resumed
when the pedal is released.
Warm-up is automatically cancelled
entirely after the engine coolant
temperature rises above 65 °C
(149 °F).
Winter Cover
.
Do not cover the front of the
radiator with newspapers,
cardboard or any other
flammable material to raise the
engine coolant temperature.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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174 Driving and Operating
Engine Alarm and
Automatic Shutdown
(Diesel Only)
If the system senses any of the
following conditions: high engine
temperature, low engine oil pressure
or low engine coolant, the
corresponding warning light and
engine alarm (shutdown) warning
light will come on. If the engine
alarm (shutdown) warning light
comes on, you will also hear a tone
alarm.
If your vehicle has the engine
shutdown feature, your engine will
shut down in 30 seconds.Pull safely off the road and shut off
the engine. Do not start it until the
cause of the problem is known, and
the problem is fixed. However, if the
engine shuts down when you are
still in traffic, you can restart the
engine and get another 30 seconds
of operation. Do this only if you
have to, since there is a problem
that can harm the engine if it is not
fixed. See
Engine Shutdown
Warning Light 091.
Idle Shutdown
On vehicles with a diesel engine,
Idle Stop is a dealer programmable
function which will automatically turn
off the engine, at idle, when specific
programmed conditions are met.
See your dealer for details. When
the Idle Stop light comes on, it alerts
you that programmed conditions
have been met and the engine is
about to shut down. This light stays
on after the engine has stopped.
This indicator light will come on
when the engine control switch is
turned to the ON position and then
should go out after approximately
3 seconds. If the idling stop function does not
initiate, a transmission related
problem may have occurred. Please
contact your dealer. (There is a
Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) that
inhibits the idling stop function when
the Check Trans warning light is not
illuminated).
High Idle System
Use high idle mode to increase
engine idle speed to 1,200 r/min
when the vehicle is stationary.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
10716700) - 2017 - crc - 12/6/16
204 Driving and Operating
When the exhaust system warning
light comes on, promptly have the
vehicle inspected and serviced at a
dealer.
When a malfunction is detected in
the SCR system, the warning and
the indicator lights shown in the
table come on. SeeVehicle
Messages (Diesel Only) 097,
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light) 084, and Diesel
Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Warning Light
0 90.
When the Diesel Exhaust Fluid
(DEF) Tank is Empty
If the DEF tank is empty and
warning and indicator lights are on,
you must follow below procedure to
cancel the vehicle restriction: 1. Turn the engine control switch to the LOCK or ACC position,
and add DEF.
2. After adding DEF, turn the engine control switch to ON
position.
3. Wait until buzzer stops, warnings and indicators are
turned off. 4. If the buzzer does not stop,
return the engine control switch
back to the LOCK position and
add more DEF, and then start
over from step 2 above.
5. Restart the engine.
It may take a while until the warning
lights and indicators turn off and the
buzzer stops after turning the
engine control switch to the ON
position.
It is desirable to fill up the tank with
DEF to avoid DEF remaining level
warning indication from reappearing.
When the outside temperature is
low, refer to Adding DEF in Cold
Weather. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) (Diesel Only) 093,
Brake System Warning Light
(Parking Brake Light) 084, Warning
Buzzers 0101, and Winter Driving
0 145.Automatic
Transmission
On an automatic transmission
vehicle, the driver does not use a
clutch pedal when pulling away,
changing gears, or stopping. Only
the selector lever, accelerator pedal,
and brake pedal are used.
Practice learning the characteristics
of the automatic transmission
vehicle and how to correctly operate
it. When the vehicle is stationary,
remember to keep the brake pedal
firmly pressed, and if necessary,
move the selector lever in the P or
N position and apply the parking
brake.
Creep : With the engine running
and a gear position other than P or
N selected with the selector lever,
power reaches the wheels even
when the accelerator pedal is not
pressed, causing the vehicle to tend
to move.
Furthermore, the higher the engine
speed, the stronger the creep and
the greater the vehicle's tendency
to move.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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Driving and Operating 205
Starting
Start the engine in either the P or
the N position. The engine should
not start in any other selector
position. If it does, something is
wrong. Have your truck checked by
your dealer as soon as possible.
Always apply either the foot brake
or the parking brake before shifting
into any driving position. This will
prevent creeping.
The engine should be running at
idle when shifting from P or N to one
of the driving positions. See
Selector Lever0214.
Caution
Do not apply water from a
high-pressure washer nozzle
directly to the electric connectors.
Failure to observe this precaution
can lead to faulty operation of the
electrical system.
Caution
Never move the selector into the
P position when the vehicle is in
motion. This will damage the
automatic transmission.
Firmly press the brake pedal to
prevent the vehicle from moving
even if it is stopped on a level road,
and move the selector lever into P
and firmly apply the parking brake
as needed.
The engine speed rises and
creeping will be stronger than usual
during the conditions noted below.
Keep the brake pedal firmly
pressed:
. Immediately after engine
start up.
. While the air conditioner is
running.
. For diesel vehicles, during the
diesel particulate filter (DPF)
regeneration. How to Use the Automatic
Transmission{Warning
Before starting the engine, move
the selector lever into P or N (P is
preferred), make sure the shift
indicator indicates P or N, pull up
the parking brake lever and firmly
press the brake pedal.
When moving the selector lever to
any position other than P, be sure
to press the brake pedal.
Never leave the driver's seat with
the selector lever placed in D, 2,
1 or R (diesel engine), or D6, D4,
2, 1, or R (gasoline engine). The
vehicle may start moving. When
leaving the driver's seat, be sure
to move the selector lever into P
and securely set the parking
brake.
(Continued)
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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206 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
When you move the selector lever
into D, 2, 1 or R (diesel engine),
or D6, D4, 2, 1, or R (gasoline
engine), creep will cause the
vehicle to move.
When pulling away from a
standstill, you must control the
speed using only the accelerator
pedal. Operate the accelerator
pedal carefully.
Do not operate the selector lever
while pressing the accelerator
pedal. The vehicle may make a
sudden start, possibly causing an
accident.
For gasoline vehicles, do not
drive the vehicle with the
transmission in neutral. Not only
will the engine brake not function,
but the transmission will also be
damaged.
You and others could be seriously
injured.When pulling away, visually check
the position of the selector lever.
If you always press the push button
while operating the selector lever,
the lever may occasionally move to
the other gear position against your
intentions.
Practice operating the selector lever
between the N and D (diesel engine)
or D6/D4 (gasoline engine) without
pressing the push button.
Do not operate the selector lever
while pressing the accelerator
pedal. Doing so is dangerous
because the vehicle would
suddenly move.
Do not operate the automatic
transmission at or near stall
condition for more than
five seconds. Stall condition is when
the transmission is in one of the
driving ranges, the engine is running
at high speed, but the drive wheels
are unable to move. This condition
might occur if the vehicle is stuck in
deep sand or is pushing against a
fixed barrier. Operating the
transmission at stall condition will
result in overheating and damage. Do not hold your vehicle on an
upgrade with the accelerator pedal.
Doing so will result in automatic
transmission overheating and
damage. Use the parking brake or
foot brake to hold the vehicle on an
upgrade.
Even if you plan to move only a
short distance, sit in the correct
driving position and make sure you
can firmly press the brake and
accelerator pedals.
When you reverse, you twist to look
rearward so pedal operation
becomes difficult. Firmly press the
brake pedal. Also, practice returning
the selector lever immediately to the
N position after reversing. When
pulling away, visually check the
selector lever position and the shift
indicator.
When the vehicle is stopped, do not
keep pressing the accelerator pedal
with the selector lever in a forward
gear or R position while pressing
the brake pedal. Doing so may
cause a breakdown.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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Driving and Operating 207
Sit in the correct driving position,
and use your right foot to operate
the brake and accelerator pedals.
To avoid accidentally pressing the
wrong pedal, check the pedal
positions and practice putting your
foot on the desired pedal.
To start your vehicle:1. Firmly press the brake pedal. After making sure the selector
lever is placed into P or N, that
P or N is shown in the shift
indicator and that the parking
brake lever is fully pulled up,
place the engine control switch
into the ON position.
2. Start the engine and move the selector lever into D (diesel
engine) or D6/D4 (gasoline
engine) for forward movement,
or R for backward movement
while firmly pressing the brake
pedal with your right foot.
3. Make sure that the shift indicator indicates the correct
gear (D (diesel engine) or D6/
D4 (gasoline engine) for
forward movement, or R for
backward movement), release the parking brake, release the
brake pedal, and then
gradually press the accelerator
pedal. The vehicles starts
moving as you press the
accelerator pedal further.
On a steep slope:
Make sure that the shift indicator
indicates the correct gear (D (diesel
engine) or D6/D4 (gasoline engine)
for forward movement, or R for
backward movement), check the
area around the vehicle is clear,
release the brake pedal with your
right foot, and then slowly press the
accelerator pedal.
After you feel the vehicle start
moving, gradually release the
parking brake lever and start driving
the vehicle.
When the brake pedal is not
pressed, the shift lock system
operates and the selector lever
cannot be shifted from P to any
other position. See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Diesel Only) 093, Starting and
Stopping the Vehicle (Gasoline
Only) 0165 orStarting and
Stopping the Vehicle (Diesel Only)
0 168, Selector Lever 0214, and
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock
Control Function Check (Diesel
Only) 0285.
Normal Driving
When you move the selector lever
from P into D (diesel engine) or
D6 (gasoline engine), shifting takes
place in the automatic mode. Check
that D (diesel engine) or
D6 (gasoline engine) is displayed in
the shift indicator.
If the automatic transmission fluid
temperature is too low, the
transmission may not initially make
automatic shift to the 4th, 5th, and
6th gear. This condition is normal
and will be resolved as the fluid
temperature rises.