Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
10716700) - 2017 - crc - 12/6/16
Driving and Operating 135
Never Stop the Engine While
Driving
{Warning
Do not move the engine control
switch away from the "ON"
position while the vehicle is being
driven.
If the engine stops while the
vehicle is moving, the brake
booster does not work, and the
brakes would not work properly.
The engine could also be
damaged.
Stopping the engine while driving
would be extremely dangerous
because the power steering
would stop working, making the
steering wheel extremely hard
to turn.
Stopping the engine while driving
would be extremely dangerous
because the warning lights,(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
indicator lights and other
electrical circuitry would
completely stop working.
Placing the engine control switch
in the "LOCK" position while
driving would be extremely
dangerous because the key could
come out, causing the steering
wheel to lock so that you could
not turn it.
You and others could be seriously
injured.
Avoid Unnecessary Idling of
the Engine
If the engine idles too long, the
engine coolant temperature will fall
below the operating range. Low
engine operating temperature
causes several conditions that are
harmful to engine operation and life.
Incomplete combustion of fuel in an
engine that is not fully warmed-up
causes crankcase dilution and
forms lacquer and gummy deposits on valves, pistons, and rings. It also
causes rapid accumulation of
sludge within the engine.
Driving at Night
Nighttime driving is more dangerous
than daytime driving because the
field of view is narrower. Keep your
speed down, and maintain an ample
headway distance.
Metallic Plinking Sound from
the Muffler
Immediately after stopping the
engine, you may hear a metallic
plinking sound from the muffler. This
sound occurs as the muffler cools
down and contracts. It does not
indicate an abnormality or
breakdown.
When the Silencer and
Exhaust Pipe are Hot
{Warning
When the engine is running and
immediately after vehicle
operation, the DPF, silencer, and
(Continued)
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
10716700) - 2017 - crc - 12/6/16
140 Driving and Operating
must park your vehicle on a slope,
be sure to set the parking brake
fully. Make sure that the vehicle
does not move, and block the
wheels with chocks for added
safety. Also, leave the vehicle in
gear to further ensure that it will not
move. Leave the steering wheel
turned such that the vehicle will be
stopped by an obstruction (for
example, the curb) in the unlikely
event that it moves.
Stopping and Parking with the
Engine Running
{Warning
When parking with the engine
running, first come to a complete
stop, then firmly apply the parking
brake, then move the selector
lever to the "P" (Park) position.
Unless you take these steps, any
unintended pressure on the
accelerator pedal could cause an
accident.(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
To reduce the chance of personal
injury and/or vehicle damage due
to engine overheating, never
leave the engine idling without an
alert driver present. If the engine
should overheat, as indicated by
the engine coolant temperature
gauge, immediate action is
required to correct the condition.
Continued operation of the
engine, even for a short time, may
result in a fire. Do not engage the
exhaust brake while the engine is
idling as this may cause engine
overheating.
The diesel particulate filter (DPF)
may automatically start
regeneration when the vehicle is
stopped and parked with the
engine running. To prevent a fire,
make sure there is no flammable
material near the muffler, DPF,
and exhaust pipe. Be careful not
to get burned by hot exhaust
gases.(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
You and others could be seriously
injured.
Do Not Forget to Release the
Parking Brake
Pulling away with the parking brake
still applied can damage the brake
system.
Before pulling away, make sure the
parking brake is not set by checking
that the parking brake indicator light
is not on.
Be Sure to Have the Engine
Running When the Vehicle is
Moving
{Warning
When the engine is not running,
the power steering system does
not work so the steering wheel is
hard to turn. Also, the brake
booster does not work so there is
little braking ability. If you coast (Continued)
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
10716700) - 2017 - crc - 12/6/16
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.-
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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Driving and Operating 163
.Use the lowest gear ratio
available when starting a loaded
vehicle and when climbing
slopes to avoid lugging the
engine.
. For vehicles with the 3.0L diesel
engine, It is recommended that
the engine speed is restricted to
2,400 r/min.
. For vehicles with the 5.2L diesel
engine, it is recommended that
the engine speed is restricted to
2,300 r/min.
Mechanical Driveshaft Brake
Burnish Procedure
It is recommended that the
driveshaft mounted parking brake
be burnished as part of the new
vehicle break-in procedure.
Increased parking brake
performance will result when the
parking brake is burnished as
specified below:
. Make 10 moderate stops, using
the hand brake, from 16 km/h
(10 MPH) while spacing the
stops a minimum of 4 km
(2.5 miles) apart. .
Operate the vehicle at 32 km/h
(20 MPH) between stops.
Pedals
Sit in a correct driving position on
the seat and operate the brake
pedal (1) and accelerator pedal (2)
with your right foot. To avoid
accidentally pressing the wrong
pedal, check the pedal positions
and practice putting your foot on the
desired pedal.
{Warning
A can or bottle rolling on the floor
may prevent brake pedal
operation if it is caught under the
pedal. This is very dangerous.
A floor mat must be placed
correctly. An incorrectly installed
floor mat may hinder the free
movement of each pedal. You
and others could be seriously
injured.
Ignition Positions
Engine Control Switch
{Warning
While driving, never turn the
engine control switch to the
LOCK position. The key could be
removed from the switch, which
then locks the steering wheel.
This is extremely dangerous.
You and others could be seriously
injured.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
10716700) - 2017 - crc - 12/6/16
164 Driving and Operating
Caution
After starting the engine, do not
turn the engine control switch to
the START position. Otherwise,
the starter motor may be
damaged.
Using electrical devices such as
the audio system for an extended
time period with the engine
stopped can completely discharge
the battery.
The starting circuit, engine alarm
circuits and accessory circuits are
all controlled by the engine control
switch.
1 LOCK : Lock is in the position
fully counterclockwise. In this
position, the key can be inserted or
removed. To place the engine control switch in the LOCK position,
press and hold the key in the ACC
position and then turn it to the
LOCK position. If you will leave the
vehicle, remove the key and turn the
steering wheel until it locks. The
steering wheel will be locked to help
prevent theft.
2 ACC :
Accessory is in the first
position clockwise. In this position,
the audio and other accessories can
be used with the engine stopped.
3 ON : This ON position is in the
second position clockwise. The key
stays in this position while the
engine is running. Engine control,
warning circuits, gauge circuits, and
accessory circuits are energized.
For diesel engines only, the engine
cylinder heaters or glow plugs are
also turned on when the switch is in
the ON position. The wait-to-start
light will come on and stay on until
the glow plugs are heated enough.
When this light goes off, turn the
switch to the START position.
4 START : On all engines, start is in
the position furthest clockwise. The
engine is started in this position.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
10716700) - 2017 - crc - 12/6/16
Driving and Operating 165
Turn the key against spring
pressure to energize the starter.
When key is released, spring
pressure returns it to the ON
position. Release the key as soon
as the engine has started.
If the key cannot be turned from the
LOCK position to the ON position,
lightly move the steering wheel
clockwise and counterclockwise
while trying to turn the key.
Starting and Stopping the
Vehicle (Gasoline 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.Sit behind the wheel, adjust the seat
position, and buckle up the seat
belt. The passengers are also
required to buckle up the seat belts.
Adjust the positions of the steering
wheel and mirrors. Lock the doors.
Turn the power of the dome light or
accessories OFF before starting the
engine. See
Seat Position 044,
Seat Belts 049, Steering Wheel
Adjustment 072, and Mirrors039.
Keep the Floor Around the
Driver's Seat Clean and Tidy{Warning
It is extremely dangerous to have
empty cans, empty bottles or
other items rolling around on the
floor because they could get
trapped under the brake pedal
and prevent brake application.
For proper pedal operation, it is
also essential to lay floor mats
properly. Incorrectly installed floor
mats would hinder free movement
of the pedals. (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Do not use the dashboard pocket
or the top of the dashboard as a
place to put items that could roll,
which could interfere with your
driving. You and others could be
seriously injured.
Choose Your Footwear Suitable
for Driving
{Warning
Choose footwear that ensures
proper operation of pedals when
driving the vehicle. Use of
footwear unsuitable for driving
may cause an accident.
Checks Before Operating
Allow the engine to warm up before
driving. While the engine is warming
up, the following checks should
be made: 1. Observe the engine oil pressure warning light. The
light should go out when the