Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10122735) - 2017 - crc - 7/12/16
214 Driving and Operating
Automatic
Transmission
The selected gear is also shown in
the instrument cluster.
P :This position locks the drive
wheels. It is the best position to use
when starting the engine because
the vehicle cannot move easily.
{Warning
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
See Shifting Into Park 0210.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. The regular brake must be
fully applied first and then the shift
lever button pressed before shifting
from P (Park) when the ignition is in
ON/RUN. If you cannot shift out of
P (Park), ease pressure on the shift
lever, then push the shift lever all the way into P (Park) as you
maintain brake application. Then
press the shift lever button and
move the shift lever into another
gear. See
Shifting out of Park 0211.
R : Use this gear to back up.
Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while the
vehicle is moving forward could
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Shift to
R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck 0198.
N : In this position, the engine does
not connect with the wheels. To
restart the engine when the vehicle
is already moving, use N (Neutral)
only. Also, use N (Neutral) when the
vehicle is being towed.
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 215
{Warning
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.
Caution
Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.D :
This position is for normal
driving. It provides the best fuel
economy. If more power is needed
for passing, and the vehicle is:
. Going less than 56 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
. Going about 56 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
M : This position allows shifting
similar to a manual transmission.
See Manual Mode 0215.
Caution
If the vehicle does not shift gears,
the transmission could be
damaged. Have the vehicle
serviced right away.
Operating Modes
The transmission may operate in a
lower gear than normal to improve
vehicle performance. The engine
speed may be higher and there may
be an increase in noise during the
following conditions: .
When climbing a grade.
. When driving downhill.
. When driving in hot
temperatures or at high altitude.
Manual Mode
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
To use this feature:
1. Move the shift lever from D (Drive) rearward to
M (Manual).
While driving in manual mode,
the transmission will remain in
the driver selected gear. When
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 217
Caution
Shifting the vehicle initially into
any gear other than 1 (First) or
R (Reverse) can damage the
clutch. Shift the manual
transmission in the proper
sequence, and time the gear
shifting with the accelerator to
avoid revving the engine and
damaging the clutch.
1 (First) : Press the clutch pedal
fully to the pedal stop and shift into
1 (First). Then slowly let up on the
clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
If you have come to a complete stop
and it is hard to shift into 1 (First),
put the shift lever in Neutral and let
up on the clutch. Press the clutch
pedal back down. Then shift into
1 (First).
2 (Second) : Press the clutch pedal
fully to the pedal stop as you let up
on the accelerator pedal and shift into 2 (Second). Then, slowly let up
on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
3 (Third), 4 (Fourth), 5 (Fifth), and
6 (Sixth) :
Shift into 3 (Third),
4 (Fourth), 5 (Fifth), and 6 (Sixth) (if
equipped) the same way as for
2 (Second). Slowly let up on the
clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal. Upshifts should
occur between 2000 and 3000 rpm
and downshifts should occur
between 2000 and 1000 rpm.
To stop, let up on the accelerator
pedal and press the brake pedal.
Just before the vehicle stops, press
the clutch pedal and the brake
pedal, and shift to Neutral.
Neutral : Use this position when
you start or idle the engine. The
shift lever is in Neutral when it is
centered in the shift pattern, not in
any gear.
R (Reverse) : To engage
R (Reverse), with the vehicle
stationary, pull up on the button on
the selector lever and engage the
gear. If the gear does not engage,
set the lever in Neutral, release the
clutch pedal, and apply it again;
then repeat gear selection.
Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while the
vehicle is moving forward could
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
(Continued)
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10122735) - 2017 - crc - 7/12/16
Driving and Operating 219
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
Antilock Brake System (ABS) (if
equipped) is an advanced electronic
braking system that helps prevent a
braking skid.
When the vehicle begins to drive
away, ABS checks itself.
A momentary motor or clicking noise
might be heard while this test is
going on, and it might even be
noticed that the brake pedal moves
a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with the ABS,
this warning light stays on. See
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light0119. If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
you steer around the obstacle while
braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows you to steer and brake
at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Parking Brake
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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220 Driving and Operating
To set the parking brake, hold the
brake pedal down and pull up on the
parking brake lever. If the ignition is
on, the brake system warning light
will come on. SeeBrake System
Warning Light 0118.
To release the parking brake, hold
the brake pedal down. Pull the
parking brake lever up until you can
press the release button. Hold the
release button in as you move the
brake lever all the way down.
Caution
Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system
and cause premature wear or
damage to brake system parts.
Make sure that the parking brake
is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
Brake Assist
If equipped, Brake Assist is
designed to assist in stopping or
decreasing vehicle speed in
emergency driving conditions. This feature uses the stability system
hydraulic brake control module to
supplement the power brake system
under conditions where the driver
has quickly and forcefully applied
the brake pedal in an attempt to
quickly stop or slow down the
vehicle. The stability system
hydraulic brake control module
increases brake pressure at each
corner of the vehicle until the ABS
activates. Minor brake pedal
pulsation or pedal movement during
this time is normal and the driver
should continue to apply the brake
pedal as the driving situation
dictates. The brake assist feature
will automatically disengage when
the brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
If equipped, Hill Start Assist (HSA)
may be useful when the vehicle is
stopped on a grade. This feature is
designed to prevent the vehicle from
rolling, either forward or rearward,
during vehicle drive off. After the
driver completely stops and holdsthe vehicle in a complete standstill
on a grade, HSA will be
automatically activated. During the
transition period between when the
driver releases the brake pedal and
starts to accelerate to drive off on a
grade, HSA holds the braking
pressure to ensure that there is no
rolling. The brakes will automatically
release when the accelerator pedal
is applied within the two-second
window. It will not activate if the
vehicle is in a drive gear and facing
downhill, or if the vehicle is facing
uphill and in R (Reverse).
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 221
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability
Control
System Operation
If equipped, the vehicle has a
Traction Control System (TCS) and
StabiliTrak
®, an electronic stability
control system. These systems help
limit wheel slip and assist the driver
in maintaining control, especially on
slippery road conditions.
TCS activates if it senses that any
of the drive wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, TCS applies the brakes to
the spinning wheels and reduces
engine power to limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak activates when the
vehicle senses a difference between
the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling.
StabiliTrak selectively applies
braking pressure to any one of the vehicle wheel brakes to assist the
driver in keeping the vehicle on the
intended path.
If cruise control is being used and
traction control or StabiliTrak begins
to limit wheel spin, cruise control will
disengage. Cruise control may be
turned back on when road
conditions allow.
Both systems come on
automatically when the vehicle is
started and begins to move. The
systems may be heard or felt while
they are operating or while
performing diagnostic checks. This
is normal and does not mean there
is a problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both
systems on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn TCS off if the vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
See
If the Vehicle Is Stuck 0198
and “Turning the Systems Off and
On” later in this section.
The indicator light for both systems
is in the instrument cluster. This
light will:
.
Flash when TCS is limiting
wheel spin.
. Flash when StabiliTrak is
activated.
. Turn on and stay on when either
system is not working.
If either system fails to turn on or to
activate, a message displays in the
Driver Information Center (DIC),
and
dcomes on and stays on to
indicate that the system is inactive
and is not assisting the driver in
maintaining control. The vehicle is
safe to drive, but driving should be
adjusted accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle.
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10122735) - 2017 - crc - 7/12/16
222 Driving and Operating
2. Turn the engine off and wait15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
Drive the vehicle. If
dcomes on
and stays on, the vehicle may need
more time to diagnose the problem.
If the condition persists, see your
dealer.
Turning the Systems Off
and On
Caution
Do not repeatedly brake or
accelerate heavily when TCS is
off. The vehicle driveline could be
damaged.
To turn off only TCS, press and
release
g. The Traction Off lighti
displays in the instrument cluster.
To turn TCS on again, press and
release
g. The Traction Off lighti
displayed in the instrument cluster
will turn off.
If TCS is limiting wheel spin when
g
is pressed, the system will not turn
off until the wheels stop spinning.
To turn off both TCS and StabiliTrak,
press and hold
guntil the Traction
Off light
iand StabiliTrak Off
light
gcome on and stay on in the
instrument cluster. To turn TCS and StabiliTrak on
again, press and release
g. The
Traction Off light
iand StabiliTrak
Off light
gin the instrument cluster
turn off.
Adding accessories can affect the
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and
Modifications 0240.
Chevrolet TRAX Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 223
Cruise Control
If equipped with cruise control, a
speed of about 40 km/h (25 mph) or
more can be maintained without
keeping your foot on the
accelerator. Cruise control does not
work at speeds below 40 km/h
(25 mph).
{Warning
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. Do not use
cruise control on winding roads or
in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
If the vehicle's Traction Control
System (TCS) or StabiliTrak system
begins to limit wheel spin while
using cruise control, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0221. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it
again, cruise control can be turned
back on.
If the brakes are applied, cruise
control disengages.
o: Press to turn the cruise control
system on and off. A white indicator
comes on in the instrument cluster
when cruise is turned on.
RES/+ : If there is a set speed in
memory, move the thumbwheel up
briefly to resume to that speed or hold upward to accelerate. If cruise
control is already active, use to
increase vehicle speed.
SET/−
:Move the thumbwheel down
briefly to set the speed and activate
cruise control. If cruise control is
already active, use to decrease
speed.
n: Press to disengage cruise
control without erasing the set
speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If
ois on when not in use, SET/−
or RES/+ could get bumped and go
into cruise when not desired.
Keep
ooff when cruise control is
not being used.
To set cruise control:
1. Press
oto turn the cruise
system on.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Move the thumbwheel down to SET/− and release it.
4. Remove your foot from the accelerator.