
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349743) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Driving and Operating 197
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 206
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 207
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 209
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 216
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Running the Vehicle While
Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 224
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 229
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 240
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 243
Driver Mode Control
(ZR2 Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . 245
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Locking Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Driver Assistance Systems
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 250
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 256
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349743) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
206 Driving and Operating
and it may take longer to stop. See
“Driving on Wet Roads”later in this
section.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that
has collected on the underbody or
chassis, or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand,
have the brake linings cleaned and
checked. These substances can
cause glazing and uneven braking.
Check the body structure, driveline,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires,
and exhaust system for damage and
check the fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
More frequent maintenance service
is required. See the Maintenance
Schedule 0365.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or flowing water.
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.
Allow extra following distance.
. Pass with caution.
. Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
. Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See Tires0312.
. Turn off cruise control.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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208 Driving and Operating
.Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise
clear roads in shaded areas.
The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when
the surrounding roads are clear.
Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
. Turn off cruise control.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. Stay with the vehicle
unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside
Assistance Program 0386. To get
help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
. Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
. Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{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 of
the vehicle, especially any
blocking the exhaust pipe.
. Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the vehicle side
that is away from the wind,
to bring in fresh air.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the fan speed to the highest
setting. See“Climate
Control Systems.”
For more information about CO,
see Engine Exhaust 0223.
To save fuel, run the engine for
short periods to warm the vehicle
and then shut the engine off and
partially close the window. Moving
about to keep warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle
speed. This keeps the battery
charged to restart the vehicle and to
signal for help with the headlamps.
Do this as little as possible, to
save fuel.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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228 Driving and Operating
6-Speed Automatic TransmissionGear before shifting from
D (Drive) to L (Manual Mode) 6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd 1st
Range after shifting from
D (Drive) to L (Manual Mode) L4 L4 L3 L2 L2 L1
8-Speed Automatic Transmission Gear before
shifting from
D (Drive) to
L (Manual Mode) 8th 7th 6th 5th 4th 3rd 2nd 1st
Range after
shifting from
D (Drive) to
L (Manual Mode) –
Tow/Haul not
engaged L6 L6 L5 L4 L3 L3 L2 L1
Range after
shifting from
D (Drive) to
L (Manual Mode) –
Tow/Haul engaged L6 L5 L4 L3 L3 L3 L2 L1 Grade Braking is not available when
Range Selection Mode is active.
See
Tow/Haul Mode 0229.
While using Range Selection Mode,
cruise control and the Tow/Haul
Mode can be used.
Caution
Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill
using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission.
The repair will not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. If the vehicle
is stuck, do not spin the tires.
When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in
place.
Low Traction Mode
If equipped, Low Traction Mode
assists in vehicle acceleration when
road conditions are slippery, such
as with ice or snow. While the
vehicle is at a stop, select L2 using

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 241
vehicle wheel brakes to assist the
driver in keeping the vehicle on the
intended path.
If cruise control is being used and
TCS 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.
SeeIf the Vehicle Is Stuck 0209
and “Turning the Systems Off and
On” later in this section.
When the transfer case (if equipped)
is in 4
n, the stability system is
automatically disabled, and
g
comes on in the instrument cluster.
Both TCS and StabiliTrak are
automatically disabled.
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.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 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 (Except ZR2)
The button for TCS and StabiliTrak
is on the center stack.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 243
releaseg. The Traction Off lighti
and StabiliTrak Off lightgin the
instrument cluster turn off.
StabiliTrak will automatically turn on
if the vehicle exceeds 56 km/h
(35 mph). TCS will remain off
until
gis pressed or until the
ignition is turned off and then
back on.
Adding accessories can affect the
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications
0 276.
Stability Control Interaction
with Off-Road Mode (ZR2 Only)
The TCS and StabiliTrak
calibrations are different while in
Off-Road Mode. They provide
optimum performance in an off-road
environment.
Pressing and releasing
gwhile in
Off-Road Mode disables TCS and
changes the StabiliTrak calibration
to allow a greater difference
between vehicle path and intended
path. This reduces the amount of correction StabiliTrak will provide in
the event the vehicle is not traveling
on the intended path.
To turn off both TCS and StabiliTrak,
press and hold
guntil a StabiliTrak
off message displays in the
instrument cluster. To turn TCS and
StabiliTrak on again, press and
release
g.iandgin the
instrument cluster will turn off.
StabiliTrak will not automatically turn
on while in Off-Road Mode. TCS
and StabiliTrak will remain off in
Off-Road Mode until
gis pressed or
the ignition is turned off and then
back on.
Hill Descent
Control (HDC)
If equipped, HDC can be used when
driving downhill. It sets and
maintains vehicle speed while
descending a very steep incline in a
forward or reverse gear.
The HDC switch is on the center
stack, below the climate controls. Press
5to enable or disable HDC.
Vehicle speed must be below
60 km/h (37 mph).
The HDC light displays on the
instrument cluster when enabled.
HDC can maintain vehicle speeds
between 4 and 30 km/h (3 and
19 mph) on an incline greater than
or equal to a 10% grade. A blinking
HDC light indicates that the system
is actively applying the brakes to
maintain vehicle speed.
When HDC is set, that is the initial
set speed. It can be increased or
decreased by applying the
accelerator or brake pedal. Smaller
HDC speed control adjustments are
accomplished using the cruise up or
down buttons. Each tap of the
+RES will increase the set speed by
0.8 km/h (0.5 mph), while each tap

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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244 Driving and Operating
of the SET–will decrease the set
speed by 0.8 km/h (0.5 mph). This
adjusted speed becomes the new
set speed.
HDC will remain enabled between
30 and 60 km/h (19 and 37 mph),
however vehicle speed cannot be
set or maintained in this range.
It will automatically disable if the
vehicle speed is above 80 km/h
(50 mph) or above 60 km/h
(37 mph) for at least 30 seconds.
5
must be pressed again to
re-enable HDC.
When enabled, if the vehicle is at a
speed above 30 km/h (19 mph) and
less than 60 km/h (37 mph), a DIC
message will display instructing the
driver to reduce speed for HDC
operation.
Cruise control will not function while
HDC is enabled and vehicle speed
is below 40 km/h (25 mph).
Driver Mode Control
(ZR2 Only)
If equipped, the Off-Road Driving
Mode attempts to maximize
performance on terrain with limited
traction. It is turned on by pressing
and releasing
7on the center of
the transfer case knob located on
the instrument panel. The Off-Road
Mode is accessible in all transfer
case modes and is turned off
automatically when the vehicle
ignition is turned off.
Transfer Case Knob with
Off-Road Mode
Off-Road Mode facilitates limited
traction driving by:
. Modifying the sensitivity of the
accelerator pedal for fine linear
control of torque on uneven
terrain
. Modifying the transmission shift
map to hold gears for longer, in
order to limit slip while driving
over obstacles

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 247
3. Wait for the light in the switchto stop flashing and remain
illuminated to show that the
rear axle is locked.
4. Press the front axle locking switch with the vehicle stopped
or moving less than 40 km/h
(25 mph).
5. Wait for the light in the switch to stop flashing and remain
illuminated to show that the
front axle is locked.
Engagement of the front axle
lock will disable the Antilock
Brake System (ABS) and
illuminate the ABS warning
light. Hill Decent Control (HDC)
will also be disabled.
The locking front axle will be
disengaged when the vehicle speed
exceeds 40 km/h (25 mph) or the
transfer case is shifted out of 4
n.
ABS will be automatically enabled
and the ABS warning light will turn
off when the locking front axle is
disengaged. If HDC was enabled prior to axle
lock, it will be automatically enabled
when the locking front axle is
disengaged.
After pressing the switch to unlock
the axle, it may remain locked due
to torque in the driveline. The axle is
more easily unlocked by turning the
steering wheel to the right and to
the left while traveling at a low
speed.
Cruise Control
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 about 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 equipped with a manual
transmission, the cruise control will
remain active when the gears are
shifted. The cruise is deactivated if
the clutch is pressed for several
seconds. If the cruise control is