2018 CHEVROLET COLORADO trailer

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349743) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Driving and Operating 211
The Tire and Loading
Information label also shows the
size of the original equipment
tires (3) and the recommended
cold tire inflation pressures (4).
For more information on tires
and inflation seeTires0312
and Tire Pressure 0320.
There is also important loading
information on the vehicle
Certification/Tire label. It may
show the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) and the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for
the front and rear axles. See
“Certification/Tire Label” later in
this section.
“Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit–
1.
Locate the statement "The
combined weight of
occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs." on your vehicle’s
placard.
2.Determine the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers from XXX kg or
XXX lbs.
4.The resulting figure equals
the available amount of
cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the
"XXX" amount equals
1400 lbs. and there will be
five 150 lb passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5 x 150) =
650 lbs.)
5.Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, load from your
trailer will be transferred to
your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how
this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.”
See Trailer Towing 0261 for
important information on towing
a trailer, towing safety rules, and
trailering tips.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349743) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
216 Driving and Operating
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Caution
The vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will
perform better in the long run if
you follow these guidelines:. Keep the vehicle speed at
88 km/h (55 mph) or less for
the first 805 km (500 mi).
. Do not drive at any one
constant speed, fast or slow,
for the first 805 km (500 mi).
Do not make full-throttle
starts. Avoid downshifting to
brake or slow the vehicle.
. Avoid making hard stops for
the first 322 km (200 mi) or
so. During this time the new
brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with
new linings can mean
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake
linings.
. Do not tow a trailer during
break-in. See Trailer Towing
0 261 for the trailer towing
capabilities of the vehicle
and more information.
Following break-in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has four different
positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular brake
pedal must be applied.
0 (STOPPING THE ENGINE/LOCK/
OFF) : When the vehicle is stopped,
turn the ignition switch to LOCK/
OFF to turn the engine off. Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) 0220.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349743) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Driving and Operating 221
Shifting Into Park
{Warning
It can be 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. 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, use the steps
that follow. With four-wheel drive,
if the transfer case is in
N (Neutral), the vehicle will be
free to roll, even if the shift lever
is in P (Park). Be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear. If towing a
trailer, seeDriving Characteristics
and Towing Tips 0259.
1. Hold the brake pedal down, then set the parking brake.
See Parking Brake 0239. 2. Hold the button on the shift
lever and push the lever toward
the front of the vehicle into
P (Park).
3. Be sure the transfer case (if equipped) is in a drive
gear —not in N (Neutral).
4. Turn the ignition key to off.
5. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave the
vehicle with the ignition key in
your hand, the vehicle is in
P (Park).
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
The vehicle could move suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
If you have four-wheel drive and
the transfer case is in N (Neutral),
the vehicle will be free to roll,
even if the shift lever is in
P (Park). So be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear –not in
N (Neutral).
And, if you leave the vehicle with
the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You
or others could be injured. Do not
leave the vehicle with the engine
running unless you have to.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you move the shift
lever into P (Park), hold the regular
brake pedal down. Then, see if you
can move the shift lever away from
P (Park) without pressing the button
on the shift lever. If you can, it
means that the shift lever was not
fully locked into P (Park).

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349743) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Driving and Operating 223
If you are parking on a hill, or if the
vehicle is pulling a trailer, see
Driving Characteristics and Towing
Tips0259.
Parking over Things
That Burn
{Warning
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.
Engine Exhaust
{Warning
Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO), which cannot be
seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and
even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:
. The vehicle idles in areas
with poor ventilation
(parking garages, tunnels,
deep snow that may block
underbody airflow or tail
pipes).
. The exhaust smells or
sounds strange or different.
. The exhaust system leaks
due to corrosion or damage.
. The vehicle exhaust system
has been modified,
damaged, or improperly
repaired.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.There are holes or openings
in the vehicle body from
damage or aftermarket
modifications that are not
completely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or
if it is suspected that exhaust is
coming into the vehicle: . Drive it only with the
windows completely down.
. Have the vehicle repaired
immediately.
Never park the vehicle with the
engine running in an enclosed
area such as a garage or a
building that has no fresh air
ventilation.
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349743) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
224 Driving and Operating
If the vehicle is left with the engine
running, follow the proper steps to
be sure the vehicle will not move.
SeeShifting Into Park 0221 and
Engine Exhaust 0223. If the vehicle
has a manual transmission, see
Parking 0222.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips 0259.Automatic
Transmission
If equipped, there is an electronic
shift lever position indicator within
the instrument cluster. This display
comes on when the ignition key is
turned on.
P : This position locks the drive
wheels. Use P (Park) when starting
the engine because the vehicle
cannot move easily. When parked
on a hill, especially when the
vehicle has a heavy load, you might
notice an increase in the effort to shift out of P (Park). See
“Torque
Lock” under Shifting Into Park
0 221.
{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 0221 and
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips 0259.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349743) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
226 Driving and Operating
D (Drive) can be used when towing
a trailer, carrying a heavy load,
driving on steep hills, or driving
off-road. Shift the transmission to a
lower gear range selection if the
transmission shifts too often. See
Manual Mode0227.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding. See “Skidding”under
Loss of Control 0201.
The vehicle has a shift stabilization
feature that adjusts the transmission
shifting to the current driving
conditions in order to reduce rapid
upshifts and downshifts. This shift
stabilization feature is designed to
determine, before making an
upshift, if the engine is able to
maintain vehicle speed by analyzing
things such as vehicle speed,
throttle position, and vehicle load.
If the shift stabilization feature
determines that a current vehicle
speed cannot be maintained, the
transmission does not upshift and
instead holds the current gear. In some cases, this could appear to
be a delayed shift, however the
transmission is operating normally.
The transmission uses adaptive
shift controls. The adaptive shift
control process continually
compares key shift parameters to
pre-programmed ideal shifts stored
in the transmission’s computer. The
transmission constantly makes
adjustments to improve vehicle
performance according to how the
vehicle is being used, such as with
a heavy load or when the
temperature changes. During this
adaptive shift control process,
shifting might feel different as the
transmission determines the best
settings.
When temperatures are very cold,
the transmission's gear shifting
could be delayed providing more
stable shifts until the engine warms
up. Shifts could be more noticeable
with a cold transmission. This
difference in shifting is normal.
L :
This position allows selection of
a range of gears appropriate for
current driving conditions. See
Manual Mode 0227.
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.
Normal Mode Grade Braking
Normal Mode Grade Braking is
enabled when the vehicle is started,
but is not enabled in Range
Selection Mode. It assists in
maintaining desired vehicle speeds
when driving on downhill grades by
using the engine and transmission
to slow the vehicle.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349743) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Driving and Operating 227
Manual Mode
Range Selection Mode
Range Selection Mode helps control
the vehicle's transmission and
vehicle speed while driving downhill
or towing a trailer by letting you
select a desired range of gears.
To use this feature:1. Move the shift lever to L (Manual Mode).
2. Press the plus/minus button on the shift lever to select the
desired range of gears for
current driving conditions. With an 8-speed automatic
transmission, hold the plus/minus
buttons on the shift lever to select
the highest or lowest range
available for the current vehicle
speed.
When the shift lever is moved from
D (Drive) to L (Manual Mode), a
number displays next to the L,
indicating the current transmission
range.
This number is the highest gear that
the transmission will command while
operating in L (Manual Mode). All
gears below that number are
available. As driving conditions
change, the transmission can
automatically shift to lower gears.
For example, when L5 is selected,
1 (First) through 5 (Fifth) gears are
automatically shifted by the
transmission, but 6 (Sixth) cannot be
used until the plus/minus button on
the shift lever is used to change to
the range.
In vehicles with gasoline engines,
when the shift lever is moved from
D (Drive) to L (Manual Mode), a
downshift may occur. The gear that the transmission is operating in
when the shift lever is moved from
D (Drive) to L (Manual Mode)
determines if a downshift occurs.
See the following chart.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349743) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
Driving and Operating 239
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You may hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate. 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
Set the parking brake by holding the
regular brake pedal down, then
pushing down the parking brake
pedal.
If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
SeeBrake System Warning Light
0 122.
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.
To release the parking brake, hold
the regular brake pedal down, then
push down momentarily on the
parking brake pedal until you feel
the pedal release. Slowly pull your
foot up off the parking brake pedal.
If the parking brake is not released
when you begin to drive, the brake system warning light will flash and a
chime will sound warning you that
the parking brake is still on.
If you are towing a trailer and are
parking on a hill, see
Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
0 259.
Brake Assist
The Brake Assist feature is
designed to assist the driver 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