Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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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-
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Driving and Operating 213
of the driver, passengers, and
cargo should never exceed the
vehicle's capacity weight.
Certification/Tire Label
Label Example
A vehicle-specific Certification/
Tire label is attached to the
B-pillar or on the forward edge
of the rear door. The label may
show the size of the vehicle's
original tires and the inflation
pressures needed to obtain the
gross weight capacity of the
vehicle. This is called Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).The GVWR includes the weight
of the vehicle, all occupants,
fuel, and cargo.
The Certification/Tire label may
also show the maximum weights
for the front and rear axles,
called Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR). To find out the
actual loads on the front and
rear axles, weigh the vehicle at
a weigh station. Your dealer can
help with this. Be sure to spread
the load equally on both sides of
the centerline.
{Warning
In the case of a sudden stop
or collision, things carried in
the bed of your truck could
shift forward and come into
the passenger area, injuring
you and others. If you put
things in the bed of your truck,
you should make sure they
are properly secured.
{Warning
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
This can cause systems to
break and change the way the
vehicle handles. This could
cause loss of control and a
crash. Overloading can also
reduce stopping distance,
damage the tires, and shorten
the life of the vehicle.
Caution
Overloading the vehicle may
cause damage. Repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Do not overload the
vehicle.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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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-
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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 229
Range Selection Mode. This will
limit torque to the wheels and help
to prevent the tires from spinning.
Tow/Haul Mode
If equipped, Tow/Haul Mode adjusts
the transmission shift pattern to
reduce shift cycling. This provides
increased performance, vehicle
control, and transmission cooling
when driving down steep hills or
mountain grades, towing, or hauling
heavy loads.
Turn the Tow/Haul Mode on and off
by pressing the button on the center
stack. When the Tow/Haul Mode is
enabled, a light on the instrument
cluster will come on.See
Tow/Haul Mode Light 0124 and
Hill and Mountain Roads 0207.
Also see “Tow/Haul Mode” under
Towing Equipment 0264.
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
the Tow/Haul button activates the
exhaust brake system
simultaneously. See “Exhaust
Brake” in the Duramax diesel
supplement.
Manual Transmission
If equipped with a manual
transmission, this is the shift
pattern.
Caution
Do not rest your hand on the shift
lever while driving. The pressure
could cause premature wear in
the transmission. The repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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232 Driving and Operating
.Cause tires to wear faster.
. Cause additional driveline noise.
{Warning
If equipped with four-wheel drive,
the vehicle will be free to roll if the
transfer case is in N (Neutral),
even when the shift lever is in
P (Park). You or someone else
could be seriously injured. Be
sure the transfer case is in a drive
gear —2
m, 4m, or 4nor set the
parking brake before placing the
transfer case in N (Neutral). See
Shifting Into Park 0221.
Caution
Extended high-speed operation in
4
nmay damage or shorten the
life of the drivetrain. Engagement noise and bump when
shifting between 4
nand 4mor from
N (Neutral), with the engine running,
is normal.
Shifting into 4
nwill turn Traction
Control and StabiliTrak off. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0240.
Electronic Transfer Case
Use the transfer case knob, next to
the steering wheel, to shift into and
out of four-wheel drive for extra
traction. All of the lights will blink on then off
momentarily when the ignition is
turned on. The light that remains on
will indicate the state of the
transfer case.
If the indicator mark on the switch
does not match up with the light
then that likely means the switch
was moved when the ignition
was off.
The indicator mark on the switch
must line up with the indicator light
before a shift can be commanded.
To command a shift rotate the
transfer case switch to the new
desired position. The light will blink
meaning that the shift is in progress.
When the shift is completed the new
position will be illuminated. If the
transfer case can not complete a
shift command, it will go back to its
last chosen setting.
In extreme cold weather it may be
necessary to slow or stop the
vehicle to shift from 2
mto 4m.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 245
.Optimizing the performance of
the anti-lock brake (ABS),
Traction Control System (TCS)
and StabiliTrak systems on
slippery surfaces
For more information, on disabling
the TCS and StabiliTrak systems
see Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0240.
Off-Road Mode also interact with
the axle locking system. It allows
the vehicle to travel at higher
speeds with a locked rear axle. See
Locking Rear Axle 0245 for more
information.
Limited-Slip Differential
If equipped, the limited-slip
differential can give more traction on
snow, mud, ice, sand, or gravel.
It works like a standard axle most of
the time, but when traction is low,
this feature allows the drive wheel
with the most traction to move the
vehicle. For vehicles with the
limited-slip differential, driven under severe conditions, the rear axle fluid
should be changed. See
Maintenance Schedule
0365.
Locking Rear Axle
If equipped, the locking rear axle
can give the vehicle additional
traction from the rear wheels when
traveling in off-road situations such
as mud, snow, steep hills, and
uneven terrain.
Caution
If you try to lock the axle while the
vehicle is stuck and the tires are
spinning, the vehicle’ s drivetrain
could be damaged. The repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always lock the
axle before attempting situations
and/or navigating terrain that
could cause the vehicle to
become stuck.
Caution
If the vehicle’ s axle is locked
while driving on pavement, the
drivetrain could be damaged.
Repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Do not use
the locking axle on pavement.
Before the front axle can be locked,
the rear axle must be locked and
the transfer case must be in 4
n.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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246 Driving and Operating
To lock the rear axle:1. Press the rear axle locking switch with the vehicle moving
less than 40 km/h (25 mph).
2. Wait for the light in the switch to stop flashing and remain
illuminated to show that the
rear axle is locked.
The locking rear axle will be
disengaged when the vehicle speed
exceeds 40 km/h (25 mph). The
Off-Road Mode allows the axle lock
to remain engaged at higher vehicle
speeds.
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.
Locking Front Axle
If equipped, the locking front axle
can give the vehicle additional
traction when traveling in off-road
situations such as mud, snow, steep
hills, and uneven terrain.
Caution
If you try to lock the axle while the
vehicle is stuck and the tires are
spinning, the vehicle’ s drivetrain
could be damaged. The repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always lock the
axle before attempting situations
and/or navigating terrain that
could cause the vehicle to
become stuck.
Caution
If the vehicle’ s axle is locked
while driving on pavement, the
drivetrain could be damaged.
Repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Do not use
the locking axle on pavement.
Before the front axle can be locked,
the rear axle must be locked and
the transfer case must be in 4
n.
To lock the front and rear axles:
1. Place the transfer case in 4
n.
This is the only mode that
allows the front axle to lock.
See Four-Wheel Drive 0231
for more information regarding
the transfer case and
four-wheel drive low operation.
2. Press the rear axle locking switch with the vehicle stopped
or moving less than 40 km/h
(25 mph).