Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349743) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
222 Driving and Operating
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you
do not shift the transmission into
P (Park) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on
the parking pawl in the
transmission. You may find it difficult
to pull the shift lever out of P (Park).
This is called torque lock. To
prevent torque lock, set the parking
brake and then shift into P (Park)
properly before you leave the driver
seat. To find out how, seeShifting
Into Park 0221.
When you are ready to drive, move
the shift lever out of P (Park) before
you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may
need to have another vehicle push
yours a little uphill to take some of
the pressure from the parking pawl
in the transmission. You will then be
able to pull the shift lever out of
P (Park).
Shifting out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with an
electronic shift lock release system.
The shift lock release is
designed to:
. Prevent ignition key removal
unless the shift lever is in
P (Park).
. Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park), unless the
ignition is on and the regular
brake pedal is applied.
To shift out of P (Park): 1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Press the button on the shift lever.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still are unable to shift out of
P (Park):
1. Ease the pressure on the shift lever. 2. While holding down the brake
pedal and pressing the shift
lever button, move the shift
lever all the way into P (Park).
3. While holding the shift lever button, move the shift lever to
the desired position.
If you are still having a problem
shifting, then have the vehicle
serviced soon.
This vehicle may have the Seat Belt
Assurance System, which may
prevent the vehicle from shifting out
of P (Park). See Seat Belts053.
Parking
If the vehicle has a manual
transmission, before you get out of
the vehicle, move the shift lever into
R (Reverse), and firmly apply the
parking brake. Once the shift lever
has been placed into R (Reverse)
with the clutch pedal pressed in,
turn the ignition off, remove the key
and release the clutch.
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-
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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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Driving and Operating 233
Delayed shifts from 4mto 2mmay
be experienced due to uneven tire
wear, low tire pressure, high vehicle
loading, or cold temperatures.
Caution
Shifting the transmission into gear
before the requested mode
indicator light has stopped
flashing could damage the
transfer case.
The settings are:
N (Neutral) : Use only when the
vehicle needs to be towed.
See Recreational Vehicle Towing
0 348 orTowing the Vehicle 0348.
2
m(Two-Wheel Drive High) : Use
for driving on most streets and
highways. The front axle is not
engaged. This setting provides the
best fuel economy.
4
n(Four-Wheel Drive Low) : This
setting engages the front axle and
delivers extra torque. Choose 4
nif
driving off-road in deep sand, deep mud, or deep snow, and while
climbing or descending steep hills.
When engaged, keep vehicle speed
below 72 km/h (45 mph).
Shifting into 4
nwill turn Traction
Control and StabiliTrak off. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0240.
4
m(Four-Wheel Drive High) : Use
when extra traction is needed. The
front axle engages and helps when
driving on snowy or icy roads, and
when off-roading. The vehicle can
be shifted from 2
mto 4mwhile the
vehicle is moving.
Shifting Into 4
m
Turn the knob to 4mat any speed
up to 121 km/h (75 mph), except
from 4
n. The indicator light will flash
while shifting and will remain on the
selected setting.
Shifting Into 2
m
Turn the knob to 2mat any speed,
except when shifting from 4
n. Shifting Into 4
n
When 4nis engaged, vehicle speed
should be kept below 72 km/h
(45 mph).
1. The ignition must be on and the vehicle must be stopped or
moving less than 5 km/h
(3 mph) with the transmission
in N (Neutral). It is best for the
vehicle to be moving
1.6 to 3.2 km/h (1 to 2 mph).
2. Turn the knob to 4
n. Wait for
the 4
nindicator light to stop
flashing before shifting the
transmission into gear.
If the transmission is in gear and/or
moving more than 5 km/h (3 mph),
the 4
nindicator light will flash for
30 seconds and not complete the
shift. After 30 seconds the transfer
case will shift to 4
m. Turn the knob
to 4
mto see the indicator. With the
vehicle moving less than 5 km/h
(3 mph), and the transmission in
N (Neutral), attempt the shift again.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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236 Driving and Operating
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel
Drive) :Use when road surface
traction conditions are variable.
When driving in AUTO, the front
axle is engaged, and the vehicle's
power is sent to the front and rear
wheels automatically based on
driving conditions. This setting
provides slightly lower fuel economy
than 2
m.
Do not use AUTO mode,
if equipped, to park on a steep
grade with poor traction such as ice,
snow, mud, or gravel. In AUTO
mode only the rear wheels will hold
the vehicle from sliding when
parked. If parking on a steep grade,
use 4
mto keep all four wheels
engaged.
4
m(Four-Wheel Drive High) : This
setting engages the front axle. Use
this position when extra traction is
needed, such as when driving on
snowy or icy roads, or when
off-roading. 4
n(Four-Wheel Drive Low) :
This
setting engages the front axle and
delivers extra torque. Choose 4
n
when driving off-road in deep sand,
deep mud, or deep snow, and while
climbing or descending steep hills.
Shifting into 4
nwill turn Traction
Control and StabiliTrak off. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0240.
Shifting Into 4
mor AUTO
Turn the knob to the 4
mor AUTO
position at any speed, except from
4
n. The indicator light will flash
while shifting and will remain on
when the shift is completed.
Shifting Into 2
m
Turn the knob to 2mat any speed,
except when shifting from 4
n. The
indicator light will flash while shifting
and will remain on when the shift is
completed. Shifting Into 4
n
When 4nis engaged, keep vehicle
speed below 72 km/h (45 mph).
To shift into 4
n:
1. The ignition must be on and the vehicle must be stopped or
moving less than 5 km/h
(3 mph) with the transmission
in N (Neutral). It is best for the
vehicle to be moving
1.6 to 3.2 km/h (1 to 2 mph).
2. Turn the knob to 4
n. Wait for
the 4
nindicator light to stop
flashing before shifting the
transmission into gear.
Caution
Shifting the transmission into gear
before the requested mode
indicator light has stopped
flashing could damage the
transfer case.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349743) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
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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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).
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349743) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
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