2018 CHEVROLET LOW CAB FORWARD Owner's Manual

Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
11254764) - 2018 - crc - 12/5/16
152 Driving and Operating
Cold Weather Starting
If you plan ahead for cold weather,
starting and driving your vehicle
should be no problem. The following
tips will help ensure good starting in
cold weather.
Oil gets thicker as it gets colder,
which slows down the engine
cranking speed. The diesel engine
functions by the heat of
compression (and glow plugs when
cold), rather than through the use of
spark plugs as in a gasoline engine.
So, your engine must crank faster
than a gasoline engine before it will
start.
To be sure the engine can turn fast
enough to start, use SAE 10W-40
viscosity engine oil when prevailing
temperatures drop below 0 °C
(32 °F). See the oil quality and oil
viscosity recommendations. Using
the proper viscosity oil will make
starting easier down to -23 °C
(-10 °F). When prevailing
temperatures drop below -23 °C
(-10 °F), the engine block heater
may be needed for starting. See
Engine Heater0154. Maintenance Items to Aid Cold
Weather Starting
Since the basic principle of diesel
engine ignition is based on
compression, the diesel engine is
somewhat harder to start than a
gasoline engine when the
temperature is below freezing.
To help prevent hard starting
problems, special attention should
be given to following normal
maintenance items:
1. Neglecting to have the fuel filter and water separator
serviced can be one of the
major contributors to hard
starting. If water is permitted to
accumulate in the primary filter,
it will freeze and make starting
the engine impossible.
2. Make sure the fuel tank vent is open.
3. Always refuel at the end of a day's operation. Moisture will
condense in an empty tank;
therefore, the tank should be filled before leaving the vehicle
standing for an extended
period.
Do not use starting aids in the air
intake system. Such aids can cause
immediate engine damage. See
Fuel for Diesel Engines 0206.
Stopping the Engine
When stopping the engine, take the
following steps: 1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake.
3. Move the selector lever to the P position and make sure that
the shift indicator shows P.
4. Allow the engine to idle for approximately 3 minutes.
5. Turn the engine control switch to the ACC or LOCK position.
Do not shut down the engine
immediately after driving the vehicle.
Otherwise, a seizure or other
failures may result.

Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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Driving and Operating 153
To prevent the battery from going
dead, turn the engine control switch
to the ACC or LOCK position after
stopping the engine. If you leave the
vehicle for an extended period of
time, place the engine control switch
in the LOCK position.
Let the engine idle for 3 minutes
before shutting off the engine. This
allows the turbocharger to slow
down while keeping the bearings
lubricated.
If the Vehicle Has Not Been Used
for a Long Period
If a diesel vehicle has been
standing for an extended period of
time, the turbocharger bearings
should be pre-lubricated prior to
starting. See your authorized dealer
for more detailed information.
Before using a vehicle that has not
been driven for a long period, check
the engine and transmission for oil
leakage, and make sure the oil is at
the required levels. If there is
insufficient oil, it will not adequately
reach and lubricate components,
and a breakdown will result.Start the engine and allow it to idle
for at least five minutes. Check for
abnormal noises.
For instructions on warming up the
engine, refer to
“Starting the Engine”
previously in this section.
If one year has passed since the
diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) in the
DEF tank was added, the DEF in
the tank should be replaced. Be
careful not to inhale the ammonia
odor when replacing the DEF. Also,
please contact your nearest dealer
about the replacement work.
Operating Temperature
Recommendations for Warming
Up the Engine
The engine is sufficiently warmed
up when the needle of the engine
coolant temperature gauge starts
to move.
Do not race the engine or quickly
accelerate before the engine has
sufficiently warmed up. Oil would
not have adequately reached and
lubricated components, and a
breakdown may result. The exhaust pipe becomes
extremely hot while the engine is
idling. Before warming up the
engine, make sure there is no
flammable material, such as grass,
waste paper, oil, or old tires near the
exhaust pipe.
Engine Warm-up System
During cold ambient conditions, the
automatic engine warm-up system
operates to reduce engine warm-up
time during idling.
Automatic Engine Warm-up :
When the engine is idling with the
engine coolant temperature below
62 °C (144 °F), the engine warm-up
system automatically closes the
exhaust brake and increases engine
idle speed so that the engine is
warmed more quickly. Warm-up is
cancelled when the accelerator
pedal is pressed, and resumed
when the pedal is released.
Warm-up is automatically cancelled
entirely after the engine coolant
temperature rises above 65 °C
(149 °F).

Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
11254764) - 2018 - crc - 12/5/16
154 Driving and Operating
Winter Cover
.Do not cover the front of the
radiator with newspapers,
cardboard or any other
flammable material to raise the
engine coolant temperature.
. If you allow the engine to warm
up but the engine coolant
temperature does not rise, have
the nearest dealer inspect the
thermostat.
Radiator Grille Covers
{Warning
Radiator shutters, winter fronts,
or grille covers are not to be used
and may cause the engine's
radiator cooling fan to fatigue
from the alternate unloading and
loading of the blades as they
pass by the masked area
followed by the unmasked area.
After the fan has been fatigued, it
may suddenly break apart while
rotating, possibly causing
personal injury to anyone (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
standing nearby, and equipment
damage. You and others could be
seriously injured.
Engine Heater
Engine Block and Oil Pan Heater
If the vehicle is parked in a garage,
the block and pan heaters should
not be needed until the garage
temperature drops below −23°C
(−10°F) regardless of outside
temperature.
The engine block and oil pan
heaters are designed to warm the
block and oil pan areas that will let
the engine run faster. To use the
heaters:
1. On single cab vehicles, tilt the cab.
2. Unwrap the electrical cord and remove the protective cap.
3. Plug the cord into any three-prong 110 volt outlet
(normal household current). It may require several hours to
sufficiently heat the engine.
Outside temperature, oil
viscosity, etc., will affect how
long the block and oil pan
heater should remain plugged
in. Contact your dealer for the
conditions in your area.
4. After using the heater(s), be sure to restore the cord
properly, to help keep it away
from moving engine parts.
If the cord is too short, use a heavy
duty, three-prong extension cord. Do
not use an extension cord such as
you would use for a lamp, because
the cord may overheat.
The engine should go through a
warm-up period to warm up the
engine oil before placing engine
under load. This will ensure proper
lubrication of the engine. See Cab
Tilting 0220.

Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
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Driving and Operating 155
Engine Alarm and
Automatic Shutdown
If the system senses any of the
following conditions: high engine
temperature, low engine oil pressure
or low engine coolant, the
corresponding warning light and
engine alarm (shutdown) warning
light will come on. If the engine
alarm (shutdown) warning light
comes on, you will also hear a tone
alarm.
If your vehicle has the engine
shutdown feature, your engine will
shut down in 30 seconds.Pull safely off the road and shut off
the engine. Do not start it until the
cause of the problem is known, and
the problem is fixed. However, if the
engine shuts down when you are
still in traffic, you can restart the
engine and get another 30 seconds
of operation. Do this only if you
have to, since there is a problem
that can harm the engine if it is not
fixed. See
Engine Shutdown
Warning Light 080.
Idle Shutdown
Idle Stop is a dealer programmable
function which will automatically turn
off the engine, at idle, when specific
programmed conditions are met.
See your dealer for details. When
the Idle Stop light comes on, it alerts
you that programmed conditions
have been met and the engine is
about to shut down. This light stays
on after the engine has stopped.
This indicator light will come on
when the engine control switch is
turned to the ON position and then
should go out after approximately
3 seconds. If the idling stop function does not
initiate, a transmission related
problem may have occurred. Please
contact your dealer. (There is a
Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) that
inhibits the idling stop function when
the Service Transmission Warning
Light is not illuminated).
High Idle System
Use high idle mode to increase
engine idle speed to 1,200 r/min
when the vehicle is stationary.

Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
11254764) - 2018 - crc - 12/5/16
156 Driving and Operating
Activating High Idle Mode
Follow the below procedure to
activate the high idle mode:1. Set the parking brake.
2. Set the selector lever in P (Park) or N (Neutral) position.
3. Do not press the brake pedal. 4. Press the cruise control main
switch to set it to ON. At this
time, the operation indicating
light will turn to green.
5. Turn and hold the cruise control set switch in the SET
position. After approximately
3 seconds the cruise control
set indicator light will begin to
flash slowly and the engine idle
will increase to 1,200 r/min.
Canceling High Idle Mode
Any of the following actions will
cancel high idle mode.
. The cruise control main switch is
set to OFF.
. The brake pedal is pressed.
. The parking brake is released.
. The selector lever is moved from
P (Park) or N (Neutral) position.
. The accelerator pedal is
pressed, accelerating the engine
beyond the engine speed
threshold.
The cruise set indicator light will
stop flashing and the engine speed
will return to normal.
Engine Checks Before
Operating
Checks Before Operating
Allow the engine to warm up before
placing the engine under heavy load
driving. While the engine is warming
up under light load, the following
checks should be made:
1. Observe the red engine oil pressure warning light. The
light should go out when the
engine is running. If it stays on,
shut the engine off and find the
cause.
2. Look at the engine coolant temperature gauge. If the
gauge reaches the H (HOT)
area, stop the engine and find
the cause of the overheating.
3. Check that the battery warning light has gone out. The light
should go off and stay off at
normal idle speeds. If the light
does not go out or comes on
during normal operation, have
the charging system checked.

Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
11254764) - 2018 - crc - 12/5/16
Driving and Operating 157
4. Check that the brake lowvacuum warning light is out
and that the vacuum buzzer is
not sounding. It is normal for
the warning buzzer to sound
for a few seconds after the
engine starts. If the light and
buzzer remain on, do not drive
the vehicle until the cause has
been found and corrected.
5. Look at the brake system warning light. It should be out
when the parking brake is
released and the engine is
running. If it stays on, it could
mean that the brake fluid level
is low. Check the brake fluid
reservoir. This condition must
be corrected before moving the
vehicle.
{Warning
To reduce the chance of personal
injury and/or vehicle damage due
to engine overheating, never
leave the engine idling without an
alert driver present. If the engine
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
should overheat, as indicated by
the engine coolant temperature
gauge, immediate action is
required to correct the condition.
Continued operation of the
engine, even for a short time, may
result in a fire.
Do not engage the exhaust brake
while the engine is idling as this
may cause engine overheating.
You and others could be seriously
injured.
Avoid Unnecessary Idling of the
Diesel Engine
If the diesel engine idles too long,
the engine coolant temperature will
fall below the operating range. Low
engine operating temperature
causes several conditions that are
harmful to engine operation and life.
Incomplete combustion of fuel in an
engine that is not fully warmed-up
causes crankcase dilution and
forms lacquer and gummy deposits on valves, pistons, and rings. It also
causes rapid accumulation of
sludge within the engine.
Parking over Things
That Burn
{Warning
Exhaust parts and gases become
very hot when the DPF is being
regenerated.
Parking over flammable items
could allow them to touch hot
exhaust parts under your vehicle
and cause them to ignite. Do not
park over papers, leaves, grass
or other things that can burn. You
and others could be seriously
injured.
Keep Flammable Material Away
from the Vehicle
The exhaust pipe is extremely hot
immediately after vehicle operation.
Before parking, make sure the area
is free of flammable material (for

Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
11254764) - 2018 - crc - 12/5/16
158 Driving and Operating
example, grass, waste paper, oil or
old tires). Take particular care when
parking in a garage.
Use caution concerning exhaust
gases while the engine is idling. Be
particularly careful when the power
take-off (PTO) is operating (if your
vehicle is equipped with a PTO) or
the DPF is regenerating while the
engine is idling. SeeDiesel
Particulate Filter 0161.
{Warning
It is not recommended that this
vehicle be parked, idled or
operated over combustible
materials such as grass or
leaves. They could touch the hot
exhaust system and start a fire.
This is particularly important if the
exhaust system has not been
properly maintained. Combustible
materials could catch fire from hot
exhaust gases, soot, or sparks
that could escape through
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
corrosion holes or cracks. You
and others could be seriously
injured.
If operating, parking or idling your
vehicle off-road is unavoidable,
such as in farming, lumbering,
commercial or recreational use:
‐ The driver should be aware
that combustible materials
could catch fire from the
vehicle's hot exhaust
system.
‐ Carry a fire extinguisher
with the vehicle at these
times.
‐ Avoid driving your vehicle
through or over combustible
materials such as leaves,
grass vegetation or stubble
high enough to touch, catch
or collect on its hot exhaust
system.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
‐Parking or idling should be
done only in an area where
there are no combustible
materials under the vehicle.
Failure to follow these
instructions could damage
your vehicle or nearby
property.

Chevrolet Low Cab Forward Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-
11254764) - 2018 - crc - 12/5/16
Driving and Operating 159
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust Emissions
Caution (Carbon Monoxide)
{Warning
Do not breathe exhaust gas
because it contains carbon
monoxide, which by itself has no
color or odor. Carbon monoxide is
a dangerous gas. It can cause
unconsciousness and can be
lethal.
Do not keep the engine running
for any length of time in a place
that is poorly ventilated. It is
particularly dangerous to run the
engine in a garage or other indoor
place that could easily fill with
exhaust gases because you could
suffer carbon monoxide
poisoning.
Inspect the exhaust pipe from
time to time. If you notice any
defect (for example, a damaged
joint, or a hole or crack caused by(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
corrosion), have checks and
maintenance performed by the
nearest dealer. Continuing to use
the vehicle without having the
defect repaired would be
dangerous because exhaust
gases could get into the cab and
cause carbon monoxide
poisoning.
If at any time you think exhaust
fumes are entering the cab, have
the cause determined and
corrected as soon as possible.
If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with all
windows fully open. Prevent
carbon monoxide from entering
the cab. The best way is to keep
the engine exhaust system, cab
and cab ventilation system
properly maintained.
We recommend that the exhaust
system and cab be inspected by
a competent technician:(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Each time the vehicle has
an oil change.
. Whenever a change is
noticed in the sound of the
exhaust system.
. Whenever the exhaust
system, underbody or cab is
damaged or becomes
corroded.
To allow proper operation of your
vehicle's ventilation system, keep
the air inlet grille clear of snow,
leaves or other obstructions at all
times. Do not park with the
engine running or idle this vehicle
for more than 10 minutes with the
ventilation system control switch
in the OFF position. Even with the
ventilation system on, running the
engine while parked or stopped
for longer periods of time is not
recommended. Entry of carbon
monoxide into the cab is possible
with a poorly repaired, damaged, (Continued)