Chevrolet Silverado LD 1500 and Silverado 2500/3500 Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-12162993) - 2019 - crc - 4/4/18
158 Instruments and Controls
distance is displayed at the top of
the page as“last xxx mi/km.” Next
to the odometer, the Active Fuel
Management displays the number of
cylinders the vehicle is running on.
See Active Fuel Management
0 254.
Press
pto select the distance or
reset best value. Use
wandxto
choose the distance and press
V.
Press
wandxto select “Reset
Best Score.” Press
Vto reset the
best average fuel economy. After
reset, the momentary average fuel
economy will display.
The display provides information on
how current driving behavior affects
the running average and how well
recent driving compares to the best
that has been achieved for the
selected distance.
Timer : This display can be used as
a timer. To start the timer, press
V
while this display is active. The
display will show the amount of time
that has passed since the timer was
last reset. To stop the timer, press
V
briefly while this display is active
and the timer is running. To reset
the timer to zero, press and hold
V
while this display is active, or presspand select reset.
Speed Limit (If Equipped) : Shows
sign information, which comes from
a roadway database in the onboard
navigation.
Engine Hours : Shows the total
number of hours the engine has run.
Transmission Fluid
Temperature : Shows the
temperature of the automatic
transmission fluid in either degrees
Celsius (°C) or degrees
Fahrenheit (°F).
Trailer Brake (If Equipped) : On
vehicles with the Integrated Trailer
Brake Control (ITBC) system, the
trailer brake display appears in
the DIC.
TRAILER GAIN shows the trailer
gain setting. This setting can be
adjusted from 0.0 to 10.0 with either
a trailer connected or disconnected. TRAILER OUTPUT shows the
power output to the trailer anytime a
trailer with electric brakes is
connected. Output is displayed as a
bar graph. Dashes may appear in
the OUTPUT display if a trailer is
not connected.
Off Road :
Displays vehicle pitch
and roll information, road wheel
angle, and four-wheel drive (4WD)
status.
Blank Page : Shows no
information.
Chevrolet Silverado LD 1500 and Silverado 2500/3500 Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-12162993) - 2019 - crc - 4/4/18
220 Climate Controls
Dual Automatic Climate Control System
With this system the heating, cooling, and ventilation in the vehicle can be
controlled.
1. Driver Temperature Control
2. A/C (Air Conditioning)
3. Air Delivery Mode Controls
4. Fan Control
5. Defrost
6. Passenger TemperatureControl
7. SYNC (Synchronized Temperature) 8. Rear Window Defogger
9. Power Button
10. Air Recirculation
11. AUTO (Automatic Operation)
Automatic Operation
The system automatically controls
the fan speed, air delivery, air
conditioning, and recirculation in
order to heat or cool the vehicle to
the desired temperature. When the indicator light is on, the
system is in full automatic operation.
If the air delivery mode or fan
setting is manually adjusted, the
auto indicator turns off and displays
will show the selected settings.
To place the system in
automatic mode:
1. Press AUTO.
2. Set the driver and passenger temperature.
To find your comfort setting,
start with 22 °C (72 °F) and
allow the system time to
stabilize. Then adjust the
temperature as needed for best
comfort.
To improve fuel efficiency and to
cool the vehicle faster, recirculation
may be automatically selected in
warm weather.
The recirculation light will not come
on when automatically controlled.
Press
@to manually select
recirculation; press it again to select
outside air.
Chevrolet Silverado LD 1500 and Silverado 2500/3500 Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-12162993) - 2019 - crc - 4/4/18
Driving and Operating 225
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 234
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 235
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 237
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 246
Adjustable Throttle and BrakePedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 251
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Active Fuel Management . . . . . 254
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 256
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 272
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273 Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 275
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 279
Assistance Systems for
Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 280
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Forward Automatic Braking (FAB) (1500 Series) . . . . . . . . . 285
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) (2500/3500
Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) (1500 Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . 290
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 290
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Chevrolet Silverado LD 1500 and Silverado 2500/3500 Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-12162993) - 2019 - crc - 4/4/18
226 Driving and Operating
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . 315
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep
your eyes on the road, keep your
hands on the steering wheel, and
focus your attention on driving.
. Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
. Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices. .
Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
. Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
. Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
. Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
. Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
. Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.
Chevrolet Silverado LD 1500 and Silverado 2500/3500 Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-12162993) - 2019 - crc - 4/4/18
230 Driving and Operating
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
.Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go.
The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
. Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues —such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt.
. Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide. Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
Four-wheel-drive vehicles can be
used for off-road driving. Vehicles
without four-wheel drive and
vehicles not equipped with All
Terrain (AT) or On-Off Road (OOR)
tires must not be driven off-road
except on a level, solid surface. For
contact information about the
original equipment tires, see the
warranty manual.
One of the best ways for successful
off-road driving is to control the
speed.
{Warning
When driving off-road, bouncing
and quick changes in direction
can easily throw you out of
position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash. You and
your passengers should always
wear seat belts.
Before Driving Off-Road
.
Have all necessary maintenance
and service work completed.
. Fuel the vehicle, fill fluid levels,
and check inflation pressure in
all tires, including the spare,
if equipped.
. Read all the information about
four-wheel-drive vehicles in this
manual.
. Remove any underbody air
deflector, if equipped. Re-attach
the air deflector after off-road
driving.
. Know the local laws that apply to
off-road driving.
To gain more ground clearance if
needed, it may be necessary to
remove the front fascia lower air
dam, if equipped. However, driving
without the air dam reduces fuel
economy.
Chevrolet Silverado LD 1500 and Silverado 2500/3500 Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-12162993) - 2019 - crc - 4/4/18
234 Driving and Operating
braking. Drive at a reduced speed
and avoid sharp turns or abrupt
maneuvers.
Traction is reduced on hard packed
snow and ice and it is easy to lose
control. Reduce vehicle speed when
driving on hard packed snow
and ice.
{Warning
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds,
or rivers can be dangerous. Ice
conditions vary greatly and the
vehicle could fall through the ice;
you and your passengers could
drown. Drive your vehicle on safe
surfaces only.
Driving in Water
{Warning
Driving through rushing water can
be dangerous. Deep water can
sweep your vehicle downstream
and you and your passengers(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
could drown. If it is only shallow
water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires.
Traction could be lost, and the
vehicle could roll over. Do not
drive through rushing water.
Caution
Do not drive through standing
water if it is deep enough to cover
the wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust
pipe. Deep water can damage the
axle and other vehicle parts.
If the standing water is not too deep,
drive through it slowly. At faster
speeds, water can get into the
engine and cause it to stall. Stalling
can occur if the exhaust pipe is
under water. Do not turn off the
ignition when driving through water.
If the exhaust pipe is under water,
the engine will not start. When going
through water, the brakes get wet 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 0430.
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
Chevrolet Silverado LD 1500 and Silverado 2500/3500 Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-12162993) - 2019 - crc - 4/4/18
Driving and Operating 237
{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 0255.
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.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
See “Rocking the Vehicle to Get It
Out” later in this section.
The Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control can often help to
free a stuck vehicle. See Traction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
0 273. If TC/ESC cannot free the
vehicle, see “Rocking the Vehicle to
Get it Out” following.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
For information about using tire
chains on the vehicle, see Tire
Chains 0394.
Chevrolet Silverado LD 1500 and Silverado 2500/3500 Owner Manual (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S./Canada-12162993) - 2019 - crc - 4/4/18
Driving and Operating 241
Example 3
1. Vehicle Capacity Weight forExample 3 = 453 kg
(1,000 lb)
2. Subtract Occupant Weight @ 91 kg (200 lb) × 5 =
453 kg (1,000 lb)
3. Available Cargo Weight = 0 kg (0 lb)
Refer to the Tire and Loading
Information label for specific
information about the vehicle's
capacity weight and seating
positions. The combined weight of the driver, passengers, and
cargo should never exceed the
vehicle's capacity weight.
Certification/Tire Label
A vehicle-specific Certification/
Tire label is label is attached to
the center pillar (B-pillar). 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 GVWRincludes the weight of the
vehicle, all occupants, fuel, and
cargo.
The Certification/Tire label also
may show the maximum weights
for the front and rear axles,
called Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR). To determine
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.
The Certification/Tire label also
contains important information
about the Front Axle Reserve
Capacity. See
Adding a Snow
Plow or Similar Equipment
0 318.