Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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224 Driving and Operating
Use only a round, seven-wire
connector with flat blade terminals
meeting SAE J2863 specifications
for proper electrical connectivity.
The seven-wire harness contains
the following trailer circuits:Stop/Turn
Signal Left* Yellow
Stop/Turn
Signal Right* Dark Green
Tail/Parking
Lamps** Brown
Reverse
Lamps** Light Green
Battery Feed Red/Black
Ground White
Electric Trailer
Brake Dark Blue *If the vehicle is a cutaway with
trailer provisions, a 15 amp fuse
will be shared for both left/stop
trailer turn and right/stop trailer
turn signals. However, the
cutaway lighting connector will
have a 10 amp fuse for each
signal.
**If the vehicle is a cutaway with
trailer provisions, a 15 amp fuse
will be shared for trailer park
lamps and cutaway rear lighting
connector park lamps. Also, a
10 amp fuse will be shared for
trailer back-up lamps and cutaway
rear lighting connector back-up
lamps.
Heavy-Duty Trailer Wiring Harness
Package
lf equipped, the trailer wiring
harness, with a seven-pin connector
is mounted on the trailer hitch.
1. Left Turn/Brake
2. Taillamps
3. Reverse Lamps
4. Battery Feed
5. Right Turn/Brake
6. Electric Brakes
7. Ground
Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions
If the vehicle is not equipped with
an integrated trailer brake controller,
and the trailer has electric brakes, a
trailer brake controller needs to be
installed on the vehicle. The brake
Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 225
controller should be installed by
your dealer or a qualified service
center.
If equipped, wiring provisions for an
aftermarket electric trailer brake
controller are included with the
vehicle as part of the trailer wiring
package. The harness contains the
following circuits:Electric Trailer
Brakes Dark Blue
Battery Feed Red/White
Brake Apply
Signal Light Blue
Ground Black
There are four blunt cut wires under
the floor carpeting in front of the
brake pedal. It will be necessary to
have a technician connect the
12-volt power to the engine
compartment fuse block.
Refer to the aftermarket electric
trailer brake controller owner's
manual to determine wire color
coding of the electric trailer brake controller. The wire colors on the
brake controller may be different
from the vehicle.
Trailer Lamps
Always check all trailer lamps are
working at the beginning of each
trip, and periodically on longer trips.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
When properly connected, the trailer
turn signals will illuminate to indicate
the vehicle is turning, changing
lanes, or stopping. When towing a
trailer, the arrows on the instrument
cluster will illuminate even if the
trailer is not properly connected or
the bulbs are burned out.
Tow/Haul Mode
Tow/Haul assists when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy
load. For instructions on how to
enter Tow/Haul mode, see
Tow/Haul
Mode 0189.
Tow/Haul Mode is designed to be
most effective when the vehicle and
trailer combined weight is at least 75% of the vehicle's Gross
Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
See
“Trailer Weight ”under Trailer
Towing 0215.
Tow/Haul Mode is most useful when
towing a heavy trailer or carrying a
large or heavy load:
. through rolling terrain
. in stop-and-go traffic
. in busy parking lots
Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul
Mode when lightly loaded or not
towing will not cause damage;
however, it is not recommended and
may result in unpleasant engine and
transmission driving characteristics
and reduced fuel economy.
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC)
Vehicles with StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) have a
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) feature.
Trailer sway is unintended
side-to-side motion of a trailer while
towing. If the vehicle is towing a
trailer and the TSC detects that
Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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228 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 229
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 230
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 237
Automatic Transmission Fluid (6-Speed Transmission) . . . . . 238
Automatic Transmission Fluid (8-Speed Transmission) . . . . . 241
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 242
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 248
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . 250
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Battery - North America . . . . . . 253
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . 255
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 256
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 257
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 257
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 258
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . 260
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) . . . . . . . . . 262
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 262
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 263
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 264
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Floor Console Fuse Block . . . . 268
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 272
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Dual Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
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240 Vehicle Care
warm or hot will give a more
accurate reading of the fluid level
than a cold check.
Because the vehicle is equipped
with a high-efficiency air-to-oil
cooler, the transmission fluid
temperature may not reach the
required hot fluid level checking
temperature under normal lightly
loaded driving vehicle conditions.
Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare the vehicle:1. Park the vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
running.
2. With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever in P (Park).
3. With a foot on the brake pedal, move the shift lever through
each gear range, pausing for
about three seconds in each
range. When M is reached,
move the selector from M1
through M3. Then, position the
shift lever in P (Park).
4. Let the engine run at idle for two minutes or more. Then, without shutting off the
engine, use the steps that follow.
The transmission dipstick is near
the center of the engine
compartment and will be labeled
with the graphic shown.
See
Engine Compartment Overview
0 232 for more information on
location.
1. COLD Range
2. WARM Range
3. HOT Range
1. Flip the handle up, pull out the dipstick, and wipe it with a
clean rag or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds, and pull it back
out again.
3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the lower
level. The fluid level must be in
the COLD (1) range for a cold
check, transmission
temperature 27 °C to 32 °C
(80 °F to 90 °F); between the
COLD (1) and HOT (3) range
for a WARM (2) check, 50 °C to
60 °C (122 °F to 140 °F); or in
the HOT (3) cross-hatched
range for a hot check, 71 °C to
93 °C (160 °F to 200 °F). Be
sure to keep the dipstick
pointed down to get an
accurate reading.
4. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way;
then flip the handle down to
lock the dipstick in place.
Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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256 Vehicle Care
2. The use of the vehicle aftersuch device or element of
design has been removed or
rendered inoperative by any
person.
Among those acts presumed to
constitute tampering are the acts
listed below.
Insulation:
Removal of the noise shields or any
underhood insulation.
Engine:
Removal or rendering the engine
speed governor, if equipped,
inoperative so as to allow engine
speed to exceed manufacturer
specifications.
Fan and Drive:
. Removal of the fan clutch,
if equipped, or rendering the
clutch inoperative.
. Removal of the fan shroud,
if equipped. Air Intake:
.
Removal of the air cleaner
silencer.
. Modification of the air cleaner.
Exhaust:
. Removal of the muffler and/or
resonator.
. Removal of the exhaust pipes
and exhaust pipe clamps.
Fuel Operated Heater (FOH) -
Diesel Engine:
. Removal of the muffler.
Starter Switch Check
{Warning
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room
around the vehicle. 2. Apply both the parking brake
and the regular brake.
Do not use the accelerator
pedal, and be ready to turn off
the engine immediately if it
starts.
3. Try to start the engine in each gear. The vehicle should start
only in P (Park) or N (Neutral).
If the vehicle starts in any other
position, contact your dealer for
service.
Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control
Function Check
{Warning
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured.
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Vehicle Care 257
1. Before starting this check, besure there is enough room
around the vehicle. It should be
parked on a level surface.
2. Apply the parking brake. Be ready to apply the regular
brake immediately if the vehicle
begins to move.
3. With the engine off, turn the ignition on, but do not start the
engine. Without applying the
regular brake, try to move the
shift lever out of P (Park) with
normal effort. If the shift lever
moves out of P (Park), contact
your dealer for service.
Ignition Transmission
Lock Check
While parked, and with the parking
brake set, try to turn the ignition off
in each shift lever position.
.The ignition should turn to off
only when the shift lever is in
P (Park).
. The ignition key should come
out only when the ignition is off. Contact your dealer if service is
required.
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check
{Warning
When you are doing this check,
the vehicle could begin to move.
You or others could be injured
and property could be damaged.
Make sure there is room in front
of the vehicle in case it begins to
roll. Be ready to apply the regular
brake at once should the vehicle
begin to move.
Park on a fairly steep hill, with the
vehicle facing downhill. Keeping
your foot on the regular brake, set
the parking brake.
. To check the parking brake's
holding ability: With the engine
running and the transmission in
N (Neutral), slowly remove foot pressure from the regular brake
pedal. Do this until the vehicle is
held by the parking brake only.
. To check the P (Park)
mechanism's holding ability:
With the engine running, shift to
P (Park). Then release the
parking brake followed by the
regular brake.
Contact your dealer if service is
required.
Wiper Blade Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be
inspected for wear and cracking.
See Maintenance Schedule 0319.
Replacement blades come in
different types and are removed in
different ways. For proper type and
length, see Maintenance
Replacement Parts 0329.
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282 Vehicle Care
message should go off when the
TPMS sensors are installed and
the sensor matching process is
performed successfully. See
your dealer for service.
. Replacement tires or wheels do
not match the original equipment
tires or wheels. Tires and wheels
other than those recommended
could prevent the TPMS from
functioning properly. See Buying
New Tires 0286.
. Operating electronic devices or
being near facilities using radio
wave frequencies similar to the
TPMS could cause the TPMS
sensors to malfunction.
If the TPMS is not functioning
properly, it cannot detect or signal a
low tire pressure condition. See
your dealer for service if the TPMS
malfunction light and DIC message
come on and stay on.
TPMS Sensor Matching
Process
Each TPMS sensor has a unique
identification code. The identification
code needs to be matched to a new tire/wheel position after rotating the
vehicle’s tires or replacing one or
more of the TPMS sensors. Also,
the TPMS sensor matching process
should be performed after replacing
a spare tire with a road tire
containing the TPMS sensor. The
malfunction light and the DIC
message should go off at the next
ignition cycle. The sensors are
matched to the tire/wheel positions,
using a TPMS relearn tool, in the
following order: driver side front tire,
passenger side front tire, passenger
side rear tire, and driver side rear.
See your dealer for service or to
purchase a relearn tool. A TPMS
relearn tool can also be purchased.
See Tire Pressure Monitor Sensor
Activation Tool at
www.gmtoolsandequipment.com or
call 1-800-GM TOOLS
(1-800-468-6657).
There are two minutes to match the
first tire/wheel position, and
five minutes overall to match all four
tire/wheel positions. If it takes
longer, the matching process stops
and must be restarted.
The TPMS sensor matching
process is:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition on without starting the vehicle. See
Ignition Positions 0176.
3. Press the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter's
Q
andKbuttons at the same
time for approximately
five seconds. The horn sounds
twice to signal the receiver is in
relearn mode and TIRE
LEARNING ACTIVE message
displays on the DIC screen.
If the vehicle does not have
RKE, press the Driver
Information Center (DIC)
vehicle information button until
the PRESS VTO RELEARN
TIRE POSITIONS message
displays. The horn sounds
twice to signal the receiver is in
relearn mode and TIRE
LEARNING ACTIVE message
displays on the DIC screen.
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286 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Storage
Tires age when stored normally
mounted on a parked vehicle. Park
a vehicle that will be stored for at
least a month in a cool, dry, clean
area away from direct sunlight to
slow aging. This area should be free
of grease, gasoline, or other
substances that can deteriorate
rubber.
Parking for an extended period can
cause flat spots on the tires that
may result in vibrations while
driving. When storing a vehicle for
at least a month, remove the tires or
raise the vehicle to reduce the
weight from the tires.
Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched
specific tires for the vehicle. The
original equipment tires installed
were designed to meet General
Motors Tire Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec)
system rating. When
replacement tires are needed,GM strongly recommends
buying tires with the same TPC
Spec rating.
GM's exclusive TPC Spec
system considers over a dozen
critical specifications that impact
the overall performance of the
vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire
pressure monitoring
performance. GM's TPC Spec
number is molded onto the tire's
sidewall near the tire size. If the
tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC Spec number
will be followed by MS for mud
and snow. See
Tire Sidewall
Labeling 0272 for additional
information.
GM recommends replacing worn
tires in complete sets of four (six
for dual rear wheels). Uniform
tread depth on all tires will help
to maintain the performance of
the vehicle. Braking and handling performance may be
adversely affected if all the tires
are not replaced at the same
time. If proper rotation and
maintenance have been done,
all four tires (six for dual rear
wheels) should wear out at
about the same time. See
Tire
Rotation 0283 for information
on proper tire rotation. However,
if it is necessary to replace only
one axle set of worn tires, place
the new tires on the rear axle
(two for single rear wheels, four
for dual rear wheels).
{Warning
Tires could explode during
improper service. Attempting
to mount or dismount a tire
could cause injury or death.
Only your dealer or authorized
tire service center should
mount or dismount the tires.