Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
148 Driving and Operating
Vapor Lock :If the brakes overheat
due to frequent use, the heat can
cause the brake fluid to boil so that
air bubbles are created in the brake
fluid. Pressing the brake pedal
simply compresses the air bubbles;
pressure is not transmitted to the
wheel cylinders, so the brakes'
effectiveness sharply deteriorates.
This phenomenon is called
vapor lock.
Even so, you should be very careful
when using engine braking in a low
gear because the engine is likely to
over-rev.
See Exhaust Brake 0222 and
Selector Lever 0214.
Do not adjust the exhaust brake
valve.
The engine should never be allowed
to exceed the governed speed.
Supplement the exhaust brake with
vehicle service brakes intermittently
and/or shift to higher transmission
gear to prevent engine overspeed.
A rule of thumb for gear selection is
that the vehicle should be driven
down a grade in the same gear that
would be used to climb that grade.{Warning
To reduce the risk of personal
injury, before going down a steep
or long grade, reduce speed, turn
on the exhaust brake and shift the
transmission to the next lower
gear. This will help control your
speed. Do not hold the brake
pedal down too long or too often
while going down a steep or long
grade. This could cause the
brakes to get hot and not to work
as well. As a result, the truck will
not slow down at the usual rate.
Failure to take these steps could
result in loss of vehicle control.
You and others could be seriously
injured.
Brake Effectiveness When the
Vehicle Has Been Driven on a
Flooded Road or Washed
{Warning
When the vehicle is driven on a
flooded road, parked on a flooded
road or washed, water can get
into the brakes and reduce their
effectiveness. If the brakes do not
work well afterward, drive slowly
and gently press the brake pedal
several times until the brakes dry
out and start working normally.
Always do this after driving
through water or washing the
vehicle to help reduce the risk of
personal injury. Before parking
the vehicle in winter, press the
brake pedal several times in the
same way to get rid of moisture in
the brakes. Otherwise, the
moisture in the brakes may freeze
and make the vehicle immovable.
You and others could be seriously
injured.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
Driving and Operating 163
SymptomCauseCorrective Action Reference
Loud or abnormal
noises From the
transmission
Insufficient
transmission oil
Add oilSee
Automatic
Transmission Fluid
0 251
Transmission inner
components faulty
4-
From differential Insufficient differential
gear oil
Add oilSee
Rear Axle
(Gear Oil Viscosity
Chart) 0271 or
Rear Axle (Oil
Level Check) 0272
Differential inner
components faulty
4-
From the
suspension Spring pins, shackles,
or stoppers worn
4-
From the driveshaft Poor lubrication in each
component
Lubricate themSee
Owner Checks
and Services 0340
Splines or bearings worn
4-
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
168 Driving and Operating
4 START :On all engines, start is in
the position furthest clockwise. The
engine is started in this position.
Turn the key against spring
pressure to energize the starter.
When key is released, spring
pressure returns it to the ON
position. Release the key as soon
as the engine has started.
If the key cannot be turned from the
LOCK position to the ON position,
lightly move the steering wheel
clockwise and counterclockwise
while trying to turn the key.
Starting and Stopping the
Vehicle
Check around the Vehicle before
Starting the Engine
Proper care and operation will not
only extend the service life of your
vehicle but also improve fuel
economy.
Before pulling away, perform a
thorough safety check, making sure
there are no children or obstructions around the vehicle. Take off the
chocks after confirming that the
parking brake is securely applied.
Sit behind the wheel, adjust the seat
position, and buckle up the seat
belt. The passengers are also
required to buckle up the seat belts.
Adjust the positions of the steering
wheel and mirrors. Lock the doors.
Turn the power of the dome light or
accessories OFF before starting the
engine. See
Seat Position 038,
Seat Belts 043, Steering Wheel
Adjustment 065, and Mirrors033.
Keep the Floor Around the
Driver's Seat Clean and Tidy{Warning
It is extremely dangerous to have
empty cans, empty bottles or
other items rolling around on the
floor because they could get
trapped under the brake pedal
and prevent brake application.
For proper pedal operation, it is (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
also essential to lay floor mats
properly. Incorrectly installed floor
mats would hinder free movement
of the pedals.
Do not use the dashboard pocket
or the top of the dashboard as a
place to put items that could roll,
which could interfere with your
driving. You and others could be
seriously injured.
Choose Your Footwear Suitable
for Driving
{Warning
Choose footwear that ensures
proper operation of pedals when
driving the vehicle. Use of
footwear unsuitable for driving
may cause an accident.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
170 Driving and Operating
usually requires 30 seconds to
2 minutes depending on ambient
conditions. This will help reduce
white start-up smoke.
Preheating :Diesel engines are
compression ignited, which makes
them difficult to start when they are
cold because the compression
alone cannot create a temperature
high enough for fuel to ignite.
Preheating means warming the
compressed air inside the
combustion chambers to facilitate
engine starting. Be sure to start the
engine after the wait-to-start light
has gone out.
Start : Do not press the accelerator
pedal at the engine start. The
accelerator opening degree at the
engine start is electronically
controlled.
Warm-up : Do not race the engine
to speed warm-up. 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 Heater
0172. 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.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
174 Driving and Operating
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.
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.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
Driving and Operating 191
.Any substance other than the
DEF may cause a breakdown to
the SCR system.
. Use the DEF handling
equipment made of correct
materials (Polyethylene or
Stainless-steel).
. Avoid contamination from using
dirty funnel for filling.
. If a fluid other than the specified
DEF is mistakenly added,
incorrect fluid may cause a
failure. Have it inspected and
serviced at a dealer immediately.
. Ammonia odor may be
generated when the DEF is
exposed to high temperature.
. Do not add DEF above the F
position on the level gauge. DEF
may leak from the breather hose
while driving. Also, the sensor
may be broken when DEF
freezes.
. Do not put your feet on or stand
on the DEF tank. The tank, pipe
or sensors may be damaged. .
After stopping the engine, a flow
sound may be heard from the
DEF tank or DEF supply pump.
This sound occurs as the DEF in
the piping is returning to the
tank, and does not indicate an
abnormality.
See Winter Driving 0151.
Adding DEF
1. Turn the engine control switch to the ACC or LOCK position
and make sure to stop the
engine. 2. Wipe off dust or dirt from
around the filler port of the
DEF tank.
3. Turn and remove the filler cap.
4. Refill the tank up to the F position in the level gauge on
the front face of the tank. The
DEF may overflow from the
filler port if it is added in excess
of the F position.
5. Tighten the cap after refilling is completed.
6. Wipe off DEF that is spilled at refilling.
{Warning
On occasion, you may notice an
odor when the DEF tank is
opened. Do not sniff the filler
port, etc.
When refilling the DEF tank:
Failure to follow the above
instructions could result in a fire
or a breakdown of the selective
catalytic reduction (SCR) system.
(Continued)
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
194 Driving and Operating
Selective Catalytic Reduction
(SCR) System
The Selective Catalytic Reduction
(SCR) system reduces nitrogen
oxide (NOx) emissions emitted from
a diesel engine. The SCR system
reduces NOx by adding (injecting)
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) into the
exhaust system and inducing a
reaction converting NOx into water
vapor and nitrogen.
The SCR system consists of the
DEF tank, DEF Control Unit, DEF
Supply Pump and Injector, and the
SCR Catalyst. It is important to keep
a good supply of DEF in the DEF
tank at all times. Monitor the DEF
gauge to be sure the DEF tank level
does not become too low.
If the DEF level becomes too low or
incorrect fluid is added to the DEF
tank, the warning buzzer will sound,
warning and indicator lights will
come on and engine power will be
reduced. If you see these warning
and indicator lights, add DEF as
soon as possible or have your
vehicle serviced as soon as
possible.Continuing to drive for too long after
these lights come on will result in
additional warnings, more engine
power reduction and will eventually
result in a severe vehicle speed
limitation. See
“Diesel Exhaust
Fluid (DEF) Low Level Warning” and
“Incorrect Diesel Exhaust Fluid
(DEF)/SCR System Malfunction
Warnings” later in this section.
{Warning
Do not touch the water that
comes out from the muffler. The
water is mildly acidified due to the
action of oxidation catalyst inside
the muffler. In the event that the
fluid does come into contact with
your skin, completely wash it off
with water. You and others could
be seriously injured. Do not relocate or modify the
exhaust pipe, muffler, DPF, SCR,
or DEF tank, which may affect the
exhaust gas cleaning performance.
If any relocation or modification is
necessary, consult your dealer.
The SCR system continues to
operate for approximately 3 minutes
after the engine control switch is
turned to the "LOCK" position. It is
normal to hear a buzzing type noise
from the DEF supply pump
(mounted on the left side frame rail
behind the cab) during the
shutdown process.
If it is necessary to disconnect the
batteries for any reason, be sure to
wait at least 3 minutes after turning
the engine control switch to the
"LOCK" position. This will allow the
SCR system to properly complete
its shutdown processes. See
Winter
Driving 0151.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
198 Driving and Operating
DEF Tank Level is Low/Empty (cont'd)
StageStage 1 Stage 2Stage 3Stage 4
CAUTION
This message indicates incorrect DEF or an SCR system malfunction. Immediately contact
your dealer to have your vehicle serviced *2
Remarks:
*1 –See Diesel Exhaust
Fluid (DEF).
*2 –See Incorrect Diesel Exhaust
Fluid (DEF) /SCR System
Malfunction Warnings.
*3 –The warning buzzer continues
to sound every 5 minutes.
*4 –The warning buzzer continues
to sound every 5 minutes and when
driving 8 km (5 miles) or more, the
buzzer changes its sound to
continuous beeping. DEF tank low stages are as follows:
Stage 1 :
When the remaining level
of DEF becomes excessively low
the DEF gauge will change color
from green to amber. In addition,
warning and indicator lights will
come on as shown in the table and
engine power will be reduced so the
vehicle speed will not exceed
89 km/h (55 MPH).
Stage 2 : If driving is continued
without adding DEF (approximately
320 km (200 miles)) the DEF gauge,
warning and indicator lights will begin blinking. Again, engine power
will be reduced so the vehicle speed
will not exceed 56 km/h (35 MPH).
Stage 3 :
If driving is continued until
the DEF tank is empty, the DEF
gauge will change color from amber
to red and the warning and indicator
lights will begin to blink faster.
Engine power will still be reduced so
the vehicle speed will not exceed
56 km/h (35 MPH). The vehicle
speed will be limited to
8 km/h (5 MPH) either when the
vehicle is stopped after driving