Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
Introduction 5
No. Description1 Vehicle noise emission
control information
2 VIN, weight rating, and
Greenhouse Gas (GHG)
emissions
3 NO STEP instruction
4 Engine oil level
5 Engine oil level notice
6 Certified clean idle label
7 Towing
8 Engine cooling
9 Fan blade
10 Automatic transmission fluid
level
11 ID plate
12 Power steering fluid
13 Power steering fluid
14 Engine coolant level
15 Starting aids All models
No. Description
1 Engine shutdown instruction
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
64 Instruments and Controls
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . 65
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . 66
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Battery Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . 73
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . . 73
Service Vehicle Soon Light . . . . 74 Brake System Warning Light
(Parking Brake Light) . . . . . . . . . 74
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Exhaust Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Service Transmission Warning
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Automatic Transmission Fluid Temperature Warning Light . . . 78
Overdrive Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Wait-to-Start Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . 79
Engine Oil Level Indicator Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Engine Shutdown Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Idle Shutdown Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Reduced Engine Power Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) Indicator Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Warning Buzzers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
Instruments and Controls 85
display. Complete the resetting by
pressing and holding the DIC
selector for more than two seconds.
To cancel the setting procedure,
press the DIC selector once. The
display will go back to the previous
screen.
Resetting/Setting the Change
Interval (Odometer Reading)
Engine Oil and Filter Light :On
the DIC, go to the engine oil and
filter light. Enter the resetting screen
by pressing and holding the DIC
selector for more than two seconds.
Complete the resetting by pressing
and holding the DIC selector for
more than two seconds.
Transmission and Differential
Gear Oil Light, Fuel Filter Light,
Power Steering Fluid Light, and
Tire Rotation Light : On the DIC,
go to the particular maintenance
item to reset/adjust. Enter the
setting change screen by pressing
and holding the DIC selector. Set
the change interval by turning the
DIC selector. (Transmission and
Differential Oil, Steering Fluid, and Tire Rotation Only). Turn clockwise
to increase distance and
counterclockwise to decrease
distance. The distance increases
and decreases by 4,000 km
(2,500 mi) increments. Complete the
resetting by pressing and holding
the DIC selector.
Transmission and Differential Gear
Oil and Power Steering Fluid: Initial
value: 48,000 km (30,000 mi).
Adjustable minimum value:
32,000 km (20,000 mi). Adjustable
maximum value: 48,000 km
(30,000 mi).
Tire Rotation: Initial value: OFF.
Adjustable minimum value:
6,000 km (4,000 mi). Adjustable
maximum value: 62,000 km
(39,000 mi).
Starter Indicator Light :
On the
DIC, go to the starter indicator light.
Enter the resetting screen by
pressing and holding the DIC
selector for more than ten seconds.
Complete the resetting by pressing
and holding the DIC selector for
more than ten seconds. If you want to cancel the setting
procedure, press the DIC selector
once. The display will go back to the
previous screen.
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF)
Gauge
With the engine control switch in the
ON position, this gauge indicates
the approximate quantity of DEF
remaining in the DEF tank. F means
the tank is full and E means the
tank is almost empty. When only
one green bar is showing, the DEF
tank is almost empty and should be
refilled soon. If the vehicle is driven
too long with only one bar, the green
will change to amber and additional
warnings and indicators will display.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
90 Instruments and Controls
MAINTENANCE ON or
MAINTENANCE OFF
This indicator displays and hides
maintenance items. When
MAINTENANCE ON is displayed,
maintenance items will be
displayed. When MAINTENANCE
OFF is displayed, maintenance
items will not be displayed.
When MAINTENANCE OFF is
displayed, there will be no display of
maintenance items such as rotation
intervals or replacement intervals
even when such intervals arrive.
ENG OIL & FILTER
When this message and light
display green, it shows the distance
remaining until the next engine oil
and filter change. When this
message displays amber, the next
change of engine oil and filter is
near or has been reached.
T/M & DIFF OIL
When this message and light
display green, it shows the distance
remaining until the next
transmission oil and differential oilchange. When this message
displays amber, the next change of
transmission oil and differential oil is
near or has been reached.
FUEL FILTER
When this message and light
display green, it shows the distance
remaining until the next fuel filter
change. When this message
displays amber, the next change of
fuel filter is near or has been
reached.
STEERING OIL
When this message and light
display green, it shows the distance
remaining until the next power
steering fluid change. When this
message displays amber, the next
change of power steering fluid is
near or has been reached.
TIRE ROTATION
When this message and light show
green with OFF, it means the
vehicle has been shipped from the
factory with no tire rotation interval
set. When this message displays
green it has the distance until thenext tire rotation displayed. When
this message displays amber the
next tire rotation is near or has
already been reached.
STARTER
When this message and light is
green, it displays the number of
engine starts remaining until a
starter motor is replaced. When this
message and light is amber, it
displays when the time for a starter
motor replacement is near or has
already been reached.
For the starter indicator light, the
displayed color will change from
green to amber when the display
reaches zero and the screen is
selected.
For resetting or setting maintenance
data intervals, see
Driver
Information Center (DIC) 082.
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 149
If the vehicle must be driven on a
flooded road or is parked in an area
that becomes flooded, promptly
perform a check for the following
points:
.Effectiveness of the brakes
. Water-ingress or damage to
drum brakes, disc brakes
. Engine damage due to
water-ingress
. Shorting of electrical
components
. Oil level and degradation
(cloudiness) of the engine,
transmission, differential
. Greasing of each components
(lubrication)Steering
Do Not Leave the Steering
Wheel Fully Turned for a
Long Time
{Warning
If you leave the steering wheel
fully turned for a long time, the oil
in the power steering oil pump will
become extremely hot. This
would cause poor lubrication, oil
tank damage and seal
deterioration, leading to power
steering oil pump damage, power
steering unit damage and power
steering hose damage. As a
result the steering wheel could
become extremely hard to turn
and a fire or a crash could occur.
You and others could be seriously
injured.
Steering Wheel
If the steering parts have excess
play or looseness or if any abnormal
condition is noted, have the steering
system checked immediately.
Driving on Wet Roads
Driving on Slippery Surface or
Driving in Bad Weather (Rain,
Icy Roads, Snowy Roads, etc.)
In bad weather, visibility is reduced
and slippery road surfaces increase
stopping distances. Drive more
slowly than you would in good
weather. Also, avoid sharp turns of
the steering wheel and hard
braking. Use engine brakes together
with the foot brakes to decelerate.
Using the exhaust brake on a
slippery road surface could cause
the tires to slip.
You may not realize the surface is
slippery until the vehicle is skidding.
Learn to recognize warning clues—
such as enough water or ice on the
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
Driving and Operating 171
3. Always refuel at the end of aday'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 0227.
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.
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.