Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
1500-11698642) - 2019 - CRC - 2/20/19
186 Lighting
The exterior lamps and dome lamp
remain on for a set amount of time,
then automatically turn off.
The exterior lamps turn off
immediately by turning the exterior
lamp control off.
This feature can be changed. See
Vehicle Personalization0168.
Battery Load
Management
The vehicle has Electric Power
Management (EPM), which
estimates the battery's temperature
and state of charge. It then adjusts
the voltage for best performance
and extended life of the battery.
When the battery's state of charge
is low, the voltage is raised slightly
to quickly bring the charge back up.
When the state of charge is high,
the voltage is lowered slightly to
prevent overcharging. The voltmeter
gauge or the voltage display on the
Driver Information Center (DIC),
if equipped, may show the voltage moving up or down. This is normal.
If there is a problem, an alert will be
displayed.
The battery can be discharged at
idle if the electrical loads are very
high. This is true for all vehicles.
This is because the generator
(alternator) may not be spinning fast
enough at idle to produce all the
power that is needed for very high
electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when
several of the following are on, such
as: headlamps, high beams, fog
lamps, rear window defogger,
climate control fan at high speed,
heated seats, engine cooling fans,
trailer loads, and loads plugged into
accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive
discharge of the battery. It does this
by balancing the generator's output
and the vehicle's electrical needs.
It can increase engine idle speed to
generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce
the power demands of some
accessories.Normally, these actions occur in
steps or levels, without being
noticeable. In rare cases at the
highest levels of corrective action,
this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a DIC message might
be displayed and it is recommended
that the driver reduce the electrical
loads as much as possible.
Battery Power Protection
This feature shuts off the dome and
reading lamps, if they are left on for
more than 10 minutes after the
ignition is turned off. The cargo
lamp shuts off after 20 minutes. This
prevents the battery from
running down.
Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 197
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 206
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 207
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 209
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 217
Ignition Positions (KeyAccess) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Ignition Positions (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 222 Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Active Fuel Management . . . . . 228
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 230
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 242
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 244
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 246
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . 247
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . 251
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 254
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 255
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Forward Automatic Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 268
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . 270
Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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198 Driving and Operating
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Recommended Fuel (Except6.2L V8 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Recommended Fuel (6.2L V8 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 273
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . 295
Trailering App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Pickup Conversion to
Chassis Cab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
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 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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200 Driving and Operating
Steering
Electric Power Steering
This vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort.
See your dealer if there is a
problem.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time while the
vehicle is not moving, power assist
may be reduced.
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel, and is
held in that position for an extended
period of time, power steering assist
may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the
system cools down.
See your dealer if there is a
problem.
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
. Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
. Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve.
. Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
. Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
. Antilock Brake System (ABS)
allows steering while braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge.
Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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218 Driving and Operating
Caution (Continued)
premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake
linings.
. Do not tow a trailer during
break-in. See Trailer Towing
0 282 for the trailer towing
capabilities of the vehicle
and more information.
Following break-in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
Ignition Positions (Key
Access)
0. Stopping the Engine/LOCK/OFF
1. ACC/ACCESSORY
2. ON/RUN
3. START
The ignition switch has four
positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be ON/RUN and the brake
pedal must be applied. 0 (Stopping the Engine/LOCK/
OFF) :
This position turns off the
vehicle. It also locks the ignition, the
transmission, and the steering
column, if equipped with a locking
steering column.
To turn off the vehicle:
1. Make sure that the vehicle is stopped.
2. Shift to P (Park).
3. Continue to hold the brake pedal, then set the parking
brake. See Electric Parking
Brake 0242.
Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 219
4. Push the key all the way intoward the steering column,
then turn the key to
LOCK/OFF.
5. Remove the key.
6. Release the brake pedal.
See your dealer if the key can be
removed in any other position.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) 0226.
A warning chime will sound when
the driver door is opened and the
key is in the ignition.
If equipped with a locking steering
column, the steering can bind with
the front wheels turned off center,
which may prevent key rotation out
of LOCK/OFF. If this happens, move
the steering wheel from right to left
while turning the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY. If this does not work,
then the vehicle needs service.{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, turn off the vehicle
only in an emergency.
In an emergency, if the vehicle
cannot be pulled over and must be
turned off while driving: 1. Push the key all the way in toward the steering column,
then turn the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
2. Brake using firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
3. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. Continue
braking and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.
4. Come to a complete stop. 5. Shift to P (Park).
6. Continue to hold the brake
pedal, then set the parking
brake. See Electric Parking
Brake 0242.
7. Push the key all the way in toward the steering column,
then turn the ignition to
LOCK/OFF.
8. Remove the key.
9. Release the brake pedal.
Caution
Use the correct key, make sure it
is all the way in —or pushed all
the way in toward the steering
column when turning off the
vehicle —and turn it only with
your hand.
1 (ACC/ACCESSORY) : This
position allows features such as the
infotainment system to operate
while the vehicle is off. It also
unlocks the steering column,
if equipped with a locking steering
Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
1500-11698642) - 2019 - CRC - 2/20/19
220 Driving and Operating
column. Use this position if the
vehicle must be pushed or towed.
SeeRetained Accessory Power
(RAP) 0226.
From ON/RUN, push the key all the
way in toward the steering column,
then turn the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
If the key is left in ACC/
ACCESSORY with the engine off,
the battery could drain and the
vehicle may not start.
A warning chime will sound when
the driver door is opened and the
key is in the ignition.
2 (ON/RUN) : This position can be
used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument cluster warning and
indicator lights. This position can
also be used for service and
diagnostics, and to verify the proper
operation of the malfunction
indicator lamp as may be required
for emission inspection purposes.
The switch stays in this position when the engine is running. The
transmission is also unlocked in this
position.
If the key is left in ON/RUN with the
engine off, the battery could drain
and the vehicle may not start.
3 (START) :
This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
returns to ON/RUN for driving.
Ignition Positions
(Keyless Access)
Vehicles equipped with Keyless
Access have pushbutton starting. The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter must be in the vehicle for
the system to operate. If the
pushbutton start is not working, the
vehicle may be near a strong radio
antenna signal causing interference
to the Keyless Access system. See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation (Keyless Access)
0
34 or
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation (Key Access)
0 42.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be on or in Service Mode, and
the brake pedal must be applied.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
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Driving and Operating 221
Stopping the Engine/LOCK/
OFF (No Indicator Lights) :When
the vehicle is stopped, press
ENGINE START/STOP once to turn
the engine off.
If the vehicle is in P (Park), the
ignition will turn off, and Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) 0226.
If the vehicle is not in P (Park), the
ignition will return to ACC/
ACCESSORY and display the
message SHIFT TO PARK in the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
When the vehicle is shifted into
P (Park), the ignition system will
turn off.
The vehicle may have an electric
steering column lock. The lock is
activated when the ignition is turned
off and either front door is opened.
A sound may be heard as the lock
actuates or releases. The steering
column lock may not release with
the wheels turned off center. If this
happens, the vehicle may not start.
Move the steering wheel from left to right while attempting to start the
vehicle. If this does not work, the
vehicle needs service.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop.
4. Hold the brake pedal down and shift to P (Park). The shift lever
must be in P (Park) to turn the
ignition off.
5. Continue to hold the brake pedal down.
6. Set the parking brake. See Electric Parking Brake 0242.
7. Press ENGINE START/STOP once to turn the ignition off. 8. Release the brake pedal.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
press and hold ENGINE START/
STOP for longer than two seconds,
or press twice in five seconds.
ACC/ACCESSORY (Amber
Indicator Light) : This mode allows
some electrical accessories to be
used when the engine is off.
With the ignition off, pressing the
button one time without the brake
pedal applied will place the ignition
system in ACC/ACCESSORY.
The ignition will switch from ACC/
ACCESSORY to off after
five minutes to prevent battery
rundown.
ON/RUN/START (Green Indicator
Light) : This mode is for driving and
starting. With the ignition off, and
the brake pedal applied, pressing
the button once will turn the ignition
on. Once engine cranking begins,
release the button. Engine cranking
will continue until the engine starts.
See Starting the Engine 0222.