Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
1500-11698642) - 2019 - CRC - 2/20/19
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-
1500-11698642) - 2019 - CRC - 2/20/19
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-
1500-11698642) - 2019 - CRC - 2/20/19
Driving and Operating 201
3. Turn the steering wheel to gostraight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
. Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force.
. Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
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.
Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
1500-11698642) - 2019 - CRC - 2/20/19
208 Driving and Operating
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.
. Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0244.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) improves vehicle stability
during hard stops, but the
brakes should be applied sooner
than when on dry pavement.
See Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0241.
. Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise
clear roads in shaded areas.
The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when
the surrounding roads are clear.
Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice. .
Turn off cruise control.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. Stay with the vehicle
unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside
Assistance Program 0439. To get
help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
. Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
. Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{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.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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
the fan speed to the highest
setting. See “Climate
Control Systems.”
For more information about CO,
see Engine Exhaust 0229.
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.
Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
1500-11698642) - 2019 - CRC - 2/20/19
Driving and Operating 241
cannot complete a shift request, it
will go back to its last chosen
setting.
The settings are:
2
m(Two-Wheel Drive High) :Use
for driving on most streets and
highways. The front axle is not
engaged. This setting provides the
best fuel economy.
4
m(Four-Wheel Drive High) : Use
this setting when extra traction is
needed, such as when driving on
snowy or icy roads, when
off-roading, or when plowing snow.
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel
Drive)
Use when road surface conditions
are variable. When driving in AUTO,
the front axle is engaged, and the
vehicle's power is sent to the front
and rear wheels automatically
based on driving conditions. This
setting provides slightly lower fuel
economy than 2
m. Shifts between 2
m, 4m, and AUTO
Any of these shifts can be made at
normal driving speed.
The actual 4x4 shift request is only
made after the button is released.
The 4x4 graphic will remain flashing
until the shift request has
completed. A DIC message
displays.
Once the 4x4 shift has completed,
the DIC message disappears, the
4x4 graphic stops flashing, and the
current setting is indicated.
The actual 4x4 shift request is only
made after the button is released.
The 4x4 graphic will remain flashing
until the shift request has
completed.
A DIC message displays. Once the
4x4 shift has completed, the DIC
message disappears, the 4x4
graphic stops flashing, and the
current setting is indicated.Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has an Antilock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
0 153.
If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses the wheels are
slowing down. If one of the wheels
is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at
each wheel.
Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
1500-11698642) - 2019 - CRC - 2/20/19
Driving and Operating 289
chains may be attached to the
attaching points on the bumper;
otherwise, safety chains should be
attached to holes on the trailer hitch.
Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer to help prevent
the tongue from contacting the road
if it becomes separated from the
hitch. Always leave enough slack in
the safety chains to allow the
combination to turn. Never allow
safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Loaded trailers over 900 kg
(2,000 lb) must be equipped with
brake systems and with brakes for
each axle. Trailer braking equipment
conforming to Canadian Standards
Association (CSA) requirement
CAN3-D313, or its equivalent, is
recommended.
State or local regulations may
require trailers to have their own
braking system if the loaded weight
of the trailer exceeds certain
minimums that can vary from state
to state. Read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes sothey are installed, adjusted, and
maintained properly. Never attempt
to tap into your vehicle's hydraulic
brake system. If you do, both the
vehicle antilock brakes and the
trailer brakes may not function,
which could result in a crash.
Trailer Wiring Harness
If the vehicle is not equipped with a
trailer connector on the rear bumper,
a 7-wire trailering harness is tied to
the vehicles frame. The harness
requires the installation of a trailer
connector, which is available
through your dealer.
If equipped, the trailer wiring
harness, with a 7-pin connector and
a 4-pin connector, is mounted on
the vehicle's rear bumper.
1. Ground
2. Taillamps
3. Left Turn/Brake
4. Right Turn/Brake
Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
1500-11698642) - 2019 - CRC - 2/20/19
Driving and Operating 291
Pressing START LIGHT TEST in the
Trailering App automatically
activates trailer lamps. The
Trailering App is not a substitute for
manually inspecting your trailer
lamps. SeeTrailering App 0297.
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
For instructions on how to enter
Tow/Haul Mode, see Driver Mode
Control 0247.
Tow/Haul assists when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy
load. See Tow/Haul Mode 0235.
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
“Weight of the Trailer” under
Trailer Towing 0282.
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.Integrated Trailer Brake
Control System
The vehicle may have an Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system
for use with electric trailer brakes or
most electric over hydraulic trailer
brake systems. These instructions
apply to both types of electric trailer
brakes.
This symbol is on the Trailer Brake
Control Panel on vehicles with an
ITBC system. The power output to
the trailer brakes is proportional to
the amount of vehicle braking. This
available power output to the trailer
brakes can be adjusted to a wide
range of trailering situations.
The ITBC system is integrated with
the vehicle’ s brake, antilock brake,
and StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) systems. In trailering
conditions that cause the vehicle’s
antilock brake or StabiliTrak/ESC
systems to activate, power sent to
the trailer's brakes will be
automatically adjusted to minimize
trailer wheel lock-up. This does not
imply that the trailer has
StabiliTrak/ESC.
If the vehicle’s brake, anti-lock
brake, or StabiliTrak/ESC systems
are not functioning properly, the
Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
1500-11698642) - 2019 - CRC - 2/20/19
314 Vehicle Care
California Proposition
65 Warning
{Warning
Most motor vehicles, including
this one, as well as many of its
service parts and fluids, contain
and/or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and
systems, many fluids, and some
component wear by-products
contain and/or emit these
chemicals. For more information
go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See Battery - North America 0338
and
Jump Starting - North America
0 396 and the back cover.
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non-dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride and
handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty. Damage to suspension components
caused by modifying vehicle height
outside of factory settings will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non-GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is
not covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 097.