Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566640) - 2020 - CRC - 9/30/19
Driving and Operating 165
Warning (Continued)
case is in a drive gear. If towing a
trailer, seeDriving Characteristics
and Towing Tips 0202.
1. Hold the brake pedal down, then set the parking brake.
See Parking Brake 0181.
2. Hold the button on the shift lever and push the lever toward
the front of the vehicle into
P (Park).
3. Be sure the transfer case (if equipped) is in a drive
gear —not in N (Neutral).
4. Push the ignition key in, towards the steering column
and then turn the ignition off.
5. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave the
vehicle with the ignition key in
your hand, the vehicle is in
P (Park).
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
The vehicle could move suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set.
If you have four-wheel drive and
the transfer case is in N (Neutral),
the vehicle will be free to roll,
even if the shift lever is in
P (Park). So be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear –not in
N (Neutral).
And, if you leave the vehicle with
the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You
or others could be injured. Do not
leave the vehicle with the engine
running unless you have to. If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you move the shift
lever into P (Park), hold the regular
brake pedal down. Then, see if you
can move the shift lever away from
P (Park) without pressing the button
on the shift lever. If you can, it
means that the shift lever was not
fully locked into P (Park).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you
do not shift the transmission into
P (Park) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on
the parking pawl in the
transmission. You may find it difficult
to pull the shift lever out of P (Park).
This is called torque lock. To
prevent torque lock, set the parking
brake and then shift into P (Park)
properly before you leave the driver
seat. To find out how, see
Shifting
Into Park 0164.
When you are ready to drive, move
the shift lever out of P (Park) before
you release the parking brake.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566640) - 2020 - CRC - 9/30/19
168 Driving and Operating
If the vehicle is left with the engine
running, follow the proper steps to
be sure the vehicle will not move.
SeeShifting Into Park 0164 and
Engine Exhaust 0167.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips 0202.Automatic
Transmission
If equipped, there is an electronic
shift lever position indicator within
the instrument cluster. This display
comes on when the ignition key is in
ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN.
P : This position locks the drive
wheels. Use P (Park) when starting
the engine because the vehicle
cannot move easily. When parked
on a hill, especially when the
vehicle has a heavy load, you might
notice an increase in the effort to shift out of P (Park). See
“Torque
Lock” under Shifting Into Park
0 164.
{Warning
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
See Shifting Into Park 0164 and
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips 0202.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566640) - 2020 - CRC - 9/30/19
170 Driving and Operating
D (Drive) can be used when towing
a trailer, carrying a heavy load,
driving on steep hills, or driving
off-road. Shift the transmission to a
lower gear range selection if the
transmission shifts too often. See
Manual Mode0171.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding. See “Skidding”under
Loss of Control 0144.
The vehicle has a shift stabilization
feature that adjusts the transmission
shifting to the current driving
conditions in order to reduce rapid
upshifts and downshifts. This shift
stabilization feature is designed to
determine, before making an
upshift, if the engine is able to
maintain vehicle speed by analyzing
things such as vehicle speed,
throttle position, and vehicle load.
If the shift stabilization feature
determines that a current vehicle
speed cannot be maintained, the
transmission does not upshift and
instead holds the current gear. In some cases, this could appear to
be a delayed shift, however the
transmission is operating normally.
The transmission uses adaptive
shift controls. The adaptive shift
control process continually
compares key shift parameters to
pre-programmed ideal shifts stored
in the transmission’s computer. The
transmission constantly makes
adjustments to improve vehicle
performance according to how the
vehicle is being used, such as with
a heavy load or when the
temperature changes. During this
adaptive shift control process,
shifting might feel different as the
transmission determines the best
settings.
When temperatures are very cold,
the transmission's gear shifting
could be delayed providing more
stable shifts until the engine warms
up. Shifts could be more noticeable
with a cold transmission. This
difference in shifting is normal.
L :
This position allows selection of
a range of gears appropriate for
current driving conditions. See
Manual Mode 0171.
Caution
Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill
using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission.
The repair will not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. If the vehicle
is stuck, do not spin the tires.
When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in
place.
Normal Mode Grade Braking
Normal Mode Grade Braking is
enabled when the vehicle is started,
but is not enabled in Range
Selection Mode. It assists in
maintaining desired vehicle speeds
when driving on downhill grades by
using the engine and transmission
to slow the vehicle.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566640) - 2020 - CRC - 9/30/19
Driving and Operating 171
Manual Mode
Range Selection Mode
Range Selection Mode helps control
the vehicle's transmission and
vehicle speed while driving downhill
or towing a trailer by letting you
select a desired range of gears.
To use this feature:1. Move the shift lever to L (Manual Mode).
2. Press the plus/minus button on the shift lever to select the
desired range of gears for
current driving conditions. When the shift lever is moved from
D (Drive) to L (Manual Mode), a
number displays next to the L,
indicating the current transmission
range.
This number is the highest gear that
the transmission will command while
operating in L (Manual Mode). All
gears below that number are
available. As driving conditions
change, the transmission can
automatically shift to lower gears.
For example, when L5 is selected,
1 (First) through 5 (Fifth) gears are
automatically shifted by the
transmission, but 6 (Sixth) cannot be
used until the plus/minus button on
the shift lever is used to change to
the range.
When the shift lever is moved from
D (Drive) to L (Manual Mode), a
downshift may occur. The gear that
the transmission is operating in
when the shift lever is moved from
D (Drive) to L (Manual Mode)
determines if a downshift occurs.
See the following chart.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566640) - 2020 - CRC - 9/30/19
Driving and Operating 181
Parking Brake
Set the parking brake by holding the
regular brake pedal down, then
pushing down the parking brake
pedal.
If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
SeeBrake System Warning Light
0 108.
Caution
Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system
and cause premature wear or
damage to brake system parts.
Make sure that the parking brake
is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
To release the parking brake, hold
the regular brake pedal down, then
push down momentarily on the
parking brake pedal until you feel
the pedal release. Slowly pull your
foot up off the parking brake pedal.
If the parking brake is not released
when you begin to drive, the brake
system warning light will flash and a
chime will sound warning you that
the parking brake is still on.
If you are towing a trailer and are
parking on a hill, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
0 202.
Brake Assist
Brake Assist detects rapid brake
pedal applications due to
emergency braking situations and
provides additional braking to
activate the Antilock Brake System
(ABS) if the brake pedal is not
pushed hard enough to activate
ABS normally. Minor noise, brake
pedal pulsation, and/or pedal
movement during this time may
occur. Continue to apply the brake
pedal as the driving situation
dictates. Brake Assist disengages
when the brake pedal is released.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
{Warning
Do not rely on the HSA feature.
HSA does not replace the need to
pay attention and drive safely.
You may not hear or feel alerts or
warnings provided by this system.
Failure to use proper care when
(Continued)
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566640) - 2020 - CRC - 9/30/19
194 Driving and Operating
Hitch Guidance
This feature displays a single,
centered guideline on the camera
display to assist with aligning a
vehicle’s hitch ball with a trailer
coupler. Select the trailer guidance
line button, then align the trailer
guidance line over the trailer
coupler. Continuously steer the
vehicle to keep the guidance line
centered on the coupler when
backing. RVC Park Assist overlays
will not display when the trailer
guidance line is active. Hitch
Guidance is only available in
Standard View.
To check the trailer when in a
forward gear above 12 km/h
(8 mph), touch CAMERA on the
infotainment display to view the rear
camera. Touch X to exit the view or
it will be removed automatically after
eight seconds.
{Warning
Use Hitch Guidance only to help
back the vehicle to a trailer hitch
or, when traveling above 12 km/h
(8 mph), to briefly check the
status of your trailer. Do not use
for any other purpose, such as
making lane change decisions.
Before making a lane change,
always check the mirrors and
glance over your shoulder.
Improper use could result in
serious injury to you or others.
Park Assist
With RPA, as the vehicle backs up
at speeds of less than 8 km/h
(5 mph), the sensors on the rear
bumper may detect objects up to
2.5 m (8 ft) behind the vehicle within
a zone 25 cm (10 in) high off the
ground and below bumper level.
These detection distances may be
shorter during warmer or humid
weather. Blocked sensors will not detect
objects and can also cause false
detections. Keep the sensors clean
of mud, dirt, snow, ice, and slush;
and clean sensors after a car wash
in freezing temperatures.
{Warning
The Park Assist system does not
detect children, pedestrians,
bicyclists, animals, or objects
below the bumper or that are too
close or too far from the vehicle.
It is not available at speeds
greater than 8 km/h (5 mph). To
prevent injury, death, or vehicle
damage, even with Park Assist,
always check the area around the
vehicle and check all mirrors
before backing.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566640) - 2020 - CRC - 9/30/19
Driving and Operating 195
The instrument cluster may have a
park assist display with bars that
show“distance to object” and object
location information for RPA. As the
object gets closer, more bars light
up and the bars change color from
yellow to amber to red.
When an object is first detected in
the rear, one beep will be heard
from the rear. When an object is
very close, <0.6 m (2 ft) in the
vehicle rear, continuous beeps will
sound from the rear.
Turning the Features On or Off
RPA can be turned on and off. See
Vehicle Personalization 0120.
Turn off RPA when towing a trailer.
Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System
If equipped, the FCA system may
help to avoid or reduce the harm
caused by front-end crashes. When
approaching a vehicle ahead too
quickly, FCA provides a red flashing
alert on the windshield, and rapidly
beeps. FCA also lights an amber
visual alert if following another
vehicle much too closely.
FCA detects vehicles within a
distance of approximately 60 m
(197 ft) and operates at speeds
above 40 km/h (25 mph).
{Warning
FCA is a warning system and
does not apply the brakes. When
approaching a slower-moving or
stopped vehicle ahead too rapidly,
or when following a vehicle too
closely, FCA may not provide a
warning with enough time to help
avoid a crash. It also may not (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
provide any warning at all. FCA
does not warn of pedestrians,
animals, signs, guardrails,
bridges, construction barrels,
or other objects. Be ready to take
action and apply the brakes. See
Defensive Driving0142.
FCA can be disabled with either the
FCA steering wheel control or,
if equipped, through vehicle
personalization. See “Collision/
Detection Systems” underVehicle
Personalization 0120.
Detecting the Vehicle Ahead
FCA warnings will not occur unless
the FCA system detects a vehicle
ahead. When a vehicle is detected,
the vehicle ahead indicator will
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566640) - 2020 - CRC - 9/30/19
202 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
.Bring the fill nozzle in
contact with the inside of
the fill opening before
operating the nozzle.
Maintain contact until filling
is complete.
. Keep sparks, flames, and
smoking materials away
from fuel.
. Do not use electronic
devices while pumping fuel.
Trailer Towing
General Towing
Information
Only use towing equipment that has
been designed for the vehicle.
Contact your dealer or trailering
dealer for assistance with preparing
the vehicle to tow a trailer. Read the
entire section before towing a trailer.
To tow a disabled vehicle, see
Towing the Vehicle 0299. To tow
the vehicle behind another vehicle
such as a motor home, see
Recreational Vehicle Towing 0299.
Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips
{Warning
You can lose control when towing
a trailer if the correct equipment is
not used or the vehicle is not
driven properly. For example,
if the trailer is too heavy or the
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
trailer brakes are inadequate for
the load, the vehicle may not stop
as expected. You and others
could be seriously injured. The
vehicle may also be damaged,
and the repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Pull a trailer only if all the steps in
this section have been followed.
Ask your dealer for advice and
information about towing a trailer
with the vehicle.
Driving with a Trailer
Trailering is different than just
driving the vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in
handling, acceleration, braking,
durability, and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering takes
correct equipment, and it has to be
used properly.
The following information has many
time-tested, important trailering tips
and safety rules. Many of these are