Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500 HD/XD/5500 HD/XD
Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-13337621) - 2020 - crc - 12/5/18
Storage 47
Model MaximumGVWR
kg (lb.) Front GAWR
Capacitykg (lb.) Rear GAWR
Capacitykg (lb.)
4500HD 6 577 (14,500) 2 431 (5,360) 4 482 (9,880)
4500XD 7 258 (16,000) 3 007 (6,630) 4 998 (11,020)
5500HD 8 142 (17,950) 3 098 (6,830) 5 888 (12,980)
5500XD 8 845 (19,500) 3 300 (7,275) 6 196 (13,660)
Maximum Front and Rear Axle
Weights
The weight of the cargo load must
be properly distributed over both the
front and rear axles. The “VIN,Weight Rating, and Greenhouse
Gas (GHG) Emissions Plate”
shows
the maximum weight that the front
axle can carry (front GAWR). It also
shows the maximum weight that the
rear axle can carry (rear GAWR).
The GVWR is the maximum
permissible loaded weight of the
vehicle and takes into account the
capabilities of the engine,
transmission, frame, springs,
brakes, axles and tires. Actual loads
at the front and the rear axles can
only be determined by weighing the
vehicle. This can be done at
highway weigh stations or other
such places. See your dealer for help. The cargo load should be
distributed on both sides of the
center line as equally as possible.
Tires
The tires on your truck must be of
the proper size and properly inflated
for the load that you are carrying.
The
“VIN, Weight Rating, and
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
Plate” shows the originally equipped
tire size and recommended inflation
pressures.
For the vehicle plate location, see
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
0 343.
See “Tire Load and Inflation Table”
under Tire Pressure 0297.
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500 HD/XD/5500 HD/XD
Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-13337621) - 2020 - crc - 12/5/18
Driving and Operating 133
Refer toEngine Coolant 0243.
. Do not put well water, river water
or other hard water in the engine
cooling system. It would hasten
the formation of rust and scale.
. If foreign matter (insects, mud,
etc.) gets stuck in the radiator's
air passages, the cooling
system's performance will
deteriorate. Check the air
passages for clogging, and
remove any foreign matter using
water under low pressure.
Refer to Exterior Care 0307.
When Turning, the Rear
Wheels will Follow Tighter
Curves than the Front Wheels
Use the mirrors to confirm safety.
Sidewinds
If the vehicle catches a sidewind
and drifts sideways, firmly grip the
steering wheel, decelerate to a
speed that allows you to stay
completely in control, and make a directional correction. The vehicle
may catch strong sidewinds in the
following situations:
.
Emerging from a tunnel
. Driving over a bridge
. Driving on an embankment
. Driving through a cutting
. Being overtaken by a large truck
or bus
. Overtaking a large truck or bus
Flat Tire
If a blowout or flat tire occurs while
you are driving, calmly grip the
steering wheel and gradually apply
the brakes to decelerate. (Hard
braking would be dangerous
because it could cause the steering
wheel to be pulled to one side.)
Stop the vehicle in a safe place, and
change the tire.
Hard Bump Under Vehicle
If the underside of the vehicle
receives a hard bump, stop in a safe
place where the vehicle will not
obstruct traffic and check for brake fluid leakage, fuel leakage and
component damage. If any part of
the vehicle is damaged or broken,
promptly have the vehicle inspected
and repaired.
Highways
.
Speeds on highways are higher
than those on regular roads, so
there is more danger. Also, a
breakdown on a highway
represents a hazard to other
vehicles and can cause a crash.
Concentrate on safe driving.
Remember to perform daily
pre-operation inspections and
use highway driving techniques.
When performing daily
pre-operation inspections,
perform the checks shown in the
table on the left with particularly
great care.
Refer to Owner Checks and
Services 0330.
. When merging with traffic on a
highway, use the turn signal
lights to indicate your intentions
ahead of time. Speed up
sufficiently when you are in the
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500 HD/XD/5500 HD/XD
Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-13337621) - 2020 - crc - 12/5/18
134 Driving and Operating
acceleration lane. Pay attention
to vehicles behind you and to
conditions in the lane you are
joining. Merge in such a way that
you do not obstruct vehicles in
the lane.
. Your sense of how fast you are
traveling becomes distorted on
long highway drives. Constantly
keep an eye on the
speedometer, and maintain a
suitable headway distance.
. During high-speed driving, even
a little turn of the steering wheel
causes a big movement of the
vehicle. Turn the steering wheel
slowly.
. Excessive use of the brake
pedal is extremely dangerous
because it rapidly wears the
brake linings and causes brake
fade. Make effective use of the
engine brake and the exhaust
brake when you want to
decelerate.
. When you want to turn off a
highway, use the turn signal
lights to indicate your intentions ahead of time. Paying attention
to vehicles behind you, turn off
the highway smoothly so as not
to obstruct other vehicles.
Brake Fade : Frequent use of the
brakes can cause the brakes to
overheat so that the frictional force
of the brake linings decreases and
the brakes become less effective
than normal. This phenomenon is
called brake fade.
Braking
Brake Operation
The brakes give strong braking
force with only light pressure on the
pedal. Do not press the brake pedal
hard except in the event of an
emergency.
Actual stopping distances vary
greatly. Your ability to stop safely
will be greatly affected by the
surface of the road, whether it is
pavement or gravel; the condition of
the road, whether it is wet, dry or
icy; tire tread; the condition of the
brakes; the weight of the vehicle;
the weight of the load; and the amount of brake force applied.
Please allow for realistic stopping
distances to avoid unnecessary
heavy braking. That means better
braking, longer brake life and safer
driving.
Stopping DistanceThe stopping distance of a vehicle
involves reaction time and braking
distance. Deciding to push the
brake pedal is reaction time.
Applying the brake pedal until the
vehicle comes to a complete stop is
braking distance. Average reaction
time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average.
It might be less with one driver and
as long as two or three seconds or
more with another. Age, physical
condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play a part. Braking
distance will vary based reaction
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500 HD/XD/5500 HD/XD
Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-13337621) - 2020 - crc - 12/5/18
144 Driving and Operating
{Warning
If you park in a place where there
is a lot of snowfall, snow
accumulating around the vehicle
could limit ventilation. Running
the engine with the vehicle in
these conditions could cause
exhaust gases to enter the cabin,
resulting in carbon monoxide
poisoning. Take preventive action
by, for example, clearing the snow
around the vehicle.
You and others could be seriously
injured.
Do not park under trees or under
the eaves of a building. Chunks of
ice could fall on the vehicle if you
park in such a place.
Cleaning the Vehicle after
Driving on Snowy Roads
. The vehicle speed sensors are
fitted on the wheels. When
removing snow, ice, and other
incrustation, take great care not
to damage the components. .
Do not use a sharp implement to
remove snow. Sharp edges
could damage rubber parts.
Refer to Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0207.
Remove snow that has stuck to the
inside of the fenders and to the
brake hoses. Otherwise, it may
damage components. After driving
on a salted road, wash the
underside of the vehicle as soon as
possible to prevent the salt from
causing rust. Spraying water under
high pressure is an effective way to
get the salt off.
After washing the vehicle, wipe the
door openings dry.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
When Driving on Bad Roads
Caution
Do not spin wheels faster than
32 km/h (20 mph) in mud, sand,
snow, ice, or other poor road (Continued)
Caution (Continued)
conditions. Damage may result
from excessive wheel spinning,
including tire, transmission, and/
or rear axle malfunction.
If the vehicle gets stuck and it is
difficult to get out, immediately
stop driving and have the vehicle
towed.
If the vehicle gets stuck in sand,
mud, snow or ice, move the selector
lever from 2 to the R position. Apply
a light pressure to the accelerator
pedal while the transmission is in
gear. Remove your foot from the
accelerator and press the brake
pedal while shifting. Do not race the
engine. For best traction, avoid
spinning the wheels. When you
cannot avoid driving through deep
mud, using tire chains is an effective
way to avoid getting stuck.
When driving in sand or mud, avoid
hard braking, sudden acceleration,
and sharp turns of the steering
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500 HD/XD/5500 HD/XD
Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-13337621) - 2020 - crc - 12/5/18
152 Driving and Operating
SymptomCauseCorrective Action Reference
Uneven braking Unbalanced air pressure
in tires
Adjust to proper air
pressureSee
Wheels and
Tires 0285
Tire unevenly worn Replace tire See
Wheels and
Tires 0285
Drum brake out of
adjustment
4-
Poor wheel alignment
4-
Exhaust brake not working The electrical system is
faulty
4-
Steering wheel hard to turn Loaded too far forward Load properly -
Power steering fluid level
too low
Add fluidSee
Power
Steering Fluid
0 252
Insufficient air in front
tires Adjust to proper inflation
pressureSee
Wheels and
Tires 0285
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500 HD/XD/5500 HD/XD
Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-13337621) - 2020 - crc - 12/5/18
Driving and Operating 153
SymptomCauseCorrective Action Reference
Excessive play in the steering wheel Wheel studs and nuts
loose
Tighten to the specified
torqueSee
Wheels and
Tires 0285
Unbalanced inflation
pressure in the tires Adjust to proper inflation
pressureSee
Wheels and
Tires 0285
Unbalanced tires
4-
Excessive steering
wheel free play
4-
Poor steering wheel return Poor lubrication in the
steering mechanisms
Lubricate the
mechanism
-
Poor wheel alignment
4-
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500 HD/XD/5500 HD/XD
Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-13337621) - 2020 - crc - 12/5/18
208 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
driving habits and drive the
vehicle while keeping a proper
distance between vehicles.
ABS does not prevent crashes if
you do not drive safely. Drive the
vehicle at a safe speed.
Install tires of the specified size,
same brand and same tread
design (including winter tires) on
all wheels. If different tires are
installed, the braking distance
becomes longer and directional
control stability of the vehicle
decreases. This is very
dangerous.
Steering during sudden braking
(when the ABS is working) will
feel slightly different than it does
when the brakes are not applied.
Operate the steering wheel
carefully keeping this in mind.
Driving in sand or on a muddy road
may adversely affect the brakes and
ABS sensors. Wash the vehicle to remove sand and mud after
operating the vehicle in sandy or
muddy conditions.
Before washing the vehicle, provide
necessary protection to prevent
water from being splashed on the
ABS components (sensors and
actuators). Especially when using
high-pressure washing, be careful
not to allow water to be directly
sprayed onto the ABS components
and their harness connectors.
These are not signs of ABS
malfunction:
.
Soon after you start the engine
and the vehicle starts moving,
the sound of motor or valve
working may be heard from the
rear of the vehicle or underside
of the cab. This sound is from a
self-check by the ABS system
and is normal. In addition, you
may also feel some vibration if
the brake pedal is pressed at
this time.
. When ABS is operating,
vibration is felt on the brake
pedal and steering wheel and you may hear the system
operating. This is normal when
ABS is properly operating.
. The exhaust brake may release
when ABS is activated and the
exhaust brake is in operation.
. ABS is more likely to be
activated when the brake is
applied during cornering or
driving over a bump. This is
because inside wheels or
wheels that have gone over a
bump tend to lock.
. ABS is not activated immediately
after starting the vehicle. It is
activated only when the vehicle
speed reaches approx. 10 km/h
(6 MPH). ABS operation is
inactive when the vehicle speed
reduces to approx. 5 km/h
(3 MPH).
Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500 HD/XD/5500 HD/XD
Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S.-13337621) - 2020 - crc - 12/5/18
Driving and Operating 211
Parking Brake
Parking Brake Lever
When parking or stopping your
vehicle, engage the parking brake
and make sure that the vehicle does
not start moving. Avoid parking your
vehicle on a slope as much as
possible and choose a level and flat
place. If parking on a slope is
unavoidable, be sure to set the
parking brake, make sure that the
vehicle does not move, and block
the wheels with chocks for added
safety.
Illumination of the parking brake
warning light does not mean that the
parking brake is fully applied. The
parking brake lever must be fully
engaged.
When you engage the parking brake
lever, air pressure is reduced and all
four wheel brakes are applied.
{Warning
Although the parking brake
indicator light will come on if the
parking brake is engaged while
the engine control switch is in the
ON position, this does not mean
the parking brake is fully
engaged, so always make sure
the lever is fully pulled up.
Never drive the vehicle with the
parking brake set as this will
cause excessive wear, reduce
parking brake effectiveness and
increase fuel consumption.
Choose a flat place where
stopping and parking are
permitted and where the vehicle
will not obstruct traffic.
Remove all dirt from the vehicle's
light lenses and reflectors to
ensure that the vehicle can be
seen from other vehicles. You and
others could be seriously injured.
Avoid parking for long periods with
cargo on the vehicle.
{Warning
Do not use the parking brake
while the vehicle is in motion
except in an emergency. Applying
the parking brake before the
vehicle has stopped can cause
the tires to lock or the vehicle to
spin, possibly causing an
accident. Unless the parking
brake is fully released during
driving, a fault and/or a fire may
result.
If it was necessary to use the
parking brake during driving, be
sure to check afterwards to
determine if any fault or failure
has resulted.