Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
170 Lighting
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel
Illumination Control
This feature controls the brightness
of the steering wheel and instrument
panel lights. The instrument panel
illumination control is next to the
exterior lamp control.
D:PressD+ to brighten orD−
to dim the lights.
Dome Lamps
The dome lamp controls are in the
overhead console.
To operate, press the following
buttons:
jOFF : Press to turn off the
dome lamps when a door is open.
An indicator light on the button will
turn on when the dome lamp
override is activated. Press
j
OFF again to deactivate this feature
and the indicator light will turn off.
The dome lamps will come on when
doors are opened. +
ON/OFF : Press to turn the dome
lamps on manually. Press again to
turn the dome lamps off.
Reading Lamps
There are reading lamps on the
overhead console and over the rear
seats. These lamps come on when
any door is opened.
Front Reading Lamps
The front reading lamps are in the
overhead console.
Press the lamp lenses to turn the
front reading lamps on or off.
Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
Climate Controls 179
Caution
Using a razor blade or sharp
object to clear the inside rear
window can damage the rear
window defogger. Repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Do not clear the inside
rear window with sharp objects.
Remote Start Climate Control
Operation : If equipped with remote
start, the climate control system
may run when the vehicle is started
remotely. If equipped with heated or
ventilated seats or a heated steering
wheel, these features may come on
during a remote start. See Remote
Vehicle Start 024, Heated and
Ventilated Front Seats 058, and
Heated Steering Wheel 0117.
Sensors
The solar sensor, on top of the
instrument panel near the
windshield, monitors the solar heat.
The climate control system uses the
sensor information to adjust the
temperature, fan speed,
recirculation, and air delivery mode
for best comfort.
Do not cover the sensor; otherwise
the automatic climate control system
may not work properly.
Air Vents
Use the sliding knobs on the center
and side air vents to change the
direction of the airflow.
Air vents blow warm air on the side
windows in cold weather. If Floor,
Defog, or Defrost modes are
selected, a small amount of air will
come from the vents close to the
window.
To close the front a/c vents, move
the sliding knobs to the full down
position.
To close the rear a/c vents, move
the sliding knobs to the full inboard
position.
Operation Tips
.
Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from air inlets at the
base of the windshield that could
block the flow of air into the
vehicle.
Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
182 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 193
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 194
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 196
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Truck-Camper Loading Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 204
Ignition Positions (KeylessAccess) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205 Ignition Positions (Key
Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Active Fuel Management . . . . . 215
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 217
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . . . . . 228
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 229 Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 231
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 233
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . 234
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . 239
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Adaptive Cruise Control (1500 Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 252
Assistance Systems forParking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 253
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System (1500
Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
184 Driving and Operating
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
. Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
. Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
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.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.
Refer to the infotainment manual for
more information on using that
system and the navigation system,
if equipped, including pairing and
using a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the seat belt. See Seat Belts062.
. Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes.
Anticipate what they may do and
be ready.
Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
186 Driving and Operating
Electric Power Steering (1500
Series)
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.
Power Steering (2500/3500
Series)
(2500/3500 Series - All Regular
Cab, Double Cab/Crew Cab
without Digital Steer Assist)
The power steering system may
require maintenance. See
Power
Steering Fluid 0350.
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or the
system malfunctions, the vehicle
can be steered but may require
increased effort. See your dealer. (2500/3500 Series - Double Cab/
Crew Cab with Digital Steer
Assist)
The vehicle has a Digital Steer
Assist power steering system that
varies the amount of effort required
to steer the vehicle. Less steering
effort is required at slower speeds.
At faster speeds, the required
steering effort increases. The
system helps the steering wheel
return to center at low speeds.
Pressing the Tow/Haul button
adjusts steering effort for driving
conditions described in
Tow/Haul
Mode 0223.
The power steering system may
require maintenance. See Power
Steering Fluid 0350.
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or the
system malfunctions, the vehicle
can be steered but may require
increased effort. See your dealer.
Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
Driving and Operating 187
Caution
Do not hold the steering wheel at
full rotation for more than
15 seconds and/or at an elevated
RPM. Damage may occur to the
power steering system and there
may be loss of power steering
assist.
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.
3. Turn the steering wheel to go straight 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.
Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
188 Driving and Operating
.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.
Before Driving Off-Road
. Have all necessary maintenance
and service work completed.
. Fuel the vehicle, fill fluid levels,
and check inflation pressure in
all tires, including the spare,
if equipped.
. Read all the information about
four-wheel-drive vehicles in this
manual.
. Remove any underbody air
deflector, if equipped. Re-attach
the air deflector after off-road
driving.
. Know the local laws that apply to
off-road driving.
Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
190 Driving and Operating
Before driving on a hill, assess the
steepness, traction, and
obstructions. If the terrain ahead
cannot be seen, get out of the
vehicle and walk the hill before
driving further.
When driving on hills:
.Use a low gear and keep a firm
grip on the steering wheel.
. Maintain a slow speed.
. When possible, drive straight up
or down the hill.
. Slow down when approaching
the top of the hill.
. Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible.
{Warning
Driving to the top of a hill at high
speed can cause a crash. There
could be a drop-off, embankment,
cliff, or even another vehicle. You
could be seriously injured or
killed. As you near the top of a
hill, slow down and stay alert. .
Never go downhill forward or
backward with either the
transmission or transfer case in
N (Neutral). The brakes could
overheat and you could lose
control.
{Warning
If the vehicle has the two-speed
automatic transfer case, shifting
the transfer case to N (Neutral)
can cause your vehicle to roll
even if the transmission is in
P (Park). This is because the
N (Neutral) position on the
transfer case overrides the
transmission. You or someone
else could be injured. If leaving
the vehicle, set the parking brake
and shift the transmission to
P (Park). Shift the transfer case to
any position but N (Neutral).
. When driving down a hill, keep
the vehicle headed straight
down. Use a low gear because
the engine will work with the brakes to slow the vehicle and
help keep the vehicle under
control.
{Warning
Heavy braking when going down
a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and you or
others could be injured or killed.
Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under
control.
If a brake fade condition is detected,
a DIC warning message is
displayed. Adjust brake pedal use
and shift to a lower transmission
gear to reduce braking.
If the brakes continue to fade to a
severe condition, additional DIC
messages are displayed. The brake
system warning light will illuminate,
and the vehicle speed may be
limited. See Brake System Warning
Light 0137.