Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14430421) - 2021 - CRC - 2/10/20
Driving and Operating 217
Recommended Fuel
For diesel engine vehicles, see“Fuel for
Diesel Engines” in the Duramax diesel
supplement.
Use regular unleaded gasoline meeting
ASTM specification D4814 with a posted
octane rating of 87 —(R+M)/2 —or higher.
Do not use gasoline with a posted octane
rating of less than 87, as this may cause
engine knock and will lower fuel economy. Do not use any fuel labeled E85 or FlexFuel.
Do not use gasoline with ethanol levels
greater than 15% by volume.
Prohibited Fuels
Caution
Do not use fuels with any of the
following conditions; doing so may
damage the vehicle and void its
warranty:
.For vehicles that are not FlexFuel, fuel
labeled greater than 15% ethanol by
volume, such as mid-level ethanol
blends (16–50% ethanol), E85,
or FlexFuel.
.Fuel with any amount of methanol,
methylal, ferrocene, and aniline. These
fuels can corrode metal fuel system
parts or damage plastic and rubber
parts.
.Fuel containing metals such as
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT), which can damage
the emissions control system and
spark plugs.
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
.Fuel with a posted octane rating of
less than the recommended fuel. Using
this fuel will lower fuel economy and
performance, and may decrease the
life of the emissions catalyst.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
The U.S., Canada, and Mexico post fuel
octane ratings in anti-knock index (AKI). For
fuel not to use in a foreign country, see
Prohibited Fuels
0217.
Fuel Additives
TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline is highly
recommended for use with your vehicle.
If your country does not have TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline, add ACDelco Fuel
System Treatment Plus−Gasoline to the
vehicle’s gasoline fuel tank at every oil
change or 15 000 km (9,000 mi), whichever
occurs first. TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline and
ACDelco Fuel System Treatment Plus
−Gasoline will help keep your vehicle’s
engine fuel deposit free and performing
optimally.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14430421) - 2021 - CRC - 2/10/20
244 Vehicle Care
Caution
Do not add too much oil. Oil levels above
or below the acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful to the
engine. If the oil level is above the
operating range (i.e., the engine has so
much oil that the oil level gets above the
cross-hatched area that shows the proper
operating range), the engine could be
damaged. Drain the excess oil or limit
driving of the vehicle, and seek a service
professional to remove the excess oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview 0240
for the location of the engine oil fill cap.
Add enough oil to put the level somewhere
in the proper operating range. Push the
dipstick all the way back in when through.
Selecting the Right Engine Oil
Selecting the right engine oil depends on
both the proper oil specification and
viscosity grade. See Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants 0321. Specification
Use full synthetic engine oils that meet the
dexos1 specification. Engine oils that have
been approved by GM as meeting the
dexos1 specification are marked with the
dexos1 approved logo. See
www.gmdexos.com.
Caution
Failure to use the recommended engine
oil or equivalent can result in engine
damage not covered by the vehicle
warranty.
Viscosity Grade
Use SAE 0W-20 viscosity grade engine oil for
the 2.5L L4 engine.
Use SAE 5W-30 viscosity grade engine oil for
the 3.6L V6 engine. Cold Temperature
Operation: In an area of extreme cold,
where the temperature falls below −29 °C
(−20 °F), an SAE 0W-30 oil may be used. An oil of this viscosity grade will provide easier
cold starting for the engine at extremely
low temperatures.
When selecting an oil of the appropriate
viscosity grade, it is recommended to select
an oil of the correct specification. See
“Specification”
earlier in this section.
Engine Oil Additives/Engine Oil Flushes
Do not add anything to the oil. The
recommended oils meeting the dexos1
specification are all that is needed for good
performance and engine protection.
Engine oil system flushes are not
recommended and could cause engine
damage not covered by the vehicle
warranty.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain elements
that can be unhealthy for your skin and
could even cause cancer. Do not let used oil
stay on your skin for very long. Clean your
skin and nails with soap and water, or a
good hand cleaner. Wash or properly
dispose of clothing or rags containing used
engine oil. See the manufacturer's warnings
about the use and disposal of oil products.
Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14430421) - 2021 - CRC - 2/10/20
350 Index
Electrical SystemEngine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . 262
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Emergency OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Check Light (Malfunction Indicator) . . . . . 86
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Exterior Cargo Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . 107
F
Fan
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Four-Wheel Drive Transfer Case . . . . . . . . 195
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . 213
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195, 254
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Frequency Statement
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255 Front Axle (cont'd)
Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Front Seats Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Economy, Driving for Better . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . 219
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Management, Active . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Recommended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Top Tier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Fuses Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . 262
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . 266
G
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257