
Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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92 Lighting
The vehicle has a light sensor on the top of
the instrument panel. Do not cover the
sensor; otherwise the system will come on
whenever the ignition is on.
The system may also turn on the headlamps
when driving through a parking garage or
tunnel.
There is a delay in the transition between
the daytime and nighttime operation of the
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) and the
automatic headlamp system so that driving
under bridges or bright overhead street
lights does not affect the system. The DRL
and automatic headlamp system are only
affected when the light sensor sees a
change in lighting lasting longer than the
delay.
If the vehicle is started in a dark garage, the
automatic headlamp system comes on
immediately. Once the vehicle leaves the
garage, it takes approximately 30 seconds
for the automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL if it is light outside. During
that delay, the instrument cluster may not
be as bright as usual. Make sure the
instrument panel brightness control is in the
full bright position. SeeInstrument Panel
Illumination Control 093. To idle the vehicle with the automatic
headlamp system off, turn the control off.
The headlamps will also stay on after
exiting the vehicle. This feature may be
programmable. See
Vehicle Personalization
0 86.
If the feature is not programmable, exit
lighting is automatic. When it is dark
enough outside, the exterior lamps remain
on for 30 seconds after the ignition is
turned off.
Lights On with Wipers
If the windshield wipers are activated in
daylight with the engine on, and the
exterior lamp control is in AUTO, the
headlamps, parking lamps, and other
exterior lamps come on. The transition time
for the lamps coming on varies based on
wiper speed. When the wipers are not
operating, these lamps turn off. Move the
exterior lamp control to
Por;to
disable this feature.
Hazard Warning Flashers
|: Press this button to make the front
and rear turn signal lamps flash on and off.
This warns others that you are having
trouble. Press again to turn the flashers off.
When the hazard warning flashers are on,
the vehicle's turn signals will not work.

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Lighting 93
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
G:An arrow on the instrument cluster
flashes in the direction of the turn or lane
change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way
up or down.
To signal a lane change, raise or lower the
lever until the arrow starts to flash. The
turn signal automatically flashes three times
and if the Tow/Haul Mode is active it
flashes six times. Holding the turn signal
lever for more than one second causes the
turn signals to flash continually until the
lever is released. The lever returns to its starting position
when released.
If after signaling a turn or lane change the
arrow flashes rapidly or does not come on, a
signal bulb may be burned out.
Have any burned out bulbs replaced. If a
bulb is not burned out, check the fuse. See
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
0205.Turn Signal On Chime
If the turn signal is left on for more than
1.2 km (0.75 mi), a chime sounds at each
flash of the turn signal and the message
TURN SIGNAL ON also appears in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). To turn off the
chime and message, move the turn signal
lever to the off position.
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel Illumination
Control
This feature adjusts the brightness of all
illuminated controls. The instrument panel
illumination control is next to the exterior
lamp control.
D:Push the knob in all the way until it
extends out and then turn the knob
clockwise or counterclockwise to brighten or
dim the lights. Push the knob back in when
finished.
The knob is functional at night, or when the
headlamps or parking lamps are ON.

Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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94 Lighting
Dome Lamps
The dome lamps will come on when any
door is opened, the remote unlock is
pressed, or when the ignition is switched
off. They will turn off after a delay, when all
doors are closed, or when the ignition is
switched on.
The instrument panel brightness knob
extends when
Dis pressed. To manually
turn on the dome lamps, press
Dthen
turn the knob clockwise to the farthest
position. In this position, the dome lamps
remain on whether a door is opened or
closed.
Dome Lamp Override
The dome lamp override sets the dome
lamps to remain off or come on
automatically when a door is opened, the
remote unlock is pressed, or when the
ignition is switched off.
EDOME OFF : Press this button in and the
dome lamps remain off when a door is
opened, the remote unlock is pressed, or the
ignition is switched off. Press the button
again to return it to the extended position
so that the dome lamps come on when a
door is opened, the remote unlock is
pressed, or when the ignition is
switched off.
Reading Lamps
If equipped with reading lamps, press the
button next to each lamp to turn it on
or off.
To operate, the ignition must be on, in ACC/
ACCESSORY, or using Retained Accessory
Power (RAP).
The vehicle may also have reading lamps in
other locations. The lamps cannot be
adjusted.
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting
Some exterior lamps turn on briefly at
night, or in areas with limited lighting,
when
Kis pressed on the RKE transmitter.
After about 30 seconds the exterior lamps
turn off. Entry lighting can be disabled
manually by turning the ignition on or to
ACC/ACCESSORY, or by pressing
Qon the
RKE transmitter. When any door is opened
or the remote unlock is pressed, all interior
lights turn on and then interior lamps dim
to off within 20 seconds after all doors are
closed.
The entry lighting feature for exterior
lighting can be changed. See “Vehicle
Locator Lights” underVehicle Personalization
0 86.
Exit Lighting
Some exterior lamps come on at night, or in
areas with limited lighting, when the driver
door is opened after the ignition is
turned off.
The dome lamp comes on after the ignition
is turned off or any door is opened.

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Lighting 95
The exterior lamps and dome lamp remain
on after the door is closed for a set amount
of time, then automatically turn off.
The exterior lamps turn off immediately by
turning the exterior lamp control off. The
exit lighting for exterior lights can be
changed. SeeVehicle Personalization 086.
Battery Load Management
The vehicle may have Electric Power
Management (EPM) that estimates the
battery's temperature and state of charge.
It then adjusts the voltage for best
performance and extended life of the
battery.
When the battery's state of charge is low,
the voltage is raised slightly to quickly bring
the charge back up. When the state of
charge is high, the voltage is lowered
slightly to prevent overcharging. If the
vehicle has a voltmeter gauge or a voltage
display on the Driver Information Center
(DIC), you may see the voltage move up or
down. This is normal. If there is a problem,
an alert will be displayed.
The battery can be discharged at idle if the
electrical loads are very high. This is true for
all vehicles. This is because the generator (alternator) may not be spinning fast
enough at idle to produce all the power that
is needed for very high electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when several of
the following are on, such as: headlamps,
high beams, fog lamps, rear window
defogger, climate control fan at high speed,
heated seats, engine cooling fans, trailer
loads, and loads plugged into accessory
power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of
the battery. It does this by balancing the
generator's output and the vehicle's
electrical needs. It can increase engine idle
speed to generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce the power
demands of some accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in steps or
levels, without being noticeable. In rare
cases at the highest levels of corrective
action, this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a Driver Information Center
(DIC) message might be displayed, such as
SERVICE BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM. If this
messages displays, it is recommended that
the driver reduce the electrical loads as
much as possible.
Battery Power Protection
This feature shuts off the interior lamps if
they are left on for more than 10 minutes
when the ignition is off. This helps to
prevent the battery from running down.
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver
The exterior lamps turn off about 10 minutes
after the ignition is turned off, if the parking
lamps or headlamps have been manually
left on. This protects against draining the
battery. To restart the 10-minute timer, turn
the exterior lamp control to the
Oposition
and then back to the
;or2position.
To keep the lamps on for more than
10 minutes, the ignition must be on or in
ACC/ACCESSORY.

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Driving and Operating 137
A warning chime will sound when the driver
door is opened and the key is in the
ignition.
2 (ON/RUN) :This position can be used to
operate the electrical accessories and to
display some instrument cluster warning
and indicator lights. This position can also
be used for service and diagnostics, and to
verify the proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp as may be
required for emission inspection purposes.
The switch stays in this position when the
engine is running. The transmission is also
unlocked in this position.
If the key is left in ON/RUN with the engine
off, the battery could drain and the vehicle
may not start.
3 (START) : This is the position that starts
the engine. When the engine starts, release
the key. The ignition returns to ON/RUN for
driving.Starting the Engine
If the vehicle has a diesel engine, see the
Duramax diesel supplement.
To place the transmission in the
proper gear:
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start in any
other position. To restart the engine when
the vehicle is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or accessories,
you could change the way the engine
operates. Any resulting damage would
not be covered by the vehicle warranty.
See Add-On Electrical Equipment 0176.
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could
damage the transmission. Shift to P (Park)
only when the vehicle is stopped.
Caution
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel, and is held
in that position while starting the vehicle,
damage may occur to the hydraulic
power steering system and there may be
loss of power steering assist.
Starting Procedure 1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition key to START. When
the engine starts, let go of the key. The
idle speed will go down as your engine
gets warm. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it. Operate
the engine and transmission gently to
allow the oil to warm up and lubricate
all moving parts.
When the low fuel warning light is on
and the FUEL LEVEL LOW message is
displayed in the Driver Information
Center (DIC), the Computer-Controlled
Cranking System is disabled to prevent
possible vehicle component damage.
When this happens, hold the ignition
switch in the START position to continue
engine cranking.

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154 Driving and Operating
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 provide any
warning at all. FCA does not warn of
pedestrians, animals, signs, guardrails,
bridges, construction barrels, or other(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
objects. Be ready to take action and
apply the brakes. SeeDefensive Driving
0 126.
FCA can be disabled with the
[button on
the center stack.
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 display green. Vehicles may
not be detected on curves, highway exit
ramps, or hills, due to poor visibility; or if a
vehicle ahead is partially blocked by
pedestrians or other objects. FCA will not
detect another vehicle ahead until it is
completely in the driving lane.
{Warning
FCA does not provide a warning to help
avoid a crash, unless it detects a vehicle.
FCA may not detect a vehicle ahead if
the FCA sensor is blocked by dirt, snow,
or ice, or if the windshield is damaged.
It may also not detect a vehicle on
winding or hilly roads, or in conditions
that can limit visibility such as fog, rain,
or snow, or if the headlamps or
windshield are not cleaned or in proper
condition. Keep the windshield,
headlamps, and FCA sensors clean and in
good repair.
Collision Alert
When your vehicle approaches another
detected vehicle too rapidly, the red FCA
display will flash on the windshield. Also,
eight rapid high-pitched beeps will sound
from the front. When this Collision Alert

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156 Driving and Operating
The SBZA sensor covers a zone of
approximately one lane over from both
sides of the vehicle, or 3.5 m (11 ft). The
height of the zone is approximately between
0.5 m (1.5 ft) and 2 m (6 ft) off the ground.
This zone starts at approximately the middle
of the vehicle and goes back 5 m (16 ft).
How the System Works
The SBZA symbol lights up in the side
mirrors when the system detects a moving
vehicle in the next lane over that is in the
side blind zone. This indicates it may be
unsafe to change lanes. Before making a
lane change, check the SBZA display, check
mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and use
the turn signals.
Left Side MirrorDisplayRight Side Mirror Display
When the vehicle is started, both outside
mirror SBZA displays will briefly come on to
indicate the system is operating. When the
vehicle is in a forward gear, the left or right side mirror display will light up if a moving
vehicle is detected in that blind zone. If the
turn signal is activated in the same direction
of a detected vehicle, this display will flash
as an extra warning not to change lanes.
SBZA can be disabled through the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See
Driver
Information Center (DIC) 081. If SBZA is
disabled by the driver, the SBZA mirror
displays will not light up.
When the System Does Not Seem to
Work Properly
SBZA displays may not come on when
passing a vehicle quickly, or for a stopped
vehicle. SBZA may alert to objects attached
to the vehicle, such as a bicycle, or object
extending out to either side of the vehicle.
This is normal system operation; the vehicle
does not need service.
SBZA may not always alert the driver to
vehicles in the side blind zone, especially in
wet conditions. The system does not need
to be serviced. The system may light up due
to guardrails, signs, trees, shrubs, and other
non-moving objects. This is normal system
operation; the vehicle does not need service. SBZA may not operate when the SBZA
sensors in the left or right corners of the
rear bumper are covered with mud, dirt,
snow, ice, or slush, or in heavy rainstorms.
For cleaning instructions, see "Washing the
Vehicle" under
Exterior Care0242. If the DIC
displays the system unavailable message
after cleaning both sides of the vehicle
toward the rear corners of the vehicle, see
your dealer.
If the SBZA displays do not light up when
vehicles are in the blind zone and the
system is clean, the system may need
service. Take the vehicle to your dealer.
When SBZA is disabled for any reason other
than the driver turning it off, the Side Blind
Zone Alert On option will not be available
on the personalization menu.
Driving with a Trailer
If equipped with Lane Change Alert (LCA),
the LCA detection zones that extend back
from the side of the vehicle do not move
further back when a trailer is towed.
Use caution while changing lanes when
towing a trailer.
Radio Frequency Information
See Radio Frequency Statement 0273.

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Service and Maintenance 255
(6)Or every 12 months, whichever comes
first. See Wiper Blade Replacement 0201.
(7) Replace air conditioning desiccant every
seven years.
Special Application Services
.Vehicles with Dual Wheels: Check dual
wheel nut torque at 160, 1 600, and
10 000 km (100, 1,000, and 6,000 mi) of
driving. Repeat this service whenever a
tire/wheel is serviced or removed.
.Severe Commercial Use Vehicles Only:
Lubricate chassis components every oil
change.
.Have underbody flushing service
performed. See “Underbody Maintenance”
in Exterior Care 0242.
Additional Maintenance
and Care
Your vehicle is an important investment and
caring for it properly may help to avoid
future costly repairs. To maintain vehicle
performance, additional maintenance
services may be required. It is recommended that your dealer perform
these services
—their trained dealer
technicians know your vehicle best. Your
dealer can also perform a thorough
assessment with a multi-point inspection to
recommend when your vehicle may need
attention.
The following list is intended to explain the
services and conditions to look for that may
indicate services are required.
Battery
The 12-volt battery supplies power to start
the engine and operate any additional
electrical accessories.
.To avoid break-down or failure to start
the vehicle, maintain a battery with full
cranking power.
.Trained dealer technicians have the
diagnostic equipment to test the battery
and ensure that the connections and
cables are corrosion-free.
Belts
.Belts may need replacing if they squeak
or show signs of cracking or splitting.
.Trained dealer technicians have access to
tools and equipment to inspect the belts
and recommend adjustment or
replacement when necessary. Brakes
Brakes stop the vehicle and are crucial to
safe driving.
.Signs of brake wear may include chirping,
grinding, or squealing noises, or difficulty
stopping.
.Trained dealer technicians have access to
tools and equipment to inspect the brakes
and recommend quality parts engineered
for the vehicle.
Fluids
Proper fluid levels and approved fluids
protect the vehicle’s systems and
components. See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0257 for GM approved fluids.
.Engine oil and windshield washer fluid
levels should be checked at every fuel fill.
.Instrument cluster lights may come on to
indicate that fluids may be low and need
to be filled.
Hoses
Hoses transport fluids and should be
regularly inspected to ensure that there are
no cracks or leaks. With a multi-point
inspection, your dealer can inspect the hoses
and advise if replacement is needed.