Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16547501) - 2023 - CRC - 6/10/22
Introduction 3
A circle with a slash through it is a safety
symbol which means“Do not,” “Do not do
this,” or“Do not let this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that
use symbols instead of text. Symbols are
shown along with the text describing the
operation or information relating to a
specific component, control, message, gauge,
or indicator.
M:Shown when the owner’s manual has
additional instructions or information.
*: Shown when the service manual has
additional instructions or information.
0: Shown when there is more information
on another page — “see page.”
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that may
be found on the vehicle and what they
mean. See the features in this manual for
information.
u: Air Conditioning System
G:Air Conditioning Refrigerant Oil
9:Airbag Readiness Light
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
$:Brake System Warning Light
9:Dispose of Used Components Properly
P:Do Not Apply High Pressure Water
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
_:Flame/Fire Prohibited
H: Flammable
[:Forward Collision Alert
R:Fuse Block Cover Lock Location
+:Fuses
j:ISOFIX/LATCH System Child Restraints
Q:Keep Fuse Block Covers Properly
Installed
|: Lane Change Alert
@:Lane Departure Warning
A:Lane Keep Assist
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
X:Park Assist
~:Pedestrian Ahead Indicator
O:Power
7:Rear Cross Traffic Alert
I:Registered Technician
/:Remote Vehicle Start
h:Risk of Electrical Fire
>:Seat Belt Reminders
I:Side Blind Zone Alert
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
d:Traction Control/StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC)
a: Under Pressure
k: Vehicle Ahead Indicator
Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16547501) - 2023 - CRC - 6/10/22
Keys, Doors, and Windows 11
The remote vehicle start feature will not
operate if:
.The key is in the ignition.
.The hood is open.
.The hazard warning flashers are on.
.There is an emission control system
malfunction. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp (Check Engine Light) 077.
.The engine coolant temperature is
too high.
.The oil pressure is low.
.The vehicle is not in park.
.Two remote starts or a start with an
extension have already been provided.
To view available settings from the Driver
Information Center (DIC) press
Uto enter
the feature settings menu.
Door Locks
{Warning
.Passengers, especially children, can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. When a door is locked,
the handle will not open it. The
chance of being thrown out of the
vehicle in a crash is increased if the (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
doors are not locked. So, all
passengers should wear seat belts
properly and the doors should be
locked whenever the vehicle is driven.
.Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out.
A child can be overcome by extreme
heat and can suffer permanent injuries
or even death from heat stroke.
Always lock the vehicle whenever
leaving it.
.Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down
or stop the vehicle. Locking the doors
can help prevent this from happening.
To lock the door from the inside, slide the
manual lever on the door down. To unlock
the door, slide the manual lever up.
From the outside, use the key.
If the vehicle is equipped with Keyless Entry,
seeRemote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation 08.
Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16547501) - 2023 - CRC - 6/10/22
66 Instruments and Controls
Instruments and Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . 74
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Airbag On-Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Light . . . 79
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . 82
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Engine Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment
For vehicles with a tilt steering wheel, the
lever is located on the left side of the
steering column.
To adjust the steering wheel:
1. Pull the lever to move the steering wheel up or down into a comfortable
position.
2. Release the lever to lock the steering wheel in place.
Do not adjust the steering wheel while
driving.
Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16547501) - 2023 - CRC - 6/10/22
72 Instruments and Controls
Instrument Cluster
English Shown, Metric Similar
1.Engine Oil Pressure Gauge 073
2. Speedometer 072
3. Voltmeter Gauge 074
4. Fuel Gauge 072
5. Driver Information Center (DIC) 082
6. Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge
074Speedometer
The speedometer shows the vehicle speed in
kilometers per hour (km/h) and miles per
hour (mph).
Odometer
The odometer shows how far the vehicle has
been driven, in either kilometers or miles.
Trip Odometer
The trip odometer shows how far the
vehicle has been driven since the trip
odometer was last reset.
The trip odometer is accessed and reset
through the Driver Information Center (DIC).
See Driver Information Center (DIC) 082.
Fuel Gauge
Metric
Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16547501) - 2023 - CRC - 6/10/22
74 Instruments and Controls
Caution
Lack of proper engine oil maintenance
can damage the engine. Driving with the
engine oil low can also damage the
engine. The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Check the oil
level as soon as possible. Add oil if
required, but if the oil level is within the
operating range and the oil pressure is
still low, have the vehicle serviced.
Always follow the maintenance schedule
for changing engine oil.
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge
Metric
EnglishThis gauge shows the engine coolant
temperature.
It also provides an indicator of how hard the
vehicle is working. During a majority of the
operation, the gauge will read 100 °C (210 °F)
or less. If the vehicle is pulling a load or
going up hills, it is normal for the
temperature to fluctuate and approach the
122 °C (250 °F) mark. If the gauge reaches
the 125 °C (260 °F) mark, it indicates that the
cooling system is working beyond its
capacity.
See
Engine Overheating 0186.
Voltmeter Gauge
Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16547501) - 2023 - CRC - 6/10/22
120 Driving and Operating
Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 121
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . 133
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . 136
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . 136
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Brakes
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . 140
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic StabilityControl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . 151
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . 154
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16547501) - 2023 - CRC - 6/10/22
Driving and Operating 133
pushing the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and holding it there as you
hold the key in START for up to
15 seconds. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to allow the cranking
motor to cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and accelerator.
If the vehicle starts briefly but then
stops again, do the same thing. This
clears the extra gasoline from the
engine. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it. Operate
the engine and transmission gently until
the oil warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Fast Idle System
If equipped, this feature is available only
with cruise control. The manual fast idle
switch is operated using the cruise control
buttons on the left side of the steering
wheel.
This system can be used to increase engine
idle speed whenever the following
conditions are met:
.The parking brake is set.
.The brake pedal is not pressed.
.The vehicle must not be moving and the
accelerator must not be pressed.To control the fast idle:
.To enable the Fast Idle System, press and
release the cruise control on/off button
and ensure that the switch indicator light
is lit.
.Press and release the cruise control SET-
button. Engine speed will be held at
approximately 1200 rpm.
When the fast idle is active, the Driver
Information Center (DIC) will display FAST
IDLE ON.
One of the following actions will turn off
the fast idle:
.Pressing the brake.
.Selecting the cruise control cancel button.
.Releasing the parking brake.
.Moving the transmission shift lever out of
P (Park) or N (Neutral).
.Selecting the cruise control on/off button
when it was previously on.
.Pressing the cruise control SET- button a
second time.
.Pressing the accelerator more than
one-quarter of the way down.
.Turning the ignition off.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
When the ignition is turned from on to off,
the following features (if equipped) will
continue to function for up to 10 minutes,
or until the driver door is opened. These
features will also work when the ignition is
in RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY:
.Infotainment System
.Power Windows (during RAP this
functionality will be lost when any door
is opened)
.Sunroof (during RAP this functionality will
be lost when any door is opened)
.Auxiliary Power Outlet
.Audio System
.OnStar System
Engine Coolant Heater
{Warning
Do not plug in the engine block heater
while the vehicle is parked in a garage or
under a carport. Property damage or
personal injury may result. Always park
the vehicle in a clear open area away
from buildings or structures.
Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16547501) - 2023 - CRC - 6/10/22
134 Driving and Operating
The engine coolant heater can provide easier
starting and better fuel economy during
engine warm-up in cold weather conditions
at or below−18 °C (0 °F). Vehicles with an
engine coolant heater should be plugged in
at least four hours before starting.
An internal thermostat in the plug end of
the cord may exist which will prevent
engine coolant heater operation at
temperatures above −18 °C (0 °F).
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the
electrical cord. The cord for the engine coolant heater is
on the driver side of the engine
compartment.
Check the heater cord for damage. If it is
damaged, do not use it. See your dealer
for a replacement. Inspect the cord for
damage yearly.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{Warning
Improper use of the heater cord or an
extension cord can damage the cord and
may result in overheating and fire.
.Plug the cord into a three-prong
electrical utility receptacle that is
protected by a ground fault detection
function. An ungrounded outlet could
cause an electric shock.
.Use a weatherproof, heavy-duty,
15 amp-rated extension cord if needed.
Failure to use the recommended
extension cord in good operating
condition, or using a damaged heater
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
or extension cord, could make it
overheat and cause a fire, property
damage, electric shock, and injury.
.Do not operate the vehicle with the
heater cord permanently attached to
the vehicle. Possible heater cord and
thermostat damage could occur.
.While in use, do not let the heater
cord touch vehicle parts or sharp
edges. Never close the hood on the
heater cord.
.Before starting the vehicle, unplug the
cord, reattach the cover to the plug,
and securely fasten the cord. Keep the
cord away from any moving parts.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the cord as it was
before to keep it away from moving
engine parts and prevent damage.
The length of time the heater should remain
plugged in depends on several factors. Ask a
dealer in the area where you will be parking
the vehicle for the best advice on this.