2023 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 Owners Manual

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico/Paraguay-16515119) - 2023 - CRC - 6/2/22
192 Climate Controls
Service
All vehicles have a label underhood that
identifies the refrigerant used in the vehicle.
The refrigerant system should only be
serviced by trained and certified technicians.
The air conditioning evaporator should never
be repaired or replaced by one from a
salvage vehicle. It should only be replaced
by a new evaporator to ensure proper and
safe operation.
During service, all refrigerants should be
reclaimed with proper equipment. Venting
refrigerants directly to the atmosphere is
harmful to the environment and may also
create unsafe conditions based on
inhalation, combustion, frostbite, or other
health-based concerns.
The air conditioning system requires periodic
maintenance. SeeMaintenance Schedule
0 417.

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico/Paraguay-16515119) - 2023 - CRC - 6/2/22
Driving and Operating 193
Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 194
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Truck-Camper Loading Information . . . . 209
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . 216
Shifting Into Park (MechanicalShifter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Shifting Into Park (Electronic Shifter) . . . 217 Shifting out of Park (Mechanical
Shifter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Shifting out of Park (Electronic Shifter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . 219
Active Fuel Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . 220
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission (Mechanical
Shifter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Automatic Transmission (Electronic Shifter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Manual Mode (Mechanical Shifter) . . . . 227
Manual Mode (Electronic Shifter) . . . . . . 229
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . 234
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Locking Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Adaptive Cruise Control (Camera) . . . . . . 247
Super Cruise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Surround Vision System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Rear Pedestrian Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . 284
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico/Paraguay-16515119) - 2023 - CRC - 6/2/22
194 Driving and Operating
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . 289
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Recommended Fuel (2.7L L4 and 5.3LV8 Engines) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Recommended Fuel (6.2L V8 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Filling the Tank (Pickup Model) . . . . . . . . 295
Filling the Tank (Chassis Cab Model) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . 298
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . . . . . . . . 298
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Trailering App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab . . . . . 330Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel mileage. Here
are some driving tips to get the best fuel
economy possible:
.Set the climate controls to the desired
temperature after the engine is started,
or turn them off when not required.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long periods
of time.
.When road and weather conditions are
appropriate, use cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed limits or
drive more slowly when conditions
require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly inflated.
.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.

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico/Paraguay-16515119) - 2023 - CRC - 6/2/22
Driving and Operating 195
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 section 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 Belts 052.
.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.
.Allow enough following distance between
you and the driver in front of you.
.Focus on the task of driving.
Impaired Driving
Death and injury associated with impaired
driving is a global tragedy.
{Warning
Drinking alcohol or taking drugs and then
driving is very dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and judgment
can be affected by even a small amount
of alcohol or drugs. You can have a
serious —or even fatal —collision if you
drive after drinking or taking drugs.
Do not drive while under the influence of
alcohol or drugs, or ride with a driver
who has been drinking or is impaired by
drugs. Find alternate transportation
home; or if you are with a group,
designate a driver who will remain sober.

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico/Paraguay-16515119) - 2023 - CRC - 6/2/22
196 Driving and Operating
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating are
important factors in helping to control a
vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time. Deciding to push the brake
pedal is perception time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is about
three-quarters of a second. In that time, a
vehicle moving at 100 km/h (60 mph) travels
20 m (66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind include:
.Keep enough distance between you and
the vehicle in front of you.
.Avoid needless heavy braking.
.Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops or a brake fault
occurs, the brakes may lose power assist.
More effort will be required to stop the
vehicle. It may take longer to stop.
Steering
Caution
To avoid damage to the steering system,
do not drive over curbs, parking barriers,
or similar objects at speeds greater than
3 km/h (1 mph). Use care when driving
over other objects such as lane dividers
and speed bumps. Damage caused by
misuse of the vehicle is not covered by
the vehicle warranty.
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle is equipped with an electric
power steering system, which reduces the
amount of effort needed to steer the
vehicle. It does not have power steering
fluid. Regular maintenance is not required.
If the vehicle experiences a system
malfunction and loses power steering,
greater steering effort may be required.
Power steering assist also may be reduced if
you turn the steering wheel as far as it can
turn and hold it there with force for an
extended period of time.
See your dealer if there is a problem.
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.

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico/Paraguay-16515119) - 2023 - CRC - 6/2/22
Driving and Operating 197
.Holding both sides of the steering wheel
allows you to turn 180 degrees without
removing a hand.
.The 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.
.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.

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico/Paraguay-16515119) - 2023 - CRC - 6/2/22
198 Driving and Operating
{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.
To gain more ground clearance if needed, it
may be necessary to remove the front fascia
lower air dam, if equipped. However, driving
without the air dam reduces fuel economy.
Caution
Operating the vehicle for extended
periods without the front fascia lower air
dam installed can cause improper airflow
to the engine. Reattach the front fascia
air dam after off-road driving.
Loading the Vehicle for Off-Road Driving
{Warning
.Unsecured cargo on the load floor can
be tossed about when driving over
rough terrain. You or your passengers
can be struck by flying objects. Secure
the cargo properly.
.Keep cargo in the cargo area as far
forward and as low as possible. The
heaviest things should be on the floor,
forward of the rear axle.
.Heavy loads on the roof raise the
vehicle's center of gravity, making it
more likely to roll over. You can be
seriously or fatally injured if the
vehicle rolls over. Put heavy loads
inside the cargo area, not on the roof. For more information about loading the
vehicle, see
Vehicle Load Limits 0204 and
Tires 0369.
Environmental Concerns
.Always use established trails, roads, and
areas that have been set aside for public
off-road recreational driving and obey all
posted regulations.
.Do not damage shrubs, flowers, trees,
or grasses or disturb wildlife.
.Do not park over things that burn. See
Parking over Things That Burn 0219.
Driving on Hills
Driving safely on hills requires good
judgment and an understanding of what the
vehicle can and cannot do.
{Warning
Many hills are simply too steep for any
vehicle. Driving up hills can cause the
vehicle to stall. Driving down hills can
cause loss of control. Driving across hills
can cause a rollover. You could be injured
or killed. Do not drive on steep hills.

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico/Paraguay-16515119) - 2023 - CRC - 6/2/22
Driving and Operating 199
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.
{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.
.Use headlamps even during the day to
make the vehicle more visible.
.Avoid turns that take the vehicle across
the incline of the hill. Driving across an
incline puts more weight on the downhill
wheels, which could cause a downhill
slide or a rollover.
.Loose gravel, muddy spots, or even wet
grass can cause the tires to slip sideways,
downhill. If the vehicle slips sideways, it
can hit something and potentially
roll over.
.Hidden obstacles can make the steepness
of the incline more severe. If a rock is
driven across with the uphill wheels, or if
the downhill wheels drop into a rut or
depression, the vehicle can tilt even more.
.If an incline must be driven across, and
the vehicle starts to slide, turn downhill.
This should help straighten out the
vehicle and prevent the side slipping.
.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.
.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
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).
{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.