Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD/3500 HD Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.
S./Canada/Mexico-16908339) - 2024 - CRC - 12/12/22
192 Driving and Operating
Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 193
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
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
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . 214
Vehicle Shutdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . 216Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . 217
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Brakes
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Adaptive Cruise Control (Camera) . . . . . . 235
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Surround Vision System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . 257
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . 264
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Filling the Tank (Pickup Models) . . . . . . . 267
Filling the Tank (Chassis Cab and Box Delete Models) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
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Driving and Operating 193
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . 270
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Driving Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Trailering App . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . 300
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab . . . . . 302
Driving 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.
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.
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Driving and Operating 201
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle
traction and affect your ability to stop and
accelerate. Always drive slower in these
types of driving conditions and avoid driving
through large puddles and deep-standing or
flowing water.
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes. They
might not work as well in a quick stop
and could cause pulling to one side. You
could lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of
water or a car/vehicle wash, lightly apply
the brake pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates strong
forces. Driving through flowing water
could cause the vehicle to be carried
away. If this happens, you and other
vehicle occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be very
cautious about trying to drive through
flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water can build
up under the vehicle's tires so they actually
ride on the water. This can happen if the
road is wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is hydroplaning, it
has little or no contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow
down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet weather
driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping equipment in
good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid reservoir
filled.
.Have good tires with proper tread depth.
SeeTires 0339.
.Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through mountains
is different than driving on flat or rolling
terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in good
shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes, tires, and
cooling system.
.Shift to a lower gear when going down
steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the vehicle on a
long downhill slope can cause brake
overheating, can reduce brake
performance, and could result in a loss of
braking. Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the brakes
on a steep downhill slope.
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202 Driving and Operating
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or with
the ignition off is dangerous. This can
cause overheating of the brakes and loss
of steering assist. Always have the engine
running and the vehicle in gear.
.Drive at speeds that keep the vehicle in
its own lane. Do not swing wide or cross
the center line.
.Be alert on top of hills; something could
be in your lane (e.g., stalled car, crash).
.Pay attention to special road signs (e.g.,
falling rocks area, winding roads, long
grades, passing or no-passing zones) and
take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or IceCaution
To avoid damage to the wheels and
brake components, always clear snow and
ice from inside the wheels and
underneath the vehicle before driving. Snow or ice between the tires and the road
creates less traction or grip, so drive
carefully. Wet ice can occur at about 0 °C
(32 °F) when freezing rain begins to fall.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating too quickly
causes the wheels to spin and makes the
surface under the tires slick.
.Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction
Control/Electronic Stability Control 0230.
.The Antilock Brake System (ABS) improves
vehicle stability during hard stops, but
the brakes should be applied sooner than
when on dry pavement. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) 0227.
.Allow greater following distance and
watch for slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in shaded
areas. The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. Avoid sudden
steering maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
.Turn off cruise control.
Cold Weather Mode
In very low temperatures, a cold weather
message may display on the Driver
Information Center (DIC). The engine speed,
transmission shift patterns, and cabin fan
speed may operate differently to enable the
vehicle to warm up quicker. You can
manually override the cabin fan speed in
cold weather mode.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and signal
for help. Stay with the vehicle unless there
is help nearby. If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside Assistance Program
0 402. To get help and keep everyone in
the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside mirror.
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust under the
vehicle. This may cause exhaust gases to
get inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO), which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
(Continued)
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230 Driving and Operating
HSA is available when the vehicle is facing
uphill in a forward gear, or when facing
downhill in R (Reverse). The vehicle must
come to a complete stop on a grade for HSA
to activate.
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction Control System
(TCS) and StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) system. These systems help
limit wheel spin and assist the driver in
maintaining control, especially on slippery
road conditions.
TCS activates if it senses any of the drive
wheels are spinning or beginning to lose
traction. When this happens, TCS applies the
brakes to the spinning wheels and reduces
engine power to limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak/ESC activates when the vehicle
senses a difference between the intended
path and the direction the vehicle is actually
traveling. StabiliTrak/ESC selectively applies
braking pressure to any one of the vehicle
wheel brakes to assist the driver in keepingthe vehicle on the intended path. Trailer
Sway Control (TSC) is also on automatically
when the vehicle is started. See
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) 0288.
If cruise control is being used and traction
control or StabiliTrak/ESC begins to limit
wheel spin, cruise control will disengage.
Cruise control may be turned back on when
road conditions allow.
Both systems come on automatically when
the vehicle is started and begins to move.
The systems may be heard or felt while
they are operating or while performing
diagnostic checks. This is normal and does
not mean there is a problem with the
vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both systems on
for normal driving conditions, but it may be
necessary to turn TCS off if the vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See If the
Vehicle Is Stuck 0203 and “Turning the
Systems Off and On” later in this section.
When the transfer case (if equipped) is in
Four-Wheel Drive Low, the stability system
is automatically disabled,
gcomes on, and
the appropriate message will appear on the Driver Information Center (DIC). Both
traction control and StabiliTrak/ESC are
automatically disabled in this condition.
The indicator light for both systems is in the
instrument cluster. This light will:
.Flash when TCS is limiting wheel spin.
.Flash when StabiliTrak/ESC is activated.
.Turn on and stay on when either system
is not working.
If either system fails to turn on or to
activate, a message displays in the Driver
Information Center (DIC), and
dcomes on
and stays on to indicate that the system is
inactive and is not assisting the driver in
maintaining control. The vehicle is safe to
drive, but driving should be adjusted
accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
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Driving and Operating 233
default mode. There is no persistent
indicator in the instrument cluster for
this mode.
6Snow/Ice Mode :Snow/Ice Mode
improves vehicle acceleration on snow and
ice covered roads. When active, Snow/Ice
Mode will adjust acceleration to optimize
traction on slippery surfaces. This can
compromise the acceleration on dry asphalt.
This feature is not intended for use when
the vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice, snow,
or gravel. If the vehicle becomes stuck, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck 0203.
7Off-Road Mode : Use this mode for
off-road recreational driving. Off-Road Mode
should be used to improve driving at
moderate speeds, on grass, gravel, dirt,
unpaved roads, or snow-covered roads. The
accelerator pedal is tuned for off-road use.
This mode modifies pedal mapping,
transmission shift pattern, Antilock Brake
System (ABS), StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability
Control (ESC), and Traction Control System
(TCS) performance.
For more information on off-road driving see
Off-Road Driving 0197.
_Tow/Haul Mode : Use this mode
when hauling heavy loads to provide
increased performance and vehicle control.
Tow/Haul Mode adjusts the transmission
shift pattern, trailer sway, and steering.
If the vehicle is turned off with Tow/Haul
Mode active and then restarted within four
hours or less, Tow/Haul will remain active.
Otherwise, the vehicle will start in
Normal Mode.
If the vehicle has a diesel engine, exhaust
braking is automatically activated when
Tow/Haul Mode is selected. It maintains
vehicle speed by automatically
implementing a shift pattern that uses the
engine and the transmission to slow the
vehicle. The system will command
downshifts and use the turbocharger on the
engine to reduce vehicle speed when the
brake is applied. The normal tow/haul shift
pattern will return once the vehicle is on a
low grade or when the accelerator pedal is
pressed.
While in the Electronic Range Select (ERS)
Mode, grade breaking is deactivated,
allowing the driver to select a range and
limiting the highest gear available. See
Manual Mode 0220. For more information on trailer weight
specifications, see
Towing Equipment 0278.
Locking Rear Axle
Vehicles with a locking rear axle can give
more traction on snow, mud, ice, sand,
or gravel. It works like a standard axle most
of the time, but when traction is low, this
feature will allow the rear wheel with the
most traction to move the vehicle.
Cruise Control
If equipped, cruise control allows the vehicle
to maintain a set speed of 40 km/h
(25 mph) or more without active
acceleration. Cruise control does not work at
speeds below about 40 km/h (25 mph).
{Warning
Cruise control can be dangerous where
you cannot drive safely at a steady
speed. Do not use cruise control on
winding roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast
changes in tire traction can cause
(Continued)
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234 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
excessive wheel slip, and you could lose
control. Do not use cruise control on
slippery roads.
Cruise control will disengage if:
.The Traction control system (TCS) and/or
StabiliTrack activates to limit wheel spin.
See Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0230.
.TCS or StabiliTrak/ESC is turned off.
.A collision alert occurs. See Forward
Collision Alert (FCA) System. See Forward
Collision Alert (FCA) System 0257.
.The brakes are applied.
5:Press to turn cruise control on or off.
A white indicator light comes on in the
instrument cluster when cruise control is
turned on.
+RES : If there is a set speed in memory,
press the control up briefly to resume to
that speed or press and hold to accelerate.
If cruise control is already engaged, use to
increase vehicle speed.
SET− :Press the control down briefly to set
the speed and activate cruise control.
If cruise control is already engaged, use to
decrease vehicle speed.
*: Press to disengage cruise control
without erasing the set speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If
5is on when not in use, SET− or +RES
could get pressed and engage cruise control
when not desired. Keep cruise control off
when it is not being used. Press
5to turn
off cruise control.
To set a speed:
1. Press
5.
2. Accelerate to the desired speed.
3. Press and release SET−.
4. Remove your foot from the accelerator. The cruise control indicator light on the
instrument cluster displays green after
cruise control has been set to the desired
speed. See
Instrument Cluster (Base Level)
0 107 orInstrument Cluster (Uplevel) 0108.
Resuming a Set Speed
If cruise control is set at a desired speed
and then the brakes are applied or
*is
pressed, cruise control is disengaged without
erasing the set speed from memory.
Once the vehicle reaches about 40 km/h
(25 mph) or more, press +RES up briefly. The
vehicle returns to the previous set speed.
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise Control
If cruise control is already activated:
.Press and hold +RES up until the desired
speed is reached, then release it.
.To increase vehicle speed in small
increments, briefly press +RES up. For
each press, the vehicle goes about 1 km/h
(1 mph) faster.
The speedometer reading can be displayed
in either English or metric units. See
Instrument Cluster (Base Level) 0107 or
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) 0108. The
increment value used depends on the units
displayed.
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Driving and Operating 235
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise Control
If cruise control is already activated:
.Press and hold SET–down until the
desired lower speed is reached, then
release it.
.To decrease vehicle speed in small
increments, briefly press SET– down. For
each press, the vehicle goes about 1 km/h
(1 mph) slower.
The speedometer reading can be displayed
in either English or metric units. See
Instrument Cluster (Base Level) 0107 or
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) 0108. The
increment value used depends on the units
displayed.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using Cruise
Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase the
vehicle speed. When you take your foot off
the accelerator pedal, the vehicle will slow
down to the previously set cruise speed.
While pressing the accelerator pedal or
shortly following the release to override
cruise control, briefly pressing SET– will
result in cruise control set to the current
vehicle speed. Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well cruise control works on a hill
depends on the vehicle speed, the load, and
the steepness of the hill. When going up a
steep hill, you may have to apply the
accelerator pedal to maintain the set speed.
While going downhill, cruise braking helps
maintain driver selected speed.
Cruise Grade Braking is enabled when the
vehicle is started and cruise control is active.
It assists in maintaining driver selected
speed when driving on downhill grades by
using the engine and transmission to slow
the vehicle.
For other forms of descent control, see
Hill
Descent Control (HDC) 0231, Automatic
Transmission 0218, and Tow/Haul Mode
0 221.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise control:
.Lightly apply the brake pedal.
.Press*.
.Shift the transmission to N (Neutral).
.Press5. Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is erased from
memory if
5is pressed or the ignition is
turned off.
Adaptive Cruise Control (Camera)
If equipped, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
allows the cruise control set speed and
following gap to be selected. Read this
entire section before using this system. The
following gap is the following time between
your vehicle and a vehicle detected directly
ahead in your path, moving in the same
direction. If no vehicle is detected in your
path, ACC works like regular cruise control.
ACC uses a windshield mounted front
camera sensor.
See Radio Frequency Statement 0407.
If a vehicle is detected in your path, ACC can
apply acceleration or limited, moderate
braking to maintain the selected following
gap. To disengage ACC, apply the brake.
If ACC is controlling the vehicle speed when
the Traction Control System (TCS) or
StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system activates, ACC may automatically
disengage. See Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0230. When road