towing CHEVROLET COLORADO 2007 1.G Owners Manual

Seats and Restraint Systems
....................... 7
Front Seats
.............................................. 9
Rear Seats
............................................. 17
Safety Belts
............................................ 20
Child Restraints
...................................... 44
Airbag System
........................................ 77
Restraint System Check
......................... 96
Features and Controls
................................ 99
Keys
..................................................... 101
Doors and Locks
.................................. 106
Windows
............................................... 112
Theft-Deterrent Systems
....................... 115
Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
.............................................. 118
Mirrors
.................................................. 141OnStar®System
................................... 149
Storage Areas
...................................... 153
Sunroof
................................................ 156
Instrument Panel
....................................... 157
Instrument Panel Overview
................... 160
Climate Controls
................................... 177
Warning Lights, Gages, and
Indicators
.......................................... 181
Driver Information Center (DIC)
............ 198
Audio System(s)
................................... 206
Driving Your Vehicle
................................. 245
Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle
..................................... 246
Towing
................................................. 299
2007 Chevrolet Colorado Owner ManualM
1

{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light in the
instrument panel cluster ever comes on
and stays on, it means that something
may be wrong with the airbag system.
If this ever happens, have the vehicle
serviced promptly, because an adult-size
person sitting in the right front passenger’s
seat may not have the protection of the
airbag(s). SeeAirbag Readiness Light
on page 185for more on this, including
important safety information.
Aftermarket equipment, such as seat covers, can
affect how well the passenger sensing system
operates. You may want to consider not using seat
covers or other aftermarket equipment if your
vehicle has the passenger sensing system.SeeAdding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 95for more information about
modications that can affect how the system
operates.
{CAUTION:
Stowing of articles under the passenger’s
seat or between the passenger’s seat
cushion and seatback may interfere with
the proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
93

Starting and Operating
Your Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will perform better in
the long run if you follow these guidelines:
Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 km/h)
or less for the rst 500 miles (805 km).
Do not drive at any one constant speed,
fast or slow, for the rst 500 miles
(805 km). Do not make full-throttle starts.
Avoid downshifting to brake, or slow,
the vehicle.
Avoid making hard stops for the
rst 200 miles (322 km) or so. During this
time the new brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with new linings
can mean premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this breaking-in
guideline every time you get new
brake linings.
Do not tow a trailer during break-in.
SeeTowing a Trailer on page 306for
the trailer towing capabilities of your
vehicle and more information.
Following break-in, engine speed and load
can be gradually increased.
118

Automatic Transmission Operation
Your automatic transmission has a shift lever on
the steering column.
It features an electronic shift position indicator
within the instrument cluster. This display must
be powered anytime the shift lever is capable
of being moved out of PARK (P). This means that
if your key is turned off, but not in LOCK, there
will be a small current drain on your battery which
could discharge your battery over a period of
time. If you need to leave your key in the ignition
but not in LOCK for an extended period, it is
recommended that you disconnect the battery
cable from the battery to prevent discharging
your battery.
There are several different positions for your
shift lever.PARK (P):This position locks your rear wheels.
It is the best position to use when you start
your engine because your vehicle cannot
move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake rmly set. Your
vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the
engine is running unless you have to.
If you have left the engine running, the
vehicle can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure your vehicle
will not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, always set your
parking brake and move the shift lever
to PARK (P). SeeShifting Into Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission) on page 135.
If you are pulling a trailer, seeTowing
a Trailer on page 306.
124

DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving.
If provides the best fuel economy for your vehicle.
If you need more power for passing, and you are:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push
your accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push
the accelerator all the way down.
You will shift down to the next gear and have
more power.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding, see “Skidding”
underLoss of Control on page 259.
THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal
driving. However, it reduces vehicle speed
more than DRIVE (D) without using your brakes.
You might choose THIRD (3) instead of DRIVE (D)
when driving on hilly, winding roads, when
towing a trailer, so there is less shifting between
gears and when going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2):This position reduces vehicle speed
even more than THIRD (3) without using your
brakes. You can use SECOND (2) on hills. It can
help control your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to
use your brakes off and on.FIRST (1):This position reduces vehicle speed
even more than SECOND (2) without using
your brakes. You can use it on very steep hills, or
in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in
FIRST (1) while the vehicle is moving forward, the
transmission will not shift into rst gear until the
vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill using only
the accelerator pedal may damage the
transmission. The repair will not be covered by
your warranty. If you are stuck, do not spin
the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Manual Transmission Operation
This is your
shift pattern.
126

Four-Wheel Drive
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive, you can send
your engine’s driving power to all four wheels for
extra traction. To get the best performance out of
four-wheel drive, you must be familiar with its
operation. Read the part that follows before using
four-wheel drive. You should use two-wheel-drive
high for most normal driving conditions.
Notice:Driving on clean, dry pavement in
four-wheel drive for an extended period of
time can cause premature wear on your
vehicle’s powertrain. Do not drive on clean,
dry pavement in Four-Wheel Drive for
extended periods of time.
Notice:If your vehicle has four-wheel drive
and the compact spare tire is installed on
your vehicle, do not drive in four-wheel drive
until you can have your at tire repaired and/or
replaced. You could damage your vehicle,
and the repair costs would not be covered
by your warranty. Never use four-wheel drive
when the compact spare tire is installed
on your vehicle.The transfer case buttons are located to the right
of the steering wheel on the instrument panel.
Recommended Transfer Case Settings
Driving ConditionsTransfer Case Settings
2m4m4nN
Normal YES
Severe YES
Extreme YES
Vehicle in Tow* YES
*SeeRecreational Vehicle Towing on page 300
orTowing Your Vehicle on page 299for further
information.
129

Use these buttons to shift into and out of four-wheel
drive. You can choose from the following:
2
m(Two-Wheel High):This setting is for driving
in most street and highway situations. Your
front axle is not engaged in two-wheel drive.
{CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL
can cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in PARK (P), or if you
have a manual transmission, even if you
are in gear. You or someone else could
be seriously injured. Be sure to set the
parking brake before placing the transfer
case in NEUTRAL. SeeParking Brake
on page 133.
N (NEUTRAL):Shift the vehicle’s transfer case
to NEUTRAL only when towing your vehicle.4
m(Four-Wheel High):This setting engages
your front axle to help drive your vehicle. Use
four-wheel high when you need extra traction,
such as on snowy or icy roads, or in most off-road
situations.
4
n(Four-Wheel Low):This setting also
engages your front axle to give you extra traction.
It sends the maximum power to all four wheels.
You might choose four-wheel low if you were
driving off-road in sand, mud, or deep snow and
while climbing or descending steep hills.
Indicator lights in the buttons show you which
setting you are in. The indicator lights will come
on briey when you turn on the ignition and
one will stay on the selected setting. If the lights
do not come on, you should take your vehicle in for
service. An indicator light will ash while shifting.
It will stay on when the shift is completed.
If for some reason the transfer case does not shift,
it will return to the last chosen setting.
Shifting from Two-Wheel High to
Four-Wheel High
Press and release the Four-Wheel High button.
This can be done at any speed, and the front
axle will lock automatically.
130

Press and release the Four-Wheel High or
Two-Wheel High button. You must wait for the
Four-Wheel High or Two-Wheel High indicator light
to stop ashing and stay on before shifting the
transmission into gear or releasing the clutch pedal.
If the Four-Wheel High or Two-Wheel High button
is pressed when your vehicle is in gear and/or
moving faster than 3 mph (5km/h), the Four-Wheel
High or Two Wheel High indicator light will ash
for 30 seconds but not complete the shift.
Shifting to NEUTRAL
Use NEUTRAL when you plan to tow your vehicle.
SeeRecreational Vehicle Towing on page 300
for towing instructions. To shift the transfer case
into NEUTRAL do the following:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Start the vehicle.
3. Press the regular brake pedal and shift
the transmission in NEUTRAL (N), or
press in the clutch for vehicles with a
manual transmission.4. Shift the transfer case to Two-Wheel High.
5. Press and hold the Two-Wheel High and
Four-Wheel Low buttons at the same time
for 10 seconds. The NEUTRAL (N) light
will come on when the transfer case shift to
NEUTRAL (N) is complete.
6. Press and hold the regular brake pedal and
shift the transmission to REVERSE (R) for
one second, then shift the transmission
to DRIVE (D) for one second, or FIRST (1) for
vehicles with manual transmissions, and let
out the clutch to insure the transfer case is in
NEUTRAL. If the vehicle is not in NEUTRAL,
repeat this procedure starting at Step 3.
7. Turn the engine off by turning the key to ACC.
8. Place the transmission shift lever in PARK (P),
or FIRST (1) for vehicles that have a manual
transmission.
9. Turn the ignition to LOCK.
132

Shifting Out of NEUTRAL
After towing your vehicle, you will have to shift
out of NEUTRAL in order to drive. To shift out
of NEUTRAL, do the following:
1. Set the parking brake and apply the regular
brake pedal.
2. Start a vehicle with an automatic transmission
in PARK (P). Use FIRST (1) for vehicles with
a manual transmission.
3. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL (N), or
press the clutch pedal for vehicles with a
manual transmission.
4. Press the button for the desired transfer case
shift position (Two-Wheel High, Four-Wheel
High, or Four-Wheel Low).
5. After the transfer case has shifted out of
NEUTRAL, the indicator light will go out.
6. Release the parking brake.
7. Shift the transmission to the desired position.
Parking Brake
The parking brake
pedal is located to
the left of the regular
brake pedal, near
the driver’s door.
To set the parking brake, hold the regular
brake pedal down with your right foot. Push the
parking brake pedal down to its fully-applied
position with your left foot.
A chime will activate and the brake warning
light, located on the instrument panel, will ash
when the parking brake is applied and the vehicle
is moving at least 3 mph (5 km/h) for at least
three seconds. The chime will deactivate and the
light will turn off when the parking brake is set
and the vehicle is moving below 3 mph (5 km/h).
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 189.
133

To release the parking brake, hold the regular
brake pedal down. Pull the bottom edge of
the lever, located above the parking brake pedal,
with the parking brake symbol, directly rearward
to release the parking brake.If the ignition is on when the parking brake is
released, the brake system warning light will
go off.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system and cause
premature wear or damage to brake system
parts. Verify that the parking brake is fully
released and the brake warning light is
off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on
any hill, seeTowing a Trailer on page 306.
134