parking brake CHEVROLET COLORADO 2012 1.G Owners Manual

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-3
A.Air Vents on page 8‑3.
B. Turn and Lane‐Change Lever. See Turn and Lane-Change
Signals on page 6‑4.
Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑2.
C. Instrument Cluster on page 5‑7.
D. Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6‑4.
E. Passenger Side Airbag. See Airbag System on page 3‑20.
F. Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
Fog Lamps on page 6‑5
(If Equipped).
Exterior Cargo Lamps on
page 6‑5. G.
Parking Brake on page 9‑41.
H. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑13.
I. Horn on page 5‑2.
J. StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑44.
Four-Wheel Drive on
page 10‑29.
K. Infotainment on page 7‑1.
L. Climate Control Systems on
page 8‑1.
M. Power Outlets on page 5‑5.
N. Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 5‑11.
Initial Drive
Information
This section provides a brief
overview about some of the
important features that may or may
not be on your specific vehicle.
For more detailed information, refer
to each of the features which can be
found later in this owner manual.

Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
1-14 In Brief
Four-Wheel Drive
Four-wheel drive sends engine
power to all four wheels for extra
traction.
The transfer case buttons are
located to the right of the steering
wheel on the instrument panel.
Use these buttons to shift into and
out of four-wheel drive.2
m(Two-Wheel High):
Use for
driving in most street and highway
situations.
{WARNING
Shifting the transfer case to
N (Neutral) can cause the vehicle
to roll even if the transmission is
in P (Park). You or someone else
could be seriously injured. Be
sure to set the parking brake
before placing the transfer case in
N (Neutral). See Parking Brake on
page 9‑41. N (Neutral):
Use the N (Neutral)
position only when towing the
vehicle. See Recreational Vehicle
Towing on page 10‑89.
4
m(Four-Wheel High): Use when
extra traction is needed in most
off-road situations.
4
n(Four-Wheel Low): Use this
position to deliver extra torque
to all four wheels. Used for extreme
off‐road conditions. See Four-Wheel
Drive on page 9‑36.

Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-15
The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
.The malfunction indicator lamp is
on with the engine running, or if
the light does not come on when
the ignition is turned to ON/RUN
while the engine is off.
.The OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics) system determines
that critical emission control
systems have not been
completely diagnosed. The
vehicle would be considered not
ready for inspection. This can
happen if the 12-volt battery has
recently been replaced or run
down. The diagnostic system
is designed to evaluate critical
emission control systems during
normal driving. This can take
several days of routine driving.If this has been done and the
vehicle still does not pass the
inspection for lack of OBD II
system readiness, your dealer
can prepare the vehicle for
inspection.Brake System Warning
Light
The vehicle brake system consists
of two hydraulic circuits. If one
circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the
vehicle. For normal braking
performance, both circuits need
to be working
If the warning light comes on, there
could be a brake problem. Have the
brake system inspected right away.
EnglishMetric
This light comes on briefly when the
ignition key is turned to ON/RUN.
If it does not, have it fixed so it
will be ready to warn if there is a
problem.
When the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light comes on
when the parking brake is set. See
Parking Brake on page 9‑41 for
more information. The light stays
on if the parking brake does not
release fully. If it stays on after the
parking brake is fully released, it
means there is a brake problem.

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-23
Brake System Messages
ABS (Antilock Brake System)
FAULT
This message displays if there is a
problem with the Antilock Brake
System (ABS). Check the ABS as
soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced by your dealer. See
Braking on page 9‑4andAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑16 for more information.
Press and release the reset stem to
acknowledge the message and
clear it from the display.
BRAKES
This message displays if there is a
problem with the brakes. Check the
brakes as soon as possible and
have your vehicle serviced by your
dealer. See Braking on page 9‑4
and Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light on page 5‑16 for
more information. Press and release
the reset stem to acknowledge the
message and clear it from the
display.
FLUID
This message displays if the brake
fluid is low. Check the brake fluid
as soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
See Braking on page 9‑4 for more
information. Press and release the
reset stem to acknowledge the
message and clear it from the
display.
PARK BRK (Brake)
This message displays when the
parking brake is set. See Parking
Brake on page 9‑41 andAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑16 for more information.
The message clears from the
display after the parking brake
is released or by pressing and
releasing the reset stem.
Door Ajar Messages
DOORS
This message displays when one or
more of the doors is ajar. Check all
the doors on your vehicle to make
sure they are closed. The message
clears from the display after all of
the doors are closed.
Engine Cooling System
Messages
AC (Air Conditioning) OFF
This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is too
high and the air conditioning in your
vehicle needs to be turned off. See
Engine Overheating on page 10‑22
and Climate Control Systems on
page 8‑1 for more information. This
message displays along with the
ENG HOT message.

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
7-2 Infotainment System
For more information, seeDefensive
Driving on page 9‑3.
Notice: Contact your dealer
before adding any equipment.
Adding audio or communication
equipment could interfere with
the operation of the engine, radio,
or other systems, and could
damage them. Follow federal
rules covering mobile radio and
telephone equipment.
Notice: The chime signals related
to safety belts, parking brake,
and other functions of the
vehicle operate through the
radio/entertainment system. If that equipment is replaced
or additional equipment is
added to the vehicle, the
chimes may not work. Make sure
that replacement or additional
equipment is compatible with the
vehicle before installing it. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10‑3.
The vehicle has Retained
Accessory Power (RAP). With RAP,
the audio system can be played
even after the ignition is turned off.
See
Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) on page 9‑27 for more
information.Theft-Deterrent Feature
TheftLock®is designed to
discourage theft of the radio. The
feature works automatically by
learning a portion of the Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN). If the
radio is moved to a different vehicle,
it does not operate and either LOC
or LOCKED displays.
When the radio and vehicle are
turned off, there may be a blinking
red light to indicate TheftLock is
armed.
With TheftLock activated, the radio
does not operate if stolen.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 9-11
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-12
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-15
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-22
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Shifting Into Park (Automatic Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Shifting out of Park (Automatic Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Parking (Manual Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-31
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . 9-34
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Limited-Slip Rear Axle . . . . . . . 9-45
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
9-8 Driving and Operating
.Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible.
{WARNING
Driving to the top of a hill at high
speed can cause an accident.
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.
.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.
{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) for an automatic
transmission or any gear position
for a manual transmission. 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) for an automatic
transmission or any gear position
for a manual transmission. Shift
the transfer case to any position
but N (Neutral).
.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
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.

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-9
If the vehicle stalls on a hill:
1. Apply the brakes to stop thevehicle, and then apply the
parking brake.
2. Shift into P (Park) for an automatic transmission
or 1 (First) for a manual
transmission and then restart
the engine.
.If driving uphill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to
R (Reverse), release the
parking brake, and back
straight down.
.Never try to turn the vehicle
around. If the hill is steep
enough to stall the vehicle,
it is steep enough to cause
it to roll over.
.If you cannot make it up
the hill, back straight down
the hill.
.Never back down a hill in
N (Neutral) using only the
brake.
.The vehicle can roll
backward quickly and you
could lose control.
.If driving downhill when
the vehicle stalls, shift to
a lower gear, release the
parking brake, and drive
straight down the hill.
3. If the vehicle cannot be restarted after stalling, set
the parking brake, shift an
automatic transmission
into P (Park) or a manual
transmission into 1 (First),
and turn the vehicle off.
3.1. Leave the vehicle and seek help.
3.2. Stay clear of the path the vehicle would take if it
rolled downhill.
.Avoid turns that take the vehicle
across the incline of the hill.
A hill that can be driven straight
up or down might be too steep to
drive across. Driving across an
incline puts more weight on the
downhill wheels which could
cause a downhill slide or a
rollover.
.Surface conditions can be a
problem. 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
that will trip it –a rock, a rut,
etc. –and 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.

Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
9-24 Driving and Operating
2. Shift the vehicle to neutral. Thiscan be done while the vehicle is
moving. After shifting to neutral,
firmly apply the brakes and steer
the vehicle to a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop. Shift to P (Park) with an automatic
transmission, or neutral with a
manual transmission. Turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on page 9‑41.
{WARNING
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled
over, and must be shut off while
driving, turn the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY. On vehicles with an automatic
transmission, the shift lever must be
in P (Park) to turn the ignition switch
to LOCK/OFF.
The steering can bind with the
wheels turned off center. If this
happens, move the steering wheel
from right to left while turning the
key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
doesn't work, then the vehicle needs
service.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY):
This
is the position in which you can
operate the electrical accessories or
items plugged into the accessory
power outlets. On automatic
transmission vehicles, this position
unlocks the ignition. On manual
transmission vehicles, it unlocks
the ignition and steering wheel. Use
this position if the vehicle must be
pushed or towed.
C (ON/RUN): This position can
be used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument panel 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 on automatic transmission
vehicles.
If you leave the key in the ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN position
with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. You may not be able to
start your vehicle if the battery is
allowed to drain for an extended
period of time.
D (START):
This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for
driving.
A warning tone will sound when the
driver door is opened, the ignition is
in ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF
and the key is in the ignition.

Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-25
Starting the Engine
Place the transmission in the
proper gear.
Automatic Transmission
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
vehicle when it is already moving,
use N (Neutral) only.
Notice: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.
Manual Transmission
The shift lever should be in
N (Neutral) and the parking brake
engaged. Hold the clutch pedal
down to the floor and start the
engine. The vehicle will not start
if the clutch pedal is not all the
way down.
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 the engine
warms. 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.
The vehicle has a
Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in
starting the engine and protects
components. If the ignition key is
turned to the START position,
and then released when the
engine begins cranking, the
engine will continue cranking
for a few seconds or until the
vehicle starts. If the engine does
not start and the key is held
in START for many seconds,
cranking will be stopped after
15 seconds to prevent cranking
motor damage. To prevent gear damage, this system also
prevents cranking if the engine
is already running. Engine
cranking can be stopped by
turning the ignition switch
to ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF.
Notice: Cranking the engine for
long periods of time, by returning
the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start
after 5‐10 seconds, especially
in very cold weather (below 0°F
or−18°C), it could be flooded
with too much gasoline. Push
the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and holding it there
as you hold the key in START
for a maximum of 15 seconds.
Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to allow
the cranking motor to cool.