traction control CHEVROLET COLORADO 2018 User Guide

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
11349743) - 2018 - crc - 10/12/17
150 Infotainment System
Infotainment
System
Introduction
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . 151
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Home Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Software Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Radio
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Multi-Band Antenna . . . . . . . . . . 158
Audio Players
Avoiding Untrusted MediaDevices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
USB Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Auxiliary Jack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Bluetooth Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Voice Recognition
Voice Recognition . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Phone
Bluetooth (Overview) . . . . . . . . . 172 Bluetooth (Voice
Recognition) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Bluetooth (Infotainment Controls) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Text Messaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Apple CarPlay and
Android Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Trademarks and License
Agreements
Trademarks and LicenseAgreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Introduction
Infotainment
Base radio information is included in
this manual. See the infotainment
manual for information on other
available infotainment systems.
Read the following pages to
become familiar with the features.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road for
too long or too often while using
any infotainment feature can
cause a crash. You or others
could be injured or killed. Do not
give extended attention to
infotainment tasks while driving.
Limit your glances at the vehicle
displays and focus your attention
on driving. Use voice commands
whenever possible.
The infotainment system has built-in
features intended to help avoid
distraction by disabling some

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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172 Infotainment System
Bluetooth Speech Recognition
(If Equipped)
Voice Pass-Thru allows access to
the speech recognition commands
on the cell phone. See your cell
phone manufacturer’s user guide to
see if the cell phone supports this
feature.
Activating this function will start the
Bluetooth Speech Recognition on a
connected phone.
The steering wheel controls are
used to operate this function.
Press and hold
gto activate.
A voice session begins so that voice
commands can be given to Siri or
many other controls provided by the
cell phone.
Press
@to exit or pressito
close and return to the previous
application prior to the start of Voice
Pass-Thru.
Phone
Bluetooth (Overview)
Instructions for using the cell phone
may differ between infotainment
systems. The base radio and base
radio with touchscreen instructions
are included in this manual. See the
infotainment manual for instructions
on the uplevel radios.
Bluetooth-capable systems can
interact with many cell phones,
allowing:
. Placement and receipt of calls in
a hands-free mode.
. Sharing of the cell phone’s
address book or contact list with
the vehicle.
To minimize driver distraction,
before driving, and with the vehicle
parked:
. Become familiar with the
features of the cell phone.
Organize the phone book and
contact lists clearly and delete duplicate or rarely used entries.
If possible, program speed dial
or other shortcuts.
. Review the controls and
operation of the infotainment
system.
. Pair cell phone(s) to the vehicle.
The system may not work with
all cell phones. See “Pairing”in
this section.
. If the cell phone has voice
dialing capability, learn to use
that feature to access the
address book or contact list.
. See “Deleting a Paired Phone”
and/or “Deleting a Bluetooth
Device” in this section.
{Warning
When using a cell phone, it can
be distracting to look too long or
too often at the screen of the
phone or the infotainment system.
Taking your eyes off the road too
(Continued)

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 197
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 206
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 207
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 209
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Truck-Camper LoadingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 216
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Running the Vehicle While
Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 224
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Manual Transmission
Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . 229
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 240
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 243
Driver Mode Control
(ZR2 Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . 245
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Locking Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Driver Assistance Systems
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 250
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 256
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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198 Driving and Operating
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . 271
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Driving Information
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.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 201
3. Turn the steering wheel to gostraight 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.
{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.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 203
.Do not park over things that
burn. See Parking over Things
That Burn 0223.
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.
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.
. 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 or electronic 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).
. 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.

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Driving and Operating 205
.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.
{Warning
Getting out of the vehicle on the
downhill side when stopped
across an incline is dangerous.
If the vehicle rolls over, you could
be crushed or killed. Always get
out on the uphill side of the
vehicle and stay well clear of the
rollover path.
Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow,
or Ice
Use a low gear when driving in
mud —the deeper the mud, the
lower the gear. Keep the vehicle
moving to avoid getting stuck.
Traction changes when driving on
sand. On loose sand, such as on
beaches or sand dunes, the tires
tend to sink into the sand. This
affects steering, accelerating, and braking. Drive at a reduced speed
and avoid sharp turns or abrupt
maneuvers.
Traction is reduced on hard packed
snow and ice and it is easy to lose
control. Reduce vehicle speed when
driving on hard packed snow
and ice.
{Warning
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds,
or rivers can be dangerous. Ice
conditions vary greatly and the
vehicle could fall through the ice;
you and your passengers could
drown. Drive your vehicle on safe
surfaces only.
Driving in Water
{Warning
Driving through rushing water can
be dangerous. Deep water can
sweep your vehicle downstream
and you and your passengers
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
could drown. If it is only shallow
water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires.
Traction could be lost, and the
vehicle could roll over. Do not
drive through rushing water.
Caution
Do not drive through standing
water if it is deep enough to cover
the wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust
pipe. Deep water can damage the
axle and other vehicle parts.
If the standing water is not too deep,
drive through it slowly. At faster
speeds, water can get into the
engine and cause it to stall. Stalling
can occur if the exhaust pipe is
under water. Do not turn off the
ignition when driving through water.
If the exhaust pipe is under water,
the engine will not start. When going
through water, the brakes get wet

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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206 Driving and Operating
and it may take longer to stop. See
“Driving on Wet Roads”later in this
section.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that
has collected on the underbody or
chassis, or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand,
have the brake linings cleaned and
checked. These substances can
cause glazing and uneven braking.
Check the body structure, driveline,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires,
and exhaust system for damage and
check the fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
More frequent maintenance service
is required. See the Maintenance
Schedule 0365.
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. See Tires0312.
. Turn off cruise control.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 207
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, cooling system, and
transmission.
. 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.
{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, accident).
. 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 Ice
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 0240.
. 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) 0238.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 209
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
See“Rocking the Vehicle to Get It
Out” later in this section.
If equipped, the front and rear axles
may be locked to improve traction.
See Locking Front Axle 0246 and
Locking Rear Axle 0245.
The Traction Control System (TCS)
can often help to free a stuck
vehicle. See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0240.
If TCS cannot free the vehicle, see
“Rocking the Vehicle to Get it Out”
following.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
For information about using tire
chains on the vehicle, see Tire
Chains 0332.
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
It Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. For four-wheel-drive
vehicles, shift into Four-Wheel Drive
High. Turn the TCS off. Shift back
and forth between R (Reverse) and
a forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Slowly spinning the wheels in
the forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not get
the vehicle out after a few tries, it might need to be towed out. See
Towing the Vehicle
0348. Recovery
hooks can be used, if the vehicle
has them.
Recovery Hooks
{Warning
Never pull on recovery hooks
from the side. The hooks could
break and you and others could
be injured. When using recovery
hooks, always pull the vehicle
from the front.