ignition CHEVROLET COLORADO 2020 Owner's Guide

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566640) - 2020 - CRC - 9/30/19
128 Lighting
If after signaling a turn or a lane
change the arrows flash rapidly or
do not come on, a signal bulb could
be burned out.
Replace any burned out bulbs. If a
bulb is not burned out, check the
fuse. SeeFuses and Circuit
Breakers 0253.
Turn Signal On Chime
If the turn signal is left on for more
than 1.2 km (0.75 mi), a chime
sounds at each flash of the turn
signal. The message TURN
SIGNAL ON will also appear in the
Driver Information Center (DIC). To
turn the chime and message off,
move the turn signal lever to the off
position.Fog Lamps
If equipped, the control is on the
center of the exterior lamp control,
to the left of the steering column.
The ignition must be on for the fog
lamps to come on.
#: Press to turn the fog lamps on
or off. A light will come on in the
instrument cluster.
When the fog lamps are turned on,
the parking lamps automatically
turn on.
When the headlamps are changed
to high beam, the fog lamps go off.
When the high-beam headlamps are
turned off, the fog lamps will come
on again. Some localities have laws that
require the headlamps to be on with
the fog lamps.
Exterior Cargo Lamps
The cargo lamp provides more light
in the cargo area of the vehicle,
if needed. The lamps inside the
pickup box also turn on, if equipped.
Press the switch down to turn the
cargo lamp on or off. The shift lever
must be in P (Park), R (Reverse),
or N (Neutral) to operate the
cargo lamp.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566640) - 2020 - CRC - 9/30/19
130 Lighting
Reading Lamps
The front reading lamps,
if equipped, are in the overhead
console.
The rear reading lamps, if equipped,
are in the headliner.
#or$:Press to turn each lamp
on or off.
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting
Some exterior lamps and the interior
lamps turn on briefly at night, or in
areas with limited lighting, when
K
is pressed on the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter. When a
door is opened, the interior lamps
come on if the dome lamp control is
in the
Hposition. After about
30 seconds the exterior lamps turn
off. Entry lighting can be disabled
manually by changing the ignition
out of the OFF position, or by
pressing
Qon the RKE transmitter.
This feature can be changed. See
“Vehicle Locator Lights” under
Vehicle Personalization 0120.
Exit Lighting
Some exterior lamps and the interior
lamps come on at night, or in areas
with limited lighting when the key is
removed from the ignition. The
exterior and interior lamps remain
on for a set amount of time and then automatically turn off. The interior
lamps do not come on if the dome
lamp control is in the Off position.
The exterior lamps turn off
immediately by turning the exterior
lamps control off.
This feature can be changed. See
Vehicle Personalization
0120.
Battery Load
Management
The vehicle has Electric Power
Management (EPM), which
estimates the battery's temperature
and state of charge. It then adjusts
the voltage for best performance
and extended life of the battery.
When the battery's state of charge
is low, the voltage is raised slightly
to quickly bring the charge back up.
When the state of charge is high,
the voltage is lowered slightly to
prevent overcharging. The voltmeter
gauge or the voltage display on the
Driver Information Center (DIC),
if equipped, may show the voltage

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566640) - 2020 - CRC - 9/30/19
Lighting 131
moving up or down. This is normal.
If there is a problem, an alert will be
displayed.
The battery can be discharged at
idle if the electrical loads are very
high. This is true for all vehicles.
This is because the generator
(alternator) may not be spinning fast
enough at idle to produce all the
power that is needed for very high
electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when
several of the following are on, such
as: headlamps, high beams, fog
lamps, rear window defogger,
climate control fan at high speed,
heated seats, engine cooling fans,
trailer loads, and loads plugged into
accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive
discharge of the battery. It does this
by balancing the generator's output
and the vehicle's electrical needs.
It can increase engine idle speed to
generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce
the power demands of some
accessories.Normally, these actions occur in
steps or levels, without being
noticeable. In rare cases at the
highest levels of corrective action,
this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a DIC message might
be displayed and it is recommended
that the driver reduce the electrical
loads as much as possible.
Battery Power Protection
This feature shuts off the dome and
reading lamps, if they are left on for
more than 10 minutes after the
ignition is turned off. The cargo
lamp shuts off after 20 minutes. This
prevents the battery from
running down.
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver
The exterior lamps turn off about
10 minutes after the ignition is
turned off, if the parking lamps or
headlamps have been manually left
on. This protects against draining
the battery. To restart the 10-minute
timer, turn the exterior lamp control
to the
Oposition and then back to
the
;or2position.
To keep the lamps on for more than
10 minutes, the ignition must be on
or in ACC/ACCESSORY.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566640) - 2020 - CRC - 9/30/19
134 Climate Controls
Air Delivery Mode Control :Press
Y,\,[, or-to change the
direction of the airflow. An indicator
light comes on in the selected mode
button.
Y: Air is directed to the instrument
panel outlets.
\: Air is divided between the
instrument panel and floor outlets.
[: Air is directed to the floor
outlets, with some air directed to the
windshield, outboard instrument
panel, and side window outlets.
-: This mode clears the windows
of fog or moisture. Air is directed to
the windshield, with some air
directed to the floor, outboard
instrument panel outlets, and side
window outlets.
0: Press to clear the windshield of
fog or frost more quickly. Air is
directed to the windshield and side
window vents, with some air
directed to the outboard instrument
panel. The system automatically
forces outside air into the vehicle and the air conditioning compressor
will run, unless the outside
temperature is close to freezing.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
See
Air Vents 0138.
@:Press to turn on recirculation.
An indicator light comes on. Air is
recirculated to quickly cool the
inside of the vehicle. It can also be
used to help reduce outside air and
odors that enter the vehicle.
8: If equipped, press to turn on
outside air. An indicator light comes
on. Outside air is circulated
throughout the vehicle.
A/C : Press to turn the air
conditioning system on or off. An
indicator light comes on to show
that the air conditioning is enabled.
If the fan is turned off, the air
conditioner will not run. The A/C
light will stay on even if the outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Rear Window Defogger
K: If equipped, press to turn the
rear window defogger on or off. An
indicator light on the button comes
on to show that the rear window
defogger is on.
The rear window defogger only
works when the ignition is on. The
defogger also turns off if the ignition
is turned to off or ACC/
ACCESSORY.
Caution
Using a razor blade or sharp
object to clear the inside rear
window can damage the rear
window defogger. Repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Do not clear the inside
rear window with sharp objects.
Heated Mirrors : If equipped with
heated outside mirrors, the mirrors
heat to help clear fog or frost from
the surface of the mirror when the
rear window defog button is
pressed. See Heated Mirrors 022.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566640) - 2020 - CRC - 9/30/19
138 Climate Controls
K:Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. An indicator light
on the button comes on to show that
the rear window defogger is on.
The rear window defogger only
works when the ignition is on. The
defogger also turns off if the ignition
is turned to off or ACC/
ACCESSORY.
Caution
Using a razor blade or sharp
object to clear the inside rear
window can damage the rear
window defogger. Repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Do not clear the inside
rear window with sharp objects.
Heated Mirrors : If equipped with
heated outside mirrors, the mirrors
heat to help clear fog or frost from
the surface of the mirror when the
rear window defog button is
pressed. See Heated Mirrors 022.
Air Vents
Adjustable air vents are in the
center and on the side of the
instrument panel. Use the sliding
knobs on the air vents to change
the direction of the airflow. Slide the
knob up or down to open or close
off the airflow.
Air vents blow warm air on the side
windows in cold weather. If Floor,
Defog, or Defrost modes are
selected, a small amount of air will
come from the vents close to the
window. If the airflow is shut off
using the sliding knobs, warm air
will be directed to the other
instrument panel vents. This is
normal operation.
Use the sliding knobs to turn vent
airflow on or off based on the mode
selected.
Operation Tips
.
Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from air inlets at the
base of the windshield that could
block the flow of air into the
vehicle. .
Clear snow off the hood to
improve visibility and help
decrease moisture drawn into
the vehicle.
. Keep the path under the front
seats clear of objects to help
circulate the air inside of the
vehicle more effectively.
. Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
Check with your dealer before
adding equipment to the outside
of the vehicle.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566640) - 2020 - CRC - 9/30/19
140 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 149
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 150
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 152
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Truck-Camper Loading Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 159
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Active Fuel Management . . . . . 166
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 168
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 181
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 185 Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . 185
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . 186
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Locking Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 191
Assistance Systems for
Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 192
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . 199
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 199
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566640) - 2020 - CRC - 9/30/19
Driving and Operating 149
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
could drown. If it is only shallow
water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires.(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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
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 0315.
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.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566640) - 2020 - CRC - 9/30/19
150 Driving and Operating
{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 iswet 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 Tires0261.
. 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, 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
(Continued)

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566640) - 2020 - CRC - 9/30/19
160 Driving and Operating
Ignition Positions
0. Stopping the Engine/LOCK/OFF
1. ACC/ACCESSORY
2. ON/RUN
3. START
The ignition switch has four
positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be ON/RUN and the brake
pedal must be applied.0 (Stopping the Engine/LOCK/
OFF) :
This position turns off the
vehicle. It also locks the ignition, the
transmission, and the steering
column, if equipped with a locking
steering column.
To turn off the vehicle:
1. Make sure that the vehicle is stopped.
2. Shift to P (Park).
3. Continue to hold the brake pedal, then set the parking
brake. See Parking Brake
0 181. 4. Push the key all the way in
toward the steering column,
then turn the key to
LOCK/OFF.
5. Remove the key.
6. Release the brake pedal.
See your dealer if the key can be
removed in any other position.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) 0164.
A warning chime will sound when
the driver door is opened and the
key is in the ignition.
If equipped with a locking steering
column, the steering can bind with
the front wheels turned off center,
which may prevent key rotation out
of LOCK/OFF. If this happens, move
the steering wheel from right to left
while turning the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY. If this does not work,
then the vehicle needs service.

Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13566640) - 2020 - CRC - 9/30/19
Driving and Operating 161
{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, turn off the vehicle
only in an emergency.
In an emergency, if the vehicle
cannot be pulled over and must be
turned off while driving: 1. Push the key all the way in toward the steering column,
then turn the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
2. Brake using firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
3. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. Continue
braking and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.
4. Come to a complete stop. 5. Shift to P (Park).
6. Push the key all the way in
toward the steering column (1),
then turn the ignition to
LOCK/OFF (2).
7. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake 0181.
8. Remove the key.
9. Release the brake pedal.
Caution
Use the correct key, make sure it
is all the way in —or pushed all
the way in toward the steering
column when turning off the
vehicle —and turn it only with
your hand.
1 (ACC/ACCESSORY) : This
position allows features such as the
infotainment system to operate
while the vehicle is off. It also
unlocks the steering column,
if equipped with a locking steering
column. Use this position if the vehicle must be pushed or towed.
See
Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) 0164.
From ON/RUN, push the key all the
way in toward the steering column,
then turn the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
If the key is left in ACC/
ACCESSORY with the engine off,
the battery could drain and the
vehicle may not start.
A warning chime will sound when
the driver door is opened and the
key is in the ignition.
2 (ON/RUN) : This position can be
used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument 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.