wheel CHEVROLET EXPRESS 2012 Service Manual

Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
Driving and Operating 9-31
It is recommended to leave the
system on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn the system off if the vehicle
is stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow,
and you want to“rock”the vehicle to
attempt to free it. See If the Vehicle
Is Stuck on page 9-8.
StabiliTrak System Operation
The StabiliTrak system is normally
on, except when the system is
initializing or has been disabled with
the StabiliTrak button. The
StabiliTrak system will automatically
activate to assist the driver in
maintaining vehicle directional
control in most driving conditions.
When activated, the StabiliTrak
system may reduce engine power to
the wheels and apply braking to
individual wheels as necessary to
assist the driver with vehicle
directional control. If cruise control
is being used when StabiliTrak
activates, the cruise control
automatically disengages. The cruise control can be re-engaged
when road conditions allow. See
Cruise Control on page 9-32.
The StabiliTrak system may also
turn off automatically if it determines
that a problem exists with the
system. If the problem does not
clear itself after restarting the
vehicle, see your dealer for service.Traction Control Operation
TCS is part of the StabiliTrak
system. TCS limits wheel spin by
reducing engine power to the
wheels and by applying brakes to
each individual wheel as necessary.
If the brake-traction control system
activates constantly or if the brakes
have heated up due to high speed
braking, the brake-traction control
will be automatically disabled. The
system will come back on after the
brakes have cooled. This can take
up to two minutes or longer
depending on brake usage.
TCS may activate on dry or rough
roads or under conditions such as
heavy acceleration while turning or
abrupt upshifts/downshifts of the
transmission. When this reduction in
acceleration occurs, it may be
noticed, or a noise or vibration may
be heard. This is normal.
Adding non-dealer accessories can
affect the vehicle's performance.
See
Accessories and Modifications
on page 10-2.
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.

Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
9-32 Driving and Operating
Cruise Control
{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 excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
If equipped with cruise control, a
speed of about 40 km/h (25 mph) or
more can be maintained without
keeping your foot on the
accelerator. Cruise control does not
work at speeds below about 40 km/h
(25 mph).
If the vehicle has StabiliTrak and the
system begins to limit wheel spin,
cruise control will automatically disengage. See
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control on
page 9-29. When road conditions
allow cruise control to be safely
used again, cruise control can be
turned back on.
If the brakes are applied, cruise
control disengages.
I(On/Off): Press to turn cruise
control on or off. The white indicator
comes on in the instrument cluster
when cruise control is turned on. +RES (Resume/Accelerate):
If
there is a set speed in memory,
press briefly to resume to a
previously set speed, or press and
hold to accelerate. If cruise control
is already active, use to increase
vehicle speed.
SET− (Set/Coast): Press briefly to
set the speed and activate cruise
control, or press and hold to
decelerate. If cruise control is
already active, use to decrease
vehicle speed.
[(Cancel): Press to disengage
cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If the
Ibutton is on when not in
use, the SET− or +RES button
could get pressed and go into cruise
when not desired. Keep the
I
button off when cruise is not
being used.
1. Press
Ito turn the cruise
system on.

Black plate (45,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
Driving and Operating 9-45
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. The
combination you are driving is
longer and not as responsive as the
vehicle itself. Get acquainted with
the handling and braking of the rig
before setting out for the open road.
Before starting, check all trailer hitch
parts and attachments, safety
chains, electrical connectors, lamps,
tires, and mirrors. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start the
combination moving and then apply
the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure the brakes work.
During the trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure
and the lamps and any trailer
brakes still work.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid heavy
braking and sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. The
combination will not accelerate as
quickly and is longer so it is
necessary to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before
returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. To move the
trailer to the left, move that hand to
the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
{Caution
Making very sharp turns while
trailering could cause the trailer to
come in contact with the vehicle.(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
The vehicle could be damaged.
Avoid making very sharp turns
while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
If the trailer turn signal bulbs burn
out, the arrows on the instrument
cluster will still flash for turns. It is
important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear before starting down a long or
steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, the
brakes might get hot and no longer
work well.

Black plate (46,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
9-46 Driving and Operating
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift
the transmission to a lower gear if
the transmission shifts too often
under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
The Tow/Haul Mode may be used if
the transmission shifts too often.
SeeTow/Haul Mode on page 9-27.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: Engine coolant will boil at
a lower temperature than at normal
altitudes. If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the
vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run while parked,
preferably on level ground, with the
transmission in P (Park) for a few
minutes before turning the engine
off. If the overheat warning comes
on, see Engine Overheating on
page 10-18.Parking on Hills
{Warning
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if facing
downhill or into traffic if facing
uphill. 2. Have someone place chocks
under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes
until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
7. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.

Black plate (49,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
Driving and Operating 9-49
Use the following chart to determine how much the vehicle can weigh, based upon the vehicle model and options.Vehicle Axle Ratio Maximum Trailer Weight GCWR*
G2500 Cargo Van 2WD Short Wheelbase
4.8L V8 3.423 357 kg (7,400 lb) 5 897 kg (13,000 lb)
6.0L V8 3.424 536 kg (10,000 lb) 7 257 kg (16,000 lb)
G2500 Cargo Van 2WD Long Wheelbase 4.8L V8 3.423 266 kg (7,200 lb) 5 897 kg (13,000 lb)
6.0L V8 3.424 536 kg (10,000 lb) 7 257 kg (16,000 lb)
G2500 Passenger Van 2WD Short Wheelbase 4.8L V8 3.423 039 kg (6,700 lb) 5 897 kg (13,000 lb)
6.0L V8 3.424 445 kg (9,800 lb) 7 257 kg (16,000 lb)
G3500 Cargo Van 2WD Short Wheelbase 4.8L V8 3.423 357 kg (7,400 lb) 5 897 kg (13,000 lb)
6.0L V8 3.424 536 kg (10,000 lb) 7 257 kg (16,000 lb)
G3500 Cargo Van 2WD Long Wheelbase 4.8L V8 3.423 221 kg (7,100 lb) 5 897 kg (13,000 lb)
6.0L V8 3.424 536 kg (10,000 lb) 7 257 kg (16,000 lb)

Black plate (50,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
9-50 Driving and Operating
VehicleAxle Ratio Maximum Trailer Weight GCWR*
G3500 Passenger Van 2WD Short Wheelbase 6.0L V8 3.424 400 kg (9,700 lb) 7 257 kg (16,000 lb)
G3500 Passenger Van 2WD Long Wheelbase 6.0L V8 3.424 218 kg (9,300 lb) 7 257 kg (16,000 lb)
*The Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) is the total allowable weight of the completely loaded vehicle and
trailer including any passengers, cargo, equipment, and conversion. The GCWR for the vehicle should not be
exceeded.
Ask your dealer for trailering
information or advice.
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (1) of any trailer is
an important weight to measure
because it affects the total gross
weight of the vehicle. The Gross
Vehicle Weight (GVW) includes the
curb weight of the vehicle, any
cargo carried in it, and the people
who will be riding in the vehicle. If there are a lot of options,
equipment, passengers, or cargo in
the vehicle, it will reduce the tongue
weight the vehicle can carry, which
will also reduce the trailer weight the
vehicle can tow. If towing a trailer,
the tongue load must be added to
the GVW because the vehicle will
be carrying that weight, too. See
Vehicle Load Limits on page 9-9
for
more information about the vehicle's
maximum load capacity.
The trailer tongue weight (1) should
be 10 percent to 15 percent of the
total loaded trailer weight (2), up to a

Black plate (53,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
Driving and Operating 9-53
.Red/Black Stripe: Battery Feed
(30A Fuse)
.Brown: Trailer Park Lamp
Supply Voltage (15A fuse)**
.Yellow: Left Rear Stop and Turn
Signal *
The four-wire harness (without
connector) contains the following
circuits:
.Black: Ground
.Red/White: Battery Feed
.Dark Blue: Trailer Brake Signal
.Light Blue: CHMSL/Stoplamp
Supply Voltage
* If the vehicle is a cutaway with
trailer provisions, a 15 amp fuse will
be shared for both left/stop trailer
turn and right/stop trailer turn
signals. However, the cutaway
lighting connector will have a
10 amp fuse for each signal. ** If the vehicle is a cutaway with
trailer provisions, a 15 amp fuse will
be shared for trailer park lamps and
cutaway rear lighting connector park
lamps. Also, a 10 amp fuse will be
shared for trailer back-up lamps and
cutaway rear lighting connector
back-up lamps.
Tow/Haul Mode
This button is on the instrument
panel, to the right of the steering
wheel.
Pressing this button turns on and off
the Tow/Haul Mode.
This indicator light on the instrument
cluster comes on when the Tow/
Haul Mode is on.Tow/Haul is a feature that assists
when pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load. See
Tow/Haul
Mode on page 9-27.
Tow/Haul is designed to be most
effective when the vehicle and
trailer combined weight is at least
75 percent of the vehicle Gross
Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
See “Weight of the Trailer” inTrailer
Towing on page 9-47. Tow/Haul is
most useful under the following
driving conditions:
.When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load through
rolling terrain.
.When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load in
stop-and-go traffic.
.When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load in busy
parking lots where improved low
speed control of the vehicle is
desired.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-2
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 10-8
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-12
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-18
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-20
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21 Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Noise Control System . . . . . . 10-25
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-26
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-27
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Front Turn Signal,Sidemarker, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31 Center High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL) . . . . . . . 10-32
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-33
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Floor Console Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-43
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
10-2 Vehicle Care
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Dual Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
When It Is Time for NewTires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-63
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-66
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-74
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-78
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-78
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-80
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-85
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-88
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems,
many fluids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, safety belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non‐dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride and

Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
10-22 Vehicle Care
Brakes
This vehicle has disc brakes. Disc
brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time when the vehicle
is moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.
{Warning
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
{Caution
Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly
brake repair.Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications. See
Capacities and
Specifications on page 12-2.
Brake pads should be replaced as
complete sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service might be
required.
Brake Adjustment
Every time the brakes are applied,
with or without the vehicle moving,
the brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is
complex. Its many parts have to be
of top quality and work well together
if the vehicle is to have really good
braking. The vehicle was designed
and tested with top-quality brake
parts. When parts of the braking
system are replaced, be sure to get
new, approved replacement parts.
If this is not done, the brakes might
not work properly. For example,
installing disc brake pads that are
wrong for the vehicle, can change
the balance between the front and
rear brakes —for the worse. The
braking performance expected can
change in many other ways if the
wrong replacement brake parts are
installed.