ignition CHEVROLET EXPRESS 2012 Workshop Manual

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
Driving and Operating 9-21
The shift lock control system is
always functional except in the case
of a dead battery or low voltage
(less than 9 V) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. SeeJump Starting on
page 10-74 for more information.
To shift out of P (Park) use the
following:
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition to ACC/ ACCESSORY or ON/RUN.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still are unable to shift out of
P (Park):
1. Ease the pressure on the shift lever. 2. While holding down the brake
pedal, push the shift lever all the
way into P (Park).
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you are still having a problem
shifting, have the vehicle serviced.
Parking over Things
That Burn
{Warning
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.
Engine Exhaust
{Warning
Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and
even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:
.The vehicle idles in areas
with poor ventilation (parking
garages, tunnels, deep snow
that may block underbody
airflow or tail pipes).
.The exhaust smells or
sounds strange or different.
.The exhaust system leaks
due to corrosion or damage.
.The vehicle exhaust system
has been modified, damaged,
or improperly repaired. (Continued)

Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
Driving and Operating 9-25
3 (Third):This position is also used
for normal driving. It reduces vehicle
speed more than D (Drive) without
using the brakes. You might choose
3 (Third) instead of D (Drive) when
driving on hilly, winding roads; when
towing a trailer, so there is less
shifting between gears; and when
going down a steep hill. See “Range
Selection Mode” underManual
Mode on page 9-26.
2 (Second): This position reduces
vehicle speed even more than
3 (Third) without using the brakes.
You can use 2 (Second) on hills.
It can help control vehicle speed as
you go down steep mountain roads,
but then you would also want to use
the brakes off and on. See “Range
Selection Mode” underManual
Mode on page 9-26.
If you manually select 2 (Second) in
an automatic transmission, the
transmission will start in
second gear. You can use this
feature for reducing the speed of the rear wheels when trying to start the
vehicle from a stop on slippery road
surfaces.
1 (First):
This position reduces
vehicle speed without using the
brakes. You can use it for major/
severe downgrades where the
vehicle would otherwise accelerate
due to steepness of grade. When
you shift to 1 (First) it provides the
lowest gear appropriate to current
road speed and continues to
downshift as the vehicle slows,
eventually downshifting to 1 (First)
gear. The transmission can be held
in 1 (First) gear using Range
Selection Mode or the shift lever.
See “Range Selection Mode” under
Manual Mode on page 9-26.
{Caution
Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill
using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission.
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
The repair will not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. If you are
stuck, do not spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes
to hold the vehicle in place.
Normal Mode Grade Braking
This mode is enabled when the
vehicle is started, but is not enabled
in Range Selection Mode. It assists
in maintaining desired vehicle
speeds when driving on downhill
grades by using the engine and
transmission to slow the vehicle.
The first time the system activates
for each ignition key cycle, a DIC
message will be displayed. See
Transmission Messages on
page 5-36.

Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
9-26 Driving and Operating
To disable or enable Normal Mode
Grade Braking within the current
ignition key cycle, press and hold
the Tow/Haul button for
three seconds. A DIC message
displays. SeeTransmission
Messages on page 5-36.
For other forms of grade braking,
see Tow/Haul Mode on page 9-27
and Cruise Control on page 9-32.
Manual Mode
Range Selection Mode
If equipped, Range Selection Mode
helps control the vehicle's
transmission and vehicle speed
while driving downhill or towing a
trailer by letting you select a desired
range of gears. To use this feature:
1. Move the shift lever to
M (Manual Mode).
2. Press the +/− buttons on the
shift lever, to select the desired
range of gears for current driving
conditions.
When M (Manual Mode) is selected
a number displays in the DIC next to
the M indicating the current gear.
This number is the highest gear that
can be used. However, the vehicle
can automatically shift to lower
gears as it adjusts to driving
conditions. This means that all
gears below that number are
available. When 5 (Fifth) is selected,
1 (First) through 5 (Fifth) gears are
automatically shifted by the vehicle,
but 6 (Sixth) cannot be used until
the +/− button on the steering
column lever is used to change to
the gear.
Grade Braking is not available when
Range Selection Mode is active.
See Tow/Haul Mode on page 9-27. While using Range Selection Mode,
cruise control and the Tow/Haul
Mode can be used.
{Caution
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
the vehicle warranty. If you are
stuck, do not spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes
to hold the vehicle in place.
Low Traction Mode
Low Traction Mode can assist in
vehicle acceleration when road
conditions are slippery. While the
vehicle is at a stop, select the
second gear range using Range
Selection Mode. This will limit
torque to the wheels after it detects
wheel slip, preventing the tires from
spinning.

Black plate (27,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
Driving and Operating 9-27
Tow/Haul Mode
If equipped, Tow/Haul Mode adjusts
the transmission shift pattern to
reduce shift cycling, providing
increased performance, vehicle
control, and transmission cooling
when towing or hauling heavy loads.Turn the Tow/Haul Mode on and off
by pressing the button on the
instrument panel. When Tow/Haul is
on, a light on the instrument cluster
will come on.
See
Tow/Haul Mode Light on
page 5-21.
Also see “Tow/Haul Mode” under
Towing Equipment on page 9-51.
Tow/Haul Mode Grade Braking
Tow/Haul Mode Grade Braking is
only enabled while the Tow/Haul
Mode is selected and the vehicle is
not in the Range Selection Mode.
See “Tow/Haul Mode” listed
previously and Manual Mode on
page 9-26. Tow/Haul Mode Grade
Braking assists in maintaining
desired vehicle speeds when driving
on downhill grades by using the
engine and transmission to slow the
vehicle. To disable or enable Tow/Haul Mode
Grade Braking within the current
ignition key cycle, press and hold
the Tow/Haul button for
three seconds. A DIC message will
be displayed. See
Transmission
Messages on page 5-36.
See Towing Equipment on
page 9-51.
For other forms of grade braking,
see Automatic Transmission on
page 9-22 andCruise Control on
page 9-32.

Black plate (29,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
Driving and Operating 9-29
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the
regular brake pedal, then push
down the parking brake pedal.
If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
To release the parking brake, hold
the regular brake pedal down. Pull
the handle, located just above the
parking brake pedal, with the
parking brake symbol, to release the
parking brake.If the ignition is on when the parking
brake is released, the brake system
warning light will go off.
{Caution
Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system
and cause premature wear or
damage to brake system parts.
Make sure 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 a hill, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips on
page 9-44.
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability
Control
The vehicle may have a vehicle
stability enhancement system called
StabiliTrak. It is an advanced
computer controlled system that
assists the driver with directional
control of the vehicle in difficult
driving conditions.
StabiliTrak activates when the
computer senses a discrepancy
between the intended path and the
direction the vehicle is actually
traveling. StabiliTrak selectively
applies braking pressure at any one
of the vehicle's brakes to assist the
driver with keeping the vehicle on
the intended path.
When the vehicle is started and
begins to move, the system
performs several diagnostic checks
to ensure there are no problems.
The system may be heard or felt

Black plate (34,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
9-34 Driving and Operating
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well cruise control works on
hills depends on the vehicle speed,
load, and the steepness of the hills.
When going up steep hills, you
might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain your
speed.
While going downhill:
.Vehicles with a 4-speed
automatic transmission may
need to have the brakes applied
or the transmission shifted to a
lower gear to help maintain
driver selected speed.
.Vehicles with a 6-speed
automatic transmission have
Cruise Grade Braking to help
maintain driver selected speed.Cruise Grade Braking is enabled
when the vehicle is started and
cruise control is active. It is not
enabled in Range Selection Mode.
It assists in maintaining driver
selected speed when driving on
downhill grades by using the engine
and transmission to slow the
vehicle.
To disable and enable Cruise Grade
Braking for the current ignition key
cycle, press and hold the Tow/Haul
button for three seconds. A DIC
message displays. See
Transmission Messages on
page 5-36.
When the brakes are manually
applied the cruise control is
disengaged.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise
control:
.Step lightly on the brake pedal.
.Press[.
.Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
.To turn off cruise control,
press
I.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
Iis
pressed or if the vehicle is
turned off.

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 (9,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
Vehicle Care 10-9
For the oil life system to work
properly, the system must be reset
every time the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated
that oil life has been diminished, it
indicates that an oil change is
necessary. A CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message comes on. See
Engine Oil Messages on page 5-31.
Change the oil as soon as possible
within the next 1 000 km (600 mi).
It is possible that, if driving under
the best conditions, the oil life
system might indicate that an oil
change is not necessary for up to a
year. The engine oil and filter must
be changed at least once a year
and, at this time, the system must
be reset. Your dealer has trained
service people who will perform this
work and reset the system. It is also
important to check the oil regularly
over the course of an oil drain
interval and keep it at the proper
level.If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System
Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. To reset the
system:
1. Turn the ignition key to ON/RUN
with the engine off.
2. Fully press and release the accelerator pedal slowly three
times within five seconds.
3. Turn the key to LOCK/OFF.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message comes back on when the
vehicle is started, the engine oil life
system has not reset. Repeat the
procedure.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
When to Check and Change
Automatic Transmission Fluid
It is usually not necessary to check
the transmission fluid level. The only
reason for fluid loss is a
transmission leak or overheated
transmission. If a small leak is
suspected, use the following
procedures to check the fluid level.
However, if there is a large leak, it
may be necessary to have the
vehicle towed to a dealer and have
it repaired before driving the vehicle
further.
Change the fluid and filter at the
intervals listed in Maintenance
Schedule on page 11-3, and be sure
to use the transmission fluid listed in
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11-11.

Black plate (27,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
Vehicle Care 10-27
If the vehicle starts in any other
position, contact your dealer for
service.
Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control
Function Check
{Warning
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room
around the vehicle. It should be
parked on a level surface.
2. Apply the parking brake. Be ready to apply the regular brake
immediately if the vehicle begins
to move. 3. With the engine off, turn the
ignition on, but do not start the
engine. Without applying the
regular brake, try to move the
shift lever out of P (Park) with
normal effort. If the shift lever
moves out of P (Park), contact
your dealer for service.
Ignition Transmission
Lock Check
While parked and with the parking
brake set, try to turn the ignition to
LOCK/OFF in each shift lever
position.
.The ignition should turn to
LOCK/OFF only when the shift
lever is in P (Park).
.The ignition key should come
out only in LOCK/OFF.
Contact your dealer if service is
required.
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check
{Warning
When you are doing this check,
the vehicle could begin to move.
You or others could be injured
and property could be damaged.
Make sure there is room in front
of the vehicle in case it begins to
roll. Be ready to apply the regular
brake at once should the vehicle
begin to move.
Park on a fairly steep hill, with the
vehicle facing downhill. Keeping
your foot on the regular brake, set
the parking brake.
.To check the parking brake's
holding ability: With the engine
running and the transmission in
N (Neutral), slowly remove foot
pressure from the regular brake
pedal. Do this until the vehicle is
held by the parking brake only.

Black plate (36,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7707481) - 2015 - CRC - 4/30/14
10-36 Vehicle Care
The vehicle may not be equipped
with all of the fuses, relays, and
features shown.Mini Fuse Usage
3 Right Stop/Turn Trailer
4 Spare
5 Spare
6 Fuel System Control Module
Ignition
7 Body Control Module 5
8 Body Control Module 7
9 Body Control Module 4
10 Instrument Cluster 11 Trailer Wiring
12 Inside Rear Vision Camera Module
13 Spare