towing CHEVROLET EXPRESS 2020 Get To Know Guide

Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13882570) - 2020 - CRC - 11/1/19
Keys, Doors, and Windows 21
3. After the engine has started,turn the ignition off and remove
the key.
4. Insert the key to be programmed and turn the
ignition on within 10 seconds of
removing the previous key.
The security message will turn
off once the key has been
programmed. It may not be
apparent that the security
message went on due to how
quickly the key is programmed.
5. Repeat Steps 1–4 if additional keys are to be programmed.
If you lose or damage a
PASS-Key III+ key, see your dealer
or a locksmith who can service
PASS-Key III+ to have a new
key made.
Do not leave the key or device that
disarms or deactivates the
theft-deterrent system in the vehicle.Exterior Mirrors
Convex Mirrors
{Warning
A convex mirror can make things,
like other vehicles, look farther
away than they really are. If you
cut too sharply into the next lane,
you could hit a vehicle that is
driving next to you. Check the
inside mirror or glance over your
shoulder before changing lanes.
If equipped, the lower portion of the
driver and passenger side mirror is
convex. A convex mirror's surface is
curved so more can be seen from
the driver seat. The convex mirror
can be adjusted manually to the
driver preferred position for better
vision.
Manual Mirrors
Adjust the mirrors by moving the
mirror up and down and left and
right. The mirrors can be manually folded
in or out.
On the lower portion of each mirror
is an auxiliary convex mirror.
A convex mirror's surface is curved
so you can see more from the driver
seat. The auxiliary convex mirrors
can be adjusted manually by
moving the mirror.
Trailer-Tow Mirrors
Vehicles with towing mirrors can be
adjusted manually for a clear view
of the objects behind you.

Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13882570) - 2020 - CRC - 11/1/19
Instruments and Controls 93
light could indicate that there are
problems with a generator drive belt,
or that there is an electrical
problem. Have it checked right
away. If the vehicle must be driven a
short distance with the light on, turn
off accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
Malfunction Indicator
Lamp (Check Engine
Light)
This light is part of the vehicle’s
emission control on-board
diagnostic system. If this light is on
while the engine is running, a
malfunction has been detected and
the vehicle may require service. The
light should come on to show that it
is working when the ignition is on
and the engine is not running. See
Ignition Positions0163.
Malfunctions are often indicated by
the system before any problem is
noticeable. Being aware of the light
and seeking service promptly when
it comes on may prevent damage.
Caution
If the vehicle is driven continually
with this light on, the emission
control system may not work as
well, the fuel economy may be
lower, and the vehicle may not
run smoothly. This could lead to
costly repairs that might not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Caution
Modifications to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake,
or fuel system, or the use of
replacement tires that do not
meet the original tire
specifications, can cause this light
to come on. This could lead to
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. This could also
affect the vehicle’s ability to pass
an Emissions Inspection/
Maintenance test. See
Accessories and Modifications
0216.
If the light is flashing : A
malfunction has been detected that
could damage the emission control
system and increase vehicle
emissions. Diagnosis and service
may be required.
To help prevent damage, reduce
vehicle speed and avoid hard
accelerations and uphill grades.
If towing a trailer, reduce the
amount of cargo being hauled as
soon as possible.
If the light continues to flash, find a
safe place to park. Turn the vehicle
off and wait at least 10 seconds
before restarting the engine. If the
light is still flashing, follow the

Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13882570) - 2020 - CRC - 11/1/19
Instruments and Controls 95
If the warning light comes on, there
could be a brake problem. Have the
brake system inspected right away.
MetricEnglish
This light should come on briefly
when the vehicle is turned on. If it
does not come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if
there is a problem.
When the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light also comes on
when the parking brake is set. See
Parking Brake 0177 for more
information. The light stays on if the
parking brake does not fully release.
If it stays on after the parking brake
is fully released, it means the
vehicle has a brake problem.
If the light comes on while driving,
pull off the road and stop carefully.
The pedal might be harder to push,
or the pedal might go closer to the floor. It could take longer to stop.
If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. See
Towing the Vehicle
0291.
{Warning
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
This light comes on briefly when the
engine is started.
If the light does not come on, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn if
there is a problem.
If the light comes on while driving,
stop as soon as it is safely possible
and turn off the vehicle. Then start
the engine again to reset the
system. If the ABS light stays on,
or comes on again while driving, the
vehicle needs service.
If the ABS light is the only light on,
the vehicle has regular brakes, but
the antilock brakes are not
functioning.
If both the ABS and the brake
system warning light are on, the
vehicle's antilock brakes are not
functioning and there is a problem
with the regular brakes. See your
dealer for service.
See Brake System Warning Light
0 94.

Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13882570) - 2020 - CRC - 11/1/19
150 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 155
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 156
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 158
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 162
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 167 Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 171
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 177
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 182 Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 184
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . 192
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 192
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . 211

Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13882570) - 2020 - CRC - 11/1/19
158 Driving and Operating
speed. This keeps the battery
charged to restart the vehicle and to
signal for help with the headlamps.
Do this as little as possible, to
save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. SeeTraction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
0 178.
{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
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a low
forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
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. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out,
see Towing the Vehicle 0291.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle may
show how much weight it was
designed to carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Certification/Tire label.
{Warning
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
This can cause systems to
break and change the way the
vehicle handles. This could
cause loss of control and a
crash. Overloading can also
reduce stopping distance,
damage the tires, and shorten
the life of the vehicle.

Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13882570) - 2020 - CRC - 11/1/19
160 Driving and Operating
exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, load from your
trailer will be transferred to
your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how
this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.”
SeeTrailer Towing 0201 for
important information on towing a
trailer, towing safety rules and
trailering tips.Example 1
1. Vehicle Capacity Weight for Example 1 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs)
2. Subtract Occupant Weight @ 68 kg (150 lbs) × 2 =
136 kg (300 lbs)
3. Available Occupant and Cargo Weight = 317 kg
(700 lbs)
Example 2
A. Vehicle Capacity Weight for Example 2 = 453 kg (1,000 lbs)
B. Subtract Occupant Weight @ 68 kg (150 lbs) × 5 = 136 kg
(750 lbs)
C. Available Cargo Weight = 113 kg (250 lbs)

Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13882570) - 2020 - CRC - 11/1/19
162 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
.Never stack heavier
things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above
the tops of the seats.
.Do not leave an
unsecured child restraint
in the vehicle.
.When you carry
something inside the
vehicle, secure it
whenever you can.
.Do not leave a seat
folded down unless you
need to.
Add-On Equipment
When carrying removable items,
a limit on how many people
carried inside the vehicle may
be necessary. Be sure to weigh
the vehicle before buying and
installing the new equipment.
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Caution
The vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will
perform better in the long run if
you follow these guidelines: . Keep the vehicle speed at
88 km/h (55 mph) or less for
the first 805 km (500 mi).
. Do not drive at any one
constant speed, fast or slow,
for the first 805 km (500 mi).
Do not make full-throttle
starts. Avoid downshifting to
brake or slow the vehicle.
. Avoid making hard stops for
the first 322 km (200 mi) or
so. During this time the new
brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with
new linings can mean
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake
linings.
. Do not tow a trailer during
break-in. See Trailer Towing
0 201 for the trailer towing
capabilities of the vehicle
and more information.
Following break-in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.

Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13882570) - 2020 - CRC - 11/1/19
Driving and Operating 169
Shifting Into Park
1. Hold the brake pedal down,then set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into the P (Park) position by pulling the
shift lever toward you and
moving it up as far as it will go.
3. Push the ignition key in, towards the steering column
and then turn the ignition off.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave the
vehicle with the ignition key in
your hand, the vehicle is
in P (Park).
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
It could overheat and catch fire.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park 0169.
If you are towing a trailer, see
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips 0196.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set. After the
shift lever is moved into P (Park),
hold the regular brake pedal down.
Then, see if you can move the shift
lever away from P (Park) without first pulling it toward you. If you can,
it means that the shift lever was not
fully locked into P (Park).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you
do not shift the transmission into
P (Park) properly, the weight of the
vehicle can put too much force on
the parking pawl in the
transmission. It might be difficult to
pull the shift lever out of P (Park).
This is called torque lock. To
prevent torque lock, set the parking
brake and then shift into P (Park)
properly before you leave the driver
seat. To find out how, see
Shifting
Into Park 0169.
When you are ready to drive, move
the shift lever out of P (Park) before
releasing the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you might
need to have another vehicle push
yours a little uphill to take some of
the pressure from the parking pawl
in the transmission. Then you
should be able to pull the shift lever
out of P (Park).

Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13882570) - 2020 - CRC - 11/1/19
Driving and Operating 171
Warning (Continued)
.There are holes or openings
in the vehicle body from
damage or aftermarket
modifications that are not
completely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or
if it is suspected that exhaust is
coming into the vehicle: . Drive it only with the
windows completely down.
. Have the vehicle repaired
immediately.
Never park the vehicle with the
engine running in an enclosed
area such as a garage or a
building that has no fresh air
ventilation.
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running. If the vehicle is left with the engine
running, follow the proper steps to
be sure the vehicle will not move.
See
Shifting Into Park 0169 and
Engine Exhaust 0170.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips 0196.
Automatic
Transmission
A shift position indicator is in the
instrument cluster.
There are several different positions
for the shift lever.
See “Range Selection Mode” under
Manual Mode 0174.
P : This position locks the rear
wheels. It is the best position to use
when starting the engine because
the vehicle cannot move easily.
When parked on a hill, especially
when the vehicle has a heavy load,
you might notice an increase in the
effort to shift out of P (Park). See
“Torque Lock” underShifting Into
Park 0169.

Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13882570) - 2020 - CRC - 11/1/19
172 Driving and Operating
{Warning
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park 0169 and
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips 0196.
R : Use this gear to back up.
Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while the
vehicle is moving forward could
damage the transmission. The
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Shift to
R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck 0158.
N : In this position, the engine does
not connect with the wheels.
To restart when you are already
moving, use N (Neutral) only. Also,
use N (Neutral) when the vehicle is
being towed.
{Warning
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.
Caution
Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
Caution
A transmission hot message may
display if the automatic
transmission fluid is too hot.
Driving under this condition can
damage the vehicle. Stop and idle(Continued)