tow CHEVROLET EXPRESS CARGO VAN 2007 1.G User Guide

To open the rear portion of a 60/40 door from the
outside, pull the handle on the side of the rear
door and pull the door toward you.To close the 60/40 side doors, close the rear door
first. Then close the front door. Check to make
sure that both doors are completely closed.
The front side swing-out door has a check strap
assembly in the door frame to keep the door from
opening beyond 90 degrees.
To open the door beyond 90 degrees, close the
door partially, pull the check strap toward you and
then open the door. When you close the door,
the check strap will automatically re-engage.
113

Rear Doors
{CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers, especially children, can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. When a door is
locked, the handle will not open it.
You increase the chance of being
thrown out of the vehicle in a crash if
the doors are not locked. So, wear
safety belts properly and lock the
doors whenever you drive.
Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out. A
child can be overcome by extreme
heat and can suffer permanent injuries
or even death from heat stroke.
Always lock your vehicle whenever
you leave it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or
stop your vehicle. Locking your doors
can help prevent this from happening.To open the rear doors from the outside, pull the
handle toward you to open the passenger side
rear door first.
To open the driver side rear door, pull the latch
release at the inside edge of the door.
To close the rear doors, close the driver side rear
door first. Then, close the passenger side rear
door. Check to make sure both doors are
completely closed.
114

Swing-Out Windows
To open the side door swing-out window, pull up
on the latch at the edge of the window. Swing
the window out and push down on the latch to lock
the window into place.
To close the window, pull the latch toward you
and push down on the latch to lock it.Your vehicle also has rear swing-out windows.
The rear swing-out windows work the same way as
the side swing out window, but the latch is
located at the bottom edge of the window.
Sun Visors
To block out glare, swing down the sun visors.
You can also swing them to the side.
Side Swing-Out Window
Rear Swing-Out Windows
117

Starting and Operating
Your Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will perform better in
the long run if you follow these guidelines:
Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 km/h)
or less for the rst 500 miles (805 km).
Do not drive at any one constant speed,
fast or slow, for the rst 500 miles
(805 km). Do not make full-throttle starts.
Avoid downshifting to brake, or slow,
the vehicle.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
the new brake linings are not yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can
mean 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
Towing a Trailer on page 269for the
trailer towing capabilities of your vehicle
and more information.
Following break-in, engine speed and load can
be gradually increased.
119

Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for your
shift lever.
PARK (P):This position locks your rear wheels.
It is the best position to use when you start your
engine because your vehicle cannot move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake rmly set. Your
vehicle can roll.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not
move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, always set your parking brake
and move the shift lever to PARK (P). See
Shifting Into Park (P) on page 129.Ifyou
are pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer
on page 269.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P)
before starting the engine. Your vehicle has an
automatic transmission shift lock control system.
You must fully apply your regular brakes before
you can shift from PARK (P) with the ignition
in RUN.
125

If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure
on the shift lever and push the shift lever all the
way into PARK (P) as you maintain brake
application. Then move the shift lever into another
gear. SeeShifting Out of Park (P) on page 130.
REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving forward could damage
the transmission. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out
of snow, ice or sand without damaging your
transmission, seeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 260.
NEUTRAL (N):In this position, your engine does
not connect with the wheels. To restart when
you are already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Also, use NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is
being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is rmly on
the brake pedal, your vehicle could move
very rapidly. You could lose control and
hit people or objects. Do not shift into a
drive gear while your engine is running
at high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) with the engine running at high
speed may damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Be sure the engine is not running at high
speed when shifting your vehicle.
126

DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving.
It provides the best fuel economy for your vehicle.
If you need more power for passing, and you are:
•Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push
your accelerator pedal about
halfway down.
•Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push
the accelerator all the way down.
You will shift down to the next gear and have
more power.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding, see “Skidding”
underLoss of Control on page 243.
THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal
driving. However it reduces vehicle speed
more than DRIVE (D) without using your brakes.
You might choose THIRD (3) instead of DRIVE (D)
when driving on hilly, winding roads, when
towing a trailer, so there is less shifting between
gears and when going down a steep hill.
You should use THIRD (3) (or, as you need to,
a lower gear) when towing a trailer to minimize
heat build-up and extend the life of your
transmission.SECOND (2):This position reduces vehicle speed
even more than THIRD (3) without using your
brakes. You can use SECOND (2) on hills. It can
help control your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to
use your brakes off and on.
You may use this feature for reducing torque to
the rear wheels when you are trying to start
your vehicle from a stop on slippery road surfaces.
FIRST (1): This position reduces vehicle speed
even more than SECOND (2) without using
your brakes. You can use it on very steep hills,
or in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in
FIRST (1) while the vehicle is moving forward,
the transmission will not shift into first gear until the
vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice: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 your warranty. If you are stuck, do not spin
the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
127

Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right foot. Push down
the parking brake pedal with your left foot.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.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system and cause
premature wear or damage to brake system
parts. Verify 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
any hill, seeTowing a Trailer on page 269.
That section shows what to do first to keep the
trailer from moving.
128

Shifting Into Park (P)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly set.
Your vehicle can roll. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, use
the steps that follow. If you are pulling a
trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on page 269.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot
and set the parking brake. SeeParking Brake
on page 128
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by pulling
the shift lever toward you and moving it up as
far as it will go.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you
can leave your vehicle with the ignition key in
your hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle
with the engine running. Your vehicle
could move suddenly if the shift lever is
not fully in PARK (P) with the parking
brake rmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch re. You or
others could be injured. Do not leave your
vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P)
and the parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you move the shift lever into
PARK (P), hold the regular brake pedal down.
Then, see if you can move the shift lever away
from PARK (P) without first pulling it toward you.
If you can, it means that the shift lever was
not fully locked into PARK (P).
129

Running the Engine While Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running. But if
you ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust
into your vehicle. See the earlier caution
underEngine Exhaust on page 132.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let
deadly carbon monoxide (CO) into your
vehicle even if the climate control fan is at
the highest setting. One place this can
happen is a garage. Exhaust — with
CO — can come in easily. NEVER park in
a garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
SeeWinter Driving on page 256.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly
set. Your vehicle can roll. Do not leave
your vehicle when the engine is running
unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and move
the shift lever to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle
will not move. SeeShifting Into Park (P) on
page 129.
If you are pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 269.
133