trailer CHEVROLET EXPRESS CARGO VAN 2012 1.G Owners Manual

Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-15
Transmission
Range Selection Mode
The vehicle may have a Range
Selection Mode. The 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, do the following:
1. Move the shift lever to
M (Manual Mode).
2. Press the plus/minus buttons, located on the steering column
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. Grade Braking is not available when
Range Selection Mode is active.
See
Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑32.
While using Range Selection Mode,
Cruise Control and the Tow/Haul
Mode can be used. See Manual
Mode on page 9‑31.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-1
Keys, Doors, and
Windows
Keys and Locks
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Cargo Door Relocking . . . . . . . . 2-7
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Doors
Side Door (60/40 Swing-Out) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Sliding Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Rear Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Vehicle Security
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Immobilizer Operation . . . . . . . 2-12
Exterior Mirrors
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Manual Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Trailer-Tow Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Power Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Interior Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror . . . . . . 2-15
Windows
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Manual Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Power Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Swing-Out Windows . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Enhanced Technology Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19

Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
2-14 Keys, Doors, and Windows
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 right lane,
you could hit a vehicle on the
right. Check the inside mirror or
glance over your shoulder before
changing lanes.
The passenger side mirror is convex
shaped. A convex mirror's surface is
curved so more can be seen from
the driver seat.
Manual Mirrors
Adjust the mirrors by pressing 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
pressing the mirror.
Trailer-Tow Mirrors
Vehicles with towing mirrors can be
adjusted manually for a clear view
of the objects behind you.
On the lower portion of each mirror
there is an auxiliary convex mirror
that can be adjusted manually to
provide an extended field of view.
The mirrors can be manually folded
in or out.

Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
5-22 Instruments and Controls
This light comes on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing:A misfire condition
has been detected. A misfire
increases vehicle emissions and
could damage the emission control
system on the vehicle. Diagnosis
and service might be required.
To prevent more serious damage to
the vehicle:
.Reduce vehicle speed.
.Avoid hard accelerations.
.Avoid steep uphill grades.
.If towing a trailer, reduce the
amount of cargo being hauled as
soon as it is possible.
If the light continues to flash, stop
and park the vehicle. Turn the
vehicle off, wait at least 10 seconds,
and restart the engine. If the light is
still flashing, follow the previous
steps and see your dealer for
service as soon as possible. Light On Steady:
An emission
control system malfunction has
been detected on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might
be required.
The following may correct an
emission system malfunction:
.Check that the fuel cap is fully
installed. See Filling the Tank on
page 9‑44. The diagnostic
system can determine if the
fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap allows fuel to
evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap
properly installed should turn
the light off.
.Check that good quality fuel is
used. Poor fuel quality causes
the engine not to run as
efficiently as designed and
may cause stalling after start-up, stalling when the vehicle is
changed into gear, misfiring,
hesitation on acceleration,
or stumbling on acceleration.
These conditions might go away
once the engine is warmed up.
If one or more of these conditions
occurs, change the fuel brand used.
It will require at least one full tank of
the proper fuel to turn the light off.
See Recommended Fuel on
page 9‑40.
If none of the above have made the
light turn off, your dealer can check
the vehicle. The dealer has the
proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any
mechanical or electrical problems
that might have developed.

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
6-8 Lighting
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 Driver Information
Center (DIC) message might be
displayed, such as SERVICE
BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM.
If this messages displays, it is
recommended that the driver reduce
the electrical loads as much as
possible. See
Battery Voltage and
Charging Messages on page 5‑34.Battery Power Protection
This feature shuts off the dome
lamps if they are left on for more
than 10 minutes when the ignition is
in LOCK/OFF. This helps to prevent
the battery from running down.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-7
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-10
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-16
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21 Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission(Six Speed) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Automatic Transmission (Four Speed) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Brakes
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Ride Control Systems
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Gasoline Specifications (U.S. and Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-41
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 9-42
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 9-55
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-58

Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-13
the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity
is 650 lbs (1400−750
(5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
5.Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, the 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. See Trailer
Towing on page 9‑50 for
important information on
towing a trailer, towing safety
rules and trailering tips.Example 1
A. Vehicle Capacity Weight for Example 1 = 453 kg (1,000 lbs)
B. Subtract Occupant Weight @ 68 kg (150 lbs) × 2 =
136 kg (300 lbs)
C. 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)

Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
9-16 Driving and Operating
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice: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 miles).
.Do not drive at any one
constant speed, fast or slow,
for the first 805 km
(500 miles). Do not make
full-throttle starts. Avoid
downshifting to brake or
slow the vehicle.
.Avoid making hard stops for
the first 322 km (200 miles) 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 Trailer Towing
on page 9‑50 for the trailer
towing capabilities of the
vehicle and more
information.
Following break‐in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has four different
positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular brake
pedal applied.

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-21
WARNING (Continued)
If the cord will not reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension
cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine parts
and prevent damage.
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer in the
area where you will be parking the
vehicle for the best advice on this.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
These vehicle accessories can be
used for up to 10 minutes after the
engine is turned off:
.Audio System
.Power Windows (if equipped)
These features will work when the
ignition key is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY. Once the key is
turned from ON/RUN to LOCK/OFF,
power to the radio and power
windows will continue to work
10 minutes or until the driver door is
opened.
Shifting Into Park
{WARNING
It can be 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 (Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
roll. 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, use the steps
that follow. If you are pulling a
trailer, seeDriving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑46.
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking brake. See
Parking Brake on page 9‑34.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by pulling the shift lever toward
you and moving it up as far as it
will go.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/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).

Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Express Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-25
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the automatic
transmission 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 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 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).
Follow the proper steps to be sure
the vehicle will not move. See
Shifting Into Park on page 9‑21.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑46.
Automatic
Transmission
Automatic Transmission
(Six Speed)
Vehicles with a six speed automatic
transmission have a shift position
indicator within the instrument panel
cluster.
There are several different positions
for the shift lever.
See “Range Selection Mode” under
Manual Mode on page 9‑31.
P (Park): 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” under
Shifting Into Park on page 9‑21 for
more information.
{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 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 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).
See Shifting Into Park on
page 9‑21. If you are pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑46.