steering CHEVROLET LOW CAB FORWARD 2019 User Guide

Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
90 Instruments and Controls
MAINTENANCE ON or
MAINTENANCE OFF
This indicator displays and hides
maintenance items. When
MAINTENANCE ON is displayed,
maintenance items will be
displayed. When MAINTENANCE
OFF is displayed, maintenance
items will not be displayed.
When MAINTENANCE OFF is
displayed, there will be no display of
maintenance items such as rotation
intervals or replacement intervals
even when such intervals arrive.
ENG OIL & FILTER
When this message and light
display green, it shows the distance
remaining until the next engine oil
and filter change. When this
message displays amber, the next
change of engine oil and filter is
near or has been reached.
T/M & DIFF OIL
When this message and light
display green, it shows the distance
remaining until the next
transmission oil and differential oilchange. When this message
displays amber, the next change of
transmission oil and differential oil is
near or has been reached.
FUEL FILTER
When this message and light
display green, it shows the distance
remaining until the next fuel filter
change. When this message
displays amber, the next change of
fuel filter is near or has been
reached.
STEERING OIL
When this message and light
display green, it shows the distance
remaining until the next power
steering fluid change. When this
message displays amber, the next
change of power steering fluid is
near or has been reached.
TIRE ROTATION
When this message and light show
green with OFF, it means the
vehicle has been shipped from the
factory with no tire rotation interval
set. When this message displays
green it has the distance until thenext tire rotation displayed. When
this message displays amber the
next tire rotation is near or has
already been reached.
STARTER
When this message and light is
green, it displays the number of
engine starts remaining until a
starter motor is replaced. When this
message and light is amber, it
displays when the time for a starter
motor replacement is near or has
already been reached.
For the starter indicator light, the
displayed color will change from
green to amber when the display
reaches zero and the screen is
selected.
For resetting or setting maintenance
data intervals, see
Driver
Information Center (DIC) 082.

Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
94 Lighting
Hazard Warning Flashers
Use the hazard warning light flasher
to warn other drivers any time your
vehicle becomes a traffic hazard,
day or night. With the engine control
switch in any position or the key
removed, when this switch is
pressed, all of the turn signal lights
and the turn signal indicator lights
flash to signal an emergency. To
turn off the hazard lights, press the
switch again.
Do not leave the hazard warning
light flasher operating for an
extended time period with theengine off. Otherwise, the battery
may go dead, making it impossible
to restart the engine.
Both indicator lights flash when the
hazard warning flasher switch is
operated irrespective of the position
of the engine control switch.
The individual turn signals do not
work when the hazard flasher is
turned on.
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals
When turning left or right, move the
lever up or down to flash the turn
signal light.
When the turn is completed, the
signal will cancel and the lever will
return to horizontal.
If the steering wheel is only turned a
small amount, turn off the signal
manually. Lightly press and hold the
lever up or down when overtaking or
changing lanes. The turn signal light
continues flashing as long as the

Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
138 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 149
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 150
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 153
Emergencies(Troubleshooting) . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Emergencies (Disabled Vehicle) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 165
Pedals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Starting and Stopping theVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Operating Temperature . . . . . . . 171
Winter Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Engine Alarm and Automatic
Shutdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Idle Shutdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
High Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Engine Checks Before Operating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Diesel Particulate Filter
Diesel Particulate Filter . . . . . . . 180
Diesel Exhaust Fluid
Diesel Exhaust Fluid . . . . . . . . . . 189
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 205
Selector Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Overdrive Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Exhaust Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Fuel
Fuel for Diesel Engines . . . . . . . 227
Biodiesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Cold Weather Operation . . . . . . 230
Water in Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Running Out of Fuel . . . . . . . . . . 233
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Power Take-Off (PTO) . . . . . . . . 237

Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
140 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
If a warning light comes on or a
buzzer sounds while you are
driving, immediately stop the
vehicle in a safe place and
perform checks.
Slow down sufficiently when
approaching a curve. Applying the
brakes or sharply turning the
steering wheel while turning the
curve could cause the cargo to
shift, the tires to slip and the
vehicle to tip onto its side.
Avoid scraping the tire sidewalls
against curbstones or driving over
dips and protrusions in the road
surface. You could damage the
tires, resulting in a blowout or
flat tire.
You and others could be seriously
injured.
Pulling Away After Stopping
and Parking
Before pulling away, check that
there are no children or obstructions
around the vehicle and confirm that
it is safe to pull away.
If you cannot see the area behind
your vehicle well enough to confirm
it is safe to back up, get out of the
vehicle and check behind it.
Make it a habit to look around and
confirm that it is safe to pull away
after a temporary stop (at traffic
lights, for example).
If the Windshield Fogs Up
Use the heater to blow hot air on the
windshield or dehumidify the cabin
using the air conditioner and place
the outlet selector knob in the
5or
4position.
Place the air selector lever in the
outside air position.
Nighttime Visibility
If there is an old film on the
windshield, the lights of oncoming
traffic will be reflected in many directions, making it hard for you to
see ahead. Use glass cleaner to
clean the glass and the wiper
blades.
Worn wiper blades cannot wipe the
windshield clean and thus cannot
maintain visibility. When the wiper
blades become worn, replace them
with new ones.
Do Not Attach Accessories to
the Windshield or Windows
{Warning
Do not attach ornaments, films or
other accessories to the
windshield or windows. They
would impair visibility. Also, any
plastic suction cups used to
attach accessories could cause a
fire or a crash by acting as
lenses.
You and others could be seriously
injured.

Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
Driving and Operating 141
Never Stop the Engine While
Driving
{Warning
Do not move the engine control
switch away from the "ON"
position while the vehicle is being
driven.
If the engine stops while the
vehicle is moving, the brake
booster does not work, and the
brakes would not work properly.
The engine could also be
damaged.
Stopping the engine while driving
would be extremely dangerous
because the power steering
would stop working, making the
steering wheel extremely hard
to turn.
Stopping the engine while driving
would be extremely dangerous
because the warning lights,(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
indicator lights and other
electrical circuitry would
completely stop working.
Placing the engine control switch
in the "LOCK" position while
driving would be extremely
dangerous because the key could
come out, causing the steering
wheel to lock so that you could
not turn it.
You and others could be seriously
injured.
Avoid Unnecessary Idling of
the Engine
If the engine idles too long, the
engine coolant temperature will fall
below the operating range. Low
engine operating temperature
causes several conditions that are
harmful to engine operation and life.
Incomplete combustion of fuel in an
engine that is not fully warmed-up
causes crankcase dilution and
forms lacquer and gummy deposits on valves, pistons, and rings. It also
causes rapid accumulation of
sludge within the engine.
Driving at Night
Nighttime driving is more dangerous
than daytime driving because the
field of view is narrower. Keep your
speed down, and maintain an ample
headway distance.
Metallic Plinking Sound from
the Muffler
Immediately after stopping the
engine, you may hear a metallic
plinking sound from the muffler. This
sound occurs as the muffler cools
down and contracts. It does not
indicate an abnormality or
breakdown.

Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
142 Driving and Operating
When the Silencer and
Exhaust Pipe are Hot
{Warning
When the engine is running and
immediately after vehicle
operation, the DPF, silencer, and
exhaust pipe are extremely hot.
Be careful not to inadvertently
touch them when working near
them (for example, tilting the cab
or operating an attachment). You
and others could be seriously
injured.
Recommendations for Driving
in Hot Regions
The engine is more likely to
overheat in an environment where
the ambient temperature is high. To
prevent the engine from
overheating, pay attention to the
following points:
.If the engine does not contain
the appropriate concentration of
engine coolant, overheating is
likely to occur. Refer to
Engine Coolant 0253.
. Do not put well water, river water
or other hard water in the engine
cooling system. It would hasten
the formation of rust and scale.
. If foreign matter (insects, mud,
etc.) gets stuck in the radiator's
air passages, the cooling
system's performance will
deteriorate. Check the air
passages for clogging, and
remove any foreign matter using
water under low pressure.
Refer to Exterior Care 0317.
When Turning, the Rear
Wheels will Follow Tighter
Curves than the Front Wheels
Use the mirrors to confirm safety.
Sidewinds
If the vehicle catches a sidewind
and drifts sideways, firmly grip the
steering wheel, decelerate to a
speed that allows you to stay
completely in control, and make a directional correction. The vehicle
may catch strong sidewinds in the
following situations:
.
Emerging from a tunnel
. Driving over a bridge
. Driving on an embankment
. Driving through a cutting
. Being overtaken by a large truck
or bus
. Overtaking a large truck or bus
Flat Tire
If a blowout or flat tire occurs while
you are driving, calmly grip the
steering wheel and gradually apply
the brakes to decelerate. (Hard
braking would be dangerous
because it could cause the steering
wheel to be pulled to one side.)
Stop the vehicle in a safe place, and
change the tire.
Hard Bump Under Vehicle
If the underside of the vehicle
receives a hard bump, stop in a safe
place where the vehicle will not
obstruct traffic and check for brake

Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
Driving and Operating 143
fluid leakage, fuel leakage and
component damage. If any part of
the vehicle is damaged or broken,
promptly have the vehicle inspected
and repaired.
Highways
.Speeds on highways are higher
than those on regular roads, so
there is more danger. Also, a
breakdown on a highway
represents a hazard to other
vehicles and can cause a crash.
Concentrate on safe driving.
Remember to perform daily
pre-operation inspections and
use highway driving techniques.
When performing daily
pre-operation inspections,
perform the checks shown in the
table on the left with particularly
great care.
Refer to Owner Checks and
Services 0340.
. When merging with traffic on a
highway, use the turn signal
lights to indicate your intentions
ahead of time. Speed up
sufficiently when you are in the acceleration lane. Pay attention
to vehicles behind you and to
conditions in the lane you are
joining. Merge in such a way that
you do not obstruct vehicles in
the lane.
. Your sense of how fast you are
traveling becomes distorted on
long highway drives. Constantly
keep an eye on the
speedometer, and maintain a
suitable headway distance.
. During high-speed driving, even
a little turn of the steering wheel
causes a big movement of the
vehicle. Turn the steering wheel
slowly.
. Excessive use of the brake
pedal is extremely dangerous
because it rapidly wears the
brake linings and causes brake
fade. Make effective use of the
engine brake and the exhaust
brake when you want to
decelerate.
. When you want to turn off a
highway, use the turn signal
lights to indicate your intentions ahead of time. Paying attention
to vehicles behind you, turn off
the highway smoothly so as not
to obstruct other vehicles.
Brake Fade : Frequent use of the
brakes can cause the brakes to
overheat so that the frictional force
of the brake linings decreases and
the brakes become less effective
than normal. This phenomenon is
called brake fade.
Braking
Brake Operation
The brakes give strong braking
force with only light pressure on the
pedal. Do not press the brake pedal
hard except in the event of an
emergency.
Actual stopping distances vary
greatly. Your ability to stop safely
will be greatly affected by the
surface of the road, whether it is
pavement or gravel; the condition of
the road, whether it is wet, dry or
icy; tire tread; the condition of the
brakes; the weight of the vehicle;
the weight of the load; and the

Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
Driving and Operating 145
Brake System Warning Light
Caution
If brake low vacuum warning light
(4500HD, 4500XD models), brake
booster warning light (5500HD,
5500XD models), or brake system
warning light comes on during
operation, have brake system
checked immediately.
Refer to Warning Lights, Gauges,
and Indicators 068.
When the Brakes Do Not Work
{Warning
It is very dangerous to suddenly
pull the parking brake lever all the
way while moving at high speed.
Reduce speed first by shifting
down and then gradually pull the
parking brake lever.
You and others could be seriously
injured. The exhaust brake should be turned
on as soon as service brake
malfunction is detected. This will
slow the engine speed. With the
engine speed under control and
providing the grade conditions
permit, the transmission can be
progressively downshifted using the
exhaust brake in each gear.
Eventually the exhaust brake should
slow the vehicle to a controllable
“crawl.”
Gradually pull the parking
brake lever while firmly holding on
to the steering wheel. Stop the
vehicle on the side of the road. The
vehicle should not be driven further
until corrective measures are taken.
See Exhaust Brake 0222 and
Parking Brake 0220.
Riding the Brake
{Warning
"Riding the brake" by resting your
foot on the pedal, when you do
not intend to brake, can overheat
the brakes and wear out the (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
brake linings faster. This may also
damage the brakes and will waste
fuel. It can also result in reduced
braking performance.
You and others could be seriously
injured.
Applying the Parking Brake
Except in an emergency, do not
apply the parking brake until the
vehicle has come to a complete
stop. Applying the parking brake
before the vehicle has stopped can
cause a breakdown.
Refer toParking Brake 0220.
Parking Safely on a Slope
Avoid parking your vehicle on a
slope as much as possible and
choose a level and flat place. If you
must park your vehicle on a slope,
be sure to set the parking brake
fully. Make sure that the vehicle
does not move, and block the
wheels with chocks for added

Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
146 Driving and Operating
safety. Also, leave the vehicle in
gear to further ensure that it will not
move. Leave the steering wheel
turned such that the vehicle will be
stopped by an obstruction (for
example, the curb) in the unlikely
event that it moves.
Stopping and Parking with the
Engine Running
{Warning
When parking with the engine
running, first come to a complete
stop, then firmly apply the parking
brake, then move the selector
lever to the "P" (Park) position.
Unless you take these steps, any
unintended pressure on the
accelerator pedal could cause a
crash.
To reduce the chance of personal
injury and/or vehicle damage due
to engine overheating, never
leave the engine idling without an
alert driver present. If the engine(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
should overheat, as indicated by
the engine coolant temperature
gauge, immediate action is
required to correct the condition.
Continued operation of the
engine, even for a short time, may
result in a fire. Do not engage the
exhaust brake while the engine is
idling as this may cause engine
overheating.
The diesel particulate filter (DPF)
may automatically start
regeneration when the vehicle is
stopped and parked with the
engine running. To prevent a fire,
make sure there is no flammable
material near the muffler, DPF,
and exhaust pipe. Be careful not
to get burned by hot exhaust
gases.
You and others could be seriously
injured. Do Not Forget to Release the
Parking Brake
Pulling away with the parking brake
still applied can damage the brake
system.
Before pulling away, make sure the
parking brake is not set by checking
that the parking brake indicator light
is not on.
Be Sure to Have the Engine
Running When the Vehicle is
Moving
{Warning
When the engine is not running,
the power steering system does
not work so the steering wheel is
hard to turn. Also, the brake
booster does not work so there is
little braking ability. If you coast
down a slope without the engine
running, you would not be able to
properly control the vehicle and
could have a crash.

Chevrolet Low Cab Forward 5.2L Diesel Engine 4500/5500 Series (GMNA-
Localizing-U.S.-12407814) - 2019 - crc - 12/13/17
Driving and Operating 149
If the vehicle must be driven on a
flooded road or is parked in an area
that becomes flooded, promptly
perform a check for the following
points:
.Effectiveness of the brakes
. Water-ingress or damage to
drum brakes, disc brakes
. Engine damage due to
water-ingress
. Shorting of electrical
components
. Oil level and degradation
(cloudiness) of the engine,
transmission, differential
. Greasing of each components
(lubrication)Steering
Do Not Leave the Steering
Wheel Fully Turned for a
Long Time
{Warning
If you leave the steering wheel
fully turned for a long time, the oil
in the power steering oil pump will
become extremely hot. This
would cause poor lubrication, oil
tank damage and seal
deterioration, leading to power
steering oil pump damage, power
steering unit damage and power
steering hose damage. As a
result the steering wheel could
become extremely hard to turn
and a fire or a crash could occur.
You and others could be seriously
injured.
Steering Wheel
If the steering parts have excess
play or looseness or if any abnormal
condition is noted, have the steering
system checked immediately.
Driving on Wet Roads
Driving on Slippery Surface or
Driving in Bad Weather (Rain,
Icy Roads, Snowy Roads, etc.)
In bad weather, visibility is reduced
and slippery road surfaces increase
stopping distances. Drive more
slowly than you would in good
weather. Also, avoid sharp turns of
the steering wheel and hard
braking. Use engine brakes together
with the foot brakes to decelerate.
Using the exhaust brake on a
slippery road surface could cause
the tires to slip.
You may not realize the surface is
slippery until the vehicle is skidding.
Learn to recognize warning clues—
such as enough water or ice on the