headlamp CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 2013 User Guide

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
6-2 Lighting
AUTO (Automatic):Automatically
turns on the headlamps at normal
brightness, together with the
following:
.Parking Lamps
.Instrument Panel Lights
.Taillamps
.License Plate Lamps
.Roof Marker Lamps
(If Equipped)
When the vehicle is turned off and
the headlamps are in AUTO, the
headlamps may automatically
remain on for a set time. The time of
the delay can be changed using the
DIC. See Driver Information Center
(DIC) on page 5‑29.
;(Parking Lamps): Turns on the
parking lamps together with the
following:
.Instrument Panel Lights
.Taillamps
.License Plate Lamps
.Roof Marker Lamps
(If Equipped)
2(Headlamps): Turns on the
headlamps together with the
following:
.Parking Lamps
.Instrument Panel Lights
.Taillamps
.License Plate Lamps
.Roof Marker Lamps
(If Equipped)
When the headlamps are turned on
while the vehicle is on, the
headlamps turn off automatically
10 minutes after the ignition is
turned off. When the headlamps are
turned on while the vehicle is off,
the headlamps will stay on for
10 minutes before automatically
turning off to prevent the battery
from being drained. Turn the
headlamp control to off and then
back to the headlamp on position to
make the headlamps stay on for an
additional 10 minutes. Push the turn signal lever toward
the instrument panel to change the
headlamps from low beam to
high beam.
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder
For vehicles with a radio, a reminder
chime sounds when the headlamps
or parking lamps are manually
turned on, the ignition is off, and a
door is open. To disable the chime,
turn the lamp off.
Headlamp High/
Low-Beam Changer
5 3
(Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer): Push the turn signal
lever toward the instrument panel to
change the headlamps from low to
high beam.
Pull the lever toward you and
release it to return to low-beam
headlamps.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
Lighting 6-3
When the high beams are on, this
indicator light on the instrument
cluster will also be on.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature lets you use the
high-beam headlamps to signal a
driver in front of you that you want
to pass. It works even if the
headlamps are in the automatic
position.
To use it, pull the turn signal lever
toward you, then release it.
If the headlamps are in the
automatic position or on low beam,
the high-beam headlamps will turn
on. They will stay on as long as you
hold the lever toward you. The
high-beam indicator on theinstrument cluster will come on.
Release the lever to return to
normal operation.
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can
make it easier for others to see the
front of your vehicle during the day.
Fully functional daytime running
lamps are required on all vehicles
first sold in Canada.
The DRL system comes on when
the following conditions are met:
.The ignition is on.
.The exterior lamp control is
in AUTO.
.The transmission is not in Park.
.The light sensor determines it is
daytime.
When the DRL system is on, only
the DRL lamps are on. The
taillamps, sidemarker, instrument
panel lights, and other lamps will not
be on. When it begins to get dark, the
automatic headlamp system
switches from DRL to the
headlamps.
To turn off the DRL lamps, turn the
exterior lamp control to the OFF
position and then release. For
vehicles first sold in Canada, the
transmission must be in the P (Park)
position before the DRL lamps can
be turned off.
Automatic Headlamp
System
When it is dark enough outside, the
automatic headlamp system turns
on the headlamps at the normal
brightness, along with the taillamps,
sidemarker, parking lamps, and the
instrument panel lights. The radio
lights will also be dim.
To turn off the automatic headlamp
system, turn the exterior lamps
switch to the off position and then
release it. For vehicles first sold in
Canada, the transmission must be

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
6-4 Lighting
in the P (Park) position before the
automatic headlamp system can be
turned off.
The vehicle has a light sensor
located on the top of the instrument
panel which regulates when the
automatic headlamps turn on. Do
not cover the sensor, otherwise the
headlamps will come on whenever
the ignition is on.
The system may also turn on the
headlamps when driving through a
parking garage or heavy overcast
weather. This is normal.
There is a delay in the transition
between the daytime and nighttime
operation of the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) and the automaticheadlamp systems so that driving
under bridges or bright overhead
street lights does not affect the
system. The DRL and automatic
headlamp system are only affected
when the light sensor detects a
change in lighting lasting longer
than the delay.
If the vehicle is started in a dark
garage, the automatic headlamp
system comes on immediately.
Once the vehicle leaves the garage,
it takes approximately one minute
for the automatic headlamp system
to change to DRL if it is bright
enough outside. During that delay,
the instrument cluster may not be as
bright as usual. Make sure the
instrument panel brightness control
is in the full bright position. See
Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6‑7.
To idle the vehicle with the
automatic headlamp system off, turn
the control to the off position.
The headlamps will also stay on
after you exit the vehicle. This
feature can be programmed using
the Driver Information Center (DIC).
See
Vehicle Personalization (With
DIC Buttons) on page 5‑46.
If the vehicle is not equipped with
DIC buttons, exit lighting is
automatic. When it is dark enough
outside, the exterior lamps remain
on for 30 seconds after the ignition
is moved from ON/RUN to
LOCK/OFF.
For vehicles without a radio, the
instrument panel light remains on for
30 seconds with the driver door
closed. For vehicles with a radio,
the instrument panel light remains
on for 10 minutes with the driver
door closed. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9‑28.
The regular headlamp system can
be turned on when needed.

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
Lighting 6-5
Lights On with Wipers
If the windshield wipers are
activated in daylight with the engine
on, and the exterior lamp control is
in AUTO, the headlamps, parking
lamps, and other exterior lamps
come on. The transition time for the
lamps coming on varies based on
wiper speed. When the wipers are
not operating, these lamps turn off.
Move the exterior lamp control to
P
or;to disable this feature.
Hazard Warning Flashers
|(Hazard Warning Flashers):
Press this button to make the front
and rear turn signal lamps flash on
and off. Press again to turn the
flashers off.
When the hazard warning flashers
are on, the vehicle's turn signals will
not work.
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals
An arrow on the instrument panel
cluster flashes in the direction of the
turn or lane change.
Move the lever all the way up or
down to signal a turn. Raise or lower the lever for less
than one second until the arrow
starts to flash to signal a lane
change. This causes the turn
signals to automatically flash three
times. It will flash six times if Tow/
Haul Mode is active. Holding the
turn signal lever for more than
one second will cause the turn
signals to flash until you release the
lever.
The lever returns to its starting
position whenever it is released.
If after signaling a turn or a lane
change the arrows flash rapidly or
do not come on, a signal bulb could
be burned out.
Have the bulbs replaced. If the bulb
is not burned out, check the fuse.
See
Fuses and Circuit Breakers on
page 10‑40.
Turn Signal On Chime
If the turn signal is left on for more
than 1.2 km (0.75 mi), a chime
sounds at each flash of the turn
signal, if the vehicle has a radio.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
6-6 Lighting
The message TURN SIGNAL ON
will also appear in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). To turn
the chime and message off, move
the turn signal lever to the off
position.
Fog Lamps
For vehicles with fog lamps, the
control is located next to the exterior
lamp control on the instrument
panel, to the left of the steering
column.
The ignition must be in the ON/RUN
position for the fog lamps to
come on.
#(Fog Lamps):Press to turn the
fog lamps on or off. A light will come
on in the instrument cluster.
When the fog lamps are turned on,
the parking lamps automatically
turn on.
When the headlamps are changed
to high beam, the fog lamps also go
off. When the high-beam headlamps
are turned off, the fog lamps will
come on again.
Some localities have laws that
require the headlamps to be on with
the fog lamps.
Auxiliary
Roof-Mounted Lamp
If the vehicle has this feature, this
button includes wiring provisions for
a dealer or a qualified service center
to install an auxiliary roof lamp.
This button is on the overhead
console.
When the wiring is connected to an
auxiliary roof-mounted lamp,
pressing the bottom of the button
will activate the lamp and illuminate
an indicator light at the bottom of
this button. Pressing the top of the
button will turn off the roof-mounted
lamp and indicator.

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
Lighting 6-9
Battery Load
Management
The vehicle has Electric Power
Management (EPM) that estimates
the battery's temperature and state
of charge. It then adjusts the voltage
for best performance and extended
life of the battery.
When the battery's state of charge
is low, the voltage is raised slightly
to quickly bring the charge back up.
When the state of charge is high,
the voltage is lowered slightly to
prevent overcharging. If the vehicle
has a voltmeter gauge or a voltage
display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC), you may see the
voltage move up or down. This is
normal. If there is a problem, an
alert will be displayed.The battery can be discharged at
idle if the electrical loads are very
high. This is true for all vehicles.
This is because the generator
(alternator) may not be spinning fast
enough at idle to produce all the
power that is needed for very high
electrical loads.
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 and it is recommended
that the driver reduce the electrical
loads as much as possible. See
Vehicle Messages on page 5‑37.
Battery Power Protection
This feature shuts off the dome and
reading lamps, if they are left on for
more than 10 minutes after the
ignition is turned off. The cargo
lamp shuts off after 20 minutes. This
prevents the battery from
running down.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
Driving and Operating 9-7
For more information about loading
the vehicle, see Vehicle Load Limits
and Tires.
Environmental Concerns
.Always use established trails,
roads, and areas that have been
set aside for public off-road
recreational driving and obey all
posted regulations.
.Do not damage shrubs, flowers,
trees, or grasses or disturb
wildlife.
.Do not park over things that
burn. SeeParking over Things
That Burn on page 9‑32.
Driving on Hills
Driving safely on hills requires good
judgment and an understanding of
what the vehicle can and cannot do.
{WARNING
Many hills are simply too steep
for any vehicle. Driving up hills
can cause the vehicle to stall.
Driving down hills can cause loss
of control. Driving across hills can
cause a rollover. You could be
injured or killed. Do not drive on
steep hills.
Before driving on a hill, assess the
steepness, traction, and
obstructions. If the terrain ahead
cannot be seen, get out of the
vehicle and walk the hill before
driving further.
When driving on hills:
.Use a low gear and keep a firm
grip on the steering wheel.
.Maintain a slow speed.
.When possible, drive straight up
or down the hill.
.Slow down when approaching
the top of the hill.
.Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible.
{WARNING
Driving to the top of a hill at high
speed can cause an accident.
There could be a drop-off,
embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be
seriously injured or killed. As you
near the top of a hill, slow down
and stay alert.
.Never go downhill forward or
backward with either the
transmission or transfer case in
N (Neutral). The brakes could
overheat and you could lose
control.

Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
Driving and Operating 9-13
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. SeeRoadside
Assistance Program (Mexico) on
page 13‑7 orRoadside Assistance
Program (U.S. and Canada) on
page 13‑11. To get help and keep
everyone in the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{WARNING
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO) which
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
.Clear away snow from around
the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe.
.Check again from time to
time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
.Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the
wind to bring in fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
.Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
circulates the air inside the
vehicle and set the fan speed(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
to the highest setting. See
“Climate Control Systems” in
the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑32.
To save fuel, run the engine for only
short periods as needed to warm
the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of
the way to save heat. Repeat this
until help arrives but only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the
cold. Moving about to keep warm
also helps.
If it takes some time for help to
arrive, now and then when you run
the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs
faster than the idle 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.

Black plate (67,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
Driving and Operating 9-67
A. Chassis harness connector
B. Release tab
C. Camera connector
3. Plug the two exposed chassis harness connectors together to
prevent contamination.A. Chassis harness connector
B. Release tab
4. Feed the wiring harness through the pickup box, then plug the
camera connectors together to
prevent contamination.
5. Remove the tailgate. See Tailgate on page 2‑9 for more
information.
6. Reinstall the license plate.
Reverse this procedure to reinstall
the RVC and make sure the
grommet and connection are
secure.
When the System Does Not
Seem To Work Properly
The RVC system might not work
properly or display a clear image if:
.The RVC is turned off. See
“Turning the RVC System On or
Off” earlier in this section.
.It is dark.
.The sun or the beam of
headlamps is shining directly
into the camera lens.
.Ice, snow, mud, or anything else
builds up on the camera lens.
Clean the lens, rinse it with
water, and wipe it with a soft
cloth.
.The back of the vehicle is in an
accident, the position and
mounting angle of the camera
can change or the camera can
be affected. Be sure to have the
camera and its position and
mounting angle checked at your
dealer.

Black plate (97,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 8/13/12
Driving and Operating 9-97
headlamps as a second way to
boost the vehicle system and
charge the battery.
Camper/Fifth-Wheel Trailer Wiring
Package
The seven-wire camper harness is
located under the front edge of the
pickup box on the driver side of the
vehicle, attached to the frame
bracket. A connector must be added
to the wiring harness which
connects to the camper.
The harness contains the following
camper/trailer circuits:
.Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
.Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn
Signal
.Brown: Taillamps
.White: Ground
.Light Green: Back-up Lamps
.Red: Battery Feed
.Dark Blue: Trailer Brake
If the vehicle is equipped with the
“Heavy-Duty Trailering”option,
please refer to “Heavy-Duty Trailer
Wiring Package” earlier in this
section.
When the camper-wiring harness is
ordered without the heavy-duty
trailering package, a seven-wire
harness with a seven-pin connector
is located at the rear of the vehicle
and is tied to the vehicle's frame.
Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions
These wiring provisions are
included with the vehicle as part of
the trailer wiring package. These
provisions are for an electric brake
controller. The instrument panel
contains blunt cut wires behind the
steering column for the trailer brake
controller. The harness contains the
following wires:
.Dark Blue: Brake Signal to
Trailer Connector
.Red/Black: Battery
.Light Blue/White: Brake Switch
.White: Ground
The harness should be installed by
your dealer or a qualified service
center.
If the vehicle is equipped with an
Integrated Trailer Brake Control
(ITBC) System, the blunt cuts exist,
but are not connected further in the
harness. If an aftermarket trailer
brake controller is installed, the