trailer CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2003 1.G User Guide

Outside Manual Mirrors
Adjust your outside mirrors so you can just see the side
of your vehicle and have a clear view of objects
behind you. The mirrors can be folded in to enter narrow
areas.
The use of hood-mounted air de¯ectors and add-on
convex mirror attachments may adversely affect mirror
performance.
Outside Camper-Type Mirrors
If your vehicle is equipped with camper-type mirrors,
they can be adjusted so you can have a clear view
of the objects behind you.
Pull out the mirror head to extend it for better visibility
when towing a trailer.
Outside West Coast-Type Mirrors
If your vehicle is equipped with the west coast-type
mirrors, they can be adjusted so you can have a clear
view of objects behind you.
A. Outer Mirror Frame
B. Mirror Head
C. Nut
The mirrors can be adjusted by turning the mirror
head (B) and moving the outer mirror frame (A)
backward or forward. You can also loosen the nut (C)
on the top and bottom of the outer mirror frame to tilt the
mirror head.
2-59

SeeDriver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-54for
further information.
If your vehicle has an Allison transmission, and the ¯uid
reaches temperatures of approximately 275ÉF (135ÉC)
or greater, the driver information center will display
a TRANS HOT IDLE ENGINE warning message and a
chime will sound until the temperature falls below
265ÉF (129ÉC) degrees. Pull the vehicle off the roadway
when it is safe to do so. Set the parking brake, place
the transmission in PARK (P) and allow the engine
to idle until the transmission temperature falls below
265ÉF (129ÉC). If the transmission continues to operate
above 265ÉF (130ÉC), contact your nearest dealer or
the GM Roadside Assistance Center. See
Roadside
Assistance Program on page 7-5.
Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with the
transmission temperature gage above the normal
operating range, you can damage the transmission.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered under your warranty.The following situations can cause the transmission to
operate at higher temperatures:
·Towing a trailer
·Hot outside air temperatures
·Hauling a large or heavy load
·Low transmission ¯uid level
·High transmission ¯uid level
·Restricted air ¯ow to the radiator and the auxiliary
transmission oil cooler (if equipped).
A temporary solution to hotter transmission operating
temperatures may be to let the transmission cool down.
If the transmission is operated at higher temperatures
on a frequent basis, see
Scheduled Maintenance
on page 6-5for the proper transmission maintenance
intervals.
3-48

If the Light is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
·Reducing vehicle speed.
·Avoiding hard accelerations.
·Avoiding steep uphill grades.
·If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops ¯ashing and remains on steady, see ªIf
the Light Is On Steadyº following.
If the light continues to ¯ash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle.Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart
the engine. If the light remains on steady, see ªIf
the Light Is On Steadyº following. If the light is still
¯ashing, follow the previous steps, and see your dealer
for service as soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. See
Filling Your Tank on page 5-6. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap hasbeen left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing
fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed
should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel. See
Gasoline Octane on page 5-4. Poor fuel quality will
cause your engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
You may notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling
when you put the vehicle into gear, mis®ring, hesitation
on acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the
light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
your dealer can check the vehicle. Your dealer has
the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to ®x any
mechanical or electrical problems that may have
developed.
3-50

Tow/Haul Mode Light
This light is displayed
when the tow/haul mode
has been activated.
For more information, see
Towing a Trailer on
page 4-68.
Overdrive Disable
This light will illuminate
when the overdrive disable
feature is activated. The
overdrive disable
feature will prevent your
vehicle from shifting
into ®fth (5) gear.
Fuel Gage
When the ignition is on, the fuel gage tells you about
how much fuel you have left in your tank.
The gage will ®rst indicate empty before you are out of
fuel, and you should get more fuel as soon as
possible.
When the fuel tank is low the Low Fuel message will
appear. See
Driver Information Center (DIC) on
page 3-54.
United StatesCanada
3-53

TIGHTEN FUEL CAP
If the vehicle's fuel cap is not tightened properly thsi
message may appear along with the check engine light
on the instrument panel. See
Malfunction Indicator
Lamp on page 3-49. Fully reinstall the fuel cap.
SeeFilling Your Tank on page 5-6. The diagnostic
system can determine if the fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel cap will
allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. A few
driving trips with the cap properly installed should turn
the light and message off.
TRACTION ACTIVE
When the traction control system had detected that any
of the vehicle's wheels are slipping, the traction
control system will activate and this message will appear
on the DIC. For more information see ªTraction Assistº
in the Index.
TRANSMISSION HOT
If the transmission ¯uid temperature becomes high, the
message center will display this message.
When the transmission enters the protection mode, you
may notice a change in the transmission shifting
patterns. When the transmission ¯uid temperature
returns to normal, the display will turn off and the
transmission shifting patterns will return to normal.
Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with the
transmission TRANS FLUID HOT message
displayed, you can damage the transmission. This
could lead to costly repairs that may not be covered
under your warranty.
The following situations can cause the transmission to
operate at higher temperatures:
·Towing a trailer
·Hot outside air temperatures
·Hauling a large or heavy load
·Low transmission ¯uid level
·High transmission ¯uid level
·Restricted air ¯ow to the radiator and the auxiliary
transmission oil cooler.
A temporary solution to hotter transmission operating
temperatures may be to let the transmission cool down.
If the transmission is operated at higher temperatures
on a frequent basis, see
Scheduled Maintenance
on page 6-5for the proper transmission maintenance
intervals.
3-70

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-5
Braking.........................................................4-6
Traction Assist System (TAS).........................4-10
Manual Selectable Ride.................................4-12
Locking Rear Axle........................................4-13
Steering......................................................4-13
QUADRASTEERŸ........................................4-15
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-19
Passing.......................................................4-19
Loss of Control.............................................4-21
Off-Road Driving with Your Four-Wheel-Drive
Vehicle....................................................4-22
Driving at Night............................................4-38
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-39
City Driving..................................................4-42Freeway Driving...........................................4-43
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-44
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-45
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-46
Winter Driving..............................................4-48
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow . . .4-52
Towing..........................................................4-55
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-55
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-55
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-58
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment.......4-61
Truck-Camper Loading Information..................4-65
Trailer Recommendations...............................4-67
Pickup Conversion to Chassis Cab..................4-67
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-68
Power Take-Off (PTO)...................................4-95
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

If desired, you can change the TAS automatic
engagement feature so that the system will not come on
automatically when the engine is started. To do so:
1. Park the vehicle with the ignition off and the
transmission in PARK (P).
2. Turn the ignition to RUN; do not start the engine.
3. Apply the brake pedal, shift into NEUTRAL (N),
press the accelerator pedal to the ¯oor and then
press the TAS on/off button and hold it down for at
least six seconds.
4. Release the TAS button and both pedals.
5. Turn off the ignition and wait a few seconds.
The next time you start your vehicle, the TAS will not
automatically come on. You can restore the automatic
feature by using the same procedure. Whether the TAS
is set to come on automatically or not, you can always
turn the system on or off by pressing the TAS on/off
button.Manual Selectable Ride
The main function of this system is to provide superior
ride comfort while trailering or fully loaded, as well
as for unloaded driving. This system also helps
to provide:
·Improved trailering stability
·Improved handling response when trailering or fully
loaded
This button is located on
the center of the instrument
panel near the radio. Press
it to activate the selectable
ride setting as desired. An
indicator light near the
button will illuminate
whenever the system is
active.
It is recommended to use this system as follows:
·For optimum ride comfort in an unloaded vehicle
the button should be out and the indicator light
will not be illuminated. This switch position indicates
NORMAL levels of ride control or damping.
4-12

·For optimum ride comfort when trailering, fully
loaded, driving off-road, or when personal
preferences demand more control the button should
be pressed in with the indicator light illuminated.
This switch position indicates FIRM levels of
ride control or damping.
The following guide can also be used to help determine
the best setting.
NORMAL:The indicator light will be off when the
system is in this setting. Use for normal city and highway
driving. Provides a smooth, soft ride when the vehicle
is unloaded.
FIRM (Unloaded):Press the switch to activate this
setting, the indicator light will illuminate. Use this setting
when road conditions or personal preference demand
more control. Provides more ªfeel²or response to
the road conditions.
FIRM (Loaded):Press the switch to activate this
setting, the indicator light will illuminate. Use this setting
to minimize trailer inputs to the vehicle or when the
vehicle is fully loaded. This setting is also appropriate
for off-road driving.
You can select a setting at any time based on road and
trailering conditions to provide the best ride and
handling. Select a new setting whenever driving
conditions change.Locking Rear Axle
If your vehicle has this feature, your locking rear axle can
give you additional traction on snow, mud, ice, sand or
gravel. It works like a standard axle most of the time, but
when one of the rear wheels has no traction and the other
does, this feature will allow the wheel with traction to
move the vehicle.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but it
will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the ªdriver lost controlº accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The
traction of the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction. If you have ever
tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you will
understand this.
4-13

The 4 Wheel Steer system is equipped with
three different driving modes:
·Two wheel steering (2)
·Four wheel steering (4)
·Four wheel steering with a trailer mode (_)
The switch is located on the instrument panel.2:In this mode the vehicle will operate like any other
vehicle with two wheel steering. If you want to use
2 wheel steer mode and your vehicle is not in this mode,
press the button until the 2 indicator, located to the
right of the 4 Wheel Steer button, lights up. If the
2 indicator is ¯ashing you will have to center the steering
wheel by turning it to the left or right.
Your vehicle will return to 2 when the transmission is
shifted into NEUTRAL, for example when entering a car
wash.
If you want to use tire chains, the vehicle needs to be in
2 wheel steer mode. For more information see
Tire
Chains on page 5-78.
4:In this mode all four wheels will help steer the
vehicle. If you want to use 4, and your vehicle is not in
this mode, press the button, until the 4 indicator,
located to the right of the 4 Wheel Steer button, comes
on and stays on. If the 4 indicator is ¯ashing you will
have to center the steering wheel by turning it to the left
or right.
4-16

At slower speeds the front and rear wheels will turn in
opposite directions. This helps the vehicle make
tighter turns, such as during parking, cornering and
turning into tight spaces.At higher speeds the front and rear wheels will turn in
the same direction. This improves stability of the vehicle
during lane changes and sweeping turns.
_(4 Wheel Steer tow mode):When towing a
trailer the 4 wheel steer tow mode provides enhanced
stability allowing the trailer to follow the path of the
tow vehicle more closely, especially during lane
changes.
In this mode the system operates much like the 4 mode,
but is enhanced for trailer towing. It is recommended
for all types and weights of trailers. Slower Speeds (below 40 m.p.h./ 64 km/h )
Higher Speeds (40 m.p.h./64 km/h, and above)
4-17