warning CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2010 2.G Repair Manual

N (Neutral):In this position, the engine does not
connect with the wheels. To restart when you are
already moving, use N (Neutral) only. Also, use
N (Neutral) when the vehicle is being towed.
{WARNING:
Shifting into a drive gear while the engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless your
foot is firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could
move very rapidly. You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift into a drive gear
while the engine is running at high speed.
Notice: Shifting out of P (Park) or N (Neutral) with
the engine running at high speed may damage the
transmission. The repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the engine is not
running at high speed when shifting the vehicle. D (Drive):
This position is for normal driving. It provides
the best fuel economy. If you need more power for
passing, and you are:
.Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
By doing this, the vehicle shifts down to the next
gear and has more power.
D (Drive) can be used when towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, driving on steep hills, or for off-road driving.
You might want to shift the transmission to a lower gear
selection if the transmission shifts too often.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding. See Skidding under
Loss of Control on page 5‑10.
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A parking brake symbol is
located next to the
N (Neutral) symbol as a
reminder to set the
parking brake before
shifting the transfer case
into N (Neutral).
{WARNING:
Shifting the transfer case to Neutral can cause the
vehicle to roll even if the transmission is in
P (Park). You or someone else could be seriously
injured. Be sure to set the parking brake before
placing the transfer case in Neutral. SeeParking
Brake on page 3‑50. N (Neutral):
Shift to this setting only when the vehicle
needs to be towed. See Recreational Vehicle Towing
on
page 5‑44or Towing Your Vehicle on page 5‑44.
2
m(Two-Wheel-Drive High): This setting is used for
driving in most street and highway situations. The front
axle is not engaged in two-wheel drive. This setting also
provides the best fuel economy.
4
m(Four-Wheel-Drive High): Use this setting when
you need extra traction, such as on snowy or icy roads
or in most off-road situations. This setting also engages
the front axle to help drive your vehicle. This is the best
setting to use when plowing snow.
You can shift from Two-Wheel-Drive High to
Four-Wheel-Drive High or Four-Wheel-Drive High to
Two-Wheel-Drive High while the vehicle is moving. In
extremely cold weather, it may be necessary to stop or
slow the vehicle to shift into Four-Wheel-Drive High.
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Shifting In or Out of Four-Wheel-Drive Low
Notice:Shifting the transfer case into
Four-Wheel-Drive Low while moving at speeds
faster than 5 km/h (3 mph) may cause premature
wear to the transfer case, and may cause the gears
to grind. To avoid causing premature wear, and
grinding the gears, do not shift the transfer case
into Four-Wheel-Drive Low while the vehicle is
moving faster than 5 km/h (3 mph).
Shifting into Four-Wheel-Drive Low should be done,
if possible, with the vehicle at a slight roll, 3 mph
(5 km/h) or less.
.Shift the transmission into N (Neutral).
{WARNING:
Shifting the transfer case to Neutral can cause the
vehicle to roll even if the transmission is in
P (Park). You or someone else could be seriously
injured. Be sure to set the parking brake before
placing the transfer case in Neutral. See Parking
Brake on page 3‑50.
.Shifting into Four-Wheel-Drive Low with the vehicle
at a stop may be more difficult. You may be unable
to complete the shift to Four-Wheel-Drive Low, and
the transfer case will end up in N (Neutral). This is
normal, and is a function of the gear teeth aligning
in the transfer case. When this happens, make
sure the engine is on, shift the transmission
momentarily to D (Drive) and back to N (Neutral),
and then complete the transfer case shift.
.Shift the transfer case shift lever in one continuous
motion into the Four-Wheel-Drive Low position.
.When Four-Wheel-Drive Low do not drive faster
than 45 mph. This will reduce wear and extend the
life of your transfer case.
Shifting In or Out of Neutral
1. With the vehicle running and the engine at an idle set the parking brake.
2. Place the transmission into N (Neutral).
Shift the transfer case in one continuous motion into or
out of the N (Neutral) position.
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4m(Four-Wheel-Drive High):Use the
Four-Wheel-Drive High position when extra traction is
needed, such as on snowy or icy roads or in most
off-road situations. This setting also engages the front
axle to help drive the vehicle. This is the best setting to
use when plowing snow.
4
n(Four-Wheel-Drive Low): This setting also engages
the front axle and delivers extra torque. You may never
need this setting. It sends maximum power to all four
wheels. You might choose Four-Wheel-Drive Low while
driving off-road in deep sand, deep mud, deep snow,
and while climbing or descending steep hills.
If the vehicle has StabiliTrak
®, shifting into
Four-Wheel-Drive Low will turn Traction Control and
StabiliTrak
®off. See StabiliTrak®System on page 5‑6.
{WARNING:
Shifting the transfer case to N (Neutral) can cause
the vehicle to roll even if the transmission is in
P (Park). You or someone else could be seriously
injured. Be sure to set the parking brake before
placing the transfer case in N (Neutral). See
Parking Brake on page 3‑50.
N (Neutral): Shift the vehicle's transfer case to
N (Neutral) only when towing the vehicle. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing
on page 5‑44or Towing
Your Vehicleon page 5‑44for more information.
If the SERVICE 4–WHEEL DRIVE message stays on,
you should take the vehicle to your dealer for service.
See “Service 4–Wheel Drive message” underDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 4‑63.
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{WARNING:
Shifting the transfer case to N (Neutral) can cause
the vehicle to roll even if the transmission is in
P (Park). You or someone else could be seriously
injured. Be sure to set the parking brake before
placing the transfer case in N (Neutral). See
Parking Brake on page 3‑50.
N (Neutral): Shift the vehicle's transfer case to
N (Neutral) only when towing the vehicle. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing
on page 5‑44or Towing
Your Vehicleon page 5‑44for more information.
If the SERVICE 4–Wheel Drive message stays on, you
should take the vehicle to your dealer for service. See
“Service 4–Wheel Drive message” underDIC Warnings
and Messages on page 4‑63.
Shifting Into Four-Wheel-Drive High or
AUTO (Automatic Four-Wheel Drive)
Turn the knob to the Four-Wheel-Drive High or AUTO
position. This can be done at any speed, except when
shifting from Four-Wheel-Drive Low. The indicator light
will flash while shifting. It will remain on when the shift is
completed.
Shifting Into Two-Wheel-Drive High
Turn the knob to the Two-Wheel-Drive High position.
This can be done at any speed, except when shifting
from Four-Wheel-Drive Low. The indicator light will flash
while shifting. It will remain on when the shift is
completed.
Shifting Into Four-Wheel-Drive Low
When Four-Wheel-Drive Low is engaged, vehicle speed
should be kept below 45 mph. Extended high-speed
operation in Four-Wheel-Drive Low may damage or
shorten the life of the drivetrain.
To shift to the Four-Wheel-Drive Low position, the
ignition must be in ON/RUN and the vehicle must be
stopped or moving less than 3 mph (5 km/h) with the
transmission in N (Neutral). The preferred method for
shifting into Four-Wheel-Drive Low is to have the
vehicle moving 1 to 2 mph (1.6 to 3.2 km/h). Turn the
knob to the Four-Wheel-Drive Low position. You must
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Parking Brake
Set the parking brake by holding the regular brake
pedal down, then pushing down the parking brake
pedal.If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light will
come on. See
Brake System Warning Light
on
page 4‑37.
Notice: Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Make sure
that the parking brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before driving.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down, then push down momentarily on the
parking brake pedal until you feel the pedal release.
Slowly pull your foot up off the park brake pedal. If the
parking brake is not released when you begin to drive,
the brake system warning light will flash and a chime
will sound warning you that the parking brake is still on.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on a hill, see
Towing a Trailer on page 5‑51.
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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 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.
With four-wheel drive, if the transfer case is in
N (Neutral), the vehicle will be free to roll, even if
the shift lever is in P (Park). So, be sure the
transfer case is in a drive gear—not in
N (Neutral). If you are pulling a trailer, see Towing
a Trailer on page 5‑51.
1. Hold the brake pedal down, then set the parking brake.
See Parking Brake
on page 3‑50for more
information. 2. Move the shift lever into the P (Park) position by
pulling the shift lever toward you and moving it up
as far as it will go.
3. Be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear —not
in N (Neutral).
4. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
5. 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).
3-51

Leaving the Vehicle With the Engine
Running
{WARNING:
It can be dangerous to leave the vehicle with the
engine running. The vehicle could move suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the
parking brake firmly set.
If you have four-wheel drive and the transfer case
is in N (Neutral), the vehicle will be free to roll,
even if the shift lever is in P (Park). So be sure the
transfer case is in a drive gear—not in
N (Neutral).
And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine
running, it could overheat and even catch fire. You
or others could be injured. Do not leave the
vehicle with the engine running unless you
have to. If you have to leave the vehicle with the engine running,
be sure your vehicle is in P (Park) and the parking
brake is firmly set before you leave it. After you move
the shift lever into P (Park), hold the regular brake pedal
down. Then, see if you can move the shift lever away
from P (Park) without first pulling it toward you. If you
can, it means that the shift lever was not fully locked
into P (Park).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift your
transmission into P (Park) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of P (Park). This is called torque lock. To
prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift
into P (Park) properly before you leave the driver seat.
To find out how, see
Shifting Into Park on page 3‑51.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
P (Park) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have
another vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of
the pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission,
then you will be able to pull the shift lever out of
P (Park).
3-52

Shifting Out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with an electronic shift lock
release system. The shift lock release is designed to:
.Prevent ignition key removal unless the shift lever
is in P (Park) with the shift lever button fully
released, and
.Prevent movement of the shift lever out of P (Park),
unless the ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular brake pedal is
applied.
The shift lock release is always functional except in the
case of an uncharged or low voltage (less than 9 volt)
battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged battery or a battery with
low voltage, try charging or jump starting the battery.
See Jump Starting
on page 6‑44for more information. To shift out of P (Park) use the following:
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still are unable to shift out of P (Park): 1. Ease the pressure on the shift lever.
2. While holding down the brake pedal, press the shift lever all the way into P (Park).
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you are still having a problem shifting, then have the
vehicle serviced soon.
Parking Over Things That Burn
{WARNING:
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under the vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass, or other things that
can burn.
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Engine Exhaust
{WARNING:
Engine exhaust contains Carbon Monoxide (CO)
which cannot be seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:
.The vehicle idles in areas with poor ventilation
(parking garages, tunnels, deep snow that
may block underbody airflow or tail pipes).
.The exhaust smells or sounds strange or
different.
.The exhaust system leaks due to corrosion or
damage.
.The vehicle’s exhaust system has been
modified, damaged or improperly repaired.(Continued)
WARNING: (Continued)
.There are holes or openings in the vehicle
body from damage or after-market
modifications that are not completely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or if it is suspected
that exhaust is coming into the vehicle:
.Drive it only with the windows
completely down.
.Have the vehicle repaired immediately.
Never park the vehicle with the engine running in
an enclosed area such as a garage or a building
that has no fresh air ventilation.
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