check engine light CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2011 2.G User Guide

Black plate (48,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
5-48 Instruments and Controls
Fuel System Messages
FUEL LEVEL LOW
This message displays and a chime
may sound if the fuel level is low.
Refuel as soon as possible. See
Fuel Gauge
on page 5‑17andFuelon page 9‑83for more information.
TIGHTEN GAS CAP
This message may display along
with the check engine light on
the instrument panel cluster if the
vehicle's fuel cap is not tightened
properly. See Malfunction Indicator
Lamp
on page 5‑27. Reinstall the
fuel cap fully. See Filling the Tank
on page 9‑88. 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 this light and message off.
Key and Lock Messages
REPLACE BATTERY IN
REMOTE KEY
This message displays if a Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter
battery is low. The battery needs
to be replaced in the transmitter.
See “Battery Replacement” under
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2‑3.
Lamp Messages
TURN SIGNAL ON
This message displays and a chime
sounds if a turn signal is left on for
1.2 km (0.75 mile). Move the turn
signal/multifunction lever to the off
position.
Object Detection System
Messages
PARK ASST BLOCKED SEE
OWNERS MANUAL
If the vehicle has the Ultrasonic
Rear Parking Assist (URPA) system,
this message displays if there is
something interfering with the park
assist system. See Ultrasonic
Parking Assist
on page 9‑76for more information.
PARK ASSIST OFF
If the vehicle has the Ultrasonic
Rear Parking Assist (URPA) system,
after the vehicle has been started,
this message displays to remind the
driver that the URPA system has
been turned off. Press the set/reset
button or the trip odometer reset
stem to acknowledge this message
and clear it from the DIC display.
To turn the URPA system back on,
see Ultrasonic Parking Assist
on
page 9‑76.

Black plate (50,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
5-50 Instruments and Controls
There are several conditions that
can cause this message to appear.
.If the vehicle is overheating,
which could occur if StabiliTrak
activates continuously for an
extended period of time.
.If the brake system warning
light is on. SeeBrake System
Warning Light on page 5‑29.
.If the stability system takes
longer than usual to complete
its diagnostic checks due to
driving conditions.
.If an engine or vehicle related
problem has been detected
and the vehicle needs service.
See your dealer.
.If the vehicle is shifted into 4LO.
The message turns off as soon
as the conditions that caused the
message to be displayed are no
longer present.
TRACTION CONTROL OFF
If the vehicle has StabiliTrak, this
message displays when the Traction
Control System (TCS) is turned off.
Adjust your driving accordingly. See
StabiliTrak
®Systemon page 9‑70for more information.
Airbag System Messages
SERVICE AIR BAG
This message displays if there is
a problem with the airbag system.
Have your dealer inspect the
system for problems. See Airbag
Readiness Light
on page 5‑22and Airbag Systemon page 3‑31for more information.
Anti-Theft Alarm System
Messages
SERVICE THEFT DETERRENT
SYSTEM
This message displays when there
is a problem with the theft-deterrent
system. The vehicle may or may not
restart so you may want to take the
vehicle to your dealer before turning
off the engine. See Immobilizer
Operation
on page 2‑14for more
information.
Starting the Vehicle
Messages
FAST IDLE ON
If your vehicle has this feature, this
message displays when the fast idle
feature is on. See Fast Idle System
on page 9‑37for more information.

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-21
WARNING (Continued)
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 to the highest setting.
See Climate Control System
in the Index.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑42.
Snow can trap exhaust gases
under your vehicle. This can
cause deadly CO (Carbon
Monoxide) gas to get inside.
CO could overcome you and kill
you. You cannot see it or smell it,
so you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking the
exhaust.
Run the engine for short periods
only as needed to keep warm, but
be careful. 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 - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-67
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle might have the Antilock
Brake System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the engine is started and the
vehicle begins to drive away, ABS
checks itself. A momentary motor or
clicking noise might be heard while
this test is going on. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑30. Along with ABS, the vehicle has a
Dynamic Rear Proportioning (DRP)
system. If there is a DRP problem,
both the brake and ABS warning
lights come on accompanied by
a 10‐second chime. The lights
and chime will come on each time
the ignition is turned on until the
problem is repaired. See your
dealer for service.
Let us say the road is wet and you
are driving safely. Suddenly, an
animal jumps out in front of you.
You slam on the brakes and
continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each front wheel and at
both rear wheels.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle
while braking hard. As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
antilock work. You might feel the
brakes vibrate or hear some noise,
but this is normal.

Black plate (84,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
9-84 Driving and Operating
Recommended Fuel
For all vehicles except those with
the 6.2L V8 engine (VIN Code 2),
use regular unleaded gasoline
with a posted octane rating of 87
or higher. If the octane rating is
less than 87, an audible knocking
noise, commonly referred to as
spark knock, might be heard
when driving. If this occurs, use
a gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher as soon as possible. If heavy
knocking is heard when using
gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher, the engine needs service.
If the vehicle has the 6.2L V8 engine
(VIN Code 2), use premium
unleaded gasoline with a posted
octane rating of 91 or higher.
You can also use regular unleaded
gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher, but the vehicle's acceleration
could be slightly reduced, and
a slight audible knocking noise,
commonly referred to as sparkknock, might be heard. If the octane
is less than 87, you might notice a
heavy knocking noise when you
drive. If this occurs, use a gasoline
rated at 87 octane or higher as
soon as possible. Otherwise, you
could damage the engine. If heavy
knocking is heard when using
gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher, the engine needs service.
Gasoline Specifications
At a minimum, gasoline
should meet ASTM specification
D 4814 in the United States or
CAN/CGSB‐3.5 or 3.511 in Canada.
Some gasolines contain an
octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT). We recommend
against the use of gasolines
containing MMT. See
Fuel Additives
on page 9‑85for additional
information.
California Fuel
Requirements
If the vehicle is certified to meet
California Emissions Standards,
it is designed to operate on fuels
that meet California specifications.
See the underhood emission control
label. If this fuel is not available in
states adopting California emissions
standards, the vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal specifications, but emission
control system performance might
be affected. The malfunction
indicator lamp could turn on and the
vehicle might fail a smog‐check test.
See Malfunction Indicator Lamp
on
page 5‑27. If this occurs, return to
your authorized dealer for diagnosis.
If it is determined that the condition
is caused by the type of fuel used,
repairs might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.

Black plate (123,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-123
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC)
Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
2500 and 3500 series vehicles with
StabiliTrak have a Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) feature. If the vehicle
is towing a trailer and the system
detects that the trailer is swaying,
the vehicle's brakes are applied
without the driver pressing the brake
pedal. If the vehicle is equipped with
the Integrated Trailer Brake Control
(ITBC) system, StabiliTrak may also
apply the trailer brakes. The TCS/
StabiliTrak warning light will flash on
the instrument panel cluster to notify
the driver to reduce speed. If the
trailer continues to sway, StabiliTrak
will reduce engine torque to help
slow the vehicle.
Adding non‐dealer/non‐retailer
accessories can affect the vehicle's
performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications
on page 10‑3for
more information.
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
Notice: Do not add anything
electrical to the vehicle unless
you check with your dealer first.
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle and the
damage would not be covered
by the vehicle's warranty. Some
add-on electrical equipment can
keep other components from
working as they should.
Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle 12‐volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
on page 3‑48and Adding
Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 3‑48.
Adding a Snow Plow or
Similar Equipment
Before installing a snow plow on the
vehicle, here are some things you
need to know:
Notice: If your vehicle does
not have the snow plow prep
package, adding a plow can
damage your vehicle, and the
repairs would not be covered by
warranty. Unless your vehicle was
built to carry a snow plow, do not
add one to your vehicle. If your
vehicle has the snow plow prep
package, called RPO VYU, then
the payload your vehicle can
carry will be reduced when a
snow plow is installed. Your
vehicle can be damaged if either
the front or rear axle ratings or
the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
are exceeded.
Some vehicles are built with a
special snow plow prep package,
called RPO VYU. If your vehicle has
this option, you can add a plow to it,
provided certain weights, such as

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
10-18 Vehicle Care
How to Check and Add Fluid
Visually check the brake/clutch
fluid reservoir to make sure the
fluid level is at the MIN (minimum)
line on the side of the reservoir. The
brake/hydraulic clutch fluid system
should be closed and sealed.
Do not remove the cap to check
the fluid level or to top‐off the fluid
level. Remove the cap only when
necessary to add the proper fluid
until the level reaches the MIN line.
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see“Pickup Models” under“Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter” in the Duramax
®
Diesel Supplement for the correct
inspection and replacement
procedures.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑6for the location of the
engine air cleaner/filter.
When to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
Inspect the air cleaner/filter at
the scheduled maintenance
intervals and replace it at the first
oil change after each 80 000 km
(50,000 mi) interval. See Scheduled
Maintenance
on page 11‑2for
more information. If driving on
dusty/dirty conditions, inspect the
filter at each engine oil change.
How to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
To inspect the air cleaner/filter,
remove the engine air cleaner/filter
from the vehicle by following
Steps 1 through 6. When the engine
air cleaner/filter is removed, lightly
shake it to release loose dust and
dirt. If the engine air cleaner/filter
remains caked with dirt, a new filter
is required. Never use compressed
air to clean the filter.

Black plate (30,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
10-30 Vehicle Care
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is
complex. Its many parts have to be
of top quality and work well together
if the vehicle is to have really good
braking. The vehicle was designed
and tested with top-quality brake
parts. When parts of the braking
system are replaced, be sure to get
new, approved replacement parts.
If this is not done, the brakes might
not work properly. For example,
installing disc brake pads that are
wrong for the vehicle, can change
the balance between the front
and rear brakes—for the worse.
The braking performance expected
can change in many other ways if
the wrong replacement brake parts
are installed.
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder reservoir
is filled with DOT 3 brake fluid.
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑6for the location of the
reservoir.
There are only two reasons why
the brake fluid level in the reservoir
might go down:
.The brake fluid level goes down
because of normal brake lining
wear. When new linings are
installed, the fluid level goes
back up.
.A fluid leak in the brake
hydraulic system can also cause
a low fluid level. Have the brake
hydraulic system fixed, since a
leak means that sooner or later
the brakes will not work well. Do not top off the brake fluid.
Adding fluid does not correct a
leak. If fluid is added when the
linings are worn, there will be too
much fluid when new brake linings
are installed. Add or remove brake
fluid, as necessary, only when work
is done on the brake hydraulic
system.
{WARNING
If too much brake fluid is added, it
can spill on the engine and burn,
if the engine is hot enough. You
or others could be burned, and
the vehicle could be damaged.
Add brake fluid only when work
is done on the brake hydraulic
system. See
“Checking Brake
Fluid” in this section.
When the brake fluid falls to a low
level, the brake warning light comes
on. See Brake System Warning
Light on page 5‑29.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-1
A
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Active Fuel Management™ . . . . 9-41
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-123
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 9-123
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . 3-48
Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Adjustments Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . 10-18
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11
Airbag
Light On-Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23 Airbag System
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-50
How Does an Airbag
Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-42
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-36
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . 3-33
Airbags Adding Equipment to theVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-48
On-Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
On-Off Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39
Passenger Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Servicing Airbag-Equipped
Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-48
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31 Alarm System
Anti-Theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Antenna Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Anti-Theft Alarm System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Alarm System Messages . . . . . 5-50
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-67
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Appearance Care Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-106
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-111
Armrest Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Assistance Program, Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7, 13-9
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14 CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
CD/DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-3
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
CaliforniaFuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 9-84
Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Camera, Rear Vision . . . . . . . . . . 9-78
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . iii
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Cautions, Danger, and
Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
CD DVD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14 Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . 4-2
Center High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Center Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-81
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . 5-26
Check Engine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
IgnitionTransmission Lock . . . . . . . . 10-38
Child Restraints Infants and YoungChildren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-53
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . 3-59
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-51
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-68, 3-71
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-55
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-57 Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Cleaning
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-106
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-111
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1, 8-4
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Cluster, IP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Clutch, Hydraulic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . 13-11
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Coolant Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Engine TemperatureGauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19 Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-46
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-10