brake CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2012 2.G User Guide

Black plate (30,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
3-30 Seats and Restraints
You can lock the doors, turn off the
interior lamps and hazard warning
flashers by using the controls for
those features.
{WARNING
A crash severe enough to inflate
the airbags may have also
damaged important functions in
the vehicle, such as the fuel
system, brake and steering
systems, etc. Even if the vehicle
appears to be drivable after a
moderate crash, there may be
concealed damage that could
make it difficult to safely operate
the vehicle.
Use caution if you should attempt
to restart the engine after a crash
has occurred.
In many crashes severe enough to
inflate the airbag, windshields are
broken by vehicle deformation. Additional windshield breakage may
also occur from the right front
passenger airbag.
.Airbags are designed to inflate
only once. After an airbag
inflates, you will need some new
parts for the airbag system.
If you do not get them, the
airbag system will not be there
to help protect you in another
crash. A new system will include
airbag modules and possibly
other parts. The service manual
for your vehicle covers the need
to replace other parts.
.The vehicle has a crash sensing
and diagnostic module which
records information after a
crash. See
Vehicle Data
Recording and Privacy on
page 13‑19 andEvent Data
Recorders on page 13‑20.
.Let only qualified technicians
work on the airbag systems.
Improper service can mean that
an airbag system will not work
properly. See your dealer for
service.
Airbag On-Off Switch
If one of the switches pictured in the
following illustrations is located in
the glove box, the vehicle has an
airbag on-off switch that you can
use to manually turn on or off the
right front passenger airbag.
United States

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-1
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 5-2
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 5-3
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . 5-5
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16 Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . 5-17
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . 5-19
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . 5-20
Airbag On-Off Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Charging System Light . . . . . . 5-23
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . 5-28
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . 5-28
StabiliTrak
®OFF Light . . . . . . . 5-28
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . 5-29
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 5-30
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 5-30
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . 5-31
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 5-42
Battery Voltage andCharging Messages . . . . . . . . 5-42
Brake System Messages . . . . 5-42
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-43
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-44
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . 5-45
Engine Power Messages . . . . 5-46
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . 5-46
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . 5-46
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-46
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-47
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-47
Airbag System Messages . . . . 5-48
Anti-theft Alarm System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-48

Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
5-26 Instruments and Controls
Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs
Some local governments may have
programs to inspect the on-vehicle
emission control equipment.
For the inspection, the emission
system test equipment is connected
to the vehicle’s Data Link
Connector (DLC).
The DLC is under the instrument
panel to the left of the steering
wheel. See your dealer if assistance
is needed.The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
.The malfunction indicator lamp is
on with the engine running, or if
the light does not come on when
the ignition is turned to ON/RUN
while the engine is off. See your
dealer for assistance in verifying
proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp.
.The OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics) system
determines that critical
emission control systems
have not been completely
diagnosed. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for
inspection. This can happen if
the 12-volt battery has recently
been replaced or run down.The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical
emission control systems during
normal driving. This can take
several days of routine driving.
If this has been done and the
vehicle still does not pass the
inspection for lack of OBD II
system readiness, your dealer
can prepare the vehicle for
inspection.
Brake System Warning
Light
With the ignition on, the brake
system warning light comes on
when the parking brake is set. If the
vehicle is driven with the parking
brake engaged, a chime sounds
when the vehicle speed is greater
than 8 km/h (5 mph).

Black plate (27,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-27
The vehicle brake system consists
of two hydraulic circuits. If one
circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the
vehicle. For normal braking
performance, both circuits need to
be working.
If the warning light comes on and a
chime sounds there could be a
brake problem. Have the brake
system inspected right away.
This light can also come on due to
low brake fluid. SeeBrake Fluid on
page 10‑30 for more information.
MetricEnglish
This light comes on briefly when the
ignition key is turned to ON/RUN.
If it does not come on then, have it
fixed so it is ready to warn if there is
a problem.
{WARNING
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.
If the light comes on while driving,
pull off the road and stop carefully.
The pedal might be harder to push
or might go closer to the floor. It can
take longer to stop. If the light is still
on, have the vehicle towed for
service. See Towing the Vehicle on
page 10‑97.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
For vehicles with the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), this light comes on
briefly when the engine is started.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally the
indicator light then goes off.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the
ignition off. If the light comes on
while driving, stop as soon as it is
safely possible and turn the ignition
off. Then start the engine again to
reset the system. If the ABS light
stays on, or comes on again while
driving, the vehicle needs service.
If the regular brake system warning
light is not on, the vehicle still has
brakes, but not antilock brakes.

Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
5-28 Instruments and Controls
If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, the vehicle does not
have antilock brakes and there is a
problem with the regular brakes.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 5‑26.
For vehicles with a Driver
Information Center (DIC), see Brake
System Messages on page 5‑42 for
all brake‐related DIC messages.
If the vehicle is a hybrid, see the
hybrid supplement for more
information.
Four-Wheel-Drive Light
For vehicles equipped with the
four-wheel-drive light, it comes on
when a vehicle with a manual transfer case is shifted into
four-wheel drive and the front axle
engages.
Some delay between the shifting
and the light coming on is normal.
See
Four-Wheel Drive on page 9‑45
for more information.
Tow/Haul Mode Light
For vehicles with the Tow/Haul
Mode feature, this light comes on
when the Tow/Haul Mode has been
activated.
For more information, see Tow/Haul
Mode on page 9‑43.
StabiliTrak®OFF Light
This light comes on briefly while
starting the engine.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally, the
indicator light then goes off.
Press and release the Traction
Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
button to turn off TCS, and a
message displays in the DIC.
Press and briefly hold the
TCS/StabiliTrak button to turn off
the StabiliTrak system; the
StabiliTrak Off light comes on and
a message appears in the Driver
Information Center (DIC).

Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-33
The compass and outside
temperature will also be shown
in the display. The temperature will
be shown in °C or °F depending on
the units selected.
T(Vehicle Information):Press
this button to display the oil life,
units, tire pressure readings for
vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), trailer
brake gain and output information
for vehicles with the Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system,
engine hours, compass zone
setting, and compass recalibration.
U(Customization): Press this
button to customize the feature
settings on the vehicle. See Vehicle
Personalization (With DIC Buttons)
on page 5‑52 for more information.
V(Set/Reset):Press this button to
set or reset certain functions and to
turn off or acknowledge messages
on the DIC.
Trip/Fuel Menu Items
(with DIC Buttons)
3(Trip/Fuel): Press this button
to scroll through the following menu
items:
Odometer
Press the trip/fuel button until
ODOMETER displays. This display
shows the distance the vehicle has
been driven in either kilometers (km)
or miles. Pressing the trip odometer
reset stem will also display the
odometer.
To switch between metric and
English measurements,
see “Units” later in this section.
Trip Odometer
Press the trip/fuel button until TRIP
displays. This display shows the
current distance traveled in either
kilometers (km) or miles since the
last reset for the trip odometer. Pressing the trip odometer reset
stem will also display the trip
odometer.
The trip odometer can be reset to
zero by pressing the set/reset
button while the trip odometer is
displayed. You can also reset the
trip odometer while it is displayed
by pressing and holding the trip
odometer reset stem.
The trip odometer has a feature
called the retro-active reset. This
can be used to set the trip odometer
to the number of miles (kilometers)
driven since the ignition was last
turned on. This can be used if the
trip odometer is not reset at the
beginning of the trip.
To use the retro-active reset feature,
press and hold the set/reset button
for at least four seconds. The trip
odometer will display the number
of kilometers (km) or miles driven
since the ignition was last turned
on and the vehicle was moving.

Black plate (37,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-37
If a low tire pressure condition is
detected by the system while
driving, a message advising you to
add pressure in a specific tire will
appear in the display. SeeTire
Pressure on page 10‑62 andTire
Messages on page 5‑49 for more
information.
If the tire pressure display shows
dashes instead of a value, there
may be a problem with the vehicle.
If this consistently occurs, see your
dealer for service.
Trailer Gain and Output
On vehicles with the Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system,
the trailer brake display appears
in the DIC. Press the vehicle
information button until TRAILER
GAIN and OUTPUT display.
TRAILER GAIN shows the trailer
gain setting. This setting can be
adjusted from 0.0 to 10.0 with either
a trailer connected or disconnected. OUTPUT shows the power output to
the trailer any time a trailer with
electric brakes is connected. Output
is displayed in 0 to 10 bars. Dashes
may appear in the OUTPUT display.
To adjust trailer gain see
“Integrated
Trailer Brake Control System” under
Towing Equipment on page 9‑102
for more information.
Battery
This display shows the current
battery voltage. If the voltage is in
the normal range, the value will
display. For example, the display
may read BATTERY 13 VOLTS.
Your vehicle's charging system
regulates voltage based on the state
of the battery. The battery voltage
may fluctuate when viewing this
information on the DIC. This is
normal. Oil Pressure
This display shows the oil pressure
in either kilopascals (kPa) or pounds
per square inch (psi).
Engine Hours
Press the vehicle information button
until ENGINE HOURS displays.
This display shows the total number
of hours the engine has run.
Compass Zone Setting
This display allows for setting the
compass zone. See
Compass on
page 5‑6 for more information.
Compass Recalibration
This display allows for calibrating
the compass. See Compass on
page 5‑6 for more information.
Blank Display
This display shows no information.

Black plate (40,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
5-40 Instruments and Controls
The trip odometer has a feature
called the retro-active reset.
This can be used to set the trip
odometer to the number of miles
(kilometers) driven since the ignition
was last turned on. This can be
used if the trip odometer is not reset
at the beginning of the trip.
To use the retro-active reset feature,
press and hold the trip odometer
reset stem for at least four seconds.
The trip odometer will display the
number of kilometers (km) or
miles (mi) driven since the ignition
was last turned on and the vehicle
was moving. Once the vehicle
begins moving, the trip odometer
will accumulate mileage. For
example, if the vehicle was driven
8 km (5 miles) before it is started
again, and then the retro-active
reset feature is activated, the
display will show 8 km (5 miles).
As the vehicle begins moving, the
display will then increase to 8.2 km
(5.1 miles), 8.4 km (5.2 miles), etc.Transmission Temperature
Press the trip odometer reset
stem until TRANS TEMP displays.
This display shows the temperature
of the automatic transmission fluid
in either degrees Celsius (°C) or
degrees Fahrenheit (°F) .
Trailer Gain and Output
On vehicles with the Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system,
the trailer brake display appears in
the DIC. Press the trip odometer
reset stem until TRAILER GAIN and
OUTPUT display.
TRAILER GAIN shows the trailer
gain setting. This setting can be
adjusted from 0.0 to 10.0 with either
a trailer connected or disconnected.
OUTPUT shows the power output to
the trailer any time a trailer with
electric brakes is connected. Output
is displayed in 0 to 10 bars. Dashes
may appear in the OUTPUT display.
To adjust trailer gain see
“Integrated
Trailer Brake Control System” under
Towing Equipment on page 9‑102
for more information.
Speedometer
The speedometer shows how fast
the vehicle is moving in either
kilometers per hour (km/h) or miles
per hour (mph). The speedometer
cannot be reset.
Battery
This display shows the current
battery voltage. If the voltage is in
the normal range, the value will
display. For example, the display
may read BATTERY 13 VOLTS.
Your vehicle's charging system
regulates voltage based on the state
of the battery. The battery voltage
may fluctuate when viewing this
information on the DIC. This is
normal.

Black plate (42,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
5-42 Instruments and Controls
Vehicle Messages
Messages displayed on the DIC
indicate the status of the vehicle or
some action may be needed to
correct a condition. Multiple
messages may appear one after
another.
The messages that do not
require immediate action can be
acknowledged and cleared by
pressing
V(Set/Reset) or the trip
odometer reset stem.
The messages that require
immediate action cannot be cleared
until that action is performed.
All messages should be taken
seriously and clearing the message
does not correct the problem.
The following are the possible
messages and some information
about them.
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax
®diesel
supplement for more information.
Battery Voltage and
Charging Messages
BATTERY LOW START
VEHICLE
When the vehicle’ s battery is
severely discharged, this message
will display and four chimes
will sound. Start the vehicle
immediately. If the vehicle is not
started and the battery continues to
discharge, the climate controls,
heated seats, and audio systems
will shut off and the vehicle may
require a jump start. These systems
will function again after the vehicle
is started.
SERVICE BATTERY
CHARGING SYSTEM
On some vehicles, this message
displays if there is a problem with
the battery charging system.
Under certain conditions, the
charging system light may also turn
on in the instrument panel cluster. See
Charging System Light on
page 5‑23. Driving with this problem
could drain the battery. Turn off all
unnecessary accessories. Have the
electrical system checked as soon
as possible. See your dealer.
Brake System Messages
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
This message displays along with
the brake system warning light if
there is a problem with the brake
system. See Brake System Warning
Light on page 5‑26. If this message
appears, stop as soon as possible
and turn off the vehicle. Restart the
vehicle and check for the message
on the DIC display. If the message
is still displayed or appears again
when you begin driving, the brake
system needs service as soon as
possible. See your dealer.

Black plate (43,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-43
SERVICE BRAKES SOON
On some vehicles, this message
displays if there is a problem with
the brake system. If this message
appears, stop as soon as possible
and turn off the vehicle. Restart the
vehicle and check for the message
on the DIC display. If the message
is still displayed or appears again
when you begin driving, the brake
system needs service. See your
dealer.
SERVICE TRAILER BRAKE
SYSTEM
On vehicles with the Integrated
Trailer Brake Control (ITBC) system,
this message displays and a chime
may sound when there is a problem
with the ITBC system.
When this message displays, power
is no longer available to the trailer
brakes.As soon as it is safe to do so,
carefully pull your vehicle over to
the side of the road and turn the
ignition off. Check the wiring
connection to the trailer and turn
the ignition back on. If this message
still displays, either your vehicle or
the trailer needs service. See your
dealer.
See
“Integrated Trailer Brake
Control System” underTowing
Equipment on page 9‑102 for more
information.
Door Ajar Messages
DRIVER DOOR OPEN
This message displays and a chime
may sound if the driver door is not
fully closed and the vehicle is
shifted out of P (Park). Stop and turn
off the vehicle, check the door for
obstructions, and close the door
again. Check to see if the message
still appears on the DIC.
HOOD OPEN
This message displays and a
chime may sound if the hood is
not fully closed. Stop and turn off
the vehicle, check the hood for
obstructions, and close the hood
again. Check to see if the message
still appears on the DIC.
LEFT REAR DOOR OPEN
(Crew Cab)
This message displays and a chime
may sound if the driver side rear
door is not fully closed and the
vehicle is shifted out of P (Park).
Stop and turn off the vehicle, check
the door for obstructions, and close
the door again. Check to see if the
message still appears on the DIC.