headlamp CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2012 2.G User Guide

Black plate (52,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
5-52 Instruments and Controls
Vehicle
Personalization
Vehicle Personalization
(With DIC Buttons)
The vehicle may have customization
capabilities that allow you to
program certain features to one
preferred setting. Customization
features can only be programmed to
one setting on the vehicle and
cannot be programmed to a
preferred setting for two different
drivers.
All of the customization options
may not be available on the vehicle.
Only the options available will be
displayed on the DIC.The default settings for the
customization features were set
when the vehicle left the factory, but
may have been changed from their
default state since then.
The customization preferences
are automatically recalled.
To change customization
preferences, use the following
procedure.
Entering the Feature
Settings Menu
1. Turn the ignition on and place
the vehicle in P (Park).
To avoid excessive drain on the
battery, turn the headlamps off.
2. Press the customization button to scroll through the available
customizable options.
Feature Settings Menu Items
The following customization features
allow you to program settings to the
vehicle:
DISPLAY IN ENGLISH
This feature will only display if a
language other than English has
been set. This feature allows you to
change the language in which the
DIC messages appear to English.
Press the customization button
until the PRESS
VTO DISPLAY IN
ENGLISH screen appears on the
DIC display. Press the set/reset
button once to display all DIC
messages in English.
DISPLAY LANGUAGE
This feature allows you to select
the language in which the DIC
messages will appear.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Lighting 6-1
Lighting
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Automatic Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . 6-5
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Auxiliary Roof-Mounted Lamp . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel IlluminationControl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Battery Load Management . . . . 6-9
Battery Power Protection . . . . 6-10
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls
The exterior lamps control is located
on the instrument panel to the left of
the steering wheel.
It controls the following systems:
.Headlamps
.Taillamps
.Parking Lamps
.License Plate Lamps
.Instrument Panel Lights
.Roof Marker Lamps
(If Equipped)

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
6-2 Lighting
The exterior lamps control has four
positions:
O(Off):Turns off the automatic
headlamps and Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL). Turn the headlamp
control to the off position again to
turn the automatic headlamps or
DRL back on.
For vehicles first sold in Canada,
the off position will only work when
the vehicle is shifted into P (Park).
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 5‑32
;(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/multifunction
lever toward the instrument panel to
change the headlamps from low
beam to high beam.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Lighting 6-3
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 lever toward
the instrument panel, to change the
headlamps from low to high beam.
Pull the multifunction lever toward
you and release it, to return to
low-beam headlamps.
When the high beams are on, this
indicator light on the instrument
panel 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 the
instrument panel 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 lamps control is
in AUTO.
.The transmission is not in Park.
.The light sensor determines
it is daytime.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
6-4 Lighting
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 lamps 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
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 automatic

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Lighting 6-5
headlamp 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 panel cluster
may not be as bright as usual.
Make sure the instrument panel
brightness control is in the full bright
position. SeeInstrument Panel
Illumination Control on page 6‑8.
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 5‑52.
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 9‑32.
The regular headlamp system can
be turned on when needed.Hazard Warning Flashers
|(Hazard Warning Flashers):
Press this button located on top of
the steering column, to make the
front and rear turn signal lamps
flash on and off. This warns
others that you are having trouble.
Press again to turn the flashers off.
When the hazard warning flashers
are on, the vehicle's turn signals will
not work.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Lighting 6-7
#(Fog Lamps):Press to turn the
fog lamps on or off. A light will come
on in the instrument panel 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 located 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. The emergency roof lamp circuit
is fused at 30 amps, so the total
current draw of the attached lamps
should be less than this value.
The attachment points for the roof
lamp circuits are two blunt cut wires
located above the overhead
console, a dark green switched
power wire and a black ground wire.
For more information on roof mount
emergency lamp installation, please
visit the GM Upfitter website at
www.gmupfitter.com or contact your
dealer.
If the vehicle has this button,
the vehicle may have the snow
plow prep package. For further
information, see
Adding a Snow
Plow or Similar Equipment on
page 9‑115.

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
6-10 Lighting
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 of
the power 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 DIC message might
be displayed, such as BATTERY
SAVER ACTIVE, BATTERY
VOLTAGE LOW, or LOW BATTERY.
If one of these messages displays,
it is recommended that the driver
reduce the electrical loads as much
as possible. See
Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑32.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 (8,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
9-8 Driving and Operating
Driving on Hills
Driving safely on hills requires good
judgment and an understanding of
what the vehicle can and cannot do.
{WARNING
If the vehicle has the two‐speed
automatic transfer case, shifting
the transfer case to N (Neutral)
can cause your vehicle to roll
even if the transmission is in
P (Park) for an automatic
transmission or any gear position
for a manual transmission. This is
because the N (Neutral) position
on the transfer case overrides the
transmission. You or someone
else could be injured. If leaving
the vehicle, set the parking brake
and shift the transmission to
P (Park) for an automatic
transmission or any gear position
for a manual transmission.
Shift the transfer case to any
position but N (Neutral).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.
{WARNING
If the vehicle has the two‐speed
automatic transfer case, shifting
the transfer case to N (Neutral)
can cause your vehicle to roll
(Continued)

Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-15
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.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.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 Systems” in
the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑36.
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.