tow CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2012 2.G User Guide

Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-17
Park Tilt Mirrors
If the vehicle has the memory
package, the passenger and/or
driver mirror tilts to a preselected
position when the vehicle is in
R (Reverse). This feature lets the
driver view the curb when parallel
parking. The mirror(s) return to the
original position when the vehicle is
shifted out of R (Reverse), or the
ignition is turned off or to
OFF/LOCK.
Turn this feature on or off through
the Driver Information Center (DIC).
SeeVehicle Personalization
(With DIC Buttons) on page 5‑52
for more information.
Interior Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror
Hold the mirror in the center to
move it for a clearer view of behind
your vehicle. Adjust the mirror to
avoid glare from the headlamps
behind you. Push the tab at the
bottom of the mirror forward for
daytime use and pull it for
nighttime use.
Automatic Dimming
Rearview Mirror
The vehicle may have an automatic
dimming inside rearview mirror.
Automatic dimming reduces the
glare from the headlamps of the
vehicle behind you. The dimming
feature comes on and the indicator
light illuminates each time the
ignition is turned to start.
O(On/Off): Press to turn the
dimming feature on or off.
The vehicle may also have a Rear
Vision Camera (RVC). See Rear
Vision Camera (RVC) on page 9‑70
for more information.
If the vehicle has a RVC, the
O
button for turning the dimming
feature on or off will not be
available.
Vehicles with OnStar have three
additional control buttons for the
OnStar system. See your dealer for
more information about OnStar and
how to subscribe to it. See OnStar
Overview on page 14‑1.
Cleaning the Mirror
Do not spray glass cleaner directly
on the mirror. Use a soft towel
dampened with water.

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-11
Remote Start Heated Seats
When it is cold outside, the heated
seats may turn on automatically
during a remote vehicle start. The
heated seats will be canceled when
the ignition is turned on. Press the
desired button to use the heated
seats after the vehicle is started.
The lights on the heated seat
buttons do not turn on during a
remote start.
The temperature performance of an
unoccupied seat may be reduced.
This is normal.
SeeRemote Vehicle Start on
page 2‑5 for more information.Rear Seats
Rear Seats (Extended
Cab Full Bench)
Folding the Rear Seat
Notice:Folding a rear seat with
the safety belts still fastened may
cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the
safety belts and return them to
their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat.
To fold the seat:
1. Pull up on the front of the seat cushion while pulling down on
the release strap under the seat
cushion.
2. Pull the seat cushion up until it latches with the seatback.
3. Pull forward on the seat cushion to make sure it is locked in
place.

Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
3-12 Seats and Restraints
To unfold the seat:
1. Push the seat cushion rearwardwhile pulling the release strap
under the seat cushion. Pull the
seat cushion down until it
latches.
2. Pull up on the seat cushion to make sure it is locked in place.
Make sure the safety belts are
not twisted or caught in the seat
cushion.
{WARNING
A safety belt that is improperly
routed, not properly attached,
or twisted will not provide the
protection needed in a crash.
The person wearing the belt could
be seriously injured. After raising
the rear seatback, always check
to be sure that the safety belts
are properly routed and attached,
and are not twisted.
Rear Seats
(All Split Bench and
Hybrid Full Bench)
Folding Rear Seat
Either side of the rear seat can be
folded for added cargo space.
Notice: Folding a rear seat with
the safety belts still fastened may
cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the
safety belts and return them to
their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat.
Make sure that nothing is on
the seat.
To fold the seat, slowly pull the seat
cushion up. To return the seat to the normal
seating position, slowly pull the seat
cushion down.
Make sure the safety belts are not
twisted or caught in the seat
cushion.
{WARNING
A safety belt that is improperly
routed, not properly attached,
or twisted will not provide the
protection needed in a crash.
The person wearing the belt could
be seriously injured. After raising
the rear seatback, always check
to be sure that the safety belts
are properly routed and attached,
and are not twisted.

Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
3-16 Seats and Restraints
3. Push the latch plate into thebuckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to
make sure it is secure. If the belt
is not long enough, see Safety
Belt Extender on page 3‑21.
If the latch plate will not go fully
into the buckle, check if the
correct buckle is being used.
Position the release button on
the buckle so that the safety belt
could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary. 4. If equipped with a shoulder belt
height adjuster, move it to the
height that is right for you.
See “Shoulder Belt Height
Adjuster” later in this section.
5. To make the lap part tight,
pull up on the shoulder belt.
It may be necessary to pull
stitching on the safety belt
through the latch plate to fully
tighten the lap belt on smaller
occupants.
To unlatch the belt, push the button
on the buckle. The belt should
return to its stowed position.
Before a door is closed, be sure
the safety belt is out of the way. If a
door is slammed against a safety
belt, damage can occur to both the
safety belt and the vehicle.

Black plate (29,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-29
Rollover capable roof-rail airbags
are designed to help contain the
head and chest of occupants in the
outboard seating positions in the
first and second rows. The rollover
capable roof-rail airbags are
designed to help reduce the risk of
full or partial ejection in rollover
events, although no system can
prevent all such ejections.
But airbags would not help in
many types of collisions, primarily
because the occupant's motion is
not toward those airbags. SeeWhen
Should an Airbag Inflate? on
page 3‑26 for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to safety belts.What Will You See after
an Airbag Inflates?
After the frontal airbags and
seat-mounted side impact airbags
inflate, they quickly deflate, so
quickly that some people may not
even realize an airbag inflated.
Roof-rail airbags may still be at least
partially inflated for some time after
they deploy. Some components of
the airbag module may be hot for
several minutes. For location of the
airbag modules, see What Makes
an Airbag Inflate? on page 3‑28.
The parts of the airbag that come
into contact with you may be warm,
but not too hot to touch. There may
be some smoke and dust coming
from the vents in the deflated
airbags. Airbag inflation does not
prevent the driver from seeing out of
the windshield or being able to steer
the vehicle, nor does it prevent
people from leaving the vehicle.
{WARNING
When an airbag inflates, there
may be dust in the air. This dust
could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of
asthma or other breathing trouble.
To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as
it is safe to do so. If you have
breathing problems but cannot
get out of the vehicle after an
airbag inflates, then get fresh air
by opening a window or a door.
If you experience breathing
problems following an airbag
deployment, you should seek
medical attention.
The vehicle may have a feature
that may automatically unlock
the doors, turn on the interior
lamps and hazard warning
flashers, and shut off the fuel
system after the airbags inflate.

Black plate (38,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
3-38 Seats and Restraints
Additional Factors Affecting
System Operation
Safety belts help keep the
passenger in position on the
seat during vehicle maneuvers
and braking, which helps the
passenger sensing system
maintain the passenger airbag
status. See“Safety Belts” and
“Child Restraints” in the Index for
additional information about the
importance of proper restraint use.
If the shoulder portion of the belt is
pulled out all the way, the child
restraint locking feature will be
engaged. This may unintentionally
cause the passenger sensing
system to turn the airbag off for
some adult size occupants. If this
happens, let the belt go back all the
way and start again. A thick layer of additional material,
such as a blanket or cushion,
or aftermarket equipment such as
seat covers, seat heaters, and seat
massagers can affect how well
the passenger sensing system
operates. We recommend that you
not use seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment except when
approved by GM for your specific
vehicle. See
Adding Equipment to
the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3‑39 for more information
about modifications that can affect
how the system operates.
The on indicator may be lit if an
object, such as a briefcase,
handbag, grocery bag, laptop or
other electronic device, is put on
an unoccupied seat. If this is not
desired, remove the object from
the seat.
{WARNING
Stowing of articles under the
passenger seat or between the
passenger seat cushion and
seatback may interfere with the
proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle
should be serviced. There are
parts of the airbag system in
several places around the vehicle.
Your dealer and the service manual
have information about servicing the
vehicle and the airbag system.
To purchase a service manual,
see Service Publications Ordering
Information on page 13‑17.

Black plate (56,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
3-56 Seats and Restraints
{WARNING
Children can be seriously injured
or strangled if a shoulder belt is
wrapped around their neck and
the safety belt continues to
tighten. Buckle any unused safety
belts behind the child restraint
so children cannot reach them.
Pull the shoulder belt all the way
out of the retractor to set the lock,
if the vehicle has one, after the
child restraint has been installed.Notice:
Do not let the LATCH
attachments rub against the
vehicle’ s safety belts. This may
damage these parts. If necessary,
move buckled safety belts to
avoid rubbing the LATCH
attachments.
Do not fold the empty rear seat
with a safety belt buckled.
This could damage the safety belt
or the seat. Unbuckle and return
the safety belt to its stowed
position, before folding the seat. Regular Cab Models
1. If the child restraint manufacturer
recommends that the top tether
be attached, attach and tighten
the top tether to the top tether
anchor, if your vehicle has one.
Refer to the child restraint
instructions and the following
steps:
1.1. Pull the passenger seatback forward by pulling
the recliner handle upward
to access the top tether
anchor. See Reclining
Seatbacks on page 3‑6 for
additional information.
1.2. Find the top tether anchor.
1.3. Remove the cover to expose the anchor.

Black plate (62,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
3-62 Seats and Restraints
5. To tighten the belt, push downon the child restraint, pull the
shoulder portion of the belt to
tighten the lap portion of the belt,
and feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor. When installing
a forward-facing child restraint,
it may be helpful to use your
knee to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.
Try to pull the belt out of the
retractor to make sure the
retractor is locked. If the
retractor is not locked,
repeat Steps 4 and 5. 6. If the child restraint has a top
tether, follow the child restraint
manufacturer's instructions
regarding the use of the top
tether. See Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑51 for more
information.
7. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To check,
grasp the child restraint at the
safety belt path and attempt
to move it side‐to‐side and
back‐and‐forth. When the child
restraint is properly installed,
there should be no more than
2.5 cm (1 in) of movement.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and
let it return to the stowed position.
If the top tether is attached to a top
tether anchor, disconnect it.
Securing Child Restraints
(Center Front Seat
Position)
{WARNING
A child in a child restraint in the
center front seat can be badly
injured or killed by the frontal
airbags if they inflate. Never
secure a child restraint in the
center front seat. It is always
better to secure a child restraint
in a rear seat.
Do not use child restraints in the
center front seat position.

Black plate (66,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
3-66 Seats and Restraints
If the vehicle is equipped with a
passenger sensing system, and
when the passenger sensing system
has turned off the right front
passenger frontal airbag, the off
indicator in the passenger airbag
status indicator should light and stay
lit when you start the vehicle.
If a child restraint has been installed
and the on indicator is lit, see“If the
On Indicator is Lit for a Child
Restraint” underPassenger Sensing
System on page 3‑34 for more
information.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and
let it return to the stowed position.
If the top tether is attached to a top
tether anchor, disconnect it.With Airbag Off Switch
This vehicle has airbags. A rear
seat is a safer place to secure a
forward-facing child restraint.
See Where to Put the Restraint on
page 3‑49.
There may be a switch in the glove
box that you can use to turn off the
right front passenger frontal airbag.
See Airbag On-Off Switch on
page 3‑30 for more information,
including important safety
information.
A label on the sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing child seat
in the front unless airbag is off.”
This is because the risk to the
rear-facing child is so great, if the
airbag deploys.{WARNING
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates.
This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would
be very close to the inflating
airbag. A child in a forward-facing
child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates and the
passenger seat is in a forward
position.
Even if the airbag switch has
turned off the right front
passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though it is
turned off.
(Continued)

Black plate (69,1)Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-69
6. To tighten the belt, push downon the child restraint, pull the
shoulder portion of the belt to
tighten the lap portion of the belt,
and feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor. When installing
a forward-facing child restraint, it
may be helpful to use your knee
to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.
Try to pull the belt out of the
retractor to make sure the
retractor is locked. If the
retractor is not locked,
repeat Steps 5 and 6. 7. If your vehicle does not have a
rear seat and your child restraint
has a top tether, follow the
child restraint manufacturer's
instructions regarding the use
of the top tether. See Lower
Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑51.
8. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To check,
grasp the child restraint at the
safety belt path and attempt to
move it side to side and back
and forth. When the child
restraint is properly installed,
there should be no more than
2.5 cm (1 in) of movement. To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and
let it return to the stowed position.
If the top tether is attached to a top
tether anchor, disconnect it.
If you turned the airbag off with
the switch, turn on the right front
passenger airbag when you remove
the child restraint from the vehicle
unless the person who will be sitting
there is a member of a passenger
airbag risk group. See
Airbag
On-Off Switch on page 3‑30 for
more information, including
important safety information.