service CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2020 Repair Manual

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
Vehicle Care 323
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 324
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 325
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 337
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 340
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 347
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349 Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . 350
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Brake Pad Life System . . . . . . . 352
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Battery - North America . . . . . . 354
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . 357
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 358
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 359
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 360
Glass Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 361
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 361
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . 362
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363 Headlamps, Front Turn Signal,
Sidemarker, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) and
Cargo Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 366
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 366
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 366
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block (Left) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 377
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
324 Vehicle Care
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Tire Pressure for High-SpeedOperation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 399
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 401
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
Full-Size Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 414
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 419
Recreational VehicleTowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
Vehicle Care 325
California Proposition
65 Warning
{Warning
Most motor vehicles, including
this one, as well as many of its
service parts and fluids, contain
and/or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and
systems, many fluids, and some
component wear by-products
contain and/or emit these
chemicals. For more information
go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See Battery - North America 0354
and
Jump Starting - North America
0 415 and the back cover.
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
electronic keys, may contain
perchlorate materials. Perchlorate
Material –special handling may
apply. See www.dtsc.ca.gov/
hazardouswaste/perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non-dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride and
handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty. Damage to suspension components
caused by modifying vehicle height
outside of factory settings will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non-GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is
not covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 080.

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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326 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
{Warning
It can be dangerous to work on
your vehicle if you do not have
the proper knowledge, service
manual, tools, or parts. Always
follow owner’s manual procedures
and consult the service manual
for your vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service
manual. It tells you much more
about how to service the vehicle
than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see
Publication Ordering Information
0 467.
This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 080. If equipped with remote vehicle
start, open the hood before
performing any service work to
prevent remote starting the vehicle
accidentally. See
Remote Vehicle
Start 024.
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of
any service work performed. See
Maintenance Records 0452.
Caution
Even small amounts of
contamination can cause damage
to vehicle systems. Do not allow
contaminants to contact the fluids,
reservoir caps, or dipsticks.
Hood
{Warning
For vehicles with auto engine
stop/start, turn the vehicle off
before opening the hood. If the
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
vehicle is on, the engine will start
when the hood is opened. You or
others could be injured.
{Warning
Components under the hood can
get hot from running the engine.
To help avoid the risk of burning
unprotected skin, never touch
these components until they have
cooled, and always use a glove or
towel to avoid direct skin contact.
Clear any snow from the hood
before opening.
To open the hood: 1. Pull the hood release lever with the
isymbol. It is on the
lower left side of the instrument
panel.

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
336 Vehicle Care
If a low oil Driver Information Center
(DIC) message displays, check the
oil level.
Follow these guidelines:
.To get an accurate reading, park
the vehicle on level ground.
Check the engine oil level after
the engine has been off for at
least two hours. Checking the
engine oil level on steep grades
or too soon after engine shutoff
can result in incorrect readings.
Accuracy improves when
checking a cold engine prior to
starting. Remove the dipstick
and check the level.
. If unable to wait two hours, the
engine must be off for at least
15 minutes if the engine is
warm, or at least 30 minutes if
the engine is not warm. Pull out
the dipstick, wipe it with a clean
paper towel or cloth, then push it
back in all the way. Remove it
again, keeping the tip down, and
check the level.When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched
area at the tip of the dipstick and
the engine has been off for at least
15 minutes, add 1 L (1 qt) of the
recommended oil and then recheck
the level. See “Selecting the Right
Engine Oil” later in this section for
an explanation of what kind of oil to
use. For engine oil crankcase
capacity, see Capacities and
Specifications 0454.
Caution
Do not add too much oil. Oil
levels above or below the
acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful
to the engine. If the oil level is
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
above the operating range (i.e.,
the engine has so much oil that
the oil level gets above the
cross-hatched area that shows
the proper operating range), the
engine could be damaged. Drain
the excess oil or limit driving of
the vehicle, and seek a service
professional to remove the
excess oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview
0 328 for the location of the engine
oil fill cap.
Add enough oil to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when through.
Selecting the Right Engine Oil
Selecting the right engine oil
depends on both the proper oil
specification and viscosity grade.
See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0448.

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
338 Vehicle Care
include engine revolutions, engine
temperature, and miles driven.
Based on driving conditions, the
mileage at which an oil change is
indicated can vary considerably. For
the oil life system to work properly,
the system must be reset every time
the oil is changed.
On some vehicles, when the system
has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, a CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message comes on to
indicate that an oil change is
necessary. Change the oil as soon
as possible within the next 1 000 km
(600 mi). It is possible that, if driving
under the best conditions, the oil life
system might indicate that an oil
change is not necessary for up to a
year. The engine oil and filter must
be changed at least once a year
and, at this time, the system must
be reset. For vehicles without the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message, an oil change is needed
when the REMAINING OIL LIFE
percentage is near 0%. Your dealer
has trained service people who will
perform this work and reset the
system. It is also important to checkthe oil regularly over the course of
an oil drain interval and keep it at
the proper level.
If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System
Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. Always reset the
engine oil life to 100% after every oil
change. It will not reset itself. To
reset the engine oil life system:
1. Display the oil life percentage on the DIC. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) (Base
Level) 0145 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Midlevel and Uplevel) 0146.
2. Press the thumbwheel on the steering wheel, or the trip
odometer reset stem if the
vehicle does not have DIC controls, for several seconds.
When the confirmation
message displays, select YES.
The oil life will change
to 100%.
The oil life system can also be reset
as follows: 1. Display the oil life percentage on the DIC. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) (Base
Level) 0145 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Midlevel and Uplevel) 0146.
2. Fully press the accelerator pedal slowly three times within
five seconds.
3. If the display changes to 100%, the system is reset.
If the vehicle has a CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message and it
comes back on when the vehicle is
started and/or the oil life percentage
is near 0%, the engine oil life
system has not been reset. Repeat
the procedure.

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 339
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
When to Check and Change
Automatic Transmission Fluid
It is usually not necessary to check
the transmission fluid level. The only
reason for fluid loss is a
transmission leak or overheated
transmission. This vehicle is not
equipped with a transmission fluid
level dipstick. There is a special
procedure for checking and
changing the transmission fluid in
these vehicles. Because this
procedure is difficult, this should be
done at the dealer. Contact the
dealer for additional information or
the procedure can be found in the
service manual. SeePublication
Ordering Information 0467.
Caution
Use of the incorrect automatic
transmission fluid may damage
the vehicle, and the damage may
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Always use the correct
automatic transmission fluid. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0448.
Change the fluid and filter at the
scheduled maintenance intervals
listed in Maintenance Schedule
0 437. Be sure to use the
transmission fluid listed in
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0448.
Engine Air Filter Life
System
If equipped, this feature provides
the engine air filter ’s remaining life
and best timing for a change. The
timing to change an engine air filter
depends on driving and
environmental conditions.
When to Change the Engine
Air Filter
When the Driver Information Center
(DIC) displays a message to replace
the engine air filter at the next oil
change, follow this timing.
When the DIC displays a message
to replace the engine air filter soon,
replace the engine air filter at the
earliest convenience.
The system must be reset after the
engine air filter is changed.
If the DIC displays a message to
check the engine air filter system,
see your dealer.

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
344 Vehicle Care
Caution
Do not use anything other than a
mix of DEX-COOL coolant that
meets GM Standard
GMW3420 and clean, drinkable
water. Anything else can cause
damage to the engine cooling
system and the vehicle, which
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Never dispose of engine coolant by
putting it in the trash, or by pouring
it on the ground, or into sewers,
streams, or bodies of water. Have
the coolant changed by an
authorized service center, familiar
with legal requirements regarding
used coolant disposal. This will help
protect the environment and your
health.
Checking Coolant
The coolant surge tank is in the
engine compartment on the driver
side of the vehicle. See Engine
Compartment Overview 0328.
The vehicle must be on a level
surface when checking the coolant
level.
All Engines Except 6.6L V8 (L8T) Engine
6.6L V8 (L8T) Engine Only
Check to see if coolant is visible in
the coolant surge tank. If the coolant
inside the coolant surge tank is
boiling, wait until it cools down. The
coolant level should be at or above
the indicated mark. If it is not, there
may be a leak in the cooling
system.
If coolant is visible but the coolant
level is not at or above the indicated
mark, see the following sections on
how to add coolant to the coolant
surge tank following.

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
Vehicle Care 345
Automatic Coolant Service Fill
Instructions (L3B Engine)
See 3.0L Duramax Diesel
supplement for the diesel engine
procedure.
If equipped, this feature assists in
filling and removing air from the
cooling system after service of
components or when coolant is
added after being too low.
To activate the fill and air removal
process:1. With a cold system, add coolant to the indicated mark
on the surge tank.
2. Replace the cap on the surge tank.
3. Connect the vehicle to a battery charger.
4. Set the ignition to Service or Accessory Mode. See Ignition
Positions (Keyless Access)
0 205 or
Ignition Positions (Key Access)
0 207.
5. Turn off the air conditioning. 6. Set the parking brake.
7. At the same time, press the
accelerator and the brake for
automatic transmission
vehicles for two seconds, then
release.
At the end of the cycle, check the
coolant level in the surge tank and
add coolant if it is low. Turn off the
vehicle, allow the Electronic Control
Module (ECM) to go to sleep, about
two minutes, and repeat Steps 3–7.
Listen for pump activation and
movement of the control valves
while watching the level of the
coolant in the surge tank. If the tank
empties, turn the ignition off,
carefully remove the surge tank cap,
refill to the indicated mark, and
repeat Steps 3–6. The fill and air
removal process will run for
approximately 10 minutes.
How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Surge Tank for
Gasoline Engines Except L3B
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see “Cooling System” in the
Duramax diesel supplement for the
proper coolant fill procedure.
{Warning
Spilling coolant on hot engine
parts can burn you. Coolant
contains ethylene glycol and it will
burn if the engine parts are hot
enough.
{Warning
Plain water, or other liquids such
as alcohol, can boil before the
proper coolant mixture will. With
plain water or the wrong mixture,
the engine could get too hot but
there would not be an overheat
(Continued)

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 347
Caution
If the pressure cap is not tightly
installed, coolant loss and engine
damage may occur. Be sure the
cap is properly and tightly
secured.
Engine Overheating
If the vehicle has the Duramax
diesel engine, see the Duramax
diesel supplement.
Caution
Do not run the engine if there is a
leak in the engine cooling system.
This can cause a loss of all
coolant and can damage the
system and vehicle. Have any
leaks fixed right away.
The vehicle has several indicators
to warn of engine overheating. There is a coolant temperature
gauge in the vehicle's instrument
cluster. See
Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge 0131.
In addition, there are ENGINE
OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE,
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE
ENGINE, and ENGINE POWER IS
REDUCED messages in the Driver
Information Center (DIC).
If the decision is made not to lift the
hood when this warning appears,
get service help right away. See
Roadside Assistance Program
0 462.
If the decision is made to lift the
hood, make sure the vehicle is
parked on a level surface.
2.7L L4, 4.3L V6, 5.3L V8, and 6.2L
V8 Engines
Check to see if the engine cooling
fans are running. If the engine is
overheating, the fans should be
running. If they are not, do not
continue to run the engine and have
the vehicle serviced. If the engine or transmission detects
an impending hot fluid condition,
then the transmission may force
upshifts to limit temperatures.
Downshifts may also be prevented
in this instance. Normal operation
may continue unless the display
indicates there is a hot condition
and engine should be idled.
If Steam is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system are under
pressure. Turning the pressure
cap, even a little, can cause them
to come out at high speed and
you could be burned. Never turn
the cap when the cooling system,
including the pressure cap, is hot.
Wait for the cooling system and
pressure cap to cool.