traction control CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2020 Owner's Manual

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
4 Introduction
R:Fuse Block Cover Lock
Location
+: Fuses
j:ISOFIX/LATCH System Child
Restraints
Q: Keep Fuse Block Covers
Properly Installed
|: Lane Change Alert
@:Lane Departure Warning
A:Lane Keep Assist
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
X:Park Assist
~:Pedestrian Ahead Indicator
O:Power
7:Rear Cross Traffic Alert
I:Registered Technician
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Seat Belt Reminders
I: Side Blind Zone Alert
h:Stop/Start
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
d:Traction Control/StabiliTrak/
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
a: Under Pressure
V:Vehicle Ahead Indicator

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
6 Introduction
1. Tow/Haul Mode (On SomeModels). See Driver Mode
Control 0234.
Automatic Transfer Case
Control (If Equipped). See
Four-Wheel Drive 0223.
Driver Mode Control 0234 (If
Equipped).
2. Air Vents 0179.
3. Turn Signal Lever. See Turn
and Lane-Change Signals
0 167.
Windshield Wiper/Washer
0 117.
4. Head-Up Display (HUD) 0149
(If Equipped).
5. Instrument Cluster 0124.
6. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission 0217.
Range Selection Mode. See
Manual Mode 0220.
7. Light Sensor. See Automatic
Headlamp System 0165.
8. Infotainment 0173. 9.
Climate Control Systems 0174
(If Equipped).
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System 0176 (If Equipped).
10. Heated and Ventilated Front
Seats 058 (If Equipped).
11.
XPark Assist Switch (If
Equipped). See Assistance
Systems for Parking or Backing
0 253.
gTraction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0231.
|Hazard Warning Flashers
0 166.
ALane Keep Assist (LKA)
(1500 Series) 0274 (If
Equipped).
@Lane Departure Warning
(LDW) (2500/3500 Series)
0 272 (If Equipped).
5Hill Descent Control Switch
(If Equipped). See Hill Descent
Control (HDC) 0233.
jPower Assist Steps 032 (If
Equipped).
5Power Release Tailgate
(If Equipped). See Tailgate
0 29.
DC/AC Switch. See Power
Outlets 0118.
hAuto Stop Disable Switch (If
Equipped). See Stop/Start
System 0210.
LExpress Window Down
Button (If Equipped). See
Power Windows 045.
Tow/Haul Mode 0223 (On
Some Models).
Exhaust Brake (If Equipped).
See Duramax Diesel
Supplement.
Power Take-Off (PTO) (If
Equipped). See Duramax
Diesel Supplement.
12. Power Outlet (Alternating Current) (If Equipped). See
Power Outlets 0118.
13. Power Outlets 0118.
14. USB Port. See the infotainment manual.

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
Instruments and Controls 115
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 116
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 117
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . 117
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 117
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . 132
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . 133
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Charging System Light . . . . . . . 134
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . 135
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Four-Wheel-Drive Light . . . . . . . 138
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . 139
Hill Descent Control Light . . . . 139
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Light (2500/3500
Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light (1500 Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . 140
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . 140
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Traction Control System (TCS)/ Electronic Stability Control
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Driver Mode Control Light . . . . 142
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Engine Oil Pressure Light
(Uplevel Cluster) . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 143
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 143
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . 144
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 144
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . 144
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base Level) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Midlevel and Uplevel) . . . . . . 146
Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . . 149
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Engine Power Messages . . . . . 153
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . 153
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 153

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
140 Instruments and Controls
LKA will not assist or alert if the turn
signal is active in the direction of
lane departure, or if LKA detects
that you are accelerating, braking,
or actively steering.
SeeLane Keep Assist (LKA) (1500
Series) 0274.
Vehicle Ahead Indicator
If equipped, this indicator will
display green when a vehicle is
detected ahead and amber when
you are following a vehicle ahead
much too closely.
See Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System 0264.
Pedestrian Ahead
Indicator
If equipped, this indicator will
display amber when a nearby
pedestrian is detected in front of the
vehicle.
See Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB)
System (1500 Series) 0268.
Traction 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
turns off.
The traction off light comes on when
the Traction Control System (TCS)
has been turned off by pressing and
releasing the TCS/ESC button.
This light and the Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) OFF light come on
when ESC is turned off.
If the TCS is off, wheel spin is not
limited. Adjust driving accordingly.
See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0231.
Traction Control System
(TCS)/Electronic Stability
Control Light

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
Instruments and Controls 141
If equipped, the Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) or TCS indicator/
warning light comes on briefly when
the engine is started.
If the light does not come on, have
the vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the system is working normally,
the indicator light turns off.
If the light is on and not flashing, the
TCS, and potentially the ESC
system have been disabled.
If the indicator/warning light is on
and flashing, the TCS and/or the
ESC system is actively working.
SeeTraction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0231.
Trailer Sway Control Light
(Uplevel Cluster)
This light will flash when Trailer
Sway Control is active. See Trailer
Sway Control (TSC) 0304.
Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) Off Light
This light comes on briefly while
starting the engine. If it does not,
have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer.
This light comes on when the ESC
system is turned off. If ESC is off,
the Traction Control System (TCS)
is also off.
If the ESC and TCS are off, the
system does not assist in controlling
the vehicle. Turn on the TCS and
the ESC systems and the warning
light turns off.
See Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0231.
Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning
Light
This light comes on briefly while
starting the vehicle.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally the
indicator light goes off.
Caution
The engine coolant temperature
warning light indicates that the
vehicle has overheated. Driving
with this light on can damage the
engine and it may not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. See
Engine Overheating 0347.

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
182 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 193
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 194
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 196
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Truck-Camper Loading Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 204
Ignition Positions (KeylessAccess) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205 Ignition Positions (Key
Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Active Fuel Management . . . . . 215
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 217
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Drive Systems
Four-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . . . . . 228
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 229 Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 231
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 233
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . 234
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . 239
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Adaptive Cruise Control (1500 Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 252
Assistance Systems forParking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 253
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System (1500
Series) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
184 Driving and Operating
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
. Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
. Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep
your eyes on the road, keep your
hands on the steering wheel, and
focus your attention on driving. .
Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
. Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices.
. Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
. Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
. Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
. Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
. Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint. .
Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.
Refer to the infotainment manual for
more information on using that
system and the navigation system,
if equipped, including pairing and
using a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the seat belt. See Seat Belts062.
. Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes.
Anticipate what they may do and
be ready.

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
188 Driving and Operating
.Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
. Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go.
The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
. Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues —such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt. .
Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
Four-wheel-drive vehicles can be
used for off-road driving. Vehicles
without four-wheel drive and
vehicles not equipped with All
Terrain (AT) or On-Off Road (OOR)
tires must not be driven off-road
except on a level, solid surface. For
contact information about the
original equipment tires, see the
warranty manual.
One of the best ways for successful
off-road driving is to control the
speed.
{Warning
When driving off-road, bouncing
and quick changes in direction
can easily throw you out of
position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash. You and
your passengers should always
wear seat belts.
Before Driving Off-Road
. Have all necessary maintenance
and service work completed.
. Fuel the vehicle, fill fluid levels,
and check inflation pressure in
all tires, including the spare,
if equipped.
. Read all the information about
four-wheel-drive vehicles in this
manual.
. Remove any underbody air
deflector, if equipped. Re-attach
the air deflector after off-road
driving.
. Know the local laws that apply to
off-road driving.

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
190 Driving and Operating
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 a crash. 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
even if the transmission is in
P (Park). 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). Shift the transfer case to
any position but N (Neutral).
. When driving down a hill, keep
the vehicle headed straight
down. Use a low gear because
the engine will work with the brakes to slow the vehicle and
help keep the vehicle under
control.
{Warning
Heavy braking when going down
a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and you or
others could be injured or killed.
Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under
control.
If a brake fade condition is detected,
a DIC warning message is
displayed. Adjust brake pedal use
and shift to a lower transmission
gear to reduce braking.
If the brakes continue to fade to a
severe condition, additional DIC
messages are displayed. The brake
system warning light will illuminate,
and the vehicle speed may be
limited. See Brake System Warning
Light 0137.

Chevrolet Silverado Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13337620) - 2020 - CTC - 1/27/20
192 Driving and Operating
Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow,
or Ice
Use a low gear when driving in mud
—the deeper the mud, the lower
the gear. Keep the vehicle moving
to avoid getting stuck.
Traction changes when driving on
sand. On loose sand, such as on
beaches or sand dunes, the tires
tend to sink into the sand. This
affects steering, accelerating, and
braking. Drive at a reduced speed
and avoid sharp turns or abrupt
maneuvers.
Traction is reduced on hard packed
snow and ice and it is easy to lose
control. Reduce vehicle speed when
driving on hard packed snow
and ice.
{Warning
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds,
or rivers can be dangerous. Ice
conditions vary greatly and the
vehicle could fall through the ice;
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
you and your passengers could
drown. Drive your vehicle on safe
surfaces only.
Driving in Water
{Warning
Driving through rushing water can
be dangerous. Deep water can
sweep your vehicle downstream
and you and your passengers
could drown. If it is only shallow
water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires.
Traction could be lost, and the
vehicle could roll over. Do not
drive through rushing water.
Caution
Do not drive through standing
water if it is deep enough to cover
the wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust
pipe. Deep water can damage the
axle and other vehicle parts.
If the standing water is not too deep,
drive through it slowly. At faster
speeds, water can get into the
engine and cause it to stall. Stalling
can occur if the exhaust pipe is
under water. Do not turn off the
ignition when driving through water.
If the exhaust pipe is under water,
the engine will not start. When going
through water, the brakes get wet
and it may take longer to stop. See
“Driving on Wet Roads” later in this
section.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that
has collected on the underbody or
chassis, or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
Re-install underbody air deflector
and air dam if removed.