Chevrolet 2008 Express User manual

Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1
Front Seats ............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats ............................................... 1-6
Safety Belts ............................................. 1-10
Child Restraints ....................................... 1-29
Airbag System ......................................... 1-57
Restraint System Check ............................ 1-75
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Keys ........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks ....................................... 2-6
Windows ................................................. 2-13
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-17
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-20
Mirrors .................................................... 2-33
Storage Areas ......................................... 2-35
Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview .......................... 3-4
Climate Controls ...................................... 3-19
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ........ 3-25
Driver Information Center (DIC) .................. 3-44
Audio System(s) ....................................... 3-66
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ..... 4-2
Towing ................................................... 4-25
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Service ..................................................... 5-3
Fuel ......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-12
All-Wheel Drive ........................................ 5-46
Rear Axle ............................................... 5-47
Front Axle ............................................... 5-48
Noise Control System ............................... 5-48
Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-50
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-54
Tires ...................................................... 5-56
Appearance Care ..................................... 5-99
Vehicle Identification ............................... 5-108
Electrical System .................................... 5-109
Capacities and Specifications ................... 5-116
Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule ................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information .................... 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information ........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects ........................... 7-14
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy ........... 7-16
Index ................................................................ 1
2008 Chevrolet Express Owner Manual M

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem, and the
name CHEVY EXPRESS are registered trademarks of
General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
after that time without further notice. For vehicles first
sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of
Canada Limited” for Chevrolet Motor Division whenever
it appears in this manual.
This manual describes features that may be available in
this model, but your vehicle may not have all of them.
For example, more than one entertainment system may
be offered or your vehicle may have been ordered
without a front passenger or rear seats.
Keep this manual in the vehicle for quick reference.
Canadian Owners
A French language copy of this manual can be obtained
from your dealer/retailer or from:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
www.helminc.com
Propriétaires Canadiens
On peut obtenir un exemplaire de ce guide en français
auprès de concessionnaire ou à l’adresse suivante:
Helm Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
www.helminc.com
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 15861876 A First Printing
©
2007 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
ii

Using this Manual
Many people read the owner manual from beginning to
end when they first receive their new vehicle. If this
is done, it can help you learn about the features
and controls for the vehicle. Pictures and words work
together in the owner manual to explain things.
If your vehicle has the DURAMAX
®
Diesel engine, refer
to the DURAMAX
®
Diesel supplement for additional
and specific information on this engine.
Index
A good place to quickly locate information about the
vehicle is the Index in the back of the manual. It is an
alphabetical list of what is in the manual and the
page number where it can be found.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
There are a number of safety cautions in this book. A
box with the word CAUTION is used to tell about things
that could hurt you or others if you were to ignore the
warning.
{CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
We tell you what the hazard is and what to do to help
avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions.
If you do not, you or others could be hurt.
A circle with a slash
through it is a safety
symbol which means “Do
Not,” “Do Not do this”
or “Do Not let this happen.”
iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings
You will also find notices in this manual.
Notice: These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered
by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly.
The notice tells what to do to help avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in
different words.
There are also warning labels on the vehicle which use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or information
relating to a specific component, control, message,
gage, or indicator.
iv

Front Seats ......................................................1-2
Manual Seats ................................................1-2
Power Seat ...................................................1-3
Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-3
Rear Seats .......................................................1-6
Rear Seat Operation .......................................1-6
Safety Belts ...................................................1-10
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................1-10
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-15
Lap-Shoulder Belt .........................................1-22
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-28
Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-28
Child Restraints .............................................1-29
Older Children ..............................................1-29
Infants and Young Children ............................1-32
Child Restraint Systems .................................1-35
Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-38
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH) ......................................1-39
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Seat Position ............................................1-45
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position (With Passenger
Sensing System) .......................................1-48
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position (With Airbag Off Switch) ..........1-52
Airbag System ...............................................1-57
Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-60
When Should an Airbag Inflate? .....................1-62
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? .......................1-64
How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-64
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? .....1-64
Airbag Off Switch ..........................................1-66
Passenger Sensing System ............................1-69
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-73
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle ....................................................1-74
Restraint System Check ..................................1-75
Checking the Restraint Systems ......................1-75
Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash ...................................................1-76
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1

Front Seats
Manual Seats
{CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle
is moving. The sudden movement could startle
and confuse you, or make you push a pedal
when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s
seat only when the vehicle is not moving. Lift the bar located under the front of the seat to unlock
it. Slide the seat to where you want it and release
the bar. Try to move the seat with your body to be sure
the seat is locked in place.
1-2

Power Seat
If your vehicle has front power seat(s), you can adjust
them with these controls located at the front center
of the seat cushion.
To raise or lower the seat, move the center knob up or
down. To move the seat forward or rearward, move
the center knob toward the right or left.
To raise or lower the front of the seat cushion, move the
right lever up or down. To raise or lower the rear of
the seat cushion, move the left lever up or down.
Reclining Seatbacks
{CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle
is moving. The sudden movement could startle
and confuse you, or make you push a pedal
when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s
seat only when the vehicle is not moving.
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
The seats have manual reclining seatbacks. The lever
used to operate them is located on the inboard side
of the seats.
1-3

To recline the seatback, do the following:
1. Lift the recline lever.
2. Move the seatback to the desired position, then
release the lever to lock the seatback in place.
3. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is
locked.
To return the seatback to an upright position, do the
following:
1. Lift the lever fully without applying pressure to the
seatback and the seatback will return to the upright
position.
2. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is
locked.
1-4

{CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle
is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you
buckle up, your safety belts cannot do their
job when you are reclined like this.
The shoulder belt cannot do its job because it
will not be against your body. Instead, it will be
in front of you. In a crash, you could go into it,
receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt cannot do its job either. In a
crash, the belt could go up over your
abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not
at your pelvic bones. This could cause serious
internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety belt
properly.
Do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is
moving.
1-5

Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation
Removing the Rear Seat
Disconnect the quick release latch plates for the
lap-shoulder belts on the bench seat to be removed.
1. To do this, press the
tip of a key into the
release hole of
the safety belt buckle
while pulling up on
the safety belt.
2. Locate the pins.
On a three passenger seat there are two pins
located on the inboard sides of the rear seats.
The driver’s side pin has a gray cap with a
black “L” marked on it.
Three Passenger Seat Shown
1-6

The passenger’s side pin has a black cap with a
white “R” marked on it.
On a four passenger seat, each half of the seat has
a set of pins. The driver’s side has a set marked
“L”, and the passenger’s side has a set marked “R”.
If the vehicle has floor mats, the pins will be
located under a flap that has been cut into the mat.
3. Pull the pin handle up to disengage the pin from
the retaining clip, then pull the pin out.
4. Repeat this procedure for the other pins.
5. Pull the seat rearward about 2 inches (5 cm) and
then lift the seat from the floor rails.
6. Remove the seat from the vehicle.
7. For the first row rear
seat, stow the safety
belt latch by attaching
the clip on the
safety belt latch to the
trim just inside the
side door.
For the remaining rear seats, stow the safety belt
latch plate on the clip at the window trim.
Three Passenger Seat Shown
1-7

Replacing the Rear Seats
{CAUTION:
A seat that is not locked into place properly
can move around in a collision or sudden stop.
People in the vehicle could be injured. Be sure
to lock the seat into place properly when
installing it.
{CAUTION:
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.
1. Position the seat into the open slots in both rails.
Push the seat forward in the rail, hooking both
seat bases onto the pins inside of the rails.
2. To install the locking pins at the rear of the seat
base, locate the hole in the rail for the pin. If the
vehicle has floor mats, pull the flap that has
been cut into the mat.
3. Insert the locking pins into the seat base and push
the seat to line up the pins with the base.
On a three passenger seat, the pin with the black
cap marked “R” must be installed on the
passenger’s side and the pin with the gray cap
marked “L” on the driver’s side.
On a four passenger seat, the pins marked “R” must
be installed on the half of the seat on the passenger’s
side. The pins marked “L” must be installed on the
half of the seat on the driver’s side.
1-8

4. Push the pin(s) marked “R” down until they are in
the retaining clip. 5. Push the pin(s) marked “L” down until they are in the retaining clip.
6. If the vehicle has a floor mat, put the flap back to
its original position.
7. Repeat this procedure for the other seat base.
8. Connect the quick-release latch plates for the
lap-shoulder belts by inserting the latch plates
into the buckles attached at the outboard positions
of the bench seat. Do not twist the belt.
9. Check that all locking pins are locked into place
before operating the vehicle.
Three Passenger Seat Shown Three Passenger Seat Shown
1-9

Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety
belts properly. It also tells you some things you should
not do with safety belts.
{CAUTION:
Do not let anyone ride where he or she cannot
wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a
crash and you are not wearing a safety belt,
your injuries can be much worse. You can hit
things inside the vehicle harder or be ejected
from it and be seriously injured or killed. In the
same crash, you might not be, if you are
buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt,
and check that your passenger(s) are
restrained properly too.
{CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo
area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these areas are more
likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not
allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle
that is not equipped with seats and safety
belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a
seat and using a safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has indicators as a reminder to buckle your
safety belts. See Safety Belt Reminders on page 3-28.
In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the
law requires wearing safety belts. Here is why:
You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have
a crash, you do not know if it will be a serious one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up, a person would not
survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of
them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes
walk away. Without belts they could have been badly
hurt or killed.
1-10

After more than 40 years of safety belts in vehicles, the
facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter... a lot!
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat
on wheels.
Put someone on it.
1-11

Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
does not stop. The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield...
1-12

or the instrument panel... or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why
safety belts make such good sense.
1-13

Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after a crash if I
am wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be — whether you are wearing a safety
belt or not. But your chance of being conscious
during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle
and get out, is much greater if you are belted.
And you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you are
upside down.
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental systems only; so they
work with safety belts — not instead of them.
Whether or not an airbag is provided, all occupants
still have to buckle up to get the most protection.
That is true not only in frontal collisions, but
especially in side and other collisions.
Q: If I am a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you are in a
crash — even one that is not your fault — you and
your passenger(s) can be hurt. Being a good
driver does not protect you from things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of
home. And the greatest number of serious injuries
and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph
(65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
1-14

How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
This section is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about
safety belts and children. And there are different
rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be
riding in your vehicle, see Older Children on page 1-29
or Infants and Young Children on page 1-32. Follow
those rules for everyone’s protection.
It is very important for all occupants to buckle up.
Statistics show that unbelted people are hurt more often
in crashes than those who are wearing safety belts.
Occupants who are not buckled up can be thrown out of
the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others in
the vehicle who are wearing safety belts.
First, before you or your passenger(s) wear a safety
belt, there is important information you should know. Sit up straight and always keep your feet on the floor in
front of you. The lap part of the belt should be worn
low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In a
crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones
and you would be less likely to slide under the lap belt.
If you slid under it, the belt would apply force on
your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal
injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder
and across the chest. These parts of the body are
best able to take belt restraining forces.
The shoulder belt locks if there is a sudden stop or crash.
1-15

Q: What is wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not give as
much protection this way.
{CAUTION:
You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt
is too loose. In a crash, you would move
forward too much, which could increase injury.
The shoulder belt should fit snugly against
your body.
1-16