Chevrolet 2009 Colorado User manual

Seats and Restraint System ............................. 1-1
Front Seats ............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats ............................................... 1-9
Safety Belts ............................................. 1-12
Child Restraints ....................................... 1-34
Airbag System ......................................... 1-62
Restraint System Check ............................ 1-77
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Keys ........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks ....................................... 2-6
Windows ................................................. 2-11
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-14
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-18
Mirrors .................................................... 2-37
OnStar
®
System ...................................... 2-41
Storage Areas ......................................... 2-45
Sunroof .................................................. 2-47
Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview .......................... 3-4
Climate Controls ...................................... 3-19
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ........ 3-21
Driver Information Center (DIC) .................. 3-35
Audio System(s) ....................................... 3-43
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle ....... 4-2
Towing ................................................... 4-40
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Service ..................................................... 5-3
Fuel ......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-10
Rear Axle ............................................... 5-44
Four-Wheel Drive ..................................... 5-44
Front Axle ............................................... 5-45
Headlamp Aiming ..................................... 5-46
Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-46
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-51
Tires ...................................................... 5-53
Appearance Care ..................................... 5-99
Vehicle Identification ............................... 5-106
Electrical System .................................... 5-107
Capacities and Specifications ................... 5-114
Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule ................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information .................... 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information ........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects ........................... 7-15
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy ........... 7-17
Index ................................................................ 1
2009 Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual M

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem, and
the name COLORADO are registered trademarks
of General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. GM reserves 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 wherever it appears
in this manual.
This manual describes features that may or may not be
on your specific vehicle.
Read this manual from beginning to end to learn about
the vehicle’s features and controls. Pictures, symbols,
and words work together to explain vehicle operation.
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
Index
To quickly locate information about the vehicle, use 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.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 15891592 B Second Printing
©
2008 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
ii

Safety Warnings and Symbols
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.”
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.
Cautions tell what the hazard is and what to do to avoid
or reduce the hazard. Read these cautions.
A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle.
Notice: These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
Many times, this damage would not be covered by the
vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. The notice
tells what to do to help avoid the damage.
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.
M:This symbol is shown when you need to see your
owner manual for additional instructions or information.
*:This symbol is shown when you need to see a
service manual for additional instructions or information.
iii

Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that may be found on
the vehicle and what they mean. For more information
on the symbol, refer to the index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
g:Audio Steering Wheel Controls or OnStar
®
$:Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.:Fuel Gage
+:Fuses
i:Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
j:LATCH System Child Restraints
*:Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
F:Traction Control
M:Windshield Washer Fluid
iv

Front Seats ......................................................1-2
Manual Seats ................................................1-2
Power Seats ..................................................1-3
Manual Lumbar ..............................................1-3
Power Lumbar ...............................................1-4
Heated Seats .................................................1-4
Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-5
Head Restraints .............................................1-7
Seatback Latches ...........................................1-8
Rear Seats .......................................................1-9
Rear Seat Operation (Extended Cab) ................1-9
Rear Seat Operation (Crew Cab) ....................1-10
Safety Belts ...................................................1-12
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................1-12
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-18
Lap-Shoulder Belt .........................................1-26
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-32
Lap Belt ......................................................1-32
Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-33
Child Restraints .............................................1-34
Older Children ..............................................1-34
Infants and Young Children ............................1-37
Child Restraint Systems .................................1-41
Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-43
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH) ......................................1-45
Securing a Child Restraint in a
Rear Seat Position ....................................1-56
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Center Front Seat Position ..........................1-58
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position ............................1-59
Airbag System ...............................................1-62
Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-65
When Should an Airbag Inflate? .....................1-67
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? .......................1-68
How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-68
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? .....1-69
Passenger Sensing System ............................1-70
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-75
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle ....................................................1-76
Restraint System Check ..................................1-77
Checking the Restraint Systems ......................1-77
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash ............................................1-78
Section 1 Seats and Restraint System
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.
If the vehicle has a manual seat, it can be moved
forward or rearward. 1. Lift the bar to unlock
the seat.
2. Slide the seat to the
desired position and
release the bar.
Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat
is locked in place.
1-2

Power Seats
If the vehicle has power
seats, the controls used to
operate them are located
on the outboard side of the
seats.
To adjust the seat:
•Move the seat forward or rearward by sliding the
horizontal control forward or rearward.
•Raise or lower the front part of the seat cushion
by moving the front of the horizontal control up
or down.
•Raise or lower the rear part of the seat cushion
by moving the rear of the horizontal control up
or down.
•Raise or lower the entire seat by moving the entire
horizontal control up or down.
•Use the vertical control to recline the seatback.
See “Power Reclining Seatbacks” under Reclining
Seatbacks on page 1-5 for more information.
Manual Lumbar
On vehicles with this
feature, the knob is
located on the outboard
side of the driver seat.
Turn the knob to increase or decrease lumbar support.
1-3

Power Lumbar
If the vehicle has this
feature, the control is
located on the outboard
side of the seat(s).
Press and hold the front of the control until you have
the desired lumbar support. To decrease lumbar
support, press and hold the rear of the control.
Heated Seats
If the vehicle has this
feature, the controls are
located on the outboard
side of the front seats.
This feature will heat the cushion and back of the seats.
Press the top of the switch to turn the heat to the high
setting. Press the bottom of the switch to turn the heat to
the low setting. Put the switch in the center position to
turn the heat off.
The ignition must be on for the heated seat feature to
work. The seat will heat to the last setting if the ignition
has been turned off and then turned back on.
The passenger safety belt must be fastened for the
heated seat feature to work on the passenger seat.
1-4

Reclining Seatbacks
Manual 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 either 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 seatbacks to be sure they
are locked.
If the seats have manual reclining seatbacks, the lever
used to operate them is located on the outboard side of
the seat(s).
To recline the seatback:
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.
1-5

To return the seatback to an upright position:
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.
Power Reclining Seatbacks
If the seats have power
reclining seatbacks, use
the vertical power seat
control located on the
outboard side of the seat.
•To recline the seatback, press the control toward the
rear of the vehicle.
•To raise the seatback, press the control toward the
front of the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when the vehicle is in
motion can be dangerous. Even if when buckled
up, the safety belts cannot do their job when
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 the safety belt properly.
1-6

Do not have a seatback reclined if the vehicle is
moving.
Head Restraints
The front seats may have adjustable head restraints.
If the vehicle has rear seats, they may have adjustable
head restraints.
Adjust the head restraint so that the top of the restraint is
at the same height as the top of the occupant’s head.
This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a
crash.
1-7

Pull up on the head
restraint to raise it. To
lower the head restraint,
press the button located on
top of the seatback and
push down on the
head restraint.
Seatback Latches
The vehicle may have front seatbacks that fold forward
for easy access to the rear seats or the storage area
behind the seats.
To fold the seatback
forward, push the lever on
the side of the seat
rearward and pull the
seatback forward.
1-8

{CAUTION:
If either 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 seatbacks to be sure they
are locked.
To return the seatback to the upright position, push the
seatback all the way back until it latches.
If the seatback was reclined before being folded
forward, it will return to the reclined position.
Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation (Extended Cab)
If the vehicle has an
extended cab, there may
be forward folding seats in
the rear area.
To fold the rear seat cushion(s) from the stored position
to the sitting position, pull the front of the seat cushion
down completely.
The rear seat storage compartments must be closed
before folding the seat down. See Rear Storage Area on
page 2-45.
1-9

To store the 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.
1. Secure the safety belt buckle to the inboard side of
the seat with the hook and loop fastener (A), so that
it does not move when not in use.
2. Push the entire seat up until it is flush with the trim
panel.
Rear Seat Operation (Crew Cab)
The rear seatback(s) in the crew cab can be folded
forward.
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 rear seatback(s) forward:
1. Disconnect the rear center safety belt latch from the
mini buckle by inserting the tip of the safety belt
tongue into the slot on the buckle. Let the belt retract.
1-10

2. Pull the loop, located
on the outboard side of
the seatback, forward
until you hear a click.
3. Fold the seatback(s) forward.
To return the seatback(s) to the upright position:
1. Lift the seatback(s) and push it into place.
{CAUTION:
If either 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 seatbacks to be sure they are locked.
2. Make sure the seatback(s) is locked by pushing
and pulling on 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.
3. Reconnect the center safety belt latch plate to the
mini buckle. Make sure the safety belt is not
twisted.
4. Push and pull on the latch plate to be sure it is
secure.
When the seatback is not in use, it should be kept in
the upright, locked position.
1-11

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 a safety belt cannot
be worn properly. In a crash, if you or your
passenger(s) are not wearing safety belts, the
injuries can be much worse. You can hit things
inside the vehicle harder or be ejected from the
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
vehicle. You and your passenger(s) can 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:
People riding on the tailgate (if equipped) can easily
lose their balance and fall even when the vehicle is
operated at low speeds. Falling from a moving
vehicle may result in serious injuries or death.
1-12

{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 3-23.
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.
After more than 40 years of safety belts in vehicles, the
facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter... a lot!
1-13

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.
1-14

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...
1-15

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.
1-16