2004 Chevrolet Colorado Owner's Manual - Page 107

SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but lower fuel economy than THIRD (3). You can use SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control your speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to use your brakes off and on. You can also use SECOND (2) for starting your vehicle from a stop on slippery road surfaces. FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power but lower fuel economy than SECOND (2). You can use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in FIRST (1) while the vehicle is moving forward, the transmission will not shift into FIRST (1) until the vehicle is going slowly enough. Notice: Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal may damage the transmission. If you are stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place. {CAUTION: If you have four-wheel drive, your vehicle will be free to roll - even if your shift lever is in PARK (P) - if your transfer case is in NEUTRAL. So, be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear, two-wheel high (2H) or four-wheel high (4H) or four-wheel low (4L) - not in NEUTRAL. See Shifting Into Park (P) on page 2-32. 2-25