2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX Fuel tank

If the Light is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed
Avoiding hard accelerations
Avoiding steep uphill grades
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible
If the light stops ashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart
the engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following. If the light is still
ashing, follow the previous steps, and see your dealer
for service as soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. SeeFilling the Tank on page 5-8.The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing
fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed
should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel. See
Gasoline Octane on page 5-5. Poor fuel quality will
cause your engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
You may notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling
when you put the vehicle into gear, misring, hesitation
on acceleration, or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the
light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
your dealer can check the vehicle. Your dealer has
the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to x any
mechanical or electrical problems that may have
developed.
3-33

Fuel Gage
When the ignition is on,
the fuel gage tells you
about how much fuel you
have left in your tank.
When the indicator nears empty, the low fuel light will
come on. You still have a little fuel left, but you
should get more soon. SeeLow Fuel Warning Light on
page 3-38for more information.
Here are four things that some owners ask about. None
of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
At the service station, the fuel pump shuts off
before the gage reads full.
It takes a little more or less fuel to ll up than the
gage indicated. For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but it actually took a
little more or less than half the tank’s capacity to
ll the tank.
The gage moves a little when you turn a corner or
speed up.
The gage takes a few seconds to stabilize after the
ignition is turned on, and will go back to empty
when you turn the ignition off.
For your fuel tank capacity, seeCapacities and
Specications on page 5-89.
Low Fuel Warning Light
The light below the fuel
gage will come on briey
when you are starting
the engine.
This light also comes on when the fuel tank is low on
fuel. When you add fuel the light should go off. If it does
not, have your vehicle serviced.
3-38

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle......................................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling the Tank..............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-10
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-13
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-16
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-17
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-21
Engine Coolant.............................................5-21
Engine Overheating.......................................5-24
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode........................................5-26
Cooling System............................................5-26
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-31
Brakes........................................................5-33Battery........................................................5-35
Jump Starting...............................................5-36
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-41
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-43
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-43
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
and Parking Lamps....................................5-43
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps.........................................5-46
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-47
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-48
Tires..............................................................5-49
Tire Sidewall Labelling...................................5-50
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-52
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-55
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-56
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-57
Buying New Tires.........................................5-58
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-59
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-60
Wheel Replacement......................................5-61
Tire Chains..................................................5-62
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-63
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-64
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................5-65
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Filling the Tank
{CAUTION:
Fuel vapor burns violently and a fuel re can
cause bad injuries. To help avoid injuries to
you and others, read and follow all the
instructions on the pump island. Turn off your
engine when you are refueling. Do not smoke
if you are near fuel or refueling your vehicle.
Keep sparks, ames, and smoking materials
away from fuel. Do not leave the fuel pump
unattended when refueling your vehicle — this
is against the law in some places. Keep
children away from the fuel pump; never let
children pump fuel.The tethered fuel cap is located behind a hinged fuel
door on the passenger’s side of the vehicle.
To remove the fuel cap, turn it slowly counterclockwise.
The fuel cap has a spring in it; if the cap is released
too soon, it will spring back to the right.
5-8

{CAUTION:
If you spill fuel and then something ignites it,
you could be badly burned. Fuel can spray out
on you if you open the fuel cap too quickly.
This spray can happen if your tank is nearly
full, and is more likely in hot weather. Open
the fuel cap slowly and wait for any hiss noise
to stop. Then unscrew the cap all the way.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Do not top off or overll the
tank and wait a few seconds after you have nished
pumping before removing the nozzle. Clean fuel
from painted surfaces as soon as possible. See
Washing Your Vehicle on page 5-78.
When replacing the fuel cap, turn it clockwise until it
clicks. Make sure the cap is fully installed. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. This would allow fuel
to evaporate into the atmosphere. SeeMalfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 3-32.
{CAUTION:
If a re starts while you are refueling, do not
remove the nozzle. Shut off the ow of fuel by
shutting off the pump or by notifying the
station attendant. Leave the area immediately.
Notice:If you need a new fuel cap, be sure to get
the right type. Your dealer can get one for you.
If you get the wrong type, it may not t properly.
This may cause your malfunction indicator lamp to
light and may damage your fuel tank and emissions
system. SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 3-32.
5-9

A. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-17.
B. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
C. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
D. Brake Fluid Reservoir. SeeBrakes on page 5-33.
E. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. SeeFuses
and Circuit Breakers on page 5-84.
F. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. SeeJump Starting on
page 5-36.
G. Engine Coolant Surge Tank. SeeEngine Coolant on
page 5-21.
H. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. SeeWindshield
Washer Fluid on page 5-31.
Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil
must be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.The engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for
the location of the engine oil dipstick.
1. Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes
to drain back into the oil pan. If you do not do this,
the oil dipstick might not show the actual level.
2. Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a 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, you will need to add at least one quart/liter
of oil. But you must use the right kind. This section
explains what kind of oil to use. For engine oil crankcase
capacity, seeCapacities and Specications on
page 5-89.
5-13

Capacities and Specications
The following approximate capacities are given in English and metric conversions. SeeRecommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 6-12for more information.
ApplicationCapacities
English Metric
Air Conditioning Refrigerant R134a 1.76 lbs 0.8 kg
Cooling System 10.6 qt 10.0 L
Engine Oil with Filter 4.5 qt 4.3 L
Fuel Tank 16.7 gal 63.5 L
Transaxle Fluid 7.5 qt 7.1 L
Wheel Nut Torque 92 lb ft 125Y
All capacities are approximate. When adding, be sure to ll to the approximate level, as recommended in this
manual. Recheck uid level after lling.
Engine Specications
Engine VIN Code Transaxle Spark Plug Gap
3.4L V6 F Automatic 0.060 inches (1.52 mm)
5-89

Fixed Mast Antenna........................................3-79
Flat Tire........................................................5-63
Flat Tire, Changing.........................................5-64
Flat Tire, Storing.............................................5-72
Fluid
Automatic Transaxle.....................................5-21
Windshield Washer......................................5-31
Fog Lamps....................................................3-15
Folding Rear Seat............................................ 1-9
Folding Seatback, Passenger............................. 1-7
Fuel............................................................... 5-5
Additives...................................................... 5-6
California Fuel.............................................. 5-6
Filling a Portable Fuel Container....................5-10
Filling Your Tank........................................... 5-8
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................. 5-7
Gage.........................................................3-38
Gasoline Octane........................................... 5-5
Gasoline Specications.................................. 5-5
Low Warning Light.......................................3-38
Fuses
Engine Compartment Fuse Block...................5-86
Fuses and Circuit Breakers...........................5-84
Instrument Panel Fuse Block.........................5-85
Windshield Wiper.........................................5-84G
Gage
Engine Coolant Temperature.........................3-31
Fuel..........................................................3-38
Speedometer..............................................3-25
Tachometer.................................................3-25
Garment Hooks..............................................2-34
Gasoline
Octane........................................................ 5-5
Specications............................................... 5-5
Gate Ajar Light...............................................3-37
Glove Box.....................................................2-34
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program.................. 7-5
H
Hazard Warning Flashers................................... 3-5
Head Restraints............................................... 1-6
Headlamps....................................................3-13
Automatic Headlamp System.........................3-14
Bulb Replacement.......................................5-43
Daytime Running Lamps...............................3-14
Halogen Bulbs............................................5-43
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
and Parking Lamps..................................5-43
High/Low Beam Changer................................ 3-8
On Reminder..............................................3-13
5