2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX tow

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-9
Safety Belts
.............................................1-11
Child Restraints
.......................................1-30
Airbag System
.........................................1-50
Restraint System Check
............................1-60
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-6
Windows
.................................................2-11
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-13
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-15
Mirrors
....................................................2-27
OnStar
®System
......................................2-32
Storage Areas
.........................................2-34
Sunroof
..................................................2-41
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-19
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-23
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-39Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-34
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-41
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-43
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-48
Tires
......................................................5-49
Appearance Care
.....................................5-74
Vehicle Identication
.................................5-83
Electrical System
......................................5-84
Capacities and Specications
.....................5-89
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-10
Index................................................................ 1
2005 Chevrolet Equinox Owner ManualM

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.
Driver Seat Height Adjuster
If your vehicle has a manual driver seat height adjuster,
it is located on the outboard side of the seat toward
the front of the seat cushion. To raise the seat, move the
lever upward repeatedly until the seat is at the desired
height. To lower the seat, move the lever downward
repeatedly until the seat is at the desired height.
1-2

To return the seatback to an upright position, do the
following:
1. Lift the recliner lever up fully and lift the seatback to
an upright position.
{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
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
2. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is
locked into place.
{CAUTION:
If you fold the seatback forward to carry longer
objects, such as skis, be sure any such cargo
is not near an airbag. In a crash, an inating
airbag might force that object toward a person.
This could cause severe injury or even death.
Secure objects away from the area in which an
airbag would inate. For more information, see
“Where Are the airbags?” and “Loading Your
Vehicle,” in the Index.
{CAUTION:
Things you put on this seatback can strike and
injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or in a
crash. Remove or secure all items before
driving.
1-8

{CAUTION:
Never do this.
Here two children are wearing the same belt.
The belt can not properly spread the impact
forces. In a crash, the two children can be
crushed together and seriously injured. A belt
must be used by only one person at a time.
Q:What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder belt,
but the child is so small that the shoulder belt
is very close to the child’s face or neck?
A:If the child is sitting in a seat next to a window, move
the child toward the center of the vehicle. If the child
is sitting in the center rear seat passenger position,
move the child toward the safety belt buckle. In either
case, be sure that the shoulder belt still is on the
child’s shoulder, so that in a crash the child’s upper
body would have the restraint that belts provide. If
the child is so small that the shoulder belt is still very
close to the child’s face or neck, you might want to
place the child in a seat that has a lap belt, if your
vehicle has one.
1-31

Child Restraint Systems
An infant car bed (A), a special bed made for use in a
motor vehicle, is an infant restraint system designed
to restrain or position a child on a continuous at
surface. Make sure that the infant’s head rests toward
the center of the vehicle.A rear-facing infant seat (B) provides restraint with the
seating surface against the back of the infant. The
harness system holds the infant in place and, in a crash,
acts to keep the infant positioned in the restraint.
1-36

What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The
sensing system triggers a release of gas from the
inator, which inates the airbag. The inator, airbag,
and related hardware are all part of the airbag modules
inside the steering wheel and in the instrument panel
in front of the right front passenger. For vehicles
with side impact airbags, there are also airbag modules
in the ceiling of the vehicle, near the side windows.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The airbag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the
frontal airbags would not help you in many types
of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion
is not toward the airbag. Side impact airbags would not
help you in many types of collisions, including many
frontal or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear
impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion is not
toward those airbags. Airbags should never be
regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety
belts, and then only in moderate to severe frontal or
near-frontal collisions for the driver’s and right front
passenger’s frontal airbags, and only in moderate to
severe side collisions for side impact airbags.
1-57

Passlock®
Your vehicle is equipped with the
Passlock®theft-deterrent system.
This light will come on for
the theft-deterent system
and is located on the
instrument panel cluster.
Passlock
®is a passive theft-deterrent system.
Passlock®enables fuel if the ignition lock cylinder is
turned with a valid key. If a correct key is not used or the
ignition lock cylinder is tampered with, fuel is disabled.
If the engine stalls and the security light ashes,
wait until the light stops ashing before trying to restart
the engine. Remember to release the key from
START as soon as the engine starts.
If the engine is running and the security light comes on,
you will be able to restart the engine if you turn the
engine off. However, your Passlock
®system is
not working properly and must be serviced by your
dealer. Your vehicle is not protected by Passlock
®at this
time. You may also want to check the fuses. See your
dealer for service.
Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not need an elaborate
break-in. But it will perform better in the long run if
you follow these guidelines:
Do not drive at any one speed, fast or slow, for
the rst 500 miles (805 km). Do not make
full-throttle starts.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst 200 miles
(322 km) or so. During this time your new
brake linings are not yet broken in. Hard stops
with new linings can mean premature wear
and earlier replacement. Follow this breaking-in
guideline every time you get new brake
linings.
Do not tow a trailer during break-in. SeeTowing
a Trailer on page 4-36for more information.
2-15

Automatic Transaxle Operation
Your vehicle’s automatic transaxle is electronically
controlled with a computer module. The computer is
programmed to control the transaxle clutch pressures.
This means that your vehicle’s automatic transaxle
will optimize shifting on hills and throughout the life of
the vehicle. Your vehicle’s system will control the
amount of unnecessary upshifting while traveling up a
hill. Once you have reached the top of the hill, the
system will resume its normal shift schedule. If traveling
down a steep hill, the computer may shift to a lower
gear, which will help reduce braking.
The shift lever is located on the center console.
There are several different positions for the automatic
transaxle.
PARK (P):This position locks your front wheels. It is
the best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle cannot move easily.{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To
be sure your vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground, always set your
parking brake and move the shift lever to
PARK (P). SeeShifting Into Park (P) on
page 2-23. If you are pulling a trailer, see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-36.
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before starting
the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle
shift lock control system. You have to fully apply
your regular brakes before you can shift from PARK (P)
when the ignition key is in RUN. If you cannot shift
out of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever – push
the shift lever all the way into PARK (P) and also
release the shift lever button as you maintain brake
application. Then, press the shift lever button and move
the shift lever into the gear you wish. SeeShifting
Out of Park (P) on page 2-24.
2-19