2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX key

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
..............................................1-10
Safety Belts
.............................................1-12
Child Restraints
.......................................1-30
Airbag System
.........................................1-55
Restraint System Check
............................1-66
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
......................................3-18
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-23
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-38Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-36
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-39
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-41
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-45
Tires
......................................................5-47
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
...........................7-13
Index................................................................ 1
2006 Chevrolet Equinox Owner ManualM

Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant
women. Like all occupants, they are more likely to
be seriously injured if they do not wear safety belts.
A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, and
the lap portion should be worn as low as possible,
below the rounding, throughout the pregnancy.
The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the mother.
When a safety belt is worn properly, it is more likely that
the fetus will not be hurt in a crash. For pregnant women,
as for anyone, the key to making safety belts effective is
wearing them properly.
Right Front Passenger Position
To learn how to wear the right front passenger’s safety
belt properly, seeDriver Position on page 1-18.
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same
way as the driver’s safety belt — except for the
following.
If you ever pull the shoulder portion of the belt out
all the way, you will engage the child restraint locking
feature. If this happens, just let the belt go back all
the way and start again.
When the safety belt is not in use, slide the latch plate
up the safety belt webbing. The latch plate should
rest on the stitching on the safety belt, near the
guideloop.
Rear Seat Passengers
It is very important for rear seat passengers to buckle
up! Accident statistics show that unbelted people in
the rear seat are hurt more often in crashes than those
who are wearing safety belts.
Rear passengers who are not safety belted can be
thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike
others in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts.
1-25

Your vehicle has a feature that may automatically unlock
the doors and turn the interior dome lamp on and ash
the parking lamps on and off when the airbags inate.
You can lock the doors again and turn the interior lamps
off by using the door lock and interior lamp controls.
Airbags are designed to inate only once. After an
airbag inates, you will need some new parts for your
airbag system. If you do not get them, the airbag
system will not be there to help protect you in another
crash. A new system will include airbag modules and
possibly other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
Your vehicle has a crash sensing and diagnostic
module which records information after a crash. See
Vehicle Data Collection and Event Data Recorders
on page 7-9.
Let only qualied technicians work on your airbag
system. Improper service can mean that your airbag
system will not work properly. See your dealer for
service.
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the airbag system in several places
around your vehicle. You do not want the system to
inate while someone is working on your vehicle. Your
dealer and the service manual have information about
servicing your vehicle and the airbag system. To
purchase a service manual, seeService Publications
Ordering Information on page 7-14.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an
airbag can still inate during improper service.
You can be injured if you are close to an airbag
when it inates. Avoid yellow connectors. They
are probably part of the airbag system. Be sure
to follow proper service procedures, and make
sure the person performing work for you is
qualied to do so.
The airbag system does not need regular maintenance.
1-64

Keys...............................................................2-2
Remote Keyless Entry System.........................2-3
Remote Keyless Entry System Operation...........2-4
Doors and Locks.............................................2-6
Door Locks....................................................2-6
Power Door Locks..........................................2-7
Delayed Locking.............................................2-7
Automatic Door Lock.......................................2-8
Programmable Automatic Door Unlock...............2-8
Rear Door Security Locks................................2-8
Lockout Protection..........................................2-9
Liftgate........................................................2-10
Windows........................................................2-11
Power Windows............................................2-12
Sun Visors...................................................2-12
Theft-Deterrent Systems..................................2-13
Content Theft-Deterrent.................................2-13
Passlock
®....................................................2-15
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle................2-15
New Vehicle Break-In....................................2-15
Ignition Positions..........................................2-16
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)...................2-16
Starting the Engine.......................................2-17
Engine Coolant Heater..................................2-18
Automatic Transaxle Operation.......................2-19
Parking Brake..............................................2-22Shifting Into Park (P).....................................2-23
Shifting Out of Park (P).................................2-24
Parking Over Things That Burn.......................2-25
Engine Exhaust............................................2-25
Running the Engine While Parked...................2-26
Mirrors...........................................................2-27
Manual Rearview Mirror.................................2-27
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror with
OnStar
®, Compass and Temperature
Display....................................................2-27
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror with
Compass and Temperature Display..............2-29
Outside Power Mirrors...................................2-31
Outside Convex Mirrors.................................2-32
OnStar
®System.............................................2-32
Storage Areas................................................2-34
Glove Box...................................................2-34
Cupholder(s)................................................2-34
Coinholder(s)................................................2-35
Center Console Storage Area.........................2-35
Garment Hooks............................................2-35
Luggage Carrier...........................................2-35
Rear Compartment Storage Panel/Cover..........2-38
Table..........................................................2-40
Convenience Net..........................................2-41
Sunroof.........................................................2-41
Section 2 Features and Controls
2-1

Keys
{CAUTION:
Leaving children in a vehicle with the ignition
key is dangerous for many reasons. They could
operate the power windows or other controls or
even make the vehicle move. The children or
others could be badly injured or even killed.
Do not leave the keys in a vehicle with children.
One key is used for the ignition and all of the locks.
Key code information can be obtained by your dealer.
These code numbers can be used to make new
keys. Additional keys that are needed can be made at
any retail service facility provided you have the key code
information. Store this information in a safe place, but
not in your vehicle.
Have extra keys made. Your service parts department
can make extra keys for you.
2-2

Notice:If you ever lock your keys in your vehicle,
you may have to damage the vehicle to get in.
Be sure you have spare keys.
Remote Keyless Entry System
The remote keyless entry system operates on a radio
frequency subject to Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) Rules and with Industry Canada.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
This device may not cause harmful interference.
This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry Canada.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
This device may not cause interference.
This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.Changes or modications to this system by other than
an authorized service facility could void authorization to
use this equipment.
At times you may notice a decrease in range. This is
normal for any remote keyless entry system. If the
transmitter does not work or if you have to stand closer
to your vehicle for the transmitter to work, try this:
Check the distance. You may be too far from your
vehicle. You may need to stand closer during
rainy or snowy weather.
Check the location. Other vehicles or objects may
be blocking the signal. Take a few steps to the
left or right, hold the transmitter higher, and
try again.
Check to determine if battery replacement or
resynchronization is necessary. See “Battery
Replacement” and “Resynchronization” under
Remote Keyless Entry System Operation on
page 2-4.
If you are still having trouble, see your dealer or a
qualied technician for service.
2-3

Remote Keyless Entry System
Operation
With this feature, you can lock and unlock the doors
from about 26 feet (8 m) away using the remote keyless
entry transmitter supplied with your vehicle.
Q(Lock):Press this
button on the remote
keyless entry transmitter
one time to lock the doors.
The headlamps will
ash once. This also
arms the content
theft-deterrent system.
Pressing the lock button two times within three seconds
will lock the doors. The headlamps will ash twice
and the horn chirps.
K(Unlock): Press this button on the remote keyless
entry transmitter one time to unlock the driver’s
door. The interior lights will go on and the headlamps
will ash three times. The interior lights will stay on
for 20 seconds or until the key is turned in the ignition.
Press the button again within ve seconds to unlock
the rest of the doors. The unlock button also disarms the
content theft-deterrent system.
L(Panic Alarm):Press the button with the horn
symbol when the ignition is turned off. The horn
will sound and the parking lamps and dome lamp will
ash for up to two minutes. To stop the panic alarm,
press this button again.
The remote keyless entry transmitter is used to
arm/disarm the content theft-deterrent system. Your
vehicle’s theft-deterrent system can be programmed to
three different modes. SeeContent Theft-Deterrent
on page 2-13
If you accidentally set off the alarm when entering or
exiting the vehicle, you can shut it off by pressing
the lock or unlock button once or the panic alarm
button twice.
2-4

Matching Transmitter(s) to Your Vehicle
Each remote keyless entry transmitter is coded to
prevent another transmitter from unlocking your vehicle.
If a transmitter is lost or stolen, a replacement can
be purchased through your dealer. Remember to bring
any remaining transmitters with you when you go to
your dealer. When the dealer matches the replacement
transmitter to your vehicle, any remaining transmitters
must also be matched. Once your dealer has coded the
new transmitter, the lost transmitter will not unlock
your vehicle. Each vehicle can have a maximum of
four transmitters matched to it.
Battery Replacement
Under normal use, the battery in your remote keyless
entry transmitter should last about four years.
You can tell the battery is weak if the transmitter will not
work at the normal range in any location. If you have
to get close to your vehicle before the transmitter works,
it is probably time to change the battery.
Notice:When replacing the battery, use care not to
touch any of the circuitry. Static from your body
transferred to these surfaces may damage the
transmitter.
1. Use a at thin object to pry open the transmitter.2. Once the transmitter is separated, use a pencil or
similar object to remove the old battery. Do not use
a metal object.
3. Insert the new battery as the instructions under the
cover indicate.
4. Snap the transmitter back together tightly to be sure
no moisture can enter.
5. Check the operation of the transmitter.
If the transmitter does not work, try synchronizing your
transmitter with your receiver. See “Resynchronization”
for more information.
2-5