2007 CHEVROLET EQUINOX Owners Manual

Instrument Panel Brightness
This feature controls the brightness of the
instrument panel lights.
The control for this
feature is located on
the instrument panel
to the left of the
steering column.
Turn the control up to brighten the lights or down
to dim them.
Dome Lamp
The dome lamp switch has three positions.
9(Off):The lamp will not come on as long as
the switch is in this position.
AUTO (Auto):The lamp will come on when a
door is opened. SeeEntry Lighting on page 161.
R(On):The lamp will stay on as long as the
switch is in this position.
Entry Lighting
If the dome lamp is in the AUTO position, the
dome lamp and the cargo lamp inside your vehicle
will come on when any door is opened. In
addition, the light will come on when the remote
keyless entry unlock button is pressed. It will
stay on for 20 seconds or until a door is opened.
After the door is opened the light will remain
on and stay on for 20 seconds after the doors are
closed, or until you put the key in the ignition
and turn the key to RUN.
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Map Lamps
Your vehicle may have lamps located on the
headliner above the rearview mirror. Push on the
lens in the lamp to turn them on and off.
Cargo Lamp
The cargo lamp is located over the rear
compartment, and is controlled by the dome
lamp. SeeDome Lamp on page 161.
Electric Power Management
The vehicle has Electric Power Management (EPM)
that estimates the battery’s temperature and state
of charge. It then adjusts the voltage for best
performance and extended life of the battery.
When the battery’s state of charge is low, the
voltage is raised slightly to quickly put the charge
back in. When the state of charge is high, the
voltage is lowered slightly to prevent overcharging.
If the vehicle has a voltmeter gage or voltage
display on the Driver Information Center (DIC),
you may see the voltage move up or down.
This is normal. If there is a problem, an alert will
be displayed.
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The battery can be discharged at idle if the
electrical loads are very high. This is true for
all vehicles. This is because the generator
(alternator) may not be spinning fast enough
at idle to produce all the power that is needed
for very high electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when several of the
following loads are on: headlamps, high beams,
fog lamps, rear window defogger, climate
control fan at high speed, heated seats, engine
cooling fans, trailer loads, and loads plugged into
accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery. It does this by balancing the generator’s
output and the vehicle’s electrical needs. It
can increase engine idle speed to generate more
power, whenever needed. It can temporarily
reduce the power demands of some accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in steps or levels,
without being noticeable. In rare cases at
the highest levels of corrective action, this
action may be noticeable to the driver.If so, a Driver Information Center (DIC) message
might be displayed, such as Battery Saver
Active or Service Battery Charging System. If this
message is displayed, it is recommended that
the driver reduce the electrical loads as much as
possible. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 198.
Battery Run-Down Protection
Your vehicle has a battery saver feature designed
to protect the vehicle’s battery.
When any interior lamp is left on and the ignition is
turned off, the battery rundown protection system
will automatically turn the lamp off after 20 minutes.
This will avoid draining the battery. This vehicle also
has a retained accessory power feature. If the radio
is on, it will turn off after 10 minutes or if any door
on the vehicle is opened. SeeRetained Accessory
Power (RAP) on page 116.
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Accessory Power Outlet(s)
The accessory power outlets can be used to
connect electrical equipment such as a cellular
phone or CB radio.
The accessory power outlets located in front of
the center console storage area, at the rear of
the center console, and the vehicle may have
one located in the rear cargo area.
To use the outlets, remove the cover. When not in
use, always cover the outlet with the protective cap.
Notice:If electrical devices are left plugged
into a power outlet, the battery may drain
causing your vehicle not to start or damage
to the battery. This would not be covered
by the warranty. Always unplug all electrical
devices when turning off your vehicle.
Certain electrical accessories may not be
compatible with the accessory power outlets and
could result in blown vehicle or adapter fuses.
If you experience a problem, see your dealer
for additional information on the accessory
power outlet.Notice:Adding any electrical equipment to
your vehicle may damage it or keep other
components from working as they should. The
repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Do not use equipment exceeding maximum
amperage rating of 20 amperes. Check with
your dealer before adding electrical equipment.
When adding electrical equipment, be sure to
follow the installation instructions included with
the equipment.
Notice:Improper use of the power outlet can
cause damage not covered by your warranty.
Do not hang any type of accessory or
accessory bracket from the plug because the
power outlets are designed for accessory
power plugs only.
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Ashtray(s) and Cigarette Lighter
Your vehicle may have a removable ashtray and
cigarette lighter. The ashtray can be placed
into the front console cupholders.
To use the lighter, push it in all the way and let
go. When it is ready, it will pop back out by itself.
Notice:Holding a cigarette lighter in while it is
heating will not allow the lighter to back away
from the heating element when it is hot. Damage
from overheating may occur to the lighter or
heating element, or a fuse could be blown. Do
not hold a cigarette lighter in while it is heating.
Do not use equipment exceeding maximum
amperage rating of 15 amperes.
Notice:If you put papers, pins, or other
ammable items in the ashtray, hot cigarettes
or other smoking materials could ignite
them and possibly damage your vehicle.
Never put ammable items in the ashtray.
Climate Controls
Climate Control System
With this system you can control the heating,
cooling, and ventilation for the vehicle.
Operation
Temperature Control:Turn the center knob
clockwise or counterclockwise to increase
or decrease the temperature inside the vehicle.
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9(Fan):Turn the left knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or decrease the
fan speed. In any setting other than off, the fan will
run continuously with the ignition on. To turn off
the air completely, turn the fan to 0 and select the
recirculation button.
Use the right knob to select from the
following modes:
There is one position between each mode to nely
adjust airow position.
H(Vent):This mode directs air to the instrument
panel outlets.
)(Bi-Level):This mode directs about half of
the air to the instrument panel outlets, and
then directs the remaining air to the oor outlets.
6(Floor):This mode directs most of the air
to the oor outlets with some air directed to the
windshield and side windows.
The right knob may also be used to select the
defrost and defog modes that are described in
this section.You can also select modes by using the following
buttons:
;(Outside Air):Press this button to turn the
outside air mode on. When this mode is on,
outside air will circulate throughout the vehicle.
When the button is pressed, an indicator light
in the button will come on to let you know that
it is activated. The outside air mode can be used
with all modes, but it cannot be used with the
recirculation mode.
@(Recirculation):Press this button on the
center knob to recirculate cabin air through
the vehicle. It can be used to prevent outside air
and odors from entering the vehicle or to help heat
or cool the air inside the vehicle more quickly.
An indicator light above the symbol will come on
in this mode. Operation in this mode during periods
of high humidity and cool outside temperatures
may result in increased window fogging. If window
fogging is experienced, select the defrost mode.
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#(Air Conditioning):Press this button to turn
the air conditioning system on or off. When
this button is pressed, an indicator light on the
button will come on to let you know the air
conditioning is activated. The air conditioning can
be selected in any mode as long as the fan
switch is on.
On hot days, open the windows to let hot inside
air escape; then close them. This helps to reduce
the time it takes for the vehicle to cool down. It
also helps the system to operate more efficiently.
For quick cool down on hot days, do the
following:
1. Select the vent mode.
2. Select the outside air.
3. Select air conditioning.
4. Select the coolest temperature.
5. Select the highest fan speed.
6. Once the vehicle’s interior temperature is
below the outside temperature, select
recirculation mode for enhanced cooling.Using these settings together for long periods
of time may cause the air inside of the vehicle to
become too dry. To prevent this from happening,
after the air inside of the vehicle has cooled,
turn the recirculation mode off.
The air conditioning system removes moisture
from the air, so you may sometimes notice a small
amount of water dripping underneath the vehicle
while idling or after turning off the engine. This
is normal.
((Heated Seats):If your vehicle has heated
seats, seeHeated Seats on page 10.
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Defogging and Defrosting
Fog or frost on the inside of windows is a result of
high humidity (moisture) condensing on the cool
window glass. This can be minimized if the climate
control system is used properly. To avoid fogging
windows on rainy and humid days at temperatures
above freezing, turn on the air conditioning
system. Also, it is best to avoid the use of the
recirculation mode, except when maximum
A/C performance is needed or for short times to
avoid exterior odors.
Use the defog mode to clear the windows of fog or
moisture and warm the passengers. Use the defrost
mode to remove fog or frost from the windshield
more quickly. When you select either of these
modes, or the oor mode which also helps defog
the windows slightly, the system runs the air
conditioning compressor and cancels recirculation
mode to dry the air; however, the recirculation light
will stay on. For best results, clear all snow and ice
from the windshield before defrosting.Turn the right knob to select the defog or
defrost mode.-(Defog):This mode directs half of the air to
the windshield and the side window outlets,
and half to the oor outlets.
0(Defrost):This mode directs most of the air to
the windshield and the side window outlets, with
some air directed to the oor outlets.
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a warming grid to
remove fog from the rear window.
The rear window defogger will only work when the
ignition is in RUN.
<(Rear):Press this button to turn the rear
window defogger on or off. An indicator light on
the button will come on to let you know that
the rear window defogger is activated.
The rear window defogger will only work when
the ignition is in RUN. The rear window defogger
will stay on for about 10 minutes after the
button is pressed, unless the ignition is turned to
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