2007 CHEVROLET EQUINOX stop start

If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off
the accelerator pedal and quickly steer the
way you want the vehicle to go. If you start
steering quickly enough, your vehicle may
straighten out. Always be ready for a second
skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow,
ice, gravel, or other material is on the road.
For safety, you will want to slow down and adjust
your driving to these conditions. It is important
to slow down on slippery surfaces because
stopping distance will be longer and vehicle
control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction,
try your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including reducing vehicle speed by
shifting to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could
cause the tires to slide. You may not realize the
surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding.
Learn to recognize warning clues — such as
enough water, ice, or packed snow on the road
to make a mirrored surface — and slow down
when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
helps avoid only the braking skid.Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to
be impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night
vision problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you cannot see as well, you may need
to slow down and keep more space between
you and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads.
Your vehicle’s headlamps can light up only so
much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe
place and rest.
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Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a
wet road, you cannot stop, accelerate, or turn as
well because your tire-to-road traction is not as
good as on dry roads. And, if your tires do not have
much tread left, you will get even less traction.It is always wise to go slower and be cautious if
rain starts to fall while you are driving. The surface
may get wet suddenly when your reexes are tuned
for driving on dry pavement.
The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see.
Even if your windshield wiper blades are in good
shape, a heavy rain can make it harder to see
road signs and traffic signals, pavement markings,
the edge of the road, and even people walking.
It is wise to keep your windshield wiper and
washer system in good shape and keep your
windshield washer uid reservoir lled with washer
uid. Replace your windshield wiper inserts
when they show signs of streaking or missing
areas on the windshield, or when strips of rubber
start to separate from the inserts.
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When you want to leave the freeway, move to the
proper lane well in advance. If you miss your exit,
do not, under any circumstances, stop and back up.
Drive on to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite
sharply. The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer,
not to your sense of motion. After driving for any
distance at higher speeds, you may tend to think you
are going slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you are ready. Try to be well rested. If
you must start when you are not fresh — such as
after a day’s work — do not plan to make too many
miles that rst part of the journey. Wear comfortable
clothing and shoes you can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it is ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you will nd experienced and able service experts
in GM dealerships all across North America.
They will be ready and willing to help if you need it.Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir
full? Are all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you
checked all levels?
Lamps:Are they all working? Are the lenses
clean?
Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough
for long-distance driving? Are the tires
all inated to the recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts:What is the weather
outlook along your route? Should you
delay your trip a short time to avoid a major
storm system?
Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
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When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal
down while you do the following:
Start your engine.
Shift into a gear.
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of
the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and
store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when
you are pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance
Schedule for more on this. Things that are
especially important in trailer operation are
automatic transaxle uid, engine oil, belts, cooling
system and brake system. Each of these is
covered in this manual, and the Index will help
you nd them quickly. If you are trailering, it is a
good idea to review these sections before you
start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and
bolts are tight.
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Service........................................................ 333
Accessories and Modications................... 333
California Proposition 65 Warning.............. 334
Doing Your Own Service Work.................. 334
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...................................... 335
Fuel............................................................. 335
Gasoline Octane........................................ 335
Gasoline Specications.............................. 335
California Fuel........................................... 336
Additives................................................... 336
Fuels in Foreign Countries........................ 337
Filling the Tank......................................... 337
Filling a Portable Fuel Container............... 339
Checking Things Under the Hood.............. 340
Hood Release........................................... 340
Engine Compartment Overview.................. 342
Engine Oil................................................. 344
Engine Oil Life System.............................. 347
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter............................ 349
Automatic Transaxle Fluid......................... 352
Engine Coolant.......................................... 352
Engine Overheating................................... 355Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode..................................... 357
Cooling System......................................... 358
Windshield Washer Fluid........................... 364
Brakes...................................................... 365
Battery...................................................... 368
Jump Starting............................................ 368
All-Wheel Drive........................................... 374
Bulb Replacement....................................... 375
Halogen Bulbs........................................... 376
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal,
Sidemarker, and Parking Lamps............. 376
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps
and Back-up Lamps............................... 378
License Plate Lamp................................... 380
Replacement Bulbs................................... 380
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 380
Tires............................................................ 382
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 383
Tire Terminology and Denitions............... 387
Ination - Tire Pressure............................. 390
Tire Pressure Monitor System................... 391
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
331

How to Reset the Engine Oil Life
System
The Engine Oil Life System calculates when to
change your engine oil and lter based on vehicle
use. Anytime your oil is changed, reset the
system so it can calculate when the next oil
change is required. If a situation occurs where you
change your oil prior to a change engine oil light
or CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message
being turned on, reset the system.
1. Turn the ignition key to RUN with the
engine off.
2. Fully press and release the accelerator pedal
three times within ve seconds.
The change engine oil light will ash while the
system is resetting.
3. When the light stops ashing, turn the key
to LOCK.
If the light or message comes back on and stays
on when you start your vehicle, the engine oil
life system has not reset. Repeat the procedure.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain elements that may
be unhealthy for your skin and could even cause
cancer. Do not let used oil stay on your skin for very
long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water, or a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly
dispose of clothing or rags containing used engine
oil. See the manufacturer’s warnings about the use
and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all the oil from
the lter before disposal. Never dispose of oil by
putting it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers, or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle it by taking it to a place that collects used
oil. If you have a problem properly disposing of your
used oil, ask your dealer, a service station, or a
local recycling center for help.
348

Battery
Your vehicle has a maintenance free battery.
When it is time for a new battery, get one that has
the replacement number shown on the original
battery’s label. We recommend an ACDelco
®
replacement battery.
For battery replacement, see your dealer or the
service manual. To purchase a service manual,
seeService and Owner PublicationsinService
Publications Ordering Information on page 475.
Warning:Battery posts, terminals, and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harm.
Wash hands after handling.
Vehicle Storage
If you are not going to drive your vehicle for
25 days or more, remove the black, negative (−)
cable from the battery. This will help keep
your battery from running down.
{CAUTION:
Batteries have acid that can burn you and
gas that can explode. You can be badly
hurt if you are not careful. SeeJump
Starting on page 368for tips on working
around a battery without getting hurt.
You must close all doors and the liftgate before
reconnecting the battery. After reconnecting
the battery, you must press the unlock button on
the remote keyless entry transmitter. Failure
to follow this procedure may result in a sounding
alarm. Pressing unlock on the remote keyless
entry transmitter would stop the sounding alarm.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables to start
your vehicle. Be sure to use the following steps to
do it safely.
368

As an added safety
feature, your vehicle
has been equipped with
a tire pressure
monitoring system
(TPMS) that illuminates
a low tire pressure
telltale when one
or more of your tires
is signicantly
under-inated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale
illuminates, you should stop and check your tires
as soon as possible, and inate them to the
proper pressure. Driving on a signicantly
under-inated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-ination also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure, even
if under-ination has not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when the
system is not operating properly. The TPMS
malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire
pressure telltale. When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will ash for approximately
one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the
malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the
system may not be able to detect or signal low
tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions may
occur for a variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from
functioning properly. Always check the TPMS
malfunction telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly.
392