2008 CHEVROLET EQUINOX seats

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
..............................................1-10
Safety Belts
.............................................1-12
Child Restraints
.......................................1-31
Airbag System
.........................................1-56
Restraint System Check
............................1-72
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
......................................2-10
Windows
.................................................2-15
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-17
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-20
Mirrors
....................................................2-37
OnStar
®System
......................................2-39
Storage Areas
.........................................2-42
Sunroof
..................................................2-49
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-19
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-24
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-42
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-64Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-28
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-42
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-44
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-44
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-50
Tires
......................................................5-52
Appearance Care
.....................................5-89
Vehicle Identication
.................................5-99
Electrical System
....................................5-100
Capacities and Specications
...................5-107
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-14
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy
...........7-16
Index................................................................ 1
2008 Chevrolet Equinox Owner ManualM

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem, and
the name EQUINOX are registered trademarks of
General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time
it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
after that time without notice. For vehicles rst sold
in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors
of Canada Limited” for Chevrolet Motor Division
whenever it appears in this manual.
This manual describes features that may be available
in this model, but your vehicle may not be have all
of them. For example, more than one entertainment
system may be offered or your vehicle may have been
ordered without a front passenger or rear seats.
Keep this manual in the vehicle for quick reference.
Canadian Owners
A French language copy of this manual can be obtained
from your dealer/retailer or from:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
www.helminc.com
Propriétaires Canadiens
On peut obtenir un exemplaire de ce guide en français
auprès de concessionnaire ou à l’adresse suivante:
Helm Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
www.helminc.com
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 15860879 A First Printing
©2007 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
ii

Front Seats......................................................1-2
Manual Seats................................................1-2
Seat Height Adjuster.......................................1-3
Power Seat...................................................1-3
Manual Lumbar..............................................1-4
Heated Seats.................................................1-4
Manual Reclining Seatbacks.............................1-5
Head Restraints.............................................1-7
Passenger Folding Seatback............................1-8
Rear Seats.....................................................1-10
Split Folding Rear Seat.................................1-10
Safety Belts...................................................1-12
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone................1-12
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly.................1-17
Lap-Shoulder Belt.........................................1-25
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy..................1-30
Safety Belt Extender.....................................1-30
Child Restraints.............................................1-31
Older Children..............................................1-31
Infants and Young Children............................1-34
Child Restraint Systems.................................1-37
Where to Put the Restraint.............................1-40Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH)..................................................1-42
Securing a Child Restraint in a
Rear Seat Position....................................1-50
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position............................................1-52
Airbag System...............................................1-56
Where Are the Airbags?................................1-59
When Should an Airbag Inate?.....................1-61
What Makes an Airbag Inate?.......................1-63
How Does an Airbag Restrain?.......................1-63
What Will You See After an
Airbag Inates?.........................................1-64
Passenger Sensing System............................1-65
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle...........1-70
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle....................................................1-70
Restraint System Check..................................1-72
Checking the Restraint Systems......................1-72
Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash...................................................1-73
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1

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.
1-2

Manual Lumbar
If your vehicle has this
feature, the knob is
located on the front of the
driver seat lower cushion
on the inboard side.
Turn the knob clockwise or counterclockwise to increase
or decrease the lumbar support.
Heated Seats
If your vehicle has heated
seats, the switches are
located on the instrument
panel near the climate
controls.The ignition must be on for the heated seats to operate.
Press the switch, nearest to the seat, once to turn
the heated seat on to the high setting. Both indicator
lights will be lit. Press the switch a second time to
turn the heated seat to the low setting. One indicator
light will be lit. Press the switch a third time to turn
the heated seat off.
If your vehicle has remote vehicle start and is started
using the remote keyless entry transmitter, the heated
seats may automatically turn on if it is cold outside.
See″Remote Vehicle Start″underRemote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System Operation on page 2-5. When
the key is inserted into the ignition and the ignition is
turned to RUN, the heated seat feature will turn off.
To turn the heated seats back on, press the desired
button.
1-4

Rear Seats
Split Folding Rear Seat
The rear split bench seatbacks have three available
positions — folded forward, upright, or partially reclined.
Both of the seatbacks can be moved to any of the
three positions independent of the other seatback
position. The rear bench seat can also be moved
forward and rearward.
{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
push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
{CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted will not provide
the protection needed in a crash. The person
wearing the belt could be seriously injured.
After raising the rear seatback, always check
to be sure that the safety belts are properly
routed and attached, and are not twisted.
1-10

Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety
belts properly. It also tells you some things you should
not do with safety belts.
{CAUTION:
Do not let anyone ride where he or she cannot
wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a
crash and you are not wearing a safety belt,
your injuries can be much worse. You can hit
things inside the vehicle harder or be ejected
from it and be seriously injured or killed.
In the same crash, you might not be, if you
are buckled up. Always fasten your safety
belt, and check that your passenger(s) are
restrained properly too.
{CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo
area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these areas are more
likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not
allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle
that is not equipped with seats and safety
belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in
a seat and using a safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has indicators as a reminder to buckle your
safety belts. SeeSafety Belt Reminders on page 3-27.
In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the
law requires wearing safety belts. Here is why:
You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have
a crash, you do not know if it will be a serious one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be
so serious that even buckled up, a person would not
survive. But most crashes are in between. In many
of them, people who buckle up can survive and
sometimes walk away. Without belts they could have
been badly hurt or killed.
After more than 40 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up
does matter... a lot!
1-12

Lap-Shoulder Belt
All seating positions in your vehicle have a
lap-shoulder belt.
Here is how to wear a lap-shoulder belt properly.
1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you
can sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in
the Index.
2. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Do not let it get twisted.
The lap-shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt
across you very quickly. If this happens, let the
belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.
If you ever pull the shoulder portion of a passenger
belt out all the way, you may engage the child
restraint locking feature. If this happens, just let
the belt go back all the way and start again.3. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If the belt is not long enough, seeSafety Belt
Extender on page 1-30.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if necessary.
4. If equipped with a shoulder belt height adjuster,
move it to the height that is right for you. Improper
shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce
the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash.
See “Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment” later
in this section.
1-25