2008 GMC ACADIA heater

If a child restraint has been installed and the on
indicator is lit, turn the vehicle off. Remove the child
restraint from the vehicle and reinstall the child restraint.
If, after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting
the vehicle, the on indicator is still lit, check to make
sure that the vehicle’s seatback is not pressing the child
restraint into the seat cushion. If this happens, slightly
recline the vehicle’s seatback and adjust the seat
cushion if possible. Also make sure the child restraint is
not trapped under the vehicle head restraint. If this
happens, adjust the head restraint.
Remove any additional material from the seat such as
blankets, cushions, seat covers, seat heaters or seat
massagers before reinstalling or securing the child
restraint.
If the on indicator is still lit, secure the child in the child
restraint in a rear seat position in the vehicle and
check with your dealer/retailer.
To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt and let it go back all the way.Airbag System
Your vehicle has the following airbags:
A frontal airbag for the driver.
A frontal airbag for the right front passenger.
A seat-mounted side impact airbag for the driver.
A seat-mounted side impact airbag for the right front
passenger.
A roof-rail airbag for the driver, passenger seated
directly behind the driver, and the third row
outboard passenger position.
A roof-rail airbag for the right front passenger,
passenger seated directly behind the right front
passenger, and the third row outboard passenger
position.
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Remove any additional material from the seat such as
blankets, cushions, seat covers, seat heaters, or
seat massagers before reinstalling or securing the child
restraint.
If the on indicator is still lit, secure the child in the child
restraint in a rear seat position in the vehicle, and
check with your dealer/retailer.
The passenger sensing system is designed to enable
(may inate) the right front passenger’s frontal
airbag and seat-mounted side impact airbag anytime the
system senses that a person of adult size is sitting
properly in the right front passenger’s seat. When the
passenger sensing system has allowed the airbags to be
enabled, the on indicator will light and stay lit to
remind you that the airbags are active.
For some children who have outgrown child restraints
and for very small adults, the passenger sensing system
may or may not turn off the right front passenger’s frontal
airbag and seat-mounted side impact airbag, depending
upon the person’s seating posture and body build.
Everyone in your vehicle who has outgrown child
restraints should wear a safety belt properly — whether
or not there is an airbag for that person.If a person of adult-size is sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat, but the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting properly in the seat. If
this happens, turn the vehicle off, remove any additional
material from the seat, such as blankets, cushions,
seat covers, seat heaters or seat massagers and ask
the person to place the seatback in the fully upright
position, then sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat
cushion, with the person’s legs comfortably extended.
Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in
this position for two to three minutes. This will allow the
system to detect that person and then enable the
right front passenger’s frontal airbag and seat-mounted
side impact airbag.
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Safety belts help keep the passenger in position on the
seat during vehicle maneuvers and braking, which
helps the passenger sensing system maintain the
passenger airbag status. See “Safety Belts” and “Child
Restraints” in the Index for additional information
about the importance of proper restraint use.
{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light in the instrument
panel cluster ever comes on and stays on, it
means that something may be wrong with the
airbag system. If this ever happens, have the
vehicle serviced promptly, because an
adult-size person sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat may not have the protection
of the airbag(s). SeeAirbag Readiness Light
on page 3-42for more on this, including
important safety information.
A thick layer of additional material, such as a blanket or
cushion, or aftermarket equipment such as seat
covers, seat heaters, and seat massagers can affect
how well the passenger sensing system operates.
We recommend that you not use seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment other than any that GM has
approved for your specic vehicle. SeeAdding
Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 1-76for more information about modications that
can affect how the system operates.
1-74

Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to or change
about the vehicle that could keep the airbags
from working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle’s
frame, bumper system, height, front end or side
sheet metal, they may keep the airbag system from
working properly. Changing or moving any parts
of the front seats, safety belts, the airbag sensing
and diagnostic module, steering wheel, instrument
panel, roof-rail airbag modules, ceiling headliner
or pillar garnish trim, front sensors, side impact
sensors, rollover sensor module, or airbag wiring
can affect the operation of the airbag system.
In addition, your vehicle has a passenger sensing
system for the right front passenger’s position,
which includes sensors that are part of the
passenger’s seat. The passenger sensing system
may not operate properly if the original seattrim is replaced with non-GM covers, upholstery or
trim, or with GM covers, upholstery or trim
designed for a different vehicle. Any object, such as
an aftermarket seat heater or a comfort enhancing
pad or device, installed under or on top of the
seat fabric, could also interfere with the operation of
the passenger sensing system. This could either
prevent proper deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the passenger sensing system
from properly turning off the passenger airbag(s).
SeePassenger Sensing System on page 1-70.
If you have any questions about this, you should
contact Customer Assistance before you modify
your vehicle. The phone numbers and addresses for
Customer Assistance are in Step Two of the
Customer Satisfaction Procedure in this manual.
SeeCustomer Satisfaction Procedure on page 7-2.
If your vehicle has rollover roof-rail airbags, see
Different Size Tires and Wheels on page 5-66
for additional important information.
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Keys...............................................................2-3
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System................2-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation...................................................2-5
Remote Vehicle Start......................................2-7
Doors and Locks............................................2-10
Door Locks..................................................2-10
Power Door Locks........................................2-11
Delayed Locking...........................................2-11
Programmable Automatic Door Locks..............2-11
Rear Door Security Locks..............................2-11
Lockout Protection........................................2-12
Liftgate........................................................2-13
Power Liftgate..............................................2-14
Windows........................................................2-18
Power Windows............................................2-19
Sun Visors...................................................2-21
Theft-Deterrent Systems..................................2-21
Content Theft-Deterrent.................................2-21
PASS-Key
®III+............................................2-23
PASS-Key®III+ Operation..............................2-23
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle................2-25
New Vehicle Break-In....................................2-25
Ignition Positions..........................................2-26Retained Accessory Power (RAP)...................2-27
Starting the Engine.......................................2-27
Engine Coolant Heater..................................2-29
Automatic Transmission Operation...................2-30
Tow/Haul Mode............................................2-34
Parking Brake..............................................2-35
Shifting Into PARK (P)...................................2-36
Shifting Out of PARK (P)...............................2-37
Parking Over Things That Burn.......................2-38
Engine Exhaust............................................2-38
Running the Engine While Parked...................2-39
Mirrors...........................................................2-40
Manual Rearview Mirror with OnStar
®..............2-40
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror with
OnStar
®and Compass...............................2-40
Outside Power Mirrors...................................2-42
Outside Power Foldaway Mirrors.....................2-43
Outside Convex Mirror...................................2-44
Outside Heated Mirrors..................................2-44
Object Detection Systems...............................2-45
Ultrasonic Rear Parking
Assist (URPA)...........................................2-45
Rear Vision Camera......................................2-47
OnStar
®System.............................................2-47
Section 2 Features and Controls
2-1

Engine Coolant Heater
The engine coolant heater, if available, can help in cold
weather conditions at or below 0°F (−18°C) for easier
starting and better fuel economy during engine warm-up.
Plug in the coolant heater at least four hours before
starting your vehicle. An internal thermostat in the
plug-end of the cord may exist which will prevent
engine coolant heater operation at temperatures
above 0°F (−18°C).
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The
cord is located on the driver’s side of the engine
compartment, it is routed around the windshield
washer uid reservoir.
3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC
outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a re. You could be seriously
injured. Plug the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will
not reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you do not, it could be
damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead
of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer/retailer in the area where you will be
parking your vehicle. The dealer/retailer can give you
the best advice for that particular area.
2-29

Entry lighting includes a feature called theater dimming.
With theater dimming, the lamps do not turn off at the end
of the delay time. Instead, they slowly dim after the delay
time until they go out. The delay time is canceled if you
turn the ignition key to ON/RUN or press the power door
lock switch. The lamps will dim right away.
When the ignition is on, illuminated entry is inactive,
which means the courtesy lamps will not come on
unless a door is opened.
Delayed Entry Lighting
Delayed entry lighting illuminates the interior for a
period of time after all the doors have been closed.
The ignition must be off for delayed entry lighting
to work. Immediately after all the doors have been
closed, the delayed entry lighting feature will continue
to work until one of the following occurs:
The ignition is in ON/RUN.
The doors are locked.
An illumination period of 25 seconds has elapsed.
If during the illumination period a door is opened,
the timed illumination period will be canceled and the
interior lamps will remain on because a door is open.
Delayed Exit Lighting
This feature illuminates the interior for a period of time
after the key is removed from the ignition.
The ignition must be off for delayed exit lighting to
work. When the key is removed, interior illumination
will activate and remain on until one of the following
occurs:
The ignition is in ON/RUN.
The power door locks are activated.
An illumination period of 20 seconds has elapsed.
If during the illumination period a door is opened,
the timed illumination period will be canceled and the
interior lamps will remain on because a door is open.
Parade Dimming
The instrument panel has an added feature called
parade mode. It automatically prohibits the dimming
of the instrument panel displays during the daylight
while the headlamps are on so that you will still be
able to see the displays.
3-18

The DVD player is the top slot on the radio faceplate.
The player is capable of reading the DTS programmed
DVD Audio or DVD Video media, (DTS and DTS
Digital Surround are registered trademarks of Digital
Theater Systems, Inc.).
Manufactured under license from Dolby
®Laboratories.
Dolby®and the double-D symbol are trademarks of
Dolby®Laboratories.
Radio Data System (RDS)
The Radio Data System (RDS) feature is available for
use only on FM stations that broadcast RDS information.
This system relies upon receiving specic information
from these stations and only works when the information
is available. While the radio is tuned to an FM-RDS
station, the station name or call letters display. In rare
cases, a radio station could broadcast incorrect
information that causes the radio features to work
improperly. If this happens, contact the radio station.
Playing the Radio
O
(Power/Volume):Press to turn the system on and off.
Turn clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or
decrease the volume.
Speed Compensated Volume (SCV):The Speed
Compensated Volume (SCV) feature automatically
adjusts the radio volume to compensate for road and
wind noise as you speed up or slow down while driving.
That way, the volume level should sound about the
same as you drive.
To activate SCV:
1. Set the radio volume to the desired level.
2. Press the MENU button to display the radio
setup menu.
3. Press the pushbutton under the AUTO VOLUM
(automatic volume) label on the radio display.
4. Press the pushbutton under the desired Speed
Compensated Volume setting (OFF, Low, Med,
or High) to select the level of radio volume
compensation. Press the pushbutton located below
the BACK label on the MENU SETUP display or let
the display time out after approximately 10 seconds.
Each higher setting allows for more radio volume
compensation at faster vehicle speeds.
3-88