2009 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE oil change

Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
g:Audio Steering Wheel
Controls or OnStar®
$:Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.:Fuel Gage
+:Fuses
i:Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j:LATCH System Child Restraints
*:Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
g:Outside Power Foldaway
Mirrors
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
_:Tow/Haul Mode
F:Traction Control
M:Windshield Washer Fluid
iv Preface

Notice:Cranking the engine for
long periods of time, by returning
the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after
5-10 seconds, especially in very
cold weather (below 0°F or
−18°C), it could be ooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing
the accelerator pedal all the way
to the oor and holding it there as
you hold the key in START for
up to a maximum of 15 seconds.
Wait at least 15 seconds between
each try, to allow the cranking
motor to cool down. When the
engine starts, let go of the key
and accelerator. If the vehicle
starts briey but then stops again,repeat these steps. This clears
the extra gasoline from the
engine. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Notice:The engine is designed to
work with the electronics in the
vehicle. If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates.
Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your
dealer/retailer. If you do not, the
engine might not perform
properly. Any resulting damage
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.Engine Coolant Heater
The engine coolant heater can
provide easier starting and better
fuel economy during engine
warm-up in cold weather conditions
at or below 0°F (−18°C). Vehicles
with an engine coolant heater should
be plugged in at least four hours
before starting. Some models
may have an internal thermostat
in the cord 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 side of the
engine compartment. It is
routed around the windshield
washer uid reservoir.
Features and Controls 2-23

Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel OverviewInstrument Panel Overview.....3-4
Hazard Warning Flashers.......3-5
Horn....................................3-5
Tilt and Telescopic Steering
Wheel................................3-6
Turn Signal/Multifunction
Lever.................................3-6
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals...............................3-6
Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer.............................3-7
Flash-to-Pass........................3-7
Windshield Wipers.................3-7
Windshield Washer................3-8
Rear Window Wiper/Washer. . .3-9
Cruise Control......................3-9
Exterior Lamps....................3-11
Delayed Headlamps.............3-12
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)/Automatic
Headlamp System..............3-12
Fog Lamps.........................3-13
Instrument Panel
Brightness.........................3-13Courtesy Lamps..................3-14
Dome Lamps......................3-14
Dome Lamp Override...........3-14
Entry Lighting......................3-14
Delayed Entry Lighting.........3-15
Delayed Exit Lighting...........3-15
Parade Dimming..................3-15
Reading Lamps...................3-15
Electric Power
Management.....................3-15
Battery Run-Down
Protection.........................3-16
Accessory Power Outlet(s). . . .3-17
Power Outlet 115 Volt
Alternating Current.............3-18
Climate ControlsClimate Control System........3-19
Dual Automatic Climate
Control System..................3-22
Outlet Adjustment................3-27
Rear Air Conditioning and
Heating System.................3-28
Rear Air Conditioning and
Heating System and
Electronic Climate
Controls............................3-29
Warning Lights, Gages, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gages, and
Indicators..........................3-30
Instrument Panel Cluster.......3-31
Speedometer and
Odometer.........................3-32
Tachometer........................3-32
Safety Belt Reminders..........3-32
Airbag Readiness Light.........3-33
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator...........................3-33
Charging System Light.........3-34
Voltmeter Gage...................3-35
Brake System Warning
Light................................3-36
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light...........3-37
StabiliTrak
®Indicator Light. . . .3-37
Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Light....................3-38
Engine Coolant
Temperature Gage.............3-38
Tire Pressure Light..............3-39
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp..................3-39
Oil Pressure Light................3-42
Security Light......................3-43
Instrument Panel 3-1

Vehicle Information Menu
Items
T(Vehicle Information):Press
this button to scroll through the
following menu items:
OIL LIFE
Press the vehicle information button
until OIL LIFE REMAINING displays.
This display shows an estimate of
the oil’s remaining useful life. If you
see 99% OIL LIFE REMAINING on
the display, that means 99% of the
current oil life remains. The engine
oil life system will alert you to change
the oil on a schedule consistent with
your driving conditions.
When the remaining oil life is low,
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the display.
See “CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON”
underDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 3-56. You should change
the oil as soon as you can.
SeeEngine Oil on page 5-11.In addition to the engine oil life
system monitoring the oil life,
additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance
Schedule in this manual.
SeeScheduled Maintenance
on page 6-3for more information.
Remember, you must reset the
OIL LIFE display yourself after each
oil change. It will not reset itself.
Also, be careful not to reset the
OIL LIFE display accidentally at any
time other than when the oil has just
been changed. It cannot be reset
accurately until the next oil change.
To reset the engine oil life system,
seeEngine Oil Life System on
page 5-13.
PARK ASSIST
If your vehicle has the Ultrasonic
Rear Parking Assist (URPA) system,
press the vehicle information button
until PARK ASSIST displays.
This display allows the system
to be turned on or off. Once in this
display, press the set/reset button toselect between ON or OFF. If you
choose ON, the system will be turned
on. If you choose OFF, the system
will be turned off. The URPA system
automatically turns back on after
each vehicle start. When the URPA
system is turned off and the vehicle
is shifted out of P (Park), the DIC
will display the PARK ASSIST OFF
message as a reminder that the
system has been turned off.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 3-56andUltrasonic Rear
Parking Assist (URPA) on page 2-36
for more information.
UNITS
Press the vehicle information button
until UNITS displays. This display
allows you to select between English
or Metric units of measurement.
Once in this display, press the
set/reset button to select between
ENGLISH or METRIC units. All of
the vehicle information will then be
displayed in the unit of measurement
selected.
3-46 Instrument Panel

To use the retro-active reset feature,
press and hold the trip odometer
reset stem for at least four seconds.
The trip odometer will display
the number of miles (mi) or
kilometers (km) driven since the
ignition was last turned on and
the vehicle was moving. Once the
vehicle begins moving, the trip
odometer will accumulate mileage.
For example, if the vehicle was
driven 5 miles (8 km) before it
is started again, and then the
retro-active reset feature is activated,
the display will show 5 miles (8 km).
As the vehicle begins moving, the
display will then increase to 5.1 miles
(8.2 km), 5.2 miles (8.4 km), etc.
If the retro-active reset feature
is activated after the vehicle is
started, but before it begins moving,
the display will show the number of
miles (mi) or kilometers (km) that
were driven during the last ignition
cycle.OIL LIFE
To access this display, the vehicle
must be in P (Park). Press the trip
odometer reset stem until OIL LIFE
REMAINING displays. This display
shows an estimate of the oil’s
remaining useful life. If you see
99% OIL LIFE REMAINING on
the display, that means 99% of the
current oil life remains. The engine
oil life system will alert you to change
the oil on a schedule consistent with
your driving conditions.
When the remaining oil life is low,
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the display.
See “CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON”
underDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 3-56. You should change
the oil as soon as you can.
SeeEngine Oil on page 5-11.In addition to the engine oil life
system monitoring the oil life,
additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance
Schedule in this manual.
SeeScheduled Maintenance on
page 6-3for more information.
Remember, you must reset the
OIL LIFE display yourself after each
oil change. It will not reset itself.
Also, be careful not to reset the
OIL LIFE display accidentally at any
time other than when the oil has just
been changed. It cannot be reset
accurately until the next oil change.
To reset the engine oil life system,
seeEngine Oil Life System on
page 5-13.
3-52 Instrument Panel

BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message displays when the
system detects that the battery
voltage is dropping below expected
levels. The battery saver system
starts reducing certain features of
the vehicle that you may be able to
notice. At the point that the features
are disabled, this message is
displayed. It means that the vehicle
is trying to save the charge in the
battery.
Turn off all unnecessary accessories
to allow the battery to recharge.
The normal battery voltage
range is 11.5 to 15.5 volts.
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
This message displays when the
engine oil needs to be changed.
When you change the engine oil, be
sure to reset the CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message. SeeEngine
Oil Life System on page 5-13for
information on how to reset the
message. SeeEngine Oil on
page 5-11andScheduled
Maintenance on page 6-3for
more information.
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
On vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this
message displays when the pressure
in one or more of the vehicle’s tires
needs to be checked. This message
also displays LEFT FRONT, RIGHT
FRONT, LEFT REAR, or RIGHT
REAR to indicate which tire needs to
be checked. You can receive more
than one tire pressure message at
a time. To read the other messagesthat may have been sent at the same
time, press the set/reset button or
the trip odometer reset stem. If a tire
pressure message appears on the
DIC, stop as soon as you can. Have
the tire pressures checked and set
to those shown on the Tire Loading
Information label. SeeTires on
page 5-36,Loading the Vehicle
on page 4-16, andInflation - Tire
Pressure on page 5-42. The DIC
also shows the tire pressure values.
See “DIC Operation and Displays
(With DIC Buttons)” earlier in this
section. If the tire pressure is low,
the low tire pressure warning light
comes on. SeeTire Pressure Light
on page 3-39.
CRUISE SET TO XXX
This message displays whenever
the cruise control is set. SeeCruise
Control on page 3-9for more
information.
Instrument Panel 3-57

For customers who do not use TOP
TIER Detergent Gasoline regularly,
one bottle of GM Fuel System
Treatment PLUS, added to the fuel
tank at every engine oil change,
can help clean deposits from fuel
injectors and intake valves. GM Fuel
System Treatment PLUS is the only
gasoline additive recommended by
General Motors.
Also, your dealer/retailer has
additives that will help correct and
prevent most deposit-related
problems.
Gasolines containing oxygenates,
such as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines might
be available in your area. We
recommend that you use these
gasolines, if they comply with the
specications described earlier.
However, E85 (85% ethanol) and
other fuels containing more than
10% ethanol must not be used in
vehicles that were not designed for
those fuels.Notice:This vehicle was not
designed for fuel that contains
methanol. Do not use fuel
containing methanol. It can
corrode metal parts in the fuel
system and also damage plastic
and rubber parts. That damage
would not be covered under
the vehicle warranty.
Some gasolines that are
not reformulated for low
emissions can contain an
octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT); ask the attendant
where you buy gasoline whether the
fuel contains MMT. We recommend
against the use of such gasolines.
Fuels containing MMT can reduce
the life of spark plugs and the
performance of the emission control
system could be affected. The
malfunction indicator lamp might turn
on. If this occurs, return to your
dealer/retailer for service.Fuels in Foreign
Countries
If you plan on driving in another
country outside the United States or
Canada, the proper fuel might be
hard to nd. Never use leaded
gasoline or any other fuel not
recommended in the previous text
on fuel. Costly repairs caused
by use of improper fuel would not
be covered by the vehicle warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask
an auto club, or contact a major oil
company that does business in
the country where you will be
driving.
5-6 Service and Appearance Care

GM6094M
Use only an oil that meets GM
Standard GM6094M.
SAE 5W-30
SAE 5W-30 is best for the
vehicle. These numbers on an
oil container show its viscosity,
or thickness. Do not use other
viscosity oils such as
SAE 20W-50.
American Petroleum Institute
(API) starburst symbol
Oils meeting these requirements
should have the starburst
symbol on the container. This
symbol indicates that the oil has
been certied by the American
Petroleum Institute (API).Notice:Use only engine
oil identied as meeting GM
Standard GM6094M and showing
the American Petroleum Institute
Certied For Gasoline Engines
starburst symbol. Failure to use
the recommended oil can result in
engine damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Cold Temperature Operation
If in an area of extreme cold,
where the temperature falls
below−20°F (−29°C), use either
an SAE 5W-30 synthetic oil or an
SAE 0W-30 engine oil. Both provide
easier cold starting for the engine at
extremely low temperatures. Always
use an oil that meets the required
specication, GM6094M. See “What
Kind of Engine Oil to Use” for more
information.
Engine Oil Additives / Engine
Oil Flushes
Do not add anything to the oil.
The recommended oils with the
starburst symbol that meet GM
Standard GM6094M are all that is
needed for good performance and
engine protection.
Engine oil system ushes are not
recommended and could cause
engine damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
This vehicle has a computer system
that indicates when to change the
engine oil and lter. This is based
on engine revolutions and engine
temperature, and not on mileage.
Based on driving conditions, the
mileage at which an oil change is
indicated can vary considerably. For
the oil life system to work properly,
the system must be reset every time
the oil is changed.
Service and Appearance Care 5-13