2010 CHEVROLET EQUINOX brake

5-2 Lighting
This indicator light turns on in the
instrument panel cluster when the
high beam headlamps are on.
Flash-to-Pass
The flash‐to‐pass feature works with
the low‐beams or Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) on or off.
To flash the high beams, pull the
turn signal/lane change lever all the
way towards you. Then release it.
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
system makes the low-beam
headlamps come on at a reduced
brightness in daylight when the
following conditions are met:
.The ignition is on.
.The exterior lamp band is in the
automatic position.
.The transmission is not in
P (Park).
.The light sensor determines it is
daytime.
.The parking brake is released.
Fully functional Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) are required on all
vehicles first sold in Canada.
When the DRL are on the taillamps,
sidemarker, instrument panel lights
and other lamps will not be on. The
instrument panel cluster will be lit. When the exterior lamp band is
turned to the headlamp position, the
low-beam headlamps come on. The
other lamps that come on with the
headlamps will also come on.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL
off, move the shift lever to P (Park).
The DRL will stay off until the shift
lever is moved out of the P (Park)
position.
The regular headlamp system
should be turned on when needed.
Hazard Warning Flashers
|
(Hazard Warning Flasher):
Press this button, located on the
center of the instrument panel, to
make the front and rear turn signal
lamps flash on and off. This warns
others that you are having trouble.
Press
|again to turn the
flashers off.

Driving and Operating 8-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-8
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . 8-19
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 8-20
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 8-20
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-21
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . 8-23
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 8-24
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 8-28
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-28
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-29
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 8-30
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 8-31
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-32
Shifting Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 8-33
Parking Over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-33
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-34
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-34
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 8-35
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-37
Fuel Economy Mode . . . . . . . . . 8-37
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-38
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-38
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-40
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-40
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 8-41
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-41
StabiliTrak System . . . . . . . . . . . 8-43
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-44
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 8-46
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-49
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-53
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 8-54
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . 8-54

8-2 Driving and Operating
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-54
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 8-54
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-55
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-56
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-57
Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-57
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-58
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-61
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 8-63
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-64
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-64
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control, if equipped.
.Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.

8-4 Driving and Operating
Medical research shows that
alcohol in a person's system can
make crash injuries worse,
especially injuries to the brain,
spinal cord, or heart. This means
that when anyone who has been
drinking—driver or passenger —is
in a crash, that person's chance of
being killed or permanently disabled
is higher than if the person had not
been drinking.
Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems
help to control the vehicle while
driving —brakes, steering, and
accelerator. At times, as when
driving on snow or ice, it is easy to
ask more of those control systems
than the tires and road can provide.
Meaning, you can lose control of the
vehicle. See StabiliTrak System
on
page 8‑43.
Adding non‐dealer/non‐retailer
accessories can affect vehicle
performance. See Accessories
and Modifications on page 9‑4.
Braking
See Brake System Warning Lighton page 4‑19.
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average reaction time is about
three‐fourths of a second. But that is
only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two
or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition,
alertness, coordination, and
eyesight all play a part. So do
alcohol, drugs, and frustration. But
even in three‐fourths of a second, a
vehicle moving at 100 km/h
(60 mph) travels 20 m (66 ft). That
could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough
space between the vehicle and
others is important. And, of course, actual stopping
distances vary greatly with the
surface of the road, whether it is
pavement or gravel; the condition of
the road, whether it is wet, dry,
or icy; tire tread; the condition of the
brakes; the weight of the vehicle;
and the amount of brake force
applied.
Avoid needless heavy
braking. Some people drive in
spurts
—heavy acceleration
followed by heavy braking —rather
than keeping pace with traffic. This
is a mistake. The brakes might not
have time to cool between hard
stops. The brakes will wear out
much faster with a lot of heavy
braking. Keeping pace with the
traffic and allowing realistic
following distances eliminates a lot
of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.

Driving and Operating 8-5
If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. If the brakes are pumped,
the pedal could get harder to push
down. If the engine stops, there will
still be some power brake assist but
it will be used when the brake is
applied. Once the power assist is
used up, it can take longer to stop
and the brake pedal will be harder
to push.
Adding non‐dealer/non‐retailer
accessories can affect vehicle
performance. SeeAccessories
and Modifications on page 9‑4.
Steering
Electric Power Steering
(2.4L L4 Engine)
If the engine stalls while driving, the
power steering assist system will
continue to operate until you are
able to stop the vehicle. If power steering assist is lost because the
electric power steering system is not
functioning, the vehicle can be
steered but it will take more effort.
If you turn the steering wheel in
either direction several times until it
stops, or hold the steering wheel in
the stopped position for an
extended amount of time, you may
notice a reduced amount of power
steering assist. The normal amount
of power steering assist should
return shortly after a few normal
steering movements.
The electric power steering system
does not require regular
maintenance. If you suspect
steering system problems, such as
abnormally high steering effort for a
prolonged period of time, contact
your dealer for service repairs.
Hydraulic Power Steering
(3.0L V6 Engine)
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or the
power steering system is not
functioning, the vehicle can be
steered but it will take more effort.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a
reasonable speed.
Traction in a curve depends on the
condition of the tires and the road
surface, the angle at which the
curve is banked, and vehicle speed.
While in a curve, speed is the one
factor that can be controlled.
If there is a need to reduce speed,
do it before entering the curve, while
the front wheels are straight.
Try to adjust the speed so you can
drive through the curve. Maintain a
reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until out of the curve, and
then accelerate gently into the
straightaway.

8-6 Driving and Operating
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can
be more effective than braking. For
example, you come over a hill and
find a truck stopped in your lane,
or a car suddenly pulls out from
nowhere, or a child darts out from
between parked cars and stops right
in front of you. These problems can
be avoided by braking—if you can
stop in time. But sometimes you
cannot stop in time because there is
no room. That is the time for
evasive action —steering around
the problem.
The vehicle can perform very well
in emergencies like these. First
apply the brakes. See Braking
on
page 8‑4. It is better to remove as
much speed as possible from a
collision. Then steer around the
problem, to the left or right
depending on the space available.
An emergency like this requires
close attention and a quick decision.
If holding the steering wheel at the
recommended 9 and 3 o'clock
positions, it can be turned a full
180 degrees very quickly without
removing either hand. But you have
to act fast, steer quickly, and just as
quickly straighten the wheel once
you have avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency
situations are always possible is a
good reason to practice defensive
driving at all times and wear safety
belts properly.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only
slightly below the pavement,
recovery should be fairly easy. Ease
off the accelerator and then, if there
is nothing in the way, steer so that
the vehicle straddles the edge of the

Driving and Operating 8-7
pavement. Turn the steering wheel
8 to 13 cm (3 to 5 inches), about
one-eighth turn, until the right front
tire contacts the pavement edge.
Then turn the steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts
say about what happens when the
three control systems—brakes,
steering, and acceleration —do not
have enough friction where the tires
meet the road to do what the driver
has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up.
Keep trying to steer and constantly
seek an escape route or area of
less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of
the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions,
and by not overdriving those
conditions. But skids are always
possible.
The three types of skids correspond
to the vehicle's three control
systems. In the braking skid, the
wheels are not rolling. In the
steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes
tires to slip and lose cornering force.
And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
If the 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, the 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,
slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to
slow down on slippery surfaces
because stopping distance is 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 might
not realize the surface is slippery
until the 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: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.

8-14 Driving and Operating
If the vehicle stalls, or is about to
stall, and you cannot make it up
the hill:
.Push the brake pedal to stop the
vehicle and keep it from rolling
backwards and apply the
parking brake.
.If the engine is still running, shift
the transmission to R (Reverse),
release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill in
R (Reverse).
.If the engine has stopped
running, you need to restart it.
With the brake pedal pressed
and the parking brake still
applied, shift the transmission to
P (Park) and restart the engine.
Then, shift to R (Reverse),
release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill as
straight as possible in
R (Reverse).
.While backing down the hill, put
your left hand on the steering
wheel at the 12 o'clock position
so you can tell if the wheels are
straight and can maneuver as
you back down. It is best to back
down the hill with the wheels
straight rather than in the left or
right direction. Turning the wheel
too far to the left or right will
increase the possibility of a
rollover.
Things not to do if the vehicle stalls,
or is about to stall, when going up
a hill:
.Never attempt to prevent a stall
by shifting into N (Neutral) to
rev-up the engine and regain
forward momentum. This will
not work. The vehicle can roll
backward very quickly and could
go out of control.
.Never try to turn around if about
to stall when going up a hill.
If the hill is steep enough to stall
the vehicle, it is steep enough
to cause it to roll over. If you
cannot make it up the hill, back
straight down the hill.
If, after stalling, you try to back
down the hill and decide you just
cannot do it, set the parking brake,
put your transmission in P (Park),
and turn off the engine. Leave the
vehicle and go get some help. Exit
on the uphill side and stay clear of
the path the vehicle would take if it
rolled downhill.