2010 CHEVROLET EQUINOX oil change

Introduction v
Notice:This means there is
something that could result in
property or vehicle damage. This
would not be covered by the
vehicle's warranty.
A circle with a slash through it is a
safety symbol which means “Do
Not,” “Do not do this” or“Do not let
this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and
labels that use symbols instead of
text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or
information relating to a specific
component, control, message,
gauge, or indicator.
M: This symbol is shown when
you need to see your owner manual
for additional instructions or
information.
*: This symbol is shown when
you need to see a service manual
for additional instructions or
information.
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
d:Electronic Stability
Control (ESC)
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
.:Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j: LATCH System Child
Restraints
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
M:Windshield Washer Fluid

4-26 Instruments and Controls
Timer
This display can be used as a timer.
To start the timer, press
Vor SET/
CLR while Timer is displayed. The
display will show the amount of time
that has passed since the timer was
last reset, not including time the
ignition is off. Time will continue to
be counted as long as the ignition is
on, even if another display is being
shown on the DIC. The timer will
record up to 99 hours, 59 minutes
and 59 seconds (99:59:59) after
which the display will return to zero.
To stop the timer, press
Vor SET/
CLR briefly while Timer is displayed.
To reset the timer to zero, press and
hold
Vor SET/CLR.
Digital Speedometer
The speedometer shows how fast
the vehicle is moving in either
kilometers per hour (km/h) or miles
per hour (mph). The speedometer
cannot be reset. Turn-by-Turn
This display is used for the OnStar
or Navigation System Turn-by-Turn
guidance. See
OnStar
®Systemon
page 4‑39or the Navigation
manual, if the vehicle has
navigation, for more information.
Blank Display
This display shows no information.
Vehicle Information Menu
Items
Press the MENU button until Vehicle
Information Menu is displayed. Then
press
xto scroll through the
following menu items:
.Unit
.Tire Pressure
.Remaining Oil Life
.Blank Unit
Press
Vor SET/CLR to enter the
unit menu. Then press
worxto
switch between US or Metric when
the Unit display is active. Press
V
or SET/CLR to confirm the setting.
This will change the displays on the
cluster and DIC to either metric or
English (US) measurements.
Tire Pressure
The display will show a vehicle with
the approximate pressures of all
four tires. Tire pressure is displayed
in either pounds per square
inch (psi) or in kilopascal (kPa).
Any time the tire pressures are
adjusted the system needs to
relearn the new pressures. To
relearn the tire pressures press
Vor
SET/CLR while the Tire Pressure
display is active. The display will
ask for confirmation of a relearn.
Press
worxto select Yes or No.
Then press
Vor SET/CLR to
confirm the selection. See Tire

Instruments and Controls 4-27
Pressure Monitor Systemon
page 9‑49and Tire Pressure
Monitor Operationon page 9‑49for
more information.
Remaining Oil Life
This display shows an estimate of
the oil's remaining useful life.
If “Remaining Oil Life 99%” is
displayed, that means 99% of the
current oil life remains.
When the remaining oil life is low,
the “Change Engine Oil Soon”
message will appear on the display.
See Engine Oil Messages
on
page 4‑30. The oil should be
changed as soon as possible. See
Engine Oil
on page 9‑10. In
addition to the engine oil life system
monitoring the oil life, additional
maintenance is recommended in the
Maintenance Schedule in this
manual. See Scheduled
Maintenance
on page 10‑2for
more information. Remember, the Oil Life display must
be reset 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, press
Vor
SET/CLR while the Oil Life display
is active. The display will ask for
confirmation of a reset. Press
wor
xto select Yes or No. Then pressVor SET/CLR to confirm the
selection. See Engine Oil Life
System
on page 9‑11.
Blank Display
This display shows no information.
Compass
The vehicle may have a compass in
the Driver Information Center (DIC).
See Compass on page 4‑8.
Vehicle Messages
Messages are displayed on the DIC
to notify the driver that the status of
the vehicle has changed and that
some action may be needed by the
driver to correct the condition.
Multiple messages may appear one
after another.
Some messages may not require
immediate action, but you can press
Vor SET/CLR to acknowledge that
you received the messages and to
clear them from the display. Some
messages cannot be cleared from
the DIC display because they are
more urgent. These messages
require action before they can be
cleared. You should take any
messages that appear on the
display seriously and remember that
clearing the messages will only
make the messages disappear, not
correct the problem. You will find the
possible messages that can be
displayed and some information
about them grouped by subject in
the following information.

4-30 Instruments and Controls
High Coolant Temperature
This message displays if the coolant
temperature is hot, seeEngine
Overheating on page 9‑18.
Engine Oil Messages
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 Oil Life System.
See Engine Oil Life System
on
page 9‑11and Driver Information
Center (DIC)on page 4‑24for
information on how to reset the
system. See Engine Oil
on
page 9‑10and Scheduled
Maintenanceon page 10‑2for
more information.
Engine Oil Hot, Idle Engine
This message displays when the
engine oil temperature is too hot.
Stop and allow the vehicle to idle
until it cools down.
Engine Oil Low –Add Oil
This message displays when the
engine oil level is too low. Check the
oil level. See Engine Oil
on
page 9‑10.
Oil Pressure Low –Stop
Engine
This message displays if low oil
pressure levels occur. Stop the
vehicle as soon as safely possible
and do not operate it until the cause
of the low oil pressure has been
corrected. Check the oil as soon as
possible and have your vehicle
serviced by your dealer.
Engine Power Messages
Engine Power Is Reduced
This message displays when the
vehicle's engine power is reduced.
Reduced engine power can affect
the vehicle's ability to accelerate.
If this message is on, but there
is no reduction in performance,
proceed to your destination. The
performance may be reduced the next time the vehicle is driven. The
vehicle may be driven at a reduced
speed while this message is on, but
maximum acceleration and speed
may be reduced. Anytime this
message stays on, the vehicle
should be taken to your dealer for
service as soon as possible.
Fuel System Messages
ECO Mode On
On some models, this message
displays when the fuel economy
mode has been turned on by
pressing the eco button near the
shift lever. See
Fuel Economy Mode
on page 8‑37for more information.
Fuel Level Low
This message displays when the
vehicle is low on fuel. Refuel as
soon as possible.
Tighten Gas Cap
This message displays when the
fuel cap is not on tight. Tighten the
fuel cap.

Driving and Operating 8-31
If the vehicle starts briefly but
then stops again, repeat the
procedure. 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. 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,
if available, can help in cold weather
conditions at or below −18°C (0°F)
for easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up.
Plug in the coolant heater at least
four hours before starting the
vehicle. An internal thermostat in
the plug-end of the cord will prevent
engine coolant heater operation at
temperatures above −18°C (0°F).
To Use The Engine Coolant
Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the
electrical cord.
The electrical cord is located on
the passenger side of the engine
compartment, in front of the air
cleaner.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{WARNING
Plugging the cord into an
ungrounded outlet could cause an
electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could
overheat and cause a fire. 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.
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer in the
area where you will be parking the
vehicle for the best advice on this.

Driving and Operating 8-55
Fuel Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines
in the United States are now
required to contain additives that
help prevent engine and fuel system
deposits from forming, allowing the
emission control system to work
properly. In most cases, nothing
should have to be added to the fuel.
However, some gasolines contain
only the minimum amount of
additive required to meet U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
regulations. To help keep fuel
injectors and intake valves clean,
or if the vehicle experiences
problems due to dirty injectors or
valves, look for gasoline that is
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline. Look for the TOP
TIER label on the fuel pump to
ensure gasoline meets enhanced
detergency standards developed by
the auto companies. A list of
marketers providing TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline can be found at
www.toptiergas.com.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. It is available at
your dealer.
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
specifications 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 for service.

8-60 Driving and Operating
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal so the
trailer will not strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other
objects. Use the turn signal well in
advance and avoid jerky or sudden
maneuvers.
Turn Signals When Towing
a Trailer
The turn signal indicators on the
instrument panel flash whenever
signaling a turn or lane change.
Properly hooked up, the trailer
lamps also flash, telling other
drivers the vehicle is turning,
changing lanes or stopping.
When towing a trailer, the arrows
on the instrument panel flash for
turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Check occasionally
to be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear before starting down a long or
steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, the
brakes might have to be used so
much that they would get hot and no
longer work well.
The vehicle can tow in D (Drive).
Use a lower gear if the transmission
shifts too often.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, engine coolant
will boil at a lower temperature than
at normal altitudes. If the engine is
turned off immediately after towing
at high altitude on steep uphill
grades, the vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating. To
avoid this, let the engine run while
parked, preferably on level ground,
with the transmission in P (Park) for
a few minutes before turning the
engine off. If the overheat warning
comes on, see
Engine Overheating
on page 9‑18.
Parking on Hills
{WARNING
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if facing
downhill or into traffic if facing
uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.

Vehicle Care 9-11
.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 certified by the American
Petroleum Institute (API).
Notice: Use only engine oil
identified as meeting GM
Standard GM6094M and showing
the American Petroleum Institute
Certified 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
−29°C
(−20°F), 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
specification, GM6094M.
Engine Oil Additives / Engine
Oil Flushes
Do not add anything to the oil. The
recommended oils with the starburst
symbol that meet GM standards are
all that is needed for good
performance and engine protection.
Engine oil system flushes 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 filter. 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.
When the system has calculated
that oil life has been diminished, it
indicates that an oil change is
necessary. A “Change Engine Oil
Soon” message comes on. See
Engine Oil Messages
on
page 4‑30. Change the oil as soon
as possible within the next 1 000 km
(600 miles). It is possible that,
if driving under the best conditions,
the oil life system might not indicate
that an oil change is necessary for
over a year. However, the engine oil
and filter must be changed at least