
Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
7-2 Infotainment System
To minimize taking your eyes off the
road while driving, do the following
while the vehicle is parked:
.Become familiar with the
operation and controls of the
audio system.
.Set up the tone, speaker
adjustments, and preset radio
stations.
For more information, see Defensive
Driving on page 9‑2.
This vehicle's infotainment system
may be equipped with a noise
reduction system which can work
improperly if the audio amplifier,
engine calibrations, exhaust system,
microphones, radio, or speakers are
modified or replaced. This could
result in more noticeable engine
noise at certain speeds. Notice:
Contact your dealer
before adding any equipment.
Adding audio or communication
equipment could interfere with
the operation of the vehicle's
engine, radio, or other systems,
and could damage them. Follow
federal rules covering mobile
radio and telephone equipment.
The vehicle has Retained
Accessory Power (RAP). With RAP,
the audio system can be played
even after the ignition is turned off.
See Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) on page 9‑31 for more
information.
Navigation System
For vehicles with a navigation
system, see the separate Navigation
System Manual.
Theft-Deterrent Feature
The theft-deterrent feature works by
learning a portion of the Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN) to the
infotainment system. The
infotainment system does not
operate if it is stolen or moved to a
different vehicle.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
7-4 Infotainment System
F. FAV
.Radio: Opens the
favorites list.
G. TONE
.Opens the tone menu.
H. CONFIG
.Opens the settings menu.
I. MENU/SEL
.Press: Opens the menus
and selects menu items.
.Turn: Highlights menu
items or sets values while
in a menu. Manually
selects radio stations while
listening to the radio.
J. CD Slot
.Insert a CD.
K.
k
.CD: Pauses the CD. L. CD
.Selects the CD player
when listening to a
different audio source.
M.
X(CD Eject)
.Removes a disc from the
CD slot.
N.
lSEEK
.Radio: Seeks the next
station.
.CD: Selects the next track
or fast forwards within a
track.
O. INFO
.Radio: Shows available
information about the
current station.
.CD: Shows available
information about the
current track. P.
5/>
.Opens the phone
main menu.
.Mutes the audio system.
Q.
H
.Opens the clock menu.
R.
}BACK
.Menu: Moves one
level back.
.Character Input: Deletes
the last character.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Infotainment System 7-7
P.5/>(Phone/Mute)
.Opens the phone
main menu.
.Mutes the audio system.
Q. DEL
.MEM: Deletes the current
track from MEM.
R.
}BACK
.Menu: Moves one
level back.
.Character Input: Deletes
the last character.
Operation
Controls
The infotainment system is
operated by using the pushbuttons,
multifunction knobs, display menus,
and steering wheel controls,
if equipped.
Turning the System On or Off
VOL/O(Volume/Power): Press to
turn the system on and off.
Automatic Switch‐Off
If the infotainment system has
been turned on after the ignition is
turned off, the system will turn off
automatically after 10 minutes.
Volume Control
VOL/O(Volume/Power): Turn to
adjust the volume.
5/>(Mute): For vehicles with
OnStar, press and hold
5/>to
mute the infotainment system. Press
and hold
5/>again, or turn the
VOL/
Oknob to cancel mute.
For vehicles without OnStar, press
5/>to mute the infotainment
system. Press
5/>again, or turn
the VOL/
Oknob to cancel mute.

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
7-18 Infotainment System
Unknown:If this message is
received when tuned to channel 0,
there could be a receiver fault.
Consult with your dealer.
Check Antenna: If this message
does not clear within a short period
of time, the receiver could have a
fault. Consult with your dealer.
XM Not Available: If this message
does not clear within a short period
of time, the receiver could have a
fault. Consult with your dealer.
Radio Reception
Frequency interference and static
can occur during normal radio
reception if items such as cell phone
chargers, vehicle convenience
accessories, and external electronic
devices are plugged into the
accessory power outlet. If there is
interference or static, unplug the
item from the accessory power
outlet.
FM
FM signals only reach about 16 to
65 km (10 to 40 miles). Although the
radio has a built-in electronic circuit
that automatically works to reduce
interference, some static can occur,
especially around tall buildings or
hills, causing the sound to fade in
and out.
AM
The range for most AM stations is
greater than for FM, especially at
night. The longer range can cause
station frequencies to interfere with
each other. Static can occur when
things like storms and power lines
interfere with radio reception. When
this happens, try reducing the treble
on the radio.
XM™ Satellite Radio Service
XM Satellite Radio Service gives
digital radio reception from coast to
coast in the 48 contiguous United
States, and in Canada. Just as with FM, tall buildings or hills can
interfere with satellite radio signals,
causing the sound to fade in and
out. In addition, traveling or standing
under heavy foliage, bridges,
garages, or tunnels may cause loss
of the XM signal for a period of time.
Cellular Phone Usage
Cellular phone usage can cause
interference with the vehicle's radio.
Multi-Band Antenna
The multi-band antenna is on the
roof of the vehicle. The antenna is
used for the AM/FM radio, OnStar,
the XM Satellite Radio Service
System, and GPS (Global
Positioning System), if the vehicle
has these features. Keep the
antenna clear of obstructions for
clear reception.

Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Infotainment System 7-33
Selecting a track in a different
folder:
1. Press the MENU/SEL knob.
2. Select Folder List.
3. Select the folder.
4. Select the track.
Searching for Tracks
It is normal for the search feature
to take some time to display the
information after reading the device
due to the amount of information
stored.
Files that do not have any meta
data stored in the ID3 tag display
as Unknown.
Tracks can be searched by:
.Playlists
.Artists
.Albums
.Song Titles
.GenresThe number of objects in each
category is shown in parentheses
after the category.
To search for tracks:
1. Press the MENU/SEL knob.
2. Select Search.
3. Select: Playlists, Artists,
Albums, Song Titles, Genres,
Composers, or Audiobooks.
4. Select the track. The search rate increases if the MENU/SEL knob
is continuously turned while
searching in a list.
Recording Tracks to MEM
See Mass Storage Media (MEM) on
page 7‑24 for more information.
Rear Seat
Infotainment
Rear Seat Entertainment
(RSE) System
The vehicle may have a DVD Rear
Seat Entertainment (RSE) system.
The RSE system works with the
vehicle's infotainment system. The
DVD player is part of the front radio.
The RSE system includes a radio
with a DVD player, two rear seat
video display screens, audio/video
jacks, two wireless headphones,
and a remote control. See CD/DVD
Player on page 7‑21 or the separate
navigation system manual for more
information on the vehicle's DVD
system.

Black plate (34,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
7-34 Infotainment System
Before Driving
The RSE is for rear seat
passengers only. The driver cannot
safely view the video screen while
driving.
In severe or extreme weather
conditions, the RSE system may not
work until the temperature is within
the operating range. The operating
range is above−20°C (−4°F) and
below 60°C (140°F). If the
temperature is outside of this range,
heat or cool the vehicle until it is
within the operating range.
Global Off
Depending on the infotainment
system, the RSE system may have
a Global Off feature. The Global Off
feature disables all RSE system
features. Press and hold the radio
power button for more than three seconds for Global Off to
disable the RSE features. On some
infotainment systems, the Global Off
feature can be turned off by
performing one of the following:
.Press and hold the radio power
button for more than
three seconds.
.Insert or eject any disc.
.Insert a DVD video disc.
.Press the Remote Control power
button.
.Press the MEM/DVD/AUX button
or the
kbutton when a DVD
video disc is in the player.
.Press the SRC button on the
steering wheel when a DVD
video disc is in the player.
.Cycle the ignition.
Headphones
A. Battery cover
B. Channel 1 or 2 switch
C. Power button
D. Volume control
E. Power indicator light
RSE includes two 2-channel
wireless headphones. Channel 1 is
dedicated to the DVD player, and
Channel 2 is dedicated to any
external auxiliary device connected
to the A/V jacks.

Black plate (35,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Infotainment System 7-35
The headphones are used to listen
to various multi‐media. The wireless
headphones have an On/Off button,
channel 1/2 switch, and a volume
control. Turn the headphones off
when not in use.
Push the On/Off button to turn on
the headphones. A light on the
headphones comes on. If the light
does not come on, check the
batteries. Intermittent sound or static
can also indicate weak batteries.
See“Battery Replacement” later in
this section for more information.
Infrared transmitters are on the
top of the left seatback video
screen. The headphones shut off
automatically to save the battery
power if the RSE system is shut off
or if the headphones are out of
range of the transmitters for more
than three minutes. Moving too far
forward or stepping out of the
vehicle can cause the headphones
to lose the signal or have static. To adjust the volume on the
headphones, use the volume
control.
For optimal audio performance, the
headphones must be worn correctly.
Headphones should be worn with
the headband over the top of the
head for best audio reception.
The symbol L (Left) appears on the
outside bottom edge of the ear cup
and should be positioned on the left
ear. The symbol R (Right) appears
on the outside bottom edge of the
ear cup and should be positioned on
the right ear.
Notice:
Do not store the
headphones in heat or direct
sunlight. This could damage the
headphones and repairs will not
be covered by the warranty.
Storage in extreme cold can
weaken the batteries. Keep the
headphones stored in a cool,
dry place. If the foam ear pads attached to
the headphones become worn or
damaged, the pads can be replaced
separately from the headphone set.
To purchase replacement ear pads,
call 1‐888‐293‐3332, then prompt
zero (0), or contact your dealer.
Battery Replacement
To change the batteries:
1. Loosen the screw to the battery
door located on the left side of
the headphones.
2. Slide the battery door open.
3. Replace the two AAA batteries.
4. Replace the battery door and tighten the screw.
Remove the batteries if the
headphones are not going to be
used for a long period of time.

Black plate (37,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Infotainment System 7-37
Audio Output
Audio from the DVD player or
auxiliary inputs can be heard
through the following:
.Wireless Headphones
.Vehicle Speakers
The RSE system transmits the
audio signal to the wireless
headphones if an audio signal is
available. See “Headphones” earlier
in this section for more information.
The front seat passengers are
able to listen to playback from the
A/V jacks through the vehicle
speakers by selecting Rear A/V as
the source on the radio.
Video Screens
The video screens are located in the
back of the driver and front
passenger seats.
To use the video screen:
1. Push the release button located
on the seatback console.
2. Move the screen to the desired viewing position.
Push the video screen down into its
locked position when it is not in use.
The screen turns off automatically. Only the left RSE seatback console
contains the infrared transmitters for
the wireless headphones. They may
be visible as eight illuminated LEDs.
These LEDs are not on the right
video screen. Both seatback
consoles contain an infrared
receiver for the remote control.
They are located at the top of each
console.
Notice:
Avoid directly touching
the video screen, as damage may
occur. See “Cleaning the Video
Screen” later in this section for
more information.
Video Screen Input Jack
Each video screen is equipped with
a video input jack to allow video
cables to be connected from an
auxiliary device such as a
camcorder or a video game system.
This signal will override any video
provided by the RSE system; either
the DVD or Auxiliary A/V jack
source. The RSE system must be
on for this input to operate.