
Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
2-6 Keys, Doors and Windows
Shutting the Engine Off After a
Remote Start
To shut off the engine:
.Press/until the parking lamps
turn off.
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Insert the key and turn it to
ON/RUN and then back to
LOCK/OFF.
Conditions in Which Remote Start
Will Not Work
The remote vehicle start feature will
not operate if:
.The key is in the ignition.
.The hood or doors are not
closed.
.The hazard warning flashers
are on.
.There is an emission control
system malfunction.
.The engine coolant temperature
is too high.
.The oil pressure is low.
.Two remote vehicle starts have
already been used.
.The vehicle is not in P (Park).
Remote Start Ready
If the vehicle does not have the
remote vehicle start feature, it may
have the remote start ready feature.
This feature allows your dealer to
add the manufacturer's remote
vehicle start feature. See your
dealer to add the manufacturer's
remote vehicle start feature to
the vehicle.
Door Locks
{WARNING
Unlocked doors can be
dangerous.
.Passengers, especially
children, can easily open the
doors and fall out of a moving
vehicle. The chance of being
thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash is increased if the
doors are not locked. So, all
passengers should wear
safety belts properly and the
doors should be locked
whenever the vehicle is
driven.
.Young children who get into
unlocked vehicles may be
unable to get out. A child can
be overcome by extreme heat
and can suffer permanent
injuries or even death from
heat stroke. Always lock the
vehicle whenever leaving it. (Continued)

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Keys, Doors and Windows 2-7
WARNING (Continued)
.Outsiders can easily enter
through an unlocked door
when slowing or stopping the
vehicle. Lock the doors to
help prevent this from
happening.
To lock or unlock a door from the
outside of the vehicle, use the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter. Pull the handle once
from the inside to unlock the door,
and a second time to open it.
Power Door Locks
The power door lock switches are
on the instrument panel.
K(Unlock): Press to unlock
the doors.
Q(Lock): Press to lock the doors. When locking the doors with the
power lock switch and a door or the
liftgate is open, the doors will lock
five seconds after the last door is
closed. Three chimes sound to
signal that the delayed locking
feature is in use.
Pressing the power lock switch
twice or
Qon the RKE transmitter
twice will override the delayed
locking feature and immediately
lock all the doors.
This feature will not operate if the
key is in the ignition.
This feature can be programmed.
See “Delayed Door Lock” under
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑32.

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
2-8 Keys, Doors and Windows
Safety Locks
Rear door safety locks prevent
passengers from opening the rear
doors from inside the vehicle.
Press
{to activate the safety locks.
When activated, the LED light in the
switch changes to amber.
Pressing the button again
deactivates the safety locks.
Doors
Liftgate (Manual)
{WARNING
Exhaust gases can enter the
vehicle if it is driven with the
liftgate, trunk/hatch open, or with
any objects that pass through the
seal between the body and the
trunk/hatch or liftgate. Engine
exhaust contains Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle must be driven with
the liftgate, or trunk/hatch open:
.Close all of the windows.
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Adjust the Climate Control
system to a setting that
brings in only outside air and
set the fan speed to the
highest setting. See Climate
Control System in the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑34.
Notice: If you open the liftgate
without checking for overhead
obstructions such as a garage
door, you could damage the
liftgate or the liftgate glass.
Always check to make sure the
area above and behind the liftgate
is clear before opening it.
Unlock the vehicle before opening
the liftgate.
Press the touchpad located in the
handle of the liftgate, above the
license plate, and lift up to open.

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Keys, Doors and Windows 2-9
Do not press the touchpad while
closing the liftgate. This will cause
the liftgate to be unlatched.
Always close the liftgate before
driving.
Liftgate (Power)
Power Liftgate Operation
{WARNING
Exhaust gases can enter the
vehicle if it is driven with the
liftgate, trunk/hatch open, or with
any objects that pass through the
seal between the body and the
trunk/hatch or liftgate. Engine
exhaust contains Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
If the vehicle must be driven with
the liftgate, or trunk/hatch open:
.Close all of the windows.
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
.Adjust the Climate Control
system to a setting that
brings in only outside air and
set the fan speed to the
highest setting. See Climate
Control System in the Index.
.If the vehicle is equipped with
a power liftgate, disable the
power liftgate function.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑34. On vehicles with a power liftgate,
the switch is on the overhead
console. The vehicle must be in
P (Park) to use the power feature.
The taillamps flash when the power
liftgate moves.
{WARNING
You or others could be injured if
caught in the path of the power
liftgate. Make sure there is no one
in the way of the liftgate as it is
opening and closing.
Notice: If you open the liftgate
without checking for overhead
obstructions such as a garage
door, you could damage the
liftgate or the liftgate glass.
Always check to make sure the
area above and behind the liftgate
is clear before opening it.
The power liftgate has three modes
of operation. Mode selection is
controlled by the interior mode
switch.

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Keys, Doors and Windows 2-11
There is a minimum distance that
the power liftgate must already be
open for the system to hold it open.
If movement is stopped below that
minimum, the liftgate closes.
Do not force the liftgate open or
closed during a power cycle.
The power liftgate may be
temporarily disabled under extreme
temperatures or low battery
conditions. If this occurs, the liftgate
can still be operated manually.
If you shift the transmission out of
P (Park) while the power function is
in progress, the liftgate power
function will continue to completion.
If you shift the transmission out of
P (Park) and accelerate before the
power liftgate latch is closed, the
liftgate may reverse to the open
position. Cargo could fall out of the
vehicle. Always make sure the
power liftgate is closed and latched
before you drive away.If you power open the liftgate and
the liftgate support struts have lost
pressure, the turn signals flash and
a chime sounds. The liftgate stays
open temporarily, then slowly
closes. See your dealer for service
before using the liftgate.
Obstacle Detection Features
If the liftgate encounters an obstacle
during a power open or close cycle,
a warning chime will sound and the
liftgate will automatically reverse
direction to the full closed or open
position. After removing the
obstruction, the power liftgate
operation can be used again.
If the liftgate encounters multiple
obstacles on the same power cycle,
the power function will deactivate.
The MANUALLY CLOSE POWER
LIFTGATE warning message in the
Driver Information Center (DIC) will
display. After removing the
obstructions, the liftgate will resume
normal power operation.Pinch sensors are located on the
side edges of the liftgate. If an
object is caught between the liftgate
and the body and presses against
this sensor, the liftgate will reverse
direction and open fully. The liftgate
will remain open until it is activated
again or closed manually.Power Liftgate 3/4 Mode
To program the liftgate opening
height:
1. Turn the liftgate switch to
either the MAX, or the
3/4 mode position and power
open the liftgate.
2. Stop the liftgate movement at the desired height by pressing
any liftgate switch. Manually
adjust the liftgate position if
required.
3. Press and hold the button on the liftgate adjacent to the latch until
the turn signals flash and a beep
sounds to indicate that the new
setting is recorded.

Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
2-14 Keys, Doors and Windows
The security light, located in the
instrument panel cluster, comes on
if there is a problem with arming or
disarming the theft-deterrent
system.
When trying to start the vehicle, the
security light comes on briefly when
the ignition is turned on.
If the engine does not start and the
security light stays on, there is a
problem with the system. Turn the
ignition off and try again.If the engine still does not start, and
the key appears to be undamaged
or the light continues to stay on, try
another ignition key. If the engine
does not start with the other key, the
vehicle needs service. If the vehicle
does start, the first key may be
damaged. See your dealer who can
service the theft-deterrent system
and have a new key made.
Do not leave the key or device that
disarms or deactivates the
theft-deterrent system in the vehicle.
Exterior Mirrors
Convex Mirrors
{WARNING
A convex mirror can make things,
like other vehicles, look farther
away than they really are. If you
cut too sharply into the right lane,
you could hit a vehicle on the
right. Check the inside mirror or
glance over your shoulder before
changing lanes.
The passenger side mirror is convex
shaped. A convex mirror's surface is
curved so more can be seen from
the driver seat.

Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
2-16 Keys, Doors and Windows
Interior Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror
Hold the inside rearview mirror in
the center and move it for a clearer
view behind the vehicle. Adjust the
mirror to avoid glare from the
headlamps behind you. Push the
tab forward for daytime use and pull
it for nighttime use.
Vehicles with OnStar
®have three
additional control buttons located at
the bottom of the mirror. See your
dealer for more information on the
system and how to subscribe to
OnStar. See the OnStar Owner's
Guide for more information about
the services OnStar provides.
Automatic Dimming
Rearview Mirror
The vehicle may have an automatic
dimming inside rearview mirror.
Automatic dimming reduces the
glare from the headlamps of the
vehicle behind you. The dimming feature comes on and
the indicator light comes on each
time the vehicle is started.
O:
Press to turn automatic
dimming on or off.
If the vehicle has a rear vision
camera (RVC) the
Obutton for
turning the automatic dimming
feature on or off will not be
available. See Rear Vision Camera
(RVC) on page 9‑48 for more
information.
Vehicles with OnStar
®have three
additional control buttons located at
the bottom of the mirror. See your
dealer for more information on the
system and how to subscribe to
OnStar. See the OnStar Owner's
Guide for more information about
the services OnStar provides.
Cleaning the Mirror
Do not spray glass cleaner directly
on the mirror. Use a soft towel
dampened with water.
Windows
{WARNING
Leaving children, helpless adults,
or pets in a vehicle with the
windows closed is dangerous.
They can be overcome by the
extreme heat and suffer
permanent injuries or even
death from heat stroke. Never
leave a child, a helpless adult,
or a pet alone in a vehicle,
especially with the windows
closed in warm or hot weather.

Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Keys, Doors and Windows 2-17
The vehicle aerodynamics are
designed to improve fuel economy
performance. This may result in a
pulsing sound when either rear
window is down and the front
windows are up. To reduce the
sound, open either a front window
or the sunroof (if equipped).
Power Windows
{WARNING
Leaving children in a vehicle with
the keys is dangerous for many
reasons. Children or others could
be badly injured or even killed.
They could operate the power
windows or other controls or even
make the vehicle move. The
windows will function and they
could be seriously injured or killed
if caught in the path of a closing
window. Do not leave keys in a
vehicle with children.
When there are children in the
rear seat use the window lockout
button to prevent unintentional
operation of the windows.
The power window controls are on
each of the side doors.
The driver door also has switches
that control the passenger and rear
windows. The power windows work
when the ignition is in ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY, or in Retained
Accessory Power (RAP). See
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
on page 9‑31.
Press or pull on the switch to lower
or raise the window.