2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX engine coolant

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-21
Notice:In cold weather, water
can freeze and crack the engine,
radiator, heater core and other
parts. Use the recommended
coolant and the proper coolant
mixture.
1. Remove the coolant surge tank pressure cap when the cooling
system, including the coolant
surge tank pressure cap and
upper radiator hose, is no
longer hot.
Turn the pressure cap slowly
counterclockwise about
one-quarter of a turn. If you
hear a hiss, wait for that to stop.
This will allow any pressure still
left to be vented out the
discharge hose. 2. Keep turning the pressure cap
slowly, and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank withthe proper DEX-COOL coolant
mixture, to the COLD FILL line.
4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start the
engine and let it run until the
upper radiator hose can be felt
getting hot. Watch out for the
engine cooling fan. By this time, the coolant level
inside the coolant surge tank
may be lower. If the level is
lower, add more of the proper
DEX-COOL coolant mixture to
the coolant surge tank until the
level reaches the COLD
FILL line.
5. Replace the pressure cap. Be sure the pressure cap is
hand-tight.
Check the level in the coolant surge
tank when the cooling system has
cooled down. If the coolant is not at
the proper level, repeat Steps 1
through 3 and reinstall the pressure
cap. If the coolant still is not at the
proper level when the system cools
down again, see your dealer.

Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
10-22 Vehicle Care
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has an indicator to warn
of engine overheating. There is an
engine coolant temperature warning
light on the vehicle's instrument
panel. SeeEngine Coolant
Temperature Gauge on page 5‑11.
The decision may be made not to lift
the hood when this warning
appears, but instead get service
help right away. See Roadside
Assistance Program on page 13‑6.
If the decision to lift the hood is
made, make sure the vehicle is
parked on a level surface. Then check to see if the engine
cooling fan(s) are running. If the
engine is overheating, the fan(s)
should be running. If they are not,
do not continue to run the engine
and have the vehicle serviced.
Notice:
Engine damage from
running the engine without
coolant is not covered by the
warranty.
If Steam is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
{WARNING
Steam from an overheated engine
can burn you badly, even if you
just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear
steam coming from it. Just turn it
off and get everyone away from
the vehicle until it cools down.
Wait until there is no sign of
steam or coolant before you
open the hood.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
If you keep driving when your
engine is overheated, the liquids
in it can catch fire. You or others
could be badly burned. Stop your
engine if it overheats, and get out
of the vehicle until the engine
is cool.
If No Steam is Coming from
the Engine Compartment
If an engine overheat warning is
displayed but no steam can be seen
or heard, the problem may not be
too serious. Sometimes the engine
can get a little too hot when the
vehicle:
.Climbs a long hill on a hot day
.Stops after high-speed driving
.Idles for long periods in traffic
.Tows a trailer

Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-25
Notice:
.When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer's instructions
for adding water.
.Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the solution
to freeze and damage the
washer fluid tank and other
parts of the washer system.
Also, water does not clean as
well as washer fluid.
.Fill the washer fluid tank only
three-quarters full when it is
very cold. This allows for
fluid expansion if freezing
occurs, which could damage
the tank if it is
completely full.
.Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the windshield
washer. It can damage the
windshield washer system
and paint.
Brakes
This vehicle has disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time the vehicle is
moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.
{WARNING
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Notice: Continuing to drive with
worn-out brake pads could result
in costly brake repair. Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications in
Capacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2.
Brake linings should always be
replaced as complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service might be
required.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Service and Maintenance 11-3
system whenever the oil is changed.
SeeEngine Oil Life System on
page 10‑14.
Every Engine Oil Change
.Change engine oil and filter.
Reset oil life system. See
Engine Oil on page 10‑10 and
Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑14. An Emission
Control Service.
.Engine coolant level check. See
Engine Coolant on page 10‑18.
.Engine cooling system
inspection. Visual inspection of
hoses, pipes, fittings, and
clamps and replacement,
if needed.
.Windshield washer fluid level
check. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑24.
.Windshield wiper blade
inspection for wear, cracking,
or contamination and windshield
and wiper blade cleaning, if contaminated. See
Exterior
Care on page 10‑86. Worn or
damaged wiper blade
replacement. See Wiper Blade
Replacement on page 10‑31.
.Tire inflation pressures check.
See Tire Pressure on
page 10‑53.
.Tire wear inspection. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑59.
.Rotate tires if necessary. See
Tire Rotation on page 10‑60.
.Fluids visual leak check
(or every 12 months, whichever
occurs first). A leak in any
system must be repaired and the
fluid level checked.
.Engine air cleaner filter
inspection. See Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 10‑15.
.Brake system inspection
(or every 12 months, whichever
occurs first).
.Steering and suspension
inspection. Visual inspection for
damaged, loose, or missing
parts or signs of wear.
.Body hinges and latches,
key lock cylinders, folding
seat hardware, and sunroof
(if equipped) lubrication. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑6. More
frequent lubrication may be
required when the vehicle is
exposed to a corrosive
environment. Applying silicone
grease on weatherstrips with a
clean cloth makes them last
longer, seal better, and not stick
or squeak.
.Restraint system component
check. See Safety System
Check on page 3‑25.
.Fuel system inspection for
damage or leaks.
.Exhaust system and nearby heat
shields inspection for loose or
damaged components.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
11-4 Service and Maintenance
Additional Required Services
Every 12 000 km/7,500 Miles
.Rotate tires. Tires should be
rotated every 12 000 km/
7,500 miles. SeeTire Rotation
on page 10‑60.
At Each Fuel Stop
.Engine oil level check. See
Engine Oil on page 10‑10.
.Engine coolant level check. See
Engine Coolant on page 10‑18.
.Windshield washer fluid level
check. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑24.
Once a Month
.Tire inflation check. See Tire
Pressure on page 10‑53.
.Tire wear inspection. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑59.
.Sunroof track and seal
inspection, if equipped.
See Sunroof on page 2‑19. Once a Year
.See
Starter Switch Check on
page 10‑29.
.See Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control Function
Check on page 10‑29.
.See Ignition Transmission Lock
Check on page 10‑30.
.See Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check on
page 10‑30.
.Accelerator pedal check for
damage, high effort, or binding.
Replace if needed.
.Underbody flushing service.
.Hood/Decklid/Liftgate/Liftglass
Support Gas Strut Service:
Visually inspect gas strut,
if equipped, for signs of wear,
cracks, or other damage. Check
the hold open ability of the gas
strut. Contact your dealer if
service is required. First Engine Oil Change After
Every 40 000 km/25,000 Miles
.Passenger compartment air filter
replacement (or every
24 months, whichever occurs
first). More frequent replacement
may be needed if you drive in
areas with heavy traffic, areas
with poor air quality, or areas
with high dust levels.
Replacement may also be
needed if you notice reduced air
flow, windows fogging up,
or odors. Your dealer can help
you determine when it is the
right time to replace the filter.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
11-6 Service and Maintenance
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
UsageFluid/Lubricant
Engine Oil The engine requires engine oil approved to the dexos™
specification.
Oils meeting this specification can be identified with the dexos™
certification mark. Look for and use only an engine oil that displays the
dexos™ certification mark of the proper viscosity grade. See Engine Oil on
page 10‑10.
Engine Coolant 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and use only DEX-COOL Coolant.
See
Engine Coolant on page 10‑18.
Hydraulic Brake System DOT 3 Hydraulic Brake Fluid (GM Part No. 88862806, in
Canada 88862807).
Windshield Washer Optikleen
®Washer Solvent.
Hydraulic Power Steering System (V6 engines only) DEXRON
®-VI Automatic Transmission Fluid.
Automatic Transmission DEXRON
®-VI Automatic Transmission Fluid.
Transfer Case (All-Wheel Drive) Transfer Case Fluid (GM Part No. 88861950, in Canada 88861951).
Key Lock Cylinders Multi-Purpose Lubricant, Superlube (GM Part No. 12346241, in
Canada 10953474).

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-3
CleaningExterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-90
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . 8-1 Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6, 5-7
Cluster, IP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . 13-11
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Compass Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Coolant Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Engine TemperatureGauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11 Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-9
Covers Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . 13-4
Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-3
Text Telephone (TTY)Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-4
Customer Information
Service PublicationsOrdering Information . . . . . . 13-13
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . 13-11
Danger, Warnings, andCautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .v
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . 13-16
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Devices, Auxiliary . . . . . . . 7-28, 7-31
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Drive Systems All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . 10-28, 9-38
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
i-4 INDEX
DrivingCharacteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-19
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-18
DVD
Rear Seat EntertainmentSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-33
DVD/CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21E
E85 Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56
ECO Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Economy Mode Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-68
Electrical System Engine CompartmentFuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Check and Service EngineSoon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 10-6
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Coolant Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11 Engine (cont.)
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Cooling System Messages . . . 5-27
Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-4
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 9-35
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-67
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . 13-16
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 6-1