
Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-7
Turn the steering wheel 8 to 13 cm
(3 to 5 in), 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 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.

Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-19
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to
your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find a
safe place to park the vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep interior temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving—scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{WARNING
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
{WARNING
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down
and they could get so hot that
they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
You could crash. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle in
gear when going downhill.
.Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your
own lane.
.Top of hills: Be alert—
something could be in your
lane (stalled car, accident).
.Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.

Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
9-20 Driving and Operating
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow
or ice between the tires and the
road, creating less traction or grip.
Wet ice can occur at about 0°C
(32°F) when freezing rain begins to
fall, resulting in even less traction.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in
freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently so
traction is not lost. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick, so there is even
less traction.
Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.The
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 9‑39 improves vehicle
stability during hard stops on
slippery roads, but apply the brakes
sooner than when on dry pavement.
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road and watch for
slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in
shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain icy
when the surrounding roads are
clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
Turn off cruise control on slippery
surfaces.
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use the Roadside
Assistance Program on page 13‑6.
To get help and keep everyone in
the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{WARNING
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
Carbon Monoxide (CO) which
cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness
and even death.
(Continued)

Black plate (47,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-47
{WARNING
The Ultrasonic Rear Parking
Assist (URPA) system does not
replace driver vision. It cannot
detect:
.Objects that are below the
bumper, underneath the
vehicle, or too close or far
from the vehicle
.Children, pedestrians,
bicyclists, or pets.
If you do not use proper care
before and while backing, vehicle
damage, injury, or death could
occur. Even with URPA, always
check behind the vehicle before
backing up. While backing, be
sure to look for objects and check
the vehicle's mirrors.
How the System Works
URPA comes on automatically
when the shift lever is moved into
R (Reverse). A single tone sounds
to indicate the system is working.
URPA operates only at speeds less
than 8 km/h (5 mph).
An obstacle is indicated by audible
beeps. The interval between the
beeps becomes shorter as the
vehicle gets closer to the obstacle.
When the distance is less than
30 cm (12 in) the beeping is
continuous for 5 seconds.
To be detected, objects must be at
least 20 cm (8 in) off the ground and
below taillamp level. Objects must
also be within 2.5 m (8 ft) from the
rear bumper. The distance objects
can be detected may be less during
warmer or humid weather. PARK ASSIST OFF displays on the
Driver Information Center (DIC) to
indicate that URPA is off. The
message disappears after a short
period of time.
See
Object Detection System
Messages on page 5‑29 for
URPA messages.
Turning the System On and Off
The URPA system can be turned on
and off using the infotainment
system controls. See Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑32 for
more information.
URPA defaults to the on setting
each time the vehicle is started.

Black plate (49,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-49
WARNING (Continued)
Do not back the vehicle by only
looking at the RVC screen, or use
the screen during longer, higher
speed backing maneuvers or
where there could be cross-traffic.
Your judged distances using the
screen will differ from actual
distances.
If you do not use proper care
before backing up, you could hit a
vehicle, child, pedestrian,
bicyclist, or pet, resulting in
vehicle damage, injury, or death.
Even though the vehicle has the
RVC system, always check
carefully before backing up by
checking behind and around
the vehicle.
Vehicles Without a Navigation
System
When the key is in the ON/RUN
position and the driver shifts the
vehicle into R (Reverse), the video
image automatically appears in the
inside rearview mirror. Once the
driver shifts out of R (Reverse), the
video image automatically
disappears from the inside
rearview mirror.
Turning the Rear Vision Camera
System Off or On
To turn off the RVC system, press
and hold
z, located on the inside
rearview mirror, until the left
indicator light turns off. The RVC
display is now disabled.
To turn the RVC system on again,
press and hold
zuntil the left
indicator light illuminates. The RVC
system display is now enabled and
the display will appear in the mirror
normally.
Vehicles With a Navigation
System
An image appears on the navigation
screen with the message Check
Surroundings for Safety when the
vehicle is shifted into R (Reverse).
The navigation screen goes to the
previous screen after approximately
10 seconds once the vehicle is
shifted out of R (Reverse).
To cancel the delay, do one of the
following:
.Press a hard key on the
navigation system.
.Shift into P (Park).
.Reach a vehicle speed of
8 km/h (5 mph).

Black plate (52,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
9-52 Driving and Operating
When the System Does Not
Seem To Work Properly
The RVC system may not work
properly or display a clear image if:
.The RVC is turned off. See
“Turning the Rear Vision Camera
System On or Off”earlier in this
section.
.It is dark.
.The sun or the beam of
headlights is shining directly into
the camera lens.
.Ice, snow, mud, or anything else
builds up on the camera lens.
Clean the lens, rinse it with
water, and wipe it with a
soft cloth.
.The back of the vehicle is in an
accident, the position and
mounting angle of the camera
can change or the camera can
be affected. Be sure to have the
camera and its position and
mounting angle checked at
your dealer. The RVC system display in the
rearview mirror may turn off or not
appear as expected due to one of
the following conditions. If this
occurs the left indicator light on the
mirror will flash.
.A slow flash may indicate a loss
of video signal, or no video
signal present during the reverse
cycle.
.A fast flash may indicate that the
display has been on for the
maximum allowable time during
a reverse cycle, or the display
has reached an over
temperature limit.
The fast flash conditions are
used to protect the video device
from high temperature
conditions. Once conditions
return to normal the device will
reset and the green indicator will
stop flashing.
During any of these fault conditions,
the display will be blank and the
indicator will continue to flash as
long as the vehicle is in R (Reverse)
or until the conditions return to
normal.
Pressing and holding
zwhen the
left indicator light is flashing will turn
off the video display along with the
left indicator light.

Black plate (61,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-61
Pulling a Trailer
Here are some important points:
.There are many laws, including
speed limit restrictions that apply
to trailering. Check for legal
requirements with state or
provincial police.
.Do not tow a trailer at all during
the first 1 600 km (1,000 miles)
the new vehicle is driven. The
engine, axle or other parts could
be damaged.
.During the first 800 km
(500 miles) that a trailer is
towed, do not drive over
80 km/h (50 mph) and do not
make starts at full throttle. This
reduces wear on the vehicle.
.The vehicle can tow in D (Drive).
Use a lower gear if the
transmission shifts too often.
.Do not use the Fuel Saver Mode
when towing.
.Obey speed limit restrictions.
Do not drive faster than the
maximum posted speed for
trailers, or no more than 90 km/h
(55 mph), to reduce wear on the
vehicle.
.For vehicles with the Ultra Rear
Parking Assist (URPA) system,
turn the system off when towing
a trailer. If the tow bar is
installed while not towing a
trailer, change the URPA system
to the“Tow Bar” setting. See
Ultrasonic Parking Assist on
page 9‑46 for more information.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires experience.
Get familiar with handling and
braking with the added trailer
weight. The vehicle is now longer
and not as responsive as the
vehicle is by itself.
Check all trailer hitch parts and
attachments, safety chains,
electrical connectors, lamps, tires
and mirror adjustments. If the trailer
has electric brakes, start the vehicle
and trailer moving and then apply
the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure the brakes are working.
During the trip, check regularly to be
sure that the load is secure, and the
lamps and trailer brakes are working
properly.

Black plate (41,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-41
J-CaseFuses Usage
4 Power
Windows
–Right
5 Memory Seat
Module
6 Power Seat –Left
7 Instrument Panel
Fuse Block 1
8 Rear Defogger
9 Starter
10 AIR Pump Motor
11 Instrument Panel
Fuse Block 2
12 Sunroof
13 Antilock Brake
System Pump J-Case
Fuses Usage
14 Instrument Panel
Fuse Block 3
15 Power
Windows
–Left
16 Antilock Brake
System Module
Mini Fuses Usage
17 Transmission
Control Module
Battery
18 Trailer Parking Light
19 AIR Pump Solenoid
20 Engine Control
Module Battery
21 Canister Vent Mini Fuses Usage
22 Trailer Left Side
(If Equipped)
23 Lift Gate Module
24 Power Lumbar
25 Trailer Right Side
(If Equipped)
26 Rear Accessory
Power Outlet
27 Memory Mirror
Module
28 Regulated Voltage
Control Battery
Sensor
29 Front Wiper
30 Rear Wiper
31 Air Conditioning
Compressor