2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX Owners Manual

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Climate Controls 8-1
Climate Controls
Climate Control Systems
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Automatic Climate ControlSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3
Air Vents
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment AirFilter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Climate Control Systems
The vehicle's heating, cooling, defrosting, and ventilation can be controlled
with this system.
A. Fan Control
B. Air Delivery Mode Controls
C. Temperature Control
D. Outside Air
E. Defrost
F. Rear Window Defogger
G. Recirculation
H. Air ConditioningA(Fan Control): Turn to increase
or decrease the fan speed. Turn the
knob completely to
Tto turn the
fan off.
Temperature Control: Turn to
increase or decrease the
temperature.

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
8-2 Climate Controls
Air Delivery Mode Control:To
change the current mode, select
one of the following:
F (Vent): Air is directed to the
instrument panel outlets.
* (Bi-Level): Air is directed to the
instrument panel outlets and the
floor outlets.
7 (Floor): Air is directed to the
floor outlets.
W(Defog): Clears the windows of
fog or moisture. Air is directed to the
windshield and floor outlets.
0(Defrost): Clears the
windshield of fog or frost more
quickly. Air is directed to the
windshield and side window outlets.
For best results, clear all snow and
ice from the windshield before
defrosting.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
Air Conditioning
#(Air Conditioning): Press to
turn the air conditioning on or off.
If the fan is turned off or the outside
temperature falls below freezing, the
air conditioning will not work.
h(Recirculation): Press to turn
on the recirculation. An indicator
light comes on. Air is recirculated
inside the vehicle. It helps to quickly
cool the air inside the vehicle or
prevent outside air and odors from
entering.
%(Outside Air): Press to turn
on the outside air. An indicator light
comes on. Outside air is circulated
throughout the vehicle.
Rear Window Defogger
<(Rear Defogger): Press to turn
the rear window defogger on or off.
The rear window defogger turns off
after about 10 minutes. It can also
be turned off by turning the ignition
to ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/
OFF. If turned on again, it runs for
about five minutes before
turning off.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
Notice: Do not use a razor blade
or sharp object to clear the inside
rear window. Do not adhere
anything to the defogger grid
lines in the rear glass. These
actions may damage the rear
defogger. Repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Climate Controls 8-3
Automatic Climate Control System
The vehicle's heating, cooling, defrosting, and ventilation can be controlled
with this system.
A. Fan Control
B. AUTO (Automatic Operation)
C. Air Delivery Mode Controls
D. Defrost
E. Recirculation
F. Temperature ControlG. Power
H. Driver and Passenger
Heated Seats
I. Rear Window Defogger
J. Air Conditioning Automatic Operation
The system automatically controls
the fan speed, air delivery, air
conditioning, and recirculation to
heat or cool the vehicle to the
selected temperature.
When the AUTO indicator light is
on, the system is in full automatic
operation.
To place the system in
automatic mode:
1. Press AUTO.
2. Set the temperature. Allow the
system time to stabilize. Then
adjust the temperature as
needed.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
8-4 Climate Controls
Manual Operation
O(Power):Press to turn the
climate control system on or off.
A(Fan Control): Turn to increase
or decrease the fan speed.
Adjusting the fan speed while in
automatic mode places the fan
under manual control. The AUTO
indicator light turns off. The air
delivery mode remains in automatic
control.
Temperature Control: Turn to
increase or decrease the
temperature inside the vehicle.
H/G(Air Delivery Mode
Control): Press mode up or mode
down to cycle through the different
air delivery modes. The current
mode is shown on the display. Select from the following:
F
(Vent): Air is directed to the
instrument panel outlets.
* (Bi-Level): Air is directed to the
instrument panel outlets and the
floor outlets.
7 (Floor): Air is directed to the
floor outlets.
W(Defog): Clears the windows of
fog or moisture. Air is directed to the
windshield and floor outlets.
0(Defrost): Clears the
windshield of fog or frost more
quickly. Air is directed to the
windshield and side window outlets.
Selecting defrost disables the
automatic mode.
For best results, clear all snow and
ice from the windshield before
defrosting.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
Air Conditioning
#(Air Conditioning): Press to
turn the air conditioning on or off.
If the fan is turned off or the outside
temperature falls below freezing, the
air conditioning will not work. When
in AUTO, the air conditioning will
come on automatically as needed.
h(Recirculation): Press to turn
on the recirculation. Press to
alternate between recirculation and
outside air, if the vehicle does not
have a separate outside air button.
The indicator light turns on when
recirculation is selected. Air is
recirculated inside the vehicle.
It helps quickly cool the air inside
the vehicle or prevent outside air
and odors from entering.
%(Outside Air, If Equipped):
Press to turn on the outside air. An
indicator light comes on. Outside air
is circulated throughout the vehicle.

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Climate Controls 8-5
Rear Window Defogger
<(Rear Defogger):Press to turn
the rear window defogger on or off.
The rear window defogger turns off
after about 10 minutes. It can also
be turned off by turning the ignition
to ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/
OFF. If turned on again, it runs for
about five minutes before
turning off.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
Notice: Do not use a razor blade
or sharp object to clear the inside
rear window. Do not adhere
anything to the defogger grid
lines in the rear glass. These
actions may damage the rear
defogger. Repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
L/M(Driver and Passenger
Heated Seats): For vehicles with
heated seats, see Heated Front
Seats on page 3‑9. Remote Start Climate Control
Operation:
For vehicles with the
remote vehicle start feature, the
climate control system may run
when the vehicle is started remotely.
The system uses the driver's
previous settings to heat or cool the
inside of the vehicle. The front
heated seats will turn on if it is cold
outside. The heated seat indicator
lights do not come on during a
remote start. See Remote Vehicle
Start on page 2‑5.
Sensors
The solar sensor, located on
top of the instrument panel near the
windshield, monitors the solar heat.
The climate control system
uses the information to adjust
the temperature, fan speed,
recirculation, and air delivery mode.
Do not cover the solar sensor or the
system will not work properly.
Air Vents
Use the air outlets, located in the
center and on the side of the
instrument panel, to direct the
airflow. Use the thumbwheels
located near the center air outlets,
to open or close off the airflow.
Operation Tips
.Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from air inlets at the
base of the windshield that could
block the flow of air into the
vehicle.
.Keep the path under the front
seats clear of objects to help
circulate the air inside of the
vehicle more effectively.
.Use of non‐GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
Check with your dealer before
adding equipment to the outside
of the vehicle.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
8-6 Climate Controls
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The filter removes dust, pollen, and
other airborne irritants from outside
air that is pulled into the vehicle.
The filter should be replaced as part
of routine scheduled maintenance.
SeeScheduled Maintenance on
page 11‑2 for replacement intervals.
To find out what type of filter to use,
see Maintenance Replacement
Parts on page 11‑8.
The passenger compartment air
filter can be accessed by removing
the entire glove box.
1. Open the glove box completely and locate the stop tab on top of
the glove box door.
2. Push the stop tab upwardsuntil the stop tab is under the
instrument panel assembly and
the glove box is released.
3. Unsnap the tabs beneath the glove box that connects it to the
bottom of the instrument panel
assembly.
4. Remove the glove box.
5. Locate the service door for the passenger compartment air filter. 6. Push the two tabs upwards
and release the latches
holding the service door.
Lift the service door.
7. Remove the old air filter.
8. Install the new air filter.
9. Close the service door andlatches.
10. Re‐install the glove box.
See your dealer if additional
assistance is needed.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . 9-18
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-19
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-22
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-28
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 9-32
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Shifting Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Parking Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-35
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Fuel Economy Mode . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-41
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-46
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
9-2 Driving and Operating
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Gasoline Specifications(U.S. and Canada Only) . . . . 9-54
California Fuel
Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-54
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 9-56
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-57
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-59
Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-59
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-64
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 9-67
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-68
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-68
Driving Information
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
your safety belt. See Safety Belts on
page 3‑11.
{WARNING
Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and other
drivers) are going to be careless
and make mistakes. Anticipate
what they might do and be ready.
In addition:
.Allow enough following
distance between you and
the driver in front of you.
.Focus on the task of driving.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Driver distraction can cause
collisions resulting in injury or
possible death. These simple
defensive driving techniques
could save your life.
Drunk Driving
{WARNING
Drinking and then driving is
very dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious —or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking. Do not drink and drive
or ride with a driver who has
been drinking.
(Continued)