2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX key

Black plate (83,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-83
Dinghy Towing
Front-wheel‐drive and
all-wheel-drive vehicles may be
dinghy towed from the front. These
vehicles can also be towed by
placing them on a platform trailer
with all four wheels off of the
ground. For other towing options,
see“Dolly Towing” following in
this section.
For vehicles being dinghy towed,
the vehicle should be run at the
beginning of each day and at each
RV fuel stop for about five minutes.
This will ensure proper lubrication of
transmission components.
To tow the vehicle from the front
with all four wheels on the ground:
1. Position the vehicle that will be towed and secure it to the
towing vehicle.
2. Turn the ignition key to ON/RUN.
3. Shift the transmission to N (Neutral).
4. Turn the ignition key to ACC/ ACCESSORY. 5. Turn all accessories off.
6. To prevent the battery from
draining while the vehicle is
being towed, remove fuse 32,
the Discrete Logic Ignition
Switch fuse, from the instrument
panel fuse block and store it in a
safe location. See Instrument
Panel Fuse Block on
page 10‑43.
Notice: If the vehicle is towed
without performing each of the
steps listed under “Dinghy
Towing,” the automatic
transmission could be damaged.
Be sure to follow all steps of the
dinghy towing procedure prior to
and after towing the vehicle.

Black plate (84,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
10-84 Vehicle Care
Notice:If 105 km/h (65 mph) is
exceeded while towing the
vehicle, it could be damaged.
Never exceed 105 km/h (65 mph)
while towing the vehicle.
Once the destination has been
reached:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Shift the transmission to
P (Park).
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
4. Install fuse 32, the Discrete Logic Ignition Switch fuse. See
Instrument Panel Fuse Block on
page 10‑43. 5. Start the engine and let it idle for
more than three minutes before
driving the vehicle.
Notice: Too much or too
little fluid can damage the
transmission. Be sure that the
transmission fluid is at the proper
level before towing with all four
wheels on the ground.
Notice: Do not tow a vehicle with
the front drive wheels on the
ground if one of the front tires is
a compact spare tire. Towing with
two different tire sizes on the
front of the vehicle can cause
severe damage to the
transmission.Dolly Towing
(All-Wheel‐Drive Vehicles)
All-wheel‐drive vehicles should not
be towed with two wheels on the
ground. To properly tow these
vehicles, they should be placed on
a platform trailer with all four wheels
off of the ground or dinghy towed
from the front.

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 (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 (17,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Customer Information 13-17
OnStar®
If the vehicle is equipped with an
active OnStar system, that system
may also record data in crash or
near crash‐like situations. The
OnStar Terms and Conditions
provides information on data
collection and use and is available
in the OnStar glove box kit, at
www.onstar.com (U.S.) or
www.onstar.ca (Canada), or by
pressing the
Qbutton and
speaking to an advisor.
Navigation System
If the vehicle has a navigation
system, use of the system may
result in the storage of destinations,
addresses, telephone numbers, and
other trip information. Refer to the
navigation system operating manual
for information on stored data and
for deletion instructions.
Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID)
RFID technology is used in some
vehicles for functions such as tire
pressure monitoring and ignition
system security, as well as in
connection with conveniences such
as key fobs for remote door locking/
unlocking and starting, and
in-vehicle transmitters for garage
door openers. RFID technology in
GM vehicles does not use or record
personal information or link with any
other GM system containing
personal information.
Radio Frequency
Statement
This vehicle has systems that
operate on a radio frequency that
comply with Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and with Industry Canada
Standards RSS‐210/220/310.
Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
1. The device may not cause interference.
2. The device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may
cause undesired operation of
the device.
Changes or modifications to any of
these systems by other than an
authorized service facility could void
authorization to use this equipment.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
i-6 INDEX
Headlamps (cont.)High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Heated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Heater Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Heating and Air
Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1, 8-3
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . 9-19
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Ignition Transmission Lock
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Infants and Young Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-45 Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Instrument Panel
Storage Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .iii, 7-1
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-78
K
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . . . 5-29
Keyless Entry Remote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . 2-3
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . 10-47
Lamps Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . 6-2
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-14
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20 LATCH System
Replacing Parts After a
Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-57
Latch, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . 3-52
Liftgate Carbon Monoxide . . . . . . . . . 2-8, 2-9
Lighting Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Lights
Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Antilock Brake System(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 5-16
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Front Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 5-11
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-7
Lights (cont.)StabiliTrak®OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®. . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Traction Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Locks Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-21
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH
SYSTEM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-52
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6 Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
M
MaintenanceRecords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Maintenance Schedule Recommended Fluids andLubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6
Scheduled Maintenance . . . . . . 11-2
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . 5-14
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Mass Storage Media (MEM) . . . 7-24
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Messages Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Anti-Theft Alarm System . . . . . . 5-31
Battery Voltage andCharging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Brake System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Engine Cooling System . . . . . . . 5-27 Messages (cont.)
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Engine Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Fuel System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Key and Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Object Detection System . . . . . 5-29
Ride Control System . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Service Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Vehicle Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Mirrors
Automatic DimmingRearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Convex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Manual Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Park Tilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Monitor System, Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Multi-Band Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-9
R
Radio FrequencyIdentification (RFID) . . . . . . . . 13-17
Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-17
Radios AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
CD/DVD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21
Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18
Satellite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Rear Seat Audio (RSA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-43
Rear Seat Entertainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-33
Rear Seat Audio (RSA) . . . . . . . 7-43
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . 9-48
Rear Window Washer/Wiper . . . . 5-5
Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16 Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Records Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9 Recreational Vehicle
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Reimbursement Program, GM Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Replacement Parts
Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-42
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
Replacing Airbag System . . . . . . 3-42
Replacing LATCH System Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . 3-57
Replacing Safety Belt System Parts After a
Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Reporting Safety Defects Canadian Government . . . . . . 13-15
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . 13-14
Restraints Where to Put . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-50
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31 Ride Control Systems
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Roads Driving, Wet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
Roof
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Rotation, Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Routing, Engine Drive Belt . . . . . 12-4
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
S
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
How to Wear Safety BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Replacing After a Crash . . . . . . 3-26
Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . 3-25