
Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
2011 Chevrolet Equinox Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Keys, Doors and Windows . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43 Storage
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Additional Storage Features . . . 4-2
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-32
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19
Rear Seat Infotainment . . . . . . . 7-33
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-46 Climate Controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-28
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-35
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-41
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-46
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-59
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-68

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-21
Portable Audio Devices
This vehicle may have a 3.5 mm
(1/8 in) auxiliary input and a USB
port located in the center console.
External devices such as iPods
®,
laptop computers, MP3 players,
CD changers, and USB storage
devices may be connected,
depending on the audio system.
For more information, see Auxiliary
Devices (Radio with CD) on
page 7‑28 orAuxiliary Devices
(Radio with CD/DVD/MEM) on
page 7‑31.
Bluetooth®
The Bluetooth®system allows users
with a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone
to make and receive hands-free
calls using the vehicle audio
system, microphone, and controls.
The Bluetooth-enabled cell phone
must be paired with the in-vehicle
Bluetooth system before it can be
used in the vehicle. Not all phones
will support all functions. See
Bluetooth (Overview) on
page 7‑46 orBluetooth
(Infotainment Controls) on
page 7‑47 orBluetooth
(Voice Recognition) on page 7‑51.
Steering Wheel Controls
Some audio steering wheel controls
can be adjusted at the steering
wheel.
b g: Press to interact with the
available Bluetooth or OnStar
systems.
$ i: Press to silence the
vehicle speakers only. Press again
to turn the sound on. For vehicles
with OnStar or Bluetooth systems,
press to reject an incoming call,
or end a current call.
_SRC^: Press to select an
audio source.
Toggle up or down to select the next
or previous favorite radio station,
CD, or MP3 track.
+
x−: Press + to increase
the volume; press −to decrease
the volume.
For more information, see Steering
Wheel Controls on page 5‑3.

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-23
w x:Use these buttons to scroll
through the items in each menu.
A small marker will move along the
page as you scroll through the
items. This shows where each page
is in the menu.
SET/CLR: Use this button to set or
clear the menu item when it is
displayed.
For more information, see Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑22.
Vehicle Personalization
Some vehicle features can be
programmed by using the audio
system controls. These features
include:
.Climate and Air Quality
.Comfort and Convenience
.Collision/Detection Systems
.Language
.Lighting
.Power Door Locks
.Remote Lock/Unlock/Start
.Return to Factory Settings
See Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑32.
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC)
If available, the rear vision camera
displays a view of the area behind
the vehicle when the vehicle is
shifted into R (Reverse). The
display will appear on either the
inside rearview mirror or navigation
screen, if equipped.
To clean the camera lens, located
above the license plate, rinse it with
water and wipe it with a soft cloth.
See Rear Vision Camera (RVC) on
page 9‑48.
Ultrasonic Parking Assist
If available, Ultrasonic Rear Parking
Assist (URPA) uses sensors on the
rear bumper to detect objects while
parking the vehicle. URPA comes
on automatically when the shift lever
is moved into R (Reverse) and
operates at speeds less than
8 km/h (5 mph). URPA uses audio
beeps to provide distance and
system information.
Keep the sensors on the vehicle's
rear bumper clean to ensure proper
operation.
The URPA system can be turned on
and off using the infotainment
system controls. See Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑32 for
more information.
See Ultrasonic Parking Assist on
page 9‑46 for more information.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-3
Steering Wheel Controls
For vehicles with audio steering
wheel controls, some audio controls
can be adjusted at the steering
wheel.
bg(Push to Talk): For vehicles
with a Bluetooth®or OnStar®, press
to interact with those systems. See
Bluetooth (Overview) on page 7‑46
or Bluetooth (Infotainment Controls)
on page 7‑47 orBluetooth (Voice
Recognition) on page 7‑51 or the
OnStar Owner's Guide for more
information.
$/i(Mute/End Call): Press to
reject an incoming call, or end a
current call. Press to silence the
vehicle speakers while using the
infotainment system. Press again to
turn the sound on.
_SRC^(Toggle Switch): Press to
select an audio source.
Toggle up or down to select the next
or previous favorite radio station or
CD/MP3 track.
+
x− (Volume): Press + or−to
increase or decrease the volume.
Horn
Press near the horn symbols or
press on the steering wheel pad to
sound the horn.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
5-6 Instruments and Controls
SeeCompass Messages on
page 5‑27 for more information on
the messages that may be
displayed for the compass.
Clock (With Date Display)
The infotainment system controls,
located on the instrument panel, are
used to access the time and date
settings through the menu system.
See Operation on page 7‑7 for
information about how to use the
menu system.
Setting the Time and Date
1. Turn the infotainment system ON.
2. Press the CONFIG button and select Time and Date Settings.
3. Select Set Time or Set Date.
4. Turn the MENU/SEL knob to adjust the highlighted value.
5. Press the MENU/SEL knob to select the next value. 6. To save the time or date and
return to the Time and Date
Settings menu, press the
}BACK button at any time or
press the MENU/SEL knob after
adjusting the minutes or year.
Setting the 12/24 Hour Format
1. Turn the infotainment system ON.
2. Press the CONFIG button and select Time and Date Settings.
3. Highlight 12/24 Hour Format.
4. Press the MENU/SEL knob to select the 12 hour or 24 hour
display format.
Setting the Month and Day
Format
1. Turn the infotainmentsystem ON.
2. Press the CONFIG button and select Time and Date Settings. 3. Highlight Month and Day
Format.
4. Press the MENU/SEL knob to select MM/DD (month/day) or
DD/MM (day/month).
Setting the Auto Time Adjust
1. Turn the infotainmentsystem ON.
2. Press the CONFIG button and select Time and Date Settings.
3. Highlight Auto Time Adjust.
4. Press the MENU/SEL knob to turn Auto Time Adjust on or off.
5. Press the MENU/SEL knob to select Time Zone, and then
select the time zone.
6. Press the MENU/SEL knob to turn Daylight Savings on or off.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-7
Clock (Without Date
Display)
The infotainment system controls,
located on the instrument panel, are
used to access the time and date
settings through the menu system.
SeeOperation on page 7‑7 for
information about how to use the
menu system.
Setting the Time
1. Turn the infotainment system ON.
2. Press the CONFIG button and select Time Settings, or press
the
Hbutton.
3. Select Set Time.
4. Turn the MENU/SEL knob to adjust the highlighted value.
5. Press the MENU/SEL knob to select the next value. 6. To save the time and return to
the Time Settings menu, press
the
}BACK button at any time
or press the SELECT button
after adjusting the minutes.
Setting the 12/24 Hour Format
1. Turn the infotainment system ON.
2. Press the CONFIG button and select Time Settings, or press
the
Hbutton.
3. Highlight 12/24 Hour Format.
4. Press the MENU/SEL knob to select the 12 hour or 24 hour
display format.
Power Outlets
The accessory power outlets can
be used to connect electrical
equipment, such as a cell phone or
MP3 player. There are four accessory power
outlets in the following locations:
below the CD slot, inside the center
console storage, on the rear of the
center console storage, and in the
rear cargo compartment.
To use the outlets, remove the cover
and close when not in use.
Notice:
Leaving electrical
equipment plugged in for an
extended period of time while the
vehicle is off will drain the
battery. Always unplug electrical
equipment when not in use and
do not plug in equipment that
exceeds the maximum 20 ampere
rating.
Certain accessory plugs may not be
compatible with the accessory
power outlets and could overload
vehicle and adapter fuses. If a
problem is experienced, see
your dealer.

Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
5-32 Instruments and Controls
Transmission Messages
SERVICE TRANSMISSION
This message displays if there is a
problem with the transmission.
See your dealer.
SHIFT TO PARK
This message displays when the
transmission needs to be shifted to
P (Park). This may appear when
attempting to remove the key if the
vehicle is not in P (Park).
TRANSMISSION HOT—IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays and a chime
sounds if the transmission fluid in
the vehicle gets hot. Driving with the
transmission fluid temperature high
can cause damage to the vehicle.
Stop the vehicle and let it idle to
allow the transmission to cool. This
message clears when the fluid
temperature reaches a safe level.
Vehicle Reminder
Messages
ICE POSSIBLE DRIVE
WITH CARE
This message is displayed when ice
conditions are possible.
TURN WIPER CONTROL TO
INTERMITTENT FIRST
This message is displayed when
attempting to adjust the intermittent
wiper speed without intermittent
selected on the wiper control.
See Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑4.
Vehicle
Personalization
The audio system controls are used
to access the personalization
menus for customizing vehicle
features.
CONFIG (Configuration): Press to
access the Configuration
Settings Menu.
MENU/SELECT Knob: Press the
center of this knob to enter the
menus and select menu items.
Turn the knob to scroll through the
menus.
}BACK: Press to exit or move
backwards in a menu.
Entering the Personalization
Menus
1. Turn the infotainment system on and press the CONFIG button to
access the Configuration
Settings menu.
2. Turn the MENU/SELECT knob to highlight Vehicle Settings.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Infotainment System 7-1
Infotainment
System
Introduction
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . 7-2
Overview (Radio with CD) . . . . . 7-3
Overview (Radio with CD/DVD/MEM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Radio
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18
Multi-Band Antenna . . . . . . . . . . 7-18
Audio Players
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19
CD/DVD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21
Mass Storage Media (MEM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-24
Auxiliary Devices (Radio
with CD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-28
Auxiliary Devices (Radio with CD/DVD/MEM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-31
Rear Seat Infotainment
Rear Seat Entertainment(RSE) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-33
Rear Seat Audio (RSA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-43
Phone
Bluetooth (Overview) . . . . . . . . 7-46
Bluetooth (InfotainmentControls) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-47
Bluetooth (Voice Recognition) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-51
Introduction
Read the following pages to
become familiar with the audio
system's features.
{WARNING
Taking your eyes off the road
for extended periods could cause
a crash resulting in injury or
death to you or others. Do not
give extended attention to
entertainment tasks while driving.
This system provides access to
many audio and non‐audio listings.