
Black plate (92,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
10-92 Vehicle Care
Washing the Vehicle
To preserve the vehicle's finish,
keep it clean by washing it often.
Do not wash the vehicle in
direct sunlight and use a car
washing soap.
Notice:Do not use cleaning
agents that are petroleum based
or that contain acid or abrasives,
as they can damage the paint,
metal, or plastic on the vehicle.
Approved cleaning products
can be obtained from your
dealer. Follow all manufacturer
directions regarding correct
product usage, necessary safety
precautions, and appropriate
disposal of any vehicle care
product. Certain cleaners contain
chemicals that can damage the
emblems or nameplates on the
vehicle. Check the cleaning
product label. If it states that it should not be used on plastic
parts, do not use it on the vehicle
or damage may occur and it
would not be covered by the
warranty.
Rinse the vehicle well, before
washing and after, to remove
all cleaning agents completely.
If they are allowed to dry on the
surface, they could stain.
Dry the finish with a soft, clean
chamois or an all-cotton towel
to avoid surface scratches and
water spotting.
High pressure car washes could
cause water to enter the vehicle.
Avoid using high pressure washes
closer than 30 cm (12 in) to the
surface of the vehicle. Use of
power washers exceeding
8,274 kPa (1,200 psi) can
result in damage or removal
of paint and decals.
Notice:
Conveyor systems on
some automatic car washes could
damage the vehicle. There may
not be enough clearance for the
undercarriage. Check with the car
wash manager before using the
automatic car wash.
Weatherstrips
Silicone grease on weatherstrips will
make them last longer, seal better,
and not stick or squeak. Apply
silicone grease with a clean cloth.
During very cold, damp weather
frequent application may be
required. See Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 11‑7.

Black plate (95,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-95
Interior Care
The interior will continue to look
its best if it is cleaned often.
Dust and dirt can accumulate on
the upholstery and cause damage
to the carpet, fabric, leather, and
plastic surfaces. Stains should be
removed quickly as extreme heat
could cause them to set rapidly.
Lighter colored interiors may
require more frequent cleaning.
Newspapers and garments that
can transfer color to home
furnishings can also transfer
color to the interior.
Remove dust from small buttons
and knobs with a small brush with
soft bristles.
Your dealer has products for
cleaning the interior. When
cleaning the interior, only use
cleaners specifically designed
for the surfaces that are being
cleaned. Permanent damage can
result from using cleaners on
surfaces for which they were notintended. Apply the cleaner directly
to the cleaning cloth to prevent
over-spray. Remove any accidental
over-spray from other surfaces
immediately.
Notice:
Using abrasive cleaners
when cleaning glass surfaces on
the vehicle, could scratch the
glass and/or cause damage to
the rear window defogger. When
cleaning the glass on the vehicle,
use only a soft cloth and glass
cleaner.
Cleaners can contain solvents that
can become concentrated in the
interior. Before using cleaners,
read and adhere to all safety
instructions on the label. While
cleaning the interior, maintain
adequate ventilation by opening
the doors and windows.
Do not clean the interior using the
following cleaners or techniques:
.Never use a knife or any other
sharp object to remove a soil
from any interior surface.
.Never use a stiff brush. It can
cause damage.
.Never apply heavy pressure or
rub aggressively with a cleaning
cloth. Use of heavy pressure can
damage the interior and does
not improve the effectiveness
of soil removal.
.Avoid laundry detergents
or dishwashing soaps with
degreasers. Using too much
soap will leave a residue that
leaves streaks and attracts
dirt. For liquid cleaners, about
20 drops per 3.78 L (1 gal) of
water is a good guide. Use only
mild, neutral-pH soaps.
.Do not heavily saturate the
upholstery while cleaning.
.Cleaners that contain solvents
can damage the interior.

Black plate (96,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
10-96 Vehicle Care
Fabric/Carpet
Use a vacuum cleaner with a soft
brush attachment to remove dust
and loose dirt. A canister vacuum
with rotating brushes in the nozzle
may only be used on floor carpet
and carpeted floor mats. For soils,
always try to remove them first with
plain water or club soda. Before
cleaning, gently remove as much of
the soil as possible using one of the
following techniques:
.For liquids: gently blot the
remaining soil with a paper
towel. Allow the soil to absorb
into the paper towel until no
more can be removed.
.For solid dry soils: remove as
much as possible and then
vacuum.
To clean:
1. Saturate a lint-free, clean white cloth with water or club soda.
2. Remove excess moisture. 3. Start on the outside edge of the
soil and gently rub toward the
center. Continue cleaning, using
a clean area of the cloth each
time it becomes soiled.
4. Continue to gently rub the soiled area.
5. If the soil is not completely removed, use a mild soap
solution and repeat the cleaning
process with plain water.
If any of the soil remains, a
commercial fabric cleaner or spot
lifter may be necessary. Test a
small hidden area for colorfastness
before using a commercial
upholstery cleaner or spot lifter.
If the locally cleaned area gives
any impression that a ring formation
may result, clean the entire surface.
A paper towel can be used to blot
excess moisture from the fabric or
carpet after the cleaning process.
Leather
Leather, and lighter colored leather
in particular, will need more frequent
cleaning to prevent the buildup of
dust, dirt, and colors transferred
from other items so that these do
not become permanent stains.
To remove dust, a soft cloth
dampened with water can be used.
If a more thorough cleaning is
necessary, a soft cloth dampened
with a mild soap solution can
be used. Your dealer has a GM
approved leather cleaner available
that provides superior cleaning
performance when used regularly
on finished automotive leathers.
Allow the leather to dry naturally.

Black plate (1,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-1
A
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56
Adjustments
Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . 10-13
Air Filter, Passenger Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-13
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-47
How Does an AirbagRestrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . 3-39
When Should an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-36
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . 3-35 Airbags
Adding Equipment to the
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-46
Passenger Status Indicator . . . 5-16
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Servicing Airbag-Equipped Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-45
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33
Alarm System Anti-Theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . 10-27, 9-28
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Antenna
Multi-Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13
Anti-Theft Alarm System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Alarm System Messages . . . . . 5-43
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Appearance Care
Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-90
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-95 Armrest Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Assistance Program,
Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-8, 13-10
Audio Controller, Rear (RAC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-50
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14 CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
CD/DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
MP3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-24, 7-30
Audio System Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-12
Rear Seat (RSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-48
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . . 7-2
Automatic Dimming Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . 9-25 Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Shift Lock ControlFunction Check . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Auxiliary Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-37

Black plate (2,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
i-2 INDEX
B
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-83
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . 10-29
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-50
Brake System Warning Light . . . 5-20
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24 Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 9-17
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31 Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30 Bulb Replacement (cont.)
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
High Intensity Discharge
(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . 10-31
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Perchlorate Materials
Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Camera, Rear Vision . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . iii
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9 Cargo
Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Management System . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Tie Downs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Cautions, Danger, and Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
CD/DVD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . 4-2
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Charging
System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Check Engine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
IgnitionTransmission Lock . . . . . . . . 10-28
Child Restraints Infants and YoungChildren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-51
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . 3-57
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-48
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-65, 3-67
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-53

Black plate (3,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-3
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
CleaningExterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-90
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-95
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . 8-1 Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10, 8-11
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . 13-13
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Compressor Kit, Tire Sealant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Coolant Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Engine Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Engine Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22 Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-11
Cover Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . 13-6 Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5, 13-6
Text Telephone (TTY)Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
Customer Information Service PublicationsOrdering Information . . . . . . 13-15
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1, 13-3D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . 13-13
Danger, Warnings, and
Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . 13-18
Daytime Running Lamps/Automatic
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Delayed Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Delayed Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Devices, Auxiliary . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-37
Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Drive Systems All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . 10-27, 9-28

Black plate (4,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
i-4 INDEX
Driver InformationCenter (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25, 5-30
Driving Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . 9-8
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4
DVD Rear Seat Entertainment
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-39
DVD/CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16E
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56
Electrical System Engine CompartmentFuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Check and Service EngineSoon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 10-6
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Coolant Temperature
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22 Engine (cont.)
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Cooling System Messages . . . 5-39
Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-3
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Overheated Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 9-24
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-11
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-40
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . 13-18
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 3-31
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 6-1

Black plate (5,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
INDEX i-5
F
FeaturesMemory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 6-3
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-71
Floor Console Storage . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-98
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . 10-13
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Fog Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Front Fog Lamps Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Front Seats Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Heated and Ventilated . . . . . . . . . 3-9 Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . 9-43
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . 9-42
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Recommended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Requirements, California . . . . . 9-43
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Fuel Economy Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Fuses Engine CompartmentFuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
G
Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . 5-55Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-55
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Gauges Engine Coolant
Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Voltmeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Warning Lights and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
General Information
Service and Maintenance . . . . . 11-1
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
GM Mobility Reimbursement
Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-8