2011 GMC ACADIA cruise control

Black plate (38,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
5-38 Instruments and Controls
Brake System Messages
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
This message displays along with
the brake system warning light if
there is a problem with the brake
system. SeeBrake System Warning
Light on page 5‑20. If this message
appears, stop as soon as possible
and turn off the vehicle. Restart the
vehicle and check for the message
on the DIC display. If the message
is still displayed or appears again
when you begin driving, the brake
system needs service as soon as
possible. See your dealer.
Cruise Control Messages
CRUISE SET TO XXX
This message displays whenever
the cruise control is set. See Cruise
Control on page 9‑33 for more
information.
Door Ajar Messages
DRIVER DOOR OPEN
This message displays and a
chime sounds if the driver door is
not fully closed and the vehicle is
shifted out of P (Park). Stop and
turn off the vehicle, check the door
for obstructions, and close the door
again. Check to see if the message
still appears on the DIC.
HOOD OPEN
On some models, this message
displays and a chime sounds if the
hood is not fully closed. Stop and
turn off the vehicle, check the hood
for obstructions, and close the hood
again. Check to see if the message
still appears on the DIC.
LEFT REAR DOOR OPEN
This message displays and a chime
sounds if the driver side rear door is
not fully closed and the vehicle is
shifted out of P (Park). Stop and turn
off the vehicle, check the door for
obstructions, and close the door
again. Check to see if the message
still appears on the DIC.
LIFTGATE OPEN
This message displays and a chime
sounds if the liftgate is open while
the ignition is in ON/RUN. Turn off
the vehicle and check the liftgate.
Restart the vehicle and check for
the message on the DIC display.

Black plate (1,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-8
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-11
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-17
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21 Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Shifting Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Parking Over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-25
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Ride Control Systems
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-35
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Gasoline Specifications (U.S.and Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-43
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56

Black plate (7,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-7
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep‐standing or flowing water.
{WARNING
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in
a quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to
drive through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road
is wet enough and you are going
fast enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road. There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
.Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See
Tires on
page 10‑38.
.Turn off cruise control.

Black plate (9,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-9
WARNING (Continued)
that they would not work well.
You would then have poor braking
or even none going down a hill.
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.
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 9‑29 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.

Black plate (27,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-27
This is normal and is due to
the torque converter designed
to improve fuel economy and
performance. Use the brake to
hold the vehicle on a hill. Do not
use the accelerator pedal.
L (Low):This position gives
you access to gear ranges. This
provides more engine braking but
lower fuel economy than D (Drive).
You can use it on very steep hills,
or in deep snow or mud.
Manual Mode
Electronic Range
Select (ERS) Mode
ERS mode allows you to choose
the top-gear limit of the transmission
and the vehicle's speed while
driving down hill or towing a trailer.
The vehicle has an electronic
shift position indicator within the
instrument panel cluster. When
using the ERS Mode a number will
display next to the L, indicating the
current gear that has been selected. To use this feature:
1. Move the shift lever to L (Low).
2. Press the plus/minus button
located on the shift lever, to
increase or decrease the gear
range available.
When you shift from D (Drive) to
L (Low), the transmission will shift to
a pre-determined lower gear range.
The highest gear available for this
pre-determined range is displayed
next to the L in the DIC. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) (With DIC
Buttons) on page 5‑25 orDriver
Information Center (DIC) (Without
DIC Buttons) on page 5‑30 for more
information. The number displayed
in the DIC is the highest gear that
the transmission will be allowed
to operate in. This means that
all gears below that number are
available. For example, when
4 (Fourth) is shown next to the L,
1 (First) through 4 (Fourth) gears are
automatically shifted by the vehicle. The transmission will not shift into
5 (Fifth) until the + (Plus) button is
used or you shift back into D (Drive).
While in L (Low), the transmission
will prevent shifting to a lower gear
range if the engine speed is too
high. You have a brief period of
time to slow the vehicle. If vehicle
speed is not reduced within the time
allowed, the lower gear range shift
will not be completed. You must
further slow the vehicle, then press
the
−(Minus) button to the desired
lower gear range.
Automatic Engine Grade braking
is not available when the ERS is
active. It is available in D (Drive) for
both normal and Tow/Haul mode.
While using the ERS, cruise control
and the tow/haul mode can be used.
See Tow/Haul Mode following.

Black plate (33,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-33
If cruise control is being used when
the system activates, the StabiliTrak
light will flash and cruise control will
automatically disengage. Cruise
control may be reengaged when
road conditions allow. SeeCruise
Control on page 9‑33.
StabiliTrak may also turn off
automatically if it determines that
a problem exists with the system.
If the problem does not clear itself
after restarting the vehicle, see your
dealer for service.Cruise Control
With cruise control, a speed of
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more
can be maintained without keeping
your foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below about 40 km/h (25 mph).
When the brakes are applied, the
cruise control is disengaged.
{WARNING
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. So, do not use
the cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.The cruise control buttons are
located on left side of the steering
wheel.
T(On/Off): Press to turn cruise
control on and off. The indicator
comes on when cruise control is on.
+ RES (Resume/Accelerate):
Press briefly to make the vehicle
resume to a previously set speed,
or press and hold to accelerate.
SET– :Press to set the speed and
activate cruise control or to make
the vehicle decelerate.

Black plate (34,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
9-34 Driving and Operating
[(Cancel):Press to disengage
cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If the cruise button is on when not in
use, it could get bumped and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep the
cruise control switch off when cruise
is not being used.
The cruise control light on the
instrument panel cluster comes on
after the cruise control has been
set to the desired speed.
1. Press the
Ibutton to turn the
cruise control system on.
2. Get up to the speed desired.
3. Press and release the SET– button located on the steering
wheel.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator. Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a
desired speed and then the brakes
are applied, the cruise control is
disengaged without erasing the
set speed from memory.
Once the vehicle speed is 40 km/h
(25 mph) or greater, press the
+RES button on the steering wheel.
The vehicle returns to the previously
set speed and stays there.
Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated,
.Press and hold the +RES button
on the steering wheel until the
desired speed is reached, then
release it.
.To increase vehicle speed in
small increments, press the
+RES button briefly. Each time
this is done, the vehicle goes
about 1.6 km/h (1 mph) faster.Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated,
.Press and hold the SET–
button
on the steering wheel until the
lower speed desired is reached,
then release it.
.To slow down in small amounts,
press the SET– button briefly.
Each time this is done, the
vehicle goes about 1.6 km/h
(1 mph) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase vehicle speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal,
the vehicle will slow down to the
previously set cruise speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control
will work on hills depends upon
the vehicle speed, load, and
the steepness of the hills.

Black plate (35,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-35
When going up steep hills,
you might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain
the vehicle speed. When going
downhill, you might have to brake
or shift to a lower gear to keep the
vehicle speed down. When the
brakes are applied the cruise
control is disengaged.
Ending Cruise Control
There are three ways to end cruise
control:
.Step lightly on the brake pedal.
.Press the[button.
.To turn off the cruise control,
press
Ton the steering wheel.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory by pressing
the
Tbutton or if the ignition is
turned off.
Object Detection
Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist
For vehicles with the Ultrasonic
Rear Parking Assist (URPA) system,
it operates at speeds less than
8 km/h (5 mph), and assists the
driver with parking and avoiding
objects while in R (Reverse).
The sensors on the rear bumper are
used to detect the distance to an
object up to 2.5 m (8 ft) behind the
vehicle, and at least 25.4 cm (10 in)
off the ground.
{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.