
Black plate (8,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
6-8 Lighting
It can increase engine idle speed
to generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce
the power demands of some
accessories.
Normally, these actions occur
in steps or levels, without being
noticeable. In rare cases at the
highest levels of corrective action,
this action may be noticeable
to the driver. If so, a Driver
Information Center (DIC) message
might be displayed, such as
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE,
BATTERY VOLTAGE LOW,
or LOW BATTERY. If one of
these messages displays, it is
recommended that the driver
reduce the electrical loads as
much as possible. SeeDriver
Information Center (DIC) (With
DIC Buttons) on page 5‑25 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Without DIC Buttons) on page 5‑30.Battery Power Protection
This feature helps prevent the
battery from being drained, if the
interior courtesy lamps, reading/map
lamps, visor vanity lamps or trunk
lamp are accidentally left on.
If any of these lamps are left on,
they automatically turn off after
10 minutes, if the ignition is off.
The lamps will not come back on
again until one of the following
occurs:
.The ignition is turned on.
.The exterior lamps control is
turned off, then on again.
The headlamps will timeout after
10 minutes, if they are manually
turned on while the ignition is on
or off.

Black plate (2,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
7-2 Infotainment System
.Set up the tone, speaker
adjustments, and preset
radio stations.
For more information, see Defensive
Driving on page 9‑2.
The vehicle has Retained
Accessory Power (RAP). With RAP,
the audio system can be played
even after the ignition is turned
off. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) on page 9‑21
for more information.
Navigation/Radio System
For vehicles with a navigation radio
system, see the separate Navigation
System manual.
Theft-Deterrent Feature
TheftLock®is designed to
discourage theft of the vehicle's
radio by learning a portion of the
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
The radio does not operate if it
is stolen or moved to a different
vehicle.
Operation
Radio with CD, Radio with CD/USB similar

Black plate (4,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
7-4 Infotainment System
Playing the Radio
O(Power/Volume):Press to turn
the system on and off. Turn to
increase or decrease the volume.
For vehicles with a Rear
Entertainment System (RSE), press
and hold for more than two seconds
to turn off the entire radio and RSE
system and to start the parental
control feature. Parental control
prevents the rear seat occupant
from operating the Rear Seat Audio
(RSA) system or remote control.
A lock symbol displays next to the
clock display while the parental
control feature is being used.
The feature remains on until
Ois
pressed and held for more than
two seconds, or the driver turns the
ignition off and exits the vehicle.
4(Information): Press to switch
the display between the radio
station frequency and the time.
When the ignition is in the OFF
position, press
4to display the time.
For vehicles with XM, MP3, WMA
or RDS features, press
4to display
additional text information related
to the current FM-RDS or XM
station; or CD, MP3 or WMA song.
If information is available during
XM, CD, MP3 or WMA playback,
the song title information displays
on the top line of the display and
artist information displays on the
bottom line. When information is not
available, “NO INFO” is displayed.
Auto Text (Satellite Radio Service,
CD, MP3, and WMA features): If
additional information is available
for the current song being played,
Auto Text will automatically
page/scroll the information every
five seconds above the FAV
presets on the radio display. To activate Auto Text:
1. Press MENU to display the radio
setup menu.
2. Press the softkey under AUTO TXT tab on the radio display.
3. Press the softkey under the ON tab on the radio display.
If
4is pressed and the song title
or artist information is longer than
what can be displayed, the extra
information will page every
five seconds when Auto Text
is activated.
Speed Compensated Volume
(SCV): The Speed Compensated
Volume (SCV) feature automatically
adjusts the radio volume to
compensate for road and wind
noise as the vehicle speeds up
or slows down, so that the
volume level is consistent.

Black plate (16,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
7-16 Infotainment System
Player Error:There are disc LOAD
or disc EJECT problems.
.It is very hot. When the
temperature returns to normal,
the CD should play.
.The road is very rough. When
the road becomes smoother,
the CD should play.
.The CD is dirty, scratched, wet,
or upside down.
.The air is very humid. If so, wait
about an hour and try again.
.There could have been a
problem while burning the CD.
.The label could be caught in the
CD player.
If the CD is not playing correctly
for any other reason, try a known
good CD.
If any error occurs repeatedly or
if an error cannot be corrected,
contact your dealer. If the radio
displays an error message, write it
down and provide it to your dealer
when reporting the problem.
CD/DVD Player
Playing a CD (In Either the
DVD or CD Slot)
Insert a CD partway into the slot,
label side up. The player pulls it in
and the CD should begin playing
(loading a disc into the system,
depending on media type and
format ranges from 5 to 20 seconds
for a CD, and up to 30 seconds
for a DVD to begin playing).
If the ignition or radio is turned off,
while a CD is in the player, it stays
in the player. When the ignition or
radio is turned on, the CD starts
playing where it stopped, if it was
the last selected audio source.
The CD is controlled by the buttons
on the radio faceplate or by the RSA
unit. See Rear Seat Audio (RSA)
System on page 7‑48 for more
information. The DVD/CD decks,
(upper slot is the DVD deck and
the lower slot is the CD deck) of
the radio are compatible with most
audio CDs, CD-R, CD-RW, and
MP3/WMAs. When a CD is inserted, the text
label DVD or CD symbol displays
on the left side of the radio display.
As each new track starts to play,
the track number displays.ZCD (Eject):
Press and release
to eject the disc that is currently
playing. The disc ejects from the
bottom slot. A beep sounds and
Ejecting Disc displays. Once
the disc is ejected, Remove
Disc displays. The disc can be
removed. If the disc is not removed,
after several seconds, the disc
automatically pulls back into the
player.
ZDVD (Eject): Press and
release to eject the disc that is
currently playing in the top slot.
A beep sounds and Ejecting Disc
displays.
If loading and reading of a disc
cannot be completed, and the
disc fails to eject, press and
hold
ZDVD for more than
five seconds to force the disc
to eject.

Black plate (46,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
7-46 Infotainment System
\(Clear):Press within
three seconds after entering a
numeric selection, to clear all
numerical inputs.
}10 (Double Digit Entries): Press
to select chapter or track numbers
greater than nine. Press this button
before entering the number.
If the remote control becomes
lost or damaged, a new universal
remote control can be purchased.
If this happens, make sure the
universal remote control uses a
Toshiba
®code set.
Battery Replacement
To change the remote control
batteries:
1. Slide the rear cover back, on the remote control.
2. Replace the two batteries in the compartment. Make sure that
they are installed correctly, using
the diagram on the inside of the
battery compartment.
3. Replace the battery cover. If the remote control is to be stored for a long period of time, remove the
batteries and keep them in a cool, dry place.
Tips and Troubleshooting Chart
Problem
Recommended Action
There is no power. The ignition might not be turned to
ON/RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY.
The picture does not fill the screen.
There are black borders on the top
and bottom or on both sides, or the
picture looks stretched out. Check the display mode settings
in the setup menu by pressing the
display menu button on the remote
control.
In auxiliary mode, the picture moves
or scrolls. Check the auxiliary input
connections at both devices.
The remote control does not work. Check to make sure there is no obstruction between the remote
control and the transmitter window.
Check the batteries to make sure
they are not dead or installed
incorrectly.

Black plate (57,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Infotainment System 7-57
Ending a Call
Presscxto end a call.
Muting a Call
During a call, all sounds from inside
the vehicle can be muted so that the
person on the other end of the call
cannot hear them.
.To mute a call, pressbg, and
then say “Mute call.”
.To cancel mute, pressbg, and
then say “Un‐mute call.”
Transferring a Call
Audio can be transferred between
the Bluetooth system and the cell
phone.
The cell phone must be paired
and connected with the Bluetooth
system before a call can be
transferred. The connection process
can take up to two minutes after
the ignition is turned to ON/RUN. Transferring Audio from the
Bluetooth System to a Cell Phone
During a call with the audio in the
vehicle:
1. Press
b
g.
2. Say “Transfer Call.”
Transferring Audio to the
Bluetooth System from a Cell
Phone
During a call with the audio on the
cell phone, press
b g. The audio
transfers to the vehicle. If the audio
does not transfer to the vehicle,
use the audio transfer feature on
the cell phone. See your cell phone
manufacturer's user guide for more
information.
Voice Pass-Thru
Voice pass‐thru allows access to
the voice recognition commands on
the cell phone. See your cell phone
manufacturer's user guide to see if
the cell phone supports this feature.
To access contacts stored in the cell
phone:
1. Press and hold
b gfor
two seconds.
2. Say “Bluetooth.” The system
responds “Bluetooth ready,”
followed by a tone.
3. Say “Voice.” The system
responds “OK, accessing
The cell phone's normal prompt
messages will go through their cycle
according to the phone's operating
instructions.

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 (8,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
9-8 Driving and Operating
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention
to your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find
a safe place to park the vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep interior temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving—scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{WARNING
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
{WARNING
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will
have to do all the work of slowing
down and they could get so hot
(Continued)