
Black plate (38,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
5-38 Instruments and Controls
Remote Lock/Unlock/Start
Select Remote Lock/Unlock/Start
and the following will be displayed:
.Remote Unlock Light Feedback
.Remote Lock Feedback
.Remote Door Unlock
.Memory Remote Recall
Remote Unlock Light Feedback
When on, the exterior lamps will
flash when unlocking the vehicle
with the RKE transmitter.
Press the MENU/SELECT knob
when “Remote Unlock Light
Feedback” is highlighted. Turn the
knob to select “Flash Lights”or
“Off.” Press the knob to confirm and
go back to the last menu.
Remote Lock Feedback
This allows selection of what type of
feedback is given when unlocking
the vehicle with the RKE transmitter.
Press the MENU/SELECT knob
when “Remote Lock Feedback” is
highlighted. Turn the knob to select “Lights and Horn,” “Lights Only,”
“Horn Only,”
or“Off. ”Press the knob
to confirm and go back to the
last menu.
Remote Door Unlock
This allows selection of which doors
will unlock when pressing the unlock
button on the RKE transmitter.
Press the MENU/SELECT knob
when “Remote Door Unlock” is
highlighted. Turn the knob to select
“All Doors” or“Driver Door.” Press
the knob to confirm and go back to
the last menu.
Memory Remote Recall
This allows the Memory Remote
Recall feature to be turned on or off.
When on, this feature will recall the
current driver's last seat, outside
mirrors upon unlocking the driver
door with the RKE, and opening that
door. The current driver is identified
when the RKE transmitter is used to
unlock the driver door. See “MemoryRemote Recall”
underPower Seat
Adjustment on page 3‑4 for more
information.
Memory Remote Recall is when the
memorized settings will be recalled
as you unlock the vehicle.
Press the MENU/SELECT knob
when “Memory Remote Recall” is
highlighted to toggle between “On”
or “Off.” Press
EBACK to confirm
the selection and go back to the
last menu.
Return to Factory Settings
Select “Return to Factory Settings”
to return all of the vehicle
personalization to the default
settings. Turn the knob to select
“Yes” or“No.” Press the knob to
confirm and go back to the
last menu.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
9-6 Driving and Operating
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
.Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly
steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. The vehicle may
straighten out. Be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
.Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues—such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt.
.Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
All-wheel-drive vehicles can be
used for off-road driving. Vehicles
without all-wheel drive and vehicles
not equipped with All Terrain (AT) or
On-Off Road (OOR) tires must not
be driven off-road except on a level,
solid surface. To contact the tire
manufacturer for more information
about the original equipment tires,
see the Limited Warranty and
Owner Assistance Information
manual.
Controlling the vehicle is the key to
successful off-road driving. One of
the best ways to control the vehicle
is to control the speed.
{WARNING
When driving off-road, bouncing
and quick changes in direction
can easily throw you out of
position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash. You and
your passengers should always
wear safety belts.
Before Driving Off-Road
.Have all necessary maintenance
and service work completed.
.Fuel the vehicle, fill fluid levels,
and check inflation pressure in
all tires, including the spare,
if equipped.
.Read all the information about
all-wheel-drive vehicles in this
manual.
.Make sure all underbody
shields, if equipped, are properly
attached.
.Know the local laws that apply to
off-road driving.

Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
9-12 Driving and Operating
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. SeeTires on
page 10‑42.
.Turn off cruise control.
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 the 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.

Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
9-14 Driving and Operating
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use theRoadside
Assistance Program on page 13‑6.
To get help and keep everyone in
the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{WARNING
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
Carbon Monoxide (CO) which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
.Clear away snow from around
the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe.
.Check again from time to
time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
.Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the
wind to bring in fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
.Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
circulates the air inside the
vehicle and set the fan speed
to the highest setting. See
Climate Control System in the
Index.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑28.
Snow can trap exhaust gases
under your vehicle. This can
cause deadly CO (Carbon
Monoxide) gas to get inside. CO
could overcome you and kill you.
You cannot see it or smell it, so
you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking the
exhaust.
Run the engine for short periods
only as needed to keep warm, but
be careful.

Black plate (41,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-41
The forward-looking FCA camera
sensor is on the windshield ahead
of the rearview mirror. FCA detects
vehicles within a distance of
approximately 60 m (197 ft) and
operates at speeds above 40 km/h
(25 mph).
{WARNING
FCA is a warning system and
does not apply the brakes. When
approaching a slower-moving or
stopped vehicle ahead too rapidly,
or when following a vehicle too
closely, FCA may not provide
enough time to avoid a crash.
FCA does not warn of any objects
that do not look like a vehicle to
the FCA camera sensor, such as
pedestrians, animals, signs,
guardrails, bridges, construction
barrels, or other objects. Be ready
to take action and apply the
brakes. For more information, see
Defensive Driving on page 9‑3.
{WARNING
There are conditions where FCA
may not detect a vehicle ahead.
These include winding roads or
weather conditions such as fog,
rain, or snow that can limit
visibility. You could crash into a
vehicle ahead. Do not rely on
FCA on winding roads or in poor
visibility conditions.Collision Alert
When your vehicle approaches
another vehicle too rapidly, the red
FCA display will flash and sound
several beeps. When this occurs,
the brake system prepares for driver
braking to occur more rapidly.
Continue to apply the brake pedal
as the driving situation dictates.
Tailgating Alert
The red FCA display will stay
continuously illuminated if the
vehicle ahead remains much too
close.

Black plate (43,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-43
Unnecessary Alerts
FCA may sometimes set
unnecessary alerts to turning
vehicles, vehicles in other lanes,
objects that are not vehicles,
or shadows. These alerts are
normal operation and the vehicle
does not need service.
Other Messages
There are messages that may
appear on the Driver Information
Center (DIC) in the instrument
cluster to provide information about
FCA. SeeObject Detection System
Messages on page 5‑30.
Cleaning the System
If the FCA system does not seem to
operate properly, clean the outside
of the windshield area in front of the
camera sensor before considering
taking the vehicle in for service.
Ultrasonic Parking Assist
For vehicles with the Ultrasonic
Rear Parking Assist (URPA) system,
it assists the driver with parking and
avoiding objects while in
R (Reverse). URPA operates at
speeds less than 8 km/h (5 mph),
and the sensors on the rear bumper
detect objects up to 2.5 m (8 ft)
behind the vehicle, and at least
20 cm (8 in) off the ground.
{WARNING
The URPA system does not
detect pedestrians, bicyclists,
animals, or any other objects
located below the bumper or that
are too close or too far from the
vehicle. To prevent injury, death,
or vehicle damage, even with
URPA, always check behind the
vehicle and check all mirrors
before backing.
How the System Works
URPA comes on automatically when
the shift lever is moved into
R (Reverse). A single tone sounds
to indicate the system is working.
URPA operates only at speeds less
than 8 km/h (5 mph).
An obstacle is indicated by audible
beeps. The interval between the
beeps becomes shorter as the
vehicle gets closer to the obstacle.
When the distance is less than
30 cm (12 in) the beeping is a
continuous tone for five seconds.
To be detected, objects must be at
least 20 cm (8 in) off the ground and
below liftgate level. Objects must
also be within 2.5 m (8 ft) from the
rear bumper. The distance objects
can be detected may be less during
warmer or humid weather.

Black plate (49,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-49
When the vehicle crosses a
detected lane marking, the LDW
indicator will flash and three beeps
will sound. LDW will not warn if the
turn signal is on or if a sharp
maneuver is made.
How the System Works
The LDW camera sensor is on the
windshield ahead of the rearview
mirror.
To turn LDW on and off, press the
LANE DEPART control on the
steering wheel. The control indicator
will light when LDW is on.When the vehicle is started, the
LDW indicator on the instrument
panel will come on briefly.
LDW operates at speeds of 56 km
(35 mph) or greater. If LDW is on,
the LDW indicator will appear green
if the system detects a left or right
lane marking. This indicator will
change to amber, flash, and three
beeps will sound if the vehicle
crosses a detected lane marking
without using the turn signal.

Black plate (58,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
9-58 Driving and Operating
.The vehicle can tow in D (Drive).
Use a lower gear if the
transmission shifts too often.
.Do not use the Fuel Saver Mode
when towing.
.Obey speed limit restrictions. Do
not drive faster than the
maximum posted speed for
trailers, or no more than 90 km/h
(55 mph), to reduce wear on the
vehicle.
.For vehicles with the Ultra Rear
Parking Assist (URPA) system,
turn the system off when towing
a trailer. If the tow bar is
installed while not towing a
trailer, change the URPA system
to the“Tow Bar” setting. See
Ultrasonic Parking Assist on
page 9‑43 for more information.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires experience.
Get familiar with handling and
braking with the added trailer
weight. The vehicle is now longer
and not as responsive as the
vehicle is by itself.
Check all trailer hitch parts and
attachments, safety chains,
electrical connectors, lamps, tires
and mirror adjustments. If the trailer
has electric brakes, start the vehicle
and trailer moving and then apply
the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure the brakes are working.
During the trip, check regularly to be
sure that the load is secure, and the
lamps and trailer brakes are working
properly.
Towing with a Stability Control
System
When towing, the sound of the
stability control system might be
heard. The system is reacting to the
vehicle movement caused by the
trailer, which mainly occurs during
cornering. This is normal when
towing heavier trailers.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid situations
that require heavy braking and
sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. Because the
rig is longer, it is necessary to go
farther beyond the passed vehicle
before returning to the lane.