
Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
Customer Information 13-7
Coverage
Services are provided up to 5 years/
160 000 km (100,000 mi), whichever
comes first.
In the U.S., anyone driving the
vehicle is covered. In Canada, a
person driving the vehicle without
permission from the owner is not
covered.
Roadside Assistance is not a part of
the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Chevrolet and General Motors of
Canada Limited reserve the right to
make any changes or discontinue
the Roadside Assistance program at
any time without notification.
Chevrolet and General Motors of
Canada Limited reserve the right to
limit services or payment to an
owner or driver if they decide the
claims are made too often, or the
same type of claim is made many
times.
Services Provided
.Emergency Fuel Delivery:
Delivery of enough fuel for the
vehicle to get to the nearest
service station.
.Lock‐Out Service:Service to
unlock the vehicle if you are
locked out. A remote unlock may
be available if you have OnStar.
For security reasons, the driver
must present identification
before this service is given.
.Emergency Tow from a Public
Road or Highway: Tow to the
nearest Chevrolet dealer for
warranty service, or if the vehicle
was in a crash and cannot be
driven. Assistance is also given
when the vehicle is stuck in the
sand, mud, or snow.
.Flat Tire Change: Service to
change a flat tire with the spare
tire. The spare tire, if equipped,
must be in good condition and
properly inflated. It is the owner's
responsibility for the repair or
replacement of the tire if it is not
covered by the warranty.
.Battery Jump Start: Service to
jump start a dead battery.
Services Not Included in
Roadside Assistance
.Impound towing caused by
violation of any laws.
.Legal fines.
.Mounting, dismounting,
or changing of snow tires,
chains, or other traction devices.
.Towing or services for vehicles
driven on a non-public road or
highway.

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
13-10 Customer Information
Courtesy Rental Vehicle
Your dealer may arrange to provide
you with a courtesy rental vehicle or
reimburse you for a rental vehicle
that you obtain if the vehicle is kept
for an overnight warranty repair.
Rental reimbursement will be limited
and must be supported by original
receipts. This requires that you sign
and complete a rental agreement
and meet state/provincial, local, and
rental vehicle provider requirements.
Requirements vary and may include
minimum age requirements,
insurance coverage, credit card, etc.
You are responsible for fuel usage
charges and may also be
responsible for taxes, levies, usage
fees, excessive mileage, or rental
usage beyond the completion of the
repair.
It may not be possible to provide a
like vehicle as a courtesy rental.Additional Program
Information
All program options, such as shuttle
service, may not be available at
every dealer. Please contact your
dealer for specific information about
availability. All Courtesy
Transportation arrangements will be
administered by appropriate dealer
personnel.
General Motors reserves the right to
unilaterally modify, change,
or discontinue Courtesy
Transportation at any time and to
resolve all questions of claim
eligibility pursuant to the terms and
conditions described herein at its
sole discretion.
Collision Damage Repair
If the vehicle is involved in a
collision and it is damaged, have the
damage repaired by a qualified
technician using the proper
equipment and quality replacement
parts. Poorly performed collision
repairs diminish the vehicle resale
value, and safety performance can
be compromised in subsequent
collisions.
Collision Parts
Genuine GM Collision parts are new
parts made with the same materials
and construction methods as the
parts with which the vehicle was
originally built. Genuine GM
Collision parts are the best choice to
ensure that the vehicle's designed
appearance, durability, and safety
are preserved. The use of Genuine
GM parts can help maintain the GM
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.

Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
Customer Information 13-13
Service Publications
Ordering Information
Service Manuals
Service Manuals have the diagnosis
and repair information on the
engines, transmission, axle,
suspension, brakes, electrical,
steering, body, etc.
Service Bulletins
Service Bulletins give additional
technical service information
needed to knowledgeably service
General Motors cars and trucks.
Each bulletin contains instructions
to assist in the diagnosis and
service of the vehicle.
Owner Information
Owner publications are written
specifically for owners and intended
to provide basic operational
information about the vehicle. The
Owner Manual includes the
Maintenance Schedule for all
models.
In-Portfolio: Includes a Portfolio,
Owner Manual, and Warranty
Booklet.
RETAIL SELL PRICE:
$35.00 (U.S.) plus handling and
shipping fees.
Without Portfolio: Owner
Manual only.
RETAIL SELL PRICE:
$25.00 (U.S.) plus handling and
shipping fees.
Current and Past Models
Technical Service Bulletins and
Manuals are available for current
and past model GM vehicles.
ORDER TOLL FREE:
1-800-551-4123 Monday–Friday
8:00 AM –6:00 PM Eastern Time
For Credit Card Orders Only
(VISA-MasterCard-Discover), visit
Helm, Inc. at: www.helminc.com.
Or write to:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
Prices are subject to change without
notice and without incurring
obligation. Allow ample time for
delivery.
All listed prices are quoted in U.S.
funds. Make checks payable in U.S.
funds.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
OnStar 14-7
OnStar Personal Identification
Number (PIN)
A PIN is needed to access some of
the OnStar services, like Remote
Door Unlock and Stolen Vehicle
Assistance. You will be prompted to
change the PIN the first time when
speaking with an Advisor. To
change the OnStar PIN, call OnStar
and provide the Advisor with the
current number.
Warranty
OnStar equipment may be
warranted as part of the new-vehicle
limited warranty. The manufacturer
of the vehicle furnishes detailed
warranty information.
Languages
The vehicle can be programmed to
respond in French or Spanish. Push
Qand ask an Advisor. Advisors
can speak French or Spanish.
Potential Issues
Some OnStar services are disabled
after five days. OnStar cannot
perform Remote Door Unlock or
Stolen Vehicle Assistance after the
vehicle has been off continuously
for five days. After five days, OnStar
can contact Roadside Assistance
and a locksmith to help gain access
to the vehicle.
Global Positioning
System (GPS)
.Obstruction of the GPS can
occur in a large city with tall
buildings; in parking garages;
around airports; in tunnels,
underpasses, or parking
garages; or in an area with very
dense trees. If GPS signals are
not available, the OnStar system
should still operate to call
OnStar. However, OnStar could
have difficulty identifying the
exact location.
.In emergency situations, OnStar
can use the last stored GPS
location to send to emergency
responders.
.A temporary loss of GPS can
cause loss of the ability to send
a Turn-by-Turn Navigation route.
The Advisor may give a verbal
route or may ask for a call back
after the vehicle is driven into an
open area.

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
INDEX i-5
Fuel (cont'd)Recommended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Requirements, California . . . . . 9-52
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Fuel Economy Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36 Engine CompartmentFuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
G
GasolineSpecifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Gauges Engine Coolant
Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Warning Lights and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8 General Information
Service and Maintenance . . . . . 11-1
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
H
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . 6-3
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
HeadlampsAiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Headlamps, Front Turn
Signal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Heated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15 Heater
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Heating and Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1, 8-3
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . 9-12
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Ignition Transmission LockCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Infants and Young Children,
Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Instrument Panel Storage Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
i-6 INDEX
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
K
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . . . 5-30
Keyless EntryRemote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . 2-3
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . 10-43
Lamps Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . 6-2
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 5-14
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Lane Departure Warning . . . . . . . 9-48
Lane Departure Warning
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15 LATCH System
Replacing Parts after a
Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-49
LATCH, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . 3-43
Liftgate Carbon Monoxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Lighting Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Lights
Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Antilock Brake System(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 5-17
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Front Fog Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
Lane Departure Warning . . . . . . 5-18 Lights (cont'd)
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 5-12
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
StabiliTrak
®OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®. . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Traction Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Locks Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-22
Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5 Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
INDEX i-11
T
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
TaillampsBulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . 13-4
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . 2-13 Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Tires Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Compact Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-73
Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-64
Inflation Monitor System . . . . 10-53
Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Pressure Monitor System . . . 10-51
Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43 Tires (cont'd)
Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-62
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-62
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Towing Driving Characteristics . . . . . . . . 9-57
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-63
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 9-56
Recreational Vehicle . . . . . . . . 10-78
Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . 9-63
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . 9-35
Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19 Trailer
Sway Control (TSC) . . . . . . . . . . 9-63
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-60
Transmission Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Fluid, Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Transportation Program, Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-9
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Turn Signal Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
U
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . . . 9-43
Uniform Tire QualityGrading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Using This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv