
Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-1
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Heated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12 Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Steering Wheel
Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 1-15
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Vehicle Features
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . 1-20
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . 1-21
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22 Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 1-24
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Performance and Maintenance
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . 1-25
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 1-26
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 1-26
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-3
A.Air Vents on page 8‑5.
B. Turn and Lane‐Change Lever. See Turn and Lane-Change
Signals on page 6‑3.
Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
Fog Lamps on page 6‑4 (If
Equipped).
C. Instrument Cluster on page 5‑9.
D. Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑3.
Rear Window Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑4.
E. Power Door Locks on page 2‑7.
F. Instrument Panel Storage on
page 4‑1 (If Equipped).
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
Display (If Equipped). See
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System on page 9‑40.
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
Indicator (If Equipped). See
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
on page 9‑48. G. Navigation Screen (If
Equipped).
H. Safety Locks on page 2‑8.
I. Infotainment on page 7‑1.
Navigation System (If
Equipped). See Navigation
System Manual.
J. Hood Release. See Hood on
page 10‑5.
K. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑14.
L. Cruise Control on page 9‑38.
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System on page 9‑40 (If
Equipped).
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
on page 9‑48 (If Equipped).
M. Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6‑4.
N. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5‑2.
O. Horn on page 5‑3. P.
Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑2.
Q. Ignition Positions on page 9‑21.
R. Climate Control Systems on
page 8‑1 (If Equipped).
Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑3 (If
Equipped).
S. Shift Lever. See Shifting Into
Park on page 9‑26.
T. Fuel Economy Mode on
page 9‑31 (If Equipped).
U. StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑36.
V. Power Outlets on page 5‑7.
W. CD Player on page 7‑23.
X. Driver Information Center Buttons (If Equipped). See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
on page 5‑24.
Y. Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6‑3.

Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
1-22 In Brief
Cruise Control
ON/OFF5CRUISE :Press to turn
the cruise control system on and off.
*CANCEL : Press to disengage
cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory.
RES/+: Move the thumbwheel up to
make the vehicle resume to a
previously set speed or to
accelerate. SET/−
:Move the thumbwheel
down toward SET/- to set a speed
and activate cruise control, or to
make the vehicle decelerate.
See Cruise Control on page 9‑38.
Navigation System
If the vehicle has a navigation
system, there is a separate
navigation system manual that
includes information on the radio,
audio players, and navigation
system.
The navigation system provides
detailed maps of most major
freeways and roads. After a
destination has been set, the
system provides turn-by-turn
instructions for reaching the
destination. In addition, the system
can help locate a variety of points of
interest (POIs), such as banks,
airports, restaurants, and more.
See the navigation system manual
for more information.
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
The DIC display is located in the
center of the instrument panel
cluster. It shows the status of many
vehicle systems.
The DIC buttons are located below
the climate control system.
MENU: Press this button to get to
the Trip/Fuel Menu and the Vehicle
Information Menu.

Black plate (27,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-27
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Roadside Assistance
Program
U.S.:1-800-243-8872
TTY Users: 1-888-889-2438
Canada: 1-800-268-6800
As the owner of a new Chevrolet,
you are automatically enrolled in the
Roadside Assistance program.
See Roadside Assistance Program
on page 13‑6 for more information.
Roadside Assistance and OnStar
If you have an active OnStar
subscription, press the
Qbutton
and the current GPS location will be
sent to an OnStar advisor who will
assess your problem, contact
Roadside Assistance, and relay
your exact location to get the help
you need. Online Owner Center
The Online Owner Center is a
complimentary service that includes
online service reminders, vehicle
maintenance tips, online owner
manual, special privileges,
and more.
Sign up today at:
U.S.:
chevrolet.com (Click on
"Owners," then "Manage My
Chevrolet/Owners Login")
Canada: chevroletowner.ca
OnStar®
If equipped, this vehicle has a
comprehensive, in-vehicle system
that can connect to a live Advisor
for Emergency, Security, Navigation,
Connection, and Diagnostic
Services. See OnStar Overview on
page 14‑1 for more information.

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-5
Reverse Gear Wipes
If the rear wiper control is off, the
rear wiper will automatically operate
continuously when the shift lever is
in R (Reverse), and the front
windshield wiper is performing low
or high speed wipes. If the rear
wiper control is off, the shift lever is
in R (Reverse), and the front
windshield wiper is performing
interval wipes, then the rear wiper
automatically performs interval
wipes.
The windshield washer reservoir is
used for the windshield and the rear
window. Check the fluid level in the
reservoir if either washer is not
working. SeeWasher Fluid on
page 10‑23.Compass
The vehicle may have a compass
display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC). The compass receives
its heading and other information
from the Global Positioning
System (GPS) antenna, StabiliTrak,
and vehicle speed information.
Avoid covering the GPS antenna for
long periods of time with objects
that may interfere with the antenna's
ability to receive a satellite signal.
See Multi-Band Antenna on
page 7‑23 for the location of the
vehicle's antenna. The compass
system is designed to operate for a
certain number of miles or degrees
of turn before needing a signal from
the GPS satellites. When the
compass display shows CAL, drive
the vehicle for a short distance in an
open area where it can receive a
GPS signal. The compass system
will automatically determine when a GPS signal is restored and provide
a heading again. See
Compass
Messages on page 5‑28 for more
information on the messages that
may be displayed for the compass.
Clock
The infotainment system controls,
located on the instrument panel, are
used to access the time and date
settings through the menu system.
See Operation on page 7‑10 for
information about how to use the
menu system.
For vehicles with a navigation
system, see the separate navigation
manual to set the clock.

Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
5-26 Instruments and Controls
Turn-by-Turn
This display is used for the OnStar
or Navigation System Turn-by-Turn
guidance. SeeOnStar Overview on
page 14‑1 or the Navigation manual,
if the vehicle has navigation, for
more information.
Blank Display
This display shows no information.
Vehicle Information Menu
Items
Press the MENU button until Vehicle
Information Menu is displayed. Then
press
Rto scroll through the
following menu items:
.Unit
.Tire Pressure
.Remaining Oil Life
.Blank Display Unit
Press SET/CLR to enter the unit
menu. Then press
QorRto switch
between METRIC or US when the
Unit display is active. Press SET/
CLR to confirm the setting. This will
change the displays on the cluster
and DIC to either metric or
English (US) measurements.
Tire Pressure
The display will show a vehicle with
the approximate pressures of all
four tires. Tire pressure is displayed
in either kilopascal (kPa) or in
pounds per square inch (psi).
See Tire Pressure Monitor System
on page 10‑51 andTire Pressure
Monitor Operation on page 10‑53 for
more information. Remaining Oil Life
This display shows an estimate of
the oil's remaining useful life.
If REMAINING OIL LIFE 99% is
displayed, that means 99% of the
current oil life remains.
When the remaining oil life is low,
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the display.
See
Engine Oil Messages on
page 5‑29. The oil should be
changed as soon as possible. See
Engine Oil on page 10‑10. In
addition to the engine oil life system
monitoring the oil life, additional
maintenance is recommended in the
Maintenance Schedule in this
manual. See Maintenance Schedule
on page 11‑3 for more information.
Remember, the Oil Life display must
be reset after each oil change. It will
not reset itself. Also, be careful not
to reset the Oil Life display
accidentally at any time other than
when the oil has just been changed.

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
7-2 Infotainment System
To minimize taking your eyes off the
road while driving, do the following
while the vehicle is parked:
.Become familiar with the
operation and controls of the
audio system.
.Set up the tone, speaker
adjustments, and preset radio
stations.
For more information, see Defensive
Driving on page 9‑3.
This vehicle's infotainment system
may be equipped with a noise
reduction system which can work
improperly if the audio amplifier,
engine calibrations, exhaust system,
microphones, radio, or speakers are
modified or replaced. This could
result in more noticeable engine
noise at certain speeds. Notice:
Contact your dealer
before adding any equipment.
Adding audio or communication
equipment could interfere with
the operation of the engine, radio,
or other systems, and could
damage them. Follow federal
rules covering mobile radio and
telephone equipment.
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 9‑25 for more
information.
Navigation System
For vehicles with a navigation
system, see the separate navigation
manual.
Theft-Deterrent Feature
The theft-deterrent feature works by
learning a portion of the Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN) to the
infotainment system. The
infotainment system does not
operate if it is stolen or moved to a
different vehicle.

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2012
Infotainment System 7-5
Overview (Radio with CD
and Touchscreen)
For vehicles equipped with the
MyLink®or IntelliLink®infotainment
system, see the separate MyLink/
IntelliLink Features and Functions
Guide for more information.
Keeping your eyes on the road and
your mind on the drive is important
for safe driving. The infotainment
system has built-in features
intended to help with this by
disabling some features when
driving. A grayed-out function is not
available when the vehicle is
moving. All functions are available when the
vehicle is parked. Do the following
before driving:.Become familiar with the
infotainment system operation,
buttons on the faceplate, and
touch-sensitive screen buttons.
.Set up the audio by presetting
favorite stations, setting the
tone, and adjusting the
speakers.
.Set up phone numbers in
advance so they can be called
easily by pressing a single
button or a single voice
command for vehicles equipped
with phone capability.
{WARNING
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often while using the
navigation system could cause a
crash and you or others could be
injured or killed. Focus your
attention on driving and limit
glances at the moving map on the
navigation screen. Use voice
guidance whenever possible.
Infotainment System Overview
The infotainment system is
controlled by using the buttons on
the faceplate and the touch screen.
See
“Infotainment Control Buttons”
in this section for more information.