Page 1 of 468

Black plate (1,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
2012 GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Keys, Doors, and Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-23 Seats and Restraints
. . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Additional Storage Features . . . 4-4
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-46
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-54 Lighting
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13
Rear Seat Infotainment . . . . . . . 7-38
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-49
Trademarks and License Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-57
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-13
Page 7 of 468

Black plate (1,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali 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 . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Second Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Third Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Heated and Ventilated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10 Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Passenger Sensing
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 1-14
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Vehicle Features
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . 1-18
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . 1-19
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 1-20
Storage Compartments . . . . . . 1-21
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Performance and Maintenance
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . 1-22
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 1-23
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Page 8 of 468
Black plate (2,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
1-2 In Brief
Instrument Panel
Page 9 of 468

Black plate (3,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-3
A.Air Vents on page 8‑12.
B. Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑5.
C. Instrument Cluster on
page 5‑12.
D. Head-Up Display (HUD) on
page 5‑33 (If Equipped).
E. Instrument Panel Storage on
page 4‑1.
USB Port (Inside IP Storage).
Auxiliary Devices on page 7‑36.
F. Infotainment on page 7‑1.
Navigation/Radio System
(If Equipped). See the separate
navigation manual.
G. Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
H. Hood Release. See Hood on
page 10‑4.
I. Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6‑5. J. Data Link Connector (DLC)
(Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑18.
K. Cruise Control on page 9‑32.
L. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5‑2.
M. Horn on page 5‑5.
N. Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑2.
O. Driver Information Center (DIC) Buttons (If Equipped). See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Without DIC Buttons) on
page 5‑30 orDriver Information
Center (DIC) (With DIC Buttons)
on page 5‑25.
P. Dual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑4.
Q. Console Shift Lever (If Equipped). See “Console
Shift Lever” underShifting Into
Park on page 9‑20. R.
Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6‑4.
S. Power Outlets on page 5‑9.
T. Rear Window Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑6.
Traction Control System
(TCS) Disable Button.
See StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑30.
Tow/Haul Button (If Equipped).
See Tow/Haul Mode on
page 9‑26.
Power Liftgate Button
(If Equipped). See Liftgate on
page 2‑10.
U. Heated and Ventilated
Front Seats on page 3‑9
(If Equipped).
V. Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 5‑17
(If Equipped).
Page 17 of 468
Black plate (11,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-11
Safety Belts
Refer to the following sections for
important information on how to use
safety belts properly:
.Safety Belts on page 3‑15.
.How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly on page 3‑16.
.Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 3‑17.
.Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑46.
Passenger Sensing
System
United States
Canada and Mexico
The passenger sensing system will
turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag under certain
conditions. The driver airbag, seat‐mounted side impact
airbags, and roof‐rail airbags are
not affected by the passenger
sensing system.
The passenger airbag status
indicator will be visible on the
instrument panel when the vehicle
is started. See
Passenger Sensing
System on page 3‑31 for more
information.
Page 19 of 468

Black plate (13,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-13
Interior Mirror
The automatic dimming rearview
mirror reduces the glare from
other vehicle headlamps. Each time
the vehicle is started, the dimming
feature comes on.
SeeAutomatic Dimming Rearview
Mirror on page 2‑20.
Steering Wheel
Adjustment
To adjust the steering wheel:
1. Pull the lever (A) down.
2. Move the steering wheel up or down. 3. Pull or push the steering wheel
closer or away from you.
4. Push the lever (A) up to lock the steering wheel in place.
Do not adjust the steering wheel
while driving.
Interior Lighting
Dome Lamps
The dome lamps are located in the
overhead console and above the
rear seat passengers.
The dome lamps come on when a
door is opened, unless the dome
lamp override button is pressed in.
To manually turn them on, turn the
instrument panel brightness control
clockwise to the farthest position. Dome Lamp Override
The dome lamp override button is
next to the exterior lamps control.
E
DOME OFF: Press the top of the
button in and the dome lamps
remain off when a door is opened.
An indicator light on the button
comes on to show that the dome
lamps are off. Press near the bottom
of the button so the dome lamps
come on when a door is opened.
Page 20 of 468

Black plate (14,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
1-14 In Brief
Reading Lamps
Press the button near each lamp to
turn them on or off.
For more information, see:
.Dome Lamps on page 6‑5.
.Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6‑5.
Exterior Lighting
The exterior lamps control is located
on the instrument panel, to the left
of the steering wheel.
O:Turns the automatic light
control on or off. AUTO:
Automatic operation of the
headlamps at normal brightness and
other exterior lamps.
;: Manual operation of the
parking lamps and other exterior
lamps.
5: Manual operation of the
headlamps and other exterior
lamps.
#: Use to turn on or off the fog
lamps (if equipped).
For more information, see:
.Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
.Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)/
Automatic Headlamp System on
page 6‑3.
.Fog Lamps on page 6‑5.
Windshield Wiper/Washer
The windshield wiper/washer lever
is located on the left side of the
steering column.
Turn the band with the wiper symbol
to control the windshield wipers.
8: Use for a single wiping cycle.
9:Use to turn the wipers off.
6:Delays wiping cycle. Turn the
band up for more frequent wipes or
down for less frequent wipes.
1: Slow wipes.
2: Fast wipes.
Page 21 of 468
Black plate (15,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-15
Windshield Washer
J:Press the button at the end of
the turn signal/lane change lever to
spray washer fluid on the
windshield.
Rear Window Wiper/Washer
The rear wiper and rear wash button
is located on the instrument panel
below the climate control system.
Z: Press to turn the rear wiper on
and off. The wiper speed cannot be
changed.
Y: Press to spray washer fluid on
the rear window. The window wiper
will also come on.
See Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑5 andRear Window
Wiper/Washer on page 5‑6.
Climate Controls
A. Fan Control
B. Temperature Control
C. Air Delivery Mode Control D. Air Conditioning
E. REAR (Rear Climate Control)
F. Recirculation
G. Rear Window Defogger