2012 GMC ACADIA open hood

Black plate (7,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-7
Shutting the Engine Off After a
Remote Start
To manually shut off a remote start:
.Aim the RKE transmitter at the
vehicle and press
/until the
parking lamps turn off.
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Turn the ignition switch on and
then off.
Conditions in Which the
Remote Start Will Not Work
The vehicle cannot be started using
the remote start feature if the key is
in the ignition, the hood is open, or if
there is an emission control system
malfunction.
The engine turns off during a remote
start if the coolant temperature
gets too high or if the oil pressure
gets low.
Door Locks
{WARNING
Unlocked doors can be
dangerous.
.Passengers, especially
children, can easily open the
doors and fall out of a moving
vehicle. When a door is
locked, the handle will not
open it. The chance of being
thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash is increased if the
doors are not locked. So,
all passengers should wear
safety belts properly and the
doors should be locked
whenever the vehicle is
driven.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Young children who get into
unlocked vehicles may be
unable to get out. A child can
be overcome by extreme heat
and can suffer permanent
injuries or even death from
heat stroke. Always lock the
vehicle whenever leaving it.
.Outsiders can easily enter
through an unlocked door
when you slow down or stop
the vehicle. Locking the doors
can help prevent this from
happening.
To lock or unlock a door, use the
key from the outside or the door
lock from the inside.

Black plate (38,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
5-38 Instruments and Controls
Brake System Messages
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
This message displays along with
the brake system warning light if
there is a problem with the brake
system. SeeBrake System Warning
Light on page 5‑21. If this message
appears, stop as soon as possible
and turn off the vehicle. Restart the
vehicle and check for the message
on the DIC display. If the message
is still displayed or appears again
when you begin driving, the brake
system needs service as soon as
possible. See your dealer.
Cruise Control Messages
CRUISE SET TO XXX
This message displays whenever
the cruise control is set. See Cruise
Control on page 9‑32 for more
information.
Door Ajar Messages
DRIVER DOOR OPEN
This message displays and a chime
sounds if the driver door is not fully
closed and the vehicle is shifted out
of P (Park). Stop and turn off the
vehicle, check the door for
obstructions, and close the door
again. Check to see if the message
still appears on the DIC.
HOOD OPEN
On some models, this message
displays and a chime sounds if the
hood is not fully closed. Stop and
turn off the vehicle, check the hood
for obstructions, and close the hood
again. Check to see if the message
still appears on the DIC.
LEFT REAR DOOR OPEN
This message displays and a
chime sounds if the driver side rear
door is not fully closed and the
vehicle is shifted out of P (Park). Stop and turn off the vehicle, check
the door for obstructions, and close
the door again. Check to see if the
message still appears on the DIC.
LIFTGATE OPEN
This message displays and a chime
sounds if the liftgate is open while
the ignition is in ON/RUN. Turn off
the vehicle and check the liftgate.
Restart the vehicle and check for
the message on the DIC display.
PASSENGER DOOR OPEN
This message displays and a chime
sounds if the passenger door is
not fully closed and the vehicle is
shifted out of P (Park). Stop and turn
off the vehicle, check the door for
obstructions, and close the door
again. Check to see if the message
still appears on the DIC.
POWER LIFTGATE OFF
This message displays when the
power liftgate has been turned off
by pressing the power liftgate button
on the center console.

Black plate (12,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
8-12 Climate Controls
N(Air Delivery Mode Control):
Press to manually change the
direction of the airflow. Repeatedly
press the button until the desired
mode appears on the display.
H(Vent): Air is directed through
the overhead outlets.
)(Bi-Level): Air is directed
through the rear floor outlets, as
well as the overhead outlets.
6(Floor): Air is directed through
the floor outlets. The rear system
floor outlets are located under the
third row seats.
Air Vents
Use the slider switch in the center of
the outlet, to change the direction of
the airflow. Use the thumbwheel
near the outlet to control the amount
of airflow or to shut off the airflow.
Keep all outlets open whenever
possible for best system
performance.
Operation Tips
.Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from the air inlets at
the base of the windshield that
can block the flow of air into the
vehicle.
.Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
.Keep the path under all seats
clear of objects to help circulate
the air inside the vehicle more
effectively.
.If fogging reoccurs while in
vent or bi-level modes with
mild temperature throughout
the vehicle, turn on the air
conditioner to reduce windshield
fogging.

Black plate (19,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-19
If the vehicle starts briefly but
then stops again, repeat these
steps. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine.
Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Notice: The engine is designed to
work with the electronics in the
vehicle. If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates.
Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your
dealer. If you do not, the engine
might not perform properly.
Any resulting damage would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty.Engine Heater
The engine coolant heater can
provide easier starting and better
fuel economy during engine
warm-up in cold weather conditions
at or below 0°F (−18°C). Vehicles
with an engine coolant heater
should be plugged in at least four
hours before starting. Some models
may have an internal thermostat in
the cord which will prevent engine
coolant heater operation at
temperatures above 0°F (−18°C).
To Use the Engine Coolant
Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The cord is
located on the driver side of the
engine compartment. It is routed
around the windshield washer
fluid reservoir.
3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{WARNING
Plugging the cord into an
ungrounded outlet could cause an
electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could
overheat and cause a fire. You
could be seriously injured. Plug
the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet.
If the cord will not reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension
cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine parts.
If you do not, it could be
damaged.
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer in the
area where you will be parking the
vehicle for the best advice on this.

Black plate (4,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
10-4 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to work on
your vehicle if you do not have
the proper knowledge, service
manual, tools, or parts. Always
follow owner manual procedures
and consult the service manual
for your vehicle before doing any
service work.If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service
manual. It tells you much more
about how to service the vehicle
than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see
Service
Publications Ordering Information
on page 13‑18.
This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3‑35.
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date
of any service work performed.
See Maintenance Records on
page 11‑14.
Hood
To open the hood, do the following:
1. Pull the hood release handle with this symbol on it. It is
located under the instrument
panel on the driver's side of the
vehicle.
2. At the front of the vehicle, pull up on the center of the hood,
and push the secondary hood
release to the right.
3. After you have partially lifted the hood, gas struts will
automatically take over to lift and
hold the hood in the fully open
position.

Black plate (19,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-19
If you do decide to lift the hood,
make sure the vehicle is parked on
a level surface.
Then check to see if the engine
cooling fans are running. If the
engine is overheating, both fans
should be running. If they are not,
do not continue to run the engine
and have the vehicle serviced.
Notice:Engine damage from
running the engine without
coolant is not covered by the
warranty.
Notice: If the engine catches fire
while driving with no coolant, the
vehicle can be badly damaged.
The costly repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
See Overheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode on
page 10‑20 for information on
driving to a safe place in an
emergency.If Steam Is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
{WARNING
Steam from an overheated engine
can burn you badly, even if you
just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear
steam coming from it. Turn it off
and get everyone away from the
vehicle until it cools down. Wait
until there is no sign of steam or
coolant before you open
the hood.
If you keep driving when the
vehicles engine is overheated,
the liquids in it can catch fire.
You or others could be badly
burned. Stop the engine if it
overheats, and get out of the
vehicle until the engine is cool.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
SeeOverheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode on
page 10‑20 for information on
driving to a safe place in an
emergency.
If No Steam Is Coming from
the Engine Compartment
If an engine overheat warning is
displayed but no steam can be seen
or heard, the problem may not be
too serious. Sometimes the engine
can get a little too hot when the
vehicle:
.Climbs a long hill on a hot day
.Stops after high-speed driving
.Idles for long periods in traffic
.Tows a trailer

Black plate (79,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-79
3. Turn off the ignition on bothvehicles. Unplug unnecessary
accessories plugged into the
cigarette lighter or the accessory
power outlets. Turn off the radio
and all lamps that are not
needed. This will avoid sparks
and help save both batteries.
And it could save the radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the positive (+) and negative (−)
terminal locations on the other
vehicle. Your vehicle has a
remote positive (+) and a remote
negative (−) jump starting
terminal. See Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 10‑6 for more information
on the terminal locations.{WARNING
Using a match near a battery can
cause battery gas to explode.
People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded.
Use a flashlight if you need more
light.
Be sure the batteries have
enough water. You do not need
to add water to the ACDelco
®
battery (or batteries) installed in
your new vehicle. But if a battery
has filler caps, be sure the right
amount of fluid is there. If it is low,
add water to take care of that
first. If you do not, explosive gas
could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that
can burn you. Do not get it on
you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush
the place with water and get
medical help immediately.
{WARNING
Fans or other moving engine
parts can injure you badly.
Keep your hands away from
moving parts once the engine
is running.
5. Check that the jumper cables do not have loose or missing
insulation. If they do, you could
get a shock. The vehicles could
be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables,
here are some basic things you
should know. Positive (+) will go
to positive (+) or to a remote
positive (+) terminal if the vehicle
has one. Negative (−) will go to a
heavy, unpainted metal engine
part or to a remote negative (−)
terminal if the vehicle has one.