Page 185 of 374

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Captiva Sport Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/12/12
Climate Controls 8-7@ (Recirculation): Press to turn
on the recirculation mode. An
indicator light comes on to show
that recirculation is on. This mode
recirculates and helps to quickly
cool or heat the air inside the
vehicle. It can be used to prevent
outside air and odors from entering
the vehicle. Avoid using the
recirculation mode during high
periods of humidity and cool outside
temperatures since this may result
in increased window fogging.
If window fogging is experienced,
select the defrost mode.
Recirculation mode is not available
in floor, defog, or defrost modes and
will shut off automatically and
change to outside air. If the button is
selected in any of these modes, the
indicator will flash. This helps
prevent window fogging and
moisture building up inside the
vehicle. Rear Window Defogger The rear window defogger uses a
warming grid to remove fog from the
rear window.
The rear window defogger only
works when the ignition is in
ON/RUN.
1 (Rear Window Defogger):
Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. An indicator light
on the button comes on to show that
it is activated.
The rear window defogger stays on
for approximately 10 minutes after
the button is pressed, unless the
ignition is turned to ACC/
ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF.
If turned on again, the defogger only
runs for approximately five minutes
before turning off. At higher vehicle
speeds, the defogger may stay on
continuously. The defogger can also
be turned off by turning off the
engine. Notice: Do not use anything
sharp on the inside of the rear
window. If you do, you could cut
or damage the warming grid, and
the repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Do not
attach a temporary vehicle
license, tape, a decal, or anything
similar to the defogger grid.
L or
M Heated Front Seats (If
Equipped): Press to heat the driver
or passenger seat cushion and
seatback. To turn off, press the
button until the indicator lights turn
off. See Heated Front Seats on
page 3 ‑ 6 .
Remote Start Climate Control
Operation
For vehicles with the remote start
feature, when it is activated, the
climate control system heats and
cools the inside of the vehicle using
the modes that were set before the
vehicle was turned off.
Page 186 of 374

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Captiva Sport Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/12/12
8-8 Climate Controls
Air Vents Move the louvers on the air outlets
up or down to change the direction
of the airflow. The louvers do
not turn.
Use the thumbwheels near each
vent to open and close off the
airflow.
Operation Tips .
Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from the air inlets at
the base of the vehicle that may
block the flow of air into the
vehicle. .
Do not use any non-GM
approved hood deflectors that
could adversely affect the
performance of the system. .
Keep the path under the front
seats clear of objects to help
circulate the air inside of the
vehicle more effectively. .
Do not insert objects into the air
outlets. This may affect the
operation of the outlet. Maintenance Passenger Compartment
Air Filter The filter removes dust, pollen, and
other airborne irritants from outside
air that is pulled into the vehicle.
The filter should be replaced as part
of routine scheduled maintenance.
See Maintenance Schedule on
page 11 ‑ 3 for replacement intervals.
To find out what type of filter to use,
see Maintenance Replacement
Parts on page 11 ‑ 14 .
The passenger compartment air
filter can be accessed by removing
the entire glove box. 1. Remove the four screws from
around the glove box and detach
the three inner clips from the
glove box.
2. Lower the loosened glove box
housing.
Page 187 of 374
Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Captiva Sport Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/12/12
Climate Controls 8-9
3. Unplug both wire cables and
remove the glove box. 4. Remove the air filter cover
screw. 5. Remove the filter cover and pull
out the old air filter.
6. Install the new air filter.
7. Reinstall the air filter cover.
Reconnect the wire cabling and
reinstall the glove box.
See your dealer if additional
assistance is needed.
Page 188 of 374
Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Captiva Sport Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/12/12
8-10 Climate Controls
2 NOTES
Page 189 of 374

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Captiva Sport Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/12/12
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating Driving Information Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Driving Environment . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Vehicle Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-7
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-14
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-16 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-17
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-17
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Engine Exhaust Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Running the Vehicle While
Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Automatic Transmission Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-20
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Fuel Economy Mode . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Drive Systems All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Brakes Antilock Brake
System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control
System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
StabiliTrak ®
System . . . . . . . . . 9-28 Cruise Control Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Object Detection Systems Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-31
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Fuel Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . 9-35
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-36
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 9-36
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Towing General Towing
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Page 190 of 374

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Captiva Sport Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/12/12
9-2 Driving and Operating
Driving Information Driver Behavior Whenever we drive, we are taking
on an important responsibility. This
is true for any motor vehicle —
passenger car, van, truck, sport
utility. Driver behavior, the driving
environment, and the vehicle's
design all affect how well a vehicle
performs. But statistics show that
the most important factor, by far, is
how we drive.
Knowing how these three factors
work together can help you
understand how your vehicle
handles and what you can do to
avoid many types of crashes,
including a rollover crash.
The single most important thing is
this: everyone in the vehicle,
including the driver, should buckle
up. See Safety Belts on page 3 ‑ 9 . In
fact, most serious injuries and
fatalities to unbelted occupants can
be reduced or prevented by the use
of safety belts. In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly
more likely to die than a person
wearing a seat belt. In addition,
avoiding excessive speed, sudden
or abrupt turns, and drunken or
aggressive driving can help make
trips safer and avoid the possibility
of a crash, especially a rollover
crash. This section provides many
useful tips to help you drive more
safely.
Driving Environment You can also help avoid a rollover or
other type of crash by being
prepared for driving in inclement
weather, at night, or during other
times where visibility or traction may
be limited, such as on curves,
slippery roads, or hilly terrain.
Unfamiliar surroundings can also
have hidden hazards.
To help you learn more about
driving in different conditions, this
section contains information about city, freeway, and off-road driving,
as well as other hints for driving in
various weather conditions.
Vehicle Design According to the U.S. Department of
Transportation, utility vehicles have
a significantly higher rollover rate
than other types of vehicles. Utility
vehicles do have higher ground
clearance and a narrower track or
shorter wheelbase than passenger
cars, to make them more capable
for off-road driving. Specific design
characteristics like these give the
driver a better view of the road, but
also give utility vehicles a higher
center of gravity than other types of
vehicles. This means that you
should not expect a utility vehicle to
handle the same way a vehicle with
a lower center of gravity, like a car,
would in similar situations.
But driver behavior factors are far
more often the cause of a utility
vehicle rollover than are
environmental or vehicle factors.
Page 191 of 374

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Captiva Sport Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/12/12
Driving and Operating 9-3Safe driver behavior and
understanding the environment in
which you will be driving can help
avoid a rollover crash in any type of
vehicle, including utility vehicles.
Distracted Driving Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, always
keep your eyes on the road, hands
on the wheel, and mind on the drive. .
Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls. .
Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices. .
Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions. .
Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving. .
Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor. .
Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children. .
Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint. .
Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.{ WARNINGTaking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.
Refer to the Infotainment section for
more information on using that
system, including pairing and using
a cell phone.
Defensive Driving Defensive driving means “ always
expect the unexpected. ” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the safety belt. See Safety Belts on
page 3 ‑ 9 . .
Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes.
Anticipate what they might do
and be ready.
Page 192 of 374

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Captiva Sport Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/12/12
9-4 Driving and Operating .
Allow enough following distance
between you and the driver in
front of you. .
Focus on the task of driving.
Drunk Driving Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
{ WARNINGDrinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious — or even
fatal — collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink. Control of a Vehicle Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is
about three-quarters of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include: .
Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you. .
Avoid needless heavy braking. .
Keep pace with traffic. If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering Hydraulic Power Steering Your vehicle has hydraulic power
steering. It may require
maintenance. See Power Steering
Fluid on page 10 ‑ 19 .
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or
because of a system malfunction,
the vehicle can be steered but may
require increased effort. See your
dealer if there is a problem.