
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.

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Captiva Sport Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/12/12
Driving and Operating 9-9WARNING (Continued)cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow: .
Clear away snow from around
the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe. .
Check again from time to
time to be sure snow does
not collect there. .
Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the
wind to bring in fresh air. .
Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel. .
Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
circulates the air inside the
vehicle and set the fan speed
(Continued) WARNING (Continued) to the highest setting. See
“ Climate Control Systems ” in
the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9 ‑ 19 .
To save fuel, run the engine for only
short periods as needed to warm
the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of
the way to save heat. Repeat this
until help arrives but only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the
cold. Moving about to keep warm
also helps.
If it takes some time for help to
arrive, now and then when you run
the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs
faster than the idle speed. This
keeps the battery charged to restart
the vehicle and to signal for help
with the headlamps. Do this as little
as possible to save fuel. If the Vehicle Is Stuck Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. See Traction
Control System (TCS) on
page 9 ‑ 27 .
{ WARNINGIf the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).

Black plate (40,1)Chevrolet Captiva Sport Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/12/12
9-40 Driving and Operating WARNING (Continued) .
Do not drive with the liftgate,
trunk/hatch, or rear-most
window open. .
Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel. .
Also adjust the Climate
Control system to a setting
that brings in only outside air.
See “ Climate Control
Systems ” in the Index.
For more information about
Carbon Monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9 ‑ 19 .
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. The
combination you are driving is
longer and not as responsive as the
vehicle itself. Get acquainted with
the handling and braking of the rig
before setting out for the open road. Before starting, check all trailer hitch
parts and attachments, safety
chains, electrical connectors, lamps,
tires and mirrors. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start the
combination moving and then apply
the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure the brakes work.
During the trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure
and the lamps and any trailer
brakes still work.
Towing with a Stability Control
System When towing, the sound of the
stability control system might be
heard. The system is reacting to the
vehicle movement caused by the
trailer, which mainly occurs during
cornering. This is normal when
towing heavier trailers.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer. This can help to avoid situations
that require heavy braking and
sudden turns.
Passing More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. Because the
rig is longer, it is necessary to go
farther beyond the passed vehicle
before returning to the lane.
Backing Up Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. To move the
trailer to the left, move your hand to
the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Notice: Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering.

Black plate (54,1)Chevrolet Captiva Sport Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/12/12
10-54 Vehicle Care graded 150 would wear one and
one-half (1½) times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and
differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction – AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on
specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Temperature – A, B, C
The temperature grades are A
(the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure. The grade
C corresponds to a level of
performance which all
passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and
A represent higher levels of performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum
required by law. Warning: The
temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance The tires and wheels were aligned
and balanced at the factory to
provide the longest tire life and best
overall performance. Adjustments to
wheel alignment and tire balancing
will not be necessary on a regular
basis. However, check the
alignment if there is unusual tire
wear or if the vehicle is pulling to
one side or the other. If the vehicle
vibrates when driving on a smooth

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Captiva Sport Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/12/12
INDEX i-1
AAbout Driving the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . iii
Accessories and
Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-17
Add-On Electrical
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Additional Information
OnStar ®
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Adjustments
Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . 10-11
Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4
Air Filter, Passenger
Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-8
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-8
Airbag System
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31
How Does an Airbag
Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Passenger Sensing
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23 Airbag System (cont'd)
What Will You See after an
Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . 3-20
Airbags
Adding Equipment to the
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Passenger Status Indicator . . . 5-12
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Servicing Airbag-Equipped
Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Alarm
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . 10-23, 9-24
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Antenna
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Antilock Brake
System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18 Appearance Care
Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-75
Assistance Program,
Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7, 13-11
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
MP3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
Audio System
Fixed Mast Antenna . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . . 7-2
Automatic
Climate Control System . . . . . . . . 8-4
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . .10-11
Automatic Transmission
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Shift Lock Control
Function Check . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Auxiliary
Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Captiva Sport Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 11/12/12
i-2 INDEX
BBattery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . 10-25
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-23
Brake
System Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-16
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27, 6-4
Front Turn Signal and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26 Bulb Replacement (cont'd)
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . 10-29
Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Stoplamps, and
Back-up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
C Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Camera, Rear Vision . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Capacities and
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Carbon Monoxide
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Cargo
Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Management System . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Tie-Downs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Cautions, Danger, and
Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10 Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . 4-2
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . 5-13
Check
Engine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Ignition
Transmission Lock . . . . . . . . 10-24
Child Restraints
Infants and Young
Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . 3-39
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-44, 3-46
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-36
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Cleaning
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-75
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . 8-1
Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . 13-14