
Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
5-28 Instruments and Controls
Engine Power Messages
ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
This message displays when the
vehicle's engine power is reduced.
Reduced engine power can affect
the vehicle's ability to accelerate.
If this message is on, but there is no
reduction in performance, proceed
to your destination. The
performance may be reduced the
next time the vehicle is driven. The
vehicle may be driven at a reduced
speed while this message is on, but
maximum acceleration and speed
may be reduced. Anytime this
message stays on, the vehicle
should be taken to your dealer for
service as soon as possible.
Fuel System Messages
ECO MODE ON
On some models, this message
displays when the fuel economy
mode has been turned on bypressing the eco button near the
shift lever. See
Fuel Economy Mode
on page 9‑29 for more information.
FUEL LEVEL LOW
This message displays when the
vehicle is low on fuel. Refuel as
soon as possible.
TIGHTEN GAS CAP
This message displays when the
fuel cap is not on tight. Tighten the
fuel cap.
Key and Lock Messages
REPLACE BATTERY IN
REMOTE KEY
This message displays when the
battery in the Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) transmitter needs to be
replaced.
Object Detection System
Messages
FORWARD COLLISION
ALERT OFF
If your vehicle has the Forward
Collision Alert (FCA) system, this
message may display if the FCA
system cannot activate due to a
temporary condition. See Forward
Collision Alert (FCA) System on
page 9‑37.
FRONT CAMERA BLOCKED,
CLEAN WINDSHIELD
This message displays when the
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
systems are disabled because the
camera view is blocked and cannot
operate properly. It may also
activate during heavy rain or due to
road spray. To clean the system,
clean the outside of the windshield
area in front of the LDW/FCA
camera sensor.

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
6-2 Lighting
This indicator light turns on in the
instrument panel cluster when the
high‐beam headlamps are on.
Flash-to-Pass
The flash‐to‐pass feature works with
the low beams or Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) on or off.
To flash the high beams, pull the
turn signal/lane change lever all the
way toward you, then release it.
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
system makes the low-beam
headlamps come on at a reducedbrightness in daylight when the
following conditions are met:
.The ignition is on.
.The exterior lamp band is in the
automatic position.
.The transmission is not in
P (Park).
.The light sensor determines it is
daytime.
.The parking brake is released.
Fully functional Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) are required on all
vehicles first sold in Canada.
When the DRL are on the taillamps,
sidemarker, instrument panel lights
and other lamps will not be on. The
instrument panel cluster will be lit.
When the exterior lamp band is
turned to the headlamp position, the
low-beam headlamps come on. The
other lamps that come on with the
headlamps will also come on. To idle your vehicle with the DRL
off, move the shift lever to P (Park).
The DRL will stay off until the shift
lever is moved out of the P (Park)
position.
The regular headlamp system
should be turned on when needed.
Automatic Headlamp
System
When it is dark enough outside, the
headlamps come on automatically.
Do not cover the light sensor on top
of the instrument panel or the
headlamps will come on when they
are not needed.

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Climate Controls 8-5
Rear Window Defogger
1REAR (Rear Defogger):Press
to turn the rear window defogger on
or off. The rear window defogger
turns off after about 10 minutes.
It can also be turned off by putting
the ignition in ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF. If turned on again, it
runs for about five minutes before
turning off.
The ignition must be on to use the
rear window defogger.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
Notice: Do not use a razor blade
or sharp object to clear the inside
rear window. Do not adhere
anything to the defogger grid
lines in the rear glass. These
actions may damage the rear
defogger. Repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
L/M(Driver and Passenger
Heated Seats): For vehicles with
heated seats, see Heated Front
Seats on page 3‑8.
Remote Start Climate Control
Operation: For vehicles with the
remote start feature, the climate
control system may run when the
vehicle is started remotely. The
system uses the driver ’s previous
settings to heat or cool the inside of
the vehicle. The rear defog may
come on during remote start based
on cold ambient conditions. The
rear defog indicator light does not
come on during a remote start. If the
vehicle has heated front seats, they
may come on during a remote start.
See Remote Vehicle Start on
page 2‑4 andHeated Front Seats
on page 3‑8.Sensors
The solar sensor, located on top of
the instrument panel near the
windshield, monitors the solar heat.
The climate control system uses the
information to adjust the
temperature, fan speed,
recirculation, and air delivery mode.
Do not cover the solar sensor or the
system will not work properly.

Black plate (37,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Driving and Operating 9-37
.Move the thumbwheel toward
SET/−and hold until the desired
lower speed is reached, then
release it.
.To slow down in small amounts,
move the thumbwheel toward
SET/− briefly. Each time this is
done, the vehicle goes about
1.6 km/h (1 mph) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the
previous set cruise speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control works
on hills depends upon the vehicle
speed, load, and the steepness of
the hills. When going up steep hills,
you might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain the
vehicle speed. When going
downhill, you might have to brake or
shift to a lower gear to maintain the vehicle's speed. When the brakes
are applied the cruise control is
disengaged.
Ending Cruise Control
There are three ways to end cruise
control:
.To disengage cruise control;
step lightly on the brake pedal or
clutch, the indicator light will
go off.
.Press*CANCEL.
.To turn off the cruise control,
press ON/OFF
5CRUISE. The
cruise control cannot be
resumed.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if ON/OFF
5
CRUISE is pressed or if the vehicle
is turned off.
Object Detection
Systems
Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System
For vehicles with this feature, read
the following section before using it.
The Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
system may help to avoid or reduce
the harm caused by front-end
crashes. FCA provides a flashing
visual alert and beeps when
approaching a vehicle directly
ahead too quickly. FCA also
provides a visual alert if following
another vehicle much too closely.
The FCA symbol is on top of the
instrument panel to the right of the
steering wheel.
The forward-looking FCA camera
sensor is on the windshield ahead
of the rearview mirror. FCA detects
vehicles within a distance of
approximately 60 m (197 ft) and
operates at speeds above 40 km/h
(25 mph).

Black plate (38,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
9-38 Driving and Operating
{WARNING
FCA is a warning system and
does not apply the brakes. When
approaching a slower-moving or
stopped vehicle ahead too rapidly,
or when following a vehicle too
closely, FCA may not provide a
warning with enough time to help
avoid a crash. FCA does not warn
of pedestrians, animals, signs,
guardrails, bridges, construction
barrels, or other objects. Be ready
to take action and apply the
brakes. For more information, see
Defensive Driving on page 9‑3.
Detecting the Vehicle Ahead
The green vehicle ahead indicator
will appear when a vehicle is
detected ahead. Whenever this
indicator does not appear, FCA will
not respond. The indicator may
disappear on curves, highway exit
ramps, or hills, or due to poor
visibility. The FCA system will not
detect another vehicle ahead until it
is completely in the driving lane.
{WARNING
FCA does not provide a warning
to help avoid a crash, unless it
detects a vehicle. FCA may not
detect a vehicle ahead if the FCA
sensor is blocked by dirt, snow,
or ice, or if the windshield is
damaged. It may also not detect a
vehicle on winding or hilly roads,
or in conditions that can limit
visibility such as fog, rain,
or snow, or if the headlamps or
windshield are not cleaned or in
proper condition. Keep the
windshield, headlamps, and FCA
sensors clean and in good repair.

Black plate (40,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
9-40 Driving and Operating
Cleaning the System
If the FCA system does not seem to
operate properly, clean the outside
of the windshield area in front of the
camera sensor before considering
taking the vehicle in for service.
Ultrasonic Parking Assist
For vehicles with the Ultrasonic
Rear Parking Assist (URPA) system,
it assists the driver with parking and
avoiding objects while in
R (Reverse). URPA operates at
speeds less than 8 km/h (5 mph),
and the sensors on the rear bumper
detect objects up to 2.5 m (8 ft)
behind the vehicle, and at least
20 cm (8 in) off the ground.
{WARNING
The URPA system does not
detect children, pedestrians,
bicyclists, animals, or objects
below the bumper or that are too(Continued)
WARNING (CONTINUED)
close or too far from the vehicle.
It is not available at speeds
greater than 8 km/h (5 mph). To
prevent injury, death, or vehicle
damage, even with URPA, always
check the area around the vehicle
and check all mirrors before
backing.
How the System Works
URPA comes on automatically when
the shift lever is moved into
R (Reverse). A single tone sounds
to indicate the system is working.
URPA operates only at speeds less
than 8 km/h (5 mph).
An obstacle is indicated by audible
beeps. The interval between the
beeps becomes shorter as the
vehicle gets closer to the obstacle.
When the distance is less than
30 cm (12 in) the beeping is a
continuous tone for five seconds. To be detected, objects must be at
least 20 cm (8 in) off the ground and
below liftgate level. Objects must
also be within 2.5 m (8 ft) from the
rear bumper. The distance objects
can be detected may be less during
warmer or humid weather.
Turning the System On and Off
The URPA system can be turned on
and off using the infotainment
system controls. See
Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑32 for
more information.
When the system is off, PARK
ASSIST OFF displays on the Driver
Information Center (DIC). The
message disappears after a short
period of time.
URPA defaults to the on setting
each time the vehicle is started.

Black plate (41,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Driving and Operating 9-41
When the System Does Not
Seem to Work Properly
The following messages may be
displayed on the DIC:
SERVICE PARKING ASSIST:If
this message occurs, check the
following conditions:
.The ultrasonic sensors are not
clean. Keep the vehicle's rear
bumper free of mud, dirt, snow,
ice, and slush. For cleaning
instructions, see Exterior Care
on page 10‑71.
.The park assist sensors are
covered by frost or ice. Frost or
ice can form around and behind
the sensors and may not always
be seen; this can occur after
washing the vehicle in cold
weather. The message may not
clear until the frost or ice has
melted.
If the above conditions do not exist,
take the vehicle to your dealer to
repair the system. PARK ASSIST OFF:
If the URPA
system does not activate due to a
temporary condition, the message
displays on the DIC. This can occur
under the following conditions:
.The driver has disabled the
system.
.A trailer was attached to the
vehicle, or an object was
hanging out of the liftgate during
the last drive cycle. Once the
object is removed, URPA will
return to normal operation.
.A tow bar is attached to the
vehicle.
.The bumper is damaged. Take
the vehicle to your dealer to
repair the system.
.Other conditions, such as
vibrations from a jackhammer or
the compression of air brakes on
a very large truck, are affecting
system performance.
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC)
The vehicle may have a Rear Vision
Camera (RVC) system. Read this
entire section before using it.
The RVC can assist the driver when
backing up by displaying a view of
the area behind the vehicle.
{WARNING
The RVC system does not display
children, pedestrians, bicyclists,
animals, or any other object
located outside the camera's field
of view, below the bumper,
or under the vehicle. Perceived
distances may be different from
actual distances. Do not back the
vehicle using only the RVC
screen, during longer, higher
speed backing maneuvers,
or where there could be cross
traffic. Failure to use proper care
before backing may result in
(Continued)

Black plate (44,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
9-44 Driving and Operating
.It is dark.
.The sun or the beam of
headlights is shining directly into
the camera lens.
.Ice, snow, mud, or anything else
builds up on the camera lens.
Clean the lens, rinse it with
water, and wipe it with a soft
cloth.
.The back of the vehicle is in an
accident, the position and
mounting angle of the camera
can change or the camera can
be affected. Be sure to have the
camera and its position and
mounting angle checked at your
dealer.
Lane Departure
Warning (LDW)
For vehicles with this feature, read
the entire section before using it.
{WARNING
The LDW system is an aid to help
the vehicle stay in the driving
lane. It does not steer the vehicle.
The LDW system may not:
.Provide enough time to avoid
a crash.
.Detect lane markings under
bad weather conditions or if
the windshield is dirty.
.Detect lane markings and will
not detect road edges.
.Warn that the vehicle is
crossing a lane marking if the
system does not detect the
lane marking.(Continued)
WARNING (CONTINUED)
If LDW only detects lane
markings on one side of the road,
it will only warn you when
departing the lane on the side
where it has detected a lane
marker. Even with LDW, always
keep your attention on the road
and maintain proper vehicle
position within the lane, or vehicle
damage, injury, or death could
occur. Always keep the
windshield clean and do not use
LDW in bad weather conditions.
When the vehicle crosses a
detected lane marking, the LDW
indicator will flash and three beeps
will sound. LDW will not warn if the
turn signal is on or if a sharp
maneuver is made.
How the System Works
The LDW camera sensor is on the
windshield ahead of the rearview
mirror.