
Black plate (69,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Vehicle Care 10-69
To tow the vehicle from the front
with all four wheels on the ground:
1. Position the vehicle that will betowed and secure it to the
towing vehicle.
2. Turn the ignition key to ON/RUN.
3. Shift the transmission to N (Neutral).
4. Turn the ignition key to ACC/ ACCESSORY.
5. Turn all accessories off. 6. To prevent the battery from
draining while the vehicle is
being towed, remove fuse 32,
the Discrete Logic Ignition
Switch fuse, from the instrument
panel fuse block and store it in a
safe location. See Instrument
Panel Fuse Block on
page 10‑34.
Notice: If the vehicle is towed
without performing each of the
steps listed under “Dinghy
Towing,” the automatic
transmission could be damaged.
Be sure to follow all steps of the
dinghy towing procedure prior to
and after towing the vehicle.
Notice: If 105 km/h (65 mph) is
exceeded while towing the
vehicle, it could be damaged.
Never exceed 105 km/h (65 mph)
while towing the vehicle.
Once the destination has been
reached:
1. Set the parking brake. 2. Shift the transmission to
P (Park).
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
4. Install fuse 32, the Discrete Logic Ignition Switch fuse. See
Instrument Panel Fuse Block on
page 10‑34.
5. Start the engine and let it idle for more than three minutes before
driving the vehicle.
Notice: Too much or too little
fluid can damage the
transmission. Be sure that the
transmission fluid is at the proper
level before towing with all four
wheels on the ground.
Notice: Do not tow a vehicle with
the front drive wheels on the
ground if one of the front tires is
a compact spare tire. Towing with
two different tire sizes on the
front of the vehicle can cause
severe damage to the
transmission.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
11-4 Service and Maintenance
.Check tire inflation pressures.
SeeTire Pressure on
page 10‑43.
.Inspect tire wear. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑48.
.Visually check for fluid leaks.
.Inspect engine air cleaner filter.
See Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑12.
.Inspect brake system.
.Visually inspect steering,
suspension, and chassis
components for damaged, loose,
or missing parts or signs of
wear. See Exterior Care on
page 10‑71.
.Check restraint system
components. See Safety System
Check on page 3‑17.
.Visually inspect fuel system for
damage or leaks.
.Visually inspect exhaust system
and nearby heat shields for
loose or damaged parts.
.Lubricate body components. See
Exterior Care on page 10‑71.
.Check starter switch. See Starter
Switch Check on page 10‑23.
.Check automatic transmission
shift lock control function. See
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function Check on
page 10‑24.
.Check ignition transmission lock.
See Ignition Transmission Lock
Check on page 10‑24.
.Check parking brake and
automatic transmission park
mechanism. See Park Brake and
P (Park) Mechanism Check on
page 10‑24.
.Check accelerator pedal for
damage, high effort, or binding.
Replace if needed.
.Visually inspect gas strut for
signs of wear, cracks, or other
damage. Check the hold open
ability of the strut. See your
dealer if service is required.
.Inspect sunroof track and seal,
if equipped. See Sunroof on
page 2‑18.

Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
11-12 Service and Maintenance
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
UsageFluid/Lubricant
Engine Oil Use only engine oil licensed to the dexos1 specfication, or equivalent, of
the proper SAE viscosity grade. ACDelco dexos1 Synthetic Blend is
recommended. See Engine Oil on page 10‑8.
Engine Coolant 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and use only DEX-COOL Coolant.
See Engine Coolant on page 10‑15.
Hydraulic Brake System DOT 3 Hydraulic Brake Fluid (GM Part No. 88862806, in Canada 88863462).
Windshield Washer Automotive windshield washer fluid that meets regional freeze protection requirements.
Hydraulic Power Steering System (V6 engines only) DEXRON®-VI Automatic Transmission Fluid.
Automatic Transmission DEXRON®-VI Automatic Transmission Fluid.
Transfer Case (All-Wheel Drive) Transfer Case Fluid (GM Part No. 88900401, in Canada 89021678). Key Lock Cylinders Multi-Purpose Lubricant, Superlube (GM Part No. 12346241, in Canada 10953474).

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Technical Data 12-3
Engine Specifications
EngineVIN CodeTransmission Spark Plug Gap
2.4L L4 KAutomatic 0.9 mm (0.035 in)
3.6L V6 3Automatic 1.1 mm (0.043 in)

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
OnStar 14-5
OnStar Mobile App
Download the OnStar RemoteLink
mobile app to your iPhone or
Android smartphone to check
vehicle fuel level, oil life, or tire
pressure; to start the vehicle (if
equipped) or unlock it; or to connect
to an OnStar Advisor. For OnStar
RemoteLink information and
compatibility, see www.onstar.com.
Diagnostics
OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics will
perform a vehicle check every
month. It will check the engine,
transmission, antilock brakes, and
major vehicle systems. It also
checks the tire pressures, if the
vehicle is equipped with the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System. If a
diagnostics check is needed
between e-mails, push
|, and an
Advisor can run a check.
OnStar Additional
Information
Transferring Service
Push|to request account transfer
eligibility information. The Advisor
can assist in canceling or removing
account information. If OnStar
receives information that vehicle
ownership has changed, OnStar
may send a voice message to the
vehicle, requesting updated account
information.
Reactivation for Subsequent
Owners
Push|and follow the prompts to
speak to an Advisor as soon as
possible after acquiring the vehicle.
The Advisor will update vehicle
records and will explain the OnStar
service offers and options available.
How OnStar Service Works
Automatic Crash Response,
Emergency Services, Crisis Assist,
Stolen Vehicle Assistance, Vehicle Diagnostics, Remote Door Unlock,
Roadside Assistance, Turn-by-Turn
Navigation, and Hands-Free Calling
are available on most vehicles. Not
all OnStar services are available
everywhere or on all vehicles. For
more information, a full description
of OnStar services, system
limitations, and OnStar terms and
conditions, see www.onstar.com
(U.S.) or www.onstar.ca (Canada);
contact OnStar at 1-888-4ONSTAR
(1-888-466-7827) or TTY
1-877-248-2080; or push
|to
speak with an Advisor. OnStar
services require a vehicle electrical
system, wireless service, and GPS
satellite technologies to be available
and operating for features to
function properly. These systems
may not operate if the battery is
discharged or disconnected.
OnStar service cannot work unless
your vehicle is in a place where
OnStar has an agreement with a
wireless service provider for service
in that area, and the wireless
service provider has coverage,

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
INDEX i-1
A
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-57
Additional Information
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Adjustments Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . 10-12
Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3
Air Filter, Passenger
Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31
How Does an AirbagRestrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . 3-20
Airbags Adding Equipment to theVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
Passenger Status Indicator . . . 5-12
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Servicing Airbag-Equipped Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Alarm Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . 10-23, 9-29
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Antenna Multi-band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16 Appearance Care
Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-71
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Assistance Program, Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13 CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13
MP3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
Audio System Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-12
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . . 7-2
Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . 8-3
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Automatic Transmission Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Shift Lock ControlFunction Check . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Auxiliary
Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-17

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
i-4 INDEX
E
E85 Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
ECO Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Economy ModeFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-57
Electrical System Engine CompartmentFuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Emergency OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Check and Service EngineSoon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 10-5
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Coolant Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Cooling System Messages . . . 5-26 Engine (cont'd)
Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-4
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-11
Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 9-26
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-56
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . 13-14
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 6-1
F
Features Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 6-3
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58 Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
Fluid
Automatic Transmission . . . . 10-12
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Fog Lamps
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . 10-28, 6-4
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Front Seats Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46 Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Economy Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Economy Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
INDEX i-5
Fuel (cont'd)Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . 9-47
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . 5-20
Recommended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Requirements, California . . . . . 9-47
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Fuel Economy Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30 Engine CompartmentFuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
G
Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . 5-37Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Gauges
Engine CoolantTemperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9 Gauges (cont'd)
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Warning Lights and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
General Information Service and Maintenance . . . . . 11-1
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-5
H
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . 6-3
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
HeadlampsAiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Daytime RunningLamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27 Headlamps (cont'd)
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-1
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Heated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Heater Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Heating and Air
Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1, 8-3
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . 9-11
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Ignition Transmission Lock
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Infants and Young Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34