2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX check transmission fluid

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
2013 Chevrolet Equinox Owner ManualM
Driving and Operating. . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-19
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-26
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-32
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-37
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-57
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30 Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . 10-71
Service and Maintenance . . . 11-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . 11-3
Special Application Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
Additional Maintenance
and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts . . . . . . 11-12
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . 11-15
Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2 Customer Information
. . . . . . . 13-1
Customer Information . . . . . . . . 13-1
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . 13-12
Vehicle Data Recording and
Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
OnStar Additional
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Driving and Operating 9-11
WARNING (CONTINUED)
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
.Have good tires with proper
tread depth. SeeTires on
page 10‑36.
.Turn off cruise control.
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to
your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find a
safe place to park the vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep the interior
temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving —scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{WARNING
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.

Black plate (54,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
9-54 Driving and Operating
Parking on Hills
{WARNING
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if facing
downhill or into traffic if facing
uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the brake pedal
until the chocks absorb the load. 4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then
apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal while you:
.Start the engine.
.Shift into a gear.
.Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See the
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3. Things that are
especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system and
brake system. Inspect these before
and during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. See
Engine Overheating
on page 10‑18.
Trailer Towing
Before pulling a trailer, there are
three important considerations that
have to do with weight:
.The weight of the trailer
.The weight of the trailer tongue
.The total weight on the vehicle's
tires
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-2
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-11
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-12
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-18
Power Steering Fluid (2.4L L4 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19 Power Steering Fluid (3.6L
V6 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-23
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-24
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Headlamps, Front TurnSignal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28 Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Sidemarker, Stoplamps,
and Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . 10-28
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-29
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Electrical System
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-38
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49

Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
10-12 Vehicle Care
How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System
Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. To reset the
system:
1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN,with the engine off.
2. Press the DIC MENU button to display the Vehicle
Information menu.
3. Press either the up or down arrows to view REMAINING
OIL LIFE.
4. Press the SET/CLR button until 100% is displayed.
5. Turn the key to LOCK/OFF.
Or:
1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off.
2. Fully press and release the accelerator pedal three times
within five seconds. The system is reset when the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message goes off.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message comes back on when the
vehicle is started, the engine oil life
system has not been reset. Repeat
the procedure.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid
It is not necessary to check the
transmission fluid level.
A transmission fluid leak is the only
reason for fluid loss. If a leak
occurs, take the vehicle to your
dealer and have it repaired as soon
as possible.
There is a special procedure for
checking and changing the
transmission fluid. Because this
procedure is difficult, this should be
done at your dealer. Contact your
dealer for additional information or the procedure can be found in the
service manual. To purchase a
service manual, see
Service
Publications Ordering Information
on page 13‑11.
Change the fluid and filter at the
intervals listed in Maintenance
Schedule on page 11‑3, and be sure
to use the fluid listed in
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑12.
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
See Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑5 for the location of the
engine air cleaner/filter.
When to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
Inspect or replace the air cleaner/
filter at the scheduled maintenance
intervals. See Maintenance
Schedule on page 11‑3 for more
information. If driving in dusty/dirty
conditions, inspect the filter at each
engine oil change.

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 (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 (2,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
i-2 INDEX
B
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-25
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . 10-25
Blind Spot Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . 7-21, 7-23, 7-27
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . 5-15
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20 Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30 Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28, 6-4
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27 Bulb Replacement (cont'd)
Headlamps, Front Turn
Signal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . 10-29
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker, Stoplamps,
and Backup Lamps . . . . . . . . 10-28
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
California
Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Camera, Rear Vision . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . iii
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12 Cargo
Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Tie-Downs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Cautions, Danger, and Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . 4-1
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . 5-13
Check Engine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Ignition
Transmission Lock . . . . . . . . 10-24
Child Restraints Infants and YoungChildren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . 3-40
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-46, 3-49
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37
Cleaning Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-71
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74