Page 223 of 388

Black plate (29,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Driving and Operating 9-29
Fuel Economy Mode
Vehicles with a 2.4L engine have a
Fuel Economy Mode. When
engaged, fuel economy mode can
improve the vehicle's fuel economy.
Press the“eco”(economy) button by
the shift lever to turn this feature on
or off. The “eco”light in the
instrument cluster will come on
when engaged. See Fuel Economy
Light on page 5‑20. A Driver
Information Center (DIC) message “ECO MODE ON”
is also displayed.
See Fuel System Messages on
page 5‑28 for more information.
When Fuel Economy Mode is on:
.The transmission will upshift
sooner and downshift later.
.The torque converter clutch will
apply sooner and stay on longer.
.The gas pedal will be less
sensitive.
.The vehicle's computer will more
aggressively shut off fuel to the
engine under deceleration.
.The engine idle speed will be
lower.
.Driving performance is more
conservative.
.The climate controls may take
longer to heat or cool the cabin.
.The rear defogger will stay on
for shorter periods of time.
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
Vehicles with this feature always
send engine power to all four
wheels. It is fully automatic, and
adjusts itself as needed for road
conditions.
When using a compact spare tire on
an AWD vehicle, the system
automatically detects the compact
spare and disables AWD. To restore
AWD operation and prevent
excessive wear on the system,
replace the compact spare with a
full-size tire as soon as possible.
See Compact Spare Tire on
page 10‑65.
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Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Vehicle Care 10-21
WARNING (CONTINUED)
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Notice: Continuing to drive with
worn-out brake pads could result
in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications in Capacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2.
Brake linings should always be
replaced as complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service might be
required.
Brake Adjustment
Every time the brakes are applied,
with or without the vehicle moving,
the brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is
complex. Its many parts have to be
of top quality and work well together
if the vehicle is to have really good
braking. The vehicle was designed
and tested with top-quality brake
parts. When parts of the braking
system are replaced, be sure to get
new, approved replacement parts. If this is not done, the brakes might
not work properly. For example,
installing disc brake pads that are
wrong for the vehicle, can change
the balance between the front and
rear brakes
—for the worse. The
braking performance expected can
change in many other ways if the
wrong replacement brake parts are
installed.
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder reservoir
is filled with DOT 3 brake fluid as
indicated on the reservoir cap. See
Engine Compartment Overview on
page 10‑5 for the location of the
reservoir.
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Black plate (50,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
10-50 Vehicle Care
Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor
System. SeeTire Pressure
Monitor Operation on
page 10‑46.
Check that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel
Nut Torque” underCapacities
and Specifications on
page 12‑2.
{WARNING
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the
parts to which it is fastened, can
make wheel nuts become loose
after time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When
changing a wheel, remove any
rust or dirt from places where the
wheel attaches to the vehicle. In
an emergency, a cloth or a paper
towel can be used; however, use
a scraper or wire brush later to
remove all rust or dirt.
Lightly coat the center of the
wheel hub with wheel bearing
grease after a wheel change or
tire rotation to prevent corrosion
or rust build-up. Do not get
grease on the flat wheel
mounting surface or on the
wheel nuts or bolts.
When It Is Time for New
Tires
Factors such as maintenance,
temperatures, driving speeds,
vehicle loading, and road conditions
affect the wear rate of the tires.Treadwear indicators are one way to
tell when it is time for new tires.
Treadwear indicators appear when
the tires have only 1.6 mm (1/16 in)
or less of tread remaining. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑48 andTire
Rotation on page 10‑49.
The rubber in tires ages over time.
This also applies to the spare tire,
if the vehicle has one, even if it is
never used. Multiple factors
including temperatures, loading
conditions, and inflation pressure
maintenance affect how fast aging
takes place. GM recommends that
tires, including the spare if
Page 314 of 388

Black plate (62,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
10-62 Vehicle Care
{WARNING
Never use oil or grease on bolts
or nuts because the nuts might
come loose. The vehicle's wheel
could fall off, causing a crash.
13. Reinstall the wheel nuts. Tighten each nut by hand until
the wheel is held against
the hub.
14. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack handle
counterclockwise.
{WARNING
Wheel nuts that are improperly or
incorrectly tightened can cause
the wheels to become loose or
come off. The wheel nuts should
be tightened with a torque wrench
to the proper torque specification
after replacing. Follow the torque
specification supplied by the
(Continued)
WARNING (CONTINUED)
aftermarket manufacturer when
using accessory locking wheel
nuts. SeeCapacities and
Specifications on page 12‑2 for
original equipment wheel nut
torque specifications.
Notice: Improperly tightened
wheel nuts can lead to brake
pulsation and rotor damage. To
avoid expensive brake repairs,
evenly tighten the wheel nuts in
the proper sequence and to the
proper torque specification. See
Capacities and Specifications on
page 12‑2 for the wheel nut
torque specification.
15. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly in a crisscross sequence, as
shown.
16. Lower the jack all the way and remove the jack from under the
vehicle.
17. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly with the wheel wrench.
When reinstalling the wheel cover or
center cap on the full-size tire,
tighten all five plastic caps hand
snug with the aid of the wheel
wrench and tighten them with the
wheel wrench an additional
one-quarter of a turn.
Page 348 of 388
Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
12-2 Technical Data
Vehicle Data
Capacities and Specifications
ApplicationCapacities
Metric English
Air Conditioning Refrigerant For the air conditioning system refrigerant type and charge amount, see the refrigerant label under thehood. See your dealer for more information.
Engine Cooling System 2.4L L4 Engine 7.8 L 8.2 qt
3.6L V6 Engine 10.2 L 10.8 qt
Engine Oil with Filter
2.4L L4 Engine 4.7 L 5.0 qt
3.6L V6 Engine 5.7 L 6.0 qt
Fuel Tank
2.4L L4 Engine 71.1 L 18.8 gal
3.6L V6 Engine 79.1 L 20.9 gal
Wheel Nut Torque 190 Y140 lb ft
All capacities are approximate. When adding, be sure to fill to the approximate level, as recommended in this
manual. Recheck fluid level after filling.