2013 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE service indicator

Black plate (39,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 11/13/12
Driving and Operating 9-39
Prohibited Fuels
Gasolines containing oxygenates,
such as ethers and ethanol, as well
as reformulated gasolines are
available in some cities. If these
gasolines comply with the
previously described specification,
then they are acceptable to use.
However, E85 (85% ethanol) and
other fuels containing more than
15% ethanol must be used only in
flex fuel vehicles.
{CAUTION
Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal
parts in the fuel system and also
damage plastic and rubber parts.
That damage would not be
covered under the vehicle
warranty.
Some gasolines that are not
reformulated for low emissions can
contain an octane-enhancing
additive called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT). Do not use
gasolines with MMT as they can
reduce spark plug life and affect
emission control system
performance. The malfunction
indicator lamp may turn on. If this
occurs, see your dealer for service.
Gasoline Specifications
At a minimum, gasoline should meet
ASTM specification D 4814. Some
gasolines contain an
octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT). We recommend
against the use of gasolines
containing MMT. See
Fuel Additives
on page 9‑40.
California Fuel
Requirements
If the vehicle is certified to meet
California Emissions Standards, it is
designed to operate on fuels that
meet California specifications. See
the underhood emission control label. If this fuel is not available in
states adopting California Emissions
Standards, the vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal specifications, but emission
control system performance might
be affected. The malfunction
indicator lamp could turn on and the
vehicle might fail a smog‐check test.
See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on
page 5‑17. If this occurs, return to
your authorized dealer for diagnosis.
If it is determined that the condition
is caused by the type of fuel used,
repairs might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Fuels in Foreign
Countries
If planning to drive in countries
outside the U.S. or Canada, the
proper fuel might be hard to find.
Check regional auto club or fuel
retail brand websites for availability
in the country where driving. Never
use leaded gasoline, fuel containing
methanol, or any other fuel not
recommended. Costly repairs

Black plate (40,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 11/13/12
9-40 Driving and Operating
caused by use of improper fuel
would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty.
Fuel Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines
in the United States are now
required to contain additives that
help prevent engine and fuel system
deposits from forming, allowing the
emission control system to work
properly. In most cases, nothing
should have to be added to the fuel.
However, some gasolines contain
only the minimum amount of
additive required to meet U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
regulations. To help keep fuel
injectors and intake valves clean
and avoid problems due to dirty
injectors or valves, look for gasoline
that is advertised as TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline. Look for the
TOP TIER label on the fuel pump to
ensure gasoline meets enhanced
detergency standards developed by
the auto companies. A list ofmarketers providing TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline can be found at
www.toptiergas.com.
For customers who do not use TOP
TIER Detergent Gasoline regularly,
one bottle of Fuel System Treatment
PLUS, part number 88861013,
added to the fuel tank at every
engine oil change, can help clean
deposits from fuel injectors and
intake valves. GM Fuel System
Treatment PLUS is the only
gasoline additive recommended by
General Motors. It is available at
your dealer.
Gasolines containing oxygenates,
such as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines might be
available in your area. We
recommend that you use these
gasolines, if they comply with the
specifications described earlier.
However, E85 (85% ethanol) and
other fuels containing more than
15% ethanol must not be used in
vehicles that were not designed for
those fuels.Notice:
This vehicle was not
designed for fuel that contains
methanol. Do not use fuel
containing methanol. It can
corrode metal parts in the fuel
system and also damage plastic
and rubber parts. That damage
would not be covered under the
vehicle warranty.
Some gasolines that are not
reformulated for low emissions can
contain an octane-enhancing
additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT); ask the attendant
where you buy gasoline whether the
fuel contains MMT. We recommend
against the use of such gasolines.
Fuels containing MMT can reduce
spark plug life and affect emission
control system performance. The
malfunction indicator lamp might
turn on. If this occurs, return to your
dealer for service.

Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 11/13/12
10-16 Vehicle Care
5. Fill the coolant recovery tank tothe FULL COLD mark.
6. Reinstall the cap on the coolant recovery tank but leave the
radiator pressure cap off.
7. Start the engine and let it run until the upper radiator hose
feels warm. Any time during this
procedure, watch out for the
engine cooling fans.
8. If the coolant level inside the radiator filler neck is low, add
more of the proper DEX-COOL coolant mixture through the filler
neck until the level is back up to
the base of the filler neck.
9. Replace the pressure cap tightly. At any time during this
procedure if coolant begins to
flow out of the filler neck,
reinstall the pressure cap.
Notice: If the pressure cap is not
tightly installed, coolant loss and
possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly
and tightly secured.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has several indicators
to warn of engine overheating.
There is an engine coolant
temperature gauge on the
instrument panel cluster. See
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge
on page 5‑13. The vehicle may also display an
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE
ENGINE and ENGINE
OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE
message in the Driver Information
Center (DIC). See
Engine Cooling
System Messages on page 5‑33.
You may decide not to lift the hood
when this warning appears, but
instead get service help right away.
See Roadside Assistance Program
(Mexico) on page 13‑7 orRoadside
Assistance Program (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑11.
If you do decide to lift the hood,
make sure the vehicle is parked on
a level surface.
Then check to see if the engine
cooling fans are running. If the
engine is overheating, both fans
should be running. If they are not,
do not continue to run the engine
and have the vehicle serviced.

Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 11/13/12
10-20 Vehicle Care
Brakes
This vehicle has disc brakes. Disc
brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time the vehicle is
moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.
{WARNING
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
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.

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 11/13/12
11-10 Service and Maintenance
Hoses
Hoses transport fluids and should
be regularly inspected to ensure
that there are no cracks or leaks.
With a multi-point inspection, your
dealer can inspect the hoses and
advise if replacement is needed.
Lamps
Properly working headlamps,
taillamps, and brake lamps are
important to see and be seen on
the road.
.Signs that the headlamps need
attention include dimming, failure
to light, cracking, or damage.
The brake lamps need to be
checked periodically to ensure
that they light when braking.
.With a multi-point inspection,
your dealer can check the lamps
and note any concerns.Shocks and Struts
Shocks and struts help aid in control
for a smoother ride.
.Signs of wear may include
steering wheel vibration, bounce/
sway while braking, longer
stopping distance, or uneven
tire wear.
.As part of the multi-point
inspection, trained dealer
technicians can visually inspect
the shocks and struts for signs
of leaking, blown seals,
or damage, and can advise
when service is needed.
Tires
Tires need to be properly inflated,
rotated, and balanced. Maintaining
the tires can save money, fuel, and
can reduce the risk of tire failure.
.Signs that the tires need to be
replaced include three or more
visible treadwear indicators; cord
or fabric showing through the rubber; cracks or cuts in the
tread or sidewall; or a bulge or
split in the tire.
.Trained dealer technicians can
inspect and recommend the right
tires. Your dealer can also
provide tire/wheel balancing
services to ensure smooth
vehicle operation at all speeds.
Your dealer sells and services
name brand tires.
Vehicle Care
To help keep the vehicle looking like
new, vehicle care products are
available from your dealer. For
information on how to clean and
protect the vehicle’s interior and
exterior, see Interior Care on
page 10‑76 andExterior Care on
page 10‑73.
Wheel Alignment
Wheel alignment is critical for
ensuring that the tires deliver
optimal wear and performance.

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 11/13/12
INDEX i-5
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Economy Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . 9-39
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Recommended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Requirements, California . . . . . 9-39
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Fuses Engine CompartmentFuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32G
Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . 5-48Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-48
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Gauges Engine Coolant
Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Voltmeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Warning Lights and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
General Information
Service and Maintenance . . . . . 11-1
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
GM Mobility Reimbursement
Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-7
H
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . 6-4
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
HeadlampsAiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Daytime Running Lamps/Automatic Headlamp
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Delayed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . 6-2
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Heated and Ventilated Front
Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Heater Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-17
Heating and Air Conditioning . . . 8-1
High Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 9-6

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 11/13/12
INDEX i-7
LocksAutomatic Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-44
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4 Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
M
MaintenanceRecords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-14
Maintenance Schedule
Recommended Fluidsand Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-12
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . 5-17
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6 Messages
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38
Battery Voltage and
Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Brake System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Engine Cooling System . . . . . . . 5-33
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Engine Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Fuel System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Key and Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36
Object Detection System . . . . . 5-36
Ride Control System . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38
Service Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-38
Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-39
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Vehicle Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-40
Vehicle Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-40
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41 Mirrors
Automatic Dimming
Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Blind Spot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Convex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Folding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Manual Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Park Tilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Monitor System, Tire
Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
MP3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-25, 7-29
Multi-band Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21N
Navigation OnStar®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Net, Convenience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . 9-13

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC 2nd Edition - 11/13/12
i-8 INDEX
O
Object Detection SystemMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36
Object Detection, Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Oil Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 10-9
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Older Children, Restraints . . . . . 3-37
Online Owner Center . . . . . . . . . . 13-6
OnStar
®
System, In Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
OnStar®Additional
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
OnStar
®Connections . . . . . . . . . . 14-3
OnStar®Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4
OnStar®Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
OnStar®Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2 OnStar
®Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar®Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
Operation, Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6, 7-8
Ordering Service Publications . . . . . . . . 13-17
Outlets
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Overview, Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3, 7-5
P
Parade Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
ParkShifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17 Parking
Assist, Ultrasonic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-23
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . 9-20
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Passenger Compartment Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11
Passenger Sensing System . . . 3-30
Perchlorate Materials
Requirements, California . . . . . 10-2
Personalization Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-41
Phone
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-46
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . 9-18
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19