
Black plate (9,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
Vehicle Care 10-9
Engine Oil Additives/Engine
Oil Flushes
Do not add anything to the oil. The
recommended oils with the dexos
specification and displaying the
dexos certification mark are all that
is needed for good performance and
engine protection.
Engine oil system flushes are not
recommended and could cause
engine damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain
elements that can be unhealthy for
your skin and could even cause
cancer. Do not let used oil stay on
your skin for very long. Clean your
skin and nails with soap and water,
or a good hand cleaner. Wash or
properly dispose of clothing or rags
containing used engine oil. See the
manufacturer's warnings about the
use and disposal of oil products.Used oil can be a threat to the
environment. If you change your
own oil, be sure to drain all the oil
from the filter before disposal. Never
dispose of oil by putting it in the
trash or pouring it on the ground,
into sewers, or into streams or
bodies of water. Recycle it by taking
it to a place that collects used oil.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
This vehicle has a computer system
that indicates when to change the
engine oil and filter. This is based
on a combination of factors which
include engine revolutions, engine
temperature, and miles driven.
Based on driving conditions, the
mileage at which an oil change is
indicated can vary considerably. For
the oil life system to work properly,
the system must be reset every time
the oil is changed.
When the system has calculated
that oil life has been diminished, it
indicates that an oil change isnecessary. A CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message comes on.
Change the oil as soon as possible
within the next 1 000 km (600 mi).
It is possible that, if driving under
the best conditions, the oil life
system might indicate that an oil
change is not necessary for up to a
year. The engine oil and filter must
be changed at least once a year
and, at this time, the system must
be reset. Your dealer has trained
service people who will perform this
work and reset the system. It is also
important to check the oil regularly
over the course of an oil drain
interval and keep it at the proper
level.
If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.

Black plate (10,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
10-10 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:
If the vehicle does not have Driver
Information Center (DIC) buttons:
1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN,with the engine off. The vehicle
must be in P (Park) to access
this display. Press the trip
odometer reset stem until OIL
LIFE REMAINING displays.
2. Press and hold the trip odometer reset stem until OIL LIFE
REMAINING shows “100%.”
Three chimes sound and the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message goes off.
3. Turn the key to LOCK/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.
If the vehicle has Driver Information
Center (DIC) buttons:
1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN, with the engine off.
2. Press the vehicle information button until OIL LIFE
REMAINING displays.
3. Press and hold the set/reset button until “100%”is displayed.
Three chimes sound and the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message goes off.
4. Turn the key to LOCK/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
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 the
dealer and have it repaired as soon
as possible.
Change the fluid at the intervals
listed in Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑2, and be sure to use the
transmission fluid listed in
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑12.
Notice: Use of the incorrect
automatic transmission fluid may
damage the vehicle, and the
damages may not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Always use
the automatic transmission fluid
listed in Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 11‑12.
The transmission fluid will not reach
the end of the dipstick unless the
transmission is at operating

Black plate (16,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
10-16 Vehicle Care
8. If the coolant level inside theradiator 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 5‑12. 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 13‑10.
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.
Notice: Running the engine
without coolant may cause
damage or a fire. Vehicle damage
would not be covered by the warranty. See
Overheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode on
page 10‑17 for information on
driving to a safe place in an
emergency.
If Steam Is Coming from the
Engine Compartment
{WARNING
Steam from an overheated engine
can burn you badly, even if you
just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear
steam coming from it. Turn it off
and get everyone away from the
vehicle until it cools down. Wait
until there is no sign of steam or
coolant before you open
the hood.
If you keep driving when the
vehicles engine is overheated,
the liquids in it can catch fire. You
or others could be badly burned.
(Continued)

Black plate (17,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
Vehicle Care 10-17
WARNING (Continued)
Stop the engine if it overheats,
and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
SeeOverheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode on
page 10‑17 for information on
driving to a safe place in an
emergency.
If No Steam Is Coming from
the Engine Compartment
If an engine overheat warning is
displayed but no steam can be seen
or heard, the problem may not be
too serious. Sometimes the engine
can get a little too hot when the
vehicle:
.Climbs a long hill on a hot day.
.Stops after high-speed driving.
.Idles for long periods in traffic.
.Tows a trailer. If the overheat warning is displayed
with no sign of steam:
1. Turn the air conditioning off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest
temperature and to the highest
fan speed. Open the windows as
necessary.
3. If in a traffic jam, shift to N (Neutral); otherwise, shift to
the highest gear while
driving —D (Drive) or L (Low).
If the temperature overheat gauge is
no longer in the overheat zone or an
overheat warning no longer
displays, the vehicle can be driven.
Continue to drive the vehicle slow
for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle distance from the car in front
of you. If the warning does not come
back on, continue to drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over,
stop, and park the vehicle
right away. If there is no sign of steam, idle the
engine for three minutes while
parked. If the warning is still
displayed, turn off the engine until it
cools down. Also, see
“Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode”
next in this section.
Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode
This emergency operating mode lets
the vehicle be driven to a safe place
in an emergency situation. If an
overheated engine condition exists,
an overheat protection mode which
alternates firing groups of cylinders
helps prevent engine damage. In
this mode, there is a significant loss
in power and engine performance.
The temperature gauge indicates an
overheat condition exists. Driving
extended distances and/or towing a
trailer in the overheat protection
mode should be avoided.

Black plate (19,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
Vehicle Care 10-19
may fall below freezing, use a fluid
that has sufficient protection against
freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
When the windshield washer fluid
reservoir is low, a WASHER FLUID
LOW ADD FLUID message will be
displayed on the Driver Information
Center (DIC). SeeWasher Fluid
Messages on page 5‑41 for more
information.
Open the cap with the washer
symbol on it. Add washer fluid until
the tank is full. See Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 10‑5 for reservoir location. Notice
.When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer instructions for
adding water.
.Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the solution
to freeze and damage the
washer fluid tank and other
parts of the washer system.
.Fill the washer fluid tank only
three-quarters full when it is
very cold. This allows for
fluid expansion if freezing
occurs, which could damage
the tank if it is
completely full.
.Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the windshield
washer. It can damage the
windshield washer system
and paint.
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.

Black plate (35,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
Vehicle Care 10-35
Fuse Side
The vehicle may not be equipped
with all of the fuses, relays, and
features shown. Fuses Usage
# GMC NON HID = Lo Beam
)GMC NON HID =
High Shutter
) )Chevy = Fog
Lamps
) ) )Buick China =
Rear Fog Lamp
AIRBAG Airbag
AMP AmplifierBCK
UP/STOP Back-up Lamp/
Stoplamp
BCM Body Control Module
CNSTR VENT Canister Vent
CTSY Courtesy Lamps
DR LCK Door Locks Fuses Usage
DRL/
LO BEAM Daytime Running
Lamps Relay/Low
Beam Headlamps
Relay
DSPLY Display
EMPTY Empty
FRT WSW Front Windshield Washer
HTD/
COOL SEAT Heated/Cooling
Seats
HVAC Heating, Ventilation, and Air
Conditioning
INADV PWR INT LAMPS Inadvertent Power/
Interior Light Pipe
Lamps
INFOTMNT/ MSM Infotainment/
Memory Seat
Module
LT TRN SIG Driver Side Turn Signal

Black plate (47,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
Vehicle Care 10-47
pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation
of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent
the TPMS from functioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more
tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or
alternate tires and wheels allow the
TPMS to continue to function
properly.
SeeTire Pressure Monitor
Operation on page 10‑47.
Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) Rules and
with Industry Canada
Standards
See Radio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑20 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
Rules and with Industry Canada
Standards RSS-GEN/210/220/310.
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation
This vehicle may have a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).
The TPMS is designed to warn the
driver when a low tire pressure
condition exists. TPMS sensors are
mounted onto each tire and wheel
assembly, excluding the spare tire
and wheel assembly, if the vehicle
has one. The TPMS sensors
monitor the air pressure in the tires
and transmits the tire pressure
readings to a receiver located in the
vehicle.
When a low tire pressure condition
is detected, the TPMS illuminates
the low tire pressure warning light
located on the instrument cluster.
If the warning light comes on, stop as soon as possible and inflate the
tires to the recommended pressure
shown on the tire loading
information label. See
Vehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑9.
A message to check the pressure in
a specific tire displays in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). The low
tire pressure warning light and the
DIC warning message come on at
each ignition cycle until the tires are
inflated to the correct inflation
pressure. Using the DIC, tire
pressure levels can be viewed. For
additional information and details
about the DIC operation and
displays see Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑23 andTire
Messages on page 5‑39.
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather when
the vehicle is first started, and then
turn off as the vehicle is driven. This
could be an early indicator that the
air pressure is getting low and
needs to be inflated to the proper
pressure.

Black plate (48,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
10-48 Vehicle Care
A Tire and Loading Information label
shows the size of the original
equipment tires and the correct
inflation pressure for the tires when
they are cold. SeeVehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑9, for an example
of the Tire and Loading Information
label and its location. Also see Tire
Pressure on page 10‑45.
The TPMS can warn about a low
tire pressure condition but it does
not replace normal tire
maintenance. See Tire Inspection
on page 10‑50, Tire Rotation on
page 10‑50 andTires on
page 10‑37.
Notice: Tire sealant materials are
not all the same. A non-approved
tire sealant could damage the
TPMS sensors. TPMS sensor
damage caused by using an
incorrect tire sealant is not
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always use only the
GM-approved tire sealant
available through your dealer or
included in the vehicle.TPMS Malfunction Light and
Message
The TPMS will not function properly
if one or more of the TPMS sensors
are missing or inoperable. When the
system detects a malfunction, the
low tire warning light flashes for
about one minute and then stays on
for the remainder of the ignition
cycle. A DIC warning message
displays. The malfunction light and
DIC warning message come on at
each ignition cycle until the problem
is corrected. Some of the conditions
that can cause these to come
on are:
.One of the road tires has been
replaced with the spare tire,
if your vehicle has one. The
spare tire does not have a
TPMS sensor. The malfunction
light and DIC message should
go off after the road tire is
replaced and the sensor
matching process is performed
successfully. See "TPMS Sensor
Matching Process" later in this
section.
.The TPMS sensor matching
process was not done or not
completed successfully after
rotating the tires. The
malfunction light and the DIC
message should go off after
successfully completing the
sensor matching process. See
"TPMS Sensor Matching
Process" later in this section.
.One or more TPMS sensors are
missing or damaged. The
malfunction light and the DIC
message should go off when the
TPMS sensors are installed and
the sensor matching process is
performed successfully. See
your dealer for service.
.Replacement tires or wheels do
not match the original equipment
tires or wheels. Tires and wheels
other than those recommended
could prevent the TPMS from
functioning properly. See Buying
New Tires on page 10‑52.