
Black plate (1,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-6081485) - 2014 - CRC - 12/6/13
2014 GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Keys, Doors, and Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31 Storage
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Additional Storage Features . . . 4-2
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-31
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-35
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1 Climate Controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-19
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-27
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-33
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 9-38
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-59
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39

Black plate (3,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-6081485) - 2014 - CRC - 12/6/13
In Brief 1-3
1.Air Vents on page 8-6.
2. Turn Signal Lever. See Turn and
Lane-Change Signals on
page 6-3.
Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6-1.
Fog Lamps on page 6-3.
3. Horn on page 5-2.
4. Instrument Cluster on page 5-7.
5. Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5-2.
Rear Window Wiper/Washer on
page 5-3.
6. Power Door Locks on page 2-8.
7. Touchscreen (If Equipped).
8. Forward Collision Alert (FCA) Display (If Equipped). See
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System on page 9-38.
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
Indicator (If Equipped). See
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
on page 9-46. 9.
Safety Locks on page 2-8.
10. Infotainment on page 7-1.
11. Hood Release (Out of View). SeeHood on page 10-4.
12. Cruise Control on page 9-35.
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
Button (If Equipped). See
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System on page 9-38.
Lane Departure Warning
(LDW) Button (If Equipped).
SeeLane Departure Warning
(LDW) on page 9-46.
13. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5-12.
14. Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6-4.
15. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5-2.
16. Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5-2.
17. Ignition Positions on
page 9-20. 18.
Climate Control Systems on
page 8-1 (If Equipped).
Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8-3 (If
Equipped).
19. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission on page 9-27.
20. Fuel Economy Mode on
page 9-29 (If Equipped).
21. Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control on page 9-33.
22. Power Outlets on page 5-5.
23. CD Player Slot. See the infotainment manual.
24. Driver Information Center (DIC) Buttons. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5-21.
25. Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6-3.

Black plate (4,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-6081485) - 2014 - CRC - 12/6/13
5-4 Instruments and Controls
ON:Press the upper portion of the
button for continuous rear window
wipes.
OFF: The rear wiper turns off when
the button is returned to the middle
position.
INT (Intermittent Rear Wipes):
Press the lower portion of the button
to set a delay between wipes.
m =REAR (Rear Washer): Push
the windshield wiper lever forward
to spray washer fluid on the rear
window. The lever returns to its
starting position when released.
Rear Wiper Arm Assembly
Protection
When using an automatic car wash,
move the rear wiper control to OFF.
This disables the rear wiper. If the transmission is in N (Neutral)
and the vehicle speed is very slow,
the rear wiper will automatically stop
at the base of the rear window.
The wiper operations return to
normal when the transmission is no
longer in N (Neutral) or the vehicle
speed has increased.
The windshield washer reservoir is
used for the windshield and the rear
window. Check the fluid level in the
reservoir if either washer is not
working. See
Washer Fluid on
page 10-21.
Compass
The vehicle may have a compass
display in the Driver Information
Center (DIC). The compass receives
its heading and other information
from the Global Positioning
System (GPS) antenna, StabiliTrak,
and vehicle speed information.
Avoid covering the GPS antenna,
located on the roof, for long periods
of time with objects that may
interfere with the antenna's ability to receive a satellite signal. The
compass system is designed to
operate for a certain number of
miles or degrees of turn before
needing a signal from the GPS
satellites. When the compass
display shows CAL, drive the
vehicle for a short distance in an
open area where it can receive a
GPS signal. The compass system
will automatically determine when
the GPS signal is restored and
provide a heading again.
Clock
To set the time:
1. Press the CONFIG button to
enter the menu options.
2. Touch-tap the scroll bar or turn the MENU/SEL knob to select
Time and Date Settings.
3. Press the desired option to adjust.
Set Time : Press the + or −to
increase or decrease the Hours and
Minutes displayed on the clock.

Black plate (2,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-6081485) - 2014 - CRC - 12/6/13
6-2 Lighting
Flash-to-Pass
The flash-to-pass feature works with
the low beams or Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) on or off.
To flash the high beams, pull the
turn signal lever all the way toward
you, then release it.
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
The DRL system makes the
low-beam headlamps come on at a
reduced brightness in daylight when
the following conditions are met:
.The ignition is on.
.The exterior lamp control is
in AUTO.
.The transmission is not in
P (Park).
.The light sensor determines it is
daytime.
.The parking brake is released.
Fully functional DRL are required on
all vehicles first sold in Canada. When the DRL are on the taillamps,
sidemarker, instrument panel lights
and other lamps will not be on. The
instrument cluster will be lit.
When the exterior lamp control is
turned to
5, the low-beam
headlamps come on. The other
lamps that come on with the
headlamps will also come on.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL
off, move the shift lever to P (Park).
The DRL will stay off until the shift
lever is moved out of the P (Park)
position.
The regular headlamp system
should be turned on when needed.
Automatic Headlamp
System
When it is dark enough outside, the
headlamps come on automatically.
Do not cover the light sensor on top
of the instrument panel or the
headlamps will come on when they
are not needed.
The system may also turn on the
headlamps when driving through a
parking garage or tunnel.
Lights On with Wipers
If the windshield wipers are
activated in daylight with the engine
on, and the exterior lamp control is
in AUTO, the headlamps, parking
lamps, and other exterior lamps
come on. The transition time for the
lamps coming on varies based on
wiper speed. When the wipers are

Black plate (1,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-6081485) - 2014 - CRC - 12/6/13
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . 9-10
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-12
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-14
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-19
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 9-23 Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-27
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Fuel Economy Mode . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-33
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Driver Assistance Systems
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-40
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . 9-49
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-49
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53

Black plate (9,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-6081485) - 2014 - CRC - 12/6/13
Driving and Operating 9-9
.If driving downhill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to a
lower gear, release the
parking brake, and drive
straight down the hill.
3. If the vehicle cannot be restarted after stalling, set the parking
brake, shift an automatic
transmission into P (Park), and
turn the vehicle off.
3.1. Leave the vehicle and
seek help.
3.2. Stay clear of the path the vehicle would take if it
rolled downhill.
.Avoid turns that take the vehicle
across the incline of the hill.
A hill that can be driven straight
up or down might be too steep to
drive across. Driving across an
incline puts more weight on the
downhill wheels which could
cause a downhill slide or a
rollover.
.Surface conditions can be a
problem. Loose gravel, muddy
spots, or even wet grass can cause the tires to slip sideways,
downhill. If the vehicle slips
sideways, it can hit something
that will trip it
–a rock, a rut, etc.
– and roll over.
.Hidden obstacles can make the
steepness of the incline more
severe. If a rock is driven across
with the uphill wheels, or if the
downhill wheels drop into a rut
or depression, the vehicle can tilt
even more.
.If an incline must be driven
across, and the vehicle starts to
slide, turn downhill. This should
help straighten out the vehicle
and prevent the side slipping.
{Warning
Getting out of the vehicle on the
downhill side when stopped
across an incline is dangerous.
If the vehicle rolls over, you could
be crushed or killed. Always get
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
out on the uphill side of the
vehicle and stay well clear of the
rollover path.
Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow,
or Ice
Use a low gear when driving in mud
–the deeper the mud, the lower the
gear. Keep the vehicle moving to
avoid getting stuck.
Traction changes when driving on
sand. On loose sand, such as on
beaches or sand dunes, the tires
tend to sink into the sand. This
affects steering, accelerating, and
braking. Drive at a reduced speed
and avoid sharp turns or abrupt
maneuvers.
Traction is reduced on hard packed
snow and ice and it is easy to lose
control. Reduce vehicle speed when
driving on hard packed snow
and ice.

Black plate (20,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-6081485) - 2014 - CRC - 12/6/13
9-20 Driving and Operating
Caution (Continued)
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake
linings.
Following break-in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has four different
positions.
{Caution
Using a tool to force the key to
turn in the ignition could cause
damage to the switch or break the
key. Use the correct key, make
sure it is all the way in, and turn it
only with your hand. If the key
cannot be turned by hand, see
your dealer.
The key must be fully extended to
start the vehicle.
To shift out of P (Park), turn the
ignition to ON/RUN and apply the
brake pedal.
1 (STOPPING THE ENGINE/LOCK/
OFF): When the vehicle is stopped,
turn the ignition switch to LOCK/
OFF to turn the engine off. Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) on page 9-23.
This locks the steering wheel,
ignition and automatic transmission. This is the only position from which
the key can be removed. If the can
cannot be removed, make sure the
shift lever is in P (Park).
The ignition switch can bind in the
LOCK/OFF position with the wheels
turned off center. If this happens,
move the steering wheel from right
to left while turning the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY. If this does not work,
then the vehicle needs service.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady
pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting

Black plate (21,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-6081485) - 2014 - CRC - 12/6/13
Driving and Operating 9-21
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to a
safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF. On vehicles with
an automatic transmission, the
shift lever must be in P (Park) to
turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK/OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on page 9-32.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
turn the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY. 2 (ACC/ACCESSORY):
This
position provides power to some of
the electrical accessories. It unlocks
the steering wheel and ignition. To
move the key from ACC/
ACCESSORY to LOCK/OFF, push
in the key and then turn it to
LOCK/OFF.
3 (ON/RUN): The ignition switch
stays in this position when the
engine is running. This position can
be used to operate the electrical
accessories, including the
ventilation fan and 12-volt power
outlets, as well as to display some
warning and indicator lights. This
position can also be used for
service and diagnostics, and to
verify the proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp as may
be required for emission inspection
purposes. The transmission is also
unlocked in this position on
automatic transmission vehicles.
The battery could be drained if the
key is left in the ACC/ACCESSORY
or ON/RUN position with the engine off. The vehicle might not start if the
battery is allowed to drain for an
extended period of time.
4 (START):
This position starts the
engine. When the engine starts,
release the key. The ignition switch
will return to ON/RUN for normal
driving.
A warning tone sounds when the
driver door is opened if the ignition
is still in ACC/ACCESSORY and the
key is in the ignition. If the ignition
becomes difficult to turn, see Keys
on page 2-1.Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
vehicle when it is already moving,
use N (Neutral) only.