Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7707483) - 2015 - crc - 9/29/14
3-8 Seats and Restraints
not recalling for two seconds. Try
recalling the memory position again
by opening the driver door and
pressing the
Kon the RKE
transmitter.
RKE transmitters are not labeled
with a number. If your memory seat
position is stored to "1" or "2" but
this position is not automatically
recalling, then change the stored
position or switch RKE transmitters
with the other driver.
If the memory position is still not
recalling, see your dealer for
service.
Easy Exit Driver Seat
This feature moves the seat
rearward allowing the driver more
room to exit the vehicle.
To activate, turn the ignition off and
open the driver door. If the driver
door is already open, turning the
ignition off will activate the recall. This feature can be turned on or off
using the vehicle personalization
menu. See
Vehicle Personalization
on page 5-32.
To stop recall movement, press one
of the memory or power seat
controls.
If something has blocked the driver
seat while recalling the exit position,
the recall may stop. Remove the
obstruction; then press and hold the
power seat control rearward for
two seconds. Try recalling the exit
position again. If the exit position is
still not recalling, see your dealer for
service.
Heated Front Seats
{Warning
If you cannot feel temperature
change or pain to the skin, the
seat heater may cause burns. To
reduce the risk of burns, people
with such a condition should use
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
care when using the seat heater,
especially for long periods of
time. Do not place anything on
the seat that insulates against
heat, such as a blanket, cushion,
cover, or similar item. This may
cause the seat heater to
overheat. An overheated seat
heater may cause a burn or may
damage the seat.
Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7707483) - 2015 - crc - 9/29/14
3-28 Seats and Restraints
For some children, including
children in child restraints, and for
very small adults, the passenger
sensing system may or may not turn
off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag, depending upon the
person’s seating posture and body
build. Everyone in the vehicle who
has outgrown child restraints should
wear a safety belt properly —
whether or not there is an airbag for
that person.
{Warning
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. See Airbag Readiness
Light on page 5-11 for more
information, including important
safety information.
If the On Indicator is Lit for a
Child Restraint
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag if
the system determines that an infant
is present in a child restraint. If a
child restraint has been installed
and the on indicator is lit:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove the child restraint from the vehicle.
3. Remove any additional items from the seat such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.
4. Reinstall the child restraint following the directions provided
by the child restraint
manufacturer and refer to
Securing Child Restraints (Rear
Seat) on page 3-46 orSecuring
Child Restraints (Front
Passenger Seat) on page 3-48. 5. If, after reinstalling the child
restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is still lit,
turn the vehicle off. Then slightly
recline the vehicle seatback and
adjust the seat cushion,
if adjustable, to make sure that
the vehicle seatback is not
pushing the child restraint into
the seat cushion.
Also make sure the child
restraint is not trapped under the
vehicle head restraint. If this
happens, adjust the head
restraint. See Head Restraints
on page 3-2.
6. Restart the vehicle.
The passenger sensing system
may or may not turn off the
airbag for a child in a child
restraint depending upon the
child’s size. It is better to secure
the child restraint in a rear seat.
Black plate (29,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7707483) - 2015 - crc - 9/29/14
Seats and Restraints 3-29
If the Off Indicator is Lit for an
Adult-Sized Occupant
If a person of adult size is sitting in
the front outboard passenger seat,
but the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting
properly in the seat. If this happens,
use the following steps to allow the
system to detect that person and
enable the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag:
1. Turn the vehicle off.2. Remove any additional material
from the seat, such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, seat massagers,
laptops, or other electronic
devices.
3. Place the seatback in the fully upright position.
4. Have the person sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat
cushion, with legs comfortably
extended.
5. Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this position for
two to three minutes after the on
indicator is lit.
{Warning
If the front outboard passenger
airbag is turned off for an
adult-sized occupant, the airbag
will not be able to inflate and help
protect that person in a crash,
resulting in an increased risk of
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
serious injury or even death. An
adult-sized occupant should not
ride in the front outboard
passenger seat, if the passenger
airbag off indicator is lit.
Additional Factors Affecting
System Operation
Safety belts help keep the
passenger in position on the seat
during vehicle maneuvers and
braking, which helps the passenger
sensing system maintain the
passenger airbag status. See
“Safety Belts”and“Child Restraints”
in the Index for additional
information about the importance of
proper restraint use.
A thick layer of additional material,
such as a blanket or cushion,
or aftermarket equipment such as
seat covers, seat heaters, and seat
massagers can affect how well the
passenger sensing system
Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7707483) - 2015 - crc - 9/29/14
Seats and Restraints 3-31
Warning (Continued)
proper service procedures, and
make sure the person performing
work for you is qualified to do so.
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Adding accessories that change the
vehicle's frame, bumper system,
height, front end, or side sheet
metal, may keep the airbag system
from working properly. The
operation of the airbag system can
also be affected by changing or
moving any parts of the front seats,
safety belts, the airbag sensing and
diagnostic module, steering wheel,
instrument panel, any of the airbag
modules, ceiling or pillar garnish
trim, overhead console, front
sensors, side impact sensors,
or airbag wiring.Your dealer and the service manual
have information about the location
of the airbag sensors, sensing and
diagnostic module, and airbag
wiring.
In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the
front outboard passenger position,
which includes sensors that are part
of the passenger seat. The
passenger sensing system may not
operate properly if the original seat
trim is replaced with non-GM
covers, upholstery, or trim; or with
GM covers, upholstery, or trim
designed for a different vehicle. Any
object, such as an aftermarket seat
heater or a comfort-enhancing pad
or device, installed under or on top
of the seat fabric, could also
interfere with the operation of the
passenger sensing system. This
could either prevent proper
deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the passenger
sensing system from properlyturning off the passenger airbag(s).
See
Passenger Sensing System on
page 3-26.
If the vehicle has rollover roof-rail
airbags, see Different Size Tires
and Wheels on page 10-53 for
additional important information.
If you have to modify your vehicle
because you have a disability and
you have questions about whether
the modifications will affect the
vehicle's airbag system, or if you
have questions about whether the
airbag system will be affected if the
vehicle is modified for any other
reason, call Customer Assistance.
See Customer Assistance Offices
on page 13-3.
Airbag System Check
The airbag system does not need
regularly scheduled maintenance or
replacement. Make sure the airbag
readiness light is working. See
Airbag Readiness Light on
page 5-11.
Black plate (36,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7707483) - 2015 - crc - 9/29/14
5-36 Instruments and Controls
Remote Start Auto Heat Seats
When on, this feature will turn the
heated seats on when using remote
start on cold days.
Select On or Off.
Auto Defog
When turned on and high humidity
is detected, the climate control
system may adjust to outside air
supply and turn on the air
conditioner or the heater. The fan
speed may slightly increase to help
prevent fogging. When high
humidity is no longer detected, the
system will return to its prior
operation.
Select On or Off.
Auto Rear Defog
When on, this feature turns on the
rear defogger at vehicle start when
the interior temperature is cold and
fog is likely. The auto rear defog
function can be disabled by
pressing
1. When off, the feature
can be turned on by pressing
1. See
“Rear Window Defogger” under
Climate Control Systems on
page 8-1 orAutomatic Climate
Control System on page 8-3.
Select On or Off.
Comfort and Convenience
Select and the following may
display:
.Easy Exit Driver Seat
.Chime Volume
.Reverse Tilt Mirror
.Memory Remote Recall
Easy Exit Driver Seat
This feature moves the seat
rearward allowing the driver more
room to exit the vehicle. See “Easy
Exit Driver Seat” underMemory
Seats on page 3-6.
Select On or Off.
Chime Volume
This allows the selection of the
chime volume level.
Select Normal or High. Reverse Tilt Mirror
When on, both the driver and
passenger mirrors will tilt downward
when the vehicle is shifted to
R (Reverse) to improve visibility of
the ground near the rear wheels.
They will return to their previous
driving position when the vehicle is
shifted out of R (Reverse), the
ignition is turned to OFF, or the
vehicle is left in R (Reverse). See
Reverse Tilt Mirrors on page 2-16.
Select On or Off.
Memory Remote Recall
This feature automatically recalls
the current driver
’s previously stored
1 or 2 button positions when
entering the vehicle. See "Recalling
RKE Memory Positions (Memory
Remote Recall)" under Memory
Seats on page 3-6.
Select On or Off.
Collision Detection Systems
Select the following may display:
.Park Assist
Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7707483) - 2015 - crc - 9/29/14
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
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-11
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-13
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-19
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 9-23 Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-27
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Fuel Economy Mode . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-32
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Driver Assistance Systems
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-46
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-52
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-54
Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7707483) - 2015 - crc - 9/29/14
Driving and Operating 9-23
All these features will work when the
key is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY.
Engine Coolant Heater
The engine coolant heater,
if available, can help in cold weather
conditions at or below−18°C (0°F)
for easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up.
Plug in the coolant heater at least
four hours before starting the
vehicle. An internal thermostat in
the plug-end of the cord will prevent
engine coolant heater operation at
temperatures above −18°C (0°F).
To Use The Engine Coolant
Heater
1. Turn off the engine. 2. Open the hood and unwrap the
electrical cord.
The electrical cord is located on
the passenger side of the engine
compartment, in front of the air
cleaner.
Check the heater cord for
damage. If it is damaged, do not
use it. See your dealer for a
replacement. Inspect the cord for
damage yearly.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{Warning
Improper use of the heater cord
or an extension cord can damage
the cord and may result in
overheating and fire.
.Plug the cord into a
three-prong electrical utility
receptacle that is protected
by a ground fault detection
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
function. An ungrounded
outlet could cause an electric
shock.
.Use a weatherproof,
heavy-duty, 15 amp-rated
extension cord if needed.
Failure to use the
recommended extension cord
in good operating condition,
or using a damaged heater or
extension cord, could make it
overheat and cause a fire,
property damage, electric
shock, and injury.
.Do not operate the vehicle
with the heater cord
permanently attached to the
(Continued)
Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
7707483) - 2015 - crc - 9/29/14
9-24 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
vehicle. Possible heater cord
and thermostat damage could
occur.
.While in use, do not let the
heater cord touch vehicle
parts or sharp edges. Never
close the hood on the
heater cord.
.Before starting the vehicle,
unplug the cord, reattach the
cover to the plug, and
securely fasten the cord.
Keep the cord away from any
moving parts.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine parts.
If you do not it could be
damaged. The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer in the
area where you will be parking the
vehicle for the best advice on this.
Shifting Into Park
{Warning
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow. If you are pulling a
trailer, see
Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9-49. Use this procedure to shift into
P (Park):
1. Hold the brake pedal down and
set the parking brake.
See Parking Brake on page 9-31
for more information.
2. Hold the button on the shift lever and push the lever toward the
front of the vehicle into P (Park).
3. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
4. Remove the key.
Leaving the Vehicle With the
Engine Running
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
It could overheat and catch fire.
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll. (Continued)