2015 GMC TERRAIN brake

Black plate (14,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-7707484) - 2015 - crc - 10/1/14
5-14 Instruments and Controls
Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs
Depending on where you live, your
vehicle may be required to
participate in an emission control
system inspection and maintenance
program. For the inspection, the
emission system test equipment will
likely connect to the vehicle's Data
Link Connector (DLC).
The DLC is under the instrument
panel to the left of the steering
wheel. See your dealer if assistance
is needed.
The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
.The malfunction indicator lamp is
on with the engine running, or if
the light does not come on whenthe ignition is turned to ON/RUN
while the engine is off. See your
dealer for assistance in verifying
proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp.
.The OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics) system determines
that critical emission control
systems have not been
completely diagnosed. The
vehicle would be considered not
ready for inspection. This can
happen if the 12-volt battery has
recently been replaced or
run down.
The diagnostic system is designed
to evaluate critical emission control
systems during normal driving. This
can take several days of routine
driving. If this has been done and
the vehicle still does not pass the
inspection for lack of OBD II system
readiness, your dealer can prepare
the vehicle for inspection.
Brake System Warning
Light
The vehicle brake system consists
of two hydraulic circuits. If one
circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the
vehicle. For normal braking
performance, both circuits need to
be working
MetricEnglish
The brake indicator light should
come on briefly as the engine is
started. If it does not come on have
the vehicle serviced by your dealer.
When the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light comes on
when the parking brake is set. The
light stays on if the parking brake
does not fully release. If it stays on
after the parking brake is fully

Black plate (15,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-7707484) - 2015 - crc - 10/1/14
Instruments and Controls 5-15
released, there is a brake problem.
Have the brake system inspected
immediately.
{Warning
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.
If the light comes on while driving, a
chime sounds. Pull off the road and
stop. The pedal might be harder to
push or go closer to the floor.
It might also take longer to stop.
If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. See
Towing the Vehicle on page 10-69.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
For vehicles with the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), this light comes on
briefly when the engine is started.
If the light does not come on, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn if
there is a problem.
If the ABS light comes on and stays
on while driving, stop as soon as
possible and turn the ignition off.
Start the engine again to reset the
system. If the light stays on after
driving at a speed above 20 km/h
(13 mph), see your dealer for
service. A chime may also sound
when the light comes on steady. If the regular brake system warning
light is not on, the vehicle still has
brakes, but not antilock brakes.
If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, the vehicle does not
have antilock brakes and there is a
problem with the regular brakes.
See
Brake System Warning Light on
page 5-14.
See Brake System Messages on
page 5-24 for all brake‐related DIC
messages.
Lane Departure Warning
(LDW) Light
If equipped, this light, located in the
center of the instrument panel,
comes on briefly while starting the
vehicle.

Black plate (24,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-7707484) - 2015 - crc - 10/1/14
5-24 Instruments and Controls
Vehicle Messages
Messages are displayed on the DIC
to notify the driver that the status of
the vehicle has changed and that
some action may be needed by the
driver to correct the condition.
Multiple messages may appear one
after another.
Some messages may not require
immediate action, but you can press
SET/CLR to acknowledge that you
received the messages and to clear
them from the display. Some
messages cannot be cleared from
the DIC display because they are
more urgent. These messages
require action before they can be
cleared. You should take any
messages that appear on the
display seriously and remember that
clearing the messages will only
make the messages disappear, not
correct the problem. You will find the
possible messages that can be
displayed and some information
about them grouped by subject in
the following information.
Battery Voltage and
Charging Messages
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message displays when the
vehicle has detected that the battery
voltage is dropping beyond a
reasonable point. The battery saver
system starts reducing features of
the vehicle that may be noticed. At
the point that features are disabled,
this message displays. Turn off
unnecessary accessories to allow
the battery to recharge.
LOW BATTERY
This message is displayed when the
battery voltage is low. SeeBattery
on page 10-23.
SERVICE BATTERY
CHARGING SYSTEM
This message is displayed when
there is a fault in the battery
charging system. Take the vehicle to
your dealer for service.
Brake System Messages
BRAKE FLUID LOW
This message is displayed when the
brake fluid level is low; see Brake
Fluid on page 10-22.
RELEASE PARKING BRAKE
This message is displayed as a
reminder that the parking brake is
on. Release it before you attempt to
drive.
Compass Messages
CAL
This message is displayed when the
compass needs to be calibrated.
See Compass on page 5-4.
– –
Dashes will be displayed if the
compass needs service. See your
dealer for service.

Black plate (25,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-7707484) - 2015 - crc - 10/1/14
Instruments and Controls 5-25
Cruise Control Messages
APPLY BRAKE BEFORE
CRUISE
If this message displays when
attempting to activate cruise control,
apply the brake pedal and try again.
CRUISE SET TO XXX
This message displays when the
cruise control is set and shows the
speed it was set to. SeeCruise
Control on page 9-34.
Door Ajar Messages
DOOR OPEN
A door open symbol will be
displayed on the DIC showing which
door is open. If the vehicle has been
shifted out of P (Park), a DOOR
OPEN message will also be
displayed. Close the door
completely.
MANUALLY CLOSE THE
POWER LIFTGATE
This message will display if the
power liftgate encounters multiple
obstacles on the same power cycle.
After removing the obstructions, the
liftgate will resume normal power
operation.
REAR ACCESS OPEN
This message will display along with
a symbol when the liftgate is open.
Close the liftgate completely.
Engine Cooling System
Messages
A/C OFF DUE TO HIGH
ENGINE TEMP
This message displays when the
engine coolant becomes hotter than
the normal operating temperature.
To avoid added strain on a hot
engine, the air conditioning
compressor automatically turns off.
When the coolant temperature
returns to normal, the air conditioning compressor turns back
on. The vehicle can continue to be
driven.
If this message continues to appear,
have the system repaired by your
dealer as soon as possible to avoid
damage to the engine.
COOLANT LEVEL LOW ADD
COOLANT
This message will display if the
coolant is low. See
Engine Coolant
on page 10-15.
ENGINE OVERHEATED —
IDLE ENGINE
This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is too
hot. Stop and allow the vehicle to
idle until it cools down.
ENGINE OVERHEATED —
STOP ENGINE
This message displays and a
continuous chime sounds if the
engine cooling system reaches
unsafe temperatures for operation.
Stop and turn off the vehicle as

Black plate (2,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-7707484) - 2015 - crc - 10/1/14
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.
If the vehicle is started in a dark
garage, the automatic headlamp
system comes on immediately. If it
is light outside when the vehicle
leaves the garage, there is a slight
delay before the automatic
headlamp system changes to the
DRL. During that delay, the
instrument cluster may not be as
bright as usual. Make sure the
instrument panel brightness control

Black plate (1,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-7707484) - 2015 - crc - 10/1/14
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 . . . . . . . 9-22 Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-26
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Driver Assistance Systems
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-45
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-48
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-50
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51

Black plate (3,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-7707484) - 2015 - crc - 10/1/14
Driving and Operating 9-3
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.
Refer to the infotainment section for
more information on using that
system and the navigation system,
if equipped, including pairing and
using a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the safety belt. See Safety Belts on
page 3-11.
.Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes.
Anticipate what they might do
and be ready.
.Allow enough following distance
between you and the driver in
front of you.
.Focus on the task of driving.
Drunk Driving
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
{Warning
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious —or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is
about three-quarters of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
.Avoid needless heavy braking.
.Keep pace with traffic.

Black plate (4,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-7707484) - 2015 - crc - 10/1/14
9-4 Driving and Operating
If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Electric Power Steering (2.4L
L4 Engine)
If the vehicle has electric power
steering, it does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort.If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is
held against that position for an
extended period of time, power
steering assist may be reduced.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time, power
assist may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the
system cools down.
See specific vehicle steering
messages under
Service Vehicle
Messages on page 5-29Hydraulic Power Steering (3.6L
V6 Engine)
If your vehicle has hydraulic power
steering, it may require
maintenance. See Power Steering
Fluid (2.4L L4 Engine) on
page 10-20 orPower Steering Fluid
(3.6L V6 Engine) on page 10-20.
If power steering is lost because the
engine stops or a system
malfunctions, the vehicle can be steered but may require increased
effort. See your dealer if there is a
problem.
{Caution
If the steering wheel is turned
until it reaches the end of its
travel, and is held in that position
for more than 15 seconds,
damage may occur to the power
steering system and there may be
loss of power steering assist.
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
.Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
.Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve
.Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.