2016 CHEVROLET EQUINOX engine light on

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234773) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Driving and Operating 153
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or flowing water.
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
. Pass with caution.
. Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
. Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See Tires0229
ii.
. Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
. Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
. Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234773) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Driving and Operating 155
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO), which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:. Clear snow from the base of
the vehicle, especially any
blocking the exhaust pipe.
. Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the vehicle side
that is away from the wind,
to bring in fresh air.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the fan speed to the highest
setting. See“Climate
Control Systems.”
For more information about CO,
see Engine Exhaust 0166
ii.
To save fuel, run the engine for
short periods to warm the vehicle
and then shut the engine off and
partially close the window. Moving
about to keep warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle
speed. This keeps the battery
charged to restart the vehicle and to
signal for help with the headlamps.
Do this as little as possible, to
save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. See
Traction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
0 172
ii.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a low
forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234773) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Driving and Operating 161
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 0171
ii.
{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. 1 (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.
2 (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. 3 (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
0 24
ii.
Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). To restart the vehicle
when it is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only.
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission.
Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234773) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Driving and Operating 169
To use this feature:1. Move the shift lever to M (Manual Mode).
2. Press the plus/minus button on the shift lever, to increase or
decrease the gear range
available.
When shifting to M (Manual Mode),
the transmission will shift to a preset
lower gear range. For this preset
range, the highest gear available is
displayed next to the M in the DIC.
See Driver Information Center (DIC)
0 110
iifor more information. All
gears below that number are
available to use. For example, when
4 (Fourth) is shown next to the M,
1 (First) through 4 (Fourth) gears are
shifted automatically. To shift to
5 (Fifth) gear, press the + (Plus)
button or shift into D (Drive).
M (Manual Mode) will prevent
shifting to a lower gear range if the
engine speed is too high. If vehicle
speed is not reduced within the time
allowed, the lower gear range shift
will not be completed. Slow the vehicle, then press the
−(Minus)
button to the desired lower gear
range.
While using the ERS, cruise control
can be used.
Fuel Economy Mode
Vehicles with a 2.4L engine have a
Fuel Economy Mode. When
engaged, Fuel Economy Mode can
improve the vehicle's fuel economy.
Press the eco (economy) button to
turn this feature on or off. The eco
light in the instrument cluster will
come on when engaged. See Fuel
Economy Light 0108
ii. A Driver Information Center (DIC) message
is also displayed. See
Fuel System
Messages 0116
ii.
When Fuel Economy Mode is on:
. The transmission will upshift
sooner and downshift later.
. The torque converter clutch will
apply sooner and stay on longer.
. The gas pedal will be less
sensitive.
. The vehicle's computer will more
aggressively shut off fuel to the
engine under deceleration.
. The engine idle speed will be
lower.
. Driving performance is more
conservative.
. The climate controls may take
longer to heat or cool the cabin.
. The rear defogger will stay on
for shorter periods of time.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234773) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
170 Driving and Operating
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
Vehicles with this feature transfer
engine power, as required, to all
four wheels. It is fully automatic, and
adjusts itself as needed for road
conditions.
When using a compact spare tire on
an AWD vehicle, the system
automatically detects the compact
spare and reduces AWD
performance to protect the system.
To restore full AWD operation and
prevent excessive wear on the
system, replace the compact spare
with a full-size tire as soon as
possible. SeeCompact Spare Tire
0 256
ii.
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has ABS, an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the vehicle begins to drive
away, ABS checks itself.
A momentary motor or clicking noise
might be heard while this test is
going on, and it might even be
noticed that the brake pedal moves
a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
0 105
ii.
If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses the wheels are
slowing down. If one of the wheels
is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at
each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
you steer around the obstacle while
braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234773) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Driving and Operating 173
The indicator light for both systems
is in the instrument cluster. This
light will:
.Flash when TCS is limiting
wheel spin.
. Flash when StabiliTrak is
activated.
. Turn on and stay on when either
system is not working.
If either system fails to turn on or to
activate, a message displays in the
Driver Information Center (DIC),
and
dcomes on and stays on to
indicate that the system is inactive
and is not assisting the driver in
maintaining control. The vehicle is
safe to drive, but driving should be
adjusted accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle. 2. Turn the engine off and wait
15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
Drive the vehicle. If
dcomes on
and stays on, the vehicle may need
more time to diagnose the problem.
If the condition persists, see your
dealer.
Turning the Systems Off
and On
The button for TCS and StabiliTrak
is on the center console.
Caution
Do not repeatedly brake or
accelerate heavily when TCS is
off. The vehicle driveline could be
damaged. To turn off only TCS, press and
release the
gbutton. The traction
off light
idisplays in the instrument
cluster and the appropriate DIC
message displays. See Ride Control
System Messages 0117
ii.
To turn TCS on again, press and
release the
gbutton. The traction
off light
idisplayed in the
instrument cluster will turn off.
If TCS is limiting wheel spin when
the
gbutton is pressed, the system
will not turn off until the wheels stop
spinning.
To turn off both TCS and StabiliTrak,
press and hold the
gbutton until
the traction off light
iand
StabiliTrak OFF light
gcome on
and stay on in the instrument
cluster. The appropriate DIC
message displays. See Ride Control
System Messages 0117
ii.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234773) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Driving and Operating 185
When LDW is on,@is green if
LDW is available to warn of a lane
departure. If the vehicle crosses a
detected lane marking without using
the turn signal in that direction,
@
changes to amber and flashes.
Additionally, there will be three
beeps on the right or left, depending
on the lane departure direction.
When the System Does Not
Seem To Work Properly
The system may not detect lanes as
well when there are:
. Close vehicles ahead.
. Sudden lighting changes, such
as when driving through tunnels.
. Banked roads. If the LDW system is not functioning
properly when lane markings are
clearly visible, cleaning the
windshield may help.
LDW alerts may occur due to tar
marks, shadows, cracks in the road,
temporary or construction lane
markings, or other road
imperfections. This is normal system
operation; the vehicle does not need
service. Turn LDW off if these
conditions continue.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an
important part of the proper
maintenance of this vehicle. When
driving in the U.S. and Canada, to
help keep the engine clean and
maintain optimum vehicle
performance, we recommend using
TOP TIER Detergent Gasolines.
See www.toptiergas.com for a list of
TOP TIER Detergent Gasolines.
If the vehicle has a yellow fuel cap,
E85 or FlexFuel can be used in the
vehicle. See
E85 or FlexFuel 0187
ii.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234773) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
186 Driving and Operating
Use regular unleaded gasoline
meeting ASTM specification D4814
with a posted octane rating of 87 or
higher. Do not use gasoline with an
octane rating below 87, as it may
cause engine damage and will lower
fuel economy.
Use of Seasonal Fuels
Use summer and winter fuels in the
appropriate season. The fuels
industry automatically modifies the
fuel for the appropriate season.
If fuel is left in the vehicle tank for
long periods of time, driving or
starting could be affected. Drive the
vehicle until the fuel is at one-half
tank or less, then refuel with the
current seasonal fuel.
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) andother fuels containing more than
15% ethanol must be used only in
FlexFuel 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, mainly high octane
racing gasolines, can contain an
octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT). Do not use
gasolines and/or fuel additives 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.
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 may not pass a smog-check
test. See Malfunction Indicator
Lamp (Check Engine Light) 0103
ii.
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 may not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.