Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234773) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Introduction 3
{Danger
Danger indicates a hazard with a
high level of risk which will result
in serious injury or death.
{Warning
Warning indicates a hazard that
could result in injury or death.
Caution
Caution indicates a hazard that
could result in property or vehicle
damage.
A circle with a slash through it is a
safety symbol which means“Do
Not,” “Do not do this,” or“Do not let
this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and
labels that use symbols instead of
text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or
information relating to a specific
component, control, message,
gauge, or indicator.
M: Shown when the owner
manual has additional instructions
or information.
*: Shown when the service
manual has additional instructions
or information.
0: Shown when there is more
information on another page —
“see page.”
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the Index.
9: Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
$:Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I: Cruise Control
`:Do Not Puncture
^:Do Not Service
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
_: Flame/Fire Prohibited
#:Fog Lamps
.:Fuel Gauge
+: Fuses
3:Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j: LATCH System Child Restraints
*:Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
Q:OnStar®
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234773) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
96 Instruments and Controls
To set the 12/24 hour format:1. Turn the infotainment system on.
2. Press the CONFIG button and select Time and Date, or press
the
Hbutton.
3. Highlight 12 hr/24 hr Format.
4. Press the MENU/SEL knob and select the 12 Hour or 24
Hour display format.
Setting the Clock Using the
Touchscreen
If Automatic Clock Update is
selected, Set Time and Set Date will
not be available.
To set the time and date:
1. Touch CONFIG.
2. Touch Time and Date.
3. Touch Set Time or Set Date.
4. Touch + or −to decrease or
increase the Hours and
Minutes, or Year, Month,
and Day.
5. Touch Back to return to the previous screen. 12/24 HR Format :
Touch 12 Hour
for standard time; touch 24 Hour for
military time.
Power Outlets
The accessory power outlets can be
used to connect electrical
equipment, such as a cell phone or
MP3 player.
There are four accessory power
outlets: inside the open storage
area in front of the shift lever, inside
the center console storage, on the
rear of the center console storage,
and in the rear cargo compartment.
To use the outlets, remove the cover
and close when not in use.
Caution
Leaving electrical equipment
plugged in for an extended period
of time while the vehicle is off will
drain the battery. Power is always
supplied to the rear cargo outlet.
Always unplug electrical
equipment when not in use and
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
do not plug in equipment that
exceeds the maximum 20 ampere
rating.
Certain accessory plugs may not be
compatible with the accessory
power outlets and could overload
vehicle and adapter fuses. If a
problem is experienced, see your
dealer.
When adding electrical equipment,
be sure to follow the installation
instructions included with the
equipment. See Add-On Electrical
Equipment 0196
ii.
Caution
Hanging heavy equipment from
the power outlet can cause
damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty. The power
outlets are designed for
accessory power plugs only, such
as cell phone charge cords.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234773) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Lighting 133
Have any burned out bulbs
replaced. If a bulb is not burned out,
check the fuse; seeFuses0224
ii.
Fog Lamps
For vehicles with fog lamps, the
control is located on the turn signal
lever.
Use the fog lamps for better vision
in foggy or misty conditions.
#FOG (Fog Lamps) : Turn the fog
lamp band on the lever to
#and
release it, to turn the fog lamps on
or off. The band will return to its
original position.
The parking lamps or low-beam
headlamps must be on to use the
fog lamps.
The fog lamps will go off whenever
the high-beam headlamps are
turned on. When the high-beam
headlamps are turned off, the fog
lamps will come on again.
Some localities have laws that
require the headlamps to be on
along with the fog lamps.
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel
Illumination Control
This control is located on the
instrument panel, to the left of the
steering column.
D(Instrument Panel
Brightness) : Turn clockwise or
counterclockwise to brighten or dim
the lights.
Dome Lamps
There are front and rear dome
lamps.
The dome lamp controls are located
in the overhead console. To change
the settings, press the following:
*(Dome Lamp Override) : Turns
the lamps off, even when a door
is open.
1(Door) : The lamps come on
automatically when a door is
opened.
+(On) : Turns the dome
lamps on.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234773) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Vehicle Care 197
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 198
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 198
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Engine Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 207
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 208
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 214
Power Steering Fluid (2.4L L4 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Power Steering Fluid (3.6L V6 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Battery - North America . . . . . . 218
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 219
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 220
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 220
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker, Stoplamps, and
Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 223
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Electrical System
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224 Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 231
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 247
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234773) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
202 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
0208ii.
2. Engine Cover 0204
ii.
3. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See Engine Oil0204
ii.
4. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0204
ii.
5. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0217
ii.
6. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0224
ii.
7. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting - North
America 0257
ii.
8. Remote Negative (−) Terminal. See Jump Starting - North
America 0257
ii.
9. Battery - North America 0218
ii(Out of View).
10. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant 0210
ii.
11. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 216
ii.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234773) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
204 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
0208ii.
2. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (Under Engine Cover). See
Power Steering Fluid (2.4L L4
Engine) 0215
iior Power
Steering Fluid (3.6L V6 Engine)
0 215
ii.
3. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0204
ii.
4. Engine Cover 0204
ii.
5. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See Engine Oil0204
ii.
6. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0217
ii.
7. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0224
ii.
8. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting - North
America 0257
ii.
9. Remote Negative (−) Terminal. See Jump Starting - North
America 0257
ii.
10. Battery - North America 0218
ii(Out of View). 11. Engine Coolant Surge Tank
and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant 0210
ii.
12. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 216
ii.
Engine Cover
Engine Cover 3.6L V6
1. Oil Fill Cap
2. Engine Cover Bolt
3. Engine Cover
To remove:
1. Remove the oil fill cap (1). 2. Remove the engine cover
bolt (2).
3. Raise the engine cover (3) to release from the retainers.
4. Lift and remove the engine cover.
5. Reverse Steps 1–4 to reinstall engine cover.
Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.Use engine oil approved to the
proper specification and of the
proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.
. Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234773) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
224 Vehicle Care
Replacement Bulbs
Exterior LampBulb
Number
Back-Up Lamp 921
Fog Lamp Front H8LL
License Plate Lamp W5WLL
Sidemarker Rear 194
Taillamp/Turn Signal
Lamp/Stop Lamp 3157K RD
For replacement bulbs not listed
here, contact your dealer.
Electrical System
Fuses
The wiring circuits in the vehicle are
protected from short circuits by
fuses. This greatly reduces the
chance of damage caused by
electrical problems.
Look at the silver-colored band
inside the fuse. If the band is broken
or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure
to replace a bad fuse with a new
one of the identical size and rating.
Replace a bad fuse with a new one
of the identical size and rating.
If there is a problem on the road and
a fuse needs to be replaced, the
same amperage fuse can be
borrowed. Choose some feature of
the vehicle that is not needed to use
and replace it as soon as possible.
There are two fuse blocks in the
vehicle: one in the engine
compartment and one in the
instrument panel. There is a fuse puller located in the
engine compartment fuse block.
See
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0224
ii. It can be used to
easily remove fuses from the fuse
block.
Engine Compartment
Fuse Block
To remove the fuse block cover,
squeeze the clips on the cover and
lift it straight up. See Engine
Compartment Overview 0201
ii.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9234773) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Vehicle Care 225
Caution
Spilling liquid on any electrical
component on the vehicle may
damage it. Always keep the
covers on any electrical
component.
The vehicle may not be equipped
with all of the fuses, relays, and
features shown.J-CaseFuses Usage
1 Cool Fan 1
2 Cool Fan 2
3 Brake Booster J-Case
Fuses Usage
4 Power Windows –
Right
5 Memory Seat Module
6 Power Seat –Left
7 Instrument Panel Fuse Block 1