2017 CHEVROLET EQUINOX maintenance

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9918169) - 2017 - CRC - 3/23/16
Instruments and Controls 111
When the Light Is On Steady
This indicates that one or more of
the tires are significantly
underinflated.
A Driver Information Center (DIC)
tire pressure message may also
display. SeeTire Messages 0122.
Stop as soon as possible, and
inflate the tires to the pressure value
shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label. See Tire
Pressure 0240.
When the Light Flashes First and
Then Is On Steady
If the light flashes for about a minute
and then stays on, there may be a
problem with the TPMS. If the
problem is not corrected, the light
will come on at every ignition cycle.
See Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation 0242.
Engine Oil Pressure Light
Oil pressure can vary with engine
speed, outside temperature, and oil
viscosity. On some models, the oil pump will
vary engine oil pressure according
to engine needs. Oil pressure may
change quickly as the engine speed
or load varies. This is normal. If the
oil pressure warning light or Driver
Information Center (DIC) message
indicates oil pressure outside the
normal operating range, check the
vehicle's oil as soon as possible.
See
Engine Oil Messages 0118.
Caution
Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. Driving with the engine oil
low can also damage the engine.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Check
the oil level as soon as possible.
Add oil if required, but if the oil
level is within the operating range
and the oil pressure is still low,
have the vehicle serviced. Always
follow the maintenance schedule
for changing engine oil.
This light should come on briefly as
the engine is started. If it does not
come on, have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer.
If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and might have
some other system problem. See
your dealer.
Fuel Economy Light
For vehicles with the Fuel Economy
Mode light, it comes on when the
eco (economy) button near the shift
lever is pressed. For vehicles with a

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9918169) - 2017 - CRC - 3/23/16
116 Instruments and Controls
When the remaining oil life is low,
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the display.
SeeEngine Oil Messages 0118.
The oil should be changed as soon
as possible. See Engine Oil0207.
In addition to the engine oil life
system monitoring the oil life,
additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance
Schedule in this manual. See
Maintenance Schedule 0276.
Remember, the Oil Life display must
be reset after each oil change. It will
not reset itself. Also, be careful not
to reset the Oil Life display
accidentally at any time other than
when the oil has just been changed. It cannot be reset accurately until
the next oil change. To reset the
engine oil life system, press SET/
CLR while the Oil Life display is
active. The display will ask for
confirmation of a reset. Press
Qor
Rto select Yes or No. Then press
SET/CLR to confirm the selection.
See Engine Oil Life System 0210.
Blank Display
This display shows no information.
Compass
The vehicle may have a compass in
the Driver Information Center (DIC).
See Compass 098.
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.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9918169) - 2017 - CRC - 3/23/16
118 Instruments and Controls
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 airconditioning 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 0213.
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
soon as it is safe to do so to avoid severe damage. This message
clears when the engine has cooled
to a safe operating temperature.
HIGH COOLANT
TEMPERATURE
This message may display if the
coolant temperature is hot. See
Engine Overheating
0217.
Engine Oil Messages
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
This message displays when the
engine oil needs to be changed.
When you change the engine oil, be
sure to reset the oil life system. See
Engine Oil Life System 0210, Driver
Information Center (DIC) 0113,
Engine Oil 0207, and Maintenance
Schedule 0276.
ENGINE OIL HOT, IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays when the
engine oil temperature is too hot.
Stop and allow the vehicle to idle
until it cools down.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9918169) - 2017 - CRC - 3/23/16
140 Climate Controls
Climate Controls
Climate Control Systems
Climate Control Systems . . . . . 140
Automatic Climate ControlSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Air Vents
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment AirFilter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Climate Control Systems
The vehicle's heating, cooling, defrosting, and ventilation can be controlled
with this system.
1. Fan Control
2. Air Delivery Mode Controls
3. Temperature Control
4. A/C (Air Conditioning)
5. Recirculation
6. Rear Window Defogger
7. Front Defrost
8. Outside AirA: Turn to increase or decrease
the fan speed. Turn the knob all the
way counterclockwise to turn the
fan off.
Temperature Control : Turn to
increase or decrease the
temperature.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9918169) - 2017 - CRC - 3/23/16
Climate Controls 145
Air Vents
Center Air Vents
Use the louvers located on the air
vents to change the direction of the
airflow. Use the thumbwheels to
open or close off the airflow.
Side Air Vents
Use the louvers located on the air
vents to change the direction of the
airflow or to open or close off the
airflow.
Operation Tips
.Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from air inlets at the
base of the windshield that could
block the flow of air into the
vehicle. .
Keep the path under the front
seats clear of objects to help
circulate the air inside of the
vehicle more effectively.
. Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
Check with your dealer before
adding equipment to the outside
of the vehicle.
. Do not attach any devices to the
air vent slats. This restricts
airflow and may cause damage
to the air vents.
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The filter reduces the dust, pollen,
and other airborne irritants from
outside air that is pulled into the
vehicle.
The filter should be replaced as part
of routine scheduled maintenance.
See Maintenance Schedule 0276
for replacement intervals. To find out
what type of filter to use, see
Maintenance Replacement
Parts 0286.
The passenger compartment air
filter can be accessed by removing
the entire glove box.
1. Open the glove box completely and locate the stop tab on top
of the glove box door.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9918169) - 2017 - CRC - 3/23/16
Driving and Operating 149
{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.
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 0122.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9918169) - 2017 - CRC - 3/23/16
150 Driving and Operating
Hydraulic Power Steering (3.6L
V6 Engine)
If your vehicle has hydraulic power
steering, it may require
maintenance. SeePower Steering
Fluid (2.4L L4 Engine) 0218 or
Power Steering Fluid (3.6L
V6 Engine) 0218.
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.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
. Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
. Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
allows steering while braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9918169) - 2017 - CRC - 3/23/16
152 Driving and Operating
Before Driving Off-Road
.Have all necessary maintenance
and service work completed.
. Fuel the vehicle, fill fluid levels,
and check inflation pressure in
all tires, including the spare,
if equipped.
. Read all the information about
all-wheel-drive vehicles in this
manual.
. Make sure all underbody
shields, if equipped, are properly
attached.
. Know the local laws that apply to
off-road driving.
To gain more ground clearance if
needed, it may be necessary to
remove the front fascia lower air
dam. However, driving without the
air dam reduces fuel economy.
Caution
Operating the vehicle for
extended periods without the front
fascia lower air dam installed can (Continued)
Caution (Continued)
cause improper airflow to the
engine. Reattach the front fascia
air dam after off-road driving.
Loading the Vehicle for
Off-Road Driving
{Warning
.Unsecured cargo on the
load floor can be tossed
about when driving over
rough terrain. You or your
passengers can be struck
by flying objects. Secure the
cargo properly.
. Keep cargo in the cargo
area as far forward and as
low as possible. The
heaviest things should be
on the floor, forward of the
rear axle.
. Heavy loads on the roof
raise the vehicle's center of
gravity, making it more likely
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
to roll over. You can be
seriously or fatally injured if
the vehicle rolls over. Put
heavy loads inside the
cargo area, not on the roof.
For more information about loading
the vehicle, see Vehicle Load
Limits 0159.
Environmental Concerns
.
Always use established trails,
roads, and areas that have been
set aside for public off-road
recreational driving and obey all
posted regulations.
. Do not damage shrubs, flowers,
trees, or grasses or disturb
wildlife.
. Do not park over things that
burn. See Parking over Things
That Burn 0169.