2017 CHEVROLET EQUINOX driving

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9918169) - 2017 - CRC - 3/23/16
124 Instruments and Controls
.Radio Settings
. Phone Settings
. Navigation Settings
. Display Settings
. Vehicle Settings
Each menu is detailed in the
following information.
Languages
Select Language, then select from
the available language(s).
Time and Date
Manually set the time and date. See
Clock 099.
Radio Settings
Select and depending on the radio
the following may display:
.
Auto Volume
. Gracenote Options
. XM Channel Art
. Max Startup Volume
. Number of Favorites Pages
. RDS Options .
XM Categories
. Software Versions Menu
Auto Volume
This feature adjusts the volume to
minimize the effects of unwanted
background noise that can result
from changing road surfaces, driving
speeds, or open windows. This
feature works best at lower volume
settings where background noise is
typically louder than the sound
system volume.
Select Off, Low, Medium, or High.
Gracenote Options
Select and the following may
display:
. Normalization
Normalization
This feature improves voice
recognition and media groupings.
See “USB,” “Auxiliary Devices,” and
“Bluetooth Audio” in the infotainment
manual.
Select to enable or disable. XM Channel Art
This feature turns the XM Audio
page background on the XM
Channel display on and off.
Select to enable or disable.
Max Startup Volume
This feature sets the maximum
startup volume. If the vehicle is
started and the volume is greater
than this level, the volume is
adjusted to this level.
Select + or
−to increase or
decrease the volume.
Number of Favorite Pages
Select to set the number of favorites
to display.
Select the desired number.
RDS Options
Select and the following may
display:
. RDS
. Text Scroll Freeze
. RDS Text

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9918169) - 2017 - CRC - 3/23/16
128 Instruments and Controls
Comfort and Convenience
Select and the following may
display:
.Easy Exit Driver Seat
. Chime Volume
. Reverse Tilt Mirror
. Memory Remote Recall
. Button Chime
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 049.
Select On or Off.
Chime Volume
This allows the selection of the
chime volume level.
Select Low 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
039.
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 049.
Select On or Off.
Button Chime
When enabled, a sound will be
heard when a selection is made
using the infotainment system.
Select to enable or disable.
Collision Detection Systems
Select and the following may
display:
. Park Assist .
Side Blind Zone Alert
. Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Park Assist
This allows the Parking Assist
feature to be turned on or off.
Select On, Off, or On with Tow Bar
Attached.
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
This allows the SBZA feature to be
turned on or off. See Side Blind
Zone Alert (SBZA) 0185.
Select On or Off.
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
This allows the Rear Cross Traffic
Alert feature to be turned on or off.
Select On or Off.
See Rear Vision Camera
(RVC) 0180.
Lighting
Select and the following may
display:
.
Vehicle Locator Lights
. Exit Lighting

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9918169) - 2017 - CRC - 3/23/16
134 Lighting
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
DRL can make it easier for others to
see the front of your vehicle during
the day.
The low-beam headlamps or
dedicated DRL, if equipped, 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.
For vehicles first sold in the United
States or Mexico, the DRL can also
be turned off by turning the lamp
control counterclockwise. The DRL
will stay off until the next ignition
cycle.
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
is in the full bright position. See
Instrument Panel Illumination
Control 0136.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9918169) - 2017 - CRC - 3/23/16
Driving and Operating 147
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 155
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 156
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 158
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 163
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 166
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 168 Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 170
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Fuel Economy Mode . . . . . . . . . 172
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 175
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Driver Assistance Systems
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 180
Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Lane Departure
Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 190
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Trailer Towing
General Towing
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . 198
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9918169) - 2017 - CRC - 3/23/16
148 Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, always
keep your eyes on the road, hands
on the wheel, and mind on the drive.
.Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
. Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices.
. Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions. .
Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
. Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
. Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
. Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
. Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.
{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 manual 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 053.
. 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.

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
Driving and Operating 151
3. Turn the steering wheel to gostraight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
. Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force.
. Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible. If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
.
Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go.
The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
. Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues —such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt.
. Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
All-wheel-drive vehicles can be
used for off-road driving. Vehicles
without all-wheel drive and vehicles
not equipped with All Terrain (AT) or
On-Off Road (OOR) tires must not
be driven off-road except on a level,
solid surface. To contact the tire
manufacturer for more information
about the original equipment tires,
see the warranty manual.
Controlling the vehicle is the key to
successful off-road driving. One of
the best ways to control the vehicle
is to control the speed.
{Warning
When driving off-road, bouncing
and quick changes in direction
can easily throw you out of
position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash. You and
your passengers should always
wear safety belts.