2017 GMC TERRAIN brake

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9919509) - 2017 - crc - 8/16/16
Instruments and Controls 119
Brake System Messages
BRAKE FLUID LOW
This message is displayed when the
brake fluid level is low; seeBrake
Fluid 0222.
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 099.
– –
Dashes will be displayed if the
compass needs service. See your
dealer for service.
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. See Cruise
Control 0179.
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

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9919509) - 2017 - crc - 8/16/16
136 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

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9919509) - 2017 - crc - 8/16/16
Driving and Operating 149
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 158
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 158
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 160
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 165
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 168
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 172
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Fuel Economy Mode . . . . . . . . . 174
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 177
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Driver Assistance Systems
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 182
Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Lane Departure
Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 192
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Trailer Towing
General Towing
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . 200
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9919509) - 2017 - crc - 8/16/16
Driving and Operating 151
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.
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.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9919509) - 2017 - crc - 8/16/16
152 Driving and Operating
See specific vehicle steering
messages underService Vehicle
Messages 0123.
Hydraulic 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) 0220 or
Power Steering Fluid (3.6L
V6 Engine) 0220.
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.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9919509) - 2017 - crc - 8/16/16
Driving and Operating 153
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.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9919509) - 2017 - crc - 8/16/16
Driving and Operating 155
Driving on Hills
Driving safely on hills requires good
judgment and an understanding of
what the vehicle can and cannot do.
{Warning
Many hills are simply too steep
for any vehicle. Driving up hills
can cause the vehicle to stall.
Driving down hills can cause loss
of control. Driving across hills can
cause a rollover. You could be
injured or killed. Do not drive on
steep hills.
Before driving on a hill, assess the
steepness, traction, and
obstructions. If the terrain ahead
cannot be seen, get out of the
vehicle and walk the hill before
driving further.
When driving on hills:
. Use a low gear and keep a firm
grip on the steering wheel.
. Maintain a slow speed. .
When possible, drive straight up
or down the hill.
. Slow down when approaching
the top of the hill.
. Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible.
{Warning
Driving to the top of a hill at high
speed can cause an accident.
There could be a drop-off,
embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be
seriously injured or killed. As you
near the top of a hill, slow down
and stay alert.
. Never go downhill forward or
backward with the transmission
in N (Neutral). The brakes could
overheat and you could lose
control.
. When driving down a hill, keep
the vehicle headed straight
down. Use a low gear because
the engine will work with the brakes to slow the vehicle and
help keep the vehicle under
control.
{Warning
Heavy braking when going down
a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and you or
others could be injured or killed.
Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under
control.
If the vehicle stalls on a hill: 1. Apply the brakes to stop the vehicle, and then apply the
parking brake.
2. Shift into P (Park) and then restart the engine.
.If driving uphill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to
R (Reverse), release the
parking brake, and back
straight down.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9919509) - 2017 - crc - 8/16/16
156 Driving and Operating
.Never try to turn the vehicle
around. If the hill is steep
enough to stall the vehicle,
it is steep enough to cause
it to roll over.
. If you cannot make it up the
hill, back straight down
the hill.
. Never back down a hill in
N (Neutral) using only the
brake.
. The vehicle can roll
backward quickly and you
could lose control.
. If driving downhill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to a
lower gear, release the
parking brake, and drive
straight down the hill.
3. If the vehicle cannot be restarted after stalling, set the
parking brake, shift an
automatic transmission into
P (Park), and turn the
vehicle off.
3.1. Leave the vehicle and seek help. 3.2. Stay clear of the path the
vehicle would take if it
rolled downhill.
. Avoid turns that take the vehicle
across the incline of the hill.
A hill that can be driven straight
up or down might be too steep to
drive across. Driving across an
incline puts more weight on the
downhill wheels which could
cause a downhill slide or a
rollover.
. Surface conditions can be a
problem. Loose gravel, muddy
spots, or even wet grass can
cause the tires to slip sideways,
downhill. If the vehicle slips
sideways, it can hit something
that will trip it –a rock, a rut, etc.
– and roll over.
. Hidden obstacles can make the
steepness of the incline more
severe. If a rock is driven across
with the uphill wheels, or if the
downhill wheels drop into a rut
or depression, the vehicle can tilt
even more. .
If an incline must be driven
across, and the vehicle starts to
slide, turn downhill. This should
help straighten out the vehicle
and prevent the side slipping.
{Warning
Getting out of the vehicle on the
downhill side when stopped
across an incline is dangerous.
If the vehicle rolls over, you could
be crushed or killed. Always get
out on the uphill side of the
vehicle and stay well clear of the
rollover path.
Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow,
or Ice
Use a low gear when driving in
mud –the deeper the mud, the
lower the gear. Keep the vehicle
moving to avoid getting stuck.
Traction changes when driving on
sand. On loose sand, such as on
beaches or sand dunes, the tires
tend to sink into the sand. This
affects steering, accelerating, and