Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10446639) - 2018 - CRC - 8/18/17
200 Driving and Operating
same as a vehicle with a lower
center of gravity, like a car, in similar
situations.
Safe driver behavior and
understanding of the environment
can help avoid a rollover crash in
any type of vehicle, including utility
vehicles.
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, keep
your eyes on the road, keep your
hands on the steering wheel, and
focus your attention on driving..
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 section 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 seat belt. See Seat Belts071.
. 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.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10446639) - 2018 - CRC - 8/18/17
214 Driving and Operating
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).
The GVWR includes the weight
of the vehicle, all occupants,
fuel, and cargo.
The Certification/Tire label may
also show the maximum weights
for the front and rear axles,
called the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR). To find out the
actual loads on the front and
rear axles, weigh the vehicle at
a weigh station. Your dealer can
help with this. Be sure to spread
the load equally on both sides of
the centerline.Caution
Overloading the vehicle may
cause damage. Repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Do not overload the
vehicle.
{Warning
Things inside the vehicle can
strike and injure people in a
sudden stop or turn, or in a
crash.
.Put things in the cargo
area of the vehicle. In the
cargo area, put them as
far forward as possible.
Try to spread the weight
evenly.
.Never stack heavier
things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above
the tops of the seats.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
. Do not leave an
unsecured child restraint
in the vehicle.
.Secure loose items in the
vehicle.
.Do not leave a seat
folded down unless
needed.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10446639) - 2018 - CRC - 8/18/17
Index 417
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . 108
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
ChargingWireless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . 130
Check Engine Light (Malfunction
Indicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Child Restraints Infants and Young Children . . . . . 92
Lower Anchors and Tethersfor Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103, 105
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Cleaning
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . 190 Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Cold Weather Operation . . . . . . . . 262
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . 396
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . 353 Compartments
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Compressor Kit, Tire Sealant . . . 341
Connections OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406
Control
Traction and ElectronicStability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Coolant Engine Temperature Gauge . . 127
Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190, 192
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395
Cover Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . 392 Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Text Telephone (TTY)
Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392 Customer Information
Service Publications
Ordering Information . . . . . . . . 398
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . . 396
Danger, Warning, and Caution . . . . 3
Data CollectionInfotainment System . . . . . . . . . . 402
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . 401
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Devices Auxiliary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Diagnostics OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
Diesel Exhaust Fluid . . . . . . . . 30, 226
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Diesel Particulate Filter . . . . . . . . . 225
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10446639) - 2018 - CRC - 8/18/17
420 Index
Headlamps (cont'd)Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Front Turn Signal and Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
High Intensity Discharge
(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 138
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . 159
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 138
Heated
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Heated and Ventilated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Heater Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190, 192
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 208
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . 238
Home Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 How to Wear Seat Belts
Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
HVAC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190, 192
I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Indicator Vehicle Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Infants and Young Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Interior Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . . . 52
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
J
Jump Starting - North
America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
K
Keyless EntryRemote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . 32
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . . . 321
Lamps Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 Lamps (cont'd)
Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . 159
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .311
Malfunction Indicator (Check Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . 252
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . 254
Lane Keep Assist Light . . . . . . . . . 134
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
LATCH System Replacing Parts after aCrash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
LATCH, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Lighting Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10446639) - 2018 - CRC - 8/18/17
422 Index
N
NavigationOnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . 215
O
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Oil Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 292
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Older Children, Restraints . . . . . . . 90
Online Owner Center . . . . . . . . . . . 392
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
OnStar Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
OnStar Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . 406
OnStar Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
OnStar Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404
OnStar Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
OnStar Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
OnStar Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
Operation Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 Operation (cont'd)
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . 168
Ordering Service Publications . . . . . . . . . . 398
Outlets Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
P
Park Shifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Parking
Brake and P (Park)Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 304
Extended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . 223
Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Parking or Backing
Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 245
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Passenger Compartment Air
Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . 84
Perchlorate Materials Requirements, California . . . . . . 280 Personalization
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Phone Apple CarPlay andAndroid Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180, 181
Hands-Free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Port USB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . 221
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts . . . . 76
Privacy Vehicle Data Recording . . . . . . . 401
Program
Courtesy Transportation . . . . . . 395
Proposition 65 Warning,
California . . . . . . . . . . . .279, 303, 354, Back Cover
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10446639) - 2018 - CRC - 8/18/17
424 Index
Seats (cont'd)Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Securing Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103, 105
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Vehicle Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Climate Control System . . . . . . . 190
Doing Your Own Work . . . . . . . . 280
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . . 384
Maintenance, General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Parts Identification Label . . . . . 385
Publications Ordering
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 398
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . 395
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Services Special Application . . . . . . . . . . . 378
Servicing the Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Shift Lock Control Function
Check, Automatic
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . 252
Signals, Turn and
Lane-Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Software Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Spare Tire Compact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Special Application Services . . . . 378
Specifications and Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
StabiliTrak
OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Start Assist, Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Start Vehicle, Remote . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201 Heated Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Storage Areas Cargo Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Storage Areas (cont'd)
Center Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Sunglasses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . . 108
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Struts
Gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Stuck Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Sunglass Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
System Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165, 402
Roof Rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Systems Driver Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244