2018 CHEVROLET EQUINOX Safety restraint system

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10446639) - 2018 - CRC - 8/18/17
ContentsIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
In Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Keys, Doors, and Windows . . . . . 31
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Instruments and Controls . . . . . . 112
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . 165
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . . 198
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Service and Maintenance . . . . . 371
Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Customer Information . . . . . . . . . 389
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . . . 400
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10446639) - 2018 - CRC - 8/18/17
58 Seats and Restraints
Seats and
Restraints
Head Restraints
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Front Seats
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Power Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . 61
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Heated and Ventilated FrontSeats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Rear Seats
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Heated Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Seat Belts
Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
How to Wear Seat BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Seat Belt Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Seat Belt Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . 77
Seat Belt Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Replacing Seat Belt System
Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Airbag System
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . 80
When Should an AirbagInflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
What Will You See after an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Passenger Sensing System . . . 84
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . 88
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . 89
Replacing Airbag System Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Child Restraints
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Infants and Young Children . . . . 92
Child Restraint Systems . . . . . . . 94
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . . 96
Lower Anchors and Tethers forChildren (LATCH System) . . . . 97 Replacing LATCH System
Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . 102
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the
Rear Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the
Front Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10446639) - 2018 - CRC - 8/18/17
Seats and Restraints 77
Safety System Check
Periodically check the seat belt
reminder, seat belts, buckles, latch
plates, retractors, shoulder belt
height adjusters (if equipped), and
seat belt anchorages to make sure
they are all in working order. Look
for any other loose or damaged seat
belt system parts that might keep a
seat belt system from performing
properly. See your dealer to have it
repaired. Torn or frayed seat belts
may not protect you in a crash.
They can rip apart under impact
forces. If a belt is torn or frayed,
have it replaced immediately.
Make sure the seat belt reminder
light is working. SeeSeat Belt
Reminders 0128.
Keep seat belts clean and dry. See
Seat Belt Care 077.
Seat Belt Care
Keep belts clean and dry.
{Warning
Do not bleach or dye seat belt
webbing. It may severely weaken
the webbing. In a crash, they
might not be able to provide
adequate protection. Clean and
rinse seat belt webbing only with
mild soap and lukewarm water.
Allow the webbing to dry.
Seat belts should be properly cared
for and maintained.
Seat belt hardware should be kept
dry and free of dust or debris. As
necessary exterior hard surfaces
and seat belt webbing may be lightly
cleaned with mild soap and water.
Ensure there is not excessive dust
or debris in the mechanism. If dust or debris exists in the system please
see the dealer. Parts may need to
be replaced to ensure proper
functionality of the system.Replacing Seat Belt
System Parts after a
Crash
{Warning
A crash can damage the seat belt
system in the vehicle. A damaged
seat belt system may not properly
protect the person using it,
resulting in serious injury or even
death in a crash. To help make
sure the seat belt systems are
working properly after a crash,
have them inspected and any
necessary replacements made as
soon as possible.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10446639) - 2018 - CRC - 8/18/17
86 Seats and Restraints
wear a seat belt properly—whether
or not there is an airbag for that
person.
{Warning
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. See Airbag Readiness
Light 0129 for more information,
including important safety
information.
If the On Indicator Is Lit for a
Child Restraint
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag if
the system determines that an infant
is present in a child restraint. If a
child restraint has been installed
and the on indicator is lit:
1. Turn the vehicle off. 2. Remove the child restraint from
the vehicle.
3. Remove any additional items from the seat such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.
4. Reinstall the child restraint following the directions
provided by the child restraint
manufacturer and refer to
Securing Child Restraints (With
the Seat Belt in the Rear Seat)
0103 orSecuring Child
Restraints (With the Seat Belt
in the Front Seat) 0105.
Make sure the seat belt
retractor is locked by pulling
the shoulder belt all the way
out of the retractor when
installing the child restraint,
even if the child restraint is
equipped with a seat belt lock
off. When the retractor lock is
set, the belt can be tightened
but not pulled out of the
retractor. 5. If, after reinstalling the child
restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is still
lit, turn the vehicle off. Then
slightly recline the vehicle
seatback and adjust the seat
cushion, if adjustable, to make
sure that the vehicle seatback
is not pushing the child
restraint into the seat cushion.
Also make sure the child
restraint is not trapped under
the vehicle head restraint.
If this happens, adjust the head
restraint. See Head Restraints
0 59.
6. Restart the vehicle.
The passenger sensing system may
or may not turn off the airbag for a
child in a child restraint depending
upon the child’s size. It is better to
secure the child restraint in a rear
seat. Never put a rear-facing child
restraint in the front seat, even if the
on indicator is not lit.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10446639) - 2018 - CRC - 8/18/17
92 Seats and Restraints
Infants and Young
Children
Everyone in a vehicle needs
protection! This includes infants and
all other children. Neither the
distance traveled nor the age and
size of the traveler changes the
need, for everyone, to use safety
restraints. In fact, the law in every
state in the United States and in
every Canadian province says
children up to some age must be
restrained while in a vehicle.
{Warning
Children can be seriously injured
or strangled if a shoulder belt is
wrapped around their neck. The
shoulder belt can tighten but
cannot be loosened if it is locked.
The shoulder belt locks when it is
pulled all the way out of the
retractor. It unlocks when the
shoulder belt is allowed to go all
the way back into the retractor,
but it cannot do this if it is
wrapped around a child’s neck.
If the shoulder belt is locked and
tightened around a child’s neck,
the only way to loosen the belt is
to cut it.
Never leave children unattended
in a vehicle and never allow
children to play with the seat
belts.
Every time infants and young
children ride in vehicles, they should
have the protection provided by appropriate child restraints. Neither
the vehicle's seat belt system nor its
airbag system is designed for them.
Children who are not restrained
properly can strike other people,
or can be thrown out of the vehicle.
{Warning
Never hold an infant or a child
while riding in a vehicle. Due to
crash forces, an infant or a child
will become so heavy it is not
possible to hold it during a crash.
For example, in a crash at only
40 km/h (25 mph), a 5.5 kg (12 lb)
infant will suddenly become a
110 kg (240 lb) force on a person's
arms. An infant or child should be
secured in an appropriate
restraint.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10446639) - 2018 - CRC - 8/18/17
Seats and Restraints 95
Booster Seats
A belt-positioning booster seat is
used for children who have
outgrown their forward-facing child
restraint. Boosters are designed to
improve the fit of the vehicle's seat
belt system until the child is large
enough for the vehicle seat belts to
fit properly without a booster seat.
See the seat belt fit test in Older
Children 090.
Securing an Add-On Child
Restraint in the Vehicle
{Warning
A child can be seriously injured or
killed in a crash if the child
restraint is not properly secured in
the vehicle. Secure the child
restraint properly in the vehicle
using the vehicle’s seat belt or
LATCH system, following the
instructions that came with that
child restraint and the instructions
in this manual.
To help reduce the chance of injury,
the child restraint must be secured
in the vehicle. Child restraints must
be secured in vehicle seats by lap
belts or the lap belt portion of a
lap-shoulder belt, or by the LATCH
system. See Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) 097 for more information.
Children can be endangered in a
crash if the child restraint is not
properly secured in the vehicle. When securing an add-on child
restraint, refer to the instructions
that come with the restraint which
may be on the restraint itself or in a
booklet, or both, and to this manual.
The child restraint instructions are
important, so if they are not
available, obtain a replacement
copy from the manufacturer.
Keep in mind that an unsecured
child restraint can move around in a
collision or sudden stop and injure
people in the vehicle. Be sure to
properly secure any child restraint in
the vehicle
—even when no child is
in it.
In some areas of the United States
and Canada, Certified Child
Passenger Safety Technicians
(CPSTs) are available to inspect
and demonstrate how to correctly
use and install child restraints. In
the U.S., refer to the National
Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) website to
locate the nearest child safety seat
inspection station. For CPST

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10446639) - 2018 - CRC - 8/18/17
Seats and Restraints 105
Securing Child Restraints
(With the Seat Belt in the
Front Seat)
This vehicle has airbags. A rear
seat is a safer place to secure a
forward-facing child restraint. See
Where to Put the Restraint096.
In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system which is
designed to turn off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
under certain conditions. See
Passenger Sensing System 084
and Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator 0129 for more information,
including important safety
information.
Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front. This is because the risk to
the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag deploys.
{Warning
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag inflates.
This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would
be very close to the inflating
airbag. A child in a forward-facing
child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
inflates and the passenger seat is
in a forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the front
outboard passenger frontal
airbag, no system is fail-safe. No
one can guarantee that an airbag
will not deploy under some
unusual circumstance, even
though it is turned off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints
in a rear seat, even if the airbag
is off. If you secure a
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
forward-facing child restraint in
the front outboard passenger
seat, always move the seat as far
back as it will go. It is better to
secure the child restraint in a
rear seat.
SeePassenger Sensing System
0 84 for additional information.
If the child restraint uses a top
tether, see Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) 097 for top tether anchor
locations.
Do not secure a child seat in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be anchored, or if
the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top strap
must be anchored.
In Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have
a top tether, and that the tether be
attached.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10446639) - 2018 - CRC - 8/18/17
374 Service and Maintenance
.Inspect tire wear. See Tire
Inspection 0333.
. Visually check for fluid leaks.
. Inspect engine air cleaner filter.
See Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
0 293.
. Inspect brake system. See
Exterior Care 0361.
. Visually inspect steering,
suspension, and chassis
components for damaged, loose,
or missing parts or signs of
wear. See Exterior Care 0361.
. Check restraint system
components. See Safety System
Check 077. .
Visually inspect fuel system for
damage or leaks.
. Visually inspect exhaust system
and nearby heat shields for
loose or damaged parts.
. Lubricate body components. See
Exterior Care 0361.
. Check starter switch. See Starter
Switch Check 0304.
. Check parking brake and
automatic transmission park
mechanism. See Park Brake and
P (Park) Mechanism Check
0 304.
. Check accelerator pedal for
damage, high effort, or binding.
Replace if needed. .
Visually inspect gas strut for
signs of wear, cracks, or other
damage. Check the hold open
ability of the strut. If the hold
open ability is low, service the
gas strut. See Gas Strut(s)
0 306.
. Check tire sealant expiration
date, if equipped. See Tire
Sealant and Compressor Kit
0 341.
. Inspect sunroof track and seal,
if equipped. See Sunroof055.