
GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349114) - 2018 - crc - 9/21/17
230 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park 0226 and
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips 0270.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. With the ignition on fully
apply the regular brake, then press
the button on the back of the shift
lever before shifting from P (Park).
If you cannot shift out of P (Park),
ease pressure on the shift lever,
then push the shift lever all the way
into P (Park) as you maintain brake
application. Then press the shift lever button and move the shift lever
into another gear. See
Shifting out
of Park 0227.
R : Use this gear to back up.
Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while the
vehicle is moving forward could
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Shift to
R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck 0217.
N : In this position, the engine does
not connect with the wheels. To
restart the engine when the vehicle
is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only.
{Warning
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.
Caution
Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349114) - 2018 - crc - 9/21/17
Driving and Operating 235
PARK light is off. If either light stays
on after release is attempted, see
your dealer.
Caution
Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system
and cause premature wear or
damage to brake system parts.
Make sure that the parking brake
is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
Automatic EPB Release
The EPB will automatically release if
the vehicle is running, placed into
gear, and an attempt is made to
drive away. Avoid rapid acceleration
when the EPB is applied, to
preserve parking brake lining life.
Brake Assist
The Brake Assist feature is
designed to assist the driver in
stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses thestability system hydraulic brake
control module to supplement the
power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle. The
stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.
Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time is
normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal as
the driving situation dictates. The
Brake Assist feature will
automatically disengage when the
brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
Hill Start Assist (HSA) will activate
when the vehicle is stopped on a
moderate to steep grade to help
prevent it from rolling in an
unintended direction. After the brake
pedal has been released and before
the accelerator pedal has been
pressed, HSA uses braking
pressure to hold the vehicle
stationary. If HSA is holding the
vehicle, a DIC message displays.
HSA will not activate in a forward
drive gear when facing downhill,
or in R (Reverse) when facing uphill.
Select the duration of the HSA
feature through vehicle
personalization. See
”Extended Hill
Start Assist” under“Comfort and
Convenience” inVehicle
Personalization 0152. When
Standard Hold is selected, the
vehicle is held stationary for up to
two seconds after the brake pedal is
released. When Extended Hold is
selected, the vehicle is held
stationary for up to five minutes
after the brake pedal is released. In
either case, override the hold
feature by pressing the accelerator
pedal and attempting to drive away.
If Standard Hold is selected, it will
hold the vehicle for two seconds
unless the driver door is opened or
the driver seat belt is unbuckled
after releasing the brake pedal.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349114) - 2018 - crc - 9/21/17
236 Driving and Operating
If Extended Hold is selected, it will
hold the vehicle for five minutes
unless the driver door is opened
and the driver seat belt is unbuckled
prior to releasing the brake pedal.
When deactivated after five minutes,
or if it is deactivated when the driver
seat belt is unlatched or the driver
door is opened, the Electric Parking
Brake will engage to prevent vehicle
movement.Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability
Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) and StabiliTrak®, an
electronic stability control system.
These systems help limit wheel spin
and assist the driver in maintaining
control, especially on slippery road
conditions.
TCS activates if it senses that any
of the drive wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, TCS applies the brakes to
the spinning wheels and reduces
engine power to limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak activates when the
vehicle senses a difference between
the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling.
StabiliTrak selectively applies
braking pressure to any one of the vehicle wheel brakes to assist the
driver in keeping the vehicle on the
intended path.
If cruise control is being used and
TCS or StabiliTrak begins to limit
wheel spin, cruise control will
disengage. Cruise control may be
turned back on when road
conditions allow. TCS and
StabiliTrak will automatically turn on
when cruise control is set.
Both systems come on
automatically when the vehicle is
started and begins to move. The
systems may be heard or felt while
they are operating or while
performing diagnostic checks. This
is normal and does not mean there
is a problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both
systems on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn TCS off if the vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
See
If the Vehicle Is Stuck 0217
and “Turning the Systems Off and
On” later in this section.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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Driving and Operating 237
The indicator light for both systems
is in the instrument cluster. This
light will:
.Flash when TCS is limiting
wheel spin
. Flash when StabiliTrak is
activated
. Turn on and stay on when either
system is not working
If either system fails to turn on or to
activate, a message may display in
the Driver Information Center (DIC),
and
dcomes on and stays on to
indicate that the system is inactive
and is not assisting the driver in
maintaining control. The vehicle is
safe to drive, but driving should be
adjusted accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle. 2. Turn the engine off and wait
15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
4. Drive the vehicle.
If
dcomes on and stays on, the
vehicle may need more time to
diagnose the problem. If the
condition persists, see your dealer.
Turning the Systems Off
and On
Caution
Do not repeatedly brake or
accelerate heavily when TCS is
off. The vehicle driveline could be
damaged.
To turn off only TCS, press and
release
g. The Traction Off lighti
displays in the instrument cluster
and a DIC message may display.
To turn TCS on again, press and
release
g. The Traction Off lighti
displayed in the instrument cluster
will turn off.
If TCS is limiting wheel spin when
g
is pressed, the system will not turn
off until the wheels stop spinning.
To turn off both TCS and StabiliTrak,
press and hold
guntil the Traction
Off light
iand StabiliTrak OFF light
gcome on and stay on in the
instrument cluster. A DIC message
may display.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349114) - 2018 - crc - 9/21/17
238 Driving and Operating
To turn TCS and StabiliTrak on
again, press and release
g. The
Traction Off light
iand StabiliTrak
OFF light
gin the instrument cluster
turn off.
Adding accessories can affect the
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications
0 281.
Hill Descent
Control (HDC)
If equipped, HDC can be used when
driving downhill. It sets and
maintains vehicle speed while
descending a very steep incline in a
forward or reverse gear.
The HDC switch is on the center
console, behind the transmission
shift lever.
Press
5to enable or disable HDC.
Vehicle speed must be below
50 km/h (31 mph).
A blinking HDC light indicates the
system is actively applying the
brakes to maintain vehicle speed.
HDC can maintain vehicle speeds
between 3 and 22 km/h (2 and
14 mph) on an incline greater than
or equal to a 10% grade.
When HDC is activated, the initial
HDC speed is set to the current
driving speed. It can be increased or
decreased by pressing the RES+ or
SET– steering wheel controls or by
applying the accelerator or brake
pedal. This adjusted speed
becomes the new set speed.
HDC will remain enabled between
22 and 60 km/h (14 and 37 mph);
however vehicle speed cannot be
set or maintained in this range.
It will automatically disable if the
vehicle speed is above 80 km/h (50 mph) or above 60 km/h
(37 mph) for at least 30 seconds.
Press
5again to re-enable HDC.
Driver Mode Control
If equipped, the Driver Mode Control
has the following Modes: Tour
(FWD), Sport, All-Wheel Drive
(AWD), Snow/Ice, Tow/Haul, and
Off-Road. Rotate the Driver Mode
Control knob on the center console
to make a mode selection. Continue
turning the knob through the
available modes. The selected
mode’s icon will light up on
the knob.
If the vehicle is in Tour (FWD) or
AWD, it will stay in that mode
through future ignition cycles. If the
vehicle is in any other mode, it will
revert back to Tour (FWD) when the
vehicle is restarted.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349114) - 2018 - crc - 9/21/17
Driving and Operating 249
Warning (Continued)
stop by ACC. Always place the
vehicle in P (Park) and turn off
the ignition before leaving the
vehicle.
ACC Override
If using the accelerator pedal while
ACC is active, the ACC indicator
turns blue on the instrument cluster
to indicate that automatic braking
will not occur. See Vehicle
Messages 0151. ACC will resume
operation when the accelerator
pedal is not being pressed.
{Warning
The ACC will not automatically
apply the brakes if your foot is
resting on the accelerator pedal.
You could crash into a vehicle
ahead of you. Curves in the Road
{Warning
On curves, ACC may not detect a
vehicle ahead in your lane. You
could be startled if the vehicle
accelerates up to the set speed,
especially when following a
vehicle exiting or entering exit
ramps. You could lose control of
the vehicle or crash. Do not use
ACC while driving on an entrance
or exit ramp. Always be ready to
use the brakes if necessary.
{Warning
On curves, ACC may respond to
a vehicle in another lane, or may
not have time to react to a vehicle
in your lane. You could crash into
a vehicle ahead of you, or lose
control of your vehicle. Give extra
attention in curves and be ready
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
to use the brakes if necessary.
Select an appropriate speed while
driving in curves.
ACC may operate differently in a
sharp curve. It may reduce the
vehicle speed if the curve is too
sharp.
When following a vehicle and
entering a curve, ACC may not
detect the vehicle ahead and
accelerate to the set speed. When
this happens, the vehicle ahead
indicator will not appear.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349114) - 2018 - crc - 9/21/17
Driving and Operating 263
Lane Change Alert (LCA)
If equipped, the LCA system is a
lane-changing aid that assists
drivers with avoiding lane change
crashes that occur with moving
vehicles in the side blind zone (or
spot) areas or with vehicles rapidly
approaching these areas from
behind. The LCA warning display
will light up in the corresponding
outside side mirror and will flash if
the turn signal is on.
{Warning
LCA does not alert the driver to
vehicles outside of the system
detection zones, pedestrians,
bicyclists, or animals. It may not
provide alerts when changing
lanes under all driving conditions.
Failure to use proper care when
changing lanes may result in
injury, death, or vehicle damage.
Before making a lane change,
always check mirrors, glance over
your shoulder, and use the turn
signals.LCA Detection Zones
1. SBZA Detection Zone
2. LCA Detection Zone
The LCA sensor covers a zone of
approximately one lane over from
both sides of the vehicle, or 3.5 m
(11 ft). The height of the zone is
approximately between 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
and 2 m (6 ft) off the ground. The
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
warning area starts at approximately
the middle of the vehicle and goes
back 5 m (16 ft). Drivers are also
warned of vehicles rapidly
approaching from up to 70 m (230 ft)
behind the vehicle.
How the System Works
The LCA symbol lights up in the
side mirrors when the system
detects a moving vehicle in the next
lane over that is in the side blind
zone or rapidly approaching that
zone from behind. A lit LCA symbol
indicates it may be unsafe to
change lanes. Before making a lane
change, check the LCA display,
check mirrors, glance over your
shoulder, and use the turn signals.
Left Side Mirror
DisplayRight Side Mirror Display
When the vehicle is started, both
outside mirror LCA displays will
briefly come on to indicate the
system is operating. When the
vehicle is in a forward gear, the left
or right side mirror display will light
up if a moving vehicle is detected in
the next lane over in that blind zone

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349114) - 2018 - crc - 9/21/17
Driving and Operating 269
To open the fuel door, push and
release the rearward center edge of
the door.
The vehicle has a capless refueling
system and does not have a fuel
cap. The filling nozzle must be fully
inserted and latched prior to starting
fuel flow.
{Warning
Overfilling the fuel tank by more
than three clicks of a standard fill
nozzle may cause:(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Vehicle performance issues,
including engine stalling and
damage to the fuel system.
. Fuel spills.
. Potential fuel fires.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Wait a
few seconds after you have finished
pumping before removing the
nozzle. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon as possible. See
Exterior Care 0358.
{Warning
If a fire starts while you are
refueling, do not remove the
nozzle. Shut off the flow of fuel by
shutting off the pump or by
notifying the station attendant.
Leave the area immediately. Filling the Tank with a Portable
Gas Can
If the vehicle runs out of fuel and
must be filled from a portable
gas can:
1. Locate the capless funnel
adapter from the rear cargo
area under the load floor.
2. Insert and latch the funnel into the capless fuel system.
{Warning
Attempting to refuel without using
the funnel adapter may cause fuel
spillage and damage the capless
fuel system. This could cause a
fire and you or others could be
badly burned and the vehicle
could be damaged.