
GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349114) - 2018 - crc - 9/21/17
Driving and Operating 225
Engine Heater
The engine heater can provide
easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up in
cold weather conditions at or below
0 °F (−18 °C). Vehicles with an
engine heater should be plugged in
at least four hours before starting.
Some models may have an internal
thermostat in the cord which will
prevent engine heater operation at
temperatures above 0 °F (−18 °C).
{Warning
Do not plug in the engine block
heater while the vehicle is parked
in a garage or under a carport.
Property damage or personal
injury may result. Always park the
vehicle in a clear open area away
from buildings or structures.
To Use the Engine Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap theelectrical cord. The bundled
cord is on the driver side of the
engine compartment, in front of
the battery. See Engine
Compartment Overview 0283.
Check the heater cord for
damage. If it is damaged, do
not use it. See your dealer for
a replacement. Inspect the
cord for damage yearly.
3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{Warning
Improper use of the heater cord
or an extension cord can damage
the cord and may result in
overheating and fire.
. Plug the cord into a
three-prong electrical utility
receptacle that is protected
by a ground fault detection
function. An ungrounded
outlet could cause an
electric shock.
. Use a weatherproof,
heavy-duty, 15 amp-rated
extension cord if needed.
Failure to use the
recommended extension
cord in good operating
condition, or using a
damaged heater or
extension cord, could make
(Continued)

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349114) - 2018 - crc - 9/21/17
226 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
it overheat and cause a fire,
property damage, electric
shock, and injury.
. Do not operate the vehicle
with the heater cord
permanently attached to the
vehicle. Possible heater
cord and thermostat
damage could occur.
. While in use, do not let the
heater cord touch vehicle
parts or sharp edges. Never
close the hood on the
heater cord.
. Before starting the vehicle,
unplug the cord, reattach
the cover to the plug, and
securely fasten the cord.
Keep the cord away from
any moving parts.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep it away from moving engine
parts. If you do not, it could be
damaged.
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer in the
area where you will be parking the
vehicle for the best advice on this.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
Some vehicle accessories may be
used after the ignition is turned off.
The power windows and sunroof,
if equipped, will continue to work for
up to 10 minutes or until any door is
opened.
The infotainment system will
continue to work for 10 minutes,
until the driver door is opened,
or until the ignition is turned on or
placed in ACC/ACCESSORY.
Shifting Into Park
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking brake. See
Electric Parking Brake 0233. 2. Move the shift lever into
P (Park) by holding in the
button on the shift lever and
pushing the shift lever all the
way toward the front of the
vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition off.
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
It could overheat and catch fire.
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
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, (Continued)

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349114) - 2018 - crc - 9/21/17
292 Vehicle Care
3.6L V6 Engine
1. Engine Cooling Fan (Outof View)
2. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
{Warning
An underhood electric fan can
start up even when the engine is
not running and can cause injury.
Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood
electric fan.
{Warning
Do not touch heater or radiator
hoses, or other engine parts.
They can be very hot and can
burn you. Do not run the engine if
there is a leak; all coolant could
leak out. That could cause an
engine fire and can burn you. Fix
any leak before driving the
vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is
filled with DEX-COOL engine
coolant. This coolant needs to be
checked and replaced at
appropriate intervals. See
Maintenance Schedule 0369.
The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
see Engine Overheating 0295.
What to Use
{Warning
Do not touch heater or radiator
hoses, or other engine parts.
They can be very hot and can
burn you. Do not run the engine if
there is a leak; all coolant could
leak out. That could cause an
engine fire and can burn you. Fix
any leak before driving the
vehicle.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant. This mixture:
. Gives freezing protection down
to−37 °C (−34 °F), outside
temperature.
. Gives boiling protection up to
129 °C (265 °F), engine
temperature.
. Protects against rust and
corrosion.
. Will not damage aluminum parts.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349114) - 2018 - crc - 9/21/17
296 Vehicle Care
If the overheat warning is displayed
with no sign of steam:1. Turn the air conditioning off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest temperature and to the
highest fan speed. Open the
windows as necessary.
3. When it is safe to do so, pull off the road, shift to P (Park) or
N (Neutral), and let the
engine idle.
If the engine coolant temperature
gauge is no longer in the
overheated area, the vehicle can be
driven. Continue to drive the vehicle
slowly for about 10 minutes. Keep a
safe distance from the vehicle in
front. If the warning does not come
back on, continue to drive normally
and have the cooling system
checked for proper fill and function.
If the warning continues, pull over,
stop, and park the vehicle
right away. If there is no sign of steam, idle the
engine for three minutes while
parked. If the warning is still
displayed, turn off the engine until it
cools down.
Washer Fluid
What to Use
When windshield washer fluid is
needed, be sure to read the
manufacturer's instructions before
use. If operating the vehicle in an
area where the temperature may fall
below freezing, use a fluid that has
sufficient protection against
freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
Open the cap with the washer
symbol on it. Add washer fluid until
the tank is full. See
Engine
Compartment Overview 0283 for
reservoir location.
Caution
. Do not use washer fluid that
contains any type of water
repellent coating. This can
cause the wiper blades to
chatter or skip.
. Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the
windshield washer. It can
damage the windshield
washer system and paint.
. Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the
solution to freeze and
damage the washer fluid
tank and other parts of the
washer system.
(Continued)

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349114) - 2018 - crc - 9/21/17
Index 413
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
DrivingAssistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 256
Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 27
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 215
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 217
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
E
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . 233
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . 139
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Electrical System Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 306 Electrical System (cont'd)
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .311
Emergency OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Check Light (MalfunctionIndicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 283
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 229
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 396 Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 164
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 166
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
F
Features
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Filter,
Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 168
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 289
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Forward Automatic Braking . . . . . 258
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349114) - 2018 - crc - 9/21/17
414 Index
Frequency StatementRadio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Front Seats
Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Heated and Ventilated . . . . . . . . . . 64
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267 Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Economy Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Filling a Portable Fuel
Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143, 144
Requirements, California . . . . . 267
Fuses
Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 306
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .311G
Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . . 160Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Gauges Engine CoolantTemperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Warning Lights and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
General Information Service and Maintenance . . . . . 367
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
GM Mobility Reimbursement
Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388
H
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Hands-Free Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . 168
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Headlamps
Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 144
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . 166
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 145
Heated
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Heated and Ventilated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Heater
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198, 201
High Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . 323
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 215
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . . . 238
Hill Descent Control Light . . . . . . . 140
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . 235
Home Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176