
GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349114) - 2018 - crc - 9/21/17
Keys, Doors, and Windows 37
may require a person using remote
start to have the vehicle in view.
Check local regulations for any
requirements.
Other conditions can affect the
performance of the transmitter. See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System030.
Starting the Engine Using Remote
Start
1. Press and release
Qon the
RKE transmitter.
2. Immediately press and hold
/
for at least four seconds or until
the turn signal lamps flash. The
turn signal lamps flashing
confirms the request to remote
start the vehicle has been
received.
During the remote start the
doors will be locked and the
parking lamps will remain on as
long as the engine is running.
The engine will shut off after
15 minutes unless a time
extension is done or the
vehicle is started. 3. With the RKE transmitter in the
vehicle, press the brake pedal
and start the vehicle to drive.
Extending Engine Run Time
The engine run time can also be
extended by another 15 minutes,
if during the first 15 minutes
Steps 1 and 2 are repeated while
the engine is still running. An
extension can be requested
30 seconds after starting. This
provides a total of 30 minutes.
The remote start can only be
extended once.
When the remote start is extended,
the second 15-minute period is
added on to the first 15 minutes for
a total of 30 minutes.
A maximum of two remote starts,
or a remote start with an extension,
are allowed between ignition cycles.
The vehicle must be started and
then turned off before the remote
start procedure can be used again. Canceling a Remote Start
To cancel a remote start, do any of
the following:
.
Press and hold
/until the
parking lamps turn off.
. Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
. Turn the vehicle on and then off.
Conditions in Which Remote Start
Will Not Work
The remote start will not operate if
any of the following occur:
. A transmitter is in the vehicle.
. The hood is not closed.
. The hazard warning flashers
are on.
. There is an emission control
system malfunction.
. The engine coolant temperature
is too high.
. The oil pressure is low.
. Two remote vehicle starts or a
start with an extension have
already been used.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349114) - 2018 - crc - 9/21/17
38 Keys, Doors, and Windows
.The vehicle is not in P (Park).
Door Locks
{Warning
Unlocked doors can be
dangerous.
. Passengers, especially
children, can easily open
the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. The doors
can be unlocked and
opened while the vehicle is
moving. The chance of
being thrown out of the
vehicle in a crash is
increased if the doors are
not locked. So, all
passengers should wear
seat belts properly and the
doors should be locked
whenever the vehicle is
driven.
. Young children who get into
unlocked vehicles may be
unable to get out. A child
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
can be overcome by
extreme heat and can suffer
permanent injuries or even
death from heat stroke.
Always lock the vehicle
whenever leaving it.
. Outsiders can easily enter
through an unlocked door
when you slow down or stop
the vehicle. Locking the
doors can help prevent this
from happening.
To lock or unlock the door from the
outside:
. Press
QorKon the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter.
See Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation 030.
. Use the key in the driver door.
The key lock cylinder is covered
with a cap. To lock or unlock the door from the
inside:
.
Press
QorKon the power door
lock switch.
. Push down on the door lock
knob to lock a door.
. Pull the door handle once to
unlock the door. Pull the handle
again to unlatch it.
Keyless Access
If equipped, the RKE transmitter
must be within 1 m (3 ft) of the
liftgate or door being opened. Press
the button on the door handle to

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349114) - 2018 - crc - 9/21/17
Keys, Doors, and Windows 39
open. See“Keyless Access
Operation” inRemote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation 030.
Driver Door Key Lock Cylinder
Access (In Case of Dead
Battery)
To access the driver door key lock
cylinder:
1. Pull the door handle (1) to the open position and hold it open
until cap removal is complete.
2. Insert the key into the slot (3) on the bottom of the cap (2)
and lift the key upward. 3. Move the cap (2) rearward and
remove.
4. Use the key in the cylinder.
To replace the cap: 1. Pull the door handle (1) to the open position and hold it open
until cap installation is
complete.
2. Insert the two tabs (6) at the
back of the cap between the
seal (5) and the metal base (4).
3. Slide the cap forward andpress the forward edge to
install the cap in place.
4. Release the door handle.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349114) - 2018 - crc - 9/21/17
42 Keys, Doors, and Windows
or by using the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter.
2. Open the door from the outside.
When the safety lock is enabled,
adults and older children will not be
able to open the rear door from the
inside. Cancel the safety locks to
enable the doors to open from the
inside.
To cancel the safety lock: 1. Unlock the door and open it from the outside.
2. Move the lever up to unlock. Do the same for the other door.Doors
Liftgate
{Warning
Exhaust gases can enter the
vehicle if it is driven with the
liftgate or trunk/hatch open,
or with any objects that pass
through the seal between the
body and the trunk/hatch or
liftgate. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO) which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle must be driven with
the liftgate or trunk/hatch open:
. Close all of the windows.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
brings in only outside air
and set the fan speed to the
highest setting. See
“Climate Control Systems”
in the Index.
. If the vehicle is equipped
with a power liftgate, disable
the power liftgate function.
See Engine Exhaust 0228.
Caution
To avoid damage to the liftgate or
liftgate glass, make sure the area
above and behind the liftgate is
clear before opening it.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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Keys, Doors, and Windows 43
Manual Liftgate
To unlock the liftgate, pressKon
the power door lock switch or press
Kon the RKE transmitter twice to
unlock all doors. Press the touch
pad on the bottom of the liftgate and
lift up.
Use the pull cup to lower and close
the liftgate. Do not press the touch
pad while closing the liftgate. This
will cause the liftgate to be
unlatched.
If equipped with Keyless Access,
the liftgate can be opened when
locked if the RKE transmitter is within 1 m (3 ft) of the touch pad.
See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation 030.
The liftgate has an electric latch.
If the battery is disconnected or has
low voltage, the liftgate will not
open. The liftgate will resume
operation when the battery is
reconnected and charged.
Power Liftgate Operation
{Warning
You or others could be injured if
caught in the path of the power
liftgate. Make sure there is no one
in the way of the liftgate as it is
opening and closing.
Caution
Driving with an open and
unsecured liftgate may result in
damage to the power liftgate
components.
If equipped with a power liftgate, the
switch is on the driver door. The
vehicle must be in P (Park).
The modes are:
. MAX: Opens to maximum
height.
. 3/4: Opens to a reduced height
that can be set from 3/4 to fully
open. Use to prevent the liftgate
from opening into overhead
obstructions such as a garage
door or roof-mounted cargo. The
liftgate can be manually opened
all the way.
. OFF: Opens manually only.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349114) - 2018 - crc - 9/21/17
44 Keys, Doors, and Windows
To power open or close the liftgate,
select MAX or 3/4 mode.
.Press
btwice quickly on the
RKE transmitter until the liftgate
moves.
. Press
8on the driver door.
The driver door must either be
unlocked or locked without the
security armed.
. Press the touch pad on the
bottom of the liftgate after
unlocking all doors. If equipped
with Keyless Access, the RKE
transmitter must be within
1 m (3 ft).
.Presslon the bottom of the
liftgate next to the pull cup to
close.
Press any liftgate button or the
touch pad while the liftgate is
moving to stop it. Pressing again
restarts the operation in the reverse
direction. The touch pad on the
liftgate handle cannot be used to
close the liftgate.
Caution
Manually forcing the liftgate to
open or close during a power
cycle can damage the vehicle.
Allow the power cycle to
complete.
The power liftgate may be
temporarily disabled under extreme
low temperatures, or after repeated
power cycling over a short period of
time. If this occurs, the liftgate can
still be operated manually.
If the vehicle is shifted out of
P (Park) while the power function is
in progress, the liftgate will continue to completion. If the vehicle is
accelerated before the liftgate has
completed moving, the liftgate may
stop or reverse direction. Check for
DIC messages and make sure the
liftgate is closed and latched before
driving.
Falling Liftgate Detection
If the power liftgate automatically
closes after a power opening cycle,
it indicates that the system is
reacting to excess weight on the
liftgate or a possible support strut
failure. A repetitive chime will sound
while the falling liftgate detection
feature is operating. Remove any
excess weight. If the liftgate
continues to automatically close
after opening, see your dealer for
service before using the power
liftgate.
Interfering with the power liftgate
motion or manually closing the
liftgate too quickly after power
opening may resemble a support
strut failure. This could also activate
the falling liftgate detection feature.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-11349114) - 2018 - crc - 9/21/17
Keys, Doors, and Windows 47
liftgate by another method or
start the vehicle. The feature will
be re-enabled.
When closing the liftgate using this
feature, there will be a short delay.
The taillamps will flash and a chime
will sound. Step away from the
liftgate before it starts moving.Vehicle Security
This vehicle has theft-deterrent
features; however, they do not make
the vehicle impossible to steal.
Vehicle Alarm System
This vehicle has an anti-theft alarm
system.
The indicator light, on the
instrument panel near the
windshield, indicates the status of
the system.
Off : Alarm system is disarmed. On Solid :
Vehicle is secured
during the delay to arm the system.
Fast Flash : Vehicle is unsecured.
A door, the hood, or the liftgate
is open.
Slow Flash : Alarm system is
armed.
Arming the Alarm System
1. Close the liftgate and the hood. Turn off the vehicle.
2. Lock the vehicle in one of three ways:
.Use the RKE transmitter.
. Use the Keyless Access
system.
. With a door open, press the
inside
Q.
3. After 30 seconds the alarm system will arm, and the
indicator light will begin to
slowly flash indicating the
alarm system is operating.
Pressing
Qon the RKE
transmitter a second time will

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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48 Keys, Doors, and Windows
bypass the 30-second delay
and immediately arm the alarm
system.
The vehicle alarm system will not
arm if the doors are locked with
the key.
If the driver door is opened without
first unlocking with the RKE
transmitter, the horn will chirp and
the lights will flash to indicate
pre-alarm. If the vehicle is not
started, or the door is not unlocked
by pressing
Kon the RKE
transmitter during the 10-second
pre-alarm, the alarm will be
activated.
The alarm will also be activated if a
passenger door, the liftgate, or the
hood is opened without first
disarming the system. When the
alarm is activated, the turn signals
flash and the horn sounds for about
30 seconds. The alarm system will
then re-arm to monitor for the next
unauthorized event.
Disarming the Alarm System
To disarm the alarm system or turn
off the alarm if it has been activated:
. Press
Kon the RKE transmitter.
. Unlock the vehicle using the
Keyless Access system.
. Start the vehicle.
To avoid setting off the alarm by
accident:
. Lock the vehicle after all
occupants have left the vehicle
and all doors are closed.
. Always unlock a door with the
RKE transmitter or use the
Keyless Access system.
Unlocking the driver door with the
key will not disarm the system or
turn off the alarm.
How to Detect a Tamper
Condition
IfKis pressed and the horn chirps
and the lights flash three times, the
alarm was activated while the alarm
system was armed. If the alarm system has been
activated, a message will appear on
the Driver Information Center (DIC).
Immobilizer
See
Radio Frequency Statement
0 394.
Immobilizer Operation
This vehicle has a passive
theft-deterrent system.
The system does not have to be
manually armed or disarmed.
The vehicle is automatically
immobilized when the vehicle is
turned off.
The immobilization system is
disarmed when the ignition is on or
in ACC/ACCESSORY and a valid
transmitter is present in the vehicle.