
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-10664916) - 2018 - crc - 9/15/17
Lighting 155
|:Press to make the front and
rear turn signal lamps flash on and
off. This warns others that you are
having trouble.
Press
|again to turn the
flashers off.
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals
Move the lever all the way up or
down to signal a turn.
An arrow on the instrument cluster
will flash in the direction of the turn
or lane change.
Raise or lower the lever until the
arrow starts to flash to signal a lane
change. Hold it there until the lane change is complete. If the lever is
moved momentarily to the lane
change position, the arrow will flash
three times.
The lever returns to its starting
position when it is released.
If after signaling a turn or lane
change, the arrow flashes rapidly or
does not come on, a signal bulb
may be burned out.
Have any burned out bulbs
replaced. If a bulb is not burned out,
check the fuse. See
Instrument
Panel Fuse Block 0296.
Fog Lamps
The fog lamps button is on the
instrument panel beside the steering
wheel.
To turn on the fog lamps, the ignition
and the headlamps or parking lamps
must be on.
#:If equipped, press to turn on or
off. An indicator light on the
instrument cluster comes on when
the fog lamps are on.
Some localities have laws that
require the headlamps to be on
along with the fog lamps.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-10664916) - 2018 - crc - 9/15/17
156 Lighting
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel
Illumination Control
The brightness of the instrument
cluster display, infotainment display
and controls, steering wheel
controls, and all other illuminated
controls, as well as feature status
indicators can be adjusted.
The knob for this feature is on the
instrument panel beside the steering
column.
Push the knob in all the way until it
extends out and then turn the knob
clockwise or counterclockwise to
brighten or dim the lights.
Courtesy Lamps
The courtesy lamps come on when
any door is opened and the
j
OFF indicator light is turned off. See
Dome Lamps0156.
Dome Lamps
The dome lamp controls are in the
overhead console.
To operate, press the following
buttons:
jOFF : Press to turn off the
dome lamps when a door is open.
An indicator light on the button will turn on when the dome lamp
override is activated. Press
j
OFF again to deactivate this feature
and the indicator light will turn off.
The dome lamps will come on when
doors are opened.
+
ON/OFF : Press to turn the dome
lamps on manually.
Reading Lamps
There are reading lamps on the
overhead console and over the rear
passenger doors. These lamps
come on when any door is opened.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-10664916) - 2018 - crc - 9/15/17
160 Climate Controls
Climate Controls
Climate Control Systems
Climate Control Systems . . . . . 160
Dual Automatic ClimateControl System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Air Vents
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment AirFilter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Climate Control Systems
With this system the heating, cooling, and ventilation in the vehicle can be
controlled.
1. Fan Control
2. A/C (Air Conditioning)
3. Air Delivery Mode Controls
4. Defrost
5. TEMP (Temperature Control)
6. Rear Window Defogger
7. Air Recirculation9: Turn clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or
decrease the fan speed or turn the
fan off.
TEMP : Turn the knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or
decrease the temperature.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-10664916) - 2018 - crc - 9/15/17
Climate Controls 163
To improve fuel efficiency and to
cool the vehicle faster, recirculation
may be automatically selected in
warm weather.
The recirculation light will not come
on when automatically controlled.
Press
@to manually select
recirculation; press it again to select
outside air.
Do not cover the solar sensor on the
top of the instrument panel near the
windshield. This sensor regulates
air temperature based on sun load.
See “Sensors” later in this section.
Manual Operation
O:Press to turn the climate control
system on or off. When off, no air
will flow into the vehicle. Turning the
fan on, pressing any other button,
or turning a knob will turn the
system back on.
9: Turn clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or
decrease the fan speed. Press the
knob to turn the fan off.
Press AUTO to return to automatic
operation. Driver and Passenger
Temperature Control :
The
temperature can be adjusted
separately for the driver and
passenger.
Turn the knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or
decrease the driver or passenger
temperature setting.
SYNC : Press to link the passenger
temperature settings to the driver
setting. The SYNC indicator light will
turn on. When the passenger
temperature settings are adjusted,
the SYNC indicator light is off.
The driver side or passenger side
temperature display shows the
temperature setting increasing or
decreasing.
Air Delivery Mode Control : Press
Y,\,[, or-to change the
direction of the airflow. An indicator
light comes on in the selected mode
button. Changing the mode cancels the
automatic operation and the system
goes into manual mode. Press
AUTO to return to automatic
operation.
Y:
Air is directed to the instrument
panel outlets.
\: Air is divided between the
instrument panel and floor outlets.
[: Air is directed to the floor
outlets, with some to the windshield,
side window outlets, and second
row floor outlets.
-: This mode clears the windows
of fog or moisture. Air is directed to
the windshield, floor outlets, and
side window vents.
0: Press to clear the windshield
of fog or frost more quickly. Air is
directed to the windshield and the
side window vents. The air
conditioning compressor also comes
on, unless the outside temperature
is below freezing.
Do not drive the vehicle until all
windows are clear.
See Air Vents 0165.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-10664916) - 2018 - crc - 9/15/17
Climate Controls 165
Air Vents
Use the louvers located on the air
vents to change the direction of the
airflow.
To open or close off the airflow:
.On the center air vents, move
the slider knobs up or down.
. On the outer and rear air vents,
move the slider knobs right
or left.
Operation Tips
. Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from air inlets at the
base of the windshield that could
block the flow of air into the
vehicle. .
Clear snow off the hood to
improve visibility and help
decrease moisture drawn into
the vehicle, which may improve
long term system performance.
. Keep the path under the front
seats clear of objects to help
circulate the air inside of the
vehicle more effectively.
. Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
Check with your dealer before
adding equipment to the outside
of the vehicle.
. Do not attach any devices to the
air vent slats. This restricts
airflow and may cause damage
to the air vents.
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The filter removes dust, pollen, and
other airborne irritants from outside
air that is pulled into the vehicle.
The filter should be replaced as part
of routine scheduled maintenance.
See Maintenance Schedule 0353.
To find out what type of filter to use,
see Maintenance Replacement
Parts 0362.
1. Open the glove box.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-10664916) - 2018 - crc - 9/15/17
168 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Driving Environment . . . . . . . . . . 170
Vehicle Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 178
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 179
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 180
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 185
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Diesel Particulate Filter
Diesel Particulate Filter . . . . . . . 197
Diesel Exhaust Fluid
Diesel Exhaust Fluid . . . . . . . . . . 198
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 204
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 210
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 212
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 216
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . 216
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 222
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 223
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Forward Automatic Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 232
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . 234
Fuel
Fuel (Gasoline) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
California Fuel Requirements (Gasoline) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-10664916) - 2018 - crc - 9/15/17
172 Driving and Operating
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
. Avoid needless heavy braking.
. Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required. If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time while the
vehicle is not moving, power assist
may be reduced.
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is
held against that position for an
extended period of time, power
steering assist may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the
system cools down.
See your dealer if there is a
problem.
Curve Tips
.
Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
. Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
. Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve. .
Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
. Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) allows steering while
braking.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-10664916) - 2018 - crc - 9/15/17
Driving and Operating 173
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:1. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge. 3. Turn the steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
. Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force.
. Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions: .
Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go.
The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
. Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues —such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt.
. Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.