Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12145779) - 2019 - CRC - 7/30/18
Vehicle Care 285
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0290.
2. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0285.
3. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0285.
4. Engine Cooling Fan. See Cooling System 0292.
5. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0299.
6. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0309.
7. Remote Positive (+) Terminal (Under Cover). See Jump
Starting - North America 0351.
8. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See
Cooling System 0292.
9. Battery - North America 0300.
10. Remote Negative (−) Terminal. SeeJump Starting - North
America 0351.
11. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 297.Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.
Use engine oil approved to the
proper specification and of the
proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.
. Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
. Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System 0289.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly,
every 650 km (400 mi), especially
prior to a long trip. The engine oil
dipstick handle is a loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0280 for the location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle.
If a low oil Driver Information Center
(DIC) message displays, check the
oil level. If the oil is not low and the
low oil message remains on, take
the vehicle to your dealer for
service.
Follow these guidelines:
. To get an accurate reading, park
the vehicle on level ground.
Check the engine oil level after
the engine has been off for at
least two hours. Checking the
engine oil level on steep grades
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 295
The coolant surge tank is located in
the engine compartment on the
driver side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0280.
How to Add Coolant to the
Surge Tank
{Warning
Spilling coolant on hot engine
parts can burn you. Coolant
contains ethylene glycol and it will
burn if the engine parts are hot
enough.
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system are under
pressure. Turning the pressure
cap, even a little, can cause them
to come out at high speed and
you could be burned. Never turn
the cap when the cooling system,
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
including the pressure cap, is hot.
Wait for the cooling system and
pressure cap to cool.
Caution
Failure to follow the specific
coolant fill procedure could cause
the engine to overheat and could
cause system damage. If coolant
is not visible in the surge tank,
contact your dealer.
The coolant surge tank pressure
cap can be removed when the
cooling system, including the surge
tank pressure cap and upper
radiator hose, is no longer hot. 1. Turn the pressure cap slowly
counterclockwise. If a hiss is
heard, wait for that to stop.
A hiss means there is still
some pressure left.
2. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with the proper mixture to the mark
pointed to on the front of the
coolant surge tank.
4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start the
engine and let it run until you
can feel the upper radiator
hose getting hot. Watch out for
the engine cooling fans. By this
time, the coolant level inside
the coolant surge tank may be
lower. If the level is lower, add
more of the proper mixture to
the coolant surge tank until the
level reaches the mark pointed
to on the front of the coolant
surge tank.
5. Replace the pressure cap tightly.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 301
Extended Storage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery or use a battery trickle
charger.
All-Wheel Drive
Transfer Case
Under normal driving conditions,
transfer case fluid does not require
maintenance unless there is a fluid
leak or unusual noise. If required,
have the transfer case serviced by
your dealer.
Starter Switch Check
{Warning
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room
around the vehicle. 2. Apply both the parking brake
and the regular brake.
Do not use the accelerator
pedal, and be ready to turn off
the engine immediately if it
starts.
3. Try to start the engine in each gear. The vehicle should start
only in P (Park) or N (Neutral).
If the vehicle starts in any other
position, contact your dealer for
service.
Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control
Function Check
{Warning
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured. 1. Before starting this check, be
sure there is enough room
around the vehicle. It should be
parked on a level surface.
2. Apply the parking brake. Be ready to apply the regular
brake immediately if the vehicle
begins to move.
3. With the engine off, turn the ignition on, but do not start the
engine. Without applying the
regular brake, try to move the
shift lever out of P (Park) with
normal effort. If the shift lever
moves out of P (Park), contact
your dealer for service.
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check
{Warning
When you are doing this check,
the vehicle could begin to move.
You or others could be injured
and property could be damaged.
Make sure there is room in front
(Continued)
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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306 Vehicle Care
Headlamps
Bi-halogen headlamp shown.
Driver Side Shown, PassengerSide Similar
1. Headlamp
To replace one of the headlamp
bulbs:
1. Open the hood. See Hood
0 278.
2. For the driver side bulb, remove the battery cover.
Remove the windshield washer bottle filler neck by firmly
pulling it straight up and out of
the bottle.
For the passenger side,
remove the air cleaner cover.
3. Remove the cover from the back of the headlamp
assembly by turning it
counterclockwise.
4. Disconnect the electrical connector.
5. Remove the bulb from the lamp assembly by turning
counterclockwise.
6. Install a new bulb in the lamp assembly.
7. Connect the electrical connector.
8. Replace the cover from the back of the headlamp
assembly by turning it
clockwise. 9. For the driver side, reinstall the
battery cover. Reinstall the
windshield washer bottle filler
neck by firmly pushing it
straight into the bottle. Make
sure that the filler neck clip
engages into the bracket on
the upper tie-bar.
For the passenger side,
reinstall the air cleaner cover.
Front Turn Signal and
Fog Lamps
Driver Side Shown, Passenger
Side Similar
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 307
To replace one of these lamps:1. Remove the fastener to remove the access panel.
2. Access the lamp through the hole in the underbody air
deflector.
3. Disconnect the electrical connector from the bulb
assembly.
4. Turn the bulb socket counterclockwise and pull the
bulb straight out of the socket.
5. Replace the bulb and reverse Steps 1–4 to reinstall.Taillamps
Driver Side Shown, Passenger
Side Similar
1. Sidemarker
2. Stoplamp/Taillamp/RearTurn Signal
To replace one of these lamps:
1. Open the liftgate. See Liftgate
0 42. 2. Remove the two screw covers
from the taillamp assembly.
3. Remove the two screws securing the taillamp assembly.
4. Pull the taillamp assembly out of the vehicle body.
5. Disconnect the lamp wiring harness.
6. Turn the bulb socket counterclockwise and pull
it out.
7. Pull the bulb straight out of the socket.
8. Install the new bulb.
9. Push the bulb socket in and turn it clockwise.
10. Reverse Steps 2–5 to reinstall the lamp assembly.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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308 Vehicle Care
License Plate Lamp
Lamp Assembly
Bulb Assembly
1. Bulb Socket
2. Bulb
3. Lamp Assembly
To replace one of these bulbs:1. Open the liftgate partway. See Liftgate 042.
2. Push the lamp assembly outboard to remove.
3. Pull the lamp assembly down to remove it from the liftgate.
4. Turn the bulb socket (1) counterclockwise to remove it
from the lamp assembly (3).
5. Pull the bulb (2) straight out of the bulb socket (1).
6. Push the replacement bulb straight into the bulb socket
and turn the bulb socket
clockwise to install it into the
lamp assembly.
7. Push the lamp assembly into the liftgate engaging the clip
side first.
8. Push on the lamp side opposite the clip until the lamp assembly
snaps into place.
Electrical System
Electrical System
Overload
The vehicle has fuses and circuit
breakers to protect against an
electrical system overload.
When the electrical load current is
too heavy, the circuit breaker opens
and closes, protecting the circuit
until the current load returns to
normal or the problem is fixed. This
greatly reduces the chance of circuit
overload and fire caused by
electrical problems.
Replace a bad fuse with a new one
of the identical size and rating.
If there is a problem on the road and
a fuse needs to be replaced, the
same amperage fuse can be
borrowed. Choose some feature of
the vehicle that is not needed to use
and replace it as soon as possible.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 309
Headlamp Wiring
An electrical overload may cause
the lamps to go on and off, or in
some cases to remain off. Have the
headlamp wiring checked right away
if the lamps go on and off or
remain off.
Windshield Wipers
If the wiper motor overheats due to
heavy snow or ice, the windshield
wipers will stop until the motor cools
and will then restart.
Although the circuit is protected
from electrical overload, overload
due to heavy snow or ice may
cause wiper linkage damage.
Always clear ice and heavy snow
from the windshield before using the
windshield wipers.
If the overload is caused by an
electrical problem and not snow or
ice, be sure to get it fixed.
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers
The wiring circuits in the vehicle are
protected from short circuits by a
combination of fuses and circuit
breakers. This greatly reduces the
chance of damage caused by
electrical problems.
{Danger
Fuses and circuit breakers are
marked with their ampere rating.
Do not exceed the
specified amperage rating when
replacing fuses and circuit
breakers. Use of an oversized
fuse or circuit breaker can result
in a vehicle fire. You and others
could be seriously injured or
killed.
To check a fuse, look at the
silver-colored band inside the fuse.
If the band is broken or melted,
replace the fuse. Be sure to replace
a bad fuse with a new one of the
identical size and rating. Fuses of the same amperage can
be temporarily borrowed from
another fuse location, if a fuse goes
out. Replace the fuse as soon as
possible.
There is a fuse puller in the engine
compartment fuse block. It can be
used to easily remove fuses from
the fuse block.
Engine Compartment
Fuse Block
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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310 Vehicle Care
To remove the fuse block cover,
squeeze the clips on the cover and
lift it straight up. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview 0280.
Caution
Spilling liquid on any electrical
component on the vehicle may
damage it. Always keep the
covers on any electrical
component.
The vehicle may not be equipped
with all of the fuses, relays, and
features shown.
Fuses Usage
F01 Starter 1
F02 Starter 2
F03 Lambda sensor 1
F04 Engine control module Fuses Usage
F05 FlexFuel sensor
F06 Transmission control module
F07 –
F08 Engine control module
F09 Air conditioning clutch