2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX climate control

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12145779) - 2019 - CRC - 7/30/18
Driving and Operating 179
Driving Environment
Be prepared for driving in inclement
weather, at night, or during other
times where visibility or traction may
be limited, such as on curves,
slippery roads, or hilly terrain.
Unfamiliar surroundings can also
have hidden hazards.
Learn more about driving in different
conditions and off-road driving in
this section.
Vehicle Design
Utility vehicles have a significantly
higher rollover rate than other types
of vehicles. This is because they
have a higher ground clearance and
a narrower track or shorter
wheelbase than passenger cars,
which makes them more capable for
off-road driving. While these design
characteristics provide the driver
with a better view of the road, these
vehicles do have a higher center of
gravity than other types of vehicles.
A utility vehicle does not handle thesame as a vehicle with a lower
center of gravity, like a car, in similar
situations.
Safe driver behavior and
understanding of the environment
can help avoid a rollover crash in
any type of vehicle, including utility
vehicles.
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep
your eyes on the road, keep your
hands on the steering wheel, and
focus your attention on driving.
.
Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
. Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices.
. Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
. Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
. Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
. Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
. Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12145779) - 2019 - CRC - 7/30/18
Driving and Operating 189
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO), which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:. Clear snow from the base of
the vehicle, especially any
blocking the exhaust pipe.
. Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the vehicle side
that is away from the wind,
to bring in fresh air.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the fan speed to the highest
setting. See“Climate
Control Systems.”
For more information about CO,
see Engine Exhaust 0203.
To save fuel, run the engine for
short periods to warm the vehicle
and then shut the engine off and
partially close the window. Moving
about to keep warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle
speed. This keeps the battery
charged to restart the vehicle and to
signal for help with the headlamps.
Do this as little as possible, to
save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. See
Traction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
0 218.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a low
forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12145779) - 2019 - CRC - 7/30/18
Driving and Operating 199
{Warning
The automatic engine Stop/Start
feature causes the engine to shut
off while the vehicle is still on. Do
not exit the vehicle before shifting
to P (Park). The vehicle may
restart and move unexpectedly.
Always shift to P (Park), and then
turn the ignition off before exiting
the vehicle.
Auto Engine Stop/Start
When the brakes are applied and
the vehicle is at a complete stop,
the engine may turn off. When
stopped, the tachometer displays
AUTO STOP. See Tachometer
0 127. When the brake pedal is
released or the accelerator pedal is
pressed, the engine will restart.
To maintain vehicle performance,
other conditions may cause the
engine to automatically restart
before the brake pedal is released. Auto Stops may not occur and/or
auto restarts may occur because:
.
The climate control settings
require the engine to be running
to cool or heat the vehicle
interior.
. The vehicle battery charge
is low.
. The vehicle battery has recently
been disconnected.
. Minimum vehicle speed has not
been reached since the last
Auto Stop
. The accelerator pedal is
pressed.
. The engine or transmission is
not at the required operating
temperature.
. The outside temperature is not
in the required operating range.
. The vehicle is in any gear other
than D (Drive).
. Tow/Haul Mode or other driver
modes have been selected.
. The vehicle is on a steep hill or
grade. .
The driver door has been
opened or driver seat belt has
been unbuckled.
. The hood has been opened.
. The Auto Stop has reached the
maximum allowed time.
Engine Heater
{Warning
Do not plug in the engine block
heater while the vehicle is parked
in a garage or under a carport.
(Continued)

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12145779) - 2019 - CRC - 7/30/18
266 Driving and Operating
{Warning
To prevent serious injury or death
from carbon monoxide (CO),
when towing a trailer:. Do not drive with the
liftgate, trunk/hatch,
or rear-most window open.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
brings in only outside air.
See “Climate Control
Systems” in the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust 0203.
Towing a trailer requires experience.
The combination of the vehicle and
trailer is longer and not as
responsive as the vehicle itself. Get
used to the handling and braking of the combination by driving on a
level road surface before driving on
public roads.
The trailer structure, the tires, and
the brakes must be all be rated to
carry the intended cargo.
Inadequate trailer equipment can
cause the combination to operate in
an unexpected or unsafe manner.
Before driving, inspect all trailer
hitch parts and attachments, safety
chains, electrical connectors, lamps,
tires, and mirrors. See
Towing
Equipment 0271. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start the
combination moving and then
manually apply the trailer brake
controller to check that the trailer
brakes work. During the trip,
occasionally check that the cargo
and trailer are secure and that the
lamps and any trailer brakes are
working.
Towing with a Stability Control
System
When towing, the stability control
system might be heard. The system
reacts to vehicle movement caused by the trailer, which mainly occurs
during cornering. This is normal
when towing heavier trailers.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving without a trailer. This can
help to avoid heavy braking and
sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. The
combination of the vehicle and
trailer will not accelerate as quickly
and is much longer than the vehicle
alone. It is necessary to go much
farther beyond the passed vehicle
before returning to the lane. Pass
on level roadways. Avoid passing
on hills if possible.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. To move the
trailer to the left, move that hand to
the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move that hand to the right.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12145779) - 2019 - CRC - 7/30/18
Vehicle Care 335
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test
course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and
one-half (1½) times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and
differences in road
characteristics and climate.Traction
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on
specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Temperature
The temperature grades are A
(the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoorlaboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure. The grade
C corresponds to a level of
performance which all
passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and
A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum
required by law. Warning: The
temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12145779) - 2019 - CRC - 7/30/18
Index 415
Child Restraints (cont'd)Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102, 104
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Cleaning
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . 169 Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . 120, 124
Cold Weather Operation . . . . . . . . 255
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . 394
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Compartments Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Compressor Kit, Tire Sealant . . . 338
Connected Services Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410
Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412
Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
Connections Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . 410 Control
Traction and Electronic
Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Coolant Engine Temperature Gauge . . 129
Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169, 171
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
Cover Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Covers
Rear Compartment/StoragePanel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Cruise Control, Adaptive . . . . . . . . 224
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . 390
Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Text Telephone (TTY)Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390 Customer Information
Publications Ordering
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . . 394
Danger, Warning, and Caution . . . . 3
Data CollectionInfotainment System . . . . . . . . . . 400
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . 399
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Diagnostics Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . 412
Diesel Exhaust Fluid . . . . . . . . 28, 205
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Diesel Particulate Filter . . . . . . . . . 204
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Door Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12145779) - 2019 - CRC - 7/30/18
416 Index
Door (cont'd)Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . 386
Drive Systems All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . 214, 301
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . 234
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141, 146
Driving Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 240
Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 27
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 187
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 189
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Driving the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171E
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . 216
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . 134
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Electrical System Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 309
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Emergency OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Check Light (MalfunctionIndicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 280
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289 Engine (cont'd)
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 204
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Engines Diesel Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 399
Exhaust Fluid
Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 160
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
F
FeaturesMemory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Replacement (Fuel) . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12145779) - 2019 - CRC - 7/30/18
422 Index
Service (cont'd)Accessories and
Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Climate Control System . . . . . . . 169
Doing Your Own Work . . . . . . . . 277
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . . 382
Maintenance, General
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
Parts Identification Label . . . . . 383
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . 393
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Services Special Application . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Servicing the Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Shift Lock Control Function Check, Automatic
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . 246
Signals, Turn and Lane-Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Spare Tire Compact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Special Application Services . . . . 375 Specifications and
Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Start Assist, Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Start Vehicle, Remote . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 Heated Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Storage Areas Cargo Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Center Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Rear Compartment/StoragePanel Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Sunglasses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . . 107
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Struts Gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 Stuck Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Sunglass Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
System
Forward CollisionAlert (FCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168, 400
Roof Rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Systems Driver Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
T
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . . 390
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . . . 49Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
All-Season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Compact Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320