2019 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE brakes

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12146157) - 2019 - CRC - 10/31/18
278 Driving and Operating
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.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making TurnsCaution
Turn more slowly and make wider
arcs when towing a trailer to
prevent damage to your vehicle.
Making very sharp turns could
cause the trailer to contact the
vehicle.
Make wider turns than normal when
towing, so trailer will not go over soft
shoulders, over curbs, or strike road
signs, trees, or other objects.
Always signal turns well in advance.
Do not steer or brake suddenly.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear before starting down a long or
steep downhill grade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, the
brakes may overheat and result in
reduced braking efficiency. The vehicle can tow in D (Drive).
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear if the transmission shifts too
often under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
When towing at higher altitudes,
engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than at lower altitudes.
If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the
vehicle could show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run, preferably on
level ground, with the transmission
in P (Park) for a few minutes before
turning the engine off. If the
overheat warning comes on, see
Engine Overheating
0305.Parking on Hills
{Warning
To prevent serious injury or death,
always park your vehicle and
trailer on a level surface when
possible.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12146157) - 2019 - CRC - 10/31/18
280 Driving and Operating
Trailer Weight Ratings
When towing a trailer, the combined
weight of the vehicle, vehicle
contents, trailer, and trailer contents
must be below all of the maximum
weight ratings for the vehicle
including:
.GCWR: Gross Combined Weight
Rating
. GVWR: Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating
. Maximum Trailer Weight Rating
. Maximum Trailer Tongue Weight
See “Weight-Distributing Hitch
Adjustment” underTowing
Equipment 0283 to determine if
equalizer bars are required to obtain
the maximum trailer weight rating.
See “Trailer Brakes” underTowing
Equipment 0283 to determine if
brakes are required based on your
trailer's weight. The only way to be sure the weight
is not exceeding any of these
ratings is to weigh the tow vehicle
and trailer combination, fully loaded
for the trip, getting individual
weights for each of these items.
{Warning
You and others could be seriously
injured or killed if the trailer is too
heavy or the trailer brakes are
inadequate for the load. The
vehicle may be damaged, and the
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty.
Only tow a trailer if all the steps in
this section have been followed.
Ask your dealer for advice and
information about towing a trailer.
Gross Combined Weight
Rating (GCWR)
GCWR is the total allowable weight
of the completely loaded vehicle
and trailer including any fuel,
passengers, cargo, equipment, and
accessories. Do not exceed the
GCWR for your vehicle. The GCWR
for the vehicle is on the Tow Rating
Chart following.
To check that the weight of the
vehicle and trailer are within the
GCWR for the vehicle, follow these
steps:
1. Start with the "curb weight" from the Trailering Information
Label.
2. Add the weight of the trailer loaded with cargo and ready
for the trip.
3. Add the weight of all passengers.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12146157) - 2019 - CRC - 10/31/18
Driving and Operating 285
slack so the combination can turn.
Never allow safety chains to drag on
the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Loaded trailers over 450 kg
(1,000 lb) must be equipped with
brake systems and with brakes for
each axle. Trailer braking equipment
conforming to Canadian Standards
Association (CSA) requirement
CAN3-D313, or its equivalent, is
recommended.
State or local regulations may
require trailers to have their own
braking system if the loaded weight
of the trailer exceeds certain
minimums that can vary from state
to state.
Read and follow the instructions for
the trailer brakes so they are
installed, adjusted, and maintained
properly.
Never attempt to tap into your
vehicle's hydraulic brake system.
If you do, both the vehicle anti-lock
brakes and the trailer brakes may
not function, which could result in a
crash.
Trailer Wiring
The trailer wiring harness (if
equipped), with a 7-pin connector is
located at the rear of the vehicle,
and it is tied to the vehicle's frame.
If the vehicle is not equipped with a
7-pin trailer connector, the body
harness has provisions to connect a
trailer harness and a 7-pin trailer
connector which is available through
your dealer.Use only a round, seven-wire
connector with flat blade terminals
meeting SAE J2863 specifications
for proper electrical connectivity.
The seven-wire harness contains
the following trailer circuits:
Stop/Turn
Signal Left Yellow/Blue
Stop/Turn
Signal Right Green/Brown
Tail/Parking
Lamps Gray/Brown
Reverse Lamps White/Green
Battery Feed Red/Green
Ground Black
Electric Trailer
Brake* Blue
* Circuit powered by electric trailer
brake control wiring provisions.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12146157) - 2019 - CRC - 10/31/18
286 Driving and Operating
Electric Trailer Brake Control
Wiring Provisions
Wiring provisions for an aftermarket
electric trailer brake controller are
included with the vehicle as part of
the trailer wiring package. The
harness contains the following
circuits:Electric Trailer
Brakes Blue
Battery Feed Red/Green or
Red/Blue
Brake Apply
Signal White/Blue
Ground Black
Refer to the aftermarket electric
trailer brake controller owner's
manual to determine wire color
coding of the electric trailer brake
controller. The wire colors on the
brake controller may be different
from the vehicle. The electric trailer
brake controller should be installed
by your dealer or a qualified service
center. If equipped, there are four blunt cut
wires inside the front driver side
instrument panel. It will be
necessary to have a technician
connect the 12-volt power to the
engine compartment fuse block.
Trailer Lamps
Always check all trailer lamps are
working at the beginning of each
trip, and periodically on longer trips.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
When properly connected, the trailer
turn signals should will illuminate to
indicate the vehicle is turning,
changing lanes, or stopping. When
towing a trailer, the arrows on the
instrument cluster will illuminate
even if the trailer is not properly
connected or the bulbs are
burned out.
Tow/Haul Mode
For instructions on how to enter
Tow/Haul mode, see
Driver Mode
Control 0242. Tow/Haul assists when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy
load. See
Tow/Haul Mode 0236.
Tow/Haul Mode is designed to be
most effective when the vehicle and
trailer combined weight is at least
75% of the vehicle's Gross
Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
See “Weight of the Trailer” under
Trailer Towing 0279.
Tow/Haul Mode is most useful when
pulling a heavy trailer or a large or
heavy load:
. through rolling terrain
. in stop-and-go traffic
. in busy parking lots
Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul
Mode when lightly loaded or not
towing will not cause damage;
however, it is not recommended and
may result in unpleasant engine and
transmission driving characteristics
and reduced fuel economy.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12146157) - 2019 - CRC - 10/31/18
Driving and Operating 287
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC)
Vehicles with StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) have a
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) feature.
Trailer sway is unintended
side-to-side motion of a trailer while
towing. If the vehicle is towing a
trailer and the TSC detects that
sway is increasing, the vehicle
brakes are selectively applied at
each wheel, to help reduce
excessive trailer sway. If equipped
with the Integrated Trailer Brake
Control (ITBC) system, and the
trailer has an electric brake system,
StabiliTrak/ESC may also apply the
trailer brakes.
If TSC is enabled, the Traction
Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak/
ESC warning light will flash on the
instrument cluster. Reduce vehiclespeed by gradually removing your
foot from the accelerator. If trailer
sway continues, StabiliTrak/ESC
can reduce engine torque to help
slow the vehicle. TSC will not
function if StabiliTrak/ESC is turned
off. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0241.
{Warning
Trailer sway can result in a crash
and in serious injury or death,
even if the vehicle is equipped
with TSC.
If the trailer begins to sway,
reduce vehicle speed by
gradually removing your foot from
the accelerator. Then pull over to
check the trailer and vehicle to
help correct possible causes,
including an improperly or
overloaded trailer, unrestrained
cargo, improper trailer hitch
configuration, or improperly
inflated or incorrect vehicle or
trailer tires. See Towing
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Equipment 0283 for trailer ratings
and hitch setup
recommendations.
Trailer Tires
Special Trailer (ST) tires differ from
vehicle tires. Trailer tires are
designed with stiff sidewalls to help
prevent sway and to support heavy
loads. These features can make it
difficult to determine if the trailer tire
pressures are low only based on a
visual inspection.
Always check all trailer tire
pressures before each trip when the
tires are cool. Low trailer tire
pressure is a leading cause of trailer
tire blow-outs.
Trailer tires deteriorate over time.
The trailer tire sidewall will show the
week and year the tire was
manufactured. Many trailer tire
manufacturers recommend
replacing tires more than six
years old.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12146157) - 2019 - CRC - 11/1/18
Vehicle Care 289
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 290
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 291
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 298
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 300
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 305
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Battery - North America . . . . . . 309
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310 Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 310
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 311
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 311
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 313
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, and Sidemarker . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 315
Electrical System
High Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Electrical System Overload . . . 317
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 317
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321 Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 328
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 345
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12146157) - 2019 - CRC - 11/1/18
Vehicle Care 291
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non-dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride and
handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty.Damage to suspension components
caused by modifying vehicle height
outside of factory settings will not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non-GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is
not covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 096.
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
{Warning
It can be dangerous to work on
your vehicle if you do not have
the proper knowledge, service
manual, tools, or parts. Always
follow owner ’s manual procedures
and consult the service manual
for your vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service
manual. It tells you much more
about how to service the vehicle
than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see
Publication Ordering Information
0 398.
This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 096.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12146157) - 2019 - CRC - 11/1/18
Vehicle Care 307
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.
. When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer instructions for
adding water.
. Fill the washer fluid tank
only three-quarters full when
it is very cold. This allows
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
for fluid expansion if
freezing occurs, which could
damage the tank if it is
completely full.
Brakes
Disc brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or can
be heard all the time when the
vehicle is moving, except when
applying the brake pedal firmly.
{Warning
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
Caution
Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly
brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to torque
specifications. See Capacities and
Specifications 0386.
Brake pads should be replaced as
complete sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal
does not return to normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign
that brake service may be required.