Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 227
Caution (Continued)
covered by the vehicle warranty.
SeeAdd-On Electrical Equipment
0 288.
Starting Procedure
1. With the Keyless Access
system, the RKE transmitter
must be in the vehicle. Press
ENGINE START/STOP with the
brake pedal applied. When the
engine begins cranking, let go
of the button.
The idle speed will go down as
the engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it.
If the RKE transmitter is not in
the vehicle, if there is
interference, or if the RKE
battery is low, the Driver
Information Center (DIC) will
display a message.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by returning the
ignition to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after five to 10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather
(below −18 °C or 0 °F), it could
be flooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing the
accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and holding it there as
you press ENGINE START/
STOP, for up to a maximum of
15 seconds. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try,
to allow the cranking motor to
cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the button and
the accelerator. If the vehicle starts briefly but then stops
again, do the same thing. This
clears the extra gasoline from
the engine. Do not race the
engine immediately after
starting it. Operate the engine
and transmission gently until
the oil warms up and lubricates
all moving parts.
Stop/Start System
The Stop/Start system will shut off
the engine to help conserve fuel.
It has components designed for the
increased number of starts.
{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.
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 229
To Use the Engine Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap theelectrical cord. The bundled
cord is on the driver side of the
engine compartment, in front of
the battery. See Engine
Compartment Overview 0293.
Check the heater cord for
damage. If it is damaged, do
not use it. See your dealer for
a replacement. Inspect the
cord for damage yearly.
3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{Warning
Improper use of the heater cord
or an extension cord can damage
the cord and may result in
overheating and fire.
. Plug the cord into a
three-prong electrical utility
receptacle that is protected
by a ground fault detection
function. An ungrounded
outlet could cause an
electric shock.
. Use a weatherproof,
heavy-duty, 15 amp-rated
extension cord if needed.
Failure to use the
recommended extension
cord in good operating
condition, or using a
damaged heater or
extension cord, could make
it overheat and cause a fire,
property damage, electric
shock, and injury.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Do not operate the vehicle
with the heater cord
permanently attached to the
vehicle. Possible heater
cord and thermostat
damage could occur.
. While in use, do not let the
heater cord touch vehicle
parts or sharp edges. Never
close the hood on the
heater cord.
. Before starting the vehicle,
unplug the cord, reattach
the cover to the plug, and
securely fasten the cord.
Keep the cord away from
any moving parts.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine
parts. If you do not, it could be
damaged.
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 231
done properly and then it is difficult
to shift out of P (Park). To prevent
torque lock, set the parking brake
and then shift into P (Park). To find
out how, see“Shifting Into Park”
listed previously.
If torque lock does occur, your
vehicle may need to be pushed
uphill by another vehicle to relieve
the parking pawl pressure, so you
can shift out of P (Park).
Shifting out of Park
The vehicle is equipped with an
electronic shift lock release system.
The shift lock release is designed to
prevent movement of the shift lever
out of P (Park), unless the ignition is
on or in Service Mode and the
regular brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9-volt) battery. If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See
Jump Starting - North
America 0356.
To shift out of P (Park):
1. Turn the ignition on.
2. Apply the brake pedal.
3. Press the shift lever button.
4. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still are unable to shift out of
P (Park): 1. Fully release the shift lever button.
2. While holding down the brake pedal, press the shift lever
button again.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position. If you still cannot move the shift
lever from P (Park), see your dealer.
Parking over Things
That Burn
{Warning
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.
Extended Parking
It is best not to park with the vehicle
running. If the vehicle is left running,
be sure it will not move and there is
adequate ventilation.
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 235
designed to improve fuel economy
and performance. Use the brake to
hold the vehicle on a hill. Do not use
the accelerator pedal.
L :This position gives you access
to gear ranges. This provides more
engine braking but lower fuel
economy than D (Drive). You can
use it on very steep hills, or in deep
snow or mud. See Manual Mode
0 235.
Operating Modes : The
transmission may operate in a lower
gear than normal to improve vehicle
performance. The engine speed
may be higher and there may be an
increase in noise during the
following conditions:
. When climbing a grade.
. When driving downhill.
. When driving in hot
temperatures, or at high altitude.Manual Mode
Electronic Range Select
(ERS) Mode
ERS mode allows you to choose the
top-gear limit of the transmission
and the vehicle's speed while
driving downhill or towing a trailer.
The vehicle has an electronic shift
position indicator within the
instrument cluster. When using the
ERS mode a number will display
next to the L, indicating the highest
gear available for the range
selected.
To use this feature:
1. Press the shift lever button and move the shift lever to L (Low).
2. Press + (Plus) or −(Minus) on
the shift lever to increase or
decrease the gear range
available.
When you shift from D (Drive) to
L (Low), the transmission will shift to
a pre-determined lower gear range.
The highest gear available for this
pre-determined range is displayed
next to the L in the DIC. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) 0151. The
number displayed in the DIC is the
highest gear that the transmission
will be allowed to operate in. This
means that all gears below that
number are available. For example,
when 4 (Fourth) is shown next to the
L, 1 (First) through 4 (Fourth) gears
are automatically shifted by the
vehicle. The transmission will not
shift into 5 (Fifth) until the + (Plus)
button is used or you shift back into
D (Drive).
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240 Driving and Operating
Brake Assist
The Brake Assist feature is
designed to assist the driver in
stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake
control module to supplement the
power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle. The
stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.
Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time is
normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal as
the driving situation dictates. The
Brake Assist feature will
automatically disengage when the
brake pedal is released or brake
pedal pressure is quickly
decreased.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
Hill Start Assist (HSA) will activate
when the vehicle is stopped on a
moderate to steep grade to help
prevent it from rolling in an
unintended direction. After the brake
pedal has been released and before
the accelerator pedal has been
pressed, HSA uses braking
pressure to hold the vehicle
stationary. If HSA is holding the
vehicle, a DIC message displays.
HSA will not activate in a forward
drive gear when facing downhill,
or in R (Reverse) when facing uphill.
Select the duration of the HSA
feature through vehicle
personalization. See”Extended Hill
Start Assist” under“Comfort and
Convenience” inVehicle
Personalization 0155. When
Standard Hold is selected, the
vehicle is held stationary for up to
two seconds after the brake pedal is
released. When Extended Hold is
selected, the vehicle is held
stationary for up to five minutes
after the brake pedal is released. In either case, override the hold
feature by pressing the accelerator
pedal and attempting to drive away.
If Standard Hold is selected, it will
hold the vehicle for two seconds
unless the driver door is opened or
the driver seat belt is unbuckled
after releasing the brake pedal.
If Extended Hold is selected, it will
hold the vehicle for five minutes
unless the driver door is opened
and the driver seat belt is unbuckled
prior to releasing the brake pedal.
When deactivated after five minutes,
or if it is deactivated when the driver
seat belt is unlatched or the driver
door is opened, the Electric Parking
Brake will engage to prevent vehicle
movement.
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Driving and Operating 243
Driver Mode Control Knobfor AWD
Rotate the Driver Mode Control
knob to make a mode selection. The
icons on the knob will illuminate to
indicate which mode is active.
A Driver Information Center (DIC)
message will indicate that the mode
is on when switching to different
modes.
5(AWD Only) orq(FWD
Only) : Vehicle is in either
Front-Wheel Drive for non AWD
vehicles, or Two-Wheel Drive for
AWD vehicles. This mode will
remain active through future ignition
cycles. This setting either puts the
vehicle in Two-Wheel Drive (AWD
vehicles) or is the normal drive
mode (FWD vehicles). Use this
mode for normal driving conditions.
This is the most fuel efficient drive
mode. See Driving for Better Fuel
Economy 027.
4(AWD Only) : Vehicle is in AWD
Mode. This mode will remain active
through future ignition cycles. AWD
Mode provides drive torque to all
four wheels. Use this mode for
driving conditions that require
improved traction such as gravel, sand, wet pavement, snow, and ice.
AWD may turn off and display a
message on the DIC in instances of
extensive use or overheating.
When in AWD Mode, the AWD
Mode indicator will be on. For more
information on AWD Mode, see
All-Wheel Drive
0237.
6(FWD Only) : Vehicle is in Snow
Mode. This mode will not remain
active through future ignition cycles.
The vehicle will be in Front-Wheel
Drive when the engine is restarted.
Snow Mode improves vehicle
acceleration on snow and ice
covered roads. The accelerator
pedal will be more sensitive to
provide finer control of the torque at
the wheels in slippery conditions.
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Driving and Operating 255
Warning (Continued)
the vehicle or crash. Do not use
ACC while driving on an entrance
or exit ramp. Always be ready to
use the brakes if necessary.
{Warning
On curves, ACC may respond to
a vehicle in another lane, or may
not have time to react to a vehicle
in your lane. You could crash into
a vehicle ahead of you, or lose
control of your vehicle. Give extra
attention in curves and be ready
to use the brakes if necessary.
Select an appropriate speed while
driving in curves.
ACC may operate differently in a
sharp curve. It may reduce the
vehicle speed if the curve is too
sharp.
When following a vehicle and
entering a curve, ACC may not
detect the vehicle ahead and
accelerate to the set speed. When
this happens, the vehicle ahead
indicator will not appear.
ACC may detect a vehicle that is
not in your lane and apply the
brakes. ACC may occasionally provide an
alert and/or braking that is
considered unnecessary. It could
respond to vehicles in different
lanes, signs, guardrails, and other
stationary objects when entering or
exiting a curve. This is normal
operation. The vehicle does not
need service.
Other Vehicle Lane Changes
ACC will not detect a vehicle ahead
until it is completely in the lane. The
brakes may need to be manually
applied.
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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256 Driving and Operating
Do Not Use ACC on Hills and
When Towing a Trailer
Do not use ACC when driving on
steep hills or when towing a trailer.
ACC will not detect a vehicle in the
lane while driving on steep hills. The
driver will often need to take over
acceleration and braking on steep
hills, especially when towing a
trailer. If the brakes are applied, the
ACC disengages.
Disengaging ACC
There are three ways to
disengage ACC:
.Step lightly on the brake pedal.
. Press
*.
. Press
J. Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
Jis
pressed or if the ignition is
turned off.
Cleaning the Sensing System
The camera sensor on the
windshield behind the rearview
mirror and the radar sensors on the
front of the vehicle can become
blocked by snow, ice, dirt, or mud.
These areas need to be cleaned for
ACC to operate properly.
If ACC will not operate, regular
cruise control may be available. See
“Switching Between ACC and
Regular Cruise Control” previously
in this section. Always consider
driving conditions before using
either cruise control system.
For cleaning instructions, see
“Washing the Vehicle” under
Exterior Care 0362.
System operation may also be
limited under snow, heavy rain,
or road spray conditions.
Driver Assistance
Systems
This vehicle may have features that
work together to help avoid crashes
or reduce crash damage while
driving, backing, and parking. Read
this entire section before using
these systems.
{Warning
Do not rely on the Driver
Assistance Systems. These
systems do not replace the need
for paying attention and driving
safely. You may not hear or see
alerts or warnings provided by
these systems. Failure to use
proper care when driving may
result in injury, death, or vehicle
damage. See Defensive Driving
0 210.
(Continued)