2019 GMC ACADIA Owner's Manual

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146149) - 2019 - crc - 7/30/18
280 Driving and Operating
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 Harness
lf equipped, the trailer wiring
harness, with a 7-pin connector is
mounted on the trailer hitch.
1. Left Turn/Brake
2. Tail Lamps
3. Reverse Lamps
4. Battery feed
5. Right Turn/Brake
6. Electric Brakes
7. Ground
If the vehicle is not equipped with a
trailer connector on the trailer hitch,
a 7-wire trailering harness is tied to
the vehicles frame. The harness
requires the installation of a 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/Gray
Stop/Turn
Signal Right Green/Violet
Tail/Parking
Lamps Gray/Brown
Reverse Lamps White/Green
Battery Feed Red/Green
Ground Black
Electric Trailer
Brake Blue

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146149) - 2019 - crc - 7/30/18
Driving and Operating 281
Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions
If equipped, (4) blunt-cut wires are
located near the driver's feet for an
aftermarket electric trailer brake
controller as part of the trailer wiring
package. The harness contains the
following circuits:Electric Trailer
Brakes Blue
Battery Feed Red/Black 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. It may be
necessary to have a technician
connect the 12-volt power to the
engine compartment fuse block. The electric trailer brake controller
should be installed by your dealer or
a qualified service center.
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 0239.
Tow/Haul assists when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy
load. See Tow/Haul Mode 0232. 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 0275.
Tow/Haul Mode is most useful when
towing a heavy trailer or carrying 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.Trailer Sway
Control (TSC)
Vehicles with StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) have a
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) feature.
Trailer sway is unintended

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146149) - 2019 - crc - 7/30/18
282 Driving and Operating
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 0236.
{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 0278 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.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146149) - 2019 - crc - 7/30/18
Driving and Operating 283
Overloading is another leading
cause of trailer tire blow-outs. Never
load your trailer with more weight
than the tires are designed to
support. The load rating is located
on the trailer tire sidewall.
Always know the maximum speed
rating for the trailer tires before
driving. This may be significantly
lower than the vehicle tire speed
rating. The speed rating may be on
the trailer tire sidewall. If the speed
rating is not shown, the default
trailer tire speed rating is 105 km/h
(65 mph).Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is
used for vehicle service and
Emission Inspection/
Maintenance testing. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light)0136.
A device connected to the DLC —
such as an aftermarket fleet or
driver-behavior tracking device —
may interfere with vehicle
systems. This could affect vehicle
operation and cause a crash.
Such devices may also access
information stored in the vehicle’s
systems.
Caution
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle or cause
components to not work and
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always check
with your dealer before adding
electrical equipment.
Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12-volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle 089 and Adding Equipment
to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
0 90.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146149) - 2019 - crc - 7/30/18
284 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 285
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 286
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 293
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 295
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 300
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Battery - North America . . . . . . 304
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305 Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 305
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 305
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 306
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 307
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 309
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 310
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 310
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320 Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 321
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Tire Terminology and
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 339
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146149) - 2019 - crc - 7/30/18
Vehicle Care 285
Storing the Tire Sealant andCompressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 355
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Recreational VehicleTowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
{Warning
Most motor vehicles, including
this one, as well as many of its
service parts and fluids, contain
and/or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and
systems, many fluids, and some
component wear by-products
contain and/or emit these
chemicals. For more information
go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See Battery - North America 0304
and Jump Starting - North America
0 356 and the back cover.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146149) - 2019 - crc - 7/30/18
286 Vehicle Care
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 090.
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
0 399.
This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 089.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146149) - 2019 - crc - 7/30/18
Vehicle Care 287
If equipped with remote vehicle
start, open the hood before
performing any service work to
prevent remote starting the vehicle
accidentally. SeeRemote Vehicle
Start 035.
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of
any service work performed. See
Maintenance Records 0385.
Caution
Even small amounts of
contamination can cause damage
to vehicle systems. Do not allow
contaminants to contact the fluids,
reservoir caps, or dipsticks.
Hood
To open the hood:
1. Pull the hood release handle
with this symbol on it. It is
under the instrument panel on
the driver side of the vehicle.
2. At the front of the vehicle, pull
up on the center of the hood,
and push the secondary hood
release to the right.
3. After you have partially lifted the hood, gas struts will
automatically take over to lift
and hold the hood in the fully
open position.
Before closing the hood, be sure all
filler caps are on properly. Pull the hood down to close. Lower
the hood until the lifting pressure of
the strut is reduced. Then allow the
hood to fall and latch into place
under its own weight. Check to
make sure the hood is closed. If the
hood does not fully latch, gently
push the hood down at the front and
center of the hood until it is
completely latched.