
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
Vehicle Care 309
installed. Add or remove fluid, as
necessary, only when work is done
on the brake hydraulic system.
{Warning
If too much brake fluid is added, it
can spill on the engine and burn,
if the engine is hot enough. You
or others could be burned, and
the vehicle could be damaged.
Add brake fluid only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic
system.
When the brake fluid falls to a low
level, the brake warning light comes
on. See Brake System Warning
Light 0135.
Brake fluid absorbs water over time
which degrades the effectiveness of
the brake fluid. Replace brake fluid
at the specified intervals to prevent
increased stopping distance. See
Maintenance Schedule 0378. What to Add
Use only GM approved DOT 3
brake fluid from a clean, sealed
container. See
Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants 0387.{Warning
The wrong or contaminated brake
fluid could result in damage to the
brake system. This could result in
the loss of braking leading to a
possible injury. Always use the
proper GM approved brake fluid.
Caution
If brake fluid is spilled on the
vehicle's painted surfaces, the
paint finish can be damaged.
Immediately wash off any painted
surface.
Battery - North America
The original equipment battery is
maintenance free. Do not remove
the cap and do not add fluid.
Refer to the replacement number
shown on the original battery label
when a new battery is needed. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0289 for battery location.
For replacement of the battery, see
your dealer.
The vehicle has an Absorbed Glass
Mat (AGM) 12-volt battery.
Installation of a standard 12-volt
battery will result in reduced 12-volt
battery life.
When using a 12-volt battery
charger on the 12-volt AGM battery,
some chargers have an AGM
battery setting on the charger.
If available, use the AGM setting on
the charger, to limit charge voltage
to 14.8 volts. Follow the charger
manufacturer's instructions.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
310 Vehicle Care
Stop/Start System
The vehicle has a Stop/Start system
to shut off the engine to help
conserve fuel. SeeStarting the
Engine 0197.
{Warning
WARNING: Battery posts,
terminals, and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds, chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Batteries also
contain other chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer. WASH HANDS AFTER
HANDLING. For more information
go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See California Proposition
65 Warning 0285 and the back
cover.
Vehicle Storage
{Warning
Batteries have acid that can burn
you and gas that can explode.
You can be badly hurt if you are
not careful. See Jump Starting -
North America 0360 for tips on
working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery to keep the battery from
running down.
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).

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
Vehicle Care 361
Caution
Ignoring these steps could result
in costly damage to the vehicle
that would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Trying to start
the vehicle by pushing or pulling it
will not work, and it could damage
the vehicle.
1. Discharged BatteryNegative Grounding Stud
2. Discharged Battery Positive Terminal 3. Good Battery Negative
Terminal
4. Good Battery Positive Terminal
The jump start negative grounding
stud (1) for the discharged battery is
to the left of the windshield washer
fluid reservoir.
The jump start positive terminal on
the discharged battery (2) is located
in the engine compartment on the
driver side of the vehicle.
The jump start positive terminal (3)
and negative terminal (4) are on the
battery of the vehicle providing the
jump start.
The positive jump start connection
for the discharged battery is under a
trim cover. Open the cover to
expose the terminal.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt battery
with a negative ground system.
Caution
If the other vehicle does not have
a 12-volt system with a negative
ground, both vehicles can be
damaged. Only use a vehicle that
has a 12-volt system with a
negative ground for jump starting.
2. Position the two vehicles so that they are not touching.
3. Set the parking brake. See Shifting Into Park 0202.
Caution
If any accessories are left on or
plugged in during the jump
starting procedure, they could be
damaged. The repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Whenever possible, turn
off or unplug all accessories on
either vehicle when jump starting.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
362 Vehicle Care
4. Turn the ignition off. Turn off alllights and accessories in both
vehicles, except the hazard
warning flashers if needed.
{Warning
An electric fan can start up even
when the engine is not running
and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing, and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
{Warning
Using a match near a battery can
cause battery gas to explode.
People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded.
Use a flashlight if you need more
light.
Battery fluid contains acid that
can burn you. Do not get it on
you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush
the place with water and get
medical help immediately.
{Warning
Fans or other moving engine
parts can injure you badly. Keep
your hands away from moving
parts once the engine is running.
5. Connect one end of the red positive (+) cable to the
positive (+) terminal on the
discharged battery.
6. Connect the other end of the red positive (+) cable to the
positive (+) terminal of the good
battery.
7. Connect one end of the black negative (–) cable to the
negative (–) terminal of the
good battery.
8. Connect the other end of the black negative (–) cable to the
negative (–) grounding stud for
the discharged battery.
9. Start the engine in the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine at idle speed for at
least four minutes. 10. Try to start the vehicle that had
the dead battery. If it will not
start after a few tries, it
probably needs service.
Caution
If the jumper cables are
connected or removed in the
wrong order, electrical shorting
may occur and damage the
vehicle. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always connect and remove the
jumper cables in the correct order,
making sure that the cables do
not touch each other or other
metal.
Jumper Cable Removal
Reverse the sequence exactly when
removing the jumper cables.
After starting the disabled vehicle
and removing the jumper cables,
allow it to idle for several minutes.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
366 Vehicle Care
5. Follow the dolly manufacturer'sinstructions for preparing the
vehicle and dolly for towing.
6. Open the driver door and leave it open.
7. Shift to N (Neutral).
8. Ensure the parking brake is released.
9. Turn off the vehicle and release the brake pedal.
10. The vehicle should continue to be in N (Neutral). If it is not,
restart the engine and repeat
Steps 6-8.
11. Release the hood.
12. Lock the vehicle doors, with the driver door still open.
13. Exit the vehicle with the RKE transmitter.
14. Open the hood.
15. Disconnect the negative (–) terminal connector from the
12-volt battery.
16. Close and latch the hood.
17. Close the driver door.Caution
If 105 km/h (65 mph) is exceeded
while towing the vehicle, it could
be damaged. Never exceed
105 km/h (65 mph) while towing
the vehicle.
Towing the Vehicle from
the Rear
Caution
Towing the vehicle from the rear
could damage it. Also, repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Never have the
vehicle towed from the rear.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
384 Service and Maintenance
Additional
Maintenance and Care
Your vehicle is an important
investment and caring for it properly
may help to avoid future costly
repairs. To maintain vehicle
performance, additional
maintenance services may be
required.
It is recommended that your dealer
perform these services—their
trained dealer technicians know
your vehicle best. Your dealer can
also perform a thorough
assessment with a multi-point
inspection to recommend when your
vehicle may need attention.
The following list is intended to
explain the services and conditions
to look for that may indicate
services are required.
Battery
The 12-volt battery supplies power
to start the engine and operate any
additional electrical accessories. .
To avoid break-down or failure to
start the vehicle, maintain a
battery with full cranking power.
. Trained dealer technicians have
the diagnostic equipment to test
the battery and ensure that the
connections and cables are
corrosion-free.
Belts
. Belts may need replacing if they
squeak or show signs of
cracking or splitting.
. Trained dealer technicians have
access to tools and equipment
to inspect the belts and
recommend adjustment or
replacement when necessary.
Brakes
Brakes stop the vehicle and are
crucial to safe driving.
. Signs of brake wear may include
chirping, grinding, or squealing
noises, or difficulty stopping. .
Trained dealer technicians have
access to tools and equipment
to inspect the brakes and
recommend quality parts
engineered for the vehicle.
Fluids
Proper fluid levels and approved
fluids protect the vehicle’s systems
and components. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0387 for GM approved
fluids.
. Engine oil and windshield
washer fluid levels should be
checked at every fuel fill.
. Instrument cluster lights may
come on to indicate that fluids
may be low and need to be
filled.
Hoses
Hoses transport fluids and should
be regularly inspected to ensure
that there are no cracks or leaks.
With a multi-point inspection, your
dealer can inspect the hoses and
advise if replacement is needed.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/-
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
422 Index
Assistance Systems forParking and Backing . . . . . . . . . . 243
Auto Stop Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Automatic Dimming Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Forward Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Automatic Transmission Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
B
BatteryExterior Lighting Battery
Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Battery - North America . . . . 309, 360
Biodiesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . . . 311
Brake
Parking, Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
System Warning Light . . . . . . . . 135
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307 Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 Brakes (cont'd)
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Automatic Forward . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Braking System Front Pedestrian (FPB) . . . . . . . 253
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 195
Bulb Replacement Front Turn Signal Lamps . . . . . 315
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
High Intensity Discharge(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . . . 316
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
California
Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286 California
Proposition
65 Warning . . . . . . . . . .285, 309, 360,
Back Cover
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . 2
Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Cargo Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Tie-Downs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Caution, Danger, and Warning . . . . 3
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . 109
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Charging Wireless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . 133
Check Engine Light (MalfunctionIndicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Child Restraints Infants and Young Children . . . . . 93
Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/-
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
424 Index
Drive SystemsAll-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . 218, 310
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . 242
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142, 147
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Driving
Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 249
Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 27
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 188
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 190
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Driving the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Dual Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172E
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . 219
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . 136
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Electrical System Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 318
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Emergency OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Check Light (MalfunctionIndicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 289
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 394
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298 Engine (cont'd)
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 206
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Engines Diesel Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 407
Exhaust Fluid
Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 161
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
F
FeaturesMemory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Replacement (Fuel) . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163