2019 GMC TERRAIN driver information

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
168 Lighting
The exterior lamps turn off
immediately by turning the exterior
lamp control off.
This feature can be changed. See
Vehicle Personalization0152.
Battery Load
Management
The vehicle has Electric Power
Management (EPM) that estimates
the battery's temperature and state
of charge. It then adjusts the voltage
for best performance and extended
life of the battery.
When the battery's state of charge
is low, the voltage is raised slightly
to quickly bring the charge back up.
When the state of charge is high,
the voltage is lowered slightly to
prevent overcharging. If the vehicle
has a voltmeter gauge or a voltage
display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC), you may see the
voltage move up or down. This is
normal. If there is a problem, an
alert will be displayed. The battery can be discharged at
idle if the electrical loads are very
high. This is true for all vehicles.
This is because the generator
(alternator) may not be spinning fast
enough at idle to produce all of the
power needed for very high
electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when
several of the following are on, such
as: headlamps, high beams, rear
window defogger, climate control fan
at high speed, heated seats, engine
cooling fans, trailer loads, and loads
plugged into accessory power
outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive
discharge of the battery. It does this
by balancing the generator's output
and the vehicle's electrical needs.
It can increase engine idle speed to
generate more power whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce
the power demands of some
accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in
steps or levels, without being
noticeable. In rare cases at the
highest levels of corrective action,this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a DIC message might
be displayed and it is recommended
that the driver reduce the electrical
loads as much as possible.
Battery Power Protection
This feature shuts off the interior
lamps if they are left on for more
than 10 minutes when the ignition is
off. This helps to prevent the battery
from running down.
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver
The exterior lamps turn off about
10 minutes after the ignition is
turned off, if the parking lamps or
headlamps have been manually left
on. This protects against draining
the battery. To restart the 10-minute
timer, turn the exterior lamp control
to the off position and then back to
the parking lamp or headlamp
position.
To keep the lamps on for more than
10 minutes, the ignition must be on
or in ACC/ACCESSORY.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
178 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Driving Environment . . . . . . . . . . 180
Vehicle Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 187
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 188
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 190
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 195
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Diesel Particulate Filter
Diesel Particulate Filter . . . . . . . 207
Diesel Exhaust Fluid
Diesel Exhaust Fluid . . . . . . . . . . 208
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 213
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 219
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 221
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 225
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . 226
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . 232
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 242
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 243
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Forward Automatic Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 256
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . 258

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
Driving and Operating 179
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel (Gasoline) . . . . . . 260
Top Tier Fuel (Diesel) . . . . . . . . . 260
Recommended Fuel (LYX -1.5L L4 Turbo Engine) . . . . . . 260
Recommended Fuel (LTG -
2.0L L4 Turbo Engine) . . . . . . 260
Prohibited Fuels (Gasoline) . . . 261
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 261
Fuel Additives (Gasoline) . . . . . 261
Fuel Additives (Diesel) . . . . . . . 262
Fuel for Diesel Engines . . . . . . . 262
Biodiesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Cold Weather Operation (Diesel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Water in Fuel (Diesel) . . . . . . . . 264
Running Out of Fuel (Diesel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Fuel Filter Replacement (Diesel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Filling the Tank (Gasoline) . . . . 268
Filling the Tank (Diesel) . . . . . . . 270
Filling a Portable Fuel Container (Gasoline) . . . . . . . . 272
Filling a Portable Fuel Container (Diesel) . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273 Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Driving Information
Driver Behavior
Driving is an important
responsibility. Driver behavior, the
driving environment, and the
vehicle's design all affect how well a
vehicle performs.
Being aware of these factors can
help in understanding how the
vehicle handles and what can be
done to avoid many types of
crashes, including a rollover crash.
Most serious injuries and fatalities to
unbelted occupants can be reduced
or prevented by the use of seat
belts. In a rollover crash, an
unbelted person is significantly
more likely to die than a person
wearing a seat belt. In addition,
avoiding excessive speed, sudden
or abrupt turns, and drunken or
aggressive driving can help make
trips safer and avoid the possibility
of a crash.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
180 Driving and Operating
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.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
Driving and Operating 181
.Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.
Refer to the infotainment section for
more information on using that
system and the navigation system,
if equipped, including pairing and
using a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the seat belt. See Seat Belts071.
. Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes.
Anticipate what they might do
and be ready. .
Allow enough following distance
between you and the driver in
front of you.
. Focus on the task of driving.
Drunk Driving
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
{Warning
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious —or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is
about three-quarters of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
. Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
. Avoid needless heavy braking.
. Keep pace with traffic.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
Driving and Operating 183
1. Ease off the accelerator andthen, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge.
3. Turn the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
. Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force.
. Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin. Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
.
Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go.
The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
. Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues —such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt. .
Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
All-wheel-drive vehicles can be
used for off-road driving. Vehicles
without all-wheel drive and vehicles
not equipped with All Terrain (AT) or
On-Off Road (OOR) tires must not
be driven off-road except on a level,
solid surface. To contact the tire
manufacturer for more information
about the original equipment tires,
see the warranty manual.
Controlling the vehicle is the key to
successful off-road driving. One of
the best ways to control the vehicle
is to control the speed.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
192 Driving and Operating
tires (3) and the recommended
cold tire inflation pressures (4).
For more information on tires
and inflation seeTires0325
and Tire Pressure 0332.
There is also important loading
information on the vehicle
Certification/Tire label. It may
show the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) and the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for
the front and rear axle. See
“Certification/Tire Label” later in
this section.
“Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit–
1.
Locate the statement "The
combined weight of
occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs." on your vehicle’s
placard.
2.Determine the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers from XXX kg or
XXX lbs.
4.The resulting figure equals
the available amount of
cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the
"XXX" amount equals
1400 lbs. and there will be
five 150 lb passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5 x 150) =
650 lbs.)
5.Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, load from your
trailer will be transferred to your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how
this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.”
See Trailer Towing 0277 for
important information on towing
a trailer, towing safety rules and
trailering tips.
Example 1
1.Vehicle Capacity Weight
for Example 1 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
Driving and Operating 193
2.Subtract Occupant
Weight @ 68 kg (150 lbs)
× 2 = 136 kg (300 lbs).
3.Available Occupant and
Cargo Weight = 317 kg
(700 lbs).
Example 2
1.Vehicle Capacity Weight
for Example 2 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
2.Subtract Occupant
Weight @ 68 kg (150 lbs)
× 5 = 340 kg (750 lbs).
3.Available Cargo Weight
= 113 kg (250 lbs).
Example 3
1.Vehicle Capacity Weight
for Example 3 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
2.Subtract Occupant
Weight @ 91 kg
(200 lbs) × 5 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
3.Available Cargo Weight
= 0 kg (0 lbs).
Refer to the vehicle's tire and
loading information label for
specific information about the
vehicle's capacity weight and
seating positions. The combined weight of the driver, passengers,
and cargo should never exceed
the vehicle's capacity weight.
Certification/Tire Label
Label Example
A vehicle-specific Certification/
Tire label is attached to the
center pillar (B-pillar).
The label may show the size of
the vehicle's original tires and
the inflation pressures needed to
obtain the gross weight capacity
of the vehicle. The label shows
the gross weight capacity of the
vehicle. This is called the Gross