GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
Instruments and Controls 113
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 114
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 114
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . 114
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 114
Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Instrument Cluster (Base and
Midlevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . 131
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . 131
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Charging System Light . . . . . . . 133
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . 133
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . 137
Hill Descent Control Light . . . . 137
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . 137
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . 137
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . 138
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Wait-to-Start Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 139
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 140
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF)
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 141
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . 141
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 141
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . 141
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Base and Midlevel) . . . . . . . . . 142
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Engine Power Messages . . . . . 152
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . 152
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 152
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . . 157
Universal Remote SystemProgramming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Universal Remote System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
152 Instruments and Controls
.Brakes
. Steering
. Ride Control Systems
. Driver Assistance Systems
. Cruise Control
. Lighting and Bulb Replacement
. Wiper/Washer Systems
. Doors and Windows
. Seat Belts
. Airbag Systems
. Engine and Transmission
. Tire Pressure
. Battery
Engine Power Messages
ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
This message displays when the
vehicle's propulsion power is
reduced. A reduction in propulsion
power can affect the vehicle's ability
to accelerate. If this message is on,
but there is no observed reduction
in performance, proceed to your
destination. The performance may be reduced the next time the vehicle
is driven. The vehicle may be driven
while this message is on, but
maximum acceleration and speed
may be reduced. Anytime this
message stays on, or displays
repeatedly, the vehicle should be
taken to your dealer for service as
soon as possible.
Vehicle Speed Messages
SPEED LIMITED TO XXX
KM/H (MPH)
This message shows that the
vehicle speed has been limited to
the speed displayed. The limited
speed is a protection for various
propulsion and vehicle systems,
such as lubrication, thermal,
suspension, Teen Driver if
equipped, or tires.
If equipped with a diesel engine,
see
Diesel Exhaust Fluid 0208.
Vehicle
Personalization
The following are all possible
vehicle personalization features.
Depending on the vehicle, some
may not be available.
For System, Apps, and Personal
features and functions, see
“Settings” in the infotainment
manual.
To access the vehicle
personalization menu:
1. Touch the Settings icon on the Home Page of the infotainment
display.
2. Touch Vehicle to display a list of available options.
3. Touch to select the desired feature setting.
4. Touch
9orRto turn a feature
off or on.
5. Touch
zto go to the top level
of the Settings menu.
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
182 Driving and Operating
If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time while the
vehicle is not moving, power assist
may be reduced.If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is
held against that position for an
extended period of time, power
steering assist may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the
system cools down.
See your dealer if there is a
problem.
Curve Tips
.
Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
. Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
. Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve.
. Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking. .
Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) allows steering while
braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
188 Driving and Operating
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or flowing water.
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
. Pass with caution.
. Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
. Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See Tires0325.
. Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
. Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
. Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
216 Driving and Operating
5. The indicator should continueto show N. If it does not, start
the engine and repeat
Steps 2–4.
6. The vehicle is now ready for the car wash.
Car Wash Mode (Engine Off –
Driver out of Vehicle)
To place the vehicle in N (Neutral)
with the engine off and the vehicle
unoccupied:
1. Drive to the entrance of the car wash.
2. Apply the brake pedal.
3. Open the door.
4. Shift to N (Neutral).
5. Turn off the engine and release the brake pedal.
6. The indicator should continue to show N. If it does not, start
the engine and repeat
Steps 2–5.
7. Exit the vehicle and close the door. The vehicle is now ready
for the car wash. 8. The vehicle may automatically
shift to P (Park) upon re-entry.
Car Wash Mode (Engine On –
Driver in Vehicle)
To place the vehicle in N (Neutral)
with the engine on and the vehicle
occupied:
1. Drive to the entrance of the car wash.
2. Apply the brake pedal.
3. Shift to N (Neutral).
4. Release the brake pedal. The vehicle is now ready for the
car wash.
Car Wash Mode (Engine On –
Driver out of Vehicle)
To place the vehicle in N (Neutral)
with the engine on and the vehicle
unoccupied:
1. Drive to the entrance of the car wash.
2. Apply the brake pedal.
3. Open the door. 4. Shift to N (Neutral), then
release the brake pedal.
5. The indicator should continue to show N. If it does not, repeat
Steps 2–4.
6. Exit the vehicle and close the door. The vehicle is now ready
for the car wash.
7. The vehicle may automatically shift to P (Park) upon re-entry.
Caution
A transmission hot message may
display if the automatic
transmission fluid is too hot.
Driving under this condition can
damage the vehicle. Stop and idle
the engine to cool the automatic
transmission fluid. This message
clears when the transmission fluid
has cooled sufficiently.
D : This position is for normal
driving. If more power is needed for
passing, press the accelerator
pedal down.
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
Driving and Operating 277
When parking your vehicle and your
trailer on a hill:1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if
facing downhill or into traffic if
facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, gradually release the
brake pedal to allow the chocks
to absorb the load of the trailer.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and
shift into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
.Start the engine.
. Shift into a gear.
. Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal. 3. Drive slowly until the trailer is
clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when used to tow trailers. See
Maintenance Schedule 0378. It is
especially important to check the
automatic transmission fluid, engine
oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling
system, and brake system before
and during each trip.
Check periodically that all nuts and
bolts on the trailer hitch are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. See Engine Overheating
0 305.
Trailer Towing
Caution
Towing a trailer improperly can
damage the vehicle and result in
costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. To tow a trailer
correctly, follow the directions in
this section and see your dealer
for important information about
towing a trailer with the vehicle.
Trailer Weight
{Warning
Never exceed the towing capacity
for your vehicle.
Safe trailering requires monitoring
the weight, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature,
dimensions of the front of the trailer,
and how frequently the vehicle is
used to tow a trailer.
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 298
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 299
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 305
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Battery - North America . . . . . . 309
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310 Starter Switch 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
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Front Turn Signal Lamps . . . . . 315
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 316
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 317
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 318
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 327
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 344
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347