2020 CHEVROLET EQUINOX cruise control

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
164 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.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible:
.
Set the climate controls to the
desired temperature after the
engine is started, or turn them
off when not required.
. Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
. Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
. Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time. .
When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
. Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
. Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
. Combine several trips into a
single trip.
. Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
. Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
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

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
Driving and Operating 173
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 Tires0307.
. 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.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
174 Driving and Operating
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering assist. Always
have the engine running and the
vehicle in gear.
. Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line.
. Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(e.g., stalled car, crash).
. Pay attention to special road
signs (e.g., falling rocks area,
winding roads, long grades,
passing or no-passing zones)
and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.
. Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0208.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) improves vehicle stability
during hard stops, but the
brakes should be applied sooner
than when on dry pavement.
See Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0205. .
Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise
clear roads in shaded areas.
The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when
the surrounding roads are clear.
Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
. Turn off cruise control.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. Stay with the vehicle
unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside
Assistance Program 0381. To get
help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
. Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
. Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
Driving and Operating 203
2. Press the plus/minus button onthe shift lever, to increase or
decrease the gear range
available.
When shifting to L (Manual Mode),
the transmission will shift to a preset
lower gear range. For this preset
range, the highest gear available is
displayed next to the L in the DIC.
See Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Base Level and Midlevel) 0123 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Uplevel) 0129 for more
information. All gears below that
number are available to use. For
example, when 4 (Fourth) is shown
next to the L, 1 (First) through 4 (Fourth) gears are shifted
automatically. To shift to 5 (Fifth)
gear, press the + (Plus) button or
shift into D (Drive).
L (Manual Mode) will prevent
shifting to a lower gear range if the
engine speed is too high. If vehicle
speed is not reduced within the time
allowed, the lower gear range shift
will not be completed. Slow the
vehicle, then press the
−(Minus)
button to the desired lower gear
range.
While using the ERS, cruise control
can be used.
Tow/Haul Mode
This feature can assist when towing
or hauling a heavy load.
_: Select Tow/Haul Mode by
pressing the button on the center
console. Mode availability is
dependent upon vehicle trim level,
region, and optional features.
When Tow/Haul is activated, the
Tow/Haul symbol will come on in the
instrument cluster. A Tow/Haul ON
message will also appear in the
DIC. Tow/Haul will remain active

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
208 Driving and Operating
duration is selectable, see
"Extended Hill Start Assist" in
Vehicle Personalization0134. The
brakes may also release under
other conditions. Do not rely on
HSA to hold the vehicle.
HSA is available when the vehicle is
facing uphill in a forward gear,
or when facing downhill in
R (Reverse). The vehicle must
come to a complete stop on a grade
for HSA to activate.Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability
Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) and StabiliTrak/
Electronic Stability Control (ESC),
an electronic stability control
system. These systems help limit
wheel slip and assist the driver in
maintaining control, especially on
slippery road conditions.
TCS activates if it senses that any
of the drive wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, TCS applies the brakes to
the spinning wheels and reduces
engine power to limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak/ESC activates when the
vehicle senses a difference between
the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling.
StabiliTrak/ESC selectively applies
braking pressure to any one of the vehicle wheel brakes to assist the
driver in keeping the vehicle on the
intended path.
If cruise control is being used and
TCS or StabiliTrak/ESC begins to
limit wheel spin, cruise control will
disengage. Cruise control may be
turned back on when road
conditions allow.
Both systems come on
automatically when the vehicle is
started and begins to move. The
systems may be heard or felt while
they are operating or while
performing diagnostic checks. This
is normal and does not mean there
is a problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both
systems on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn TCS off if the vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
See
If the Vehicle Is Stuck 0175
and “Turning the Systems Off and
On” later in this section.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
212 Driving and Operating
To turn StabiliTrak off, select
StabiliTrak/ESC, then press
V.
If TCS was on when StabiliTrak/
ESC was turned off, both will turn
off and
iandgilluminate in the
instrument cluster.
To turn StabiliTrak/ESC back on,
select StabiliTrak/ESC then press
V.ggoes out in the instrument
cluster.
To turn both StabiliTrak/ESC and
TCS back on, select Traction, then
press
V.gandigo out in the
instrument cluster.
Adding accessories can affect the
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications
0 267.
Cruise Control
The cruise control lets the vehicle
maintain a speed of about 40 km/h
(25 mph) or more without keeping
your foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below 40 km/h (25 mph).
{Warning
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. Do not use
cruise control on winding roads or
in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
With the Traction Control System
(TCS) or StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC), the system
may begin to limit wheel spin while
you are using cruise control. If this
happens, the cruise control will automatically disengage. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control
0208. If a collision alert
occurs when cruise control is
activated, cruise control is
disengaged. See Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) System 0230. When
road conditions allow you to safely
use it again, cruise control can be
turned back on.
Cruise control will disengage if
either TCS or StabiliTrak/ESC is
turned off.
If the brakes are applied, cruise
control disengages.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
Driving and Operating 213
5:Press to turn the cruise control
system on and off. A white indicator
comes on in the instrument cluster
when cruise is turned on.
*: Press to disengage cruise
control without erasing the set
speed from memory.
+RES : If there is a set speed in
memory, press briefly to resume that
speed or press and hold to
accelerate. If cruise control is
already active, use to increase
vehicle speed.
−SET : Press briefly to set the
speed and activate cruise control.
If cruise control is already active,
use to decrease vehicle speed.
Setting Cruise Control
If
5is on when not in use, -SET or
+RES could get bumped and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep
5
off when cruise is not being used.
To set a speed:
1. Press
5to turn the cruise
system on. 2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press and release -SET. The
desired set speed briefly
appears in the instrument
cluster.
4. Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
The cruise control indicator on the
instrument cluster turns green after
cruise control has been set to the
desired speed. See Instrument
Cluster (Base and Midlevel) 0102
or
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) 0106.
Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a
desired speed and then the brakes
are applied or
*is pressed, the
cruise control is disengaged without
erasing the set speed from memory.
Once the vehicle speed reaches
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more,
briefly press +RES. The vehicle
returns to the previous set speed. Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated:
.
Press and hold +RES until the
vehicle accelerates to the
desired speed, then release it.
. To increase the speed in small
increments, briefly press +RES.
For each press, the vehicle goes
about 1 km/h (1 mph) faster.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Instrument Cluster (Base
and Midlevel) 0102 or
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) 0106.
The increment value used depends
on the units displayed.
Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated:
. Press and hold -SET until the
desired lower speed is reached,
then release it.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
214 Driving and Operating
.To slow down in small
increments, briefly press -SET.
For each press, the vehicle goes
about 1 km/h (1 mph) slower.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Instrument Cluster (Base
and Midlevel) 0102 or
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) 0106.
The increment value used depends
on the units displayed.
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the
previous set cruise speed. While
pressing the accelerator pedal or
shortly following the release to
override cruise control, briefly
pressing -SET will result in cruise
control set to the current vehicle
speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control works
on hills depends upon the vehicle
speed, load, and the steepness of the hills. When going up steep hills,
you might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain the
vehicle speed. When going
downhill, you might have to brake or
shift to a lower gear to keep your
speed down. If the brake pedal is
applied, cruise control will
disengage.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise
control:
.
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
. Press
*.
. Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
. To turn off cruise control,
press
5.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
5is pressed
or if the ignition is turned off.
Adaptive Cruise Control
If equipped, Adaptive Cruise Control
(ACC) allows the cruise control set
speed and following gap to be
selected. Read this entire section
before using this system. The
following gap is the following time
between your vehicle and a vehicle
detected directly ahead in your path,
moving in the same direction. If no
vehicle is detected in your path,
ACC works like regular cruise
control. ACC uses a windshield
mounted front camera sensor.
If a vehicle is detected in your path,
ACC can apply acceleration or
limited, moderate braking to
maintain the selected following gap.
To disengage ACC, apply the brake.
If ACC is controlling the vehicle
speed when the Traction Control
System (TCS) or StabiliTrak/
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system activates, ACC may
automatically disengage. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0208. When road
conditions allow ACC to be safely
used, ACC can be turned back on.