
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
162 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Driving Environment . . . . . . . . . . 164
Vehicle Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 172
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 173
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 175
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 180
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 182 Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Winter Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Diesel Particulate Filter
Diesel Particulate Filter . . . . . . . 191
Diesel Exhaust Fluid
Diesel Exhaust Fluid . . . . . . . . . . 195
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 200
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 205
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 207
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . 214
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 225
Assistance Systems forParking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 226
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 236
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . 238

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
166 Driving and Operating
{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.
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
Caution
To avoid damage to the steering
system, do not drive over curbs,
parking barriers, or similar objects
at speeds greater than 3 km/h
(1 mph). Use care when driving
over other objects such as lane
dividers and speed bumps.
Damage caused by misuse of the
vehicle is not covered by the
vehicle warranty.

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
230 Driving and Operating
When an object is first detected in
the rear, one beep will be heard
from the rear. When an object is
very close, <0.6 m (2 ft) in the
vehicle rear, five beeps will sound
from the rear.
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)
If equipped, RCTA shows a red
warning triangle with a left or right
pointing arrow on the infotainment
display to warn of traffic coming
from the left or right. This system
detects objects coming from up to
20 m (65 ft) from the left or right side
of the vehicle. When an object is
detected, three beeps sound from
the left or right, depending on the
direction of the detected vehicle.
Use caution while backing up when
towing a trailer, as the RCTA
detection zones that extend out
from the back of the vehicle do not
move further back when a trailer is
towed.Turning the Features On or Off
RPA can be turned on and off
through vehicle personalization. See
Vehicle Personalization0134.
Turn off RPA when towing a trailer.
To turn the Rear Park Assist
symbols or guidance lines on or off,
see “Rear Camera” underVehicle
Personalization 0134. On some
models, select the guidance lines
button on the infotainment display to
turn them on or off.
RCTA can also be turned on or off
through vehicle personalization. see
“Collision/Detection Systems” under
Vehicle Personalization 0134.
Assistance Systems for
Driving
If equipped, when driving the
vehicle in a forward gear, Forward
Collision Alert (FCA), Lane
Departure Warning (LDW), Lane
Keep Assist (LKA), Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA), Lane Change Alert
(LCA), Automatic Emergency
Braking (AEB), and/or the Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System
can help to avoid a crash or reduce
crash damage.
Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System
If equipped, the FCA system may
help to avoid or reduce the harm
caused by front-end crashes. When
approaching a vehicle ahead too
quickly, FCA provides a red flashing
alert on the windshield and rapidly
beeps or pulses the driver seat.
FCA also lights an amber visual
alert if following another vehicle
much too closely.
FCA detects vehicles within a
distance of approximately 60 m
(197 ft) and operates at speeds
above 8 km/h (5 mph).
{Warning
FCA is a warning system and
does not apply the brakes. When
approaching a slower-moving or
stopped vehicle ahead too rapidly,
(Continued)

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
232 Driving and Operating
When this Collision Alert occurs, the
brake system may prepare for driver
braking to occur more rapidly which
can cause a brief, mild deceleration.
Continue to apply the brake pedal
as needed. Cruise control may be
disengaged when the Collision Alert
occurs.
Tailgating Alert
The vehicle ahead indicator will
display amber when you are
following a vehicle ahead much too
closely.
Selecting the Alert Timing
The Collision Alert control is on the
steering wheel. Press
[to set the
FCA timing to Far, Medium, or Near,
or on some vehicles, Off. The first
button press shows the current
setting on the DIC. Additional button
presses will change this setting. The chosen setting will remain until it is
changed and will affect the timing of
both the Collision Alert and the
Tailgating Alert features. The timing
of both alerts will vary based on
vehicle speed. The faster the
vehicle speed, the farther away the
alert will occur. Consider traffic and
weather conditions when selecting
the alert timing. The range of
selectable alert timings may not be
appropriate for all drivers and
driving conditions.
Following Distance Indicator
The following distance to a moving
vehicle ahead in your path is
indicated in following time in
seconds on the Driver Information
Center (DIC). See
Driver
Information Center (DIC) (Base
Level and Midlevel) 0123 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Uplevel) 0129. The minimum
following time is 0.5 seconds away.
If there is no vehicle detected
ahead, or the vehicle ahead is out of
sensor range, dashes will be
displayed.
Unnecessary Alerts
FCA may provide unnecessary
alerts for turning vehicles, vehicles
in other lanes, objects that are not
vehicles, or shadows. These alerts
are normal operation and the
vehicle does not need service.
Cleaning the System
If the FCA system does not seem to
operate properly, this may correct
the issue:
. Clean the outside of the
windshield in front of the
rearview mirror.
. Clean the entire front of the
vehicle.
. Clean the headlamps.
Automatic Emergency
Braking (AEB)
If the vehicle has Forward Collision
Alert (FCA), it also has AEB, which
includes Intelligent Brake
Assist (IBA). When the system
detects a vehicle ahead in your path
that is traveling in the same

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
236 Driving and Operating
If this happens, Automatic Braking
may engage the Electric Parking
Brake (EPB) to hold the vehicle at a
stop. Release the EPB. A firm press
of the accelerator pedal will also
release Automatic Braking and
the EPB.
{Warning
FPB may alert or automatically
brake the vehicle suddenly in
situations where it is unexpected
and undesired. It could falsely
alert or brake for objects similar in
shape or size to pedestrians,
including shadows. This is normal
operation and the vehicle does
not need service. To override
Automatic Braking, firmly press
the accelerator pedal, if it is safe
to do so.
Automatic Braking can be disabled
through vehicle personalization. See
“Front Pedestrian Detection” in
“Collision/Detection Systems” under
Vehicle Personalization 0134.
{Warning
Using the Front Pedestrian
Braking system while towing a
trailer could cause you to lose
control of the vehicle and crash.
Turn the system to Alert or Off
when towing a trailer.
Cleaning the System
If FPB does not seem to operate
properly, cleaning the outside of the
windshield in front of the rearview
mirror may correct the issue.
Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA)
If equipped, the SBZA system is a
lane-changing aid that assists
drivers with avoiding crashes that
occur with moving vehicles in the
side blind zone (or spot) areas.
When the vehicle is in a forward
gear, the left or right side mirror
display will light up if a moving
vehicle is detected in that blind
zone. If the turn signal is activated and a vehicle is also detected on
the same side, the display will flash
as an extra warning not to change
lanes. Since this system is part of
the Lane Change Alert (LCA)
system, read the entire LCA section
before using this feature.
Lane Change Alert (LCA)
If equipped, the LCA system is a
lane-changing aid that assists
drivers with avoiding lane change
crashes that occur with moving
vehicles in the side blind zone (or
spot) areas or with vehicles rapidly
approaching these areas from
behind. The LCA warning display
will light up in the corresponding
outside side mirror and will flash if
the turn signal is on.
{Warning
LCA does not alert the driver to
vehicles outside of the system
detection zones, pedestrians,
bicyclists, or animals. It may not
(Continued)

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
238 Driving and Operating
When the System Does Not
Seem to Work Properly
The LCA system requires some
driving for the system to calibrate to
maximum performance. This
calibration may occur more quickly if
the vehicle is driving on a straight
highway road with traffic and
roadside objects (e.g., guardrails,
barriers).
LCA displays may not come on
when passing a vehicle quickly, for
a stopped vehicle, or when towing a
trailer. The LCA detection zones
that extend back from the side of
the vehicle do not move further back
when a trailer is towed. Use caution
while changing lanes when towing a
trailer. LCA may alert to objects
attached to the vehicle, such as a
trailer, bicycle, or object extending
out to either side of the vehicle.
Attached objects may also interfere
with the detection of vehicles. This
is normal system operation; the
vehicle does not need service.
LCA may not always alert the driver
to vehicles in the next lane over,
especially in wet conditions or whendriving on sharp curves. The system
does not need to be serviced. The
system may light up due to
guardrails, signs, trees, shrubs, and
other non-moving objects. This is
normal system operation; the
vehicle does not need service.
LCA may not operate when the LCA
sensors in the left or right corners of
the rear bumper are covered with
mud, dirt, snow, ice, or slush, or in
heavy rainstorms. For cleaning
instructions, see "Washing the
Vehicle" under
Exterior Care0349.
If the DIC still displays the system
unavailable message after cleaning
both sides of the vehicle toward the
rear corners of the vehicle, see your
dealer.
If the LCA displays do not light up
when moving vehicles are in the
side blind zone or are rapidly
approaching this zone and the
system is clean, the system may
need service. Take the vehicle to
your dealer.
Radio Frequency Information
See Radio Frequency Statement
0 387.
Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
If equipped, LKA may help avoid
crashes due to unintentional lane
departures. This system uses a
camera to detect lane markings
between 60 km/h (37 mph) and 180
km/h (112 mph). It may assist by
gently turning the steering wheel if
the vehicle approaches a detected
lane marking. It may also provide a
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
alert if the vehicle crosses a
detected lane marking. LKA can be
overriden by turning the steering
wheel. This system is not intended
to keep the vehicle centered in the
lane. LKA will not assist and alert if
the turn signal is active in the
direction of lane departure, or if it
detects that you are accelerating,
braking or actively steering.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
Driving and Operating 239
{Warning
The LKA system does not
continuously steer the vehicle.
It may not keep the vehicle in the
lane or give a Lane Departure
Warning (LDW) alert, even if a
lane marking is detected.
The LKA and LDW systems
may not:. Provide an alert or enough
steering assist to avoid a
lane departure or crash.
. Detect lane markings under
poor weather or visibility
conditions. This can occur if
the windshield or
headlamps are blocked by
dirt, snow, or ice; if they are
not in proper condition; or if
the sun shines directly into
the camera.
. Detect road edges.
. Detect lanes on winding or
hilly roads.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
If LKA only detects lane markings
on one side of the road, it will
only assist or provide an LDW
alert when approaching the lane
on the side where it has detected
a lane marking. Even with LKA
and LDW, you must steer the
vehicle. Always keep your
attention on the road and
maintain proper vehicle position
within the lane, or vehicle
damage, injury, or death could
occur. Always keep the
windshield, headlamps, and
camera sensors clean and in
good repair. Do not use LKA in
bad weather conditions or on
roads with unclear lane markings,
such as construction zones.
{Warning
Using LKA while towing a trailer
or on slippery roads could cause
loss of control of the vehicle and
a crash. Turn the system off.
How the System Works
LKA uses a camera sensor installed
on the windshield ahead of the
rearview mirror to detect lane
markings. It may provide brief
steering assist if it detects an
unintended lane departure. It may
further provide an audible alert or
the driver seat may pulse indicating
that a lane marking has been
crossed.
To turn LKA on and off, press
A
on the steering wheel. If equipped,
the indicator light on the button
comes on when LKA is on and turns
off when LKA is disabled.
When on,
Ais white, if equipped,
indicating that the system is not
ready to assist.
Ais green if LKA