Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
22 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Use the pull cup to lower and close
the liftgate. Do not press the touch
pad while closing the liftgate. This
may cause the liftgate to be
unlatched.
The liftgate has an electric latch.
If the battery is disconnected or has
low voltage, the liftgate will not
open. The liftgate will resume
operation when the battery is
reconnected and charged.
Always close the liftgate before
driving.
Power Liftgate Operation
{Warning
You or others could be injured if
caught in the path of the power
liftgate. Make sure there is no one
in the way of the liftgate as it is
opening and closing.
Caution
Driving with an open and
unsecured liftgate may result in
damage to the power liftgate
components.
The power liftgate switch is on the
driver door. The vehicle must be in
P (Park). The taillamps flash when
the power liftgate moves.
The modes are:
.MAX: Opens to maximum
height. .
3/4: Opens to a reduced height
that can be set from 3/4 to fully
open. Use to prevent the liftgate
from opening into overhead
obstructions such as a garage
door or roof-mounted cargo. The
liftgate can be manually opened
all the way.
. OFF: Opens manually only.
To open or close the power liftgate,
select MAX or 3/4 mode.
. Press
btwice quickly on the
RKE transmitter until the liftgate
moves.
. Press
8on the driver door.
The driver door must unlocked.
. Press the touch pad under the
liftgate handle after unlocking all
doors. A locked vehicle can be
opened if the RKE transmitter is
within 1 m (3 ft) of the liftgate.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
Instruments and Controls 97
satellites. When the compass
display shows CAL, drive the
vehicle for a short distance in an
open area where it can receive a
GPS signal. The compass system
will automatically determine when a
GPS signal is restored and provide
a heading again.
Clock
Set the time and date using the
infotainment system. See "Time /
Date" under“Settings”in the
infotainment manual.
Power Outlets
The vehicle has two 12-volt
accessory power outlets, which can
be used to plug in electrical
equipment, such as a cell phone or
MP3 player.
There are power outlets:
. On the center stack below the
climate control system.
. In the rear cargo area.
To use the outlet, remove the cover.
Caution
Leaving electrical equipment
plugged in for an extended period
of time while the vehicle is off will
drain the battery. Always unplug
electrical equipment when not in
use and do not plug in equipment
that exceeds the maximum
20 amp rating.
{Warning
Power is always supplied to the
rear cargo power outlet. Do not
leave electrical equipment
plugged in when the vehicle is not
in use because the vehicle could
catch fire and cause injury or
death.
Certain accessory plugs may not be
compatible with the accessory
power outlet and could overload
vehicle and adapter fuses. If a
problem is experienced, see your
dealer. When adding electrical equipment,
be sure to follow the proper
installation instructions included with
the equipment. See
Add-On
Electrical Equipment 0263.
Caution
Hanging heavy equipment from
the power outlet can cause
damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty. The power
outlets are designed for
accessory power plugs only, such
as cell phone charge cords.
Power Outlet 110/120 Volt
Alternating Current
If equipped, this power outlet can be
used to plug in electrical equipment
that uses a maximum limit of 150
watts.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
116 Instruments and Controls
The DLC is under the instrument
panel to the left of the steering
wheel. Connecting devices that are
not used to perform an Emissions
Inspection/Maintenance test or to
service the vehicle may affect
vehicle operation. SeeAdd-On
Electrical Equipment 0263. See
your dealer if assistance is needed.
The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
. The light is on when the engine
is running.
. The light does not come on
when the ignition is in
Service Mode.
. Critical emission control systems
have not been completely
diagnosed. If this happens, the
vehicle would not be ready for
inspection and might require
several days of routine driving before the system is ready for
inspection. This can happen if
the 12-volt battery has recently
been replaced or run down, or if
the vehicle has been recently
serviced.
See your dealer if the vehicle will
not pass or cannot be made ready
for the test.
Brake System Warning
Light
MetricEnglish
This light should come on briefly
when the vehicle is turned on. If it
does not come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if
there is a problem.
If the light comes on and stays on at
start up, there is a brake problem.
Have the brake system inspected
right away. If the light comes on while driving,
pull off the road and stop carefully.
The brake pedal might be harder to
push, or the brake pedal may go
closer to the floor. It could take
longer to stop. If the light is still on,
have the vehicle towed for service.
See
Towing the Vehicle 0344.
{Warning
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
Instruments and Controls 125
Vehicle Information Menu
(VEHICLE) Items
Units :Choose between Metric or
US when Units is active. Press
Vto
confirm the setting. This will change
the displays on the DIC to the type
of measurements you select.
Speed Warning : This display is
used to set the vehicle speed at
which the speed warning chime
sounds and the alert is displayed.
The speed can be set by pressing
Vwhile the speed warning display
is showing.
Remaining Oil Life : Displays an
estimate of the oil's remaining useful
life. If REMAINING OIL LIFE 99% is
displayed, that means 99% of the
current oil life remains.
When the remaining oil life is low,
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the display.
The oil should be changed as soon
as possible. See Engine Oil0275.
In addition to the engine oil life
system monitoring the oil life,
additional maintenance is recommended in the Maintenance
Schedule in this manual. See
Maintenance Schedule
0360.
The Oil Life display must be reset
after each oil change. Do not reset
the Oil Life display accidentally at
any time other than when the oil has
just been changed. It cannot be
reset accurately until the next oil
change. To reset the engine oil life
system, see Engine Oil Life System
0 279.
Oil Pressure : Oil pressure is
displayed in either kilopascal (kPa)
or in pounds per square inch (psi).
Fuel Filter Life (Diesel Engine
Only) : This display shows an
estimate of the fuel filter's remaining
useful life. If 90% Fuel Filter Life
Remaining is displayed, it means
90% of the current fuel filter life
remains. The fuel filter life system
will alert when to change the fuel
filter on a schedule consistent with
your driving conditions. When the
remaining fuel filter life is low, the
CHANGE FUEL FILTER message
will appear on the display. Change
the fuel filter as soon as possible. Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Level
(Diesel Engine Only) :
The DEF
level will be displayed as either OK,
XX%, or LOW. When LOW appears
on the display, add DEF as soon as
possible. See Diesel Exhaust Fluid
0 195.
Tire Pressure : Displays a vehicle
with the approximate pressures of
all four tires. Tire pressure is
displayed in either kilopascal (kPa)
or in pounds per square inch (psi).
See Tire Pressure Monitor System
0 315 and
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation
0 316.
Battery Voltage : Displays the
current battery voltage, if equipped.
Battery voltage changes are normal
while driving. See Charging System
Light 0114. If there is a problem
with the battery charging system,
the DIC will display a message.
Coolant Temperature : Displays
the coolant temperature in degrees
Celsius (°C) or degrees Fahrenheit
(°F).
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
Instruments and Controls 129
Follow Distance :If equipped, the
current follow time to the vehicle
ahead is displayed as a time value
on this page.
Battery Voltage : Displays the
current battery voltage, if equipped.
Battery voltage changes are normal
while driving. See Charging System
Light 0114. If there is a problem
with the battery charging system, a
DIC will display a message.
Coolant Temperature : Displays
the coolant temperature in degrees
Celsius (°C) or degrees Fahrenheit
(°F).
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Level
(Diesel Engine Only) : If equipped,
the DEF level will be displayed as
either OK, XX%, or LOW. When
LOW appears on the display, add
DEF as soon as possible. See
Diesel Exhaust Fluid 0195.
Oil Pressure : Oil pressure is
displayed in either kilopascal (kPa)
or in pounds per square inch (psi).
Oil pressure can vary with engine
speed, outside temperature, and oil
viscosity. On some models, the oil pump will vary engine oil pressure
according to engine needs. Oil
pressure may change quickly as the
engine speed or load varies. This is
normal. If the oil pressure warning
light or Driver Information Center
(DIC) message indicates oil
pressure outside the normal
operating range, check the vehicle's
oil as soon as possible.
Driver Information Center
(DIC) (Uplevel)
The DIC displays are shown in the
center of the instrument cluster in
the Info App. See
Instrument Cluster
(Base and Midlevel) 0102 or
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) 0106.
The displays show the status of
many vehicle systems.worx: Press to move up or
down in a list.
oorp: Press to move between
the interactive display zones in the
cluster.
V: Press to open a menu or select
a menu item. Press and hold to
reset values on certain screens.
Info Page Options
The info pages on the DIC can be
turned on or off through the
Options menu.
1. Press
oorpto scroll to the
Options application.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
132 Instruments and Controls
Presswandxto select“Reset
Best Score.” Press
Vto reset the
best average fuel economy. After
reset, the best value displays “-,-”
until the selected distance has been
traveled.
The display provides information on
how current driving behavior affects
the running average and how well
recent driving compares to the best
that has been achieved for the
selected distance.
Follow Distance/Gap Setting :
If equipped, the current follow time
to the vehicle ahead is displayed as
a time value on this page. When
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) has
been engaged, the display switches
to the gap setting page. This page
shows the current gap setting along
with the vehicle ahead indicator.
Driver Assistance : If equipped,
shows information for Lane Keep
Assist (LKA), Lane Departure
Warning (LDW), and Forward
Collision Alert (FCA). Economy Trend :
Shows history of
the Average Fuel Economy from the
last 50 km (30 mi). Each bar
represents about 5 km (3 mi) of
driving. During driving the bars will
shift to always reflect the most
recent distance on the right side.
Press
Vto open the menu while
this display is active to clear the
graph. Select yes or no and
press
V.
Timer : This display can be used as
a timer. To start the timer, press
V
to open the menu while this display
is active. Use
wandxto select
Start Timer or Reset. Press
V. To
stop the timer, press
Vwhile this
display is active. The display will
show the amount of time that has
passed since the timer was last
reset.
Speed Limit : Shows sign
information, which comes from a
roadway database in the onboard
navigation, if equipped. The sign will show
“− −”when there is no
detected speed limit or the system
is unavailable.
Press
Vwhile this display is active
to toggle Speed Limit sign on or off.
Battery Voltage : Displays the
current battery voltage, if equipped.
Battery voltage changes are normal
while driving. See Charging System
Light 0114. If there is a problem
with the battery charging system, a
DIC will display a message.
Oil Pressure : Oil pressure is
displayed in either kilopascal (kPa)
or in pounds per square inch (psi).
Oil pressure can vary with engine
speed, outside temperature, and oil
viscosity. On some models, the oil
pump will vary engine oil pressure
according to engine needs. Oil
pressure may change quickly as the
engine speed or load varies. This is
normal. If the oil pressure warning
light or DIC message indicates oil
pressure outside the normal
operating range, check the vehicle's
oil as soon as possible.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
Lighting 151
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting
Some exterior lamps and interior
lamps turn on briefly at night, or in
areas with limited lighting, when
K
is pressed on the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter. When a
door is opened, the interior lamps
come on. They stay on for about
20 seconds. When all of the doors
have been closed or the ignition is
turned on, they gradually fade out.
This feature can be changed. See
“Vehicle Locator Lights”under
Vehicle Personalization 0134.
Exit Lighting
Some exterior lamps and interior
lamps come on at night, or in areas
with limited lighting, when the driver
door is opened after the ignition is
turned off. The dome lamp comes
on after the ignition is turned off.
The exterior lamps and dome lamp
remain on for a set amount of time,
then automatically turn off. The exterior lamps turn off
immediately by turning the exterior
lamp control off.
This feature can be changed. See
Vehicle Personalization
0134.
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,
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555863) - 2020 - CRC - 8/2/19
264 Driving and Operating
Caution
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle or cause
components to not work and
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always check
with your dealer before adding
electrical equipment.
Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12-volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle 066 and
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 067.