Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527526) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
Driving and Operating 175
{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 iswet 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 Tires0283.
. Turn off cruise control.
. Activate All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
mode. See Driver Mode Control
0 200.
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 Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527526) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
176 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.
. Select All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Mode. See Driver Mode Control
0 200 and
All-Wheel Drive 0194.
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 0198.
. 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) 0195. .
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.
. Select All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Mode for vehicles equipped with
AWD. Select Snow/Ice Mode for
FWD only vehicles. See Driver
Mode Control 0200 and
All-Wheel Drive 0194.
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 0349. To get
help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
. Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527526) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
Driving and Operating 193
Manual Mode
Electronic Range Select
(ERS) Mode
ERS mode allows you to choose the
top-gear limit of the transmission
and the vehicle's speed while
driving downhill or towing a trailer.
The vehicle has an electronic shift
position indicator within the
instrument cluster. When using the
ERS mode a number will display
next to the L, indicating the highest
gear available for the range
selected.
To use this feature:1. Press the shift lever button and
move the shift lever to L (Low).
2. Press + (Plus) or −(Minus) on
the shift lever to increase or
decrease the gear range
available.
When you shift from D (Drive) to
L (Low), the transmission will shift to
a pre-determined lower gear range.
The highest gear available for this
pre-determined range is displayed
next to the L in the DIC. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) 0134. The
number displayed in the DIC is the
highest gear that the transmission
will be allowed to operate in. This
means that all gears below that
number are available. For example,
when 4 (Fourth) is shown next to the
L, 1 (First) through 4 (Fourth) gears
are automatically shifted by the
vehicle. The transmission will not
shift into 5 (Fifth) until the + (Plus)
button is used or you shift back into
D (Drive).
If the transmission is in 9 (Ninth)
gear when L (Low) is selected, a
downshift to 7 (Seventh) will be commanded. If in 8 (Eighth) through
2 (Second) a single downshift will
occur.
While in L (Low), the transmission
will prevent shifting to a lower gear
range if the engine speed is too
high. You have a brief period of time
to slow the vehicle. If vehicle speed
is not reduced within the time
allowed, the lower gear range shift
will not be completed. You must
further slow the vehicle, then press
−
(Minus) to the desired lower gear
range.
Automatic Engine Grade Braking is
not available when the ERS is
active. It is available in D (Drive) for
both normal driving and Tow/Haul
Mode. While using the ERS, cruise
control and the Tow/Haul Mode can
be used. See “Tow/Haul Mode”
following.
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527526) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
198 Driving and Operating
pedal is not applied within a few
minutes, the Electric Parking Brake
will apply. 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 thevehicle 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. TCS and
StabiliTrak/ESC will automatically
turn on when cruise control is set.
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 0177
and “Turning the Systems Off and
On” later in this section.
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527526) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
Driving and Operating 203
Cruise Control
{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 cruise control, a speed of
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more can
be maintained without keeping your
foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below about 40 km/h (25 mph).
If the Traction Control System (TCS)
or StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) system begins to limit
wheel spin while using cruise
control, the cruise control automatically disengages. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control
0198. If a collision alert
occurs when cruise control is
activated, cruise control is
disengaged. See Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) System 0219. When
road conditions allow the cruise
control to be safely used, cruise
control can be turned back on.
Turning off the TCS or StabiliTrak/
ESC system will disengage the
cruise control.
If the brakes are applied, cruise
control disengages.
J: Press to turn the system on
and off. A white indicator appears in
the instrument cluster when cruise
is turned on.
RES+ : If there is a set speed in
memory, press briefly to resume to
that speed or press and hold to
accelerate. If the cruise control is
already active, use to increase
vehicle speed.
SET− :Press briefly to set the
speed and activate cruise control.
If the cruise control is already
active, use to decrease vehicle
speed.
*: Press to disengage cruise
control without erasing the set
speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If
Jis on when not in use, SET− or
RES+ could get pressed and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep
J
off when cruise is not being used.
1. Press
J.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527526) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
204 Driving and Operating
3. Press and release SET−. Thedesired set speed briefly
appears in the instrument
cluster.
4. Remove your foot from the accelerator.
When the cruise control has been
set to the desired speed, a green
cruise control indicator appears on
the instrument cluster.
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,
press RES+ briefly. 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+ up until
the desired speed is reached,
then release it.
. To increase vehicle 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
(Uplevel) 0115 or
Instrument Cluster (Base Level)
0 118. 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.
. To decrease the vehicle speed 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
(Uplevel) 0115 or
Instrument Cluster (Base Level)
0 118. 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, briefly applying SET
− will result in cruise set to the
current vehicle speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control will work
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 your
speed. While on a hill, the
transmission may downshift in order
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527526) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
Driving and Operating 205
to use engine braking to slow the
vehicle and maintain the set speed.
Also, you may have to brake or shift
to a lower gear to keep your speed
down. If the brake pedal is applied,
cruise control disengages.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise
control:
.Step lightly on the brake pedal.
. Press
*.
. Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
. Press
J.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
Jis
pressed or if the ignition is
turned off.
Adaptive Cruise Control
If equipped with Adaptive Cruise
Control (ACC), it allows the driver to
select the cruise control set speed
and following gap. 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 camera
and radar sensors. See
Radio
Frequency Statement 0355.
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 your vehicle
speed when the Traction Control
System (TCS) or StabiliTrak/
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system activates, the ACC may
automatically disengage. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0198. When road
conditions allow ACC to be safely
used, the ACC can be turned
back on.
Turning off the TCS or StabiliTrak/
ESC system will disengage the
cruise control.
{Warning
ACC has limited braking ability
and may not have time to slow
the vehicle down enough to avoid
a collision with another vehicle
you are following. This can occur
when vehicles suddenly slow or
stop ahead, or enter your lane.
Also see “Alerting the Driver” in
this section. Complete attention is
always required while driving and
you should be ready to take
action and apply the brakes. See
Defensive Driving 0167.
{Warning
ACC will not detect or brake for
children, pedestrians, animals,
or other objects.
Do not use ACC when:
(Continued)
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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206 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
.On winding and hilly roads
or when the sensors are
blocked by snow, ice, or dirt.
The system may not detect
a vehicle ahead. Keep the
entire front of the vehicle
clean.
. Visibility is low, such as in
fog, rain, or snow
conditions. ACC
performance is limited under
these conditions.
. On slippery roads where
fast changes in tire traction
can cause excessive
wheel slip.
J:Press to turn the system on or
off. The indicator turns white on the
instrument cluster when ACC is
turned on.
RES+ : Press briefly to resume the
previous set speed or to increase
vehicle speed. If ACC is already
activated, use to increase vehicle
speed.
SET– :Press briefly to set the
speed and activate ACC or to
decrease vehicle speed. If ACC is
already activated, use to decrease
vehicle speed.
*: Press to disengage ACC
without erasing the selected set
speed.
[: Press to select a following gap
time (or distance) setting for ACC of
Far, Medium, or Near.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Instrument Cluster
(Uplevel) 0115 or
Instrument Cluster (Base Level)
0 118. The increment value used
depends on the units displayed.
Switching Between ACC and
Regular Cruise Control
To switch between ACC and regular
cruise control, press and hold
*.
A Driver Information Display (DIC)
message displays. See Vehicle
Messages 0137.
ACC can also be set while the
vehicle is stopped if ACC is on and
the brake pedal is applied.