Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527526) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
Driving and Operating 183
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter must be in the vehicle for
the system to operate. If the
pushbutton start is not working, the
vehicle may be near a strong radio
antenna signal causing interference
to the Keyless Access system. See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation08.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be on or in service mode and
the brake pedal must be applied.
Stopping the Engine/OFF (No
Indicator Lights) : When the
vehicle is stopped, press ENGINE
START/STOP once to turn the
engine off.
If the vehicle is in P (Park), the
ignition will turn off, and Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) 0187.
If the vehicle is not in P (Park), the
ignition will return to ACC/
ACCESSORY and display the
message SHIFT TO PARK in the Driver Information Center (DIC).
When the vehicle is shifted into
P (Park), the ignition will turn off.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the
ignition off. The shift lever must
be in P (Park) to turn the
ignition off. 4. Set the parking brake. See
Electric Parking Brake 0196.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
press and hold ENGINE START/
STOP for longer than two seconds,
or press twice in five seconds.
ACC/ACCESSORY (Amber
Indicator Light) : This mode allows
some electrical accessories to be
used when the engine is off.
With the ignition off, pressing the
button one time without the brake
pedal applied will place the ignition
system in ACC/ACCESSORY.
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527526) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
184 Driving and Operating
The ignition will switch from ACC/
ACCESSORY to OFF after
five minutes to prevent battery
rundown.
ON/RUN/START (Green Indicator
Light) :This mode is for driving and
starting. With the ignition off, and
the brake pedal applied, pressing
the button once will place the
ignition system in ON/RUN/START.
Once engine cranking begins,
release the button. Engine cranking
will continue until the engine starts.
See Starting the Engine 0184. The
ignition will then remain in ON/RUN.
Service Mode
This power mode is available for
service and diagnostics, and to
verify the proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp as may
be required for emission inspection
purposes. With the vehicle off, and
the brake pedal not applied,
pressing and holding ENGINE
START/STOP for more than
five seconds will place the vehicle in
Service Mode. The instruments and
audio systems will operate as they
do in ON/RUN, but the vehicle will not be able to be driven. The engine
will not start in Service Mode. Press
the button again to turn the
vehicle off.
Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission.
Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
covered by the vehicle warranty.
SeeAdd-On Electrical Equipment
0 246.
Starting Procedure
1. With the Keyless Access
system, the RKE transmitter
must be in the vehicle. Press
ENGINE START/STOP with the
brake pedal applied. When the
engine begins cranking, let go
of the button.
The idle speed will go down as
the engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it.
If the RKE transmitter is not in
the vehicle, if there is
interference, or if the RKE
battery is low, the Driver
Information Center (DIC) will
display a message.
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527526) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
Driving and Operating 185
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by trying to start
the engine immediately after
cranking has ended, can overheat
and damage the cranking motor,
and drain the battery. Wait at
least 15 seconds between each
try, to let the cranking motor
cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after five to 10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather
(below −18 °C or 0 °F), it could
be flooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing the
accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and holding it there as
you press ENGINE START/
STOP, for up to a maximum of
15 seconds. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try,
to allow the cranking motor to
cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the button and
the accelerator. If the vehicle starts briefly but then stops
again, do the same thing. This
clears the extra gasoline from
the engine. Do not race the
engine immediately after
starting it. Operate the engine
and transmission gently until
the oil warms up and lubricates
all moving parts.
Stop/Start System
This vehicle has a Stop/Start
system to shut off the engine to help
conserve fuel. It has components
designed for the increased number
of starts.
{Warning
The automatic engine Stop/Start
feature causes the engine to shut
off while the vehicle is still on. Do
not exit the vehicle before shifting
to P (Park). The vehicle may
restart and move unexpectedly.
Always shift to P (Park), and then
turn the ignition off before exiting
the vehicle.
Auto Engine Stop/Start
When the brakes are applied and
the vehicle is at a complete stop,
the engine may turn off. When
stopped, the tachometer displays
AUTO STOP. See
Tachometer
0 120. When the brake pedal is
released or the accelerator pedal is
pressed, the engine will restart.
To maintain vehicle performance,
other conditions may cause the
engine to automatically restart
before the brake pedal is released.
Auto Stops may not occur and/or
auto restarts may occur because:
. The climate control settings
require the engine to be running
to cool or heat the vehicle
interior.
. The vehicle battery charge
is low.
. The vehicle battery has recently
been disconnected.
. Minimum vehicle speed has not
been reached since the last
Auto Stop.
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527526) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
Driving and Operating 191
Automatic
Transmission
P :This position locks the drive
wheels. Use P (Park) when starting
the engine because the vehicle
cannot move easily.
{Warning
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park 0188 and
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips 0233.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. With the ignition on, fully
apply the regular brake, then press
the button on the shift lever before
shifting from P (Park). If you cannot
shift out of P (Park), ease pressure
on the shift lever, then push the shift
lever all the way into P (Park) as
you maintain brake application.
Then press the shift lever button and move the shift lever into
another gear. See
Shifting out of
Park 0189.
R : Use this gear to back up.
Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while the
vehicle is moving forward could
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Shift to
R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck 0177.
N : In this position, the engine does
not connect with the wheels. To
restart the engine when the vehicle
is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only.
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527526) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
316 Vehicle Care
.How far the vehicle will be
towed. Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how
long they can be towed.
. The proper towing equipment.
See your dealer or trailering
professional for additional advice
and equipment
recommendations.
. Whether the vehicle is ready to
be towed. Just as preparing the
vehicle for a long trip, make sure
the vehicle is prepared to be
towed.
Caution
Use of a shield mounted in front
of the vehicle grille could restrict
airflow and cause damage to the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. If using a shield, only
use one that attaches to the
towing vehicle.
Dinghy Towing
For vehicles being dinghy towed,
the vehicle should be run at the
beginning of each day and at each
RV fuel stop for about five minutes.
This will ensure proper lubrication of
transmission components. Reinstall
the fuses to start the vehicle.
To tow the vehicle from the front
with all four wheels on the ground:
1. Position the vehicle that will be towed and secure it to the
towing vehicle.
2. Remove the shift lever boot bypulling up on the rear of the
trim plate.
3. Use a small screwdriver or tool to press and hold the manual
release button on the rear right.
4. Put the vehicle in N (Neutral).
Caution
If the vehicle is towed without
performing each of the steps
listed under “Dinghy Towing,” the
automatic transmission could be
damaged. Be sure to follow all
steps of the dinghy towing
procedure prior to and after
towing the vehicle.
Caution
If 105 km/h (65 mph) is exceeded
while towing the vehicle, it could
be damaged. Never exceed
105 km/h (65 mph) while towing
the vehicle.