GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
Driving and Operating 255
Trailer Brakes
Loaded trailers over 450 kg
(1,000 lb) must be equipped with
brake systems and with brakes for
each axle. Trailer braking equipment
conforming to Canadian Standards
Association (CSA) requirement
CAN3-D313, or its equivalent, is
recommended.
State or local regulations may
require trailers to have their own
braking system if the loaded weight
of the trailer exceeds certain
minimums that can vary from state
to state. Read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes so
they are installed, adjusted, and
maintained properly. Never attempt
to tap into your vehicle's hydraulic
brake system. If you do, both the
vehicle anti-lock brakes and the
trailer brakes may not function,
which could result in a crash.
Trailer Wiring Harness
lf equipped, the trailer wiring
harness, with a 7-pin connector is
mounted on the trailer hitch.
1. Left Turn/Brake
2. Tail Lamps
3. Reverse Lamps
4. Battery feed
5. Right Turn/Brake
6. Electric Brakes
7. Ground
If the vehicle is not equipped with a
trailer connector on the trailer hitch,
a 7-wire trailering harness is tied to
the vehicles frame. The harness
requires the installation of a trailer
connector, which is available
through your dealer.Use only a round, seven-wire
connector with flat blade terminals
meeting SAE J2863 specifications
for proper electrical connectivity.
The seven-wire harness contains
the following trailer circuits:
Stop/Turn
Signal Left Yellow/Gray
Stop/Turn
Signal Right Green/Violet
Tail/Parking
Lamps Gray/Brown
Reverse Lamps White/Green
Battery Feed Red/Green
Ground Black
Electric Trailer
Brake Blue
Electric Brake Control Wiring
Provisions
If equipped, (4) blunt-cut wires are
located near the driver's feet for an
aftermarket electric trailer brake
controller as part of the trailer wiring
package. The harness contains the
following circuits:
GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
256 Driving and Operating
Electric Trailer
BrakesBlue
Battery Feed Red/Black or
Red/Blue
Brake Apply
Signal White/Blue
Ground Black
Refer to the aftermarket electric
trailer brake controller owner's
manual to determine wire color
coding of the electric trailer brake
controller. The wire colors on the
brake controller may be different
from the vehicle. It may be
necessary to have a technician
connect the 12-volt power to the
engine compartment fuse block. The
electric trailer brake controller
should be installed by your dealer or
a qualified service center.
Trailer Lamps
Always check all trailer lamps are
working at the beginning of each
trip, and periodically on longer trips.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
When properly connected, the trailer
turn signals should will illuminate to
indicate the vehicle is turning,
changing lanes, or stopping. When
towing a trailer, the arrows on the
instrument cluster will illuminate
even if the trailer is not properly
connected or the bulbs are
burned out.
Tow/Haul Mode
For instructions on how to enter
Tow/Haul mode, see Driver Mode
Control 0212.
Tow/Haul assists when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy
load. See Tow/Haul Mode 0206.
Tow/Haul Mode is designed to be
most effective when the vehicle and
trailer combined weight is at least
75% of the vehicle's Gross
Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
See “Weight of the Trailer” under
Trailer Towing 0250. Tow/Haul Mode is most useful when
towing a heavy trailer or carrying a
large or heavy load:
.
through rolling terrain
. in stop-and-go traffic
. in busy parking lots
Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul
Mode when lightly loaded or not
towing will not cause damage;
however, it is not recommended and
may result in unpleasant engine and
transmission driving characteristics
and reduced fuel economy.
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC)
Vehicles with StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) have a
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) feature.
Trailer sway is unintended
side-to-side motion of a trailer while
towing. If the vehicle is towing a
trailer and the TSC detects that
sway is increasing, the vehicle
brakes are selectively applied at
each wheel, to help reduce
excessive trailer sway. If equipped
with the Integrated Trailer Brake
GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
Vehicle Care 279
mixture to the coolant surge
tank until the level reaches the
indicated level mark.
5. Replace the pressure cap tightly.
6. Verify coolant level after the engine is shut off and the
coolant is cold. If necessary,
repeat coolant fill procedure
Steps 1–6.
If the coolant still is not at the
proper level when the system
cools down again, see your
dealer.
Caution
If the pressure cap is not tightly
installed, coolant loss and engine
damage may occur. Be sure the
cap is properly and tightly
secured.
Automatic Coolant Service Fill
(2.0L Engine Only)
If equipped, this feature assists in
filling and removing air from the
cooling system after service of
components or when coolant is
added after being too low.
To activate the fill and air removal
process:
1. With a cold system, disconnect the vent line from the port near
the cap on the surge tank. Add
coolant to the indicated mark
on the surge tank.
2. Reconnect the vent line to the surge tank and replace the cap
on the surge tank.
3. Connect the vehicle to a battery charger.
4. Put the vehicle in Service Mode. See Ignition Positions
0 190.
5. Turn off the air conditioning.
6. Set the parking brake. 7. At the same time, press the
accelerator and the brake for
automatic transmission
vehicles for two seconds, then
release.
At the end of the cycle, check the
coolant level in the surge tank and
add coolant, if it is low. Turn off the
vehicle, allow the Engine Control
Module (ECM) to go to sleep, about
two minutes, and repeat steps 3-7.
Listen for pump activation and
movement of the control valves
while watching the level of the tank.
If the tank empties, turn the ignition
off, carefully remove the surge tank
cap, refill to the indicated mark and
repeat steps 3-6. The fill and air
removal process will run for
approximately 10 minutes.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has several indicators
to warn of the engine overheating.
There is an engine coolant
temperature gauge on the
instrument cluster. See Engine
Coolant Temperature Gauge 0123.
GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
284 Vehicle Care
When using a 12-volt battery
charger on the 12-volt AGM battery,
some chargers have an AGM
battery setting on the charger.
If available, use the AGM setting on
the charger, to limit charge voltage
to 14.8 volts.
{Warning
WARNING:Battery posts,
terminals, and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds, chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Batteries also
contain other chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer. WASH HANDS AFTER
HANDLING. For more information
go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See California Proposition
65 Warning 0260 and the back
cover.
Vehicle Storage
{Warning
Batteries have acid that can burn
you and gas that can explode.
You can be badly hurt if you are
not careful. See Jump Starting -
North America 0335 for tips on
working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery to keep the battery from
running down.
Extended Storage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery or use a battery trickle
charger.
All-Wheel Drive
Transfer Case
Under normal driving conditions,
transfer case fluid does not require
maintenance unless there is a fluid leak or unusual noise. If required,
have the transfer case serviced by
your dealer.
Starter Switch Check
{Warning
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room
around the vehicle.
2. Apply both the parking brake and the regular brake.
Do not use the accelerator
pedal, and be ready to turn off
the engine immediately if it
starts.
3. Try to start the engine in each gear. The vehicle should start
only in P (Park) or N (Neutral).
GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
Vehicle Care 285
If the vehicle starts in any other
position, contact your dealer for
service.
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check
{Warning
When you are doing this check,
the vehicle could begin to move.
You or others could be injured
and property could be damaged.
Make sure there is room in front
of the vehicle in case it begins to
roll. Be ready to apply the regular
brake at once should the vehicle
begin to move.
Park on a fairly steep hill, with the
vehicle facing downhill. Keeping
your foot on the regular brake, set
the parking brake.
. To check the parking brake's
holding ability: With the engine
running and the transmission in
N (Neutral), slowly remove foot pressure from the regular brake
pedal. Do this until the vehicle is
held by the parking brake only.
. To check the P (Park)
mechanism's holding ability:
With the engine running, shift to
P (Park). Then release the
parking brake followed by the
regular brake.
Contact your dealer if service is
required.
Wiper Blade Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be
inspected for wear or cracking.
It is a good idea to clean or replace
the wiper blade assembly on a
regular basis or when worn. For
proper windshield wiper blade
length and type, see Maintenance
Replacement Parts 0363.
Caution
Allowing the wiper arm to touch
the windshield when no wiper
blade is installed could damage
the windshield. Any damage that
occurs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Do not allow
the wiper arm to touch the
windshield.
Front Wiper Blade
Replacement
To replace the wiper blade
assembly:
1. Pull the windshield wiper assembly away from the
windshield.
GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
292 Vehicle Care
FusesUsage
F23 Parking/Trailer lamps
F24 Right trailer stoplamp/Turn lamp
F25 Steering column lock
F26 –
F27 Left trailer stoplamp/ Turn lamp
F28 –
F29 –
F30 Washer pump
F31 –
F32 –
F33 Fog lamps
F34 Horn
F35 –
F36 Headlamp high-beam left
F37 Headlamp high-beam right
F38 Automatic headlamp leveling motor Fuses
Usage
F39 Transmission control module 1/Battery 1
F40 Left rear bus electrical center/
Ignition
F41 Instrument cluster
F42 Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
F43 Head-Up display
F44 Electronic brake control module
electric brake
booster/Run/Crank
F45 –
F46 –
F47 –
F48 Rear wiper 2
F49 Interior rearview mirror/Trailer
F50 Fuel system control module
F51 Heated steering wheel Fuses
Usage
F52 Air conditioning clutch
F53 –
F54 Coolant pump
F55 –
F56 –
F57 Engine control module/Ignition
F58 Transmission control module/Ignition
F59 Engine control module battery
F60 –
F61 O2 sensor 1/ Aeroshutter
F62 Engine control module–odd
F63 O2 sensor 2
F64 Engine control module–even
F65 Engine control module powertrain 1
GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
310 Vehicle Care
.Operating electronic devices or
being near facilities using radio
wave frequencies similar to the
TPMS could cause the TPMS
sensors to malfunction.
If the TPMS is not functioning
properly it cannot detect or signal a
low tire pressure condition. See
your dealer for service if the TPMS
malfunction light and DIC message
come on and stay on.
Tire Fill Alert (If Equipped)
This feature provides visual and
audible alerts outside the vehicle to
help when inflating an underinflated
tire to the recommended cold tire
pressure.
When the low tire pressure warning
light comes on: 1. Park the vehicle in a safe, level place.
2. Set the parking brake firmly.
3. Place the vehicle in P (Park).
4. Add air to the tire that is underinflated. The turn signal
lamp will flash. When the recommended
pressure is reached, the horn
sounds once and the turn
signal lamp will stop flashing
and briefly turn solid.
Repeat these steps for all
underinflated tires that have
illuminated the low tire pressure
warning light.
{Warning
Overinflating a tire could cause
the tire to rupture and you or
others could be injured. Do not
exceed the maximum pressure
listed on the tire sidewall. See
Tire Sidewall Labeling 0300 and
Vehicle Load Limits 0186.
If the tire is overinflated by more
than 35 kPa (5 psi), the horn will
sound multiple times and the turn
signal lamp will continue to flash for
several seconds after filling stops.
To release and correct the pressure,
while the turn signal lamp is still
flashing, briefly press the center of the valve stem. When the
recommended pressure is reached,
the horn sounds once.
If the turn signal lamp does not flash
within 15 seconds after starting to
inflate the tire, the tire fill alert has
not been activated or is not working.
If the hazard warning flashers are
on, the tire fill alert visual feedback
will not work properly.
The TPMS will not activate the tire
fill alert properly under the following
conditions:
.
There is interference from an
external device or transmitter.
. The air pressure from the
inflation device is not sufficient
to inflate the tire.
. There is a malfunction in
the TPMS.
. There is a malfunction in the
horn or turn signal lamps.
. The identification code of the
TPMS sensor is not registered to
the system.
GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
Vehicle Care 311
.The battery of the TPMS sensor
is low.
If the tire fill alert does not operate
due to TPMS interference, move the
vehicle about 1 m (3 ft) back or
forward and try again. If the tire fill
alert feature is not working, use a
tire pressure gauge.
TPMS Sensor Matching
Process
Each TPMS sensor has a unique
identification code. The identification
code needs to be matched to a new
tire/wheel position after rotating the
vehicle’s tires or replacing one or
more of the TPMS sensors. The
TPMS sensor matching process
should also be performed after
replacing a spare tire with a road
tire containing the TPMS sensor.
The malfunction light and the DIC
message should go off at the next
ignition cycle. The sensors are
matched to the tire/wheel positions,
using a TPMS relearn tool, in the
following order: driver side front tire,
passenger side front tire, passenger
side rear tire, and driver side rear
tire. See your dealer for service or to purchase a relearn tool. A TPMS
relearn tool can also be purchased.
See Tire Pressure Monitor Sensor
Activation Tool at
www.gmtoolsandequipment.com or
call 1-800-GM TOOLS
(1-800-468-6657).
There are two minutes to match the
first tire/wheel position, and
five minutes overall to match all four
tire/wheel positions. If it takes
longer, the matching process stops
and must be restarted.
The TPMS sensor matching
process is:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Place the vehicle in Service Mode. See Ignition Positions
0 190.
3. Make sure the Tire Pressure info page option is turned on.
The info pages on the DIC can
be turned on and off through
the Options menu. See Driver
Information Center (DIC)
(Base) 0137 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Midlevel and Uplevel) 0139. 4. Use the DIC controls on the
right side of the steering wheel
to scroll to the Tire Pressure
screen under the DIC
info page.
5. Press and hold
Vin the center
of the DIC controls.
The horn sounds twice to
signal the receiver is in relearn
mode and the TIRE
LEARNING ACTIVE message
displays on the DIC display.
6. Start with the driver side front tire.
7. Place the relearn tool against the tire sidewall, near the valve
stem. Then press the button to
activate the TPMS sensor.
A horn chirp confirms that the
sensor identification code has
been matched to this tire and
wheel position.
8. Proceed to the passenger side front tire, and repeat the
procedure in Step 7.