Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14420010) - 2021 - CRC - 11/10/20
Seats and Restraints 39
If equipped, the rear heated seat buttons
are on the rear of the center console. To
operate, the engine must be running.
Press
zto heat the left or right outboard
seat cushion and seatback.
Press
+to heat the left or right outboard
seatback only.
Press the button once for the highest
setting. With each press of the button, the
heated seat will change to the next lower
setting, and then to the off setting. The
lights indicate three for the highest setting
and one for the lowest.
Seat Belts
This section describes how to use seat belts
properly, and some things not to do.
{Warning
Do not let anyone ride where a seat belt
cannot be worn properly. In a crash,
if you or your passenger(s) are not
wearing seat belts, injuries can be much
worse than if you are wearing seat belts.
You can be seriously injured or killed by
hitting things inside the vehicle harder or
by being ejected from the vehicle. In
addition, anyone who is not buckled up
can strike other passengers in the vehicle.
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a
cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle.
In a collision, passengers riding in these
areas are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed. Do not allow passengers
to ride in any area of the vehicle that is
not equipped with seats and seat belts.
Always wear a seat belt, and check that
all passenger(s) are restrained
properly too. This vehicle has indicators as a reminder to
buckle the seat belts. See
Seat Belt
Reminders 092.
Why Seat Belts Work
When riding in a vehicle, you travel as fast
as the vehicle does. If the vehicle stops
suddenly, you keep going until something
stops you. It could be the windshield, the
instrument panel, or the seat belts!
When you wear a seat belt, you and the
vehicle slow down together. There is more
time to stop because you stop over a longer
distance and, when worn properly, your
strongest bones take the forces from the
seat belts. That is why wearing seat belts
makes such good sense.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14420010) - 2021 - CRC - 11/10/20
74 Storage
Storage
Storage Compartments
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Sunglasses Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Additional Storage Features
Rear Compartment/Storage PanelCover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Cargo Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Cargo Tie-Downs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Roof Rack System
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Storage Compartments
{
Warning
Do not store heavy or sharp objects in
storage compartments. In a crash, these
objects may cause the cover to open and
could result in injury.
Glove Box
Open the glove box by lifting up on the
lever.
Cupholders
Two cupholders are in the center console.
Cupholders may be located in the second
row seat armrest. To access, pull the
armrest down.
Sunglasses Storage
If equipped, sunglasses storage is on the
overhead console. Press the fixed button on
the cover and release to access.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14420010) - 2021 - CRC - 11/10/20
Storage 75
Center Console Storage
There is storage in the center console; lift
the lever on the front to open.
If equipped, there are two USB ports for
data and charging.
Additional Storage Features
Rear Compartment/Storage Panel
Cover
There may be a storage area under the load
floor.
Lift the load floor and fold it forward to
access the storage area.
After storing items, make sure to properly
secure the load floor.
Cargo Cover
{Warning
An unsecured cargo cover could strike
people in a sudden stop or turn, or in a
crash. Store the cargo cover securely or
remove it from the vehicle.
{Warning
Do not place objects on the cargo cover.
Sudden stops or turns can cause objects
to be thrown in the vehicle. You or
others could be injured.
If equipped, use the cargo cover to cover
items in the rear of the vehicle.
To remove the cover from the vehicle, pull
both ends toward each other.
To store the cargo cover:
1. Press the buttons on both ends until locked.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14420010) - 2021 - CRC - 11/12/20
82 Instruments and Controls
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 0249.
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.
The power outlet is on the rear of the
center console.
An indicator light on the outlet turns on to
show it is in use. The light comes on when
the ignition is on and equipment requiring
less than 150 watts is plugged into the
outlet, and no system fault is detected.
The indicator light does not come on when
the ignition is off or if the equipment is not
fully seated into the outlet.
If equipment is connected using more than
150 watts or a system fault is detected, a
protection circuit shuts off the power supply
and the indicator light turns off. To reset
the circuit, unplug the item and plug it back
in or turn the Retained Accessory Power
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14420010) - 2021 - CRC - 11/12/20
Instruments and Controls 93
If there is a problem with the airbag
system, a Driver Information Center (DIC)
message may also come on.
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
The vehicle has a passenger sensing system.
SeePassenger Sensing System 051 for
important safety information. The overhead
console has a passenger airbag status
indicator.
When the vehicle is started, the passenger
airbag status indicator will light ON and OFF,
and the symbols for on and off, for several
seconds as a system check. Then, after
several more seconds, the status indicator
will light either ON or OFF, and either the
on or off symbol, to let you know the
status of the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag. If the word ON, and the on symbol, are lit
on the passenger airbag status indicator, it
means that the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag is allowed to inflate.
If the word OFF, and the off symbol, are lit
on the passenger airbag status indicator, it
means that the passenger sensing system
has turned off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag.
If, after several seconds, both status
indicator lights remain on, or if there are no
lights at all, there may be a problem with
the lights or the passenger sensing system.
See your dealer for service.
{Warning
If the airbag readiness light ever comes
on and stays on, it means that
something may be wrong with the airbag
system. To help avoid injury to yourself
or others, have the vehicle serviced right
away. See
Airbag Readiness Light 092
for more information, including important
safety information.
Charging System Light
The charging system light comes on briefly
when the ignition is turned on, but the
engine is not running, as a check to show
the light is working. It should go out when
the engine is started.
If the light stays on, or comes on while
driving, there may be a problem with the
electrical charging system. Have it checked
by your dealer. Driving while this light is on
could drain the battery.
When this light comes on, or is flashing, the
Driver Information Center (DIC) also displays
a message.
If a short distance must be driven with the
light on, be sure to turn off all accessories,
such as the radio and air conditioner. Find a
safe place to stop the vehicle.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14420010) - 2021 - CRC - 11/12/20
Instruments and Controls 109
4. Touch9orRto turn a feature off or on.
5. Touch
zto go to the top level of the
Settings menu.
The menu may contain the following:
Rear Seat Reminder
This allows for a chime and a message when
the rear door has been opened before or
during operation of the vehicle.
Touch Off or On.
Climate and Air Quality
Touch and the following may display:
.Auto Fan Speed
.Air Quality Sensor
.Auto Cooled Seats
.Auto Heated Seats
.Auto Defog
.Auto Rear Defog
Auto Fan Speed
This setting specifies the amount of airflow
when the climate control fan setting is
Auto Fan.
Touch Low, Medium, or High. Air Quality Sensor
This setting switches the system into
Recirculation Mode based on the quality of
the outside air.
Touch Off, Low Sensitivity, or High
Sensitivity.
Auto Cooled Seats
When enabled, this feature will
automatically activate ventilated seats at
the level required by the interior
temperature. See
Heated and Ventilated
Front Seats 035.
Touch Off or On.
Auto Heated Seats
When enabled, this feature will
automatically activate the heated seats at
the level required by the interior
temperature. The auto heated seats can be
turned off by using the heated seat buttons
on the center console. See Heated and
Ventilated Front Seats 035.
Touch Off or On.
Auto Defog
This setting automatically turns the front
defogger on when the engine is started.
Touch Off or On. Auto Rear Defog
This setting automatically turns the rear
defogger on when the engine is started.
Touch Off or On.
Collision/Detection Systems
Touch and the following may display:
.Alert Type
.Forward Collision System
.Front Pedestrian Detection
.Adaptive Cruise Go Notifier
.Lane Change Alert
.Park Assist
.Rear Camera Park Assist Symbols
.Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Alert Type
This feature will set the type of alert
received from the driver assistance systems
to help avoid crashes, either Beeps or Safety
Alert Seat vibration pulses.
Touch Beeps or Safety Alert Seat.
Forward Collision System
This setting can alert of a potential crash
with a detected vehicle ahead and can apply
brakes to help reduce a collision’s severity.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14420010) - 2021 - CRC - 11/10/20
Lighting 121
Front Reading Lamps
The front reading lamps are in the overhead
console.
Press the lamp lenses to turn the front
reading lamps on or off.
Rear Reading Lamps Press the lamp lens to turn the rear
passenger reading lamps on or off.
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting
Some exterior lamps turn on briefly at
night, or in areas with limited lighting,
when
Kis pressed on the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter. After about
30 seconds, the exterior lamps turn off.
Entry lighting can be disabled manually by
turning the ignition on or to ACC/
ACCESSORY, or by pressing
Kon the RKE
transmitter. When any door is opened,
or the
Kon the RKE transmitter is pressed,
all interior lights turn on if the dome lamp
control is in the DOOR position. After closing
the doors, the interior lamps dim to off
after 20 seconds.
The entry lighting feature for exterior
lighting can be changed. See “Vehicle
Locator Lights” underVehicle Personalization
0 108.
Exit Lighting
Some exterior lamps come on at night, or in
areas with limited lighting, when the driver
door is opened after the ignition is turned
off. The interior lights come on after the
ignition is turned off. The exterior lamps and
interior lights 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 exit lighting for exterior lights can be
changed. See Vehicle Personalization 0108.
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
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14420010) - 2021 - CRC - 11/10/20
Infotainment System 133
The vehicle may be equipped with two USB
ports in the center console and another two
on the center stack. These ports are for data
and charging. There may also be two USB
ports for charging only at the rear of the
center console.
Caution
To avoid vehicle damage, unplug all
accessories and disconnect all accessory
cables from the vehicle when not in use.
Accessory cables left plugged into the
vehicle, unconnected to a device, could be
damaged or cause an electrical short if
the unconnected end comes in contact
with liquids or another power source such
as the accessory power outlet.
Playing from a USB
A USB mass storage device can be connected
to the USB port.
Audio extensions supported by the USB may
include:
.MP3
.AAC
.OGG
.3GPGracenote
When plugging in a USB device, Gracenote
service builds voice tags for music. Voice
tags allow artists, albums with hard to
pronounce names, and nicknames to be used
to play music through voice recognition,
if equipped.
While indexing, infotainment features may
be available.
My Media Library
MyMedia is only available when more than
one indexed device is connected. It allows
access to content from all indexed media
sources. MyMedia will show as an available
source in the Source page.
USB MP3 Player and USB Devices
The USB MP3 players and USB devices
connected must comply with the USB Mass
Storage Class specification (USB MSC).
To play a USB device:
1. Connect the USB.
2. Touch Audio from the Home Page.
3. Touch the More option and then touch the USB device. Use the following when playing an active
USB source:
p:
Touch to play the current media source.
j: Touch to pause playback of the current
media source.
7:
.Touch to seek the beginning of the
current or previous track.
.Touch and hold to reverse quickly
through playback. Release to return to
playing speed. Elapsed time displays.
6:
.Touch to seek the next track.
.Touch and hold to advance quickly
through playback. Release to return to
playing speed. Elapsed time displays.
Shuffle : Touch the shuffle icon to play
music in random order.
USB Sound Menu
See “Infotainment System Sound Menu”
under AM-FM Radio 0129.
USB Browse Menu
When a list of songs, albums, artists,
or other types of media displays, the up and
down arrows and A-Z appear on the left