2021 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE brakes

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14637844) - 2021 - CRC - 3/26/21
212 Driving and Operating
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake
pedal down firmly. Hearing or feeling ABS
operate is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows steering and braking at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can
help even more than braking.
Electric Parking Brake
The Electric Parking Brake (EPB) can always
be applied, even if the vehicle is off. In case
of insufficient electrical power, the EPBcannot be applied or released. To prevent
draining the battery, avoid unnecessary
repeated cycles of the EPB.
The system has a red parking brake status
light and an amber service parking brake
warning light. See
Electric Parking Brake
Light 0106 and
Service Electric Parking Brake Light 0106.
There are also parking brake-related Driver
Information Center (DIC) messages.
Before leaving the vehicle, check the red
parking brake status light to ensure that the
parking brake is applied.
EPB Apply
To apply the EPB:
1. Be sure the vehicle is at a complete stop.
2. Pull the EPB switch momentarily.
The red parking brake status light will flash
and then stay on once the EPB is fully
applied. If the red parking brake status light
flashes continuously, the EPB is only
partially applied or there is a problem with
the EPB. A DIC message will display. Release
the EPB and try to apply it again. If the
light does not come on, or keeps flashing, have the vehicle serviced. Do not drive the
vehicle if the red parking brake status light
is flashing. See your dealer.
If the amber service parking brake warning
light is on, pull the EPB switch. Continue to
hold the switch until the red parking brake
status light remains on. If the amber service
parking brake warning light is on, see your
dealer.
If the EPB is applied while the vehicle is
moving, the vehicle will decelerate as long
as the switch is pulled. If the switch is
pulled until the vehicle comes to a stop, the
EPB will remain applied.
The vehicle may automatically apply the EPB
in some situations when the vehicle is not
moving. This is normal, and is done to
periodically check the correct operation of
the EPB system, or at the request of other
safety functions that utilize the EPB.
If the EPB fails to apply, block the rear
wheels to prevent vehicle movement.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14637844) - 2021 - CRC - 3/26/21
Driving and Operating 213
EPB Release
To release the EPB:1. Turn the ignition on or to ACC/ ACCESSORY.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
3. Press the EPB switch momentarily.
The EPB is released when the red parking
brake status light is off.
If the amber service parking brake warning
light is on, release the EPB by pressing and
holding the EPB switch. Continue to hold the
switch until the red parking brake status
light is off. If either light stays on after
release is attempted, see your dealer.
Caution
Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause
premature wear or damage to brake
system parts. Make sure that the parking
brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and parking on a
hill, see Driving Characteristics and Towing
Tips 0244.
Automatic EPB Release
The EPB will automatically release if the
vehicle is running, placed into gear, and an
attempt is made to drive away. Avoid rapid
acceleration when the EPB is applied, to
preserve parking brake lining life.
Brake Assist
Brake Assist detects rapid brake pedal
applications due to emergency braking
situations and provides additional braking to
activate the Antilock Brake System (ABS) if
the brake pedal is not pushed hard enough
to activate ABS normally. Minor noise, brake
pedal pulsation, and/or pedal movement
during this time may occur. Continue to
apply the brake pedal as the driving
situation dictates. Brake Assist disengages
when the brake pedal is released.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
{Warning
Do not rely on the HSA feature. HSA does
not replace the need to pay attention
and drive safely. You may not hear or
feel alerts or warnings provided by this
system. Failure to use proper care when
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
driving may result in injury, death,
or vehicle damage. SeeDefensive Driving
0 189.
When the vehicle is stopped on a grade, Hill
Start Assist (HSA) prevents the vehicle from
rolling in an unintended direction during the
transition from brake pedal release to
accelerator pedal apply. The brakes release
when the accelerator pedal is applied. If the
accelerator 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.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14637844) - 2021 - CRC - 3/26/21
214 Driving and Operating
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 the vehicle
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 0197 and “Turning the
Systems Off and On” later in this section.
The indicator light for both systems is in the
instrument cluster. This light will:
.Flash when TCS is limiting wheel spin.
.Flash when StabiliTrak/ESC is activated.
.Turn on and stay on when either system
is not working.
If either system fails to turn on or to
activate, a message displays in the Driver
Information Center (DIC), and
dcomes on
and stays on to indicate that the system is
inactive and is not assisting the driver in
maintaining control. The vehicle is safe to
drive, but driving should be adjusted
accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
4. Drive the vehicle.
If
dcomes on and stays on, see your
dealer.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14637844) - 2021 - CRC - 3/26/21
216 Driving and Operating
Rotate the Driver Mode Control knob to
make a mode selection. The icons on the
knob will illuminate to indicate which mode
is active. A Driver Information Center (DIC)
message will indicate that the mode is on
when switching to different modes.
5(AWD Only) orq(FWD Only) :
Vehicle is in either Front-Wheel Drive for
non AWD vehicles, or Two-Wheel Drive for
AWD vehicles. This mode will remain active
through future ignition cycles. This setting
either puts the vehicle in Two-Wheel Drive
(AWD vehicles) or is the normal drive mode
(FWD vehicles). Use this mode for normal
driving conditions. This is the most fuel
efficient drive mode. See Driving for Better
Fuel Economy 0189.
4(AWD Only) : Vehicle is in AWD Mode.
This mode will remain active through future
ignition cycles. AWD Mode provides drive
torque to all four wheels. Use this mode for
driving conditions that require improved
traction such as gravel, sand, wet pavement,
snow, and ice. AWD may turn off and
display a message on the DIC in instances of
extensive use or overheating. When in AWD Mode, the AWD Mode
indicator will be on. For more information
on AWD Mode, see
All-Wheel Drive0211.
6(FWD Only) : Vehicle is in Snow Mode.
This mode will not remain active through
future ignition cycles. The vehicle will be in
Front-Wheel Drive when the engine is
restarted. Snow Mode improves vehicle
acceleration on snow and ice covered roads.
The accelerator pedal will be more sensitive
to provide finer control of the torque at the
wheels in slippery conditions.
7(AWD Only) : Vehicle is in Off-Road
Mode. This mode will not remain active
through future ignition cycles. The vehicle
will be in Two-Wheel Drive when the engine
is restarted. This mode will automatically
activate AWD. The accelerator pedal will be
more sensitive to provide finer control of
the torque at the wheels. StabiliTrak/ESC,
ABS, and TCS will change for optimal
off-road performance. Use this mode for
public off-road recreational driving. See
Off-Road Driving 0192.
_Tow/Haul : Vehicle is in Tow/Haul
Mode. This mode will not remain active
through future ignition cycles. The vehicle
will be in Front-Wheel Drive or Two-Wheel
Drive when the engine is restarted. This
mode will automatically activate AWD. See
All-Wheel Drive 0211. The transmission holds
lower gears longer before shifting to provide
more torque necessary when towing heavy
loads. This will also increase fuel
consumption. Use this mode to assist in
maintaining desired vehicle speeds when
driving on downhill grades by using the
engine and transmission to slow the vehicle.
This helps prevent the brakes from
overheating. For more information, see Tow/
Haul Mode 0210.
The following table shows how the different
modes affect the various subsystem
functions that may be on the vehicle.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14637844) - 2021 - CRC - 3/26/21
218 Driving and Operating
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
Joff when cruise is not
being used.
1. Press
J.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press and release SET−. The desired 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) 099 or
Instrument Cluster (Base Level) 097. 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.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14637844) - 2021 - CRC - 3/26/21
220 Driving and Operating
{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 0189.
{Warning
ACC will not detect or brake for children,
pedestrians, animals, or other objects.
Do not use ACC when:
.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.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.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. To increase speed by
about 1 km/h (1 mph), press RES+ briefly. To
increase speed to the next 5 km/h (5 mph)
mark on the speedometer, hold RES+. SET–
:Press briefly to set the speed and
activate ACC or to decrease vehicle speed if
ACC is already activated. To decrease speed
by about 1 km/h (1 mph), press SET– briefly.
To decrease speed to the next 5 km/h
(5 mph) mark on the speedometer, hold
SET– .
*: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) 099 or
Instrument Cluster (Base Level) 097. 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 0114.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14637844) - 2021 - CRC - 3/26/21
Driving and Operating 221
ACC IndicatorRegular Cruise ControlIndicator
When ACC is engaged, a green
oindicator
will be lit on the instrument cluster and the
following gap will be displayed. When the
regular cruise control is engaged, a green
Jindicator will be lit on the instrument
cluster; the following gap will not display.
When the vehicle is turned on, the cruise
control mode will be set to the last mode
used before the vehicle was turned off.
It is recommended to switch from ACC to
regular cruise control only, when there are
no vehicles ahead of your vehicle.
{Warning
Always check the cruise control indicator
on the instrument cluster to determine
which mode cruise control is in before
using the feature. If ACC is not active, the
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
vehicle will not automatically brake for
other vehicles, which could cause a crash
if the brakes are not applied manually.
You and others could be seriously injured
or killed.
Setting Adaptive Cruise Control
If
Jis on when not in use, it could get
pressed and go into cruise when not desired.
Keep
Joff when cruise is not being used.
Select the set speed desired for cruise. This
is the vehicle speed when no vehicle is
detected in its path.
While the vehicle is moving, ACC will not set
at a speed less than 25 km/h (15 mph),
although it can be resumed when driving at
lower speeds. The minimum allowable set
speed is 25 km/h (15 mph).
To set ACC while moving: 1. Press
J.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press and release SET–.
4. Remove foot from the accelerator. After ACC is set, it may immediately apply
the brakes if a vehicle ahead is detected
closer than the selected following gap.
ACC can also be set while the vehicle is
stopped if ACC is on and the brake pedal is
applied.
The ACC indicator displays in the instrument
cluster. When ACC is turned on, the
indicator will be lit white. When ACC is
active, the indicator will turn green.
Be mindful of speed limits, surrounding
traffic speeds, and weather conditions when
selecting the set speed.
Resuming a Set Speed
If the ACC is set at a desired speed and then
the brakes are applied, ACC is disengaged
without erasing the set speed from memory.
To begin using ACC again, press RES+ up
briefly. The vehicle returns to the previous
set speed.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14637844) - 2021 - CRC - 3/26/21
Driving and Operating 223
Selecting the Follow Distance Gap
When a slower moving vehicle is detected
ahead within the selected following gap,
ACC will adjust the vehicle's speed and
attempt to maintain the follow distance gap
selected.
Press
[on the steering wheel to adjust
the following gap. Each press cycles the gap
button through three settings: Far, Medium,
or Near.
When pressed, the current gap setting
displays briefly on the instrument cluster.
The gap setting will be maintained until it is
changed.
Since each gap setting corresponds to a
following time (Far, Medium, or Near), the
following distance will vary based on vehicle
speed. The faster the vehicle speed, the
further back your vehicle will follow a
vehicle detected ahead. Consider traffic and
weather conditions when selecting the
following gap. The range of selectable gaps
may not be appropriate for all drivers and
driving conditions. Changing the gap setting automatically
changes the alert timing sensitivity (Far,
Medium, or Near) for the Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) feature. See
Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) System 0232.
Alerting the Driver
If ACC is engaged, driver action may be
required when ACC cannot apply sufficient
braking because of approaching a vehicle
too rapidly.
When this condition occurs, the collision
alert symbol will flash on the windshield.
Either eight beeps will sound from the front,
or both sides of the Safety Alert Seat (if
equipped) will pulse five times. See
“Collision/Detection Systems” underVehicle
Personalization 0115.
See Defensive Driving 0189. Approaching and Following a Vehicle
The vehicle ahead indicator is in the
instrument cluster.
The vehicle ahead indicator only displays
when a vehicle is detected in your vehicle’s
path moving in the same direction.
If this symbol is not displaying, ACC will not
respond to or brake for vehicles ahead.
ACC automatically slows the vehicle down
and adjusts vehicle speed to follow the
vehicle in front at the selected follow gap.
The vehicle speed increases or decreases to
follow the vehicle in front of you, but will
not exceed the set speed. It may apply
limited braking, if necessary. When braking
is active, the brake lights will come on. The
automatic braking may feel or sound
different than if the brakes were applied
manually. This is normal.