2021 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE electronic brake

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14637844) - 2021 - CRC - 3/26/21
Introduction 5
1.Air Vents 0187.
2. Turn Signal Lever. See Turn and
Lane-Change Signals 0125.
IntelliBeam
®System Button (If Equipped).
See Exterior Lamp Controls 0122.
3. Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) 099 or
Instrument Cluster (Base Level) 097.
Driver Information Center (DIC) Display.
See Driver Information Center (DIC) 0111.
4. Windshield Wiper/Washer 091.
Rear Window Wiper/Washer 092.
5. ENGINE START/STOP Button. See Ignition
Positions 0201.
6. Hazard Warning Flashers 0125.
7. Light Sensor. See Automatic Headlamp
System 0124.
8. Infotainment Controls. See Overview
0 130.
9. Dual Automatic Climate Control System
0182.
10. Heated and Ventilated Front Seats 041
(If Equipped).
11. Power Outlets 093.
12. Wireless Charging 094 (If Equipped). 13.
USB Port 0138.
Auxiliary Jack 0141.
14. Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0214.
Driver Mode Control Knob. See Driver
Mode Control 0215 (If Equipped).
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) 0239 (If
Equipped).
15. Electric Parking Brake 0212.
16. Shift Lever. See Automatic Transmission
0 208.
Manual Mode 0209.
17. Steering Wheel Controls 090.
18. Horn 091.
19. Steering Wheel Adjustment 090 (Out
of View).
20. Cruise Control 0217.
Adaptive Cruise Control (Advanced) 0219
(If Equipped).
Heated Steering Wheel 090 (If
Equipped).
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System
0 232 (If Equipped).
21. Hood Release. See Hood0257. 22.
Fog Lamps 0125 (If Equipped).
23. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light) 0104.
24. Exterior Lamp Controls 0122.
25. Instrument Panel Illumination Control
0126.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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48 Seats and Restraints
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.
Questions and Answers About Seat Belts
Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after acrash if I am wearing a seat belt?
A: You could be— whether you are
wearing a seat belt or not. Your chance
of being conscious during and after a
crash, so you canunbuckle and get out,
is much greater if you are belted.
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to wear seat belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental systems only.
They work withseat belts —not instead
of them. Whether or not an airbag is
provided, all occupants still have to
buckle up to get the most protection.
Also, in nearly all states and in all
Canadian provinces, the law requires
wearing seat belts.
Buckle To Drive
If equipped, this feature prevents the vehicle
from shifting out of P (Park) when Teen
Driver is active and the driver seat belt is
not buckled. See Teen Driver0171. If the
engine is running, the driver seat belt is not
buckled, and the brake pedal is pressed with
the vehicle in P (Park), a message displays in
the Driver Information Center (DIC). Buckle the driver seat belt to shift out of P (Park).
Shifting from P (Park) will be prevented once
for each ignition cycle. For some fleet
vehicles, shifting from P (Park) will be
prevented each time these conditions exist
whether Teen Driver is ON or OFF.
On some models, Buckle to Drive may also
prevent shifting out of P (Park) if a front
passenger is unbuckled under similar
conditions. A message displays in the DIC.
Buckle the front passenger seat belt to shift
out of P (Park). This feature may not allow
the vehicle to shift out of P (Park) if an
object, such as a briefcase, handbag, grocery
bag, laptop, or other electronic device, is on
the front passenger seat. If this happens,
remove the object from the seat or buckle
the seat belt to shift out of P (Park).
If the driver or present front passenger
remains unbuckled, the DIC message will
turn off after several seconds and the
vehicle can be shifted out of P (Park). See
“Seat Belts”
and“Child Restraints” in the
Index for information about the importance
of proper restraint use.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Infotainment System 173
to listen to SiriusXM stations that contain
explicit content, and the Explicit Content
Filter selection in the Audio Settings will be
unavailable for change.
When Teen Driver is Active:
.If equipped with Buckle to Drive, shifting
out of P (Park) will be prevented if the
driver seat belt, and in some vehicles the
front passenger seat belt, is not buckled.
.The radio will mute when the driver seat
belt, and in some vehicles the front
passenger seat belt, is not buckled. The
audio from any device paired to the
vehicle will also be muted.
.An object placed on the front passenger
seat, such as a briefcase, handbag,
grocery bag, laptop, or other electronic
device, could cause the passenger sensing
system to falsely sense an unbuckled
front passenger and mute the radio.
If this happens, remove the object from
the seat. SeePassenger Sensing System
0 61.
.Some safety systems, such as Forward
Collision Alert, if equipped, cannot be
turned off.
.The gap setting for the Forward Collision
Alert and Adaptive Cruise Control,
if equipped, cannot be changed.
.When trying to change a safety feature
that is not configurable in Teen Driver,
the DIC displays a message indicating
that Teen Driver is active and the action
is not available.
.Super Cruise, if equipped, is not available.
.Enhanced Low Fuel Warning (if equipped)
–When the vehicle is low on fuel, the
low fuel light on the instrument cluster
flashes and the DIC low fuel warning
cannot be dismissed.
.Do not tow a trailer.
Report Card
The vehicle owner must secure the driver’s
consent to record certain vehicle data when
the vehicle is driven with a registered Teen
Driver key. There is one Report Card per
vehicle. Data is only recorded when a
registered Teen Driver key is used to
operate the vehicle.
The Report Card data is collected from the
time Teen Driver is activated or the last
time the Report Card was reset. The
following items may be recorded:
.Distance Driven –the total distance
driven.
.Maximum Speed –the maximum vehicle
speed detected.
.Overspeed Warnings –the number of
times the speed warning setting was
exceeded.
.Wide Open Throttle –the number of
times the accelerator pedal was pressed
nearly all the way down.
.Forward Collision Alerts –the number of
times the driver was notified when
approaching a vehicle ahead too quickly
and at potential risk for a crash.
.Forward Automatic Braking, also called
Automatic Emergency Braking (if
equipped) –the number of times the
vehicle detected that a forward collision
was imminent and applied the brakes.
.Reverse Automatic Braking (if equipped) –
the number of times the vehicle detected
that a rearward collision was imminent
and applied the brakes.
.Traction Control –the number of times
the Traction Control System activated to
reduce wheel spin or loss of traction.
.Stability Control –the number of events
which required the use of electronic
stability control.
.Antilock Braking System Active –The
number of Antilock Brake System
activations.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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188 Driving and Operating
Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 189
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . 205
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . 207
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . 208
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Brakes
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic StabilityControl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Adaptive Cruise Control (Advanced) . . . . 219
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . 232 Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . 243
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 254

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Driving and Operating 189
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel mileage. Here
are some driving tips to get the best fuel
economy possible.
.Set the climate controls to the desired
temperature after the engine is started,
or turn them off when not required.
.On AWD vehicles, seeDriver Mode Control
0 215.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long periods
of time.
.When road and weather conditions are
appropriate, use cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed limits or
drive more slowly when conditions
require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly inflated.
.Combine several trips into a single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with the same
TPC Spec number molded into the tire's
sidewall near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms and can
take your focus from the task of driving.
Exercise good judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away from
the road. Many local governments have
enacted laws regarding driver distraction.
Become familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep your eyes
on the road, keep your hands on the
steering wheel, and focus your attention on
driving.
.Do not use a phone in demanding driving
situations. Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary phone calls.
.Watch the road. Do not read, take notes,
or look up information on phones or
other electronic devices.
.Designate a front seat passenger to
handle potential distractions.
.Become familiar with vehicle features
before driving, such as programming
favorite radio stations and adjusting
climate control and seat settings. Program
all trip information into any navigation
device prior to driving.
.Wait until the vehicle is parked to
retrieve items that have fallen to the
floor.
.Stop or park the vehicle to tend to
children.
.Keep pets in an appropriate carrier or
restraint.
.Avoid stressful conversations while
driving, whether with a passenger or on a
cell phone.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too long or
too often could cause a crash resulting in
injury or death. Focus your attention on
driving.
Refer to the infotainment section for more
information on using that system and the
navigation system, if equipped, including
pairing and using a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always expect the
unexpected.” The first step in driving
defensively is to wear the seat belt. See
Seat Belts 047.

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Driving and Operating 197
(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. SeeTraction
Control/Electronic Stability Control 0214.
.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) 0211.
.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 0215 and
All-Wheel Drive 0211.
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
0 341. To get help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside mirror.
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust under the
vehicle. This may cause exhaust gases to
get inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO), which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
.Clear snow from the base of the
vehicle, especially any blocking the
exhaust pipe.
.Open a window about 5 cm (2 in) on
the vehicle side that is away from the
wind, to bring in fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets on or under
the instrument panel.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Adjust the climate control system to
circulate the air inside the vehicle and
set the fan speed to the highest
setting. See“Climate Control Systems.”
For more information about CO, see
Engine Exhaust 0207.
To save fuel, run the engine for short
periods to warm the vehicle and then shut
the engine off and partially close the
window. Moving about to keep warm also
helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive, when
running the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs faster than
the idle speed. This keeps the battery
charged to restart the vehicle and to signal
for help with the headlamps. Do this as
little as possible, to save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels to
free the vehicle when stuck in sand, mud,
ice, or snow.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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206 Driving and Operating
.Sunroof (during RAP this functionality will
be lost when any door is opened)
.Auxiliary Power Outlet
.Audio System
.OnStar System
Shifting Into Park
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set theparking brake. See Electric Parking Brake
0 212.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by holding in the button on the shift lever
and pushing the shift lever all the way
toward the front of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition off.
Leaving the Vehicle with the Engine
Running
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the vehicle
with the engine running. It could
overheat and catch fire.
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 0206. If you are towing a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips 0244.
If you have to leave the vehicle with the
engine running, be sure the vehicle is in
P (Park) and the parking brake is set before
you leave it. After you have moved the shift
lever into P (Park), hold the regular brake
pedal down. Then, see if you can move the
shift lever away from P (Park) without first
pressing the button.
If you can, it means that the shift lever was
not fully locked in P (Park).
Torque Lock
Torque lock is when the weight of the
vehicle puts too much force on the parking
pawl in the transmission. This happens when parking on a hill and shifting the
transmission into P (Park) is not done
properly and then it is difficult to shift out
of P (Park). To prevent torque lock, set the
parking brake and then shift into P (Park). To
find out how, see
“Shifting Into Park” listed
previously.
If torque lock does occur, your vehicle may
need to be pushed uphill by another vehicle
to relieve the parking pawl pressure, so you
can shift out of P (Park).
Shifting out of Park
The vehicle is equipped with an electronic
shift lock release system. The shift lock
release is designed to prevent movement of
the shift lever out of P (Park), unless the
ignition is on or in Service Mode and the
regular brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always functional
except in the case of an uncharged or low
voltage (less than 9-volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged battery or a
battery with low voltage, try charging or
jump starting the battery. See Jump Starting
- North America 0309.
To shift out of P (Park): 1. Turn the ignition on.

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Driving and Operating 209
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
0 197.
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.
{Warning
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on
the brake pedal, the vehicle could move
very rapidly. You could lose control and
hit people or objects. Do not shift into a
drive gear while the engine is running at
high speed.
Caution
Shifting out of P (Park) or N (Neutral) with
the engine running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The repairs
would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Be sure the engine is not
running at high speed when shifting the
vehicle.
Caution
A transmission hot message may display
if the automatic transmission fluid is too
hot. Driving under this condition can
damage the vehicle. Stop and idle the
engine to cool the automatic
transmission fluid. This message clears
when the transmission fluid has cooled
sufficiently.
D : This position is for normal driving.
If more power is needed for passing, press
the accelerator pedal down.
Caution
If the vehicle does not shift gears, the
transmission could be damaged. Have the
vehicle serviced right away. If the vehicle is stopped on a hill, with your
foot off the brake pedal, the vehicle may
roll. This is normal and is due to the torque
converter designed to improve fuel economy
and performance. Use the brake to hold the
vehicle on a hill. Do not use the accelerator
pedal.
L :
This position gives you access to gear
ranges. This provides more engine braking
but lower fuel economy than D (Drive). You
can use it on very steep hills, or in deep
snow or mud. See Manual Mode0209.
Operating Modes : The transmission may
operate in a lower gear than normal to
improve vehicle performance. The engine
speed may be higher and there may be an
increase in noise during the following
conditions:
.When climbing a grade
.When driving downhill
.When driving in hot temperatures, or at
high altitude
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