
GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
126 Instruments and Controls
Auto Door Unlock
This allows selection of which of the doors
will automatically unlock when the vehicle is
shifted into P (Park).
Touch Off, All Doors, or Driver Door.
Delayed Door Lock
This setting delays the locking of the
vehicle’s doors.
Touch Off or On.
Remote Lock, Unlock, and Start
Touch and the following may display:
.Remote Unlock Light Feedback
.Remote Lock Feedback
.Remote Door Unlock
.Remote Start Auto Cool Seats
.Remote Start Auto Heat Seats
.Remote Window Operation
.Passive Door Unlock
.Passive Door Lock
.Remote Left in Vehicle Alert
Remote Unlock Light Feedback
This setting flashes the exterior lamps when
the vehicle is unlocked with the RKE
transmitter. Touch Off or Flash Lights.
Remote Lock Feedback
This setting specifies how the vehicle
responds when the vehicle is locked with
the RKE transmitter.
Touch Off, Lights and Horn, Lights Only,
or Horn Only.
Remote Door Unlock
This setting specifies whether all doors,
or just the driver door, unlock when pressing
Kon the RKE transmitter.
Touch All Doors or Driver Door.
Remote Start Auto Cool Seats
If equipped and turned on, this feature will
turn on the ventilated seats when using
remote start on warm days. See Heated and
Ventilated Front Seats 041 and
Remote Vehicle Start 013.
Touch Off or On.
Remote Start Auto Heat Seats
If equipped and turned on, this feature will
turn on the heated seats when using remote
start on cold days. See Heated and
Ventilated Front Seats 041 and
Remote Vehicle Start 013. Touch Off or On.
Remote Window Operation
This allows the windows to be opened when
pressing and holding
Kon the RKE
transmitter. See Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation 07.
Touch Off or On.
Passive Door Unlock
This setting specifies which doors unlock
when using the button on the driver door
handle to unlock the vehicle.
Touch All Doors or Driver Door Only.
Passive Door Lock
This setting specifies if the vehicle will
automatically lock, or lock and provide an
alert after all the doors are closed, and you
walk away from the vehicle with the remote
key. See Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation 07.
Touch Off, On with Horn Chirp, or On.
Remote Left in Vehicle Alert
This feature sounds an alert when the RKE
transmitter is left in the vehicle. This menu
also enables the Remote No Longer In
Vehicle Alert.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
Lighting 131
Lighting
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . . . . . . . . 132
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer . . . . 132
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . 133
Automatic Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . 133
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . 134
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel IlluminationControl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Battery Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Battery Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . 137
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls
The exterior lamp control is on the turn
signal lever.
Turn the control to the following positions:
O: Turns off the exterior lamps and
deactivates AUTO mode. The knob returns to
the AUTO position after it is released. Turn
to
Oagain to reactivate the AUTO mode.
In Canada, the headlamps will automatically
reactivate when the vehicle is shifted out of
P (Park).
AUTO : Automatically turns the exterior
lamps on and off, depending on outside
lighting.
;: Turns on the parking lamps including
all lamps, except the headlamps.
2: Turns on the headlamps together with
the parking lamps and instrument panel
lights.
IntelliBeam System
If equipped, this system turns the vehicle's
high-beam headlamps on and off according
to surrounding traffic conditions.
The system turns the high-beam headlamps
on when it is dark enough and there is no
other traffic present.
This light
bcomes on in the instrument
cluster when the IntelliBeam system is
enabled.
Turning On and Enabling IntelliBeam
To enable the IntelliBeam system, press the
button on the end of the turn signal lever
when the exterior lamp control is in the
AUTO or
2position.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
Lighting 133
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
DRL can make it easier for others to see the
front of your vehicle during the day. Fully
functional DRL are required on all vehicles
first sold in Canada.
The dedicated DRL will come on when all of
the following conditions are met:
.The ignition is on.
.The exterior lamp control is in AUTO.
.The light sensor determines it is daytime.
.The parking brake is released or the
vehicle is not in P (Park).
The taillamps, instrument panel lights, and
other lamps will not be on.
The DRL turn off when the headlamps are
turned to
Oor the ignition is off. For
vehicles sold in Canada, this control only
works when the vehicle is parked.
Automatic Headlamp System
When the exterior lamp control is set to
AUTO and it is dark enough outside, the
headlamps come on automatically.
There is a light sensor on top of the
instrument panel. Do not cover the sensor.
The system may also turn on the headlamps
when driving through a parking garage or
tunnel.
If the vehicle is started in a dark garage, the
automatic headlamp system comes on
immediately. If it is light outside when the
vehicle leaves the garage, there is a slight delay before the automatic headlamp
system changes to the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL). During that delay, the
instrument cluster may not be as bright as
usual. Make sure the instrument panel
brightness control is in the full bright
position. See
Instrument Panel Illumination
Control 0135.
When it is bright enough outside, the
headlamps will turn off or may change
to DRL.
The automatic headlamp system turns off
when the exterior lamp control is turned to
Oor the ignition is off.
Lights On with Wipers
If the windshield wipers are activated in
daylight with the engine on, and the
exterior lamp control is in AUTO, the
headlamps, parking lamps, and other
exterior lamps come on. The transition time
for the lamps coming on varies based on
wiper speed. When the wipers are not
operating, these lamps turn off. Move the
exterior lamp control to
Oor;to disable
this feature.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
Lighting 135
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel Illumination
Control
This feature adjusts the brightness of the
steering wheel controls and instrument
panel lights.
D:Move the thumbwheel up or down to
brighten or dim the lights.
Courtesy Lamps
The courtesy lamps come on when any door
is opened,
Kon the RKE transmitter is
pressed, or when the ignition is switched
off. See Dome Lamps 0135.
Dome Lamps
The dome lamp is in the overhead console.
To operate, press the following buttons:
jOFF : Press to turn off the dome
lamps when any door is opened,
Kon the
RKE transmitter is pressed, or when the
ignition is switched off. An indicator light on
the button will turn on when the dome
lamp override is activated. Press
jOFF
again to deactivate this feature and the
indicator light will turn off. The dome lamps
will come on when any door is opened,
K
on the RKE transmitter is pressed, or when
the ignition is switched off. +
ON/OFF : Press to turn the dome lamps
on manually.
Reading Lamps
There are front and rear reading lamps on
the overhead console and in the headliner.
These lamps come on when any door is
opened,
Kon the RKE transmitter is
pressed, or when the ignition is
switched off.
To operate, the ignition must be on, or in
ACC/ACCESSORY, or using Retained Accessory
Power (RAP).
Front Reading Lamps
Press the lamp lenses to turn the front
reading lamps on or off.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
136 Lighting
Rear Reading Lamps
Press the buttons 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 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
Qon the
RKE transmitter. When any door is opened,
the remote unlock is pressed, or when the
ignition is switched off, all interior lights
turn on and then interior lamps dim to off
within 20 seconds after all doors are closed. The entry lighting feature for exterior
lighting can be changed. See
“Vehicle
Locator Lights” underVehicle Personalization
0 123.
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 dome lamp comes on when any
door is opened or after the ignition is
turned off. The exterior lamps and dome
lamp remain on after the door is closed for
a set amount of time, then automatically
turn off.
The exterior lamps turn off immediately by
turning the exterior lamp control off.
The exit lighting for exterior lights can be
changed. See Vehicle Personalization 0123.
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
(DIC), you may see the voltage move up or
down. This is normal. If there is a problem,
an alert will be displayed.
The battery can be discharged at idle if the
electrical loads are very high. This is true for
all vehicles. This is because the generator
(alternator) may not be spinning fast
enough at idle to produce all of the power
needed for very high electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when several of
the following are on, such as: headlamps,
high beams, rear window defogger, climate
control fan at high speed, heated seats,
engine cooling fans, trailer loads, and loads
plugged into accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of
the battery. It does this by balancing the
generator's output and the vehicle's
electrical needs. It can increase engine idle
speed to generate more power whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce the power
demands of some accessories.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
Climate Controls 195
A/C :Press to turn the air conditioning
system on or off. An indicator light comes
on to show that the air conditioning is
enabled. If the fan is turned off, the air
conditioner will not run. The A/C light will
stay on even if the outside temperatures are
below freezing.
@: Press to turn on recirculation. An
indicator light comes on. Air is recirculated
to quickly cool the inside of the vehicle.
It can also be used to help reduce outside
air and odors that enter the vehicle. The air
conditioning compressor also comes on
when this mode is activated.
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a warming
grid to remove fog from the rear window.
K: Press to turn the rear window defogger
on or off. An indicator light on the button
comes on to show that the rear window
defogger is on.
The rear window defogger only works when
the ignition is on. The defogger turns off if
the ignition is turned to off or ACC/
ACCESSORY.
Caution
Using a razor blade or sharp object to
clear the inside rear window can damage
the rear window defogger. Repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle warranty.
Do not clear the inside rear window with
sharp objects.
Heated Mirror : If equipped with heated
outside mirrors, the mirrors heat to help
clear fog or frost from the surface of the
mirror when the rear window defog button
is pressed. See Heated Mirrors 028.
Remote Start Climate Control Operation :
If equipped with remote start, the climate
control system may run when the vehicle is
started remotely. The rear defog may come
on during remote start based on cold
ambient conditions. The rear defog indicator
light does not come on during a remote
start.
If equipped, the heated seats will turn on if
it is cold outside or the ventilated seats will
turn on if it is hot outside. The heated and
ventilated seat indicator lights may not
come on during a remote start. If equipped,
the heated steering wheel will come on in a remote start if it is cold outside. The heated
steering wheel indicator light may not
come on.
Sensors
The solar sensor, located in the defrost grille
in the middle of the instrument panel,
monitors the solar heat. Do not cover the
solar sensor or the system will not work
properly.
There is also an exterior temperature sensor
behind the front grille. This sensor reads the
outside air temperature and helps maintain
the temperature inside the vehicle. Any
cover on the front of the vehicle, could
cause a false reading in the displayed
temperature.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
Driving and Operating 213
Caution (Continued)
.Avoid making hard stops for the first
300 km (200 mi) or so. During this
time the new brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with new linings
can mean premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this breaking-in
guideline every time you get new
brake linings.
Following break-in, engine speed and load
can be gradually increased.
Ignition Positions
The vehicle has an electronic keyless ignition
with pushbutton start. 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 Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) system. See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation
07.
To shift out of P (Park), the vehicle must be
on and the brake pedal must be applied.
Stopping the Engine/LOCK/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) 0217.
If the vehicle is in R (Reverse), D (Drive) or
L (Low), the vehicle will shift to P (Park), the
ignition will turn off, and Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) will remain active. If the vehicle
is in N (Neutral), 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 and shift to P (Park).
4. Set the parking brake. See Electric
Parking Brake 0224. And press ENGINE
START/STOP to turn the vehicle off.
{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.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
236 Driving and Operating
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 will
pulse five times. See“Collision/Detection
Systems” underVehicle Personalization
0 123.
See Defensive Driving 0201.
Approaching and Following a Vehicle
The vehicle ahead indicator is in the
instrument cluster and HUD, if equipped.
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.
Passing a Vehicle While Using ACC
If the set speed is high enough, and the left
turn signal is used to pass a vehicle ahead
in the selected following gap, ACC may
assist by gradually accelerating the vehicle
prior to the lane change.
{Warning
When using ACC to pass a vehicle or
perform a lane change, the following
distance to the vehicle being passed may
be reduced. ACC may not apply sufficient
acceleration or braking when passing a
vehicle or performing a lane change.
Always be ready to manually accelerate
or brake to complete the pass or lane
change.Stationary or Very Slow-Moving Objects
{Warning
ACC may not detect and react to stopped
or slow-moving vehicles ahead of you. For
example, the system may not brake for a
vehicle it has never detected moving. This
can occur in stop-and-go traffic or when a
vehicle suddenly appears due to a vehicle
ahead changing lanes. Your vehicle may
not stop and could cause a crash. Use
caution when using ACC. Your complete
attention is always required while driving
and you should be ready to take action
and apply the brakes.
Irregular Objects Affecting ACC
ACC may have difficulty detecting the
following objects:
.Vehicles with cargo extending from the
back end.
.Non-standard shaped vehicles, such as
vehicle transport, vehicles with a side car
fitted, or horse carriages.
.Objects that are close to the front of your
vehicle.