GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
164 Infotainment System
Hybrid Speech Recognition
If equipped, this feature helps distinguish
words by using Internet-based information
along with the system’s voice recognition
database. This allows you to speak more
naturally when using voice recognition.
Using Voice Recognition
Voice recognition becomes available once
the system has been initialized. This begins
when the ignition is turned on. Initialization
may take a few moments.1. Press
gon the steering wheel controls
to activate voice recognition.
2. The audio system mutes and the system plays a prompt.
3. Clearly speak one of the commands described in this section.
A voice recognition system prompt can
be interrupted while it is playing by
pressing
gagain.
Once voice recognition is started, both the
infotainment display and instrument cluster
show the selections and visual dialog
content. These displays can be turned on or
off in the Tutorial Mode under Settings
0 174. There are three voice prompt modes
supported:
.Informative verbal prompts: This type of
prompt will provide more information
regarding the supported actions.
.Short prompts: This type of prompt will
provide simple instructions about what
can be stated.
.Auto informative prompts: This type of
prompt plays during the first few speech
sessions, then automatically switches to
the short prompt after some experience
has been gained through using the
system.
If a command is not spoken, the voice
recognition system says a help prompt.
Prompts and Infotainment Displays
While a voice recognition session is active,
there may be corresponding options
showing on the displays. A selection can be
made by manually touching the option,
or by speaking the number for the option to
select. Manual interaction in the voice
recognition session is permitted. Interaction
during a voice session may be completed
entirely using voice commands while some
manual commands may expedite a task. If a
selection is made using a manual control, the voice recognition dialog will progress in
the same way as if the selection were made
using a voice command. Once the system
completes the task, or the session is
terminated, the voice recognition dialog
stops.
An example of this type of manual
intervention is touching an entry of a
displayed number list instead of speaking
the number associated with the entry
desired.
Canceling Voice Recognition
.Touch or say
“Cancel”or“Exit” to
terminate the voice recognition session
and show the display where voice
recognition was initiated.
.Pression the steering wheel controls
to terminate the voice recognition session
and show the display where voice
recognition was initiated.
Natural Language Commands
Most languages do not support natural
language commands in sentence form. For
those languages, use direct commands like
the examples shown on the display.
GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
168 Infotainment System
The name must be precisely spoken.
Nicknames or short names for the
businesses will not likely be found. Lesser
known businesses might have to be located
by category, such as fast food, hotels,
or banks.
“Navigate to Contact”:Begin a dialog to
enter a specific destination contact name.
“Cancel Route” :End route guidance.
“Take Me Home” :Create a route to a
stored home location.
Voice Recognition for the Phone
“Call
stored contact. The command may include
location if the contact has location numbers
stored.
“Call
Mobile,” or“On Other” :Initiate a call to a
stored contact and location at home, at
work, on mobile device, or on another
phone.
“Call
to a cell phone number of seven digits, 10
digits, or three digit emergency numbers.
“Pair Phone” :Begin the Bluetooth pairing
process. Follow the instructions on the
infotainment display. “Redial”
:Initiate a call to the last dialed
number.
“Switch Phone” :Select a different
connected cell phone for outgoing calls.
“Voice Keypad” :Begin a dialog to enter
special numbers like international numbers.
The numbers can be entered in groups of
digits with each group of digits being
repeated back by the system. If the group
of digits is not correct, the command
“Delete” will remove the last group of digits
and allow them to be re-entered. Once the
entire number has been entered, the
command “Call”will start dialing the
number.
Phone Assistant Voice Recognition
Press and holdgon the steering wheel
controls to pass through and launch Google
phone assistant or Siri.
For the low radio, whether connected by
Bluetooth or phone projection, the only
available voice recognition is either Siri
(iPhone) or the Google Assistant (Android).
Phone
Bluetooth (Overview)
The Bluetooth-capable system can interact
with many mobile devices, allowing:
.Placement and receipt of calls in a
hands-free mode.
.Sharing of the device’s address book or
contact list with the vehicle.
To minimize driver distraction, before
driving, and with the vehicle parked:
.Become familiar with the features of the
mobile device. Organize the phone book
and contact lists clearly and delete
duplicate or rarely used entries.
If possible, program speed dial or other
shortcuts.
.Review the controls and operation of the
infotainment system.
.Pair mobile device(s) to the vehicle. The
system may not work with all mobile
devices. See “Pairing”later in this section.
Vehicles with a Bluetooth system can use a
Bluetooth-capable mobile device with a
Hands-Free Profile to make and receive
phone calls. The infotainment system and
voice recognition are used to control the
system. The system can be used while the
GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
Infotainment System 169
ignition is on or in ACC/ACCESSORY. The
range of the Bluetooth system can be up to
9.1 m (30 ft). Not all mobile devices support
all functions and not all mobile devices work
with the Bluetooth system. See my.gmc.com
for more information about compatible
mobile devices.
Controls
Use the controls on the center stack and the
steering wheel to operate the Bluetooth
system.
Steering Wheel Controls
g:Press to answer incoming calls and start
voice recognition on your connected
Bluetooth mobile device.
i: Press to end a call, decline a call,
or cancel an operation. Press to mute or
unmute the infotainment system when not
on a call.
Infotainment System Controls
For information about how to navigate the
menu system using the infotainment
controls, see Using the System 0141.
Audio System
When using the Bluetooth mobile device
system, sound comes through the vehicle's
front audio system speakers and overrides
the audio system. The volume level while on
a mobile device call can be adjusted by
pressing the steering wheel controls or the
volume control on the center stack. The
adjusted volume level remains in memory
for later calls. The volume cannot be
lowered beyond a certain level.
Bluetooth (Pairing and Using a
Phone)
Pairing
A Bluetooth-enabled mobile device must be
paired to the Bluetooth system and then
connected to the vehicle before it can be
used. See the mobile device manufacturer's
user guide for Bluetooth functions before
pairing the device.
Pairing Information
.If no mobile device has been connected,
the Phone main page on the infotainment
display will show the Connect Phone
option. Touch this option to connect. Another way to connect is to touch the
Phones tab at the top right of the display
and then touch Add Phone.
.A Bluetooth smartphone with music
capability can be paired to the vehicle as
a smartphone and a music player at the
same time.
.Up to 10 devices can be paired to the
Bluetooth system.
.The pairing process is disabled when the
vehicle is moving.
.Pairing only needs to be completed once,
unless the pairing information on the cell
phone changes or the cell phone is
deleted from the system.
.If multiple paired cell phones are within
range of the system, the system connects
to the paired cell phone that is set to
First to Connect. If there is no cell phone
set to First to Connect, it will link to the
cell phone which was used last. To link to
a different paired cell phone, see
“Linking
to a Different Phone” later in this section.
Pairing a Phone 1. Make sure Bluetooth has been enabled on the cell phone before the pairing
process is started.
GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
172 Infotainment System
2. Touch Recents.
3. Touch the name or number to call.
Making a Call Using the Keypad
To make a call by dialing the numbers:1. Touch the Phone icon on the Home Page.
2. Touch Keypad and enter a phone number.
3. Touch
#on the infotainment display to
start dialing the number.
Searching Contacts Using the Keypad
To search for contacts using the keypad:
1. Touch the Phone icon on the Home Page.
2. Touch Keypad and enter partial phone numbers or contact names using the
digits on the keypad to search.
Results will show on the right side of the
display. Touch one to place a call.
Accepting or Declining a Call
When an incoming call is received, the
infotainment system mutes and a ring tone
is heard in the vehicle. Accepting a Call
There are two ways to accept a call:
.Pressgon the steering wheel controls.
.Touch Answer on the infotainment
display.
Declining a Call
There are two ways to decline a call:
.Pression the steering wheel controls.
.Touch Ignore on the infotainment display.
Call Waiting
Call waiting must be supported on the
Bluetooth cell phone and enabled by the
wireless service carrier to work.
Accepting a Call
Press
gto answer, then touch Switch on
the infotainment display.
Declining a Call
Press
ito decline, then touch Ignore on
the infotainment display Switching Between Calls (Call Waiting
Calls Only)
To switch between calls, touch Phone on the
Home Page to display Call View. While in
Call View, touch the call information of the
call on hold to change calls.
Three-Way Calling
Three-way calling must be supported on the
Bluetooth cell phone and enabled by the
wireless service carrier to work.
To start a three-way call while in a
current call:
1. In the Call View, touch Add Call to add another call.
2. Initiate the second call by selecting from Recents, Contacts, or Keypad.
3. When the second call is active, touch the merge icon to conference the three-way
call together.
Ending a Call
.Pression the steering wheel controls.
.Touch#on the infotainment display,
next to a call, to end only that call.
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 199
Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . 200
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . 217Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . 219
Active Fuel Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . 220
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . 224
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Adaptive Cruise Control (Advanced) . . . . 232
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . 245
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . 247
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . 250
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
200 Driving and Operating
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . 256
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Driving Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . 266
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, see Driver Mode Control
0 228.
.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.
GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
202 Driving and Operating
applied. Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Steering
Electric Power SteeringCaution
To avoid damage to the steering system,
do not drive over curbs, parking barriers,
or similar objects at speeds greater than
3 km/h (1 mph). Use care when driving
over other objects such as lane dividers
and speed bumps. Damage caused by
misuse of the vehicle is not covered by
the vehicle warranty.
The vehicle has electric power steering.
It does not have power steering fluid.
Regular maintenance is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due to a
system malfunction, the vehicle can be
steered, but may require increased effort.
If the steering assist is used for an extended
period of time while the vehicle is not
moving, power assist may be reduced.
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is held
against that position for an extended period
of time, power steering assist may be
reduced. Normal use of the power steering assist
should return when the system cools down.
See your dealer if there is a problem.
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable speed.
.Reduce speed before entering a curve.
.Maintain a reasonable steady speed
through the curve.
.Wait until the vehicle is out of the curve
before accelerating gently into the
straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when steering
around a problem may be more effective
than braking.
.Holding both sides of the steering wheel
allows you to turn 180 degrees without
removing a hand.
.The Antilock Brake System (ABS) allows
steering while braking.