2021 GMC ACADIA all wheel drive

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
Vehicle Care 335
Front Attachment Points
The vehicle is equipped with specific
attachment points to be used by the towing
provider. These holes may be used to pull
the vehicle from a flat road surface onto the
flatbed tow truck.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing
the vehicle behind another vehicle, such as
behind a motor home. The two most
common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as dinghy towing and
dolly towing. Dinghy towing is towing the
vehicle with all four wheels on the ground.Dolly towing is towing the vehicle with two
wheels on the ground and two wheels up
on a device known as a dolly.
Here are some important things to consider
before recreational vehicle towing:
.Become familiar with the local laws that
apply to recreational vehicle towing.
These laws may vary by region.
.The towing capacity of the towing
vehicle. Be sure to read the tow vehicle
manufacturer's recommendations.
.How far the vehicle will be towed. Some
vehicles have restrictions on how far and
how long they can be towed.
.The proper towing equipment. See your
dealer or trailering professional for
additional advice and equipment
recommendations.
.If the vehicle is ready to be towed. Just
as preparing the vehicle for a long trip,
make sure the vehicle is prepared to be
towed.
Caution
Use of a shield mounted in front of the
vehicle grille could restrict airflow and
cause damage to the transmission. The
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
repairs would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. If using a shield, only
use one that attaches to the towing
vehicle.
Dinghy Towing
Caution
If the vehicle is towed with all four
wheels on the ground, the drivetrain
components could be damaged. The
repairs would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Do not tow the vehicle
with all four wheels on the ground.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
336 Vehicle Care
The vehicle is neither designed nor intended
to be towed with all four wheels on the
ground. If the vehicle must be towed, a
dolly should be used. See the following
information on dolly towing.
Dolly Towing
Driving onto a Dolly1. Park the vehicle on level ground in front of the dolly and turn the vehicle off.
2. Make sure the parking brake is released.
3. Press and hold ENGINE START/STOP with your foot off the brake for five seconds.
4. Hold the brake pedal and press the parking brake switch for 15 seconds until
the service parking brake light flashes. 5. While the service parking brake light is
still flashing, remove your foot from the
brake pedal and release the parking
brake switch.
6. Immediately press and release the parking brake switch again while the
service park brake light is still flashing.
7. Start the vehicle and drive onto the dolly.
8. Place the vehicle in P (Park).
9. Turn off the vehicle.
10. Open the hood.
11. Exit the vehicle and secure the vehicle onto the dolly.
12. Disconnect the negative (–) terminal connector from the 12-volt battery.
13. Close the hood of the vehicle.
Removing the Vehicle from a Dolly1. Make sure the vehicle is secured to the dolly.
2. Open the door and open the hood of the vehicle.
3. Connect the negative (–) terminal connector from the 12-volt battery.
4. Press and hold ENGINE START/STOP with your foot off the brake for five seconds. 5. Hold the brake pedal and press the
parking brake switch for five seconds
until the parking brake light flashes.
6. Turn the vehicle off.
7. Unsecure the vehicle and remove it from the dolly.
8. Do not drive in Service Mode with the parking brake set.
Towing the Vehicle from the Rear

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
340 Vehicle Care
blades. Bugs, road grime, sap, and a buildup
of vehicle wash/wax treatments may cause
wiper streaking.
Replace the wiper blades if they are worn or
damaged. Damage can be caused by
extreme dusty conditions, sand, salt, heat,
sun, snow, and ice.
Weatherstrips
Apply weatherstrip lubricant on
weatherstrips to make them last longer, seal
better, and not stick or squeak. Lubricate
weatherstrips at least once a year. Hot, dry
climates may require more frequent
application. Black marks from rubber
material on painted surfaces can be removed
by rubbing with a clean cloth. See
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants0354.
Tires
Use a stiff brush with tire cleaner to clean
the tires.
Caution
Using petroleum-based tire dressing
products on the vehicle may damage the
paint finish and/or tires. When applying a
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
tire dressing, always wipe off any
overspray from all painted surfaces on
the vehicle.
Wheels and Wheel Trim
Use a soft, clean cloth with mild soap and
water to clean the wheels. After rinsing
thoroughly with clean water, dry with a
soft, clean towel. A wax may then be
applied.
Caution
Chrome wheels and chrome wheel trim
may be damaged if the vehicle is not
washed after driving on roads that have
been sprayed with magnesium chloride or
calcium chloride. These are used on roads
for conditions such as dust and ice.
Always wash the chrome with soap and
water after exposure.
Caution
To avoid surface damage on wheels and
wheel trim, do not use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes, cleaners,
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
or brushes. Use only GM approved
cleaners. Do not drive the vehicle through
an automatic car wash that uses silicon
carbide tire/wheel cleaning brushes.
Damage could occur and the repairs
would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty.
Brake System
Visually inspect brake lines and hoses for
proper hook-up, binding, leaks, cracks,
chafing, etc. Inspect disc brake pads for wear
and rotors for surface condition. Inspect all
other brake parts.
Steering, Suspension, and Chassis
Components
Visually inspect steering, suspension, and
chassis components for damaged, loose,
or missing parts or signs of wear at least
once a year.
Inspect power steering for proper electrical
connections, binding, cracks, chafing, etc.
Visually check constant velocity joint boots
and axle seals for leaks.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
360 Technical Data
ApplicationCapacities
Metric English
I3.6L V6 Engine with Rear HVAC 12.0 L
12.7 qt
I3.6L V6 Engine with Heavy Duty Cooling System 10.5 L
11.1 qt
I3.6L V6 Engine with Rear HVAC and Heavy Duty Cooling System 12.2 L
12.9 qt
Engine Oil with Filter I2.0L L4 Engine 5.0 L
5.3 qt
I2.5L L4 Engine 4.7 L
5.0 qt
I3.6L V6 Engine 5.7 L
6.0 qt
Fuel Tank IFront-Wheel Drive 73.4 L
19.4 gal
IAll-Wheel Drive 82.1 L
21.7 gal

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
366 Customer Information
I:View service records from your
dealership and add your own.
D: Select a dealer and view locations,
maps, phone numbers, and hours.
r: Track your vehicle’s warranty
information.
J: View active recalls by Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN). See Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN) 0358.
H:Manage your profile and payment
information. View your GM Rewards Card
earnings and My GMC Rewards points.
F: Chat live with online help
representatives.
Visit my.gmc.com and create an account
today.
GMC Owner Centre (Canada)
mygmccanada.ca
Visit the GMC Owner Centre at
mygmccanada.ca (English) or
my.gmccanada.ca (French) to access similar
benefits to the U.S. site.
GM Mobility Reimbursement
Program
This program is available to qualified
applicants for cost reimbursement, up to
certain limits, of eligible aftermarket
adaptive equipment required for the vehicle,
such as hand controls or a wheelchair/
scooter lift for the vehicle.
To learn about the GM Mobility program,
see www.gmmobility.com or call the GM
Mobility Assistance Center at 1-800-323-9935.
Text Telephone (TTY) users, call
1-800-833-9935.
General Motors of Canada also has a
Mobility program. See www.gm.ca, or call
1-800-GM-DRIVE (800-463-7483) for details.
TTY users call 1-800-263-3830.
Roadside Assistance Program
For U.S.-purchased vehicles, call
1-888-881-3302; (Text Telephone (TTY):
1-888-889-2438).
For Canadian-purchased vehicles, call
1-800-268-6800.
Service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days
a year.
Calling for Assistance
When calling Roadside Assistance, have the
following information ready:
.Your name, home address, and home
telephone number
.Telephone number of your location
.Location of the vehicle
.Model, year, color, and license plate
number of the vehicle
.Odometer reading, Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN), and delivery date of the
vehicle
.Description of the problem

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/-
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
Index 383
IndexA
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Active Fuel Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Additional InformationOnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
Additional Maintenance and Care . . . . . . . . . 351
Adjustments Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Agreements Trademarks and License . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192, 196
Air Filter
Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Air Filter, Passenger Compartment . . . . . . . 197
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . 58
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . 58
What Will You See after an AirbagInflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
When Should an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . 57
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Airbags
Adding Equipment to the Vehicle . . . . . . . 63
Passenger Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Servicing Airbag-Equipped Vehicles . . . . . . 63
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Alarm
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Alert Lane Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Side Blind Zone (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224, 289
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Antenna Multi-band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224 Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Appearance Care Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto . . . . . . . . . . 173
Armrest Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Assistance Program, Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . 366
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . 245
Assistance Systems for Parking and Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/-
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
Index 385
Climate Control SystemsDual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97, 100
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Compartments Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Compressor Kit, Tire Sealant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Connected Services Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Connections
Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Control Hill Descent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Traction and Electronic Stability . . . . . . . 226
Control Light
Hill Descent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Controls Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Coolant
Engine Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Engine Temperature Warning Light . . . . . 112
Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192, 196
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . 368
Coverage Explanations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Cruise Control, Adaptive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Customer Information Publications Ordering Information . . . . . . 371
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . 363
Cybersecurity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Danger, Warning, and Caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Data Collection Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Database Coverage Explanations . . . . . . . . . 163 Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Diagnostics
Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Door
Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Drive Systems All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224, 289
Driver Teen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . 115, 117
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Driving Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . 256
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/-
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
392 Index
Spare TireCompact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Special Application Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Specifications and Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Start Assist, Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Start Vehicle, Remote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 Heated Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Storage Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Storage Areas Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Cargo Management System . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Center Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Sunglasses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Storing the Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Struts Gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Stuck Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Sunglass Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
System Engine Air Filter Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Global Positioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
Roof Rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Systems Driver Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
T
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Teen Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Third-Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
All-Season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
All-Terrain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Compact Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307, 308
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Sealant and Compressor Kit,
Storing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . 316
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . 318
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . 314
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224