
GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
Introduction 5
1.Air Vents 0197.
2. Exterior Lamp Controls 0131.
Turn Signal Lever. See Turn and
Lane-Change Signals 0134.
3. Instrument Cluster (Base and Midlevel)
097 or
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) 0100.
4. Windshield Wiper/Washer 091.
Rear Window Wiper/Washer 092.
5. Light Sensor. See Automatic Headlamp
System 0133.
6. Infotainment. See Overview0139.
7. Dual Automatic Climate Control System
0192.
8. USB Port 0147 (If Equipped).
9. Wireless Charging 094 (If Equipped).
10. Heated and Ventilated Front Seats 041
(If Equipped).
11.
|Hazard Warning Flashers 0134.
gTraction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0226.
XPark Assist Switch. See Assistance
Systems for Parking or Backing 0241 (If
Equipped). 12.
Driver Mode Control 0228.
13.
ALane Keep Assist (LKA) 0252 (If
Equipped).
5Hill Descent Control (HDC) 0228 (If
Equipped).
14.
hAuto Stop Disable Button. See Stop/
Start System 0215 (If Equipped).
15. Power Outlets 093.
16. Shift Switches. See Automatic
Transmission 0220.
17. ENGINE START/STOP Button. See Starting
the Engine 0214.
18. Steering Wheel Controls 090 (If
Equipped).
Driver Information Center (DIC) Buttons.
See Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base)
0 115 or
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Midlevel
and Uplevel) 0117.
19. Horn 091.
20. Steering Wheel Adjustment 090. 21.
Cruise Control 0230.
Adaptive Cruise Control (Advanced) 0232
(If Equipped).
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System
0 245 (If Equipped).
Heated Steering Wheel 090 (If
Equipped).
22. Hood Release. See Hood0270.
23. Instrument Panel Illumination Control
0135 (Out of View).
Head-Up Display (HUD) 0119 (If
Equipped).
24. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light) 0107.
25. Electric Parking Brake 0224.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
18 Keys, Doors, and Windows
closed. The Open Door Anti Lock Out feature
can be turned on or off. SeeVehicle
Personalization 0123.
Safety Locks
The rear door safety locks prevent
passengers from opening the rear doors
from inside the vehicle.
Manual Safety Locks
If equipped, the safety lock is on the inside
edge of the rear doors. To use the
safety lock:
1. Move the lever down to the lock position.
2. Close the door. 3. Do the same for the other rear door.
To open a rear door when the safety lock
is on: 1. Unlock the door by activating the inside handle, by pressing the power door lock
switch, or by using the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter.
2. Open the door from the outside.
When the safety lock is enabled, adults and
older children will not be able to open the
rear door from the inside. Cancel the safety
locks to enable the doors to open from the
inside.
To cancel the safety lock: 1. Unlock the door and open it from the outside.
2. Move the lever up to unlock. Do the same for the other door.
Doors
Liftgate
{Warning
Exhaust gases can enter the vehicle if it
is driven with the liftgate or trunk/hatch
open, or with any objects that pass
through the seal between the body and
the trunk/hatch or liftgate. Engine
exhaust contains carbon monoxide (CO)
which cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle must be driven with the
liftgate or trunk/hatch open:
.Close all of the windows.
.Fully open the air outlets on or under
the instrument panel.
.Adjust the climate control system to a
setting that brings in only outside air
and set the fan speed to the highest
setting. See “Climate Control Systems”
in the Index.
(Continued)

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
Instruments and Controls 89
Instruments and Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Instrument Cluster (Base and Midlevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Engine Oil Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . 103
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . 104
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . 106
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . 108
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Service Electric Parking Brake Light
(Uplevel and Midlevel
Cluster Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Gear Shifting Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Hill Descent Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Information Displays
Driver Information Center
(DIC) (Base) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Midlevel and Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Engine Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Universal Remote System Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Universal Remote System Operation . . . 129

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
Instruments and Controls 93
information from the Global Positioning
System (GPS) antenna, StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC), and vehicle speed
information.
The compass system is designed to operate
for a certain number of miles or degrees of
turn before needing a signal from the GPS
satellites. When the compass display shows
CAL, drive the vehicle for a short distance in
an open area where it can receive a GPS
signal. The compass system will
automatically determine when a GPS signal
is restored and provide a heading again.
Clock
Set the time and date using the
infotainment system. See "Time / Date"
underSettings 0174.
Power Outlets
Power Outlets 12 Volt Direct Current
The vehicle has two 12-volt outlets that can
be used to plug in electrical equipment, such
as a cell phone or MP3 player. The power outlets are located:
.On the center stack below the climate
controls.
.In the rear cargo area.
Lift the cover to access the outlet and
replace when not in use.
{Warning
Power is always supplied to the rear
cargo power outlet. Do not leave
electrical equipment plugged in when the
vehicle is not in use because the vehicle
could catch fire and cause injury or
death.
Caution
Leaving electrical equipment plugged in
for an extended period of time while the
ignition is off will drain the battery.
Always unplug electrical equipment when
not in use and do not plug in equipment
that exceeds the maximum 15 amp
rating. Certain accessory plugs may not be
compatible with the accessory power outlet
and could overload vehicle and adapter
fuses. If a problem is experienced, see your
dealer.
When adding electrical equipment, be sure
to follow the proper installation instructions
included with the equipment. See
Add-On
Electrical Equipment 0266.
Caution
Hanging heavy equipment from the
power outlet can cause damage not
covered by the vehicle warranty. The
power outlets are designed for accessory
power plugs only, such as cell phone
charge cords.
Power Outlet 110V/120V Alternating
Current
If equipped with this power outlet it can be
used to plug in electrical equipment that
uses a maximum limit of 150 watts.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
94 Instruments and Controls
The power outlet is on the rear of the
center console.
An indicator light on the outlet turns on to
show it is in use. The light comes on when
the ignition is on, equipment requiring less
than 150 watts is plugged into the outlet,
and no system fault is detected.
The indicator light does not come on when
the ignition is off or if the equipment is not
fully seated into the outlet.
If equipment is connected using more than
150 watts or a system fault is detected, a
protection circuit shuts off the power supply
and the indicator light turns off. To reset
the circuit, unplug the item and plug it backin or turn the Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) off and then back on. See
Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) 0217. The power
restarts when equipment using 150 watts or
less is plugged into the outlet and a system
fault is not detected.
The power outlet is not designed for and
may not work properly, if the following are
plugged in:
.Equipment with high initial peak wattage,
such as compressor-driven refrigerators
and electric power tools
.Other equipment requiring an extremely
stable power supply, such as
microcomputer-controlled electric blankets
and touch sensor lamps
.Medical equipment
Wireless Charging
If equipped, the vehicle has wireless
charging in the storage bin at the front of
the floor console. The system operates at
145 kHz and wirelessly charges one Qi
compatible smartphone. The power output
of the system is capable of charging at a
rate up to 3 amp (15W), as requested by the
compatible smartphone. See Radio
Frequency Statement 0371.
{Warning
Wireless charging can affect the
operation of an implanted pacemaker or
other medical devices. If you have one, it
is recommended to consult with your
doctor before using the wireless charging
system.
The vehicle must be on, in ACC/ACCESSORY,
or Retained Accessory Power (RAP) must be
active. The wireless charging feature may
not correctly indicate charging when the
vehicle is in RAP. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) 0217.
The operating temperature is −20 °C (−4 °F)
to 60 °C (140 °F) for the charging system
and 0 °C (32 °F) to 35 °C (95 °F) for the
smartphone.
{Warning
Remove all objects from the charging pad
before charging your compatible
smartphone. Objects, such as coins, keys,
rings, paper clips, or cards, between the
smartphone and charging pad will
become very hot. On the rare occasion
(Continued)

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/
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Infotainment System 147
by model and require a complete working
electrical system, cell reception, and GPS
signal. An active connected plan is required.
Reference the SiriusXM user guide for use
and subscription information.
Radio Reception
Unplug electronic devices from the accessory
power outlets if there is interference or
static in the radio.
FM
FM signals only reach about 16 to 65 km (10
to 40 mi). Although the radio has a built-in
electronic circuit that automatically works to
reduce interference, some static can occur,
especially around tall buildings or hills,
causing the sound to fade in and out.
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater
than for FM, especially at night. The longer
range can cause station frequencies to
interfere with each other. Static can also
occur when things like storms and power
lines interfere with radio reception. When
this happens, try reducing the treble on the
radio.
SiriusXM Satellite Radio Service
If equipped, SiriusXM Satellite Radio Service
provides digital radio reception. Tall
buildings or hills can interfere with satellite
radio signals, causing the sound to fade in
and out. In addition, traveling or standing
under heavy foliage, bridges, garages,
or tunnels may cause loss of the SiriusXM
signal for a period of time. Some cellular
services may interfere with SXM reception
causing loss of signal.
Mobile Device Usage
Mobile device usage, such as making or
receiving calls, charging, or just having the
mobile device on may cause static
interference in the radio. Unplug the mobile
device or turn it off if this happens.
Multi-Band Antenna
The roof antenna may be used for radio,
navigation, and OnStar, depending on the
equipped options. Keep clear of obstructions
for clear reception. If the vehicle has a
sunroof, and it is open, reception can also
be affected.
Audio Players
Avoiding Untrusted Media Devices
When using media devices such as SD cards,
USB devices, and mobile devices, consider
the source. Untrusted media devices could
contain files that affect system operation or
performance. Avoid use if the content or
origin cannot be trusted.
USB Port
Audio stored on a USB device may be
listened to.
The vehicle may be equipped with two USB
ports on the center stack. These ports are
for data and charging. There may also be
two USB ports for charging only at the rear
of the center console.
Caution
To avoid vehicle damage, unplug all
accessories and disconnect all accessory
cables from the vehicle when not in use.
Accessory cables left plugged into the
vehicle, unconnected to a device, could be
damaged or cause an electrical short if
(Continued)

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-14608671) - 2021 - CRC - 10/26/20
148 Infotainment System
Caution (Continued)
the unconnected end comes in contact
with liquids or another power source such
as the accessory power outlet.
Playing from a USB
A USB mass storage device can be connected
to the USB port.
Audio extensions supported by the USB may
include:
.MP3
.AAC
.OGG
.3GP
Gracenote
When plugging in a USB device, Gracenote
service builds voice tags for music. Voice
tags allow artists, albums with hard to
pronounce names, and nicknames to be used
to play music through voice recognition,
if equipped.
While indexing, infotainment features may
be available. My Media Library
MyMedia is only available when more than
one indexed device is connected. It allows
access to content from all indexed media
sources. MyMedia will show as an available
source in the Source page.
USB MP3 Player and USB Devices
The USB MP3 players and USB devices
connected must comply with the USB Mass
Storage Class specification (USB MSC).
To play a USB device:
1. Connect the USB.
2. Touch Audio from the Home Page.
3. Touch the More option and then touch the USB device.
Use the following when playing an active
USB source:
p: Touch to play the current media source.
j: Touch to pause playback of the current
media source.
7:
.Touch to seek the beginning of the
current or previous track.
.Touch and hold to reverse quickly
through playback. Release to return to
playing speed. Elapsed time displays.
6:
.Touch to seek the next track.
.Touch and hold to advance quickly
through playback. Release to return to
playing speed. Elapsed time displays.
Shuffle : Touch the shuffle icon to play
music in random order.
USB Sound Menu
See “Infotainment System Sound Menu”
under AM-FM Radio 0144.
USB Browse Menu
When a list of songs, albums, artists,
or other types of media displays, the up and
down arrows and A-Z appear on the left
side. Select A-Z to view a display that will
show all letters of the alphabet and select
the letter to go to.
Touch the up and down arrows to move the
list up and down.