
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16540728) - 2023 - crc - 6/16/22
258 Vehicle Care
changed at appropriate levels. See
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants0320
and
Maintenance Schedule 0316.
The following explains the cooling system
and how to check and add coolant when it
is low. If there is a problem with engine
overheating, see Engine Overheating 0259.
What to Use
{Warning
Plain water, or other liquids such as
alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. With plain water or
the wrong mixture, the engine could get
too hot but there would not be an
overheat warning. The engine could catch
fire and you or others could be burned.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant. If using this
mixture, nothing else needs to be added.
This mixture:
.Gives freezing protection down to −37 °C
(−34 °F), outside temperature.
.Gives boiling protection up to 129 °C
(265 °F), engine temperature.
.Protects against rust and corrosion.
.Will not damage aluminum parts.
.Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.
Caution
Do not use anything other than a mix of
DEX-COOL coolant that meets GM
Standard GMW3420 and clean, drinkable
water. Anything else can cause damage
to the engine cooling system and the
vehicle, which would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty.
Never dispose of engine coolant by putting
it in the trash, pouring it on the ground,
or pouring into sewers, streams, or bodies of
water. Have the coolant changed by an
authorized service center, familiar with legal
requirements regarding used coolant
disposal. This will help protect the
environment and your health.
Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level surface when
checking the coolant level.
Check to see if coolant is visible in the
coolant surge tank. If the coolant inside the
coolant surge tank is boiling, do not do
anything else until it cools down. If coolant
is visible but the coolant level mark is not
visible, add a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL coolant at
the coolant surge tank to the top rib on the
middle of the tank, but be sure the cooling
system is cool before this is done. See
Engine Overheating 0259.
The coolant surge tank is located in the
engine compartment on the driver side of
the vehicle. See Engine Compartment
Overview 0251.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16540728) - 2023 - crc - 6/16/22
Vehicle Care 259
How to Add Coolant to the Surge Tank
{Warning
Spilling coolant on hot engine parts can
burn you. Coolant contains ethylene
glycol and it will burn if the engine parts
are hot enough.
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot
cooling system are under pressure.
Turning the pressure cap, even a little,
can cause them to come out at high
speed and you could be burned. Never
turn the cap when the cooling system,
including the pressure cap, is hot. Wait
for the cooling system and pressure cap
to cool.
Caution
Failure to follow the specific coolant fill
procedure could cause the engine to
overheat and could cause system
damage. If coolant is not visible in the
surge tank, contact your dealer.
The coolant surge tank pressure cap can be
removed when the cooling system, including
the surge tank pressure cap and upper
radiator hose, is no longer hot.1. Turn the pressure cap slowly counterclockwise. If a hiss is heard, wait
for that to stop. A hiss means there is
still some pressure left.
2. Keep turning the pressure cap slowly and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with the proper mixture to the mark pointed to
on the front of the coolant surge tank.
4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start the engine and let it run until
you can feel the upper radiator hose
getting hot. Watch out for the engine
cooling fans. By this time, the coolant
level inside the coolant surge tank may
be lower. If the level is lower, add more
of the proper mixture to the coolant surge tank until the level reaches the
mark pointed to on the front of the
coolant surge tank.
5. Replace the pressure cap tightly.
Caution
If the pressure cap is not tightly installed,
coolant loss and engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly and
tightly secured.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has an engine coolant
temperature gauge on the instrument
cluster and overheat messages in the Driver
Information Center (DIC) to warn of engine
overheating. See Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge 093. The DIC also
displays overheat messages.
The decision may be made not to lift the
hood when the engine coolant temperature
gauge is in the overheat zone or an engine
overheat DIC message displays, but instead
to get service help right away. See Roadside
Assistance Program 0330.
If the decision to lift the hood is made,
make sure the vehicle is parked on a level
surface. Then check to see if the engine

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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260 Vehicle Care
cooling fan is running. If the engine is
overheating, the fan should be running. If it
is not, do not continue to run the engine,
and have the vehicle serviced.
Caution
Do not run the engine if there is a leak
in the engine cooling system. This can
cause a loss of all coolant and can
damage the system and vehicle. Have
any leaks fixed right away.
If Steam Is Coming from the Engine
Compartment
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot
cooling system are under pressure.
Turning the pressure cap, even a little,
can cause them to come out at high
speed and you could be burned. Never
turn the cap when the cooling system,
including the pressure cap, is hot. Wait
for the cooling system and pressure cap
to cool.
If No Steam Is Coming from the Engine
Compartment
If the engine coolant temperature gauge is
in the overheat zone or an engine overheat
DIC message is displayed but no steam can
be seen or heard, the problem may not be
too serious. Sometimes the engine can get a
little too hot when the vehicle:
.Climbs a long hill on a hot day
.Stops after high-speed driving
.Idles for long periods in traffic
.Tows a trailer
If the engine coolant temperature gauge is
in the overheat zone and an overheat DIC
message is displayed with no sign of steam: 1. Turn the air conditioning off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest temperature and to the highest fan
speed. Open the windows as necessary.
3. When it is safe to do so, pull off the road, shift to P (Park) or N (Neutral), and
let the engine idle.
If the engine coolant temperature gauge is
no longer in the overheat zone or an
overheat DIC message no longer displays,
the vehicle can be driven. Continue to drive
the vehicle slowly for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe distance from the vehicle in
front. If the engine coolant temperature
gauge does not go back to the overheat
zone or an overheat DIC message does not
display, continue to drive normally and have
the cooling system checked for proper fill
and function.
If the engine coolant temperature gauge is
still in the overheat zone or an overheat DIC
message still displays, pull over, stop, and
park the vehicle right away. If overheat
messages appear repeatedly, see your
dealer.
If there is no sign of steam, idle the engine
for three minutes while parked. If the
engine coolant temperature gauge is still in
the overheat zone or an overheat DIC
message displays, turn off the engine until
it cools down.
Washer Fluid
What to Use
When windshield washer fluid is needed, be
sure to read the manufacturer's instructions
before use. If operating the vehicle in an
area where the temperature may fall below
freezing, use a fluid that has sufficient
protection against freezing.

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Vehicle Care 277
FusesUsage
F21 Rear Auxiliary Power Outlet
F22 Rear Drive Unit
Relays Usage
K1 Right Trailer Stoplamp/ Turn Signal Lamp
K2 Trailer Reverse Lamps
K3 Left Trailer Stoplamp/ Turn Signal Lamp
K4 Park Lamps K5 –
Wheels and Tires
Tires
Every new GM vehicle has high-quality
tires made by a leading tire
manufacturer. See the warranty manual
for information regarding the tire
warranty and where to get service. For
additional information refer to the tire
manufacturer.
{Warning
.Poorly maintained and improperly
used tires are dangerous.
.Overloading the tires can cause
overheating as a result of too
much flexing. There could be a
blowout and a serious crash. See
Vehicle Load Limits 0187.
.Underinflated tires pose the same
danger as overloaded tires. The
resulting crash could cause serious
injury. Check all tires frequently to
maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be
checked when the tires are cold.
.Overinflated tires are more likely
to be cut, punctured, or broken by
a sudden impact —such as when
hitting a pothole. Keep tires at the
recommended pressure.
.Worn or old tires can cause a
crash. If the tread is badly worn,
replace them.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Replace any tires that have been
damaged by impacts with
potholes, curbs, etc.
.Improperly repaired tires can cause
a crash. Only your dealer or an
authorized tire service center
should repair, replace, dismount,
and mount the tires.
.Do not spin the tires in excess of
56 km/h (35 mph) on slippery
surfaces such as snow, mud, ice,
etc. Excessive spinning may cause
the tires to explode.
All-Season Tires
This vehicle may come with all-season tires.
These tires are designed to provide good
overall performance on most road surfaces
and weather conditions. Original equipment
tires designed to GM's specific tire
performance criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall. Original
equipment all-season tires can be identified
by the last two characters of this TPC code,
which will be “MS.”

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16540728) - 2023 - crc - 6/16/22
282 Vehicle Care
Speed Rating:An alphanumeric code
assigned to a tire indicating the
maximum speed at which a tire can
operate.
Traction
:The friction between the tire
and the road surface. The amount of
grip provided.
Tread
:The portion of a tire that comes
into contact with the road.
Treadwear Indicators
:Narrow bands,
sometimes called wear bars, that show
across the tread of a tire when only
1.6 mm (1/16 in) of tread remains. See
When It Is Time for New Tires 0288.
UTQGS (Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards)
:A tire information system
that provides consumers with ratings
for a tire's traction, temperature, and
treadwear. Ratings are determined by
tire manufacturers using government
testing procedures. The ratings are
molded into the sidewall of the tire.
See Uniform Tire Quality Grading
0 290. Vehicle Capacity Weight
:The number
of designated seating positions
multiplied by 68 kg (150 lbs) plus the
rated cargo load. See Vehicle Load
Limits 0187.
Vehicle Maximum Load on the Tire
:
Load on an individual tire due to curb
weight, accessory weight, occupant
weight, and cargo weight.
Vehicle Placard
:A label permanently
attached to a vehicle showing the
vehicle's capacity weight and the
original equipment tire size and
recommended inflation pressure. See
“Tire and Loading Information Label”
under Vehicle Load Limits 0187.
Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of air
pressure to operate effectively.
{Warning
Neither tire underinflation nor
overinflation is good. Underinflated
tires, or tires that do not have
enough air, can result in:
.Tire overloading and overheating,
which could lead to a blowout
.Premature or irregular wear
.Poor handling
.Reduced fuel economy for
internal combustion engine
vehicles
.Reduced range for electric vehicles
Overinflated tires, or tires that have
too much air, can result in:
.Unusual wear
.Poor handling
.Rough ride
.Needless damage from road
hazards

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16540728) - 2023 - crc - 6/16/22
350 Index
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Drive SystemsAll-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201, 263
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . 103, 107
Teen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Driving Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . 238
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Distracted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Impaired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Driving the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Dual
Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . 171E
ElectricBrake Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Electrical Equipment, Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Electrical System Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . 271
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . 275
Emergency
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Check Light (Malfunction Indicator) . . . . . 96
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259 Engine (cont'd)
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
F
FilterEngine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Fluid
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Fog Lamp Light Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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354 Index
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
P
ParkAssist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220, 223
Shifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Parking Brake and P (Park) MechanismCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Extended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Parking Assist Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Parking or Backing
Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Compartment Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Perchlorate Materials Requirements, California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Phone
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto . . . . . . . 154
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150, 151 Port
USB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Positioning Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Privacy Vehicle Data Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Problems with Route Guidance . . . . . . . . . . 144
Program
Courtesy Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Proposition 65 Warning California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Proposition 65 Warning, California . . . . . . . 300
Publication Ordering Information . . . . . . . . 334
R
Radiator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Radio AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Radio (cont'd)
Data System (RDS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Frequency Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Satellite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) System . . . . . . 226
Heated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Window Washer/Wiper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Rear Compartment/Storage Panel Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Recognition Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants . . . . . 320
Records Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Reimbursement Program, GM Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330