Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16540728) - 2023 - crc - 6/16/22
Introduction 3
Danger, Warning, and Caution
Warning messages found on vehicle labels
and in this manual describe hazards and
what to do to avoid or reduce them.
{Danger
Danger indicates a hazard with a high
level of risk which will result in serious
injury or death.
{Warning
Warning indicates a hazard that could
result in injury or death.
Caution
Caution indicates a hazard that could
result in property or vehicle damage.
A circle with a slash through it is a safety
symbol which means“Do not,” “Do not do
this,” or“Do not let this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that
use symbols instead of text. Symbols are
shown along with the text describing the
operation or information relating to a
specific component, control, message, gauge,
or indicator.
M:Shown when the owner’s manual has
additional instructions or information.
*: Shown when the service manual has
additional instructions or information.
0: Shown when there is more information
on another page — “see page.” Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that may
be found on the vehicle and what they
mean. See the features in this manual for
information.
u:
Air Conditioning System
G:Air Conditioning Refrigerant Oil
9:Airbag Readiness Light
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
$:Brake System Warning Light
9:Dispose of Used Components Properly
P:Do Not Apply High Pressure Water
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
_:Flame/Fire Prohibited
H: Flammable
[:Forward Collision Alert
R:Fuse Block Cover Lock Location
+:Fuses
j:ISOFIX/LATCH System Child Restraints
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16540728) - 2023 - crc - 6/16/22
16 Keys, Doors, and Windows
.Use the key in the driver door. The key
lock cylinder is covered with a cap.
To lock or unlock the doors from the inside:
.PressQorKon the power door lock
switch.
.Push down on the door lock knob to lock
a door.
.Pull the door handle once to unlock the
door. Pull the handle again to unlatch it.
Keyless Access
The remote key must be within 1 m (3 ft) of
the liftgate or door being opened. Press the
button on the front door handle to open.
See Remote Key Operation 08.
Driver Door Key Lock Cylinder Access (In
Case of Dead Battery)
To access the driver door key lock cylinder:
1. Pull the door handle (1) to the open position and hold it open until cap
removal is complete.
2. Insert the key into the slot (3) on the bottom of the cap (2) and lift the key
upward.
3. Move the cap (2) rearward and remove.
4. Use the key in the cylinder.
To replace the cap: 1. Pull the door handle (1) to the open position and hold it open until cap
installation is complete.
2. Insert the two tabs (6) at the back of thecap between the seal (5) and the metal
base (4).
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16540728) - 2023 - crc - 6/16/22
Instruments and Controls 79
Instruments and Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Instrument Cluster (Base and Midlevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . 93
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . 95
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . 98
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base and Midlevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Engine Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Universal Remote SystemProgramming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Universal Remote System Operation . . . 113
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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98 Instruments and Controls
Warning (Continued)
been pulled off the road and carefully
stopped, have the vehicle towed for
service.
Electric Parking Brake Light
MetricEnglish
This light comes on when the parking brake
is applied. If the light continues flashing
after the parking brake is released, or while
driving, there is a problem with the Electric
Parking Brake system. A message may also
display in the Driver Information
Center (DIC).
If the light does not come on, or remains
flashing, see your dealer.
Service Electric Parking Brake
Light
This light should come on briefly when the
vehicle is turned on. If it does not come on,
have it fixed so it will be ready to warn if
there is a problem.
If this light stays on or comes on while
driving, there is a problem with the Electric
Parking Brake (EPB). Take the vehicle to a
dealer as soon as possible. In addition to the
parking brake, other safety functions that
utilize the EPB may also be degraded.
A message may also display in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See Electric Parking
Brake 0202.
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light
This light comes on briefly when the vehicle
is turned on to show that the light is
working. If it does not come on then, have
it fixed so it will be ready to warn you if
there is a problem.
If the ABS warning light stays on, or comes
on again while driving, the vehicle needs
service. A chime may also sound when the
light stays on.
If the ABS warning light is the only light on,
the vehicle has regular brakes, but ABS is
not functioning.
If both the ABS warning light and the brake
system warning light are on, ABS is not
functioning and there is a problem with the
regular brakes. See your dealer for service.
See Brake System Warning Light 097.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16540728) - 2023 - crc - 6/16/22
176 Driving and Operating
Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Driving Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Vehicle Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 178
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Winter Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . 196Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . 197
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . 198
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Adaptive Cruise Control (Camera) . . . . . 209
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Assistance Systems for Parking orBacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Surround Vision System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Automatic Parking Assist (APA) . . . . . . . . 224
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . 227
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . 238
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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180 Driving and Operating
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle is equipped with an electric
power steering system, which reduces the
amount of effort needed to steer the
vehicle. It does not have power steering
fluid. Regular maintenance is not required.
If the vehicle experiences a system
malfunction and loses power steering,
greater steering effort may be required.
Power steering assist also may be reduced if
you turn the steering wheel as far as it can
turn and hold it there with force for an
extended period of time.
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.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop off the
edge of a road onto the shoulder while
driving. Follow these tips:1. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer the
vehicle so that it straddles the edge of
the pavement. 2. Turn the steering wheel about
one-eighth of a turn, until the right front
tire contacts the pavement edge.
3. Turn the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three control
systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not rolling.
.Steering or Cornering Skid —too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires
to slip and lose cornering force.
.Acceleration Skid —too much throttle
causes the driving wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking
reasonable care suited to existing conditions,
and by not overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow these
suggestions:
.Ease your foot off the accelerator pedal
and steer the way you want the vehicle
to go. The vehicle may straighten out. Be
ready for a second skid if it occurs.
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Driving and Operating 185
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in good
shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes, tires, and
cooling system.
.Shift to a lower gear when going down
steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the vehicle on a
long downhill slope can cause brake
overheating, can reduce brake
performance, and could result in a loss of
braking. Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the brakes
on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or with
the ignition off is dangerous. This can
cause overheating of the brakes and loss
of steering assist. Always have the engine
running and the vehicle in gear.
.Drive at speeds that keep the vehicle in
its own lane. Do not swing wide or cross
the center line.
.Be alert on top of hills; something could
be in your lane (e.g., stalled car, crash).
.Pay attention to special road signs (e.g.,
falling rocks area, winding roads, long
grades, passing or no-passing zones) and
take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or IceCaution
To avoid damage to the wheels and
brake components, always clear snow and
ice from inside the wheels and
underneath the vehicle before driving.
Snow or ice between the tires and the road
creates less traction or grip, so drive
carefully. Wet ice can occur at about 0 °C
(32 °F) when freezing rain begins to fall.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating too quickly
causes the wheels to spin and makes the
surface under the tires slick.
.Turn on Traction Control. See Traction
Control/Electronic Stability Control 0204.
.The Antilock Brake System (ABS) improves
vehicle stability during hard stops, but
the brakes should be applied sooner than
when on dry pavement. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) 0201.
.Allow greater following distance and
watch for slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in shaded
areas. The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. Avoid sudden
steering maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
.Turn off cruise control.
Cold Weather Mode
In very low temperatures, a cold weather
message may display on the Driver
Information Center (DIC). The engine speed,
transmission shift patterns, and cabin fan
speed may operate differently to enable the
vehicle to warm up quicker. You can
manually override the cabin fan speed in
cold weather mode.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and signal
for help. Stay with the vehicle unless there
is help nearby. If possible, use Roadside
Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Driving and Operating 201
reactivated when the vehicle is turned on.
SeeDriving Characteristics and Towing Tips
0 238.
Automatic Engine Grade Braking
Automatic Engine Grade Braking assists
when driving downhill. It maintains vehicle
speed by automatically implementing a shift
pattern that uses the engine and the
transmission to slow the vehicle. The system
will automatically command downshifts to
reduce vehicle speed. The normal shift
pattern will return once the vehicle is on a
low grade or when the accelerator pedal is
pressed.
While in the Electronic Range Select (ERS)
mode, grade braking is deactivated, allowing
the driver to select a range and limiting the
highest gear available. Grade braking is
available for normal driving and in Tow/
Haul Mode.
See Automatic Transmission 0198.
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
Vehicles with this feature can operate in
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Mode. The AWD system delivers power to all four
wheels and the system adjusts as needed to
improve traction.
Press the AWD switch on the center console
to activate the system. The AWD light will
flash briefly while the system is engaging
and stay lit to indicate AWD is active. Press
the switch again to disable the system. The
light will flash briefly while the system
disables and then stay off.
The AWD Mode will stay selected until the
mode is changed.
When operated in Front-Wheel Drive (FWD)
Mode, the vehicle will deliver power to the
front wheels only and may provide better
fuel economy.
A system off message displays when there
is a temporary condition making the AWD
system unavailable. The vehicle will run
in FWD.
This could be caused by:
.A compact spare tire on the vehicle.
.AWD system overheat.
.Loss of wheel or vehicle speed.
.Certain other vehicle electrical conditions.
The message turns off when the compact
spare tire is replaced by a full-size tire, the
differential fluid cools, or the above
conditions are no longer present and the
warning message is reset.
To reset the warning message manually,
turn the ignition off and then back on again
after 30 seconds. If the message stays on,
see your dealer.
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost
Vehicles equipped with electric brake boost
have hydraulic brake circuits that are
electronically controlled when the brake
pedal is applied during normal operation.
The system performs routine tests and turns
off within a few minutes after the vehicle is
turned off. Noise may be heard during this
time. If the brake pedal is pressed during
the tests or when the electric brake boost
system is off, a noticeable change in pedal
force and travel may be felt. This is normal.
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) helps
prevent a braking skid and maintain steering
while braking hard.