Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527526) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
Vehicle Care 247
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 248
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 249
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 255
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 257
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 262
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 Battery - North America . . . . . . 266
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 267
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 267
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 268
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 269
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . 271
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, and Sidemarker . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 272
Electrical System
High Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Electrical System Overload . . . 273
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 274
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274 Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 284
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Tire Pressure Monitor
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527526) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
Vehicle Care 259
2. Engine Coolant Surge Tankand Pressure Cap
{Warning
An underhood electric fan can
start up even when the engine is
not running and can cause injury.
Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood
electric fan.
{Warning
Do not touch heater or radiator
hoses, or other engine parts.
They can be very hot and can
burn you. Do not run the engine if
there is a leak; all coolant could
leak out. That could cause an
engine fire and can burn you. Fix
any leak before driving the
vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is
filled with DEX-COOL engine
coolant. This coolant needs to be
checked and replaced at
appropriate intervals. See
Maintenance Schedule 0329.
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 0262.
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. 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.
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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260 Vehicle Care
Never dispose of engine coolant by
putting it in the trash, pouring it on
the ground, or 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. SeeEngine Overheating
0 262.
The coolant surge tank is located in
the engine compartment on the
driver side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0 252.
How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Surge Tank
{Warning
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system are under
pressure. Turning the pressure
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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.
{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.
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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262 Vehicle Care
5. Replace the pressure captightly.
6. Verify coolant level after the engine is shut off and the
coolant is cold. If necessary,
repeat coolant fill procedure
Steps 1–6.
If the coolant still is not at the
proper level when the system
cools down again, see your
dealer.
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 several indicators
to warn of the engine overheating.
There is an engine coolant
temperature gauge on the
instrument cluster. See Engine
Coolant Temperature Gauge 0122. The vehicle may also display a
message on the Driver Information
Center (DIC).
If the decision is made not to lift the
hood when this warning appears,
get service help right away. See
Roadside Assistance Program
0
349.
If the decision is made to lift the
hood, make sure the vehicle is
parked on a level surface. Then
check to see if the engine 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. 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 an engine overheat warning 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.
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Vehicle Care 283
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. SeeVehicle Load
Limits 0178.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.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
the 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.
See Tire Pressure for
High-Speed Operation 0291 for
inflation pressure adjustment for
high-speed driving.
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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290 Vehicle Care
capacity weight and the original
equipment tire size and
recommended inflation pressure.
See“Tire and Loading
Information Label” underVehicle
Load Limits 0178.
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.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Poor handling.
.Reduced fuel economy.
Overinflated tires, or tires that
have too much air, can
result in:
.Unusual wear.
.Poor handling.
.Rough ride.
.Needless damage from
road hazards.
The Tire and Loading
Information label on the vehicle
indicates the original equipment
tires and the correct cold tire
inflation pressures. The
recommended pressure is the
minimum air pressure needed to
support the vehicle's maximum
load carrying capacity. See
Vehicle Load Limits 0178. How the vehicle is loaded
affects vehicle handling and ride
comfort. Never load the vehicle
with more weight than it was
designed to carry.
When to Check
Check the pressure of the tires
once a month or more. Do not
forget the compact spare, if the
vehicle has one. The cold
compact spare tire pressure
should be at 420 kPa (60 psi).
See
Compact Spare Tire 0311.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type
gauge to check tire pressure.
Proper tire inflation cannot be
determined by looking at the tire.
Check the tire inflation pressure
when the tires are cold, meaning
the vehicle has not been driven
for at least three hours or no
more than 1.6 km (1 mi).
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13527526) - 2020 - CRC - 9/5/19
Index 373
DrivingAssistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 219
Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . 166
Characteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 175
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 177
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Dual Automatic Climate
Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
E
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . 196
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . 127
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Electrical System Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 274 Electrical System (cont'd)
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Emergency OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Check Light (MalfunctionIndicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 252
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 190
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . 257
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 357
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Extender, Seat Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 147
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
F
Filter,
Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 151
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 256
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Frequency Statement Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Index 377
OutletsPower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Overview Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
P
ParkShifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Parking Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 267
Extended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . 189
Parking or Backing Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . 215
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Passenger Compartment Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . 71
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . 129
Perchlorate Materials Requirements, California . . . . . . 249
Personalization
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Power
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . 187
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts . . . . 62
Privacy Vehicle Data Recording . . . . . . . 357
Program Courtesy Transportation . . . . . . 351
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Proposition 65 Warning,
California . . . . . . . . . . . .248, 266, 312,
Back Cover
Publication Ordering Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
R
Radio Frequency Statement . . . . 355
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Rear Camera Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Rear Climate Control System . . . 161
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . 215
Rear Window Washer/Wiper . . . . 108
Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Records Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . 315
Reimbursement Program, GM Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Replacement Parts Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Replacing Airbag System . . . . . . . . 77
Replacing LATCH System
Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Replacing Seat Belt System Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Reporting Safety Defects Canadian Government . . . . . . . . 356
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356