2022 GMC TERRAIN check engine

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16540740) - 2023 - CRC - 6/16/22
Driving and Operating 253
that extend out from the back of the vehicle
do not move further back when a trailer is
towed.
{Warning
To prevent serious injury or death from
carbon monoxide (CO), when towing a
trailer:
.Do not drive with the liftgate, trunk/
hatch, or rear-most window open.
.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.
See“Climate Control Systems” in the
Index.
For more information about carbon
monoxide, see Engine Exhaust 0207.
Towing a trailer requires experience. The
combination of the vehicle and trailer is
longer and not as responsive as the vehicle
itself. Get used to the handling and braking
of the combination by driving on a level
road surface before driving on public roads.
The trailer structure, the tires, and the
brakes must be all be rated to carry the
intended cargo. Inadequate trailer equipment can cause the combination to
operate in an unexpected or unsafe manner.
Before driving, inspect all trailer hitch parts
and attachments, safety chains, electrical
connectors, lamps, tires, and mirrors. See
Towing Equipment
0257. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start the combination
moving and then manually apply the trailer
brake controller to check that the trailer
brakes work. During the trip, occasionally
check that the cargo and trailer are secure
and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are working.Towing with a Stability Control System
When towing, the stability control system
might be heard. The system reacts to
vehicle movement caused by the trailer,
which mainly occurs during cornering. This is
normal when towing heavier trailers.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle
ahead as you would when driving without a
trailer. This can help to avoid heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed when
towing a trailer. The combination of the
vehicle and trailer will not accelerate as
quickly and is much longer than the vehicle
alone. It is necessary to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before returning
to the lane. Pass on level roadways. Avoid
passing on hills if possible.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with
one hand. To move the trailer to the left,
move that hand to the left. To move the
trailer to the right, move that hand to the
right. Always back up slowly and, if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
Caution
Turn more slowly and make wider arcs
when towing a trailer to prevent damage
to your vehicle. Making very sharp turns
could cause the trailer to contact the
vehicle.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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254 Driving and Operating
Make wider turns than normal when towing,
so trailer will not go over soft shoulders,
over curbs, or strike road signs, trees,
or other objects. Always signal turns well in
advance. Do not steer or brake suddenly.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before starting down a long or steep
downhill grade. If the transmission is not
shifted down, the brakes may overheat and
result in reduced braking efficiency.
The vehicle can tow in D (Drive). Shift the
transmission to a lower gear if the
transmission shifts too often under heavy
loads and/or hilly conditions.
When towing at higher altitudes, engine
coolant will boil at a lower temperature
than at lower altitudes. If the engine is
turned off immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the vehicle
could show signs similar to engine
overheating. To avoid this, let the engine
run, preferably on level ground, with the
transmission in P (Park) for a few minutes
before turning the engine off. If the
overheat warning comes on, seeEngine
Overheating 0273.
Parking on Hills
{Warning
To prevent serious injury or death,
always park your vehicle and trailer on a
level surface when possible.
When parking your vehicle and your trailer
on a hill: 1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn the wheels into
the curb if facing downhill or into traffic
if facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, gradually release the brake pedal to
allow the chocks to absorb the load of
the trailer.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
.Start the engine.
.Shift into a gear.
.Release the parking brake. 2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of
the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
The vehicle needs service more often when
used to tow trailers. See Maintenance
Schedule 0328. It is especially important to
check the automatic transmission fluid,
engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling
system, and brake system before and during
each trip.
Check periodically that all nuts and bolts on
the trailer hitch are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating conditions.
See Engine Overheating 0273.
Trailer Towing
Caution
Towing a trailer improperly can damage
the vehicle and result in costly repairs
not covered by the vehicle warranty. To
(Continued)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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Driving and Operating 259
Overloading is another leading cause of
trailer tire blow-outs. Never load your trailer
with more weight than the tires are
designed to support. The load rating is
located on the trailer tire sidewall.
Always know the maximum speed rating for
the trailer tires before driving. This may be
significantly lower than the vehicle tire
speed rating. The speed rating may be on
the trailer tire sidewall. If the speed rating is
not shown, the default trailer tire speed
rating is 105 km/h (65 mph).
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is used for
vehicle service and Emission Inspection/
Maintenance testing. SeeMalfunction
Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) 0101.
A device connected to the DLC —such as
an aftermarket fleet or driver-behavior
tracking device —may interfere with
vehicle systems. This could affect vehicle (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
operation and cause a crash. Such devices
may also access information stored in the
vehicle’s systems.
Caution
Some electrical equipment can damage
the vehicle or cause components to not
work and would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Always check with your
dealer before adding electrical equipment.
Add-on equipment can drain the vehicle's
12-volt battery, even if the vehicle is not
operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system. Before
attempting to add anything electrical to the
vehicle, see Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle 057 and
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle 057.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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260 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . 261
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . 262
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 264
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . 268
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . 268
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Front Turn Signal Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . 284
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . 286
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . 288
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . 293
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . 296
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . 297
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300 When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . 301
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . 303
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . 303
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . 305
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . . 313
Towing the Vehicle
Transporting a Disabled Vehicle . . . . . . . . 315
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16540740) - 2023 - CRC - 6/16/22
262 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work
{Warning
It can be dangerous to work on your
vehicle if you do not have the proper
knowledge, service manual, tools,
or parts. Always follow owner’s manual
procedures and consult the service
manual for your vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service work, use
the proper service manual. It tells you much
more about how to service the vehicle than
this manual can. To order the proper service
manual, see Publication Ordering
Information 0346.
This vehicle has an airbag system. Before
attempting to do your own service work,
see Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
0 57.
If equipped with remote vehicle start, open
the hood before performing any service
work to prevent remote starting the vehicle
accidentally. See Remote Vehicle Start 014. Keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service
work performed. See
Maintenance Records
0 334.
Caution
Even small amounts of contamination can
cause damage to vehicle systems. Do not
allow contaminants to contact the fluids,
reservoir caps, or dipsticks.
Hood
{Warning
For vehicles with auto engine stop/start,
turn the vehicle off before opening the
hood. If the vehicle is on, the engine will
start when the hood is opened. You or
others could be injured.
{Warning
Components under the hood can get hot
from running the engine. To help avoid
the risk of burning unprotected skin,
never touch these components until they
have cooled, and always use a glove or
towel to avoid direct skin contact.
Clear any snow from the hood before
opening.
To open the hood: 1. Pull the hood release lever with the
isymbol. It is on the lower left side
of the instrument panel.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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Vehicle Care 263
2. Go to the front of the vehicle and locatethe secondary release lever under the
front center of the hood. Push the
secondary hood release lever to the right
to release.3. Lift the hood and release the hood proprod from its retainer in the front of the
engine compartment. Securely insert the
rod end into the slot marked with an
arrow, on the underside of the hood.
To close the hood: 1. Before closing the hood, be sure all filler caps are on properly, and all tools are
removed.
2. Lift the hood and remove the hood prop rod from the underside of the hood.
Return the prop rod to its retainer. The
prop rod must click into place when
returning it to the retainer to prevent
hood damage. 3. Lower the hood 20 cm (8 in) above the
vehicle and release it. Check to make
sure the hood is latched completely.
Repeat this process with additional force
if necessary.
{Warning
Do not drive the vehicle if the hood is
not latched completely. The hood could
open fully, block your vision, and cause a
crash. You or others could be injured.
Always close the hood completely before
driving.

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Vehicle Care 265
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0268.
2. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil0265.
3. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil0265.
4. Engine Cooling Fan. See Cooling System
0 270.
5. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid
0 275.
6. Engine Compartment Fuse Block 0284.
7. Remote Positive (+) Terminal (Under Cover). See Jump Starting - North
America 0313.
8. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling System 0270.
9. Battery - North America 0276.
10. Remote Negative (−) Terminal. See Jump
Starting - North America 0313.
11. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid 0274.
Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine performance and
long life, careful attention must be paid to
engine oil. Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect your
investment:
.Use engine oil approved to the proper
specification and of the proper viscosity
grade. See “Selecting the Right Engine
Oil” in this section.
.Check the engine oil level regularly and
maintain the proper oil level. See
“Checking Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the appropriate
time. SeeEngine Oil Life System 0267.
.Always dispose of engine oil properly. See
“What to Do with Used Oil” in this
section.
Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly, every
650 km (400 mi), especially prior to a long
trip. The engine oil dipstick handle is a loop.
See Engine Compartment Overview 0264 for
the location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle may be
hot; it could burn you. Use a towel or
glove to touch the dipstick handle. If a low oil Driver Information Center (DIC)
message displays, check the oil level. If the
oil is not low and the low oil message
remains on, take the vehicle to your dealer
for service.
Follow these guidelines:
.To get an accurate reading, park the
vehicle on level ground. Check the engine
oil level after the engine has been off for
at least two hours. Checking the engine
oil level on steep grades or too soon after
engine shutoff can result in incorrect
readings. Accuracy improves when
checking a cold engine prior to starting.
Remove the dipstick and check the level.
.If unable to wait two hours, the engine
must be off for at least 15 minutes if the
engine is warm, or at least 30 minutes if
the engine is not warm. Pull out the
dipstick, wipe it with a clean paper towel
or cloth, then push it back in all the way.
Remove it again, keeping the tip down,
and check the level.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16540740) - 2023 - CRC - 6/16/22
266 Vehicle Care
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is below the cross-hatched area at
the tip of the dipstick and the engine has
been off for at least 15 minutes, add 1 L
(1 qt) of the recommended oil and then
recheck the level. See“Selecting the Right
Engine Oil” later in this section for an
explanation of what kind of oil to use. For
engine oil crankcase capacity, see Capacities
and Specifications 0336.
Caution
Do not add too much oil. Oil levels above
or below the acceptable operating range
shown on the dipstick are harmful to the
engine. If the oil level is above the
operating range (i.e., the engine has so
much oil that the oil level gets above the
cross-hatched area that shows the proper
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
operating range), the engine could be
damaged. Drain the excess oil or limit
driving of the vehicle, and seek a service
professional to remove the excess oil.
See Engine Compartment Overview 0264 for
the location of the engine oil fill cap.
Add enough oil to put the level somewhere
in the proper operating range. Push the
dipstick all the way back in when through.
Selecting the Right Engine Oil
Selecting the right engine oil depends on
both the proper oil specification and
viscosity grade. See Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants 0332.
Specification
Use full synthetic engine oils that meet the
dexos1 specification.
Engine oils that have been approved by GM
as meeting the dexos1 specification are
marked with the dexos1 approved logo. See
www.gmdexos.com.
Caution
Failure to use the recommended engine
oil or equivalent can result in engine
damage not covered by the vehicle
warranty.
Viscosity Grade
Use SAE 0W-20 viscosity grade engine oil.
When selecting an oil of the appropriate
viscosity grade, it is recommended to select
an oil of the correct specification. See
“Specification” earlier in this section.
Engine Oil Additives/Engine Oil Flushes
Do not add anything to the oil. The
recommended oils meeting the dexos
specification are all that is needed for good
performance and engine protection.