2023 GMC ACADIA park assist

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16402009) - 2023 - CRC - 3/29/22
190 Driving and Operating
Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 191
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . 208
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . 210
Active Fuel Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . 211
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Adaptive Cruise Control (Advanced) . . . . 223
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 Assistance Systems for Parking or
Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Surround Vision System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . 237
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . 249
Trailer Towing
General Towing Information . . . . . . . . . . 249
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16402009) - 2023 - CRC - 3/29/22
192 Driving and Operating
.Wait until the vehicle is parked to
retrieve items that have fallen to the
floor.
.Stop or park the vehicle to tend to
children.
.Keep pets in an appropriate carrier or
restraint.
.Avoid stressful conversations while
driving, whether with a passenger or on a
cell phone.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too long or
too often could cause a crash resulting in
injury or death. Focus your attention on
driving.
Refer to the infotainment section for more
information on using that system and the
navigation system, if equipped, including
pairing and using a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always expect the
unexpected.” The first step in driving
defensively is to wear the seat belt. See
Seat Belts 047.
.Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and other drivers)
are going to be careless and make
mistakes. Anticipate what they may do
and be ready.
.Allow enough following distance between
you and the driver in front of you.
.Focus on the task of driving.
Impaired Driving
Death and injury associated with impaired
driving is a global tragedy.
{Warning
Drinking alcohol or taking drugs and then
driving is very dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and judgment
can be affected by even a small amount
of alcohol or drugs. You can have a
serious —or even fatal —collision if you
drive after drinking or taking drugs.
Do not drive while under the influence of
alcohol or drugs, or ride with a driver
who has been drinking or is impaired by
drugs. Find alternate transportation
home; or if you are with a group,
designate a driver who will remain sober.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating are
important factors in helping to control a
vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time. Deciding to push the brake
pedal is perception time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is about
three-quarters of a second. In that time, a
vehicle moving at 100 km/h (60 mph) travels
20 m (66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind include:
.Keep enough distance between you and
the vehicle in front of you.
.Avoid needless heavy braking.
.Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops while the vehicle is
being driven, brake normally but do not
pump the brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the engine
stops, there will be some power brake assist
but it will be used when the brake is

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16402009) - 2023 - CRC - 3/29/22
Driving and Operating 193
applied. Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Steering
Caution
To avoid damage to the steering system,
do not drive over curbs, parking barriers,
or similar objects at speeds greater than
3 km/h (1 mph). Use care when driving
over other objects such as lane dividers
and speed bumps. Damage caused by
misuse of the vehicle is not covered by
the vehicle warranty.
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.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16402009) - 2023 - CRC - 3/29/22
204 Driving and Operating
Caution (Continued)
.Avoid making hard stops for the first
300 km (200 mi) or so. During this
time the new brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with new linings
can mean premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this breaking-in
guideline every time you get new
brake linings.
.Do not tow a trailer during break-in.
SeeTrailer Towing 0252 for the trailer
towing capabilities of the vehicle and
more information.
Following break-in, engine speed and load
can be gradually increased.
On new vehicles, the various mechanical and
electrical systems experience a “break-in”
period during the first 6 400 km (4,000 mi)
of routine driving. As the vehicle is driven,
the mechanical systems adjust to provide
optimal fuel economy and transmission shift
performance.
Electrical systems will adapt and calibrate
during the break-in period. A one-time
occurrence of clicks and similar vehicle
noises is normal during this process. Normal driving charges the vehicle’s battery
to achieve the best operation of the vehicle,
including fuel economy and the Stop/Start
System. See
Stop/Start System 0206.
Ignition Positions
The vehicle has an electronic keyless ignition
with pushbutton start.
The remote key must be in the vehicle for
the system to operate. If the pushbutton
start is not working, the vehicle may be
near a strong radio antenna signal causing
interference to the remote key system. See
Remote Key Operation 07.
To shift out of P (Park), the vehicle must be
on and the brake pedal must be applied. Stopping the Engine/LOCK/OFF (No Indicator
Lights) :
When the vehicle is stopped, press
ENGINE START/STOP once to turn the
engine off.
If the vehicle is in P (Park), the ignition will
turn off, and Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) 0208.
If the vehicle is in R (Reverse), D (Drive) or
L (Low), the vehicle will shift to P (Park), the
ignition will turn off, and Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) will remain active. If the vehicle
is in N (Neutral), the ignition will return to
accessory mode and display the message
SHIFT TO PARK in the Driver Information
Center (DIC). When the vehicle is shifted
into P (Park), the ignition will turn off.
Do not turn the engine off when the vehicle
is moving. This will cause a loss of power
assist in the brake and steering systems and
disable the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency: 1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the brakes repeatedly. This
may deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16402009) - 2023 - CRC - 3/29/22
Driving and Operating 205
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This canbe done while the vehicle is moving.
After shifting to N (Neutral), firmly apply
the brakes and steer the vehicle to a
safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop and shift to P (Park).
4. Set the parking brake. See Electric
Parking Brake 0216. And press ENGINE
START/STOP to turn the vehicle off.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while moving may
cause loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable the
airbags. While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over, and
must be shut off while driving, press and
hold ENGINE START/STOP for longer than
two seconds, or press twice in five seconds.
Accessory Mode (Amber Indicator Light) :
This mode allows some electrical accessories
to be used when the engine is off. With the ignition off, pressing the button
one time without the brake pedal applied
will place the ignition system in
accessory mode.
The ignition will switch from accessory
mode to off after five minutes to prevent
battery rundown.
ON/RUN/START (Green Indicator Light) :
This
mode is for driving and starting. With the
ignition off, and the brake pedal applied,
pressing the button once will place the
ignition system in ON/RUN/START. Once
engine cranking begins, release the button.
Engine cranking will continue until the
engine starts. See Starting the Engine 0205.
The ignition will then remain in ON/RUN.
Service Mode
This power mode is available for service and
diagnostics, and to verify the proper
operation of the malfunction indicator lamp
as may be required for emission inspection
purposes. With the vehicle off, and the
brake pedal not applied, pressing and
holding the button for more than
five seconds will place the vehicle in Service
Mode. The instruments and audio systems
will operate as they do in ON/RUN, but the vehicle will not be able to be driven. The
engine will not start in Service Mode. Press
the button again to turn the vehicle off.
Starting the Engine
Shift the vehicle into P (Park) or N (Neutral).
To restart the engine when the vehicle is
already moving, use N (Neutral) only.
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could
damage the transmission. Shift to P (Park)
only when the vehicle is stopped.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or accessories,
you could change the way the engine
operates. Any resulting damage would
not be covered by the vehicle warranty.
See
Add-On Electrical Equipment 0259.
Starting Procedure
1. With the Keyless Access system, the
remote key must be in the vehicle. Press
ENGINE START/STOP with the brake pedal
applied. When the engine begins
cranking, let go of the button.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16402009) - 2023 - CRC - 3/29/22
Driving and Operating 217
status light remains on. If the amber service
parking brake warning light is on, see your
dealer.
If the EPB is applied while the vehicle is
moving, the vehicle will decelerate as long
as the switch is pressed. If the switch is
pressed until the vehicle comes to a stop,
the EPB will remain applied.
The vehicle may automatically apply the EPB
in some situations when the vehicle is not
moving. This is normal, and is done to
periodically check the correct operation of
the EPB system, or at the request of other
safety functions that utilize the EPB.
If the EPB fails to apply, block the rear
wheels to prevent vehicle movement.
EPB Release
To release the EPB:1. Turn the ignition on or to ACC/ ACCESSORY.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
3. Press the EPB switch momentarily.
The EPB is released when the red parking
brake status light is off. If the amber service parking brake warning
light is on, release the EPB by pressing and
holding the EPB switch. Continue to hold the
switch until the red parking brake status
light is off. If either light stays on after
release is attempted, see your dealer.
Caution
Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause
premature wear or damage to brake
system parts. Make sure that the parking
brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and parking on a
hill, see Driving Characteristics and Towing
Tips 0249.
Automatic EPB Release
The EPB will automatically release if the
vehicle is running, placed into gear, and an
attempt is made to drive away. Avoid rapid
acceleration when the EPB is applied, to
preserve parking brake lining life.
Brake Assist
Brake Assist detects rapid brake pedal
applications due to emergency braking
situations and provides additional braking to
activate the Antilock Brake System (ABS) if
the brake pedal is not pushed hard enough
to activate ABS normally. Minor noise, brake
pedal pulsation, and/or pedal movement
during this time may occur. Continue to
apply the brake pedal as the driving
situation dictates. Brake Assist disengages
when the brake pedal is released.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
{Warning
Do not rely on the HSA feature. HSA does
not replace the need to pay attention
and drive safely. You may not hear or
feel alerts or warnings provided by this
system. Failure to use proper care when
driving may result in injury, death,
or vehicle damage. See Defensive Driving
0 192.
When the vehicle is stopped on a grade, Hill
Start Assist (HSA) prevents the vehicle from
rolling in an unintended direction during the
transition from brake pedal release to

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16402009) - 2023 - CRC - 3/29/22
218 Driving and Operating
accelerator pedal apply. The brakes release
when the accelerator pedal is applied. If the
accelerator pedal is not applied within a few
minutes, the Electric Parking Brake will
apply. The brakes may also release under
other conditions. Do not rely on HSA to hold
the vehicle.
HSA is available when the vehicle is facing
uphill in a forward gear, or when facing
downhill in R (Reverse). The vehicle must
come to a complete stop on a grade for HSA
to activate.
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction Control System
(TCS) and StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability
Control (ESC), an electronic stability control
system. These systems help limit wheel spin
and assist the driver in maintaining control,
especially on slippery road conditions.
TCS activates if it senses that any of the
drive wheels are spinning or beginning to
lose traction. When this happens, TCSapplies the brakes to the spinning wheels
and reduces engine power to limit
wheel spin.
StabiliTrak/ESC activates when the vehicle
senses a difference between the intended
path and the direction the vehicle is actually
traveling. StabiliTrak/ESC selectively applies
braking pressure to any one of the vehicle
wheel brakes to assist the driver in keeping
the vehicle on the intended path.
If cruise control is being used and TCS or
StabiliTrak/ESC begins to limit wheel spin,
cruise control will disengage. Cruise control
may be turned back on when road
conditions allow. TCS and StabiliTrak/ESC will
automatically turn on when cruise control
is set.
Both systems come on automatically when
the vehicle is started and begins to move.
The systems may be heard or felt while
they are operating or while performing
diagnostic checks. This is normal and does
not mean there is a problem with the
vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both systems on
for normal driving conditions, but it may be
necessary to turn TCS off if the vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See
If the
Vehicle Is Stuck 0200 and“Turning the
Systems Off and On” later in this section.
The indicator light for both systems is in the
instrument cluster. This light:
.Will flash when TCS is limiting wheel spin
.Will flash when StabiliTrak/ESC is
activated
.Will turn on and stay on when either
system is not working
.May flash when ABS is active
If either system fails to turn on or to
activate, a message may display in the
Driver Information Center (DIC), and
d
comes on and stays on to indicate that the
system is inactive and is not assisting the
driver in maintaining control. The vehicle is
safe to drive, but driving should be adjusted
accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16402009) - 2023 - CRC - 3/29/22
Driving and Operating 231
Do not install objects on top of the vehicle
that overhang and obstruct the front
camera, such as a canoe, kayak, or other
items that can be transported on a roof rack
system. SeeRoof Rack System 087.
Do not modify the hood, headlamps, or fog
lamps, as this may limit the camera’s ability
to detect an object.
Cleaning the Sensing System
The camera sensor on the windshield behind
the rearview mirror and the radar sensors
on the front of the vehicle can become
blocked by snow, ice, dirt, or mud. These
areas need to be cleaned for ACC to operate
properly.
For cleaning instructions, see “Washing the
Vehicle” underExterior Care 0329.
System operation may also be limited under
snow, heavy rain, or road spray conditions.
Driver Assistance Systems
This vehicle may have features that work
together to help avoid crashes or reduce
crash damage while driving, backing, and
parking. Read this entire section before
using these systems.
{Warning
Do not rely on the Driver Assistance
Systems. These systems do not replace
the need for paying attention and driving
safely. You may not hear or feel alerts or
warnings provided by these systems.
Failure to use proper care when driving
may result in injury, death, or vehicle
damage. See Defensive Driving 0192.
Under many conditions, these systems
will not:
.Detect children, pedestrians, bicyclists,
or animals.
.Detect vehicles or objects outside the
area monitored by the system.
.Work at all driving speeds.
.Warn you or provide you with enough
time to avoid a crash.
.Work under poor visibility or bad
weather conditions.
.Work if the detection sensor is not
cleaned or is covered by ice, snow,
mud, or dirt. (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Work if the detection sensor is
covered up, such as with a sticker,
magnet, or metal plate.
.Work if the area surrounding the
detection sensor is damaged or not
properly repaired.
Complete attention is always required
while driving, and you should be ready to
take action and apply the brakes and/or
steer the vehicle to avoid crashes.
Audible or Safety Alert Seat
Some driver assistance features alert the
driver of obstacles by beeping. To view
available settings for this feature, touch the
Settings icon on the infotainment home
page. Select “Vehicle”to display the list of
available options and select “Comfort and
Convenience”.
If equipped with the Safety Alert Seat, the
driver seat cushion may provide a vibrating
pulse alert instead of beeping. To view
available settings for this feature, touch the
Settings icon on the infotainment home