2023 GMC ACADIA trailer

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16402009) - 2023 - CRC - 3/28/22
106 Instruments and Controls
Charging System Light
The charging system light comes on briefly
when the ignition is turned on, but the
engine is not running, as a check to show
the light is working. It should go out when
the engine is started.
If the light stays on, or comes on while
driving, there may be a problem with the
electrical charging system. Have it checked
by your dealer. Driving while this light is on
could drain the battery.
When this light comes on, or is flashing, the
Driver Information Center (DIC) also displays
a message.
If a short distance must be driven with the
light on, be sure to turn off all accessories,
such as the radio and air conditioner. Find a
safe place to stop the vehicle.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light)
This light is part of the vehicle’s emission
control on-board diagnostic system. If this
light is on while the engine is running, a
malfunction has been detected and the
vehicle may require service. The light should
come on to show that it is working when
the ignition is in Service Mode. SeeIgnition
Positions 0204.
Malfunctions are often indicated by the
system before any problem is noticeable.
Being aware of the light and seeking service
promptly when it comes on may prevent
damage.
Caution
If the vehicle is driven continually with
this light on, the emission control system
may not work as well, the fuel economy
may be lower, and the vehicle may not
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
run smoothly. This could lead to costly
repairs that might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Caution
Modifications to the engine, transmission,
exhaust, intake, or fuel system, or the
use of replacement tires that do not
meet the original tire specifications, can
cause this light to come on. This could
lead to costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. This could also affect
the vehicle’s ability to pass an Emissions
Inspection/Maintenance test. See
Accessories and Modifications 0262.
If the light is flashing : A malfunction has
been detected that could damage the
emission control system and increase vehicle
emissions. Diagnosis and service may be
required.
To help prevent damage, reduce vehicle
speed and avoid hard accelerations and
uphill grades. If towing a trailer, reduce the
amount of cargo being hauled as soon as
possible.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16402009) - 2023 - CRC - 3/28/22
Lighting 133
Rear Reading Lamps
Press the buttons to turn the rear passenger
reading lamps on or off.
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting
The interior lamps turn on when pressingK
on the remote key or opening any doors,
and the dome lamp control is in the door
position.
Some exterior lamps also turn on when
pressing
Kon the remote key or opening
any doors. Low-Beam lamps will only turn
on briefly at night, or in areas with limited
lighting.
All lamps will gradually fade out after about
30 seconds. Entry lighting can be disabled manually by
closing all doors, pressing
Qon the remote
key, or starting the vehicle.
This feature can be changed. On the
infotainment home page, select the Settings
icon
TVehicleTVehicle Locator Lights.
Exit Lighting
Some exterior lamps and interior lamps turn
on when the driver door is opened after the
vehicle is turned off.
The exterior and interior lamps remain on
for a set amount of time, then automatically
turn off.
The interior lights turn on when the vehicle
is turned off.
The exterior lamps turn off immediately by
turning the exterior lamp control off.
This feature can be changed. On the
infotainment home screen, select the
Settings icon
TVehicleTExit Lighting.
Battery Load Management
The vehicle has Electric Power Management
(EPM) that estimates the battery's
temperature and state of charge. It then
adjusts the voltage for best performance
and extended life of the battery.
When the battery's state of charge is low,
the voltage is raised slightly to quickly bring
the charge back up. When the state of
charge is high, the voltage is lowered
slightly to prevent overcharging. If the
vehicle has a voltmeter gauge or a voltage
display on the Driver Information Center
(DIC), you may see the voltage move up or
down. This is normal. If there is a problem,
an alert will be displayed.
The battery can be discharged at idle if the
electrical loads are very high. This is true for
all vehicles. This is because the generator
(alternator) may not be spinning fast
enough at idle to produce all of the power
needed for very high electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when several of
the following are on, such as: headlamps,
high beams, rear window defogger, climate
control fan at high speed, heated seats,
engine cooling fans, trailer loads, and loads
plugged into accessory power outlets.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16402009) - 2023 - CRC - 3/28/22
Infotainment System 175
Teen Driver Speed Limiter :Limits the
maximum speed of the vehicle. When the
speed limiter is turned on and the vehicle is
started with a Teen Driver key, the DIC
displays a message that the top speed is
limited.
On certain vehicles, when the Speed Limiter
is turned ON, the vehicle’s maximum
acceleration will be limited. The DIC will
display a message that the acceleration is
limited.
Teen Driver Speed Warning : Displays a
warning in the DIC when exceeding a
selectable speed. Turn the speed warning on
or off and choose the desired speed warning
level. The speed warning does not limit the
speed of the vehicle. On some infotainment
systems, touch Set Teen Driver Speed
Warning to set the warning speed.
Set Teen Driver Speed Warning : Choose the
desired speed warning level. The speed
warning does not limit the speed of the
vehicle.
SiriusXM Explicit Content Filter : Allows the
SiriusXM Explicit Content Filter to be turned
ON or OFF. When ON, the teen driver will
not be able to listen to SiriusXM stations that contain explicit content, and the Explicit
Content Filter selection in the Audio Settings
will be unavailable for change.
When Teen Driver is Active:
.If equipped, the radio will mute when the
driver seat belt, and in some vehicles the
front passenger seat belt, is not buckled.
The audio from any device paired to the
vehicle will also be muted.
.An object placed on the front passenger
seat, such as a briefcase, handbag,
grocery bag, laptop, or other electronic
device, could cause the passenger sensing
system to falsely sense an unbuckled
front passenger and mute the radio.
If this happens, remove the object from
the seat. See
Passenger Sensing System
0 59.
.Some safety systems, such as Automatic
Emergency Braking, if equipped, cannot
be turned off.
.The gap setting for Adaptive Cruise
Control and alert timing for Forward
Collision Alert, if equipped, cannot be
changed.
.When trying to change a safety feature
that is not configurable in Teen Driver,
the feature may be grayed out or
removed from the infotainment menu, or the DIC will display a message
indicating that Teen Driver is active and
the action is not available.
.Super Cruise, if equipped, is not available.
.Enhanced Low Fuel Warning (if equipped)
–
When the vehicle is low on fuel, the
low fuel light on the instrument cluster
flashes and the DIC low fuel warning
cannot be dismissed.
.Do not tow a trailer if equipped with
Automatic Emergency Braking.
Report Card
The vehicle owner must secure the driver’s
consent to record certain vehicle data when
the vehicle is driven with a registered Teen
Driver key. There is one Report Card per
vehicle. Data is only recorded when a
registered Teen Driver key is used to
operate the vehicle.
The Report Card data is collected from the
time Teen Driver is activated or the last
time the Report Card was reset. The
following items may be recorded:
.Distance Driven –the total distance
driven.
.Maximum Speed –the maximum vehicle
speed detected.

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
Driving and Operating 191
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel mileage. Here
are some driving tips to get the best fuel
economy possible.
.Set the climate controls to the desired
temperature after the engine is started,
or turn them off when not required.
.On AWD vehicles, seeDriver Mode Control
0 220.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long periods
of time.
.When road and weather conditions are
appropriate, use cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed limits or
drive more slowly when conditions
require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly inflated.
.Combine several trips into a single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with the same
TPC Spec number molded into the tire's
sidewall near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms and can
take your focus from the task of driving.
Exercise good judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away from
the road. Many local governments have
enacted laws regarding driver distraction.
Become familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep your eyes
on the road, keep your hands on the
steering wheel, and focus your attention on
driving.
.Do not use a phone in demanding driving
situations. Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary phone calls.
.Watch the road. Do not read, take notes,
or look up information on phones or
other electronic devices.
.Designate a front seat passenger to
handle potential distractions.
.Become familiar with vehicle features
before driving, such as programming
favorite radio stations and adjusting
climate control and seat settings. Program
all trip information into any navigation
device prior to driving.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16402009) - 2023 - CRC - 3/29/22
Driving and Operating 201
Tire and Loading Information Label
Example Label
A vehicle-specific Tire and Loading
Information label is attached to the
center pillar (B-pillar). The tire and
loading information label shows the
number of occupant seating
positions (1), and the maximum vehicle
capacity weight (2) in kilograms and
pounds.
The Tire and Loading Information label
also shows the size of the original
equipment tires (3) and the
recommended cold tire inflationpressures (4). For more information on
tires and inflation see
Tires0293 and
Tire Pressure 0299.
There is also important loading
information on the vehicle Certification/
Tire label. It may show the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for
the front and rear axle. See
“Certification/Tire Label” later in this
section.
“Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit–
1.
Locate the statement "The combined
weight of occupants and cargo
should never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs." on your vehicle’s placard.
2.Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will
be riding in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the
driver and passengers from XXX kg
or XXX lbs.
4.The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity. For example, if the "XXX" amount equals 1400 lbs.
and there will be five 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and
luggage load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs.)
5.Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on
the vehicle. That weight may not
safely exceed the available cargo and
luggage load capacity calculated in
Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, load from your trailer will be
transferred to your vehicle. Consult
this manual to determine how this
reduces the available cargo and
luggage load capacity of your
vehicle.”
See Trailer Towing 0252 for important
information on towing a trailer, towing
safety rules and trailering tips.

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 209
Shifting Into Park
{Warning
It can be dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the vehicle is not in P (Park)
with the parking brake set. The vehicle
can roll. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be
sure the vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, use
the steps that follow. If you are pulling a
trailer, seeDriving Characteristics and
Towing Tips 0249.
To shift into P (Park): 1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking brake. See Electric Parking Brake
0 216.
2. Press the P (Park) switch on the center console.
3. Press ENGINE START/STOP to turn the engine off.
If the vehicle is shifted into P (Park) on a
hill, the electric parking brake (EPB) may
apply automatically. The driver may not be able to release the EPB using the EPB
switch. It should automatically release when
the vehicle is shifted out of P (Park).Leaving the Vehicle with the Engine
Running
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the vehicle
with the engine running. It could
overheat and catch fire.
It is dangerous to get out of the vehicle
if the vehicle is not in P (Park) with the
parking brake set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the engine
is running. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be
sure the vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and shift
the vehicle to P (Park). See
Shifting Into
Park 0209. If you are towing a trailer,
see Driving Characteristics and Towing
Tips 0249. If you have to leave the vehicle with the
engine running, the vehicle must be in
P (Park) with the parking brake set.
Confirm that the vehicle is in P (Park).
Torque Lock
Torque lock is when the weight of the
vehicle puts too much force on the parking
pawl in the transmission. This happens when
parking on a hill and shifting the
transmission into P (Park) is not done
properly and then it is difficult to shift out
of P (Park). To prevent torque lock, set the
parking brake and then shift into P (Park). To
find out how, see
“Shifting Into Park” listed
previously.
On certain steep grades, the transmission
will automatically set the parking brake to
prevent torque lock.
If torque lock does occur, the vehicle may
need to be pushed uphill by another vehicle
to relieve the parking pawl pressure, so you
can shift out of P (Park).
Shifting out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with an electronic
transmission. If the vehicle has an
uncharged battery or a battery with low