GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16540740) - 2023 - CRC - 6/16/22
Introduction 3
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
Q:Keep Fuse Block Covers Properly
Installed
|: Lane Change Alert
@:Lane Departure Warning
A:Lane Keep Assist
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
X:Park Assist
~:Pedestrian Ahead Indicator
O:Power
7:Rear Cross Traffic Alert
I:Registered Technician
/:Remote Vehicle Start
h:Risk of Electrical Fire
>:Seat Belt Reminders
I:Side Blind Zone Alert
h:Stop/Start
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16540740) - 2023 - CRC - 6/16/22
6 Introduction
1.Air Vents 0182.
2. Turn Signal Lever. See Turn and
Lane-Change Signals 0126.
IntelliBeam System Button (If Equipped).
See Exterior Lamp Controls 0123.
3. Instrument Cluster (Base and Midlevel)
088 or
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) 091 or
Instrument Cluster (Denali Only) 093.
Driver Information Center (DIC) Display.
See Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base
and Midlevel) 0108 or
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel
and Denali) 0112.
4. Windshield Wiper/Washer 081.
5. Infotainment Controls. See Overview
0 131.
6. Light Sensor. See Automatic Headlamp
System 0125.
7. Hazard Warning Flashers 0126.
Auto Stop Disable Switch. See Stop/Start
System 0202.
8. Climate Control Systems 0178 (If
Equipped).
Dual Automatic Climate Control System
0 180 (If Equipped). 9. Shift Switches. See
Automatic
Transmission 0208.
10. Power Outlets 083.
11. Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing
0233 (If Equipped).
12. Heated and Ventilated Front Seats 038
(If Equipped).
13. Wireless Charging 085 (If Equipped).
14. Driver Mode Control 0218 (If Equipped).
15. Lane Keep Assist (LKA) 0247 (If
Equipped).
Hill Descent Control (HDC) 0217 (If
Equipped).
16. USB Port 0140.
17. ENGINE START/STOP Button. See Ignition
Positions 0199.
18. Steering Wheel Controls 0133.
19. Horn 081.
20. Steering Wheel Adjustment 081 (Out
of View).
21. Hood Release. See Hood0262.
22. Cruise Control 0220.
Adaptive Cruise Control (Camera) 0222
(If Equipped).
Heated Steering Wheel 081 (If
Equipped). Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System
0
239 (If Equipped).
23. Data Link Connector (DLC) (Out of View). SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light) 0101.
24. Electric Parking Brake 0212.
25. Exterior Lamp Controls 0123.
Instrument Panel Illumination Control
0 127.
Fog Lamps 0126 (If Equipped).
Head-Up Display (HUD) 0115 (If
Equipped).
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16540740) - 2023 - CRC - 6/16/22
80 Instruments and Controls
Instruments and Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Rear Window Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Instrument Cluster (Base and Midlevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Instrument Cluster (Denali Only) . . . . . . . 93
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Engine Oil Temperature Gauge (Denali Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . 97
Voltmeter Gauge (Denali Only) . . . . . . . . . 98
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . 100
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . 102
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . 103
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Hill Descent Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Driver Mode Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base and Midlevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel and Denali) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Engine Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Universal Remote System
Universal Remote System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Universal Remote System
Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Universal Remote System Operation . . . 121
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16540740) - 2023 - CRC - 6/16/22
Instruments and Controls 115
Timer :This display can be used as a timer.
To start the timer, press
Vto open the
menu while this display is active. Use
w
andxto select Start Timer or Reset. Press
V. To stop the timer, pressVwhile this
display is active. The display will show the
amount of time that has passed since the
timer was last reset.
Follow Distance/Gap Setting : If equipped,
the current follow time to the vehicle ahead
is displayed as a time value on this page.
When Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) has
been engaged, the display switches to the
gap setting page. This page shows the
current gap setting along with the vehicle
ahead indicator.
Driver Assistance : If equipped, shows
information for Lane Keep Assist (LKA), Lane
Departure Warning (LDW), and Forward
Collision Alert (FCA).
Battery Voltage : Displays the current
battery voltage, if equipped. Battery voltage
changes are normal while driving. See
Charging System Light 0100. If there is a
problem with the battery charging system, a
DIC will display a message. Coolant Temperature :
Displays the coolant
temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) or
degrees Fahrenheit (°F).
Economy Trend : Shows history of the
Average Fuel Economy from the last 50 km
(30 mi). Each bar represents about 5 km
(3 mi) of driving. During driving the bars will
shift to always reflect the most recent
distance on the right side. Press
Vto open
the menu while this display is active to clear
the graph. Select yes or no and press
V.
Oil Pressure : Oil pressure is displayed in
either kilopascal (kPa) or in pounds per
square inch (psi). Oil pressure can vary with
engine speed, outside temperature, and oil
viscosity. On some models, the oil pump will
vary engine oil pressure according to engine
needs. Oil pressure may change quickly as
the engine speed or load varies. This is
normal. If the oil pressure warning light or
DIC message indicates oil pressure outside
the normal operating range, check the
vehicle's oil as soon as possible.
Blank Page : Shows no information.
Head-Up Display (HUD)
{Warning
If the HUD image is too bright or too
high in your field of view, it may take
you more time to see things you need to
see when it is dark outside. Be sure to
keep the HUD image dim and placed low
in your field of view.
If equipped with HUD, some information
concerning the operation of the vehicle is
projected onto the screen on top of the
instrument panel. The information is
projected onto the HUD screen on the driver
side of the instrument panel and focused
out toward the front of the vehicle.
Caution
If you try to use the HUD image as a
parking aid, you may misjudge the
distance and damage your vehicle. Do not
use the HUD image as a parking aid.
The HUD information can be displayed in
various languages. The speedometer reading
and other numerical values can be displayed
in either English or metric units.
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16540740) - 2023 - CRC - 6/16/22
120 Instruments and Controls
Universal Remote System
Programming
If equipped, these buttons are in the
overhead console.
This system can replace up to three remote
control transmitters used to activate devices
such as garage door openers, security
systems, and home automation devices.
These instructions refer to a garage door
opener, but can be used for other devices.
Do not use the Universal Remote system
with any garage door opener that does not
have the stop and reverse feature. This
includes any garage door opener model
manufactured before April 1, 1982.Keep the original hand-held transmitter for
use in other vehicles as well as for future
programming. Erase the programming when
vehicle ownership is terminated. See
“Erasing Universal Remote System Buttons”
later in this section.
To program a garage door opener, park
outside directly in line with and facing the
garage door opener receiver. Clear all people
and objects near the garage door.
Make sure the hand-held transmitter has a
new battery for quick and accurate
transmission of the radio-frequency signal.
Programming the Universal Remote
System
Programming involves time-sensitive actions
and may time out, requiring the procedure
to be repeated. Read these instructions
completely before programming the
Universal Remote system. It may help to
have another person assist with the
programming process.
1. Hold the end of the hand-held transmitter about 3 to 8 cm (1 to 3 in)
away from the Universal Remote system
buttons with the indicator light in view. The hand-held transmitter was supplied
by the manufacturer of the garage door
opener receiver.
2. Press and release one of the three Universal Remote system buttons to be
programmed. Press and hold the
hand-held transmitter button. Do not
release the hand-held transmitter button
until the indicator light changes from a
slow to a rapid flash or continuous light.
Then release the hand-held transmitter
button.
Some garage door openers may require
substitution of Step 2 with the procedure
under “Radio Signals for Some Gate
Operators” later in this section.
3. Press and hold the newly programmed Universal Remote system button for
five seconds while watching the indicator
light and garage door activation.
.If the indicator light stays on
continuously or the garage door
moves when the button is pressed,
then programming is complete. There
is no need to complete Steps 4–6.
.If the indicator light does not come
on or the garage door does not
move, a second button press may be
required. For a second time, press
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16540740) - 2023 - CRC - 6/16/22
Infotainment System 159
Voice Recognition for Navigation (If
Equipped)
“Navigation”:Begin a dialog to enter
specific destination information.
“Navigation Commands” :Begin a dialog to
enter specific destination information.
“Address” :Begin a dialog to enter a
specific destination address, which includes
the entire address consisting of the house
number, street name, city, state/province,
and country. Do not include the ZIP code.
“Place of Interest” :Begin a dialog to enter
a destination Place of Interest category or
major brand name.
The name must be precisely spoken.
Nicknames or short names for the
businesses will not likely be found. Lesser
known businesses might have to be located
by category, such as fast food, hotels,
or banks.
“Navigate to Contact” :Begin a dialog to
enter a specific destination contact name.
“Cancel Route” :End route guidance.
“Take Me Home” :Create a route to a
stored home location.
Voice Recognition for the Phone
“Call
stored contact. The command may include
location if the contact has location numbers
stored.
“Call
Mobile,” or“On Other” :Initiate a call to a
stored contact and location at home, at
work, on mobile device, or on another
phone.
“Call
to a cell phone number of seven digits, 10
digits, or three digit emergency numbers.
“Pair Phone” :Begin the Bluetooth pairing
process. Follow the instructions on the
infotainment display.
“Redial” :Initiate a call to the last dialed
number.
“Switch Phone” :Select a different
connected cell phone for outgoing calls.
“Voice Keypad” :Begin a dialog to enter
special numbers like international numbers.
The numbers can be entered in groups of
digits with each group of digits being
repeated back by the system. If the group
of digits is not correct, the command
“Delete” will remove the last group of digits and allow them to be re-entered. Once the
entire number has been entered, the
command
“Call”will start dialing the
number.
Phone Assistant Voice Recognition
Press and holdgon the steering wheel
controls to pass through and launch Google
phone assistant or Siri.
For the low radio, whether connected by
Bluetooth or phone projection, the only
available voice recognition is either Siri
(iPhone) or the Google Assistant (Android).
Phone
Bluetooth (Overview)
The Bluetooth-capable system can be paired
with up to 10 Bluetooth devices and two
active Bluetooth devices, allowing:
.Placement and receipt of calls in a
hands-free mode.
.Sharing of the device’s address book or
contact list with the vehicle.
To minimize driver distraction, before
driving, and with the vehicle parked:
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16540740) - 2023 - CRC - 6/16/22
Driving and Operating 185
Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Driving Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Vehicle Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 187
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Impaired Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Winter Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . 205Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . 206
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . 207
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Adaptive Cruise Control (Camera) . . . . . . 222
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Surround Vision System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Automatic Parking Assist (APA) . . . . . . . . 237
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . 239
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . 251
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16540740) - 2023 - CRC - 6/16/22
188 Driving and Operating
.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 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.