CHEVROLET EQUINOX 2005 1.G Owners Manual

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-9
Safety Belts
.............................................1-11
Child Restraints
.......................................1-30
Airbag System
.........................................1-50
Restraint System Check
............................1-60
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-6
Windows
.................................................2-11
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-13
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-15
Mirrors
....................................................2-27
OnStar
®System
......................................2-32
Storage Areas
.........................................2-34
Sunroof
..................................................2-41
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-19
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-23
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-39Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-34
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-41
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-43
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-48
Tires
......................................................5-49
Appearance Care
.....................................5-74
Vehicle Identication
.................................5-83
Electrical System
......................................5-84
Capacities and Specications
.....................5-89
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-10
Index................................................................ 1
2005 Chevrolet Equinox Owner ManualM

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem, and the
name EQUINOX are registered trademarks of General
Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
after that time without notice. For vehicles rst sold in
Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada
Limited” for Chevrolet Motor Division whenever it
appears in this manual.
Keep this manual in the vehicle, so it will be there if it is
needed while you are on the road. If the vehicle is
sold, leave this manual in the vehicle.
Canadian Owners
A French language copy of this manual can be obtained
from your dealer or from:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
How to Use This Manual
Many people read the owner manual from beginning to
end when they rst receive their new vehicle. If this
is done, it can help you learn about the features
and controls for the vehicle. Pictures and words work
together in the owner manual to explain things.
Index
A good place to quickly locate information about the
vehicle is the Index in the back of the manual. It is an
alphabetical list of what is in the manual and the
page number where it can be found.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 05EQUINOX C First Edition
©2005 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
ii

Safety Warnings and Symbols
There are a number of safety cautions in this book. We
use a box and the word CAUTION to tell about things
that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning.
{CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is.
Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If you do not,
you or others could be hurt.
You will also nd a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Do Not,”
“Do Not do this” or “Do Not
let this happen.”
iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this manual you will nd these notices:
Notice:These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered
by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. But
the notice will tell what to do to help avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in
different words.
There are also warning labels on the vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle 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 specic component, control, message,
gage, or indicator.
If you need help guring out a specic name of a
component, gage, or indicator, reference the following
topics:
Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
Features and Controls in Section 2
Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
Climate Controls in Section 3
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators in Section 3
Audio System(s) in Section 3
Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv

These are some examples of symbols that may be found on the vehicle:
v

✍NOTES
vi

Front Seats......................................................1-2
Manual Seats................................................1-2
Driver Seat Height Adjuster..............................1-2
Power Seats..................................................1-3
Manual Lumbar..............................................1-3
Heated Seats.................................................1-4
Reclining Seatbacks........................................1-4
Head Restraints.............................................1-6
Passenger Folding Seatback............................1-7
Rear Seats.......................................................1-9
Split Folding Rear Seat...................................1-9
Safety Belts...................................................1-11
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone................1-11
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts......1-15
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly.................1-16
Driver Position..............................................1-17
Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment.....................1-23
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy..................1-24
Right Front Passenger Position.......................1-25
Rear Seat Passengers..................................1-25
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides....................1-27
Safety Belt Pretensioners...............................1-29
Safety Belt Extender.....................................1-29Child Restraints.............................................1-30
Older Children..............................................1-30
Infants and Young Children............................1-32
Child Restraint Systems.................................1-36
Where to Put the Restraint.............................1-39
Top Strap....................................................1-41
Top Strap Anchor Location.............................1-42
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH)......................................1-43
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System.........................................1-45
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat
Position...................................................1-45
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position............................................1-48
Airbag System...............................................1-50
Where Are the Airbags?................................1-53
When Should an Airbag Inate?.....................1-55
What Makes an Airbag Inate?.......................1-57
How Does an Airbag Restrain?.......................1-57
What Will You See After an Airbag Inates?.....1-58
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle...........1-60
Restraint System Check..................................1-60
Checking the Restraint Systems......................1-60
Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash...................................................1-61
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1

Front Seats
Manual Seats
{CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle
is moving. The sudden movement could startle
and confuse you, or make you push a pedal
when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s
seat only when the vehicle is not moving.
Lift the bar located under the front of the seat to unlock
it. Slide the seat to where you want it and release
the bar. Try to move the seat with your body to be sure
the seat is locked in place.
Driver Seat Height Adjuster
If your vehicle has a manual driver seat height adjuster,
it is located on the outboard side of the seat toward
the front of the seat cushion. To raise the seat, move the
lever upward repeatedly until the seat is at the desired
height. To lower the seat, move the lever downward
repeatedly until the seat is at the desired height.
1-2

Power Seats
If your vehicle has this feature, the control is located on
the outboard side of the seat. To adjust the seat:
Slide the entire control forward or rearward to move
the seat forward or rearward.
Lift or push down the front of the control to raise or
lower the front portion of the seat.
Lift or push down the rear of the control to raise or
lower the rear portion of the seat.
Lift or push down the entire control to raise or lower
the entire seat.
Manual Lumbar
If your vehicle has this
feature, the knob is
located on the front of the
driver’s seat cushion.
Turn the knob clockwise or counterclockwise to increase
or decrease the lumbar support.
1-3

Heated Seats
The switches for the
heated seats, if equipped,
are located on the
outboard sides of the
front seats.
Press the forward part of the switch to turn the heated
seat to high. Press the forward part of the switch
again to turn the setting to low. Press the rearward part
of the switch to turn the heated seat feature off.
Reclining Seatbacks
To adjust the seatback on the driver’s seat, lift the lever
on the rear outboard side of the seat and move the
seatback to the desired position. Then release the lever
to lock the seatback in place.
To adjust the seatback on the front passenger’s seat, lift
the lever on the outboard side of the seat and move
the seatback to the desired position. Then release the
lever to lock the seatback in place. If your front
passenger’s seat is a at folding seat, you must fully
raise the lever to disengage the seatback.
Front Passenger’s Reclining Seatback Lever Shown,
Driver’s Similar
1-4