climate control GMC TERRAIN 2017 Owner's Guide

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9919509) - 2017 - crc - 8/16/16
Climate Controls 147
Air Vents
Center Air Vents
Use the louvers located on the air
vents to change the direction of the
airflow. Use the thumbwheels to
open or close off the airflow.
Side Air Vents
Use the louvers located on the air
vents to change the direction of the
airflow or to open or close off the
airflow.Operation Tips
.
Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from air inlets at the
base of the windshield that could
block the flow of air into the
vehicle.
. Keep the path under the front
seats clear of objects to help
circulate the air inside of the
vehicle more effectively.
. Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
Check with your dealer before
adding equipment to the outside
of the vehicle.
. Do not attach any devices to the
air vent slats. This restricts
airflow and may cause damage
to the air vents.
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The filter reduces the dust, pollen,
and other airborne irritants from
outside air that is pulled into the
vehicle.
The filter should be replaced as part
of routine scheduled maintenance.
See Maintenance Schedule 0280
for replacement intervals. To find out
what type of filter to use, see
Maintenance Replacement
Parts 0290.
The passenger compartment air
filter can be accessed by removing
the entire glove box.
1. Open the glove box completely and locate the stop tab on top
of the glove box door.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9919509) - 2017 - crc - 8/16/16
148 Climate Controls
2. Push the stop tab upward untilthe stop tab is under the
instrument panel assembly and
the glove box is released.
3. Unsnap the tabs beneath the glove box that connect it to the
bottom of the instrument panel
assembly.
4. Remove the glove box.
5. Locate the service door for the passenger compartment air
filter.6. Push the two tabs upward andrelease the latches holding the
service door. Lift the
service door.
7. Remove the old air filter.
8. Install the new air filter.
9. Close the service door and latches.
10. Reinstall the glove box.
See your dealer if additional
assistance is needed.
Service
All vehicles have a label underhood
that identifies the refrigerant used in
the vehicle. The refrigerant system
should only be serviced by trained
and certified technicians. The air
conditioning evaporator should
never be repaired or replaced by
one from a salvage vehicle.
It should only be replaced by a new
evaporator to ensure proper and
safe operation.
During service, all refrigerants
should be reclaimed with proper
equipment. Venting refrigerants
directly to the atmosphere is harmful
to the environment and may also
create unsafe conditions based on
inhalation, combustion, frostbite,
or other health-based concerns.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9919509) - 2017 - crc - 8/16/16
150 Driving and Operating
Driving Information
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, always
keep your eyes on the road, hands
on the wheel, and mind on the drive.
.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.
. 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 manual 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 safety belt. See Safety
Belts 054.
. Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes.
Anticipate what they might do
and be ready.
. Allow enough following distance
between you and the driver in
front of you.
. Focus on the task of driving.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9919509) - 2017 - crc - 8/16/16
160 Driving and Operating
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO), which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:. Clear snow from the base of
the vehicle, especially any
blocking the exhaust pipe.
. Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the vehicle side
that is away from the wind,
to bring in fresh air.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the fan speed to the highest
setting. See“Climate
Control Systems.”
For more information about CO,
see Engine Exhaust 0171.
To save fuel, run the engine for
short periods to warm the vehicle
and then shut the engine off and
partially close the window. Moving
about to keep warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle
speed. This keeps the battery
charged to restart the vehicle and to
signal for help with the headlamps.
Do this as little as possible, to
save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. See Traction
Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0177.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9919509) - 2017 - crc - 8/16/16
Driving and Operating 175
Press the eco (economy) button to
turn this feature on or off. The eco
light in the instrument cluster will
come on when engaged. SeeFuel
Economy Light 0113. A Driver
Information Center (DIC) message
is also displayed. See Fuel System
Messages 0121.
When Fuel Economy Mode is on:
. The transmission will upshift
sooner and downshift later.
. The torque converter clutch will
apply sooner and stay on longer.
. The gas pedal will be less
sensitive.
. The vehicle's computer will more
aggressively shut off fuel to the
engine under deceleration.
. The engine idle speed will be
lower.
. Driving performance is more
conservative.
. The climate controls may take
longer to heat or cool the cabin.
. The rear defogger will stay on
for shorter periods of time.Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
Vehicles with this feature transfer
engine power, as required, to all
four wheels. It is fully automatic, and
adjusts itself as needed for road
conditions.
When using a compact spare tire on
an AWD vehicle, the system
automatically detects the compact
spare and reduces AWD
performance to protect the system.
To restore full AWD operation and
prevent excessive wear on the
system, replace the compact spare
with a full-size tire as soon as
possible. See Compact Spare
Tire 0262.
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has an Antilock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the vehicle begins to drive
away, ABS checks itself.
A momentary motor or clicking noise
may be heard while this test is going
on, and it may even be noticed that
the brake pedal moves a little. This
is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning
Light 0110.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9919509) - 2017 - crc - 8/16/16
Driving and Operating 195
Trailer Towing
General Towing
Information
Only use towing equipment that has
been designed for the vehicle.
Contact your dealer or trailering
dealer for assistance with preparing
the vehicle for towing a trailer. Read
the entire section before towing a
trailer.
For towing a disabled vehicle, see
Towing the Vehicle0266. For
towing the vehicle behind another
vehicle such as a motor home, see
Recreational Vehicle Towing 0266.
Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips
Driving with a Trailer
When towing a trailer:
.
Become familiar with the state
and local laws that apply
specifically to trailer towing. .
Do not tow a trailer during the
first 800 km (500 miles), to
prevent damage to the engine,
axle or other parts.
. Then, during the first 800 km
(500 miles) trailer towing, do not
drive over 80 km/h (50 mph) and
do not make starts at full throttle.
. The vehicle can tow in D (Drive).
Use a lower gear if the
transmission shifts too often.
. Do not use the Fuel Economy
Mode when towing.
. Turn off Park Assist when
towing.
{Warning
When towing a trailer, exhaust
gases may collect at the rear of
the vehicle and enter if the
liftgate, trunk/hatch, or rear-most
window is open.
When towing a trailer:
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Do not drive with the
liftgate, trunk/hatch,
or rear-most window open.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Also adjust the climate
control system to a setting
that brings in only outside
air. See “Climate Control
Systems” in the Index.
For information about carbon
monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust 0171.
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. The
combination you are driving is
longer and not as responsive as the
vehicle itself. Get acquainted with
the handling and braking of the rig
before setting out for the open road.
Before starting, check all trailer hitch
parts and attachments, safety
chains, electrical connectors, lamps,
tires and mirrors. If the trailer has

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9919509) - 2017 - crc - 8/16/16
Vehicle Care 253
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and
differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on
specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.Temperature
The temperature grades are A
(the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure. The grade
C corresponds to a level of
performance which all
passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and
A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum
required by law. Warning: The
temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance
The tires and wheels were aligned
and balanced at the factory to
provide the longest tire life and best
overall performance. Adjustments to
wheel alignment and tire balancing
are not necessary on a regular
basis. Consider an alignment check
if there is unusual tire wear or the
vehicle is significantly pulling to one
side or the other. Some slight pull to
the left or right, depending on the
crown of the road and/or other road
surface variations such as troughs
or ruts, is normal. If the vehicle is
vibrating when driving on a smooth
road, the tires and wheels may need
to be rebalanced. See your dealer
for proper diagnosis.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9919509) - 2017 - crc - 8/16/16
Index 319
IndexA
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . 201
Additional Information OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Additional Maintenance and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Adjustments
Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . . . 213
Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . 142, 144
Air Filter, Passenger Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
How Does an AirbagRestrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Passenger Sensing System . . . . 67
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
What Will You See after an
Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
When Should an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . . 63 Airbags
Adding Equipment to the
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Passenger Status Indicator . . . 106
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Servicing Airbag-Equipped Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Alarm Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Alert
Side Blind Zone (SBZA) . . . . . . 187
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . 175, 224
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . 175 Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Appearance Care Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Assistance Program, Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Automatic Climate Control System . . . . . . . 144
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . 213

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9919509) - 2017 - crc - 8/16/16
320 Index
Automatic TransmissionManual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
B
BatteryExterior Lighting BatterySaver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Load Management . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Power Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Voltage and Charging Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Battery - North America . . . . 223, 263
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . . . 225
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . 109
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 165
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227 Bulb Replacement (cont'd)
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . . . 230
Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Sidemarker, Stoplamps,
and Backup Lamps . . . . . . . . . . 227
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
California
Proposition
65 Warning . . . . . . . . . .203, 223, 263
Camera Rear Vision (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . 2
Capacities and
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Cargo Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Tie-Downs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Caution, Danger, and Warning . . . . 2 Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . . 92
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . 107
Check
Ignition Transmission Lock . . . 225
Malfunction IndicatorEngine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Child Restraints Infants and Young Children . . . . . 75
Lower Anchors and Tethersfor Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86, 88
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Cleaning Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . 142 Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . 302
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Compartments Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9919509) - 2017 - crc - 8/16/16
Index 327
Seats (cont'd)Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Securing Child Restraints . . . . 86, 88
Security
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Vehicle Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Climate Control System . . . . . . . 142
Doing Your Own Work . . . . . . . . 204
Engine Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . . 291
Maintenance, General
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Parts Identification Label . . . . . 292
Publications Ordering Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . 301
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Services Special Application . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Servicing the Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Shift Lock Control Function
Check, Automatic
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . 187
Sidemarker
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Signals, Turn and Lane-Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Spare Tire Compact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Special Application Services . . . . 286
Specifications and Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Start Assist, Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Start Vehicle, Remote . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Fluid, Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Stoplamps and Back-Up Lamps
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Storage Areas Cargo Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Center Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . . . 92
Stuck Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
System Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141, 308
Roof Rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
T
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Taillamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . . 298
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . . . 39 Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235