CHEVROLET EQUINOX 2011 2.G Owners Manual

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
2011 Chevrolet Equinox Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Keys, Doors and Windows . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43 Storage
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Additional Storage Features . . . 4-2
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-32
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19
Rear Seat Infotainment . . . . . . . 7-33
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-46 Climate Controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-28
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-35
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-41
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-46
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-59
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-68

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
2011 Chevrolet Equinox Owner ManualM
Vehicle Care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-78
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Service and Maintenance . . . 11-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Scheduled Maintenance . . . . . . 11-2
Recommended Fluids,
Lubricants, and Parts . . . . . . . 11-6
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . . 11-9 Technical Data
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Customer Information . . . . . . . 13-1
Customer Information . . . . . . . . 13-1
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . 13-14
Vehicle Data Recording and
Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-15
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Introduction iii
The names, logos, emblems,
slogans, vehicle model names, and
vehicle body designs appearing in
this manual including, but not limited
to, GM, the GM logo, CHEVROLET,
the CHEVROLET Emblem, and
EQUINOX are trademarks and/or
service marks of General Motors
LLC, its subsidiaries, affiliates,
or licensors.
This manual describes features that
may or may not be on your specific
vehicle either because they are
options that you did not purchase or
due to changes subsequent to the
printing of this owner manual.Please refer to the purchase
documentation relating to your
specific vehicle to confirm each of
the features found on your vehicle.
For vehicles first sold in Canada,
substitute the name
“General
Motors of Canada Limited” for
Chevrolet Motor Division wherever
it appears in this manual.
Keep this manual in the vehicle for
quick reference.Manufactured under license
under U.S. Patent #'s: 5,451,942;
5,956,674; 5,974,380; 5,978,762;
6,487,535 & other U.S. and
worldwide patents issued &
pending. DTS and the Symbol are
registered trademarks and DTS
Digital Surround and the DTS logos
are trademarks of DTS, Inc. Product
includes software. All Rights
Reserved.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 20781752 A First Printing©2010 General Motors LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
iv Introduction
Manufactured under license from
Dolby®Laboratories. Dolby and the
double-D symbol are registered
trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.
This product incorporates copyright
protection technology that is
protected by U.S. patents and other
intellectual property rights. Use of
this copyright protection technology
must be authorized by Macrovision, and is intended for home and other
limited viewing uses only unless
otherwise authorized by
Macrovision. Reverse engineering
or disassembly is prohibited.
“Made for iPod”
means that an
electronic accessory has been
designed to connect specifically to
iPod and has been certified by the
developer to meet Apple
performance standards.
iPod is a trademark of Apple
Computer, Inc., registered in the
U.S. and other countries.
Canadian Vehicle Owners
Propriétaires Canadiens
A French language copy of this
manual can be obtained from your
dealer or from:
On peut obtenir un exemplaire de
ce guide en français auprès du
concessionnaire ou à l'adresse
suivante:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
Numéro de poste 6438 de langue
française
www.helminc.com

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Introduction v
Using this Manual
To quickly locate information about
the vehicle, use 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.
Danger, Warnings, and
Cautions
Warning messages found on vehicle
labels and in this manual describe
hazards and what to do to avoid or
reduce them.
Dangerindicates a hazard with a
high level of risk which will result in
serious injury or death.
Warning orCaution indicates a
hazard that could result in injury
or death.
{WARNING
These mean there is something
that could hurt you or other
people. Notice:
This means there is
something that could result in
property or vehicle damage. This
would not be covered by the
vehicle's warranty.
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.”

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
vi Introduction
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:This symbol is shown when
you need to see your owner manual
for additional instructions or
information.
*: This symbol is shown when
you need to see a service manual
for additional instructions or
information. Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the Index.
9:
Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
g:Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar®
$: Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.: Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j: LATCH System Child
Restraints
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
d:Traction Control
M:Windshield Washer Fluid

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-1
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Heated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Sensing System for Passenger Airbag . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12 Steering Wheel
Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 1-14
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Vehicle Features
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . 1-21
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . 1-21
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Navigation System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . 1-23
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 1-23
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
Performance and Maintenance
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-24
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . 1-25
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . 1-25
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 1-26
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 1-26
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-26
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-27

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
1-2 In Brief
Instrument Panel

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-3
A.Air Vents on page 8‑5.
B. Turn and Lane‐Change Lever. See Turn and Lane-Change
Signals on page 6‑3.
Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
Fog Lamps on page 6‑3
(If Equipped).
C. Instrument Cluster on page 5‑9.
D. Windshield Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑4.
Rear Window Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑5.
E. Power Door Locks on page 2‑7.
F. Instrument Panel Storage on
page 4‑1.
G. Safety Locks on page 2‑8.
H. AM-FM Radio on page 7‑11.
Navigation System
(If Equipped). See Navigation
System Manual. I. Data Link Connector (DLC).
See Malfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 5‑14.
J. Cruise Control on page 9‑44.
K. Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6‑4.
L. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5‑2.
M. Horn on page 5‑3.
N. Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑3.
O. Ignition Positions on page 9‑28.
P. Climate Control Systems on
page 8‑1 (If Equipped).
Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑3
(If Equipped).
Q. Shift Lever. See Shifting Into
Park on page 9‑32.
R. Fuel Economy Mode on
page 9‑38 (If Equipped). S.
StabiliTrak®System on
page 9‑43.
T. Cupholders on page 4‑1.
U. Power Outlets on page 5‑7.
V. CD Player on page 7‑19.
W. Driver Information Center Buttons (If Equipped). See
Driver Information Center (DIC)
on page 5‑22.
X. Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6‑3.
Y. Glove Box on page 4‑1.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
1-4 In Brief
Initial Drive
Information
This section provides a brief
overview about some of the
important features that may or may
not be on your specific vehicle.
For more detailed information, refer
to each of the features which can be
found later in this owner manual.
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter will work up to
60 m (195 ft) away from the vehicle.
Press this button to extend the key.
The key can be used for the ignition
and all locks.
K:Press to unlock the driver door
or all doors.
Q: Press to lock all doors. Lock and unlock feedback can be
personalized.
V:
For vehicles with the
power liftgate, press and hold
until the liftgate begins to move to
open the liftgate.
For vehicles without the power
liftgate, first press
K, then press
and hold
Vto unlock the liftgate.
7: Press and release to locate the
vehicle. Press and hold for at least
two seconds to sound the panic
alarm. Press
7again to cancel the
panic alarm.
See Keys on page 2‑2 andRemote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation on page 2‑3.