CHEVROLET EQUINOX 2011 2.G Service Manual

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Keys, Doors and Windows 2-5
Remote Vehicle Start
The vehicle may have this feature
that allows you to start the engine
from outside the vehicle.
/(Remote Vehicle Start):
This button will be on the
RKE transmitter if the vehicle
has remote start.
Vehicles with an automatic climate
control system will default to a
heating or cooling mode depending
on the outside temperature during a
remote start. Once the key is turned
to ON/RUN, the system will turn on
at the setting the vehicle was last
set to. If the vehicle has heated
seats, they may come on during a
remote start. See Heated Front
Seats on page 3‑9 for more
information.
Laws in some local communities
may restrict the use of remote
starters. For example, some laws
require a person using remote start
to have the vehicle in view.
Check local regulations for any
requirements. There are other conditions which
can affect the performance of the
transmitter. See
Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System on page 2‑3 for
additional information.
Starting the Engine Using Remote
Start
To start the engine using the remote
start feature:
1. Press
Qon the RKE transmitter.
2. Press and hold /for about
two seconds. The turn signal
lamps will briefly flash to confirm
the vehicle has been started.
The parking lamps will turn on
and remain on as long as the
engine is running. The vehicle's
doors will be locked.
3. The key must be inserted and turned to ON/RUN before
driving.
The engine will shut off after
10 minutes unless a time
extension is done or the key is
inserted and turned to ON/RUN. Extending Engine Run Time
For a 10-minute extension, repeat
Steps 1 and 2 while the engine is
still running. The remote start can
be extended once.
When the remote start is extended,
the second 10 minutes will start
immediately.
For example, if the engine has been
running for 5 minutes, and
10 minutes are added, the engine
will run for a total of 15 minutes.
A maximum of two remote starts or
remote start attempts are allowed
between ignition cycles.
The vehicle's ignition switch must
be turned to ON/RUN and then back
to LOCK/OFF using the key, before
the remote start procedure can be
used again.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
2-6 Keys, Doors and Windows
Shutting the Engine Off After a
Remote Start
To shut off the engine:
.Press/until the parking lamps
turn off.
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Insert the key and turn it to
ON/RUN and then back to
LOCK/OFF.
Conditions in Which Remote Start
Will Not Work
The remote vehicle start feature will
not operate if:
.The key is in the ignition.
.The hood or doors are not
closed.
.The hazard warning flashers
are on.
.There is an emission control
system malfunction.
.The engine coolant temperature
is too high.
.The oil pressure is low.
.Two remote vehicle starts have
already been used.
.The vehicle is not in P (Park).
Remote Start Ready
If the vehicle does not have the
remote vehicle start feature, it may
have the remote start ready feature.
This feature allows your dealer to
add the manufacturer's remote
vehicle start feature. See your
dealer to add the manufacturer's
remote vehicle start feature to
the vehicle.
Door Locks
{WARNING
Unlocked doors can be
dangerous.
.Passengers, especially
children, can easily open the
doors and fall out of a moving
vehicle. The chance of being
thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash is increased if the
doors are not locked. So, all
passengers should wear
safety belts properly and the
doors should be locked
whenever the vehicle is
driven.
.Young children who get into
unlocked vehicles may be
unable to get out. A child can
be overcome by extreme heat
and can suffer permanent
injuries or even death from
heat stroke. Always lock the
vehicle whenever leaving it. (Continued)

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Keys, Doors and Windows 2-7
WARNING (Continued)
.Outsiders can easily enter
through an unlocked door
when slowing or stopping the
vehicle. Lock the doors to
help prevent this from
happening.
To lock or unlock a door from the
outside of the vehicle, use the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter. Pull the handle once
from the inside to unlock the door,
and a second time to open it.
Power Door Locks
The power door lock switches are
on the instrument panel.
K(Unlock): Press to unlock
the doors.
Q(Lock): Press to lock the doors. When locking the doors with the
power lock switch and a door or the
liftgate is open, the doors will lock
five seconds after the last door is
closed. Three chimes sound to
signal that the delayed locking
feature is in use.
Pressing the power lock switch
twice or
Qon the RKE transmitter
twice will override the delayed
locking feature and immediately
lock all the doors.
This feature will not operate if the
key is in the ignition.
This feature can be programmed.
See “Delayed Door Lock” under
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑32.

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
2-8 Keys, Doors and Windows
Safety Locks
Rear door safety locks prevent
passengers from opening the rear
doors from inside the vehicle.
Press
{to activate the safety locks.
When activated, the LED light in the
switch changes to amber.
Pressing the button again
deactivates the safety locks.
Doors
Liftgate (Manual)
{WARNING
Exhaust gases can enter the
vehicle if it is driven with the
liftgate, trunk/hatch open, or with
any objects that pass through the
seal between the body and the
trunk/hatch or liftgate. Engine
exhaust contains Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle must be driven with
the liftgate, or trunk/hatch open:
.Close all of the windows.
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Adjust the Climate Control
system to a setting that
brings in only outside air and
set the fan speed to the
highest setting. See Climate
Control System in the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑34.
Notice: If you open the liftgate
without checking for overhead
obstructions such as a garage
door, you could damage the
liftgate or the liftgate glass.
Always check to make sure the
area above and behind the liftgate
is clear before opening it.
Unlock the vehicle before opening
the liftgate.
Press the touchpad located in the
handle of the liftgate, above the
license plate, and lift up to open.

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Keys, Doors and Windows 2-9
Do not press the touchpad while
closing the liftgate. This will cause
the liftgate to be unlatched.
Always close the liftgate before
driving.
Liftgate (Power)
Power Liftgate Operation
{WARNING
Exhaust gases can enter the
vehicle if it is driven with the
liftgate, trunk/hatch open, or with
any objects that pass through the
seal between the body and the
trunk/hatch or liftgate. Engine
exhaust contains Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
If the vehicle must be driven with
the liftgate, or trunk/hatch open:
.Close all of the windows.
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
.Adjust the Climate Control
system to a setting that
brings in only outside air and
set the fan speed to the
highest setting. See Climate
Control System in the Index.
.If the vehicle is equipped with
a power liftgate, disable the
power liftgate function.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑34. On vehicles with a power liftgate,
the switch is on the overhead
console. The vehicle must be in
P (Park) to use the power feature.
The taillamps flash when the power
liftgate moves.
{WARNING
You or others could be injured if
caught in the path of the power
liftgate. Make sure there is no one
in the way of the liftgate as it is
opening and closing.
Notice: If you open the liftgate
without checking for overhead
obstructions such as a garage
door, you could damage the
liftgate or the liftgate glass.
Always check to make sure the
area above and behind the liftgate
is clear before opening it.
The power liftgate has three modes
of operation. Mode selection is
controlled by the interior mode
switch.

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
2-10 Keys, Doors and Windows
Choose the power liftgate mode by
turning the dial on the switch until
the indicator lines up with the
desired position. The vehicle must
be in P (Park).
The three modes are:
MAX:The liftgate power opens to
the full open height.
3/4: The liftgate power opens to a
reduced open height that can be set
by the vehicle operator. Use this
setting to prevent the liftgate from
opening into overhead obstructions such as a garage door or roof
mounted cargo during power
operation. The liftgate can still be
fully opened manually.
OFF:
The liftgate only operates
manually in this position.
Manual operation of a liftgate that
also has power operation requires
more effort than a standard manual
liftgate.
In either the MAX or the 3/4 mode,
the liftgate can be power opened
and closed by:
.First pressingKand then
pressing and holding
Von the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter until the liftgate starts
moving. See Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System Operation
on page 2‑3.
.Pressing the power liftgate
button in the center of the mode
switch on the overhead console,
with the driver door unlocked.
.Pressing the touchpad switch on
the liftgate outside handle, with
all doors unlocked, to open
the liftgate.
Press and release&on the
liftgate adjacent to the latch to close
the liftgate.
Pressing any button, or the
touchpad switch, while the liftgate is
moving stops it. Pressing the button
or RKE switch again reverses the
direction. The touchpad switch will
stop the liftgate from moving.

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Keys, Doors and Windows 2-11
There is a minimum distance that
the power liftgate must already be
open for the system to hold it open.
If movement is stopped below that
minimum, the liftgate closes.
Do not force the liftgate open or
closed during a power cycle.
The power liftgate may be
temporarily disabled under extreme
temperatures or low battery
conditions. If this occurs, the liftgate
can still be operated manually.
If you shift the transmission out of
P (Park) while the power function is
in progress, the liftgate power
function will continue to completion.
If you shift the transmission out of
P (Park) and accelerate before the
power liftgate latch is closed, the
liftgate may reverse to the open
position. Cargo could fall out of the
vehicle. Always make sure the
power liftgate is closed and latched
before you drive away.If you power open the liftgate and
the liftgate support struts have lost
pressure, the turn signals flash and
a chime sounds. The liftgate stays
open temporarily, then slowly
closes. See your dealer for service
before using the liftgate.
Obstacle Detection Features
If the liftgate encounters an obstacle
during a power open or close cycle,
a warning chime will sound and the
liftgate will automatically reverse
direction to the full closed or open
position. After removing the
obstruction, the power liftgate
operation can be used again.
If the liftgate encounters multiple
obstacles on the same power cycle,
the power function will deactivate.
The MANUALLY CLOSE POWER
LIFTGATE warning message in the
Driver Information Center (DIC) will
display. After removing the
obstructions, the liftgate will resume
normal power operation.Pinch sensors are located on the
side edges of the liftgate. If an
object is caught between the liftgate
and the body and presses against
this sensor, the liftgate will reverse
direction and open fully. The liftgate
will remain open until it is activated
again or closed manually.Power Liftgate 3/4 Mode
To program the liftgate opening
height:
1. Turn the liftgate switch to
either the MAX, or the
3/4 mode position and power
open the liftgate.
2. Stop the liftgate movement at the desired height by pressing
any liftgate switch. Manually
adjust the liftgate position if
required.
3. Press and hold the button on the liftgate adjacent to the latch until
the turn signals flash and a beep
sounds to indicate that the new
setting is recorded.

Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
2-12 Keys, Doors and Windows
When power opened with the
3/4 mode selected, the liftgate stops
at the new set position.
If you do not hear the audible and
visual feedback when setting the
intermediate stop position, you are
attempting to set the height below
the 3/4 open height minimum
(approximately 1.5 m or 5 ft). The
liftgate cannot be set below that
minimum and the new setting will
not be recorded.
Manual Operation of Power
Liftgate
To change the liftgate to manual
operation, turn the mode switch to
the OFF position.
With the power liftgate disabled and
all of the doors unlocked, the liftgate
can be manually opened and
closed. Manual operation of a
liftgate that also has power
operation requires more effort than
a standard manual liftgate.To open the liftgate, press the
touchpad on the handle on the
outside of the liftgate, and lift the
gate open. To close the liftgate, use
the pull cup to lower the liftgate and
close. With the power liftgate
disabled, the liftgate electric latch
will still power latch once contact is
made with the striker. Always close
the liftgate before driving.
If the RKE button is pressed while
power operation is disabled, the turn
signals flash and the liftgate will
not move.
The liftgate has an electric latch.
If the battery is disconnected or has
low voltage, the liftgate will not
open. The liftgate will resume
operation when the battery is
reconnected and charged.
Vehicle Security
This vehicle has theft-deterrent
features; however, they do not make
it impossible to steal.
Anti-Theft Alarm System
This vehicle has an anti-theft alarm
system.
Arming the System
To arm the system, do one of the
following:
.PressQon the RKE transmitter.
.Lock the vehicle using the key in
the driver door.
The alarm automatically arms after
about 30 seconds. The security
light, located on the instrument
panel, flashes.
Press
Von the RKE transmitter to
open the liftgate without setting off
the alarm. The system rearms when
the liftgate is closed.

Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
Keys, Doors and Windows 2-13
Disarming the System
To disarm the system, do one of the
following:
.PressKon the RKE transmitter.
.Turn the ignition to ON/RUN.
.Allow the alarm to time out after
about 30 seconds and reset
itself.
The alarm automatically disarms.
If the system is armed and any door
is unlocked without pressing
Kon
the RKE transmitter, the alarm
sounds.
How to Detect a Tamper
Condition
IfKis pressed and the horn
sounds, an attempted break-in has
occurred while the system was
armed.
If the alarm has been activated, the
THEFT ATTEMPTED message will
appear on the DIC. See Key and
Lock Messages on page 5‑29 for
additional information.
Immobilizer
See Radio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑17 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-210/220/310.
Immobilizer Operation
This vehicle has a passive
theft-deterrent system.
The system does not have to be
manually armed or disarmed.
The vehicle is automatically
immobilized when the key is
removed from the ignition.
The system is automatically
disarmed when the vehicle is
started with the correct key. The key
uses a transponder that matches an
immobilizer control unit in the
vehicle and automatically disarms
the system. Only an authorized key
starts the vehicle. The vehicle may
not start if the key is damaged.

Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2011
2-14 Keys, Doors and Windows
The security light, located in the
instrument panel cluster, comes on
if there is a problem with arming or
disarming the theft-deterrent
system.
When trying to start the vehicle, the
security light comes on briefly when
the ignition is turned on.
If the engine does not start and the
security light stays on, there is a
problem with the system. Turn the
ignition off and try again.If the engine still does not start, and
the key appears to be undamaged
or the light continues to stay on, try
another ignition key. If the engine
does not start with the other key, the
vehicle needs service. If the vehicle
does start, the first key may be
damaged. See your dealer who can
service the theft-deterrent system
and have a new key made.
Do not leave the key or device that
disarms or deactivates the
theft-deterrent system in the vehicle.
Exterior Mirrors
Convex Mirrors
{WARNING
A convex mirror can make things,
like other vehicles, look farther
away than they really are. If you
cut too sharply into the right lane,
you could hit a vehicle on the
right. Check the inside mirror or
glance over your shoulder before
changing lanes.
The passenger side mirror is convex
shaped. A convex mirror's surface is
curved so more can be seen from
the driver seat.