CHEVROLET EQUINOX 2013 2.G Owners Manual

Black plate (57,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Driving and Operating 9-57
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer. Cross the
safety chains under the tongue of
the trailer to help prevent the tongue
from contacting the road if it
becomes separated from the hitch.
Leave enough slack so the rig can
turn. Never allow safety chains to
drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Does the trailer have its own
brakes? Be sure to read and follow
the instructions for the trailer brakes
so they are installed, adjusted, and
maintained properly.
Because the vehicle has antilock
brakes, do not tap into the vehicle's
brake system. If this is done, both
brake systems will not work well,
or at all.
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC)
The vehicle has a Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) feature as part of the
StabiliTrak system. If TSC detects
that the trailer is swaying, the
vehicle's brakes are automatically
applied.
When TSC is applying the brakes,
the TCS/StabiliTrak indicator light
flashes to notify the driver to reduce
speed. If the trailer continues to
sway, StabiliTrak will reduce engine
torque to help slow the vehicle.
TSC will not function if StabiliTrak is
turned off. SeeStabiliTrak
®System
on page 9‑33.
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
Notice: Some electrical
equipment can damage the
vehicle or cause components to
not work and would not be
covered by the warranty. Always
check with your dealer before
adding electrical equipment.
Add-on equipment can drain the
vehicle's 12-volt battery, even if the
vehicle is not operating.
The vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to add anything
electrical to the vehicle, see
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 3‑30 andAdding
Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 3‑30.

Black plate (58,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
9-58 Driving and Operating
2NOTES

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-2
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-11
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-12
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-18
Power Steering Fluid (2.4L L4 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19 Power Steering Fluid (3.6L
V6 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-23
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-24
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Headlamps, Front TurnSignal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28 Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Sidemarker, Stoplamps,
and Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . 10-28
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-29
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Electrical System
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-38
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
10-2 Vehicle Care
When It Is Time for NewTires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-53
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-55
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-64
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Towing
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-71
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-77
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems,
many fluids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, safety belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non‐dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride and

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Vehicle Care 10-3
handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non‐GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is
not covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, seeAdding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3‑30.Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to work on
your vehicle if you do not have
the proper knowledge, service
manual, tools, or parts. Always
follow owner manual procedures
and consult the service manual
for your vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service
manual. It tells you much more
about how to service the vehicle
than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see Service
Publications Ordering Information
on page 13‑11. This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, see
Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3‑30.
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of
any service work performed. See
Maintenance Records on
page 11‑15.
Notice: Even small amounts of
contamination can cause damage
to vehicle systems. Do not allow
contaminants to contact the
fluids, reservoir caps,
or dipsticks.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
10-4 Vehicle Care
Hood
To open the hood:
1. Pull the release handle locatedbelow the instrument panel to
the left of the steering wheel.
2. Move the secondary hoodrelease lever to the right to
release the striker. The lever is
near the middle of the hood.
3. Lift the hood. To close the hood:
1. Before closing the hood, be sure
all the filler caps are on properly.
2. Lower the hood 30 cm (12 in) above the vehicle and release it
so it fully latches. Check to
make sure the hood is closed
and repeat the process if
necessary.

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Vehicle Care 10-5
Engine Compartment Overview
2.4L L4 Engine

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10-6 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑12.
2. Engine Cover on page 10‑8.
3. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See Engine Oil on
page 10‑8.
4. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑8.
5. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brakes on page 10‑20.
6. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑31. 7. Remote Positive (+) Terminal.
See Jump Starting on
page 10‑65.
8. Remote Negative (−) Terminal. See Jump Starting on
page 10‑65.
9. Battery on page 10‑23 (Out
of View).
10. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10‑15.
11. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
on page 10‑20.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Vehicle Care 10-7
3.6L V6 Engine

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
10-8 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑12.
2. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir (Under Engine Cover). See
Power Steering Fluid (2.4L L4
Engine) on page 10‑19 orPower
Steering Fluid (3.6L V6 Engine)
on page 10‑19.
3. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑8.
4. Engine Cover on page 10‑8.
5. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See Engine Oil on
page 10‑8.
6. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brakes on page 10‑20.
7. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑31.
8. Remote Positive (+) Terminal. See Jump Starting on
page 10‑65.
9. Remote Negative (−) Terminal. See Jump Starting on
page 10‑65. 10.
Battery on page 10‑23 (Out
of View).
11. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10‑15.
12. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
on page 10‑20.
Engine Cover
Engine Cover 3.6L V6
1. Oil Fill Cap
2. Engine Cover Bolt 3. Engine Cover
To remove:
1. Remove the oil fill cap (1).
2. Remove the engine cover
bolt (2).
3. Raise the engine cover (3) to release from the retainers.
4. Lift and remove the engine cover.
5. Reverse Steps 1–4 to reinstall engine cover.
Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.Always use engine oil approved
to the proper specification and of
the proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.