brakes CHEVROLET EQUINOX 2013 2.G Owners Manual

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
2013 Chevrolet Equinox Owner ManualM
Driving and Operating. . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-19
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-26
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-32
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-37
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-57
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30 Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-65
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . 10-71
Service and Maintenance . . . 11-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . 11-3
Special Application Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
Additional Maintenance
and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts . . . . . . 11-12
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . 11-15
Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2 Customer Information
. . . . . . . 13-1
Customer Information . . . . . . . . 13-1
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . 13-12
Vehicle Data Recording and
Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-13
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
OnStar Additional
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1

Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Instruments and Controls 5-17
If the regular brake system warning
light is not on, the vehicle still has
brakes, but not antilock brakes.
If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, the vehicle does not
have antilock brakes and there is a
problem with the regular brakes.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 5‑15.
See Brake System Messages on
page 5‑26 for all brake‐related DIC
messages.
Lane Departure Warning
(LDW) Light
For vehicles with the lane departure
warning system, this light is located
on the center of the instrument
panel. This light briefly comes on
green while starting the vehicle. If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally the
indicator light then turns off.
This light also comes on green
when the system is switched on and
ready to operate.
See
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
on page 9‑44 for more information.
Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) Warning Light
These lights are located on the
center of the instrument panel.
The vehicle ahead light comes on
when a vehicle is ahead and a
possible collision can occur.
The forward collision alert comes on
and warns when following a vehicle
closely. The light then flashes when
a vehicle is being rapidly
approached.
SeeForward Collision Alert (FCA)
System on page 9‑37 for more
information.
Traction Off Light
This light comes on briefly while
starting the engine. If it does not,
have the vehicle serviced by your

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . 9-10
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 9-11
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-12
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-14
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-14
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-19
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 9-23 Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-26
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Fuel Economy Mode . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-31
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
StabiliTrak
®System . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Object Detection Systems
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-40
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-44
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . 9-47
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-47
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 9-48
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
9-4 Driving and Operating
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
.Avoid needless heavy braking.
.Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Electric Power Steering (2.4L
L4 Engine)
If the vehicle has electric power
steering, it does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort.
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is
held against that position for an
extended period of time, power
steering assist may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the
system cools down.
See specific vehicle steering
messages under Service Vehicle
Messages on page 5‑30
Hydraulic Power Steering (3.6L
V6 Engine)
If your vehicle has hydraulic power
steering, it may require
maintenance. See Power Steering
Fluid (2.4L L4 Engine) on
page 10‑19 orPower Steering Fluid
(3.6L V6 Engine) on page 10‑19.
If power steering is lost because the
engine stops or a system
malfunctions, the vehicle can be
steered but may require increased
effort. See your dealer if there is a
problem.
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
.Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
.Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve
.Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
9-6 Driving and Operating
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues—such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt.
.Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
All-wheel-drive vehicles can be
used for off-road driving. Vehicles
without all-wheel drive and vehicles
not equipped with All Terrain (AT) or
On-Off Road (OOR) tires must not
be driven off-road except on a level,
solid surface. To contact the tire
manufacturer for more information
about the original equipment tires, see the Limited Warranty and
Owner Assistance Information
manual.
Controlling the vehicle is the key to
successful off-road driving. One of
the best ways to control the vehicle
is to control the speed.
{WARNING
When driving off-road, bouncing
and quick changes in direction
can easily throw you out of
position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash. You and
your passengers should always
wear safety belts.
Before Driving Off-Road
.Have all necessary maintenance
and service work completed.
.Fuel the vehicle, fill fluid levels,
and check inflation pressure in
all tires, including the spare,
if equipped.
.Read all the information about
all-wheel-drive vehicles in this
manual.
.Make sure all underbody
shields, if equipped, are properly
attached.
.Know the local laws that apply to
off-road driving.
To gain more ground clearance if
needed, it may be necessary to
remove the front fascia lower
air dam.
Notice: Operating the vehicle for
extended periods without the
front fascia lower air dam
installed can cause improper air
flow to the engine. Re‐attach the
front fascia air dam after off-road
driving.

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
9-8 Driving and Operating
.Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible.
{WARNING
Driving to the top of a hill at high
speed can cause an accident.
There could be a drop-off,
embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be
seriously injured or killed. As you
near the top of a hill, slow down
and stay alert.
.Never go downhill forward or
backward with the transmission
in N (Neutral). The brakes could
overheat and you could lose
control.
.When driving down a hill, keep
the vehicle headed straight
down. Use a low gear because
the engine will work with the
brakes to slow the vehicle and
help keep the vehicle under
control.
{WARNING
Heavy braking when going down
a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and you or
others could be injured or killed.
Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under
control.
If the vehicle stalls on a hill:
1. Apply the brakes to stop the vehicle, and then apply the
parking brake.
2. Shift into P (Park) and then restart the engine.
.If driving uphill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to
R (Reverse), release the
parking brake, and back
straight down.
.Never try to turn the vehicle
around. If the hill is steep
enough to stall the vehicle,
it is steep enough to cause
it to roll over.
.If you cannot make it up the
hill, back straight down
the hill.
.Never back down a hill in
N (Neutral) using only the
brake.
.The vehicle can roll
backward quickly and you
could lose control.
.If driving downhill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to a
lower gear, release the
parking brake, and drive
straight down the hill.
3. If the vehicle cannot be restarted after stalling, set the parking
brake, shift an automatic
transmission into P (Park), and
turn the vehicle off.
3.1. Leave the vehicle and seek help.

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
9-10 Driving and Operating
Driving in Water
{WARNING
Driving through rushing water can
be dangerous. Deep water can
sweep your vehicle downstream
and you and your passengers
could drown. If it is only shallow
water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires.
Traction could be lost, and the
vehicle could roll over. Do not
drive through rushing water.
Notice: Do not drive through
standing water if it is deep
enough to cover the wheel hubs,
axles or exhaust pipe. Deep water
can damage the axle and other
vehicle parts.
If the standing water is not too deep,
drive slowly through it. At faster
speeds, water splashes on the
ignition system and the vehicle can
stall. Stalling can also occur if you
get the exhaust pipe under water. While the exhaust pipe is under
water, you will not be able to start
the engine. When going through
water, the brakes get wet, and it
might take longer to stop. See
Driving on Wet Roads on
page 9‑10.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that
has collected on the underbody or
chassis, or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand,
have the brake linings cleaned and
checked. These substances can
cause glazing and uneven braking.
Check the body structure, steering,
suspension, wheels, tires, and
exhaust system for damage and
check the fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
More frequent maintenance service
is required. Refer to the
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3
for more information.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep‐standing or flowing water.
{WARNING
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
(Continued)

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Driving and Operating 9-11
WARNING (CONTINUED)
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
.Have good tires with proper
tread depth. SeeTires on
page 10‑36.
.Turn off cruise control.
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to
your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find a
safe place to park the vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep the interior
temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving —scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{WARNING
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.

Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
9-12 Driving and Operating
{WARNING
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down
and they could get so hot that
they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill. You
could crash. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle in
gear when going downhill.
.Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your
own lane.
.Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(stalled car, accident).
.Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow
or ice between the tires and the
road, creating less traction or grip.
Wet ice can occur at about 0°C (32°
F) when freezing rain begins to fall,
resulting in even less traction. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated with salt
or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently so
traction is not lost. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick, so there is even less
traction.Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
improves vehicle stability during
hard stops on slippery roads, but
apply the brakes sooner than when
on dry pavement. See
Antilock
Brake System (ABS) on page 9‑30.
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road and watch for
slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in
shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain icy
when the surrounding roads are
clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
Turn off cruise control on slippery
surfaces.

Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
9-20 Driving and Operating
To shift out of P (Park), turn the
ignition to ON/RUN and apply the
brake pedal.
1 (STOPPING THE ENGINE/LOCK/
OFF):When the vehicle is stopped,
turn the ignition switch to LOCK/
OFF to turn the engine off. Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) on page 9‑22.
This is the only position from which
the key can be removed. This locks
the steering wheel, ignition and
automatic transmission.
The ignition switch can bind in the
LOCK/OFF position with the wheels
turned off center. If this happens,
move the steering wheel from right
to left while turning the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY. If this does not work,
then the vehicle needs service.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags. If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady
pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to a
safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF. On vehicles with
an automatic transmission, the
shift lever must be in P (Park) to
turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK/OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on page 9‑31.{WARNING
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
turn the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
2 (ACC/ACCESSORY): This
position provides power to some of
the electrical accessories. It unlocks
the steering wheel and ignition. To
move the key from ACC/
ACCESSORY to LOCK/OFF, push
in the key and then turn it to
LOCK/OFF.
3 (ON/RUN): The ignition switch
stays in this position when the
engine is running. This position can
be used to operate the electrical
accessories, including the