service 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 (3,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
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.
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
Attention: Customer Service
47911 Halyard Drive
Plymouth, MI 48170
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.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 20960970 A First Printing©2012 General Motors LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
iv Introduction
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.”
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)
$:Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control

Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
1-16 In Brief
Storing a Favorite Station
Stations from all bands can be
stored in the favorite lists in any
order. Up to six stations can be
stored in each favorite page and the
number of available favorite pages
can be set.
To store the station to a position in
the list, press the corresponding
numeric button 1-6 until the station
can be heard again.
For more information, see“Storing
and Retrieving Favorites” inAM-FM
Radio on page 7‑7.
Setting the Clock
For detailed instructions on setting
either clock, see Clock on page 5‑5.
To set the time:
1. Press
Hto enter the menu
options. Turn the MENU/SEL
knob to scroll through the
available setup features.
2. Press + or −to decrease or
increase the Hours and Minutes
displayed on the clock. 12/24 HR Format:
Press the 12 HR
screen button for standard time;
press the 24 HR screen button for
military time.
Day + or Day −:Press the Day +
and Day −display buttons to
increase or decrease the day.
Display: Press the Display to turn
the display of the time on the screen
on or off.
Satellite Radio
Vehicles with a SiriusXM® satellite
radio tuner and a valid SiriusXM
satellite radio subscription can
receive SiriusXM programming.
SiriusXM Satellite Radio
Service
SiriusXM is a satellite radio service
based in the 48 contiguous United
States and 10 Canadian provinces.
SiriusXM satellite radio has a wide
variety of programming and
commercial-free music, coast to coast, and in digital-quality sound.
A fee is required to receive the
SiriusXM service.
Refer to:
.www.siriusxm.com or call
1-866-635-2349 (U.S.).
.www.xmradio.ca or call
1-877-209-0079 (Canada).
See Satellite Radio on page 7‑9.
Portable Audio Devices
Some vehicles have a 3.5 mm
(1/8 in) auxiliary input and a USB
port in the center console bin.
External devices such as iPods®,
laptop computers, MP3 players, CD
changers, and USB drives may be
connected, depending on the audio
system.
SeeAuxiliary Devices on page 7‑17.

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
In Brief 1-23
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Roadside Assistance
Program
U.S.: 1-800-243-8872
TTY Users (U.S. Only):
1-888-889-2438
Canada: 1-800-268-6800
As the owner of a new Chevrolet,
you are automatically enrolled in the
Roadside Assistance program.
SeeRoadside Assistance Program
on page 13‑5. Roadside Assistance and OnStar
If the vehicle has an active OnStar
subscription, contact OnStar and the
vehicle’s current GPS location will
be sent to an OnStar advisor to
assess the situation, contact
Roadside Assistance, and relay the
exact location to send help.
OnStar®
If equipped, this vehicle has a
comprehensive, in-vehicle system
that can connect to a live Advisor
for Emergency, Security, Navigation,
Connection, and Diagnostic
Services. See
OnStar Overview on
page 14‑1.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-3
.If the transmitter is still not
working correctly, see your
dealer or a qualified technician
for service.
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter may work up to 60 m
(195 ft) away from the vehicle.
There are other conditions which
can affect the performance of the
transmitter. SeeRemote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System on page 2‑2.
RKE Without Remote Start Shown
The following may be available:
Q(Lock): Press to lock all doors.
The turn signal indicators may flash
and/or the horn may sound to
indicate locking. See “Remote Lock
Feedback” underVehicle
Personalization on page 5‑32. If a
passenger door is open when
Qis
pressed, all doors lock. If the driver
door is open when
Qis pressed, all
doors lock except the driver door.
These settings can be modified. See
“Unlocked Door Anti Lock Out”
under Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑32.
Pressing
Qmay also arm the
theft-deterrent system. See Vehicle
Alarm System on page 2‑12.
K(Unlock): Press to unlock the
driver door or all doors. See
“Remote Door Unlock” under
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑32. The turn signal
indicators flash to indicate unlocking
has occurred. For more information
see “Remote Unlock Light
Feedback” underVehicle
Personalization on page 5‑32.
Pressing
Kmay also disarm the
theft-deterrent system. See Vehicle
Alarm System on page 2‑12.
For vehicles with the manual
liftgate, press
Ktwice within
5 seconds to unlock the liftgate.
V(Remote Liftgate Release):
For vehicles with the power liftgate,
press and hold
Vuntil the liftgate
begins to move.

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-11
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 the vehicle is shifted out of
P (Park) while the power function is
in progress, the liftgate power
function will continue to completion.
If the vehicle is shifted out of
P (Park) and accelerated 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 driving away.
If the liftgate is power opened and
the liftgate support struts have lost
pressure, the turn signals flash and
a chime will sound. The liftgate
stays open temporarily, and then
slowly closes. See a 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
and a message will display in the
Driver Information Center (DIC), see
Object Detection System Messages
on page 5‑29. 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 vehicle 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 eitherthe 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.
When power opened with the 3/4
mode selected, the liftgate stops at
the new set position.

Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
2-14 Keys, Doors, and Windows
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.
Power Mirrors
To adjust the mirrors:
1. Move the selector switch to L (Left) or R (Right) to choose the
driver or passenger mirror.
2. Press the arrows on the control pad to move each mirror in the
desired direction.
3. Return the selector switch to the middle position.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
Seats and Restraints 3-7
stored positions are referred to as
RKE Memory positions. See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2‑3.
Storing Button Memory Positions
To save positions into Button
Memory:
1. Adjust the driver seat, seatbackrecliner, and both outside mirrors
to the desired driving positions.
2. Press and hold MEM (Memory) and “1”at the same time until a
beep sounds.
3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 for a second driver using “2.”
Recalling Button Memory
Positions
To recall the Button Memory
positions, press and hold “1”or“2.”
The driver seat and outside mirrors
move to the positions stored to
those buttons when pressed.
Releasing “1”or“2” before the
stored positions are reached stops
the recall. If something has blocked the driver
seat while recalling a memory
position, the recall may stop.
Remove the obstruction; then press
and hold the appropriate manual
control for the memory item that is
not recalling for two seconds. Try
recalling the memory position again
by pressing the appropriate memory
button. If the memory position is still
not recalling, see your dealer for
service.
Recalling RKE Memory Positions
(Memory Remote Recall)
The Memory Remote Recall feature
can recall the driver seat and
outside mirrors to previously stored
RKE Memory positions when
entering the vehicle.
Every time the ignition is turned off,
the positions of the driver seat and
outside mirrors are automatically
stored to the RKE transmitter that
was used to start the vehicle. These
positions are called RKE Memory
positions and may be different than
the previously mentioned ButtonMemory positions saved to the
“1”
or“2” buttons. To recall RKE
Memory positions, unlock the driver
door with the RKE transmitter and
open the driver door. If the driver
door is already open, pressing the
RKE transmitter
Kbutton will also
activate the RKE Memory recall.
The driver seat and outside mirrors
will move to the previously saved
RKE Memory positions.
This feature is turned on or off using
the vehicle personalization menu.
See Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑32.
To stop recall movement, press any
of the memory, power mirror,
or power seat controls.
If something has blocked the driver
seat while recalling a memory
position, the recall may stop.
Remove the obstruction; then press
and hold the appropriate manual
control for the memory item that is
not recalling for two seconds. Try
recalling the memory position again
by opening the driver door and

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/21/12
3-8 Seats and Restraints
pressing the RKEKbutton. If the
memory position is still not recalling,
see your dealer for service.
Easy Exit Driver Seat
This feature moves the seat
rearward allowing the driver more
room to exit the vehicle.
To activate, turn the ignition off and
open the driver door. If the driver
door is already open, turning the
ignition off will activate the recall.
This feature can be turned on or off
using the vehicle personalization
menu. See Vehicle Personalization
on page 5‑32.
To stop recall movement, press one
of the memory or power seat
controls.
If something has blocked the driver
seat while recalling the exit position,
the recall may stop. Remove the
obstruction; then press and hold the
power seat control rearward for
two seconds. Try recalling the exit position again. If the exit position is
still not recalling, see your dealer for
service.
Heated Front Seats
{WARNING
If you cannot feel temperature
change or pain to the skin, the
seat heater may cause burns. To
reduce the risk of burns, people
with such a condition should use
care when using the seat heater,
especially for long periods of
time. Do not place anything on
the seat that insulates against
heat, such as a blanket, cushion,
cover, or similar item. This may
cause the seat heater to
overheat. An overheated seat
heater may cause a burn or may
damage the seat.
Uplevel Climate Control System
Shown, Base Similar
If available, the buttons are near the
climate controls. To operate, the
ignition must be in ON/RUN.
Press
zorJto heat the driver or
passenger seat cushion and
seatback.
Press the button once for the
highest setting. With each press of
the button, the heated seat will
change to the next lower setting,
and then the off setting. Three lights
indicate the highest setting, and one
light indicates the lowest.