CHEVROLET EQUINOX 2019 Owner's Manual
Manufacturer: CHEVROLET, Model Year: 2019, Model line: EQUINOX, Model: CHEVROLET EQUINOX 2019Pages: 426, PDF Size: 6.38 MB
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Chevrolet Equinox Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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270 Driving and Operating
VehicleMaximum Trailer
Weight with Trailer Brakes† GCWR*
1.5L Gas FWD 680 kg (1,500 lb) 2 380 kg (5,247 lb)
1.5L Gas AWD 680 kg (1,500 lb) 2 480 kg (5,467 lb)
1.6L Diesel, 2.0L Gas 680 kg (1,500 lb) 2 580 kg (5,687 lb)
2.0L Gas with V92
Trailering Provisions 1 590 kg (3,505 lb) 3 490 kg (7,694 lb)
† For trailers without trailer brakes the maximum trailer weight is 454 kg
(1,000 lb). See Towing Equipment 0271.
* The Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) is the total allowable
weight of the completely loaded vehicle and trailer including any
passengers, cargo, equipment, and conversions. Do not exceed the
GCWR for the vehicle.
Maximum Trailer Tongue
Weight
The Maximum Trailer Tongue
Weight Rating is the allowable
trailer tongue weight that the vehicle
can support using a conventional trailer hitch. It may be necessary to
reduce the overall trailer weight to
stay within the maximum trailer
tongue weight rating while still
maintaining the correct trailer load
balance.
Do not exceed a maximum trailer
tongue weight of 159 kg (350 lb).
The trailer tongue weight contributes
to the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW).
GVW includes the CURB WEIGHT
of your vehicle, any passengers,
cargo, equipment and the trailer
tongue weight. Vehicle options,
passengers, cargo, and equipment
reduce the maximum allowable
tongue weight the vehicle can carry,
which also reduces the maximum
allowable trailer weight.
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Driving and Operating 271
Trailer Load Balance
The correct trailer load balance
must be maintained to ensure trailer
stability. Incorrect load balance is a
leading cause of trailer sway.
The trailer tongue weight (1) should
be 10–15% of the loaded trailer
weight (2). Some specific trailer
types, such as boat trailers, fall
outside of this range. Always refer
to the trailer owner’s manual for the
recommended trailer tongue weight
for each trailer. Never exceed the
maximum loads for your vehicle,
hitch and trailer. After loading the trailer, separately
weigh the trailer and then the trailer
tongue and calculate the trailer load
balance percentage to see if the
weights and distribution are
appropriate for your vehicle. If the
trailer weight is too high, it may be
possible to trasfer some of the
cargo into your vehicle. If the trailer
tongue weight is too high or too low,
it may be possible to rearrange
some of the cargo inside of the
trailer.
Do not exceed the maximum
allowable tongue weight for your
vehicle. Use the shortest hitch
extension available to position the
hitch ball closer to your vehicle. This
will help reduce the effect of the
trailer tongue weight on the trailer
hitch and the rear axle.
If a cargo carrier is used in the
trailer hitch receiver, choose a
carrier that positions the load as
close to the vehicle as possible.
Make sure the total weight,
including the carrier, is no more than
half of the maximum allowable
tongue weight for the vehicle or
227 kg (500 lb), whichever is less.
Ask your dealer for trailering
information or assistance.
Towing Equipment
Hitches
Always use the correct hitch
equipment for your vehicle.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by,
and rough roads can affect the
trailer and the hitch.
Proper hitch equipment for your
vehicle helps maintain control of the
vehicle-trailer combination. Many
trailers can be towed using a
weight-carrying hitch which has a
coupler latched to the hitch ball, or a
tow eye latched to a pintle hook.
Other trailers may require a
weight-distributing hitch that uses
spring bars to distribute the trailer
tongue weight between your vehicle
and trailer axles. See
“Maximum
Trailer Tongue Weight” underTrailer
Towing 0268 for weight limits with
various hitch types.
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272 Driving and Operating
Never attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches. Only use
frame-mounted hitches that do not
attach to the bumper.
Hitch Cover
To remove the hitch cover:1. Remove two fasteners (2).
2. Pull the bottom edge of the cover rearward.
3. Disengage the cover at the upper attachments (1) and
remove. Consider using mechanical sway
controls with any trailer. Ask a
trailering professional about sway
controls or refer to the trailer
manufacturer's recommendations
and instructions.
Tires
.
Do not tow a trailer while using a
compact spare tire on the
vehicle.
. Tires must be properly inflated to
support loads while towing a
trailer. See Tires0316 for
instructions on proper tire
inflation.
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer, and attach
the chains to the holes on the trailer
hitch platform. Instructions about
safety chains may be provided by
the hitch manufacturer or by the
trailer manufacturer.
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. Always leave just enough
slack so the combination can turn.
Never allow safety chains to drag on
the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Loaded trailers over 450 kg
(1,000 lb) must be equipped with
brake systems and with brakes for
each axle. Trailer braking equipment
conforming to Canadian Standards
Association (CSA) requirement
CAN3-D313, or its equivalent, is
recommended.
State or local regulations may
require trailers to have their own
braking system if the loaded weight
of the trailer exceeds certain
minimums that can vary from state
to state. Read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes so
they are installed, adjusted, and
maintained properly. Never attempt
to tap into your vehicle's hydraulic
brake system. If you do, both the
vehicle anti-lock brakes and the
trailer brakes may not function,
which could result in a crash.
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Driving and Operating 273
Trailer Lamps
Always check all trailer lamps are
working at the beginning of each
trip, and periodically on longer trips.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
When properly connected, the trailer
turn signals should will illuminate to
indicate the vehicle is turning,
changing lanes, or stopping. When
towing a trailer, the arrows on the
instrument cluster will illuminate
even if the trailer is not properly
connected or the bulbs are
burned out.
Trailer Tires
Special Trailer (ST) tires differ from
vehicle tires. Trailer tires are
designed with stiff sidewalls to help
prevent sway and to support heavy
loads. These features can make it
difficult to determine if the trailer tire
pressures are low only based on a
visual inspection.Always check all trailer tire
pressures before each trip when the
tires are cool. Low trailer tire
pressure is a leading cause of trailer
tire blow-outs.
Trailer tires deteriorate over time.
The trailer tire sidewall will show the
week and year the tire was
manufactured. Many trailer tire
manufacturers recommend
replacing tires more than six
years old.
Overloading is another leading
cause of trailer tire blow-outs. Never
load your trailer with more weight
than the tires are designed to
support. The load rating is located
on the trailer tire sidewall.
Always know the maximum speed
rating for the trailer tires before
driving. This may be significantly
lower than the vehicle tire speed
rating. The speed rating may be on
the trailer tire sidewall. If the speed
rating is not shown, the default
trailer tire speed rating is 105 km/h
(65 mph).
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is
used for vehicle service
and Emission Inspection/
Maintenance testing. See
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light)
0132.
A device connected to the DLC —
such as an aftermarket fleet or
driver-behavior tracking device —
may interfere with vehicle
systems. This could affect vehicle
operation and cause a crash.
Such devices may also access
information stored in the vehicle’s
systems.
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274 Driving and Operating
Caution
Some electrical equipment can
damage the vehicle or cause
components to not work and
would not be covered by the
vehicle 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 087 and Adding Equipment
to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
0 87.
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Vehicle Care 275
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 276
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 277
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 289
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 290
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 296
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Battery - North America . . . . . . 300
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301 Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 301
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 301
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 302
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 303
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Front Turn Signal and Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 308
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 308
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 309
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309 Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 318
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 336
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276 Vehicle Care
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Tire Sealant andCompressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Storing the Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 350
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Recreational VehicleTowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
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
{Warning
Most motor vehicles, including
this one, as well as many of its
service parts and fluids, 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. For more information
go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See Battery - North America 0300
and Jump Starting - North America
0 351 and the back cover.
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Vehicle Care 277
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat 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
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 suspension components
caused by modifying vehicle height
outside of factory settings will not be
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, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 087.
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 ’s 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
Publication Ordering Information
0 397.
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278 Vehicle Care
This vehicle has an airbag system.
Before attempting to do your own
service work, seeServicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 087.
If equipped with remote vehicle
start, open the hood before
performing any service work to
prevent remote starting the vehicle
accidentally. See Remote Vehicle
Start 036.
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of
any service work performed. See
Maintenance Records 0382.
Caution
Even small amounts of
contamination can cause damage
to vehicle systems. Do not allow
contaminants to contact the fluids,
reservoir caps, or dipsticks.
Hood
To open the hood:
1. Pull the hood release lever with
this symbol on it. It is on the
lower side of the instrument
panel between the door and
the steering wheel.
2. Go to the front of the vehicle tofind the secondary hood
release handle. The handle is
under the front edge of the
hood near the center. Push the
handle to the right and raise
the hood.
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Vehicle Care 279
3. Release the hood prop from itsretainer, located above the
radiator. Securely place the
hood prop into the slot on the
underside of the hood. To close the hood:
1. Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are
properly installed.
2. Lift the hood to relieve pressure on the hood prop.
Remove the hood prop from
the slot on the underside of the
hood and return the prop to its
retainer. The prop rod must
click into place when returning
it to the retainer to prevent
hood damage. 3. Lower the hood so that it is
30 cm (12 in) above the vehicle
and release it so it fully latches.
4. Check to make sure the hood is closed. If not, release the
hood from inside and repeat
Steps 1–3.