steering CHEVROLET TRAVERSE 2012 1.G Owner's Manual

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2012
Lighting 6-1
Lighting
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . 6-1
Headlamp High/Low-BeamChanger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)/Automatic Headlamp
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Delayed Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . 6-4
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel IlluminationControl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Delayed Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . 6-6
Delayed Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Parade Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Battery Load Management . . . . 6-7
Battery Power Protection . . . . . . 6-8
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls
The exterior lamps control is located
on the instrument panel to the left of
the steering wheel.
It controls the following systems:
.Headlamps
.Taillamps
.Parking Lamps
.License Plate Lamps
.Instrument Panel Lights

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2012
Lighting 6-5
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel
Illumination Control
The instrument panel brightness
knob is located on the instrument
panel to the left of the steering
column.
D(Instrument Panel
Brightness): Push the knob in all
the way until it extends out and then
turn the knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to brighten or dim
the lights. Push the knob back in
when finished.
Courtesy Lamps
The courtesy lamps automatically
come on when a door is opened.
The lamps can also be turned on
manually by fully turning the
instrument panel brightness control
clockwise.
The reading lamps, located on the
headliner above the rearview mirror,
can be turned on or off
independently of the automatic
courtesy lamps, when the doors are
closed.
Dome Lamps
The dome lamps are located in the
overhead console and above the
rear seat passengers.
The dome lamps come on when a
door is opened, unless the dome
lamp override button is pressed in. The lamps can also be turned on
and off by turning the instrument
panel brightness control clockwise
to the farthest position.
Dome Lamp Override
The dome lamp override button is
next to the exterior lamps control.
E
DOME OFF (Dome Lamp
Override): Press the top of the
button in and the dome lamps
remain off when a door is opened.

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2012
7-8 Infotainment System
©SEEK and¨SEEK :Press to go
to the previous or next station and
stay there.
To scan stations, press and hold
©
or¨until a beep sounds. The radio
goes to a station, plays for a few
seconds, then goes to the next
station. Press either arrow again to
stop scanning.
The radio only seeks and scans
stations with a strong signal that are
in the selected band.
Storing a Radio Station as a
Favorite
Drivers are encouraged to set up
their radio station favorites while
the vehicle is in P (Park). Tune to
favorite stations using the presets,
favorites button, and steering wheel
controls. See Steering Wheel
Controls on page 5‑2.
FAV (Favorites): A maximum of
36 stations can be programmed as
favorites using the six softkeys
below the radio station frequency tabs and by using the radio favorites
page button (FAV button). Press
to go through up to six pages of
favorites, each having six favorite
stations available per page. Each
page of favorites can contain any
combination of AM, FM, or XM
stations.
The balance/fade and tone settings
that were previously adjusted are
stored with the favorite stations.
To store a station as a favorite:
1. Tune to the desired radio station.
2. Press FAV to display the page to
store the station.
3. Press and hold one of the six softkeys until a beep sounds.
When that softkey is pressed
and released, the station that
was set returns.
4. Repeat the steps for each radio station to be stored as a favorite. To set up the number of favorites
pages:
1. Press MENU to display the radio
setup menu.
2. Press the softkey below the FAV 1-6 tab.
3. Select the desired number of favorites pages by pressing the
softkey below the displayed
page numbers.
4. Press FAV, or let the menu time out, to return to the original
main radio screen showing the
radio station frequency tabs
and to begin the process of
programming favorites for the
chosen number of favorites
pages.
Satellite Radio
XM™ Satellite Radio Service
XM is a satellite radio service based
in the 48 contiguous United States
and 10 Canadian provinces. XM
Satellite Radio has a wide variety of
programming and commercial-free

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2012
7-10 Infotainment System
4. Press the softkey under theRemove tab until the category
name along with the word
Removed displays.
5. Repeat the steps to remove more categories.
Removed categories can be
restored by pressing the softkey
under the Add tab when a removed
category is displayed or by pressing
the softkey under the Restore
All tab.
Categories cannot be removed or
added while the vehicle is moving
faster than 8 km/h (5 mph).
Storing a Radio Station as a
Favorite
Drivers are encouraged to set up
their radio station favorites while
the vehicle is in P (Park). Tune to
favorite stations using the presets,
favorites button, and steering wheel
controls. See Steering Wheel
Controls on page 5‑2. FAV (Favorites):
A maximum of
36 stations can be programmed as
favorites using the six softkeys
below the radio station frequency
tabs and by using the radio favorites
page button (FAV button). Press to
go through up to six pages of
favorites, each having six favorite
stations available per page. Each
page of favorites can contain any
combination of AM, FM, or XM
stations.
The balance/fade and tone settings
that were previously adjusted are
stored with the favorite stations.
To store a station as a favorite:
1. Tune to the desired radio station.
2. Press FAV to display the page to
store the station.
3. Press and hold one of the six softkeys until a beep sounds.
When that softkey is pressed
and released, the station that
was set returns.
4. Repeat the steps for each radio station to be stored as a favorite. To set up the number of favorites
pages:
1. Press MENU to display the radio
setup menu.
2. Press the softkey below the FAV 1-6 tab.
3. Select the desired number of favorites pages by pressing the
softkey below the displayed
page numbers.
4. Press FAV, or let the menu time out, to return to the original
main radio screen showing the
radio station frequency tabs
and to begin the process of
programming favorites for the
chosen number of favorites
pages.XM™ Radio Messages
XL (Explicit Language
Channels): These channels, or
any others, can be blocked at a
customer's request, by calling
1-800-929-2100 in the U.S. and
1-877-438-9677 in Canada.

Black plate (48,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2012
7-48 Infotainment System
Bluetooth Controls
Use the buttons located on the
steering wheel to operate the
in‐vehicle Bluetooth system. See
Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑2for more information.
b/g(Push To Talk): Press to
answer incoming calls, confirm
system information, and start
speech recognition.
c/x(Phone On Hook): Press
to end a call, reject a call, or cancel
an operation.
Pairing
A Bluetooth enabled cell phone
must be paired to the Bluetooth
system and then connected to the
vehicle before it can be used. See
the cell phone manufacturer's user
guide for Bluetooth functions before
pairing the cell phone. If a Bluetooth
phone is not connected, calls will be
made using OnStar Hands‐Free
Calling, if equipped. See OnStar
Overview on page 14‑1 for more
information. Pairing Information
.A Bluetooth phone with MP3
capability cannot be paired to
the vehicle as a phone and an
MP3 player at the same time.
.Up to five cell phones can be
paired to the Bluetooth system.
.The pairing process is disabled
when the vehicle is moving.
.Pairing only needs to be
completed once, unless the
pairing information on the cell
phone changes or the cell phone
is deleted from the system.
.Only one paired cell phone can
be connected to the Bluetooth
system at a time.
.If multiple paired cell phones are
within range of the system, the
system connects to the first
available paired cell phone in the
order that they were first paired
to the system. To connect to a
different paired phone, see
“Connecting to a Different
Phone”
later in this section. Pairing a Phone
1. Press and hold
b/gfor
two seconds.
2. Say “Bluetooth.” This command
can be skipped.
3. Say “Pair.”The system responds
with instructions and a four‐digit
Personal Identification Number
(PIN). The PIN is used in Step 5.
4. Start the pairing process on the cell phone that you want to pair.
For help with this process, see
the cell phone manufacturer's
user guide.
5. Locate the device named “Your
Vehicle” in the list on the cell
phone. Follow the instructions
on the cell phone to enter the
PIN that was provided in Step 3.
After the PIN is successfully
entered, the system prompts you
to provide a name for the paired
cell phone. This name will be
used to indicate which phones
are paired and connected to the
vehicle. The system responds

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2012
8-8 Climate Controls
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a
warming grid to remove fog from the
rear window.
1(Rear Window Defogger):
Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. The rear window
defogger stays on for about
10 minutes, before turning off. The
defogger also turns off when the
engine is turned off. Do not drive the
vehicle until all the windows are
clear.
For vehicles with heated outside
rearview mirrors, fog or frost is
cleared from the surface of the
mirror when the rear window defog
button is pressed.
Notice: Do not use a razor blade
or sharp object to clear the inside
rear window. Do not adhere
anything to the defogger grid
lines in the rear glass. These
actions may damage the rear
defogger. Repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
Sensors
The solar sensor, located in the
defrost grille in the middle of the
instrument panel, monitors the solar
heat. Do not cover the solar sensor
or the system will not work properly.
The interior temperature sensor
located on the instrument panel to
the right of the steering column,
measures the temperature of the air
inside the vehicle.
There is also an exterior
temperature sensor located behind
the front grille. This sensor reads
the outside air temperature and
helps maintain the temperature
inside the vehicle. Any cover on the
front of the vehicle could cause a
false reading in the displayed
temperature.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2012
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
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-7
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-14
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-15
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-17
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19 Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-22
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . 9-28
Ride Control Systems
StabiliTrak®System . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Object Detection Systems
Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 9-33
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Gasoline Specifications (U.S.and Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-39
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-3
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means“always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the safety belt. See Safety Belts on
page 3‑14.
.Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes.
Anticipate what they might do
and be ready.
.Allow enough following distance
between you and the driver in
front of you.
.Focus on the task of driving.
Drunk Driving
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
{WARNING
Drinking and then driving is
very dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious —or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is
about three‐fourths of a second.
In that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
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.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2012
9-4 Driving and Operating
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
Hydraulic Power Steering
Your vehicle has hydraulic
power steering. It may require
maintenance. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 10‑19.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort.
Variable Effort Steering
Some vehicles have a steering
system that varies the amount of
effort required to steer the vehicle in
relation to the speed of the vehicle.
The amount of steering effort
required is less at slower speeds
to make the vehicle more
maneuverable and easier to park.
At faster speeds, the steering effort
increases to provide a sport-like
feel to the steering. This provides
maximum control and stability.
If the vehicle seems harder to steer
than normal when parking or driving
slowly, there may be a problem with
the system. You will still have power
steering, but steering will be stiffer
than normal at slow speeds. See
your dealer for service.
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.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
.Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
.Antilock Brake System (ABS)
allows steering while braking.

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-5
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator andthen, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge. 3. Then turn the steering wheel to
go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
.Steering or Cornering
Skid —too much speed or
steering in a curve causes tires
to slip and lose cornering force.
.Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible. If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
.Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly
steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. The vehicle may
straighten out. Be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
.Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
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.