traction control GMC ACADIA 2015 Owner's Guide

Black plate (3,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-7576030) - 2015 - CRC - 8/18/14
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 3-34.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 3-34.
Keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of
any service work performed. See
Maintenance Records on
page 11-14.
{Caution
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 (53,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-7576030) - 2015 - CRC - 8/18/14
Vehicle Care 10-53
Vehicle Storage
Tires age when stored normally
mounted on a parked vehicle. Park
a vehicle that will be stored for at
least a month in a cool, dry, clean
area away from direct sunlight to
slow aging. This area should be free
of grease, gasoline, or other
substances that can deteriorate
rubber.
Parking for an extended period can
cause flat spots on the tires that
may result in vibrations while
driving. When storing a vehicle for
at least a month, remove the tires or
raise the vehicle to reduce the
weight from the tires.
Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched
specific tires for the vehicle. The
original equipment tires installed
were designed to meet General
Motors Tire Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec)
system rating. Whenreplacement tires are needed,
GM strongly recommends
buying tires with the same TPC
Spec rating.
GM's exclusive TPC Spec
system considers over a dozen
critical specifications that impact
the overall performance of the
vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire
pressure monitoring
performance. GM's TPC Spec
number is molded onto the tire's
sidewall near the tire size. If the
tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC Spec number
will be followed by MS for mud
and snow. See
Tire Sidewall
Labeling on page 10-39.
GM recommends replacing worn
tires in complete sets of four.
Uniform tread depth on all tires
will help to maintain the
performance of the vehicle. Braking and handling
performance may be adversely
affected if all the tires are not
replaced at the same time.
If proper rotation and
maintenance have been done,
all four tires should wear out at
about the same time. See
Tire
Rotation on page 10-51.
However, if it is necessary to
replace only one axle set of
worn tires, place the new tires
on the rear axle.
Winter tires with the same speed
rating as the original equipment
tires may not be available for H,
V, W, Y and ZR speed rated
tires. Never exceed the winter
tires’ maximum speed capability
when using winter tires with a
lower speed rating.

Black plate (54,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-7576030) - 2015 - CRC - 8/18/14
10-54 Vehicle Care
{Warning
Tires could explode during
improper service. Attempting
to mount or dismount a tire
could cause injury or death.
Only your dealer or authorized
tire service center should
mount or dismount the tires.
{Warning
Mixing tires of different sizes,
brands, or types may cause
loss of control of the vehicle,
resulting in a crash or other
vehicle damage. Use the
correct size, brand, and type
of tires on all wheels.
{Warning
Using bias-ply tires on the
vehicle may cause the wheel
rim flanges to develop cracks
after many miles of driving.
A tire and/or wheel could fail
suddenly and cause a crash.
Use only radial-ply tires with
the wheels on the vehicle.
If the vehicle tires must be
replaced with a tire that does not
have a TPC Spec number, make
sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating, and
construction (radial) as the
original tires.
Vehicles that have a tire
pressure monitoring system
could give an inaccurate
low-pressure warning if non-TPC
Spec rated tires are installed.
See Tire Pressure Monitor
System on page 10-46. The Tire and Loading
Information label indicates the
original equipment tires on the
vehicle. See
Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9-9.
Different Size Tires and
Wheels
If wheels or tires are installed that
are a different size than the original
equipment wheels and tires, vehicle
performance, including its braking,
ride and handling characteristics,
stability, and resistance to rollover
may be affected. If the vehicle has
electronic systems such as antilock
brakes, rollover airbags, traction
control, electronic stability control,
or All-Wheel Drive, the performance
of these systems can also be
affected.

Black plate (55,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-7576030) - 2015 - CRC - 8/18/14
Vehicle Care 10-55
{Warning
If different sized wheels are used,
there may not be an acceptable
level of performance and safety if
tires not recommended for those
wheels are selected. This
increases the chance of a crash
and serious injury. Only use GM
specific wheel and tire systems
developed for the vehicle, and
have them properly installed by a
GM certified technician.
See Buying New Tires on
page 10-53 andAccessories and
Modifications on page 10-2.
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
The following information relates
to the system developed by the
United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires by treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This
applies only to vehicles sold in
the United States. The grades
are molded on the sidewalls of
most passenger car tires. The
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
(UTQG) system does not apply
to deep tread, winter tires,
compact spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production
tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test
course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and
one-half (1½) times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of

Black plate (56,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-7576030) - 2015 - CRC - 8/18/14
10-56 Vehicle Care
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and
differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on
specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.Temperature
The temperature grades are A
(the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure. The grade
C corresponds to a level of
performance which all
passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and
A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum
required by law. Warning: The
temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is
properly inflated and notoverloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance
The tires and wheels were aligned
and balanced at the factory to
provide the longest tire life and best
overall performance. Adjustments to
wheel alignment and tire balancing
are not necessary on a regular
basis. Consider an alignment check
if there is unusual tire wear or the
vehicle is significantly pulling to one
side or the other. Some slight pull to
the left or right, depending on the
crown of the road and/or other road
surface variations such as troughs
or ruts, is normal. If the vehicle is
vibrating when driving on a smooth
road, the tires and wheels may need
to be rebalanced. See your dealer
for proper diagnosis.

Black plate (58,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-7576030) - 2015 - CRC - 8/18/14
10-58 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
parts. The area damaged by the
tire chains could cause loss of
control and a crash.
Use another type of traction
device only if its manufacturer
recommends it for the vehicle's
tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that
manufacturer's instructions. To
avoid vehicle damage, drive slow
and readjust or remove the
traction device if it contacts the
vehicle. Do not spin the wheels.
If traction devices are used, install
them on the front tires.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blow out
while driving, especially if the tires
are maintained properly. SeeTires
on page 10-37. If air goes out of a
tire, it is much more likely to leak
out slowly. But if there ever is a
blowout, here are a few tips about
what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire
creates a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot off
the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel firmly. Steer to
maintain lane position, and then
gently brake to a stop, well off the
road, if possible.
A rear blowout, particularly on a
curve, acts much like a skid and
may require the same correction as
used in a skid. Stop pressing the
accelerator pedal and steer to
straighten the vehicle. It may be
very bumpy and noisy. Gently brake
to a stop, well off the road,
if possible.{Warning
Driving on a flat tire will cause
permanent damage to the tire.
Re-inflating a tire after it has been
driven on while severely
underinflated or flat may cause a
blowout and a serious crash.
Never attempt to re-inflate a tire
that has been driven on while
severely underinflated or flat.
Have your dealer or an authorized
tire service center repair or
replace the flat tire as soon as
possible.

Black plate (68,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-7576030) - 2015 - CRC - 8/18/14
10-68 Vehicle Care
Compact Spare Tire
{Warning
Driving with more than one
compact spare tire at a time could
result in loss of braking and
handling. This could lead to a
crash and you or others could be
injured. Use only one compact
spare tire at a time.
If this vehicle has a compact spare
tire, it was fully inflated when new;
however, it can lose air over time.
Check the inflation pressure
regularly. It should be 420 kPa
(60 psi).
Stop as soon as possible and check
that the spare tire is correctly
inflated after being installed on the
vehicle. The compact spare tire is
designed for temporary use only. The vehicle will perform differently
with the spare tire installed and it is
recommended that the vehicle
speed be limited to 80 km/h
(50 mph). To conserve the tread of
the spare tire, have the standard tire
repaired or replaced as soon as
convenient and return the spare tire
to the storage area.
When using a compact spare tire,
the ABS and Traction Control
systems may engage until the spare
tire is recognized by the vehicle,
especially on slippery roads. Adjust
driving to reduce possible
wheel slip.
Performance of the All-Wheel
Drive (AWD) system will be
automatically reduced to protect the
system when using the compact
spare. To restore the AWD and
prevent excessive wear on the
clutch in the AWD, replace the
compact spare tire with a full-size
tire as soon as possible.
{Caution
When the compact spare is
installed, do not take the vehicle
through an automatic car wash
with guide rails. The compact
spare can get caught on the rails
which can damage the tire, wheel,
and other parts of the vehicle.
Do not use the compact spare on
other vehicles.
Do not mix the compact spare tire or
wheel with other wheels or tires.
They will not fit. Keep the spare tire
and its wheel together.
{Caution
Tire chains will not fit the compact
spare. Using them can damage
the vehicle and the chains. Do not
use tire chains on the compact
spare.

Black plate (3,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-7576030) - 2015 - CRC - 8/18/14
INDEX i-3
CompartmentsStorage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Connections OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-4
Control Traction and Electronic
Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Coolant Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Engine TemperatureGauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Engine Temperature
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11 Engine Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-8
Cover Cargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6 Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . 13-4 Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-3
Text Telephone (TTY)Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-4
Customer Information Service PublicationsOrdering Information . . . . . . .13-11
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-1
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . 13-9
Danger, Warnings, andCautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . 13-14
Daytime Running Lamps/ Automatic Headlamp
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Delayed Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Delayed Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Delayed Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3 Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Devices
Auxiliary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-15
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . 12-3
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . 9-26, 10-23
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Driving
Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . 1-22
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . 9-6
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5

Black plate (11,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-7576030) - 2015 - CRC - 8/18/14
INDEX i-11
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4Fluid, Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Storage Areas Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Cargo Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Cargo Management System . . . 4-3
Center Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Stuck Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
System Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1, 13-15
Roof Rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4T
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . 13-4
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . 2-13 Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Third-Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37 All-Season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-53
Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Compact Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-68
Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Inflation Monitor System . . . . 10-47
Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-40
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Pressure Monitor System . . . 10-46
Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42 Tires (cont'd)
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-57
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Towing Driving Characteristics . . . . . . . . 9-46
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-51
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Recreational Vehicle . . . . . . . . 10-72
Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-72
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Trademarks and License Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-27
Trailer
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49