trailer GMC ACADIA 2016 Owner's Manual

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9159268) - 2016 - crc - 7/31/15
In Brief 19
Dual Automatic Climate Control System
1. Driver and Passenger SideTemperature Controls
2. Air Delivery Mode Controls
3. SYNC (Synchronized Temperature)
4. AUTO (Automatic Operation)
5. REAR (Rear Climate Control)
6. A/C (Air Conditioning)
7. Recirculation
8. Fan Control
9. Rear Window Defogger
10. Defrost See
Climate Control Systems 0182
or Dual Automatic Climate Control
System 0185 (If Equipped). For
more information about the rear
climate control, see Rear Climate
Control System 0189 orRear
Climate Control System (with Rear
Seat Audio) 0190.
Transmission
Electronic Range Select
(ERS) Mode
ERS mode allows you to choose the
top-gear limit of the transmission
and the vehicle's speed while
driving downhill or towing a trailer.
The vehicle has an electronic shift
position indicator within the
instrument cluster. When using the
ERS mode a number will display
next to the L, indicating the current
gear that has been selected.
To use this feature:
1. Move the shift lever to L (Low).
2. Press the + (Plus) or −(Minus)
button on the shift lever, to
increase or decrease the gear
range available.
See Manual Mode 0213.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9159268) - 2016 - crc - 7/31/15
118 Instruments and Controls
If towing a trailer, reduce the
amount of cargo being hauled as
soon as possible.
If the light continues to flash, find a
safe place to park. Turn the vehicle
off and wait at least 10 seconds
before restarting the engine. If the
light is still flashing, follow the
previous guidelines and see your
dealer for service as soon as
possible.
If the light is on steady :A
malfunction has been detected.
Diagnosis and service may be
required.
Check the following:
. A loose or missing fuel cap may
cause the light to come on. See
Filling the Tank 0231. A few
driving trips with the cap
properly installed may turn the
light off.
. Poor fuel quality can cause
inefficient engine operation and
poor driveability, which may go
away once the engine is warmed
up. If this occurs, change the
fuel brand. It may require at least one full tank of the proper
fuel to turn the light off. See
Fuel
0 229.
If the light remains on, see your
dealer.
Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs
If the vehicle requires an Emissions
Inspection/Maintenance test, the
test equipment will likely connect to
the vehicle's Data Link
Connector (DLC).
The DLC is under the instrument
panel to the left of the steering
wheel. Connecting devices that are
not used to perform an Emissions
Inspection/Maintenance test or to
service the vehicle may affect
vehicle operation See Add-On
Electrical Equipment 0240. See
your dealer if assistance is needed. The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
.
The light is on when the engine
is running.
. The light does not come on
when the ignition is in ON/RUN
while the engine is off.
. Critical emission control systems
have not been completely
diagnosed. If this happens, the
vehicle would not be ready for
inspection and might require
several days of routine driving
before the system is ready for
inspection. This can happen if
the 12-volt battery has recently
been replaced or run down, or if
the vehicle has been recently
serviced.
See your dealer if the vehicle will
not pass or cannot be made ready
for the test.
Brake System Warning
Light
The vehicle brake system consists
of two hydraulic circuits. If one
circuit is not working, the remaining

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9159268) - 2016 - crc - 7/31/15
156 Lighting
A high electrical load occurs when
several of the following are on, such
as: headlamps, high beams, rear
window defogger, climate control fan
at high speed, heated seats, engine
cooling fans, trailer loads, and loads
plugged into accessory power
outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive
discharge of the battery. It does this
by balancing the generator's output
and the vehicle's electrical needs.
It can increase engine idle speed to
generate more power whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce
the power demands of some
accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in
steps or levels, without being
noticeable. In rare cases at the
highest levels of corrective action,
this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a DIC battery voltage
and charging message displays, it is
recommended that the driver reduce
the electrical loads as much as
possible. SeeBattery Voltage and
Charging Messages 0131
andDriver Information Center (DIC)
0 123.Battery Power Protection
This feature helps prevent the
battery from being drained, if the
interior courtesy lamps or reading
lamps are accidentally left on. If any
of these lamps are left on, they
automatically turn off after
10 minutes, if the ignition is off. The
lamps will not come back on again
until one of the following occurs:
.
The ignition is turned on.
. The exterior lamps control is
turned off, then on again.
The headlamps will time out after
10 minutes, if they are manually
turned on while the ignition is on
or off.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9159268) - 2016 - crc - 7/31/15
Driving and Operating 193
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 197
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 198
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 200
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 204
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 211
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 217
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Driver Assistance Systems
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 221
Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224 Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 230
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9159268) - 2016 - crc - 7/31/15
Driving and Operating 201
Tire and Loading Information
Label
Example Label
A vehicle-specific Tire and
Loading Information label is
attached to the center pillar
(B-pillar). The tire and loading
information label shows the
number of occupant seating
positions (1), and the maximum
vehicle capacity weight (2) in
kilograms and pounds.
The Tire and Loading
Information label also shows the
size of the original equipment
tires (3) and the recommendedcold tire inflation pressures (4).
For more information on tires
and inflation see
Tires0275
and Tire Pressure 0282.
There is also important loading
information on the vehicle
Certification/Tire label. It may
show the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) and the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for
the front and rear axle. See
“Certification/Tire Label” later in
this section.“Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit–
1.
Locate the statement "The
combined weight of
occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs." on your vehicle’s
placard.
2.Determine the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers from XXX kg or
XXX lbs.
4.The resulting figure equals
the available amount of
cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the
"XXX" amount equals
1400 lbs. and there will be
five 150 lb passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5 x 150) =
650 lbs.)
5.Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, load from your
trailer will be transferred to

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9159268) - 2016 - crc - 7/31/15
202 Driving and Operating
your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how
this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.”
See Trailer Towing 0236 for
important information on towing
a trailer, towing safety rules and
trailering tips.
Example 1
1.Vehicle Capacity Weight
for Example 1 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
2.Subtract Occupant
Weight @ 68 kg (150 lbs)
× 2 = 136 kg (300 lbs).
3.Available Occupant and
Cargo Weight = 317 kg
(700 lbs).
Example 2
1.Vehicle Capacity Weight
for Example 2 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
2.Subtract Occupant
Weight @ 68 kg (150 lbs)
× 5 = 340 kg (750 lbs).
3.Available Cargo Weight
= 113 kg (250 lbs).
Example 3
1.Vehicle Capacity Weight
for Example 3 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
2.Subtract Occupant
Weight @ 91 kg
(200 lbs) × 5 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
3.Available Cargo Weight
= 0 kg (0 lbs).
Refer to the vehicle's tire and
loading information label for
specific information about the
vehicle's capacity weight and
seating positions. The combined

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9159268) - 2016 - crc - 7/31/15
Driving and Operating 209
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
It could overheat and catch fire.
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park 0208.
If you are towing a trailer, see
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips 0233. If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you have moved
the shift lever into P (Park), hold the
regular brake pedal down. Then,
see if you can move the shift lever
away from P (Park) without first
pushing the button.
If you can, it means that the shift
lever was not fully locked in
P (Park).
Torque Lock
Torque lock is when the weight of
the vehicle puts too much force on
the parking pawl in the
transmission. This happens when
parking on a hill and shifting the
transmission into P (Park) is not
done properly and then it is difficult
to shift out of P (Park). To prevent
torque lock, set the parking brake
and then shift into P (Park). To find
out how, see
“Shifting Into Park”
listed previously. If torque lock does occur, your
vehicle may need to be pushed
uphill by another vehicle to relieve
the parking pawl pressure, so you
can shift out of P (Park).
Shifting out of Park
The vehicle is equipped with an
electronic shift lock release system.
The shift lock release is
designed to:
.
Prevent ignition key removal
unless the shift lever is in
P (Park) with the shift lever
button fully released, and
. Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park), unless the
ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular
brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9-volt) battery.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9159268) - 2016 - crc - 7/31/15
Driving and Operating 211
Warning (Continued)
.There are holes or openings
in the vehicle body from
damage or aftermarket
modifications that are not
completely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or
if it is suspected that exhaust is
coming into the vehicle: . Drive it only with the
windows completely down.
. Have the vehicle repaired
immediately.
Never park the vehicle with the
engine running in an enclosed
area such as a garage or a
building that has no fresh air
ventilation.
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running. If the vehicle is left with the engine
running, follow the proper steps to
be sure the vehicle will not move.
See
Shifting Into Park 0208 and
Engine Exhaust 0210.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips 0233.
Automatic
Transmission
P : This position locks the front
wheels. It is the best position to use
when starting the engine because
the vehicle cannot move easily.
{Warning
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
(Continued)

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9159268) - 2016 - crc - 7/31/15
Driving and Operating 213
D :This position is for normal
driving. It provides the best fuel
economy. If you need more power
for passing, and you are:
. Going less than 56 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
. Going about 56 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
Caution
If the vehicle accelerates slowly,
or does not shift gears, the
transmission could be damaged.
Have the vehicle serviced
right away.
If the vehicle is stopped on a hill,
with your foot off the brake pedal,
the vehicle may roll. This is normal
and is due to the torque converter
designed to improve fuel economy
and performance. Use the brake to
hold the vehicle on a hill. Do not use
the accelerator pedal. L :
This position gives you access
to gear ranges. This provides more
engine braking but lower fuel
economy than D (Drive). You can
use it on very steep hills, or in deep
snow or mud. See Manual Mode
0 213.
Manual Mode
Electronic Range Select
(ERS) Mode
ERS mode allows you to choose the
top-gear limit of the transmission
and the vehicle's speed while
driving downhill or towing a trailer.
The vehicle has an electronic shift
position indicator within the
instrument cluster. When using the
ERS mode a number will display
next to the L, indicating the current
gear that has been selected.To use this feature:
1. Move the shift lever to L (Low).
2. Press the + (Plus)/− (Minus)
button on the shift lever, to
increase or decrease the gear
range available.
When you shift from D (Drive) to
L (Low), the transmission will shift to
a pre-determined lower gear range.
The highest gear available for this
pre-determined range is displayed
next to the L in the DIC. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) 0123. The
number displayed in the DIC is the
highest gear that the transmission
will be allowed to operate in. This
means that all gears below that

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-9159268) - 2016 - crc - 7/31/15
216 Driving and Operating
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You may hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate. This is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows you to steer and brake
at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the
regular brake pedal down, then
push the parking brake pedal down.
If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
SeeBrake System Warning Light
0 118.
Caution
Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system
and cause premature wear or
damage to brake system parts.
Make sure that the parking brake
is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
To release the parking brake, hold
the regular brake pedal down, then
push down momentarily on the
parking brake pedal until you feel
the pedal release. Slowly pull your
foot up off the parking brake pedal.
If the parking brake is not released
when you begin to drive, the brake
system warning light will be on and
a chime will sound warning you that
the parking brake is still on. If you are towing a trailer and are
parking on a hill, see
Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
0 233.
Brake Assist
The Brake Assist feature is
designed to assist the driver in
stopping or decreasing vehicle
speed in emergency driving
conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake
control module to supplement the
power brake system under
conditions where the driver has
quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly
stop or slow down the vehicle. The
stability system hydraulic brake
control module increases brake
pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates.
Minor brake pedal pulsation or
pedal movement during this time is
normal and the driver should
continue to apply the brake pedal as
the driving situation dictates. The
Brake Assist feature will
automatically disengage when the