cruise control GMC ACADIA 2020 User Guide

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
174 Driving and Operating
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 243
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Trailer Towing
General Towing
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . 256
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible.
. Set the climate controls to the
desired temperature after the
engine is started, or turn them
off when not required.
. On AWD vehicles, see Driver
Mode Control 0212.
. 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.
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep
your eyes on the road, keep your
hands on the steering wheel, and
focus your attention on driving.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
Driving and Operating 183
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road iswet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.
Allow extra following distance.
. Pass with caution.
. Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
. Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See Tires0297.
. Turn off cruise control.
. Activate All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
mode. See Driver Mode Control
0 212.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.
Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
. Check all fluid levels, brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
. Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
184 Driving and Operating
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering assist. Always
have the engine running and the
vehicle in gear.
. Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line.
. Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(e.g., stalled car, crash).
. Pay attention to special road
signs (e.g., falling rocks area,
winding roads, long grades,
passing or no-passing zones)
and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.
. Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0209.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) improves vehicle stability
during hard stops, but the
brakes should be applied sooner
than when on dry pavement.
See Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0206.
. Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise clear roads in shaded areas.
The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when
the surrounding roads are clear.
Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
. Turn off cruise control.
. Select All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Mode for vehicles equipped with
AWD. Select Snow/Ice Mode for
FWD only vehicles. See Driver
Mode Control 0212 and
All-Wheel Drive 0206.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. Stay with the vehicle
unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside
Assistance Program 0374. To get
help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe:
. Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
. Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
206 Driving and Operating
available to use. For example, when
4 (Fourth) is shown next to the L,
1 (First) through 4 (Fourth) gears are
shifted automatically. To shift to
5 (Fifth) gear, press the + (Plus)
button or shift into D (Drive).
L (Low) will prevent shifting to a
lower gear range if the engine
speed is too high. If vehicle speed is
not reduced within the time allowed,
the lower gear range shift will not be
completed. Slow the vehicle, then
press the−(Minus) button to the
desired lower gear range.
While using ERS, cruise control can
be used.
Tow/Haul Mode
See Driver Mode Control 0212.
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive
Vehicles with this feature can
operate in AWD Mode. See Driver
Mode Control 0212.
Brakes
Electric Brake Boost
Vehicles equipped with electric
brake boost have hydraulic brake
circuits that are electronically
controlled when the brake pedal is
applied during normal operation.
The system performs routine tests
and turns off within a few minutes
after the vehicle is shutdown. Noise
may be heard during this time. If the
brake pedal is pressed during the
tests or when the electric brake
boost system is off, a noticeable
change in pedal force and travel
may be felt. This is normal.
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
helps prevent a braking skid and
maintain steering while
braking hard.
ABS performs a system check when
the vehicle is first driven.
A momentary motor or clicking noise

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
210 Driving and Operating
vehicle wheel brakes to assist the
driver in keeping the vehicle on the
intended path.
If cruise control is being used and
TCS or StabiliTrak/ESC begins to
limit wheel spin, cruise control will
disengage. Cruise control may be
turned back on when road
conditions allow. TCS and
StabiliTrak/ESC will automatically
turn on when cruise control is set.
Both systems come on
automatically when the vehicle is
started and begins to move. The
systems may be heard or felt while
they are operating or while
performing diagnostic checks. This
is normal and does not mean there
is a problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both
systems on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn TCS off if the vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
SeeIf the Vehicle Is Stuck 0185
and “Turning the Systems Off and
On” later in this section.
The indicator light for both systems
is in the instrument cluster. This
light:
.
Will flash when TCS is limiting
wheel spin
. Will flash when StabiliTrak/ESC
is activated
. Will turn on and stay on when
either system is not working
. May flash when ABS is active
If either system fails to turn on or to
activate, a message may display in
the Driver Information Center (DIC),
and
dcomes on and stays on to
indicate that the system is inactive
and is not assisting the driver in
maintaining control. The vehicle is
safe to drive, but driving should be
adjusted accordingly. If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
4. Drive the vehicle.
If
dcomes on and stays on, the
vehicle may need more time to
diagnose the problem. If the
condition persists, see your dealer.
Turning the Systems Off
and On

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
214 Driving and Operating
Cruise Control
{Warning
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. Do not use
cruise control on winding roads or
in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
With cruise control, a speed of
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more can
be maintained without keeping your
foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below about 40 km/h (25 mph). If the StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) system begins to limit
wheel spin while using cruise
control, the cruise control
automatically disengages. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control
0209. If a collision alert
occurs when cruise control is
activated, cruise control is
disengaged. See Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) System 0231. When
road conditions allow the cruise
control to be safely used, cruise
control can be turned back on.
Turning off the TCS or StabiliTrak/
ESC system will disengage the
cruise control.
If the brakes are applied, cruise
control disengages.
J: Press to turn the system on
and off. A white indicator appears in
the instrument cluster when cruise
is turned on.
RES+ : If there is a set speed in
memory, press briefly to resume to
that speed or press and hold to
accelerate. If the cruise control is
already active, use to increase
vehicle speed.
SET− :Press briefly to set the
speed and activate cruise control.
If the cruise control is already
active, use to decrease vehicle
speed.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
Driving and Operating 215
*:Press to disengage cruise
control without erasing the set
speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If
Jis on when not in use, SET− or
RES+ could get pressed and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep
J
off when cruise is not being used.
1. Press
J.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press and release SET−. The desired set speed briefly
appears in the instrument
cluster.
4. Remove your foot from the accelerator.
When the cruise control has been
set to the desired speed, a green
cruise control indicator appears on
the instrument cluster. Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a
desired speed and then the brakes
are applied or
*is pressed, the
cruise control is disengaged without
erasing the set speed from memory.
Once the vehicle speed reaches
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more,
press RES+ briefly. The vehicle
returns to the previous set speed.
Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated:
. Press and hold RES+ up until
the desired speed is reached,
then release it.
. To increase vehicle speed in
small increments, briefly press
RES+. For each press, the
vehicle goes about 1 km/h
(1 mph) faster. The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See
Instrument Cluster (Base
and Midlevel) 0115 or
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) 0119.
The increment value used depends
on the units displayed.
Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated:
. Press and hold SET− until the
desired lower speed is reached,
then release it.
. To decrease the vehicle speed in
small increments, briefly press
SET−. For each press, the
vehicle goes about 1 km/h
(1 mph) slower.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Instrument Cluster (Base
and Midlevel) 0115 or
Instrument Cluster (Uplevel) 0119.
The increment value used depends
on the units displayed.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
216 Driving and Operating
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the
previous set cruise speed.
While pressing the accelerator pedal
or shortly following the release to
override cruise, briefly applying SET
−will result in cruise set to the
current vehicle speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control will work
on hills depends upon the vehicle
speed, load, and the steepness of
the hills. When going up steep hills,
you might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain your
speed. When going downhill, you
may have to brake or shift to a lower
gear to keep your speed down.
If the brake pedal is applied, cruise
control disengages. Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise
control:
.
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
. Press
*.
. Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
. Press
J.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
Jis
pressed or if the ignition is
turned off.
Adaptive Cruise Control
If equipped with Adaptive Cruise
Control (ACC), it allows the driver to
select the cruise control set speed
and following gap. Read this entire
section before using this system.
The following gap is the following
time between your vehicle and a
vehicle detected directly ahead in
your path, moving in the same
direction. If no vehicle is detected in
your path, ACC works like regular cruise control. ACC uses camera
and radar sensors. See
Radio
Frequency Statement 0380.
If a vehicle is detected in your path,
ACC can apply acceleration or
limited, moderate braking to
maintain the selected following gap.
To disengage ACC, apply the brake.
If ACC is controlling your vehicle
speed when the Traction Control
System (TCS) or StabiliTrak/
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system activates, the ACC may
automatically disengage. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control 0209. When road
conditions allow ACC to be safely
used, the ACC can be turned
back on.
Turning off the TCS or StabiliTrak/
ESC system will disengage the
cruise control.
ACC is intended for use on
expressways, freeways, and
interstate highways. ACC may be
used on other roads, but it may not
be able to handle all driving
situations.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
218 Driving and Operating
already activated. To decrease
speed by 1 km/h (1 mph), briefly
press SET−. To decrease speed to
the next 5 km/h (5 mph) mark on the
speedometer, press and hold SET−,
then release.
*:Press to disengage ACC
without erasing the selected set
speed.
[: Press to select a following gap
time (or distance) setting for ACC of
Far, Medium, or Near.
Switching Between ACC and
Regular Cruise Control
To switch between ACC and regular
cruise control, press and hold
*.
A Driver Information Display (DIC)
message displays. See Vehicle
Messages 0145.
ACC IndicatorRegular Cruise
Control Indicator When ACC is engaged, a green
]
indicator will be lit on the instrument
cluster. When the regular cruise
control is engaged, a green
J
indicator will be lit on the instrument
cluster.
When the vehicle is turned on, the
cruise control mode will be set to
the last mode used before the
vehicle was turned off.
{Warning
Always check the cruise control
indicator on the instrument cluster
to determine which mode cruise
control is in before using the
feature. If ACC is not active, the
vehicle will not automatically
brake for other vehicles, which
could cause a crash if the brakes
are not applied manually. You and
others could be seriously injured
or killed.
Setting Adaptive Cruise Control
If
Jis on when not in use, it could
get pressed and go into cruise when
not desired. Keep
Joff when
cruise is not being used.
Select the set speed desired for
cruise. This is the vehicle speed
when no vehicle is detected in
its path.
ACC will not set at a speed less
than 25 km/h (15 mph), although it
can be resumed when driving at
lower speeds.
To set ACC:
1. Press
J.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press and release SET–.
4. Remove foot from the accelerator.
After ACC is set, it may immediately
apply the brakes if a vehicle ahead
is detected closer than the selected
following gap.

GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13687875) - 2020 - CRC - 10/28/19
Driving and Operating 219
ACC can also be set while the
vehicle is stopped if ACC is on and
the brake pedal is applied.
The ACC indicator displays on the
instrument cluster. When ACC is
active, the indicator will be lit green.
Be mindful of speed limits,
surrounding traffic speeds, and
weather conditions when selecting
the set speed.
Resuming a Set Speed
If ACC is set at a desired speed and
then the brakes are applied, ACC is
disengaged without erasing the set
speed from memory.
To begin using ACC again, press
RES+ up briefly.
.If the vehicle is moving, it returns
to the previous set speed. .
If the vehicle is stopped with the
brake pedal applied, press RES
+ and release the brake pedal.
ACC will hold the vehicle until
RES+ or the accelerator pedal is
pressed.
A green ACC indicator and the set
speed display on the instrument
cluster. The vehicle ahead indicator
may be flashing if a vehicle ahead
was present and moved. See
“Approaching and Following a
Vehicle” later in this section.
Once ACC has resumed, if there is
no vehicle ahead, if the vehicle
ahead is beyond the selected
following gap, or if the vehicle has
exited a sharp curve, then the
vehicle speed will increase to the
set speed.
Increasing Speed While ACC is at
a Set Speed
If ACC is already activated, do one
of the following:
. Use the accelerator to get to the
higher speed. Press SET– .
Release the control and the accelerator pedal. The vehicle
will now cruise at the higher
speed.
When the accelerator pedal is
pressed, ACC will not brake
because it is overridden. The
ACC indicator on the instrument
panel will turn blue. See
Vehicle
Messages 0145.
. Press and hold RES+ until the
desired set speed appears on
the display, then release it.
. To increase vehicle speed in
small increments, briefly press
RES+. For each press, the
vehicle goes 1 km/h (1 mph)
faster.
. To increase vehicle speed in
larger increments, hold RES+.
While holding RES+, the vehicle
speed increases to the next
5 km/h (5 mph) step, then
continues to increase by 5 km/h
(5 mph) at a time.
The set speed can also be
increased while the vehicle is
stopped.