headlamp GMC TERRAIN 2012 User Guide

Black plate (6,1)GMC Terrain Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
6-6 Lighting
The battery can be discharged at
idle if the electrical loads are very
high. This is true for all vehicles.
This is because the generator
(alternator) may not be spinning fast
enough at idle to produce all of the
power needed for very high
electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when
several of the following are on, such
as: headlamps, high beams, fog
lamps, 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 message might
be displayed and it is recommended
that the driver reduce the electrical
loads as much as possible. See
Battery Voltage and Charging
Messages on page 5‑26.

Black plate (8,1)GMC Terrain Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
9-8 Driving and Operating
Driving on Hills
Driving safely on hills requires good
judgment and an understanding of
what the vehicle can and cannot do.
{WARNING
Many hills are simply too steep
for any vehicle. Driving up hills
can cause the vehicle to stall.
Driving down hills can cause loss
of control. Driving across hills can
cause a rollover. You could be
injured or killed. Do not drive on
steep hills.
Before driving on a hill, assess the
steepness, traction, and
obstructions. If the terrain ahead
cannot be seen, get out of the
vehicle and walk the hill before
driving further. When driving on hills:
.Use a low gear and keep a firm
grip on the steering wheel.
.Maintain a slow speed.
.When possible, drive straight up
or down the hill.
.Slow down when approaching
the top of the hill.
.Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible.
{WARNING
Driving to the top of a hill at high
speed can cause an accident.
There could be a drop-off,
embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be
seriously injured or killed. As you
near the top of a hill, slow down
and stay alert.
.Never go downhill forward or
backward with the transmission
in N (Neutral). The brakes could
overheat and you could lose
control.
.When driving down a hill, keep
the vehicle headed straight
down. Use a low gear because
the engine will work with the
brakes to slow the vehicle and
help keep the vehicle under
control.
{WARNING
Heavy braking when going down
a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and you or
others could be injured or killed.
Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under
control.

Black plate (15,1)GMC Terrain Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-15
To save fuel, run the engine for only
short periods as needed to warm
the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of
the way to save heat. Repeat this
until help arrives but only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the
cold. Moving about to keep warm
also helps.
If it takes some time for help to
arrive, now and then when you run
the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs
faster than the idle speed. This
keeps the battery charged to restart
the vehicle and to signal for help
with the headlamps. Do this as little
as possible to save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. See
Traction
Control System (TCS) on
page 9‑35.
{WARNING
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 55 km/h (35 mph).
For information about using tire
chains on the vehicle, see Tire
Chains on page 10‑65.
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a forward
gear, spinning the wheels as little as
possible. To prevent transmission
wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears.
Release the accelerator pedal while
shifting, and press lightly on the
accelerator pedal when the
transmission is in gear. Slowly
spinning the wheels in the forward
and reverse directions causes a
rocking motion that could free the
vehicle. If that does not get the
vehicle out after a few tries, it might
need to be towed out. If the vehicle
does need to be towed out, see
Towing the Vehicle on page 10‑79.

Black plate (42,1)GMC Terrain Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
9-42 Driving and Operating
Selecting the Alert Timing
The Collision Alert control is on the
steering wheel. Press COLLISION
ALERT to set the alert timing to far,
medium, near or off. The first button
press shows the current control
setting on the DIC. Additional button
presses will change this setting. The
chosen setting will remain until it is
changed and will affect both the
Collision Alert and the Tailgating
Alert features. The timing of both
alerts will vary based on vehicle
speed. The faster the vehicle speed,
the further away the alert will occur.Consider traffic and weather
conditions when selecting the alert
timing. The range of selectable alert
timing may not be appropriate for all
drivers and driving conditions.
Detecting the Vehicle Ahead
The green vehicle ahead indicator
will appear when a vehicle is
detected ahead. Whenever this
indicator does not appear, FCA will
not respond. The indicator may
disappear on curves, highway exit
ramps, or hills, or due to poor
visibility. The FCA system will not
detect another vehicle ahead until it
is completely in the driving lane.
{WARNING
If the FCA camera sensor is
blocked by dirt, snow, or ice, or if
the windshield is damaged, it may
not detect a vehicle ahead. FCA
may not help avoid a collision
under these conditions. Do not
rely on FCA when the camera is
blocked by snow, ice, or dirt.
Keep the windshield clean.
{WARNING
If the headlamps are not cleaned
or properly aimed, the FCA
system may not detect a vehicle
ahead. FCA may not help avoid a
collision under these conditions.
Keep the headlamps clean and
properly aimed.

Black plate (50,1)GMC Terrain Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
9-50 Driving and Operating
To change the volume of the
warning chime, see“Chime Volume”
under Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑33 for more information.
When the System Does Not
Seem To Work Properly
If the LDW symbol does not appear:
.The lane markings on the road
may not be seen.
.The camera sensor may be
blocked by dirt, snow or ice.
.The windshield may be
damaged.
.The weather may be limiting
visibility.
This is normal operation; the vehicle
does not need service. Clean the
windshield.
{WARNING
If the LDW camera sensor is
blocked by dirt, snow, or ice, or if
the windshield is damaged, it may
not detect a vehicle ahead. LDW
may not help avoid a collision
under these conditions. Do not
rely on LDW when the camera is
blocked by snow, ice, or dirt.
Keep the windshield clean.
{WARNING
If the headlamps are not cleaned
or properly aimed, the LDW
system may not detect lanes
ahead. LDW may not help avoid a
collision under these conditions.
Keep the headlamps clean and
properly aimed. LDW warnings may occasionally
occur due to tar marks, shadows,
cracks in the road, or other road
imperfections. This is normal system
operation, the vehicle does not need
service.
LDW Messages
FRONT CAMERA BLOCKED,
CLEAN WINDSHIELD:
This
message may appear because the
front camera is blocked and cannot
operate properly. It may also
activate during heavy rain or due to
road spray.
LANE DEPARTURE SYSTEM
UNAVAILABLE: This message
may appear if LDW does not
activate due to a temporary
condition.
SERVICE FRONT CAMERA: This
message may appear to indicate
that LDW is not working properly.
If this message remains on after
continued driving, the system needs
service. Take the vehicle to your
dealer.

Black plate (1,1)GMC Terrain Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-12
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-14
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-20
Power Steering Fluid (2.4L L4 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22 Power Steering Fluid (3.0L
V6 Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-27
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-28
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Headlamps, Front TurnSignal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33 Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Sidemarker, Stoplamps,
and Back-Up Lamps . . . . . . 10-34
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-36
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Electrical System
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-45
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59

Black plate (30,1)GMC Terrain Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
10-30 Vehicle Care
Headlamp Aiming
The headlamp aiming system has
been preset at the factory.
If the vehicle is damaged in an
accident, the aim of the headlamps
may be affected and adjustment
may be necessary.
It is recommended that a dealer
adjust the headlamps. To re-aim the
headlamps yourself, use the
following procedure.
The vehicle should be properly
prepared as follows. The vehicle:
.Should be placed so the
headlamps are 7.6 m (25 ft) from
a light colored wall.
.Must have all four tires on a
level surface which is level all
the way to the wall.
.Should be placed so it is
perpendicular to the wall or other
flat surface.
.Should not have any snow, ice,
or mud on it.
.Should be fully assembled and
all other work stopped while
headlamp aiming is being
performed.
.Should be normally loaded with
a full tank of fuel and one person
or 75 kg (160 lbs) sitting in the
driver's seat.
.Tires should be properly inflated.
Headlamp aiming is done with the
vehicle's low-beam headlamps. The
high-beam headlamps will be
correctly aimed if the low-beam
headlamps are aimed properly. To adjust the vertical aim, do the
following:
1. Open the hood. See
Hood on
page 10‑5 for more information.
2. Locate the aim dot on the lens of
the low‐beam headlamp.
3. Measure the distance from the ground to the aim dot on the
low‐beam headlamp. Record the
distance.

Black plate (31,1)GMC Terrain Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-31
4. At the wall, measure from theground upward (A) to the
recorded distance from
Step 3 and mark it.
5. Draw or tape a horizontal line (B) on the wall the width of the
vehicle at the height of the mark
in Step 4.
Notice: Do not cover a headlamp
to improve beam cut-off when
aiming. Covering a headlamp may
cause excessive heat build-up
which may cause damage to the
headlamp. 6. Turn on the low-beam
headlamps and place a piece of
cardboard or equivalent in front
of the headlamp not being
adjusted. This allows only the
beam of light from the headlamp
being adjusted to be seen on the
flat surface.
7. Locate the vertical headlamp
aiming screws, which are under
the hood near each headlamp
assembly. 8. Turn the vertical aiming screw
until the headlamp beam is
aimed to the horizontal tape line.
Turn it clockwise or
counterclockwise to raise or
lower the angle of the beam.
9. Make sure that the light from theheadlamp is positioned at the
bottom edge of the horizontal
tape line. The lamp on the
left (A) shows the correct
headlamp aim. The lamp on the
right (B) shows the incorrect
headlamp aim.
10. Repeat Steps 7 through 9 for the opposite headlamp.

Black plate (32,1)GMC Terrain Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
10-32 Vehicle Care
Bulb Replacement
For the proper type of replacement
bulbs, seeReplacement Bulbs on
page 10‑37.
For any bulb changing procedure
not listed in this section, contact
your dealer.
Headlamps, Front Turn
Signal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps
A. Low-Beam Headlamp
B. High-Beam Headlamp
C. Sidemarker Lamp
D. Park/Turn Signal Lamp To replace one of these bulbs:
1. Turn the tire to reach the access
port cap located in the front of
wheel well cover.A. Screw
B. Access Port Cap
2. Remove the screw (A) and turn the access port cap (B)
counterclockwise to remove.
3. If replacing a headlamp bulb, remove the dust cover cap from
the back of the headlamp
housing by turning the cap
counterclockwise.

Black plate (33,1)GMC Terrain Owner Manual (Include Mex) - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-33
4. Turn the bulb socketcounterclockwise to remove it
from the lamp assembly.
5. Remove the bulb from the socket or disconnect the bulb
assembly from the harness
connector.
6. Install the new bulb.
7. Reinstall the bulb socket to the lamp assembly, turning
clockwise.
8. Replace the dust cover cap on headlamps.
9. Reinstall the wheel well cover access port cap and secure by
installing the screw.Fog Lamps
To replace one of these bulbs:
1. Locate the fog lamp assemblyunder the front facia.
2. Disconnect the bulb socket from the electrical connector, turn,
and pull out the bulb assembly. 3. Remove the old bulb from the
bulb socket and push the new
bulb straight into the bulb socket
until it connects.
4. Push the bulb socket into the fog lamp assembly and turn
clockwise to lock it into place.
5. Reconnect the bulb socket to the electrical connector.