tow GMC TERRAIN 2013 Owner's Manual

Black plate (1,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12
2013 GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Keys, Doors, and Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33 Storage
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Additional Storage Features . . . 4-2
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-31
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-36
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1 Climate Controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-19
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-26
Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-32
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-37
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-59
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38

Black plate (2,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12
2013 GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner ManualM
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-69
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . 10-73
Service and Maintenance . . . 11-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . 11-3
Special Application Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
Additional Maintenance and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts . . . . . . 11-12
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . 11-15
Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2 Customer Information
. . . . . . . 13-1
Customer Information . . . . . . . . 13-2
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . 13-18
Vehicle Data Recording and
Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-19
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1
OnStar Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-2
OnStar Additional
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-5
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1

Black plate (12,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12
1-12 In Brief
For more information on interior
lighting, SeeInstrument Panel
Illumination Control on page 6‑4.
Exterior Lighting
The exterior lamp control is located
on the turn signal lever.
O: Turn to operate the exterior
lamps.
O: Briefly turn to this position to
turn the automatic light control off or
on again.
AUTO: Turns the exterior lamps on
and off automatically depending on
the exterior light.
;: Turns on the parking lamps,
together with the sidemarker lamps,
taillamps, license plate lamps, and
instrument panel lights.
5: Turns on the headlamps,
together with the parking lamps,
sidemarker lamps, taillamps, license
plate lamps, and instrument panel
lights.
For more information, see:
.Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
.Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
on page 6‑2.
.Fog Lamps on page 6‑4.
Windshield Wiper/Washer
The windshield wiper/washer lever
is located on the right side of the
steering column. With the ignition in
ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN/
START, move the windshield wiper
lever to select the wiper speed. HI:
Use for fast wipes.
LO: Use for slow wipes.
INT: Move the lever up to INT for
intermittent wipes, then turn the
3INT band up for more frequent
wipes or down for less frequent
wipes.
OFF: Use to turn the wipers off.
8:For a single wipe, briefly move
the wiper lever down. For several
wipes, hold the wiper lever down.
n LFRONT: Pull the windshield
wiper lever toward you to spray
windshield washer fluid and activate
the wipers.

Black plate (15,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12
In Brief 1-15
SeeParking Brake on page 9‑31.
Transmission
Electronic Range Select
(ERS) Mode
ERS or manual mode allows for the
selection of the range of gear
positions. Use this mode when
driving down hill or towing a trailer
to limit the top gear and vehicle
speed.
To use this feature:
1. Move the shift lever to
M (Manual Mode).
2. Press the plus/minus button on the shift lever, to increase or
decrease the gear range
available.
See Manual Mode on page 9‑28 for
more information.
Fuel Economy Mode
Vehicles with a 2.4L engine have a
Fuel Economy Mode. When
engaged, fuel economy mode can
improve the vehicle's fuel economy.
Press the “eco”(economy) button by
the shift lever to turn this feature on
or off. The “eco”light in the
instrument cluster will come on
when engaged, and a Driver
Information Center (DIC) message
“ECO MODE ON” displays. See
Fuel Economy Mode on page 9‑29.
Vehicle Features
Steering Wheel Controls
Some audio steering wheel controls
can be adjusted at the steering
wheel.
b/g: Press to interact with the
available Bluetooth or OnStar
systems.

Black plate (16,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12
1-16 In Brief
>/i:Press to silence the
vehicle speakers only. Press again
to turn the sound on. For vehicles
with OnStar or Bluetooth systems,
press to reject an incoming call,
or end a current call.
_SRC^: Press to select an audio
source.
Toggle up or down to select the next
or previous favorite radio station,
CD, or MP3 track.
+ VOL −:Press + to increase the
volume; press −to decrease the
volume.
For more information, see Steering
Wheel Controls on page 5‑2.
Cruise Control
ON/OFF5CRUISE: Press to turn
the cruise control system on and off.
*CANCEL: Press to disengage
cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory.
RES/+: Move the thumbwheel up to
make the vehicle resume to a
previously set speed or to
accelerate. SET/−:
Move the thumbwheel down
toward SET/- to set a speed and
activate cruise control, or to make
the vehicle decelerate.
See Cruise Control on page 9‑35.
Infotainment System
See the infotainment manual for
information on the radio, audio
players, phone, navigation system,
and voice or speech recognition.
It also includes information on
settings and downloadable
applications (if equipped).
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
The DIC display is located in the
center of the instrument panel
cluster. It shows the status of many
vehicle systems.

Black plate (4,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12
2-4 Keys, Doors, and Windows
7(Vehicle Locator/Panic
Alarm): Press and release one
time to initiate vehicle locator. The
exterior lamps flash and the horn
chirps three times. Press and hold
7for at least three seconds to
sound the panic alarm. The horn
sounds and the turn signals flash
until
7is pressed again or the key
is placed in the ignition and turned
to ON/RUN.
/(Remote Vehicle Start): For
vehicles with this feature, first press
Qthen press and hold/to start
the engine from outside the vehicle
using the RKE transmitter. See
Remote Vehicle Start on page 2‑4
for additional information.
The buttons on the keys are
disabled when there is a key in the
ignition.
Programming Transmitters to
the Vehicle
Only RKE transmitters programmed
to this vehicle will work. If a
transmitter is lost or stolen, a replacement can be purchased and
programmed through your dealer.
When the replacement transmitter is
programmed to this vehicle, all
remaining transmitters must also be
reprogrammed. Any lost or stolen
transmitters will no longer work
once the new transmitter is
programmed.
Battery Replacement
Replace the battery if the REPLACE
BATTERY IN REMOTE KEY
message displays in the DIC. See
“Replace Battery in Remote Key”
under
Key and Lock Messages on
page 5‑27.
The battery is not rechargeable. To
replace the battery:
1. Push the button on the transmitter to extend the key.
2. Remove the battery cover by prying with a finger.
3. Remove the battery by pushing on the battery and sliding it
toward the key blade. 4. Insert the new battery, positive
side facing up. Push the battery
down until it is held in place.
Replace with a CR2032 or
equivalent battery.
5. Snap the battery cover back on to the transmitter.
Remote Vehicle Start
The vehicle may have this feature
that allows you to start the engine
from outside the vehicle.
/(Remote Vehicle Start): This
button will be on the RKE
transmitter if the vehicle has remote
start.
The climate control system will use
the previous settings during a
remote start. The rear defog may
come on during remote start based
on cold ambient conditions. The
rear defog indicator light does not
come on during remote start.

Black plate (16,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12
2-16 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Interior Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror
Hold the inside rearview mirror in
the center and move it for a clearer
view behind the vehicle. Adjust the
mirror to avoid glare from the
headlamps behind you. Push the
tab forward for daytime use and pull
it for nighttime use.
Vehicles with OnStar
®have three
control buttons located at the
bottom of the mirror. See your
dealer for more information on the
system and how to subscribe to
OnStar. See OnStar Overview on
page 14‑1.
Automatic Dimming
Rearview Mirror
The vehicle may have an automatic
dimming inside rearview mirror.
Automatic dimming reduces the
glare from the headlamps of the
vehicle behind you. The dimming
feature comes on and the indicator
light comes on each time the vehicle
is started.
O(On/Off): Press to turn automatic
dimming on or off.
Vehicles with OnStar® have three
additional control buttons located at
the bottom of the mirror. See your
dealer for more information on the
system and how to subscribe to
OnStar. See OnStar Overview on
page 14‑1.
Cleaning the Mirror
Do not spray glass cleaner directly
on the mirror. Use a soft towel
dampened with water.
Windows
{WARNING
Never leave a child, a helpless
adult, or a pet alone in a vehicle,
especially with the windows
closed in warm or hot weather.
They can be overcome by the
extreme heat and suffer
permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke.

Black plate (10,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12
3-10 Seats and Restraints
WARNING (CONTINUED)
seriously injured. After raising the
rear seatback, always check to be
sure that the safety belts are
properly routed and attached, and
are not twisted.
To fold the seatback down:
Notice: Folding a rear seat with
the safety belts still fastened may
cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the
safety belts and return them to
their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat.
1. Unbuckle the rear safety belts and place the front seatbacks in
the upright position. See
Reclining Seatbacks on
page 3‑5.
2. Lift the lever on the top of the
seatback.
3. Fold the seatback forward.
The filler panel behind the seat
will fold with the seatback to
span the gap between the rear
of the seat and the cargo area,
creating a flat load floor. Do not
lift the filler panel.
Keep the seatback in the upright,
locked position when not in use. To recline the seatback:
1. Lift and hold the lever on top of
the seatback.
2. Tilt the seatback rearward, then release the lever when the
seatback is in the desired
position.
To slide the entire seat forward or
rearward:
1. Lift and hold the release bar under the front of the seat
cushion to unlock the seat.
2. Slide the seat to the desired position.
3. Release the bar.
4. Try to move the seat back and forth to ensure the seat is locked
into place.

Black plate (24,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12
3-24 Seats and Restraints
determined by the location and
severity of the side impact. In a
rollover event, roof-rail airbag
deployment is determined by the
direction of the roll.
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing
system sends an electrical signal
triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the
airbag causing the bag to break out
of the cover. The inflator, the airbag,
and related hardware are all part of
the airbag module.
For airbag location, seeWhere Are
the Airbags? on page 3‑21.
How Does an Airbag
Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or
near frontal collisions, even belted
occupants can contact the steering
wheel or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side collisions,
even belted occupants can contact
the inside of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Frontal
airbags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the
occupant's upper body, stopping the
occupant more gradually. Seat‐
mounted side impact and roof-rail
airbags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the
occupant's upper body.
Rollover capable roof-rail airbags
are designed to help contain the
head and chest of occupants in the
outboard seating positions in the
first and second rows. The rollover
capable roof-rail airbags are
designed to help reduce the risk of
full or partial ejection in rollover
events, although no system can
prevent all such ejections.
But airbags would not help in many
types of collisions, primarily
because the occupant's motion is
not toward those airbags. See
When
Should an Airbag Inflate? on
page 3‑22 for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to safety belts.
What Will You See after
an Airbag Inflates?
After the frontal airbags and
seat-mounted side impact airbags
inflate, they quickly deflate, so
quickly that some people may not
even realize an airbag inflated.
Roof-rail airbags may still be at least
partially inflated for some time after
they inflate. Some components of
the airbag module may be hot for
several minutes. For location of the
airbags, see Where Are the
Airbags? on page 3‑21.
The parts of the airbag that come
into contact with you may be warm,
but not too hot to touch. There may
be some smoke and dust coming
from the vents in the deflated
airbags. Airbag inflation does not

Black plate (30,1)GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12
3-30 Seats and Restraints
indicator will be lit, and the
airbag readiness light on the
instrument panel will also be lit.
.Liquid pooled on the seat that
has not soaked in may make it
more likely that the passenger
sensing system will enable (turn
on) the passenger airbag while a
child restraint or child occupant
is on the seat. If the passenger
airbag is turned on, the on
indicator will be lit.
If the passenger seat gets wet, dry
the seat immediately. If the airbag
readiness light is lit, do not install a
child restraint or allow anyone to
occupy the seat. See Airbag
Readiness Light on page 5‑10 for
important safety information.
The on indicator may be lit if an
object, such as a briefcase,
handbag, grocery bag, laptop or
other electronic device, is put on an
unoccupied seat. If this is not
desired remove the object from
the seat.
{WARNING
Stowing of articles under the
passenger seat or between the
passenger seat cushion and
seatback may interfere with the
proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle
should be serviced. There are parts
of the airbag system in several
places around the vehicle. Your
dealer and the service manual have
information about servicing the
vehicle and the airbag system. To
purchase a service manual, see
Service Publications Ordering
Information on page 13‑17.
{WARNING
For up to 10 seconds after the
vehicle is turned off and the
battery is disconnected, an airbag
can still inflate during improper
service. You can be injured if you
are close to an airbag when it
inflates. Avoid yellow connectors.
They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow
proper service procedures, and
make sure the person performing
work for you is qualified to do so.
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q: Is there anything I might add to or change about the vehicle
that could keep the airbags
from working properly?
A: Yes. If you add things that
change the vehicle's frame,
bumper system, height, front end
or side sheet metal, they may